for Chritsmas....

Who says technology is taking over our kids' lives? I see at least one legitimate toy on this list...

9!

I can't believe this little guy is now 9! This is Caleb on his 1st birthday. He still lights up the room with his smile, brings much joy to our home, and still makes a mess with cake! We love him so much and are blessed to have him in our family.

Yellow Belt

Caleb has been working hard in tae kwon do. He took his yellow belt advancement test tonight. He looks intimidating here - his kiup (yell) is worse than his bite!

Though you can't see his face, Caleb has perfect form in this hapkido move. I feel sorry for the kid with the red hair :)

Demonstrating another hapkido move.

Breaking the board with his back kick. He broke it on the first try!

Having his yellow belt put on. We are so proud of Caleb and the progress he is making in tae kwon do!

Glen Albert Gilyeat

I took this picture from a collage of pictures from my childhood. The only one I could find with my Grandpa Gilyeat in it. Even though this was roughly 35 years ago, he hadn't changed much my whole life. Except for losing the plaid pants and non-matching plaid jacket. He passed away this morning. It is bittersweet. He truggled with Alzheimer's for a while and decided last week he was done fighting - he stopped eating. I'm glad he didn't suffer long. And as the type-writer note says "We love Grandpa!" -April

Ethics and Morality

I have really learned a lot the past few days on the above topics. I thought I knew what they were, but had a heck of a time helping Caleb understand them. See, Caleb is getting ready for his Yellow Belt advancement in Tae kwon do. The school he is in "emphasizes the mental as well as physical aspects of the art". He is required to write a report on a different topic with each advancement and this time the question is "What are ethics and morality?" Heavy stuff for an almost 9 year old. Together we did some research on-line. Let me share with you what he came up with (80% his own words):

Ethics answers questions such as "What is right and wrong?" and "What is good and bad?". It can help me make informed decisions. An ethical person will make the right decision even if no one is looking.
A moral person has manners, character, proper behavior, and is honest. My morals have been taught to me by my parents, and other trusted adults. They help me make good decisions, respect others, and contribute to society.

I am really proud of him. He did such a good job putting into words what I struggled to do. Even though it is weighty material for him, he seems to grasp it well, and I hope he will remember his definitions as he goes through his life. I hope I can, too! - April

Halloween!

Here they are. The obligatory photos of Caleb and Abby in their Halloween costumes. Abby had been telling us for weeks that she wanted to be a "sparkly unicorn; with wings". I had no idea how to make that one work. Luckily, we have a neighbor who thinks along the same lines as Abby, and is generous (thanks Gay)! That is where we scored this fantastic costume from!

Caleb was a Knight in Shining Armor. Maybe rescuing the Unicorn from some unknown danger. I love the way this shot turned out. I'm going to say I did it on purpose...
These goofy teeth were a gift from Grandma & Grandpa Hoeveler. The kids loved them! All in all, a great Halloween.

Fall fun

Today was beautiful!We invited our friends, the Hills to go with us to the Rutledge Corn Maze. We even pulled our oldest out of school so that we could take full advantage of the sunny weather.
Each year the maze is a different shape. This year it was the face of Captain Phil Harris from Deadliest Catch.
The kids grabbed maps and punch cards and we were off. Dave has mad navigation skills, so it didn't take us long to find each of the markers and we never got lost! Here's Abby and Lexi getting us started.
And Caleb and friend Zane punching their cards.
Looking along one of the trails.
The kids had a great time! And so did the parents. Thanks Hills family for making it extra fun!! - April