Wanna be a dinosaur, Wampanoag Thanksgiving, and Water problems

I have been checking out educational CDs from the library to listen to in the car with the kids for probably over a year.  My children are in a dinosaur phase - especially E, the eldest.  So when I found a CD called "I Wanna Be a Dinosaur," I knew it would be a hit!  For family night, E and J put on a short concert of them singing their favorites.  So cute.  Next time, I'll have to get video.

Can't not put in a picture of T - he was sick last week with what we think was croup.  Bark-cough, and lost voice for a couple days, spent a lot of time steaming in the shower, but he is pretty back to normal now.  Here's a pic of my dear, little boy.  Which reminds me - J really loves his brother - I mean, we all love each other, but - J told me today that he would die for T, he loves him so much, and he's so cute.  :)

On Veteran's Day, we went on a field trip to American Village - a place where actors dress in period costume and teach history.  There is a replica of Mt Vernon, and a church replica from Colonial Williamsburg, and a replica of the Liberty Bell.  Oh - and stocks and pillory:

Anyway, they offered a special program for homeschoolers this day, doing a re-enactment of the First Thanksgiving.  It was quite clever - and interactive - E was chosen as a volunteer to sight land - she got to shout "Land, Ho!"  Then, we literally walked into the woods to meet King Massasoit, Chief of the Wampanoag to bring him gifts and a treaty.  Somehow, E got chosen again as one of the volunteers to offer a gift to the chief.  So in this picture, she is up front, down on one knee, holding up the bread offering.

Then, after some games on the lawn (J felt better about E being chosen twice, because he got to hide a stuffed turkey behind his back for a game of hot-and-cold where you "gobble"), we went to the feast.  I was concerned that the children would find it boring, after their somewhat disappointing reaction to Williamsburg, but they had so much fun, they didn't want to leave.

So tonight, after the kids were tucked into bed, T was leading me downstairs.  When he needs us, he will very determinedly and quietly lead us somewhere.  If I'm in bed, he might try to pull my foot to the floor or move my arm.  In this case, I wasn't in bed, and he led me to the stairs going down before I figured out he wanted to watch tv, but I am very grateful that I indulged his tugging (I like to encourage communication), because there was water literally pouring down the wall downstairs, and dripping out of the ceiling.  Here's some of the damage in the ceiling tiles (some of the stain is old, but wet parts are new).

Speaking of T communication, I was trying to feed him at dinner, and he turned his head away and very clearly said, "Don't want."  He seems to get cuter every day.