Have a blessed Thanksgiving with your family and friends.

Last month Little Man competed in his first tournament with his Tae Kwon Do and came in first place in his division for forms. He was surprised that he came in 1st place with it being his first time.

Congratulations!

Last Saturday Little Man was walking around with some friends before sunset. They ran into this little cutie. Little Man pulled a thorn out of his foot. He also had a tight collar wrapped around his waist.

The kitten followed the kids back to our house. The poor little guy had burnt paws probably from the cement and asphalt road. He was so thin and you could see his ribs and spine. Surprisingly he had no fleas.

We looked to see if anyone would claim him. We felt he was a stray and the runt of the litter. He was just a very friendly stray that someone was able to put a collar around his waist. It was so tight and took some care getting it off.

 We decided to keep him. He is such a sweetie. After a few days Mercy has warmed up to him. The dog took to him right away. Rascal is very protective of him.

 We named him Twitch after one of Chuck Black's books "Sir Quinlan".

 He adores my husband to no end to the point he cries for him to pick him up.

 We found out today from the vet that he is probably 7 weeks old.

We added another 4 legged family member. Little Man has been wanting a hamster for a long time.  

At the end of last week we came home with a Campbell Russian Dwarf Hamster. She is a girl and the kids named her Willow.

 We are in the process of taming her. This particular breed is the nipper of all the hamsters breeds.

After getting her use to her new cage and sticking our hands in the cage to hand feed her treats the first 3 days she is proving to be pretty gentle. So far she has not bitten and drawn blood with use-which is a good sign. She has just nipped our fingers a few times. Ouch it hurts. 

One of Little Man's friends did however stick his hand in the cage and chased her around trying to catch her. She drew blood on him as she felt threatened. We tried to stop him but, well some kids just don't listen very well.

The last few days we have been putting her in a plastic bin with some bedding and a few items from her cage and putting our hand out flat to give her treats. This is how you are suppose to train them. It's a slow process but, we are seeing her get more comfortable with us. 

Bug is a bit scared after Willow has nipped her once. I will probably have to hold Willow for her to pet her as I don't foresee her being able to hold or handle her. The last thing I need is a hamster loose in our house with a dog and cat.

Willow seems to be more comfortable with me for now and is getting use to Little Man slowly. I think he's not so sure of the nipping yet. He is giving her treats by hand and moving his hand out of her way quickly. She crawls up on my flat hand now to sit.

My next step is to try and pick her up some which we will probably do today.

She loves running around in her ball and it's fun to watch. 

Mercy is not so sure of Willow being in her boy's bedroom. Mercy has made it known that she doesn't like a hamster in her house. She has been knocking things off Little Man's shelves and dresser for no reason since we got Willow. It's funny watching Mercy act out. 

Have a blessed week.

It's hard to believe that recently my Bug turned 13. We had a small birthday party with family and later this week we will take her bowling with some friends.

She made her own cake. She is into Frozen and wanted her cake to have the Frozen feel to it.

 One thing that I love about my special needs daughter is her innocence. She is no where near a typical teenager who's focus is on clothes, friends, and all the other aspects of her age. 

She is still a small child mentally. At times it's difficult having a 13 year old who can vary in emotions from a 3 year old to a 13 year old. I love her innocence and the way she views the world.

 She loves Legos. Her brother is very kind and has to build the sets for her. Which I don't think he actually minds as he gets to stay up late working on it. Trying to build a set with her around is nearly impossibly and neither him or I would recommend it for sanity's sake.

 Her excitement is contagious

 Looks like a messy gift from her cousins!

She was really excited about her movie. I think she let the world know when it came available on DVD which is right around her birthday. Just a mild hint to those who she informed.

Happy 13th Birthday Bug! I love you very much.

 I think the snow followed us home from Colorado. The schools have been closed for three days out here in Wichita. Don't tell my kids that! No snow days in our homeschool schedule. I love these days to catch up on school as a lot of Bugs appointments get cancelled. 

 It sure does look pretty with all this snow. I'm grateful to have a warm house to be in.

 The kids loved that they got to play outside in the snow again! While mom just enjoys looking at it.

No one is home here. They went south I suppose to where it is warmer. I don't blame them.

Have a blessed week and keep warm and safe!

 The heat is so bad here in Kansas that my tree is dropping its leaves. I hope that that isn't a sign that the tree is dying. I know that sometime a tree will drop its leaves to preserve its roots and conserve water. I hope that that is the case. It's a beautiful maple tree.

 We have been watering it everyday. This is the second year of such extreme heat.

The kids are excited to jump in the leaf pile when we rake it up. I think I prefer the fall with leaf piles. Too hot and sweaty for my liking. Then again I would of loved this when I was a kid.

I guess we will have to bring out the broom also. The leafs aren't even colorful-I am ready for Fall.

The next day we arrived at the zoo bright and early.

 The kids favorite part was riding the camel.

 Little Man pointed out," that they got to ride the camels first before Mom and Dad get to." We told the kids we get to ride a camel next year on our trip to Israel.

 Then the camera went away as it was so hot. We had to get a wagon for Bug. All the walking was hard on her knees. We had fun at the zoo. We ended up going through the zoo faster than we planned. Bug was having to many issues of being overwhelmed with the two day trip of constant going.

The kids loved the hotel the best. It was Little Man's first time in a hotel. Bug was to young to remember when she stayed in one. Having a t.v. and a bed in the same room was the highlight of the trip. Next vacation we could just get a hotel for a night in Wichita. So we stayed up late watching a movie with the kids. Thinking they would pass out from the day-not a chance.

 I am thankful they put us in a room away from everyone else. Bug woke up at 2am screaming and wanting her bed at home. I was worried that we wouldn't be able to calm her down. Finally after an hour she cried herself back to sleep.

We had a fun vacation. Coming home is always the best part. Home sweet home.

 We arrived at our hotel pretty early and decided to go to the Tulsa Aquarium. The aquarium was opened late this particular evening. Good thing because it was extremely hot the next day when we went to the zoo. It would of been hotter if we went later in the day. We originally planned on going to the aquarium first and then the zoo.

 The aquarium had all kinds of petting exhibits. Not something I would imagine at an aquarium. Bug loved the horseshoe crabs and the shrimp.

 String rays!!!!! They had their stingers removed. Not to mention nursery sharks. We had a hard time getting Bug away from this area. I think she became a regular at this stop. I stopped counting after the tenth time. 

Little Man refused to stick his hands in any of the exhibits. According to him, "yuk, disgusting, stinky, fitly wate,r and yukky slimy fish"

 The shark exhibit was neat. Walking into a tunnel with the sharks swimming over your head and on both sides was fun. None of my pictures came out of the tunnels.

 My son at it again. I love his playfulness.

 I think the kids have watched to many episodes of Gator boys!

 I am glad we don't live in Florida or anywhere with gators.

 Little Man capturing the alligator.

 Of course my Bug has to love on it at first.

 Little Man inspired his sister.

She is explaining to her brother how to put on a show with the alligator. She even asked me if I had any tape for the gators mouth. Too cute.

Next stop - dinner and then to the hotel to go swimming and to unwind after a full day from our Little House on the Prairie Museum, Woolaroc, and the Tulsa Aquarium marathon.

Our Vacation to Woolaroc Museum & Wildlife Preserve at the beginning of the month.

Water Buffalo

Ostrich

Bug loved the kachina dolls.

Mom liked the pottery.

More pottery. This museum was large. What perfect timing for next year's study of early American history. I came up with many craft ideas at the museum for the Native American part.

Little Man loved all the arrow head art. This was just one of many pictures-stunning!

Wonder quote by Abraham Lincoln, "Property is the fruit of labor...property is desirable...is a positive good in the world. That some should be rich shows that others may become rich, and hence is just encouragement to industry and enterprise. Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another; but let him labor diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built."

 Little Man is such a clown and likes to act out everything.

 More dolls.

 Here he is again pumping gas. The kids played in this area for awhile.

 My sweet Bug.

 Makes me grateful for my air conditioned van. Amazing seeing what families would have to carry on the trip westward.

 Little Man showing Bug some love. her knees where starting to hurt her.

 The over hang looking over the lake at Woolaroc. This area made mom nervous-poisonous ivy everywhere. It was fun climbing up and down the steps. I am sure mom took some of the fun out of it. Mom, kept yelling,"stop poison ivy right in front of you." I couldn't help it I didn't want my babies to get poison ivy!

 Little Man and Dad went ahead so they could explore away from mom's poison ivy seeking eyes. Little Man kept telling me" he was checking to make sure he wasn't getting into any now that he knows what to look for."

 

 Adorable. It looked so fragile with its shaky little legs.

 Voted the favorite to pet. Llama's are so soft. It was hard to stop.

Bug was giving the llama an ear full. 

We had a great day in Woolaroc. Now we head into Oklahoma for the 4th of July. Have a blessed day.