The Little White House

Friday I took my class on our first field trip of the year.  I thought I'd share a few pictures because history like this is so intriguing to me!

We went to FDR's Little White House in Warm Springs, Georgia.  I can remember studying and doing several presentations in high school on FDR, the Great Depression, the New Deal, and WWII.  (Funny, it was on this new program called powerpoint.)

One of FDR's many cars.

FDR's swimsuit that he wore while in the spring water in Georgia.

FDR would ride the train from Washington to Georgia, and then drove this blue convertible to his cottage.  The car was especially designed, by FDR himself, with handbreaks/controls since he was unable to use his legs very well.

One of the many wheelchairs and sets of leg braces he used while in Georgia.

The Little White House

It's crazy to me that that one of the most powerful men in the world at the height of WWII, who had access to much more luxury, and sat with the likes of Stalin and Churchill, preferred his Little White House.  The *simplicity* of this place was so charming.  The house and all of it's furnishings are exactly as they were when the Roosevelts were last here.

FDR's bed.

My kids thought the toilet was hilarious.  They could not stop talking about the BROWN/aged toilet paper.

Eleanor's bed.  The kids didn't understand why they each had their own bedroom.

This was the portrait that was he was sitting for when he had his stroke and later died.  This was a neat field trip, and fun to see so much history in our own corner of the world.

Happy Halloween - 2013

 Eli decided to be a fireman for Halloween this year.  Thank goodness I got a few pictures, because as soon as they were over, he shed his costume and refused to put it back on.  Some battles just aren't worth fighting, and since I had my pictures, I decided this was one of those!

Love that little fireman, and I did get some cute pictures, but THIS is what getting the pictures was really like.

REAL LIFE!  haha!

My parents always made me and my brother and sister trick-or-treat at our own front door!

The night before Halloween we went to our church's fall festival.  It was RIDICULOUS crowded.  Almost to the point of being unenjoyable, but Eli had a good time and that's what counts!

Eli and his buddy Selah

Mr. David (Abigail's Daddy) playing games.  (Wesley was working at our BFG's booth.)

Eli and Abigail Tinkerbell and a fireman

After Daddy got done working his shift, Eli was FINALLY able to go in the bouncy houses and down the slides...which was ALL he wanted to do.  I think he only came home with like 10 pieces of candy from church because he wanted to do the inflatables, not games.

Thursday night we took Eli trick-or-treating to a few houses.  Actually, they were the same three we go to every year.

Trick-or-treating at the house Daddy grew up in. 

Eli and Mrs. Amanda (Corbin's Mommy!)

 Eli at Aunt Jan and Unc Mar's house

Carving Pumpkins

This post should have been posted the week prior to Halloween, but life got in the way.  I'd still like to record these photos anyway though.

Eli got really into carving pumpkins this year.  Actually, Wesley carved and Eli just squealed and squished pumpkin goo!

Eli's First Field Trip

A few weeks ago, Eli had his very first field trip!  He and his class went to the pumpkin patch.  Eli got to ride on the bus and everything (the part he was most excited about).  I didn't need to take off of work, so Nana graciously stepped in and accompanied Eli on his field trip to the "puntin patch".

 Eli got to do all kinds of "farm things" like milking cows,

feeding goats and other animals,

and trying his hand with a lasso.

Eli's class and his two teachers.

This picture cracks me up.  Eli is apparently not a fan of this kid (or wasn't on this day anyway)

The bouncy houses and slides were Eli's favorite part.  I think he would have been fine if that was all he did all day.

Hay rides took the kids to each different area/event at the pumpkin patch.  Finally, they got to the actual pumpkin patch and got to pick their pumpkins.  Eli found the smallest one out there I think.

Pumpkin wasn't the only picking that he did that day.  Eli also came home with cotton!

Thanks Nana for taking time off work and going with the boy!  He had a blast and still talks about his field trip! : )

Eli Lately

I'm so behind on all of my blogging, maybe by Thanksgiving I'll be caught up on the pumpkin patch and Halloween stuff (don't judge), but man have we been busy!  Eli is doing and saying SO MUCH these days.  It blows my mind how much he's learning at school and how smart he is!  So, this is one of those mommy posts (and maybe a post for the grandparents).

*When Eli is bored he says (loudly), "I want to do somePING else!"

*Eli has been very clingy to Mommy lately; I think it has to do with all the baby changes that are happening around here.  It's like he knows... : ) Eli is INSISTENT that Mommy do everything in the morning and at night for him.  He frequently screams, "I don't like Daddy!" if Wesley tries to do anything to help out.  He also throws huge tantrums if Wesley picks him up from school...even though Wesley can pick him up an hr or more before the time I can get there, he still only wants Mommy to get him.

*EVERYTHING is a race to Eli:  buckling up, getting home from school, being first to the table, EVERYTHING.  He considers it all a competition and then will be quick to tell you that he beat you (or act mad if you beat him).
(Disclaimer:  The screaming about Daddy and being mad if he gets beat makes him sound bad, and he's really not!)

*I don't know where this came from, but Eli frequently asks what time it is...like he needs to know or is keeping up with it.

*Eli has gotten REALLY good with his alphabet.  He can easily, and 100% accuracy, identify all of his letters.  He spells EVERYTHING he sees.  "P-A-T-H-F-I-N-D-E-R, momma's car."  "G-R-A-C-O, Eli's seat" and so on.  He knows about half of his letter sounds too.

*Every night he insists on milk, a chewie (his Cars vitamin), and a Jesus story at bedtime.

*No matter who is playing football, Eli does his "War Eagle" battle cry at each kick-off.

*I have a world map that hangs on the refrigerator.  Sometimes we point to stuff and name countries.  Eli can point out on a map where Ginny, Pops, and Katie live (Florida).

*Eli likes to call out if we're turning left or right.  He just started asking one day on the way to school which way we were going, so I told him (left at the time).  Now he calls out which way we're going when we turn, and he's right most of the time!

*Eli has started writing his name by himself.  Here is what he wrote tonight.  The lines are pretty faint, but he wrote it all completely on his own! : )