Things I'm loving this week

Well, first, as I type this, my house is filled with the DELISH smell of pumpkin bread baking, and I'm loving that. So we'll make that #1!

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Also, we're having a renewed love affair with our Wii. Yes, I said it. A video gaming system. I love it. Now, forgive me as I sound like a commercial here for a minute, but the Wii is just....different. It really is. I've been around video games for years. And mostly my personal experience was watching boys/young men/grown men sitting on the couch totally captivated by some video game while their girlfriends/wives/children/parents observed with feigned interest or just left the room. (The short exception to this was my fleeting--yet victorious--foray into the world of Dr. Mario during college.)

But...

the Wii is different! One of the first things that sold me on the Wii is that you don't have to have a degree from MIT to figure out the control or the games. Pretty much every game we've played you can learn in one practice round. In fact, pretty much every game our PRESCHOOLER can learn to play in one round. Not necessarily excel, but at least participate. Which is the biggest thing for us: an entire room of people can participate. Young and old. It is appropriate, it's fun, it's active and it's transferable (meaning my cousin can pick up my bowling game at frame 6).

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This week we've gotten renewed interest because we borrowed a new game called Wii Resort, with several new games like fencing, 3-point basketball contest, ping-pong, frisbee, etc. Here's some pics of us the first night we got it. Just move the clutter out of your way and pick up a Wii-mote. Here's my boys. As usual: clothing is optional. Trent is trying to master frisbee. Or he could be posing for the camera...I'm not sure.
Here is me in a frantic, no-rules sword fight with my own son. I'm not kidding. You have "pads" on, but you are wildly waving your sword and dueling with your opponent, trying to knock them off a platform into the water. I lost--legitimately--to Carson three times before...
I finally won.

Another thing I'm loving is actually something I've been loving for a few months, but haven't posted a picture. My mom made this carseat cover for Sydney when she inherited her brother's old, dingy carseat. I. LOVE. IT. She's made me dozens of things over the years, and this is probably in my top five.
These are some pics I took of Sydney from the way back of the mini-van. (Which, I'm also STILL loving, thank you very much. Take that, Howerton!)
We arrived to pick up Carson from preschool and were pretty early. Sydney often is very active in her little seat, rocking out to whatever music I have on. I got the sudden impulse to rush into the way back and see if she would keep dancing for me. She kind of kept up her hand motions, but this is very toned down from her usual moves. (Watch carefully the first few seconds of this video...I think it looks like she is plunking out a little air-bass guitar.)