Thanksgiving 2006

We had a very Memmesheimer Thanksgiving as all the Houghtons were across the world and country! We went to Grandma and Grandpa Hastings for a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner, with all the aunts and uncles and cousins. It was rainy, but the kids did pretty well.

Then Graham, Chuck and I went on an indoor camping adventure at Gramma and Popa Houghtons -- they'd been gone for weeks and it was a little nippy, but we warmed it up and checked all the beds (they worked fine) and found a surprise or two of the animal kind, but otherwise, we were sure that the place would be ready for their return the next week.

On Friday, we went to Keene to Gammie and Papa Hank's to play with the cousins. We went to the playground at Jonathan Daniels Elementary School (where Chuck and his siblings went to school and Kyle had his first teaching job). This picture is some kids trying to get past the troll (Christine). Adam wanted to be on the blog again, and here he is!

Ahoy, Matey!

This is Graham with his pirate ship -- you'll note that he's extremely unhappy with it. He has come to love pirates as a result of spending the whole month of October pretending to be one, reading about them, drawing treasure maps, hiding treasure and playing on the big ship climbing structure at school. He got the "aargh" down pretty good, too!

While opening the pirate present he said, "This is the best birthday I've ever had in my life!"

Graham has been making up some pretty good stories and has some pretty quotable things to say. For example, he had a stomach bug and was having some gingerale after an unpleasant middle-of-the-night surprise (all over his bed) and was upset because "one of the jumpy things from the gingerale got in my eye!"

He wrote this letter about the time of his birthday:

"Dear Daddy, I wish you could stay with me every day. I would like Daddy to stay with me all day and all night, but when I want him to leave, I want him to leave. Daddy, I want you and me to be married when I'm a grown-up and we're at our wedding. The End."

And after a bad departure from school one day, I got this note:

"Dear Mommy, I wish you wouldn't leave without any extra kisses. Tonight I want extra kisses please. Miss you. Graham"

Happy Fourth Birthday, Graham

Graham celebrated his fourth birthday on November 15th. He requested a "private" party with just Mom and Dad. Despite our misgivings, we honored the request (at the suggestion of some experienced early childhood folks). This is Graham getting his first look at his "Cars" cake!

Boy, was he excited! He got the "Cars" movie, an inflatable "Cars" chair, some "Cars" cars, a pirate ship for the tub and a Magnadoodle! It was tough, but he finally went to sleep that night.