Family, Pumpkins, Leaves and Lions

It has been a long time since I last reported on our incredible journey together. Hollis started pre-school this year at the Avery House Nature center.  It is a nature-based school where the kids go out every day.  He goes three times a week, and Ayla is there too.  The Co-op is still in operation so he spends several afternoons with his good buddy too. 

The school has been great!  Since I Hollis could talk he informed me he didn't want to wear pants, long-sleeved shirts or jackets.  He also never wanted to go outside.  Ever. This saddened me

because I so greatly wanted to expose him to the outdoors with adventure hikes and exploratory play.  He didn't put up such a struggle with friends, but under my care it had always been a fight.  At Avery the kids go outside every day and every day they where boots.  Yes.  Finally, I have gotten Hollis into a pair of boots!  Oh what JOY and EXCITEMENT for our life together. He loves looking for bugs and birds.  Now the whole family goes outside for a post-dinner night walk.  Hollis leads the way, commenting on the moon or other wonders he might find with his flash light. 

Because Hollis has gotten so independent and comfortable taking care of so many of his own needs, I have much time to can the 2014 harvest and I feel like I got a piece of me back.  The last three years I chose to slave minimally over the canning, and each Winter and Spring I missed having an abundance of our own homemade quality to goods to add to our meals.

 We spent two weeks in Pennsylvania this year, choosing to spend time during the Fall, rather than Summer.  It disrupted our Fall schedules of school and gymnastics, but otherwise it was a perfect time.  The trees were just starting to change colors, the weather was cool and refreshing and there was so much to do. 

Hollis even got stories read to him by his Auntie K.  Auntie K set us up to have a blast at her house and we did.

We rushed around to see as many family members as we could, but whenever we had some down time Hollis requested to visit Mimi and Pappy Carl.  Hollis drew pictures with his Uncle Ricky, collected money from the grandparents and visited the "lego store" more times than I thought possible to beef up his lego collection.  His favorite pastime for sure was playing pillow fight with Mimi where "he totally was winning." 

I was usually able to fill him up with a good breakfast at Auntie K's, but he had candy for lunch and ice cream for dinner.  For some reason everyone wants to give toddlers sugar every time all the time. 

We were able to get out on a family adventure with Auntie K, Josh, Papa G, Gma Patti, Uncle Frankie, Aunt Amanda, and baby Frannie to the pumpkin patch.  The whole family got lost in a corn maze, took a hay ride and ate some inferior donuts. 

Hollis is still talking about his parade adventure.  In rural PA, these parades are a big deal.  Nearly every little town has one and everyone attends.  I was lucky enough to run into a friend at the Emmaus Farmers' Market who invited me to watch the Topton parade from her house.

The Topton Halloween Parade was celebrating something like its 50th Anniversary.  My mom had been going to this parade since she was teen, I went to it when I was a kid and now I got to share it with Hollis. And did I mention they throw candy!  Hollis was thrilled.  He started off by waving for candy, then with both hands then he was jumping and waving.  He walked a way that night with at least three pounds of candy. I let Hollis enjoy some of the best high-fructose corn syrup treats around, and then I told him the airline lost the candy when he got home. 


George's Mom, Grandma Judy came to visit us for three weeks and well it was just perfect!!!  The last time she visited Hollis was just a couple months old.  We were able to get out to a pumpkin patch, visit the Ducks stadium, and Hollis really loved making puzzles with Grandma.