whobody went on a field trip?

Keaton's kindergarten class went on a field trip to a nature center in Elgin.  Luckily, I was able to be a chaperon (along with like 10 other moms, thank goodness).  We had a blast, but, boy, was it tiring! The day started out with each "mom" getting assigned 2 or 3 kids. I, of course, got Keaton and 2 other sweet boys (in the background here).  When we got to the nature center, our class got to start out by going fishing! They gave us poles for each kid, 2 worms, and a scissors (that did not cut, by the way)...oh and a hand towel.   I guess the hand towel was to wipe the worm guts off of our hands (at least that is what I used it for).

 I spent about 45 minutes putting worms on hooks and taking fish off of hooks.  The boys were catching fish left and right! They really had a great time. Here is a picture of Keaton with his fish! He was very proud...

 Next we got to go to the "petting zoo" which had goats, sheep, and pot bellied pigs. Keaton's favorite was the sheep.  I had to take a picture, because a year ago he would have been too afraid to go into the pen! He has come a long ways! (By the way, now he wants to get a sheep for a house pet because it was so soft he wanted to sleep with it!)

 We then looked at the chickens and turkeys...and more.

...And then we went on a HIKE....and when I say hike, I mean hike. It was fun, but even the kids were exhausted when we were done! It was really a great day. I love to see Keaton in his 'school mode' and I also love being able to put faces and personalities to names that he comes home talking about.  He really has a great kindergarten class...and teacher!

We both had a GREAT field trip!

whobody graduated from "little" preschool?

Well...Lola is a very proud 4 year old. She is done with preschool...for the year.  She attended preschool at the Daycare Center here in town. She LOVES it there (as did Keaton) and it has been a wonderful introduction into to school for my sheltered, stay at home mom, children. :) Lisa is the teacher and she is so great with the kiddos!  Lola had a great time at preschool and made new friends...but mostly kept her oldest and bestest friend, Colton. She was lucky to get to go to school with him this year...they are such good friends. Here are some pictures from the end of the year program that they had for parents and grandparents:  First, is a picture of Lola in her seat before the program began...

Next is a picture of Lola during the performance...they are singing a song about all of the kids' names in the class and clapping out the syllables. If you look closely :) her neighbor wasn't quite cooperating. The rest of the class was standing up and clapping just like Lola. (By the way, this boy was very entertaining the whole time :)

 At the end of the program Lola picked Grandma Tractor to come up and do a dance with her.  Lola just loved showing us all of the songs and rhymes that she had learned throughout the year. I think that she is really going to miss preschool this summer (so. am. I.)

Next year Lola will be moving onto "big" preschool (we call this one "little" preschool)...our school district has a 4 year old preschool that Lola will get to go to. She is excited to be getting closer to kindergarten, but a little nervous about the change....I am sure that Keaton will prepare her well this summer. Today was the last day of school, and he was already sitting her down on his bed and going through his "sound" book with her to help get her ready for kindergarten. 

whobody should NOT have checked facebook?

So after visiting grandpa the other night, I decided to stop at the Burger Barn to get some ice cream for the kids. They have been really great about spending so much time going to the nursing home and they really show a lot of love towards grandpa while we are there visiting...so I told them I was going to reward them with some ice cream!

We brought it home, I split it up between the three of them, I made them take their shirts off (Zanzibar chocolate is hard to get out of clothes), I sat them all down at the table and they started to enjoy their treat.  I decided I should run over to the computer quick and check facebook and my email.... this is what I came back to:

I will say it WAS worse than it looks in the picture...he got his chair and the floor too! Thank goodness it was bath time! :) Next time, I think I will stay at the table...

whobody is a gymnastics star?

Okay. So I am a little behind on the blogging thing. I apologize.  I hate to be the one to play the "I'm pregnant" card, but hey, I'm pregnant. :) I have been utterly and totally exhausted (and pretty nauseous) and so if something isn't top priority, it hasn't been getting done around here. 

Things that have been getting done: kids fed, kids bathed, kids clothed, kids loved, laundry washed and dried (not put away),  and tee ball played. We have also spent a lot of time visiting Grandpa Firetruck at the nursing home...which totally triggers my nausea because he is sad, which makes me sad...which makes me sick AND the place totally smells like urine...which also makes me sick. :(  Other that that we have just been living life around here!

So about a month ago, Keaton and Lola had their gymnastics recital... they have gymnastics practice throughout the school year every Wednesday for 1/2 hour. It is amazing what they learn...and how flexible kids can be! Here are some action shots:

Here the kids are lined up at the end of their program to take their bows...

 and Keaton and Lola with the flowers that Grandma Piano gave them.  They had a blast...and I would write more about it....except, instead I am just going do some more posts.  Looking through my pictures I am thinking I better catch up! Summer is here!



whobody wants to see my mother's day gifts?

So....I realize that Mother's Day was over a week ago...but between the busy time of year (with fieldwork) and the exhaustion and yuckiness of the first trimester of being prego I haven't gotten around to this post...until now.  (I also have pictures from their gymnastics recital....will get those up soon.)

Lucky for me, the kids both made me something special at school this year for Mother's Day. The picture below is what Lola came home with:  a sack with a picture of "me" laying under some covers in bed....and a paper with an interview with Lola.

First things first, the interview. Lola did well.... I hope you can see all of the answers. The only 2

questionable answers are on #6 and #8....she says my favorite food is oatmeal... I think that I have eaten oatmeal maybe 2 times in the last year :) and as for my number of brothers and sisters...I only have one of each, but she said she was counting both Steves. :) Cute either way. 

Okay, below was the poem on the back of the sack:

and inside....drum roll please......a nutri-grain bar! She was insistent that she and I and Keaton all share it on Mother's Day morning....so we did! I thought that this was extremely cute!

She is always extremely proud of the things that she brings home from school...especially presents. She was pretty intent on making my Mother's Day special.

Keaton also came home from school on Friday with a nice present for me.  See below.

He planted some marigold seeds....and we already have 4 little sprouts! He is pretty excited to see them grow.  I love the card he made to go with it....He did spell Mother's Day "Mother'e Day" but it was still perfect. I should mention that on the cards he made for the grandmas he spelled it "Moner's Day" which is more like how he says it! He is a very sweet boy.

I had a great Mother's Day...although it was pretty busy! Jason worked all day, so I didn't even see him....but the kids had Sunday School and then sang at church. My mom "Grandma Piano" so lovingly came and watched them sing (and helped me corral Nash throughout church). She also...VERY NICELY...spent the afternoon here to help out.  As soon as we got the kids down for "quiet time" I got to go outside and mow the lawn! I was very thankful she helped out that afternoon, I couldn't have asked for a better present!  Before supper, the kids and I went and visited their other Grandma "Grandma Tractor" to wish her a happy Mother's day. That evening we went out to Bill's for supper with my Grandpa and Grandma W. and my Mom and Dad. The kids had a blast entertaining everyone, and I enjoyed the night off of cooking.

The kids and I are lucky to have such great Grandmas! Happy Mother's Day (Late :)

whobody wants to chaperone?

So, Keaton came home from school yesterday....a little shook up (and a little excited).  He heard about the senior trip that Clayton Ridge students get to take to Florida....our conversation went like this:

"Mom, I guess when I am in the oldest grade in high school...I'll get to go on a trip to Florida."

"Yeah, when you are a senior they take a field trip to Florida!"

"...and they even go to Disney World Mom!....."

"I know, won't that be fun?"

"Ummm, but do they go all alone? just all the kids?"

"Kind of. You don't go with your families....it is a trip with all of the friends in your class."

"so they go all alone with no adults?"

"not really, some teachers and parents will go along too...but just a few."

"Will you come with us to Florida when I am in high school?"

"okay, I will."

"Good, cause otherwise I don't want to go!"

Then he was relieved and willing to face the rest of the day.  The thought of taking a trip without me 11 years from now terrified him! Oh, how things will change.... He is SUCH a sweet boy, and he is growing up WAY too fast.

(and yes, I will remind him of this  conversation 11 years from now....)

 

whobody believes in Christmas Magic?

I do. 

We have a little announcement.

Christmas magic is alive and well in our house!

If you don't know what I am talking about, look here. (12.19.10)

Oh, and this clue might help you out too...

Alright, this is your LAST clue.....

Nash in his 'new' shirt!

He is going to be a big brother.... We are expecting baby #4!

(I thought I better just spell it out for you, just so there were no misunderstandings.)

We are super excited....the baby is due the beginning of December.

That seems like a long ways away.

Phew. I am glad that is out there.  To quote Jason, "it isn't official until you put it on facebook"...and although this isn't technically on facebook, I figure any 'friends' who would really care...and don't already know, would read this anyway!

I guess that is it for today.... I haven't had much energy (or good mood) to blog with the last few weeks...hopefully I can keep thinking of things, or people to write about soon!

whobody is dressed in their Easter best?

So....after the finding of the Easter baskets, we got the kids all dressed up for church and headed outside for some pictures!  I tried to get a nice picture of all 3 kids dressed up and looking adorable. One of the kids was NOT cooperating. (Again, big surprise.) Enjoy my attempts...

After the photo shoot :) we headed to church.  Then we rushed home from church so Nash could have a little nap (he was exhausted) and then we headed to the hospital to have Easter lunch with my Grandpa and family.  It was very nice, the hospital had a nice table set up for us and a huge spread of food for us to eat. I think that Grandpa really enjoyed having people there to eat with...and sitting up to a table to eat his food. (He seems to be doing much better, by the way.) Also at this family Easter gathering were Grandma Piano and Bombpa Sheryl....and Dave, Linda and Kate! The kids loved entertaining the crowd.  Of course Grandma and Grandpa brought very nice Easter baskets for the kids...and then after we ate we had another Easter Egg Hunt outside of the hospital.  Grandpa Sheryl so kindly filled the eggs with his hard earned pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. The kids were SO excited to have money to add to their piggy banks.

Ready...Get Set...Go!!!

Each of the kids had their own strategy.

Keaton just ran around and tried to

pick up as many eggs as he could.

Lola would follow Keaton, and then complain

that he was taking all of the eggs.

I know, she really doesn't look like she is complaining here.

Nash had a very interesting tactic for this Easter Egg Hunt.

He would find an egg.

He would pick up the egg

He would crack it open.

He would take the money from inside of the egg and hand it to Jason.

He would throw the opened egg onto the ground.

Repeat.

This was Nash's trail (and his basket). You see, you don't really need a basket

if you are just pocketing the money anyway!

We had a great Easter...and even headed to "the pond" after nap time because it turned out to be such a beautiful day! Now if only Spring would stick around for more than one day at a time...

whobody enjoyed Easter?

Well...we had a VERY busy Easter weekend. (At least it felt that way, anyway.) It all started on Saturday when we had lunch at Grandma & Grandpa Reimer's house...where we also did an Easter Egg Hunt.  The kids had lots of fun playing with their cousins!  Shortly after the Reimer Easter Egg Hunt we loaded the kiddos into the car and took them to the Clayton Easter Egg Hunt!  Keaton, Lola and Nash were all able to find 10 eggs (the limit) and had a blast doing it. Afterwards they played on the slides for a little while before we headed home for the afternoon (I'm pretty sure that was their favorite part.)

So THAT was Saturday (doesn't seem like much, but it sure did on Saturday:)  On Sunday morning when the kids woke up they hunted for their Easter baskets. Did I mention that "when the kids got up" means 5:30 AM? I think they were a little bit excited. I finally helped them at 6:45...I guess they were well hidden.  Keaton found his in the washing machine, Lola's was in the bathtub, and Nash's was behind the couch.  Here are some pictures of the kids with their 'loot'.



Lola's favorite thing in her basket was...the shredded paper. (I'm not kidding.)



Keaton, our chocolate lover, of course, LOVED the candy.



and Nash, he really enjoyed stealing the things out of the other 2 Easter baskets....!



 I am seeing that I have A LOT more pictures to put into this Easter stuff, so I think that I will say "to be continued...." and start another post with the other pictures!

whobody is a little jealous?

So....today, Keaton was telling me that he thinks that his tooth is getting a little loose.

Lola's response "Awww... Keaton will ALWAYS have more money than me!"

Way to be happy for your brother, Lola.