Why Do You Need That?

This morning I was off on my Saturday morning long run, when Shawn heard a noise in the garage.  Marissa was at a yearbook meeting, Tiffany at a swim meet so there was really only one possibility.
Shawn opened up the door and saw Gavin pulling things out of the tool box. 
"What are you doing Gavin?" he asked.
"Looking for a crowbar" came the reply.
"OK. Why?" furthered Shawn
"I am trying to take some things off the van to make an RV." replied Gavin.

Gavin's Invention

Gavin talks all the time about cool things he can create.  I love when his mind gets going and I get a little glimpse into how he thinks.  He has been talking about cutting the "popcorn bowl" and attaching half of a horn to make a "cool thing that transports water" for his "village".  With dad's help, today he was able to realize this dream.  He even named it.  Listen closely and you can hear the name of his village, as well as, the name of his new invention.

 

Weekly Vocabulary Words

Gavin has vocabulary words each week as part of his homework.  He has to read the word, and then use it in a sentence.  On the first day of each week, we define each of the words.  Thereafter he has to remember the word and use it in a sentence.  One of the words this week is relief.  I asked him if he knew what that word meant.  He said "Yes.  When the car didn't hit me I thought; Hey!  That's a relief!"

I Spy!

On a road trip I hear Gavin instigating a game of I Spy with his sisters.
I hear Marissa take her turn..."I spy with my little eye something...... blue."   Gavin proceeds to guess the appropriately colored things.  The game continues passing back and forth between the two of them.
About 5 minutes into the game I over hear
"I spy with MY ENORMOUS, HUMONGOUS EYE that is POPPING OUT OF MY HEAD something ......"
Turns out each turn the eye got bigger and bigger so it could see more stuff that normal eyes couldn't see.

Thanksgiving in Grand Junction CO

This year we spent Thanksgiving with the Runyan clan.  Matt and Kristi invited everyone to Grand Junction and planned some really fun activities. 

• Hiking the National Monument

• Football/soccer on a field that Matt created in his backyard.  It was about 1/2 the standard football length, and had painted lines including end zones.  Andrew--Hannah's new husband--commented the only thing it was missing was a big Y.  

• Turkey Trot (5K)

• Dinner with all the trimmings--Blanca's special stuffing, Runyan mashed potatoes (Runyan version always implies more than twice what you can eat, and a lot of butter), homemade rolls, Christmas Jello(yes, a Thanksgiving tradition), cranberry/pecan jello, yams, green beans, Turkey--roasted and smoked...it was wonderful.  And took about 8 hours to make, 20 minutes to eat and an hour to clean up!  (The usual proportions of time for a Thanksgiving dinner.)

• 9 different kinds of pie. (cherry creme, Swedish apple, pumpkin, tripple berry, apple, chocolate, banana creme, mincemeat, & pecan)

• Shooting--target practice  (See the video)

• Pheasant hunting

• Team Charades and Pictionary

• the Animal game

• Jake, Andrew, Gavin and Razzy spent time hooked together via the internet and 3 computers playing Minecraft (courtesy of Uncle Kevin)

Andrew (Hannah's husband) brought his "spotter" and good friend from the Army, Nate.  It was fun to get to know him and to share our family traditions with him.  (Makes me worry even more about sending our troops to war...but that is another post!)

Thanks Matt and Kristi for letting us all invade and working out all the logistics.  And Becky and Archie, Randi and Kevin, Todd and Blanca, Mom and Dad for making it a priority to get together and bring all your family along.  It was a good time.  (Hopefully next time Nathan, Miriam, Rebekah, and JoAnna can be there too!)

When we got in the car to come home Gavin asked "Why can't we live in Grand Junction with Andrew and all our cousins?"  I commented that we can't all fit.  Gavin pointed out that "we just did and it worked great!"