Grandpa's Visit, Part 2

So, the first day that Weston took the bus to school also happened to be the first day that he went on the big kid swings! Grandpa was delighted to be apart of it. For some reason Weston would start losing his grip after swinging awhile, but then dad would say "Wow, Weston is a really big, strong boy! Look at the way he is holding on so tight with those strong hands!" It worked every time.

The first picture is from the baby swings, and the second is on the big people swings.It was such a treat to have Grandpa at the park, and Weston was not content to have him just "be" there. He grabbed Grandpa's hand and took him all over the place, leading him up and down stairs and all around! It was great. Here they are, going down the slides together. While Weston was at school, Sophie and Grandpa had some fine cuisine...

Or at least they sat at the table together...

On Tuesday evening we went to the Strip, so dad could see the conservatory at the Bellagio (among other things.)

I find it just amazing that those gigantic pumpkins are real.

This is Weston demonstrating the way the water splashed all around. He is a rather animated little guy!

I always feel like such a tourist taking pictures downtown. Oh well!

In the morning it was time for presents. After all, what grandparents do not come bearing gifts?

Weston was pretty darn thrilled to receive a whole container full of groovy cars modeled after various insects.

Sophie received a cute little bag with a brush and comb inside... she just loves to brush her own hair. She also loves hiding things in the cute little bag.

We also went to the Children's Discovery Museum during dad's visit. What was Sophie's favorite thing there? It had to be the cash register at the "grocery store." Every time I turned around she was running back to that stinkin' register just so she could push the buttons!

Weston enjoyed just about everything. Here he is making huge bubbles.

This thing is a mini tornado.

Dad had Weston climb up there to get a closer look at it...

It was about then that we noticed a sign saying "no climbing." But since he was already there, I figured it wouldn't hurt to snap one more picture!

Working a pulley...

Working on a car... definitely more fun! This is unquestionably one of Weston's favorite parts of the museum.

Sophie is not one to be left behind. If brother was working on the car, well then so was she!

The other exhibit with endless appeal (and I do mean ENDLESS!) is the contraption that sucks in balls and shoots them up into these tubes, where you can watch them work their way back down. You can control how the balls come back down to you through a series of pulleys and wheels, but Weston and Sophie were really only interested in watching the balls get sucked into the tube... it was more fascinating to them than pretty much anything else around! On the last day of Dad's visit, he was invited to read a story to all the kids in Weston's preschool. I thought this was a special treat. Plus, I got to go along and finally see what they actually do there and how Weston interacts in his class! Sophie, always the involved one, kept trying to leap off dad's lap to do what the other kids were doing! Here is Weston having snack time with the other kids.

It was cute to watch Weston. He was so excited to have Grandpa come and visit his class. He was also really well behaved, and did an especially good job of tidying up after himself - which I find incredible and amazing considering how much difficulty I have getting him to clean things up at home. At least he puts his best foot forward when in public!

I was happy with all of fun things we did while Grandpa was in town. Ever since he left two weeks ago, Sophie has been repeating "gram-pa" over and over and over and over and over again! She calls everyone Grandpa, too. I am so happy she finally got to meet her Grandpa Knapp!

Grandpa's Visit, Part One

It had been two years and two months almost exactly to the day since we had seen my dad last. Last time we saw him (In August of '08), Weston was only 17 months old. It was so long ago that Sophie wasn't even a thought yet, so you can imagine how excited we all were for Grandpa Knapp's visit! But part one of Grandpa's visit post actually begins the day before - on Friday, October 1st. Why? Because something miraculous happened that day... it actually RAINED!! The kids had a blast playing outside in the morning drizzle, elated to have a real reason to wear Weston's rain boots!Don't mind the underwear shot... Weston isn't much for pants these days.Sophie had a heck of a time walking in those boots, but she sure did try!That day was a special "parent involvement" day at Weston's preschool where we got to go paint pumpkins. I just loved the little smocks they had for the kids!I'm not really sure where this picture fits in, but it was so darn adorable that I had to throw it in!

On Saturday when we were getting ready to go pick up Grandpa from the airport, Weston was having a good old time in the tub when suddenly I realized he and Sophie were giggling about something... together. Sure enough, my little diaper-clad rascal with the wild hair had climbed on in for some bubbly fun! She is not one to be left out. (Never mind the fact that she, herself, had just finished bathing!)

Then off to the store for some last minute purchases... obviously I usually don't just whip out a camera while grocery shopping, but this time I had it in my purse since we were on our way to the airport later. Trying to keep Sophie in a safe position while shopping is almost impossible. "Sophie, on your bottom!" is a mantra repeated almost endlessly in our family. In fact, just today I realized that Weston is starting to say it too. But he says it more like: "Bot - um!" It's cute.

The kids got so worked up with excitement over grandpa coming that neither one took a nap, so they both crashed in the car and were groggy at the airport... so I postponed pictures until the next day, when Sophie warmed up to Grandpa rather quickly!

Again, this picture has no purpose other than to capture that beautiful smile...

Here Grandpa is trying to put Weston "away" in one of the toy bins. Weston thought it was so funny that he got every container in the entire house after that and tried to convince Grandpa to stuff him in them, too!

I think this basket was pretty much the last one...

Now, it just so happened that my dad was here on Weston's very first day to ride the bus!It was a pretty big occasion, so we decided to take some more pictures...

Since Weston is only three, the bus came right to our front door!

What a big boy! I was so proud of him, he practically jumped up into the bus out of excitement!

Confessions of a truth seeker

Have you ever noticed that while the truth is simple, it is not always an easy process to arrive at it? It seems that preconceived ideas, emotions and misinformation frequently gunk up our mental channels, thereby delaying the process. I am daily bombarded with my own thoughts. Ideas and questions constantly flood my mind, and sometimes I just want to get them out. I have noticed a metamorphosis happening within me in my perception of politics and government. I have come to believe that the media has us all so busy debating lies and half truths, that the truth about many things remains largely undiscovered (probably in ancient history books.) And it isn't just the state of our country that fills my mind with questions and a sincere desire for the truth; all things "mom" occupy my daily thoughts. Here are a few of the many, many questions I ask myself of late:

How does the international banking system really work? I have a feeling they control world governments far more than we know. How can we take almost all of the power currently vested in the federal government and return it to the states? How can we stop the tide of global redistribution of wealth? Is that even what is really happening? Are the mosques being built in the US teaching and encouraging Sharia law? Is stealth jihad a real threat?

Really, the list could go on and on and on and on.

What I understand and know to be true on a philosophical level - or in theory - so often conflicts with something else I believe when it comes to practical application. Therefore, arriving at the correct and wise solution to most problems is, well, problematic! For example, I believe in loving my fellow man and know that each person born on this earth is a child of God. I know that the way I treat His children is a direct reflection of my attitude and love for Him. I believe in helping people out, giving them a chance, and treating them with kindness. On an individual basis, this is not difficult... the problem arises when I begin to apply this truth to a large societal problem, such as illegal immigration. I served my mission among illegal immigrants living in New Jersey. I grew to appreciate and love Hispanic people for a million different reasons. I grew to love the individuals that I had the privilege of knowing and serving. Yet I know also that it is wrong to violate the laws of the land. I believe that things are to be done in wisdom and order - and clearly, immigration of the illegal variety is nothing but chaos. I remember women -some very young - telling me that they were raped along the long and dangerous route from their country to the U.S., but that it was to be expected. The drug cartels and violence associated with them often go hand-in-hand with illegal border-crossing. Many innocent Americans are being horribly impacted by the violence. The Christian in me cries out to care for these people that are willing to risk their life in hopes of a better life. But when I contemplate the endless myriad of societal problems created by this mass intrusion, I am left to believe that illegal immigration is also a colossal disaster that must be stopped.

What brought about all these thoughts most recently is a documentary on Thomas Jefferson. Like all of us, Jefferson grappled with the collision between true ideals and correct real-life application. I find the horrible dilemma that faced our nation at its inception with regard to slavery almost unfathomable. The Dutch had brought slaves into the country for many years. A good many American slave-owners (such as Jefferson) inherited their slaves. In Jefferson's case, he also inherited an enormous debt. He had a moral obligation to pay the debt, and was unusually upright in matters of finance. He could not pay the debt without his slaves, and he knew that he would treat his slaves with far more civility and kindness than anyone else would. He traded slaves in order to keep families together. He worked to pass legislation that would end the importation of slaves. Certainly it is abhorrent that slavery was ever tolerated. Yet, as I contemplate the writings of this remarkably brilliant man, it is clear that he felt bound by a system that he could not simply change. He felt that he would be doing his slaves (who he always referred to as family) a grave injustice by letting them go free, as they would have nowhere to go and no means of taking care of themselves. Interestingly, he advocated for the education of slaves so they could one day become free. It is a long and complicated issue, and I'm sure enough books have been written on the topic to fill an entire library!
My only point is this: life is filled with contradiction. What we often see as the obvious truth becomes far more complex in its application to real life. I wish it were not so. It makes wise decision making all the more difficult, particularly in matters of civil debate. I also find it ironic that there are some things we absolutely know are true, and yet find almost impossible to live. I have always been an idealist, but I think the somewhat unfortunate reality of our human condition is starting to settle in on me as I grapple in my own mind with the issues that face our country today.

He Liked It!

Yesterday was Weston's very first day of pre-school! We'd been mentally preparing him for this day for a couple of weeks, and we weren't really sure how he'd react once it arrived.
As you can see, his smile is a just a little forced. We tried to get him all excited to play with the other nice kids waiting there with us, but there was really only one thing he was truly excited about - and everyone there knew it!!

Who can blame the kid? That Spiderman backpack was one of the best purchases I have ever made. The thrill of wearing the backpack overshadowed all of Weston's anxieties. So although he walked off to class biting his fingernails, we knew he would be alright. (We also knew he'd be fine when we saw the class head straight for the playground!)

As it turns out, he really liked his first day of school! I took this video when we got home to capture the moment: