Russell Summer 2011

Russell (Spiderman) in his car seat with our friend Tyler

We can't bear to correct these:

I'd like to drink some "root beard", please.

(While traveling) Lets roll our "soup cases" into the "hootel"

"It's almost quite done" (Russell reported to Mom about a model that Ross was building for him).

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He told a playmate not to wrestle with him any longer because it gives him a headache, adding, "you should write that down so you'll remember it!"

Russell to Austin: For the third time, my sister's name is Lydia!
Austin to Russell: Can I just call her Olivia?
Mom to Russell: You guys are funny!
Russell to Mom: Yes, yes we are!

Russell Spring 2011

Russell said he'd show me how to draw the number 11. Then he paused.
Russell: "Do you know how to draw it?"
Mom: "Yes."
Russell: "Ok I'll show you anyway."

He wants to make Superhero movies. Tonight, he said that he'd download our dinner prayer for us... if we had WiFi for him.

I could relate to this comment from Russell: "I'm tired of looking for things I've lost."

My Russell (4) reads out the letters he sees on EVERYTHING, asking "What spells..." He tends to confuse the letters M and W. This created a pregnant pause on my part when he read the bottle of dishwashing liquid (the one that takes grease out of your way) and he asked, "What spells D..A..M..N?"

Russell advised his friend not to enter Russell's big brother's bedroom: "He will get mad. His face will turn red." (This sounds like the voice of experience.)

Russell just got a big bed. I told him that we're going to look for some other furniture to go in his bedroom. He sat quietly for a few minutes and my mind had moved on to other topics when Russell asked, "Like a toilet?"

Russell was wandering around with wet hands in a public restroom. He had never seen a hand dryer before. I told him that we'd use the one on the wall and he asked with dismay, "Use the hair blower?"

Russell is so excited to have aged up into the older kids' babysitting room at our local YMCA. The room has several Wii stations and a dance pad. It's called the 'Energy Factory' but Russell calls it the 'Injury Factory'. I know some orthopedists might agree with him.

While unwrapping a Hershey's kiss, he asked me: "Have you noticed how good these taste?"

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I sent this in an email to my sister-in-law:

Russell sends this message to Barrett: I'm looking for some Space Legos for you for the next time I see you in Charleston or in the pirate house. I hope you're having a good time. I really love Barrett and I really love that pirate house. When we woke them up one morning, Mimi and DadDad said we can go to that great house after my birthday. Can't wait!

Love to all-
Jen (and Russell)

Russell's "Portrait Studio" and Email to Thomas (Grandparents) About Ross's Tonsillectomy

Hi-

How are our world travelers doing??? We hope you're enjoying your big
adventure in South America.

Anne Elise, what do you think of the revolution in Egypt? I imagine
the news coverage includes many places you know well.

Ross has been at home all week with the fever and sore throat illness
that had Lydia at home for 3 days last week. He looks to be all
better today and is enjoying the DVD Secretariat at the moment. John
is having a very busy week at work. He went to their planned new
office in the Triangle yesterday and today he's in Charlotte. He
finds this leaves little time to prepare for his client meetings- also
heavily sprinkled throughout this week. His boss will be away next
week which provides for fewer meetings. Whew!

I'm prepping for my 4 talks in Wisconsin on 2/11 and 2/12. Hope the
weather will be manageable up there! We only saw rain here this week,
of course.

I'm attaching some photos from Christmas, one shot of John and Ross
waiting for Ross's tonsillectomy surgery, and a photo of Russell with
his toy dog. In that photo, Russell had set up the cardboard to be a
backdrop (like our McCain family photo in December). The yellow car
is the chair in the portrait studio and his dog is, of course, the
subject of his portrait. Pa, you might have another photographer
there!

Love to all-
Jen

Attending Our First VBS at Our Own Church

Russell and Cousin Anna

Russell's Summer Tales

Russell has been phobic about tornadoes since one touched down in a nearby town in March. He is often nervous about going outside. For example, he'll refuse to go to the pool then he'll reveal his hidden reason by asking if it might be an indoor pool. One Wed., he was afraid it was going to rain and my sister reported their ensuing conversation to me.
Russell: Well if there is a tornado, we could call the police.
Aunt Liz: What would the police do?
Russell: They would put the tornado in jail!

Russell (age 4) "Why does Hulk not like wearing a shirt? ... I do not like seeing his belly!"

July 2010 arriving at the Spears YMCA, Russell said, "OOhhh it's too hot out! They should change the weather tomorrow!"
Jen: "Who should?"
Russell: "The weather people!"

Mom, I REALLY want one of those rocket-powered skateboards!

This airplane can go anywhere it wants to go: NObraska, Bibleman, Chicago, Hannah Montana, California.

Russell Spring 2010

Russell (right) with two of his best buddies in the back seat of our Honda Pilot. What will they look like when they are 16 and driving their own cars?

Lydia enjoys a rare snuggle from a sleeping Russell.

Lydia watches out for Russell (at Proehlific Park in Greensboro, NC) but he doesn't think he needs any help.

Russell (X shirt) at his end of year preschool party. He had a good first year of preschool with Ms. Sandra and Ms. Barbara (wearing a crown above).

J. T. discovered Russell in our laundry room (upstairs) one morning. When asked why he moved in there, Russell explained that it had been too dark in his room. OK, then.

No School Today!

Trying out another ice cream shop during the Christmas holidays. This time, we invited Karen and Scott Bishops and their kids to join us at Baskin Robbins.

Russell's first trip to TCBY. He seems to be enjoying it!

Winter 2009-2010

Russell said: "Dominic calls me Russell. But I call myself (whispers) SPIDERMAN!"

To Dad by Russell: "Yours hairs is going to come off."

Russell started singing spontaneously at the table:
"Bring me out to the baseball game
Buy me some peanut butter crackers"

Russell asked:
Can I earn my Superman cup (potty training reward) when I turn 16?

Russell's first little girl friend is Ashley at the Spears YMCA. He says her name so carefully. It sounds like "Asha-lee". One day, he commented that she is always telling him that she loves him. I asked, "What do you do then?" He quickly replied, "I walk away."

Russell sang this to the tune of the Hokie Pokie "Austin gets to come to my house. That's what it's all about!"

Russell: Why do we have to keep going to the Honda place?
Mom: To get the oil changed in the car
Russell: Oh. Do they have to do my car seat?
Mom: What?
Russell: Do they have to put oil in it too?

Russell is rather strong-willed. He can easily fuss and cry for 20 minutes. We've had to take him home from restaurants because he didn't get to sit alone with his cousin (no one else in the booth, he insisted). Also, it's not unusual for us to ask him to do something and then he'll try this reply: "Well... it's possible."

During the half-time show at the Superbowl, Russell disappeared and quickly reappeared with his organ. He performed for us right along with The Rolling Stones. Russell, will you grow up and be a performer?

Preschool Christmas Show

Russell was front and center in his first performance ever.

Having Mom on hand for the preschool show and lunch made things extra-special!

Fall 2009

I made new friends at a beach scrapbooking weekend

Ross and Lydia took piano for one year in Colfax then we took a year off. We're so glad to have Mrs. Kemerer as our new piano teacher for Ross and Lydia!

This scene with Russell is all too common.

Halloween at home.



Throwing in a vintage photo here of my older two kids with their Bishop cousins in 2005.

Jen Chauncey had knee surgery followed by several sleep-overs in our guest room. She couldn't go home because her family was fighting the swine flu so we got to keep her for ourselves!

Russell: Quotes and BooBoo

Lydia to Megan, our babysitter, as I was warning her that Russell was in a grouchy mood. "Yeah, he's like a popsickle that you leave outside too long. He melts down."

We need our kids in order to keep us on the straight and narrow, don't we? When I was rinsing fresh produce, Russell warned me, "Mom... You're going to run out the battery if you keep using the water like that!"

Russell got stuck on this phrase then found a way out:
"Mom, can I wear this Bob the Builder shirt to BF.. to BF (He means BSF or Bible Study Fellowship)... to the place tomorrow?"

While I was typing on the computer: "Mom, I want to go to Curious George.com or Bob The Builder.com"

We recently went to a fun movie. Russell refers to it as "Sunny With a Chance of Meatballs."

Talking to his buddy Austin, Russell said poetically, "It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is getting wet."

Russell fell at preschool on October 9th and had his first trip to Urgent Care- glue, not stitches on his upper forehead. He was a trouper!

Russell From His Ultrasound Pics to Preschool

Russell was my first baby to get the fancy new 3D Ultrasounds (in April 2006). It really looked like him!

And now he's a big Preschooler!

Fall 2009

Craft day at Home Depot and Russell is, as usual, the boss.

Above: The first day of Russell's school career.
Below: We had our date night at a new restaurant that overlooks Russell's preschool.

When I dropped Russell off for his 5th day of preschool, he asked me, "why do I keep going there???" He seems to like Ms. Barbara and Ms. Sandra. In the car drop-off line, one lady helped him out of the car and then he stood alone, turning in a circle while waiting for the next hand to walk him inside. A pretty young woman came and he took her hand and they walked away from me. Through the glass of the car window, I saw how he is sturdy and could carry on without me. He's off to succeed at his own things. My statement of gratitude to the Lord this morning is: "Lord, thank you for letting me live this life. Thank you that I get to hold my kids' hands and care for my husband. I love this precious, fragile, wonderful life that you've given me."

I often prompt the kids to pay attention to the traffic while we are crossing the street. I often ask them to decide if it's safe to cross. One day, I forgot to do my job so Russell offered this assurance while we were in the crosswalk: "There's not a car running over me."

Dot Pen, Pets, Etc.

Ross accidentally broke my favorite polka-dot pen. Seeing this, Lydia slipped away. She found me 5 minutes later and handed me a pen that she had wrapped with paper, punched-out shapes and tape. I'll keep it forever. That girl has such a big heart for the hurting!

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Random stories:
Overheard snippet: Russell to Daddy "No I don't want to. YOU can go to bed." and later "No I don't want to. YOU can go potty... I went potty last weekend!"

Ross desperately wants a pet (remember the old story about how he asked to keep a dry, flat grasshopper? Poor guy! Now he's got a container of fireflies- out on the deck.

Russell was the victim of a misunderstanding... Russell: I don't like this TV show. Lydia: Me neither. Russell: I not a 'mean-ie'! You a 'mean-ie'!

Russell refused to apply hand sanitizing gel. When I asked, "Why?" (thinking it might have hurt a previous cut) he corrected me, offering the real reason for his objection: "Because it makes my thumb taste bad!"

Summer 2009

With the Bishops following Caldwell Academy's Graduation ceremony

We celebrated Fre's graduation and Russell helped me keep up with my regular duties:

Russell and Austin, Baseball, Elmo Event, Lydia's Diagrams

Three-year-old buddies Russell and Austin ask to play together daily. They plan to grow up and play professional baseball together. We'll be there cheering for 'em! Below, they got a chance to run the bases together following a Grasshoppers game.

Austin sits with his parents, Jenny and Glenn (J.T.'s co-worker).

Daniel, Ross, Tyler, Lydia and Gracie (friends from our local school).

Lydia likes to write things down and draw diagrams. Above, she decided to write a "To do" list on the white board in her bedroom. Items include: Make bed, do homework, do piano, do clothes, go to soccer (Tues. and Thurs.), eat food, and watch T.V.

How did Lydia respond when J.T. declined to cut up a peach for her, saying that he doesn't eat peaches and doesn't know how to cut them up? She reappeared with this note for J.T. (it's a top-down view of a peach).