Volunteer

I have had a great year volunteering at Mason's school. Rob decided to go with me on my last scheduled day, I love it so much that I didn't let him go by himself. The dates were so hard to get because of all the giving moms that I wasn't able to get as many as I would have liked so giving them to Rob just wasn't an option!

Bubble Gum

We have recently become bubble gum chewers. I overheard a conversation with Mason and Ellery the other day and it was going along this path:
Mason: "Ellery if you trick me for my favorite bubble gum then I will let you have this instead."
Not sure the path it was going, but Ellery understood it. Siblings, a bond they will only know and share!

Real Ice Cream Doesn't Come on a Stick

According to Ellery.....ice cream on a stick isn't real ice cream or that good. It did take her eating the whole treat on the stick to come to the conclusion that it isn't good, but at least she figured it out!

I see the Moon

Rob and I went to an adult only party and the moon was beautiful! We had fun taking pictures with it and it always reminds me of the song that Grandma Ellen sings to our kids.
Grandma Ellen sings the song:

I see the moon
and the moon sees me
The moon sees the somebody I'd like to see.
God bless the moon
and God bless me
God bless the somebody I'd like to see!

All in the Same Size

Oh my, we did it again! Warm sunny days call for shorts. Put something new in Mason's drawer and he will find it. A "new" pair of shorts showed up in his drawer and guess what size they are.......18 months! How he squeezed himself into these is beyond me and why he kept squeezing into them is a mystery. He was disappointed when I told him he had to go change and he didn't have a new pair os shorts to wear for the day!

Friends

We are blessed to have found the Keith family and call them friends. It is a group of 6 one can't resist! A good time is what we have together!

School Carnival

We went to our first Spring Ridge school carnival. I was the treasurer for the event, which was a very easy gig. I was recruited for spreadsheet help and I do love a spreadsheet, so all went well. The numbers were good for the event! Everyone had a good time, unfortunately Rob wasn't able to join us for the night because he had to work. A fun packed evening. Ellery wasn't old enough to do the monkey motion, but Mason was very excited to do it! We did end the night doing the cake walk, sure we had to play until both Mason and Ellery won, so it was all about winning! Guess that is a lesson we still need to work on.

Bryson's Lady

If Bryson had to pick his leading lady, he would pick Grandma Ellen. These two are buds, and adorable buds at that. He really enjoys his time with Grandma Ellen, my theory is that he has figured out she won't tell him no like his mom! She is defiantly doing what grandma's do best, spoiling grandkids and giving them things she wouldn't have given her own kids, but giving them to ours because she can!!!

Garage Sale-Thumbs up Thumbs Down

Hmmmmm, I did my first garage sale and the verdict is still out on do it again next year or never do it again. I can't give a firm thumbs down because I made some serious cash, but I did a lot of work for the cash so that is a thumbs down! It was crazy that the going items this year were my clothes and household items. I put a lot of baby things in and that was harder than I thought to let go. For example, I had trouble letting my breast pump go. It makes no sense, it was a machine that made me feel like a cow, get it out, but it was hard to watch it go. I think it just seals the end of a phase for me! Yet I love each new phase with the kids, every time we hit a new phase I think this is my favorite. Then we hit the next phase and it just keeps getting better and then I think no this is my favorite. I think all of it is my favorite, just learning that I have a lot of favorite things now! Just hard to let the little things go because I can't live in denial that they are actually growing up! I only have 13 years until Mason leaves our "clan". Seems like a lot of time, but in reality it will never be enough!

Guess the Size

This afternoon Ellery came to me and told me that her pants were leaving a mark on her. I asked her if she wanted to change and she told me no, she is fine. As I examined her closer I realized she wasn't wearing her shorts, but her brothers shorts. Her younger brother that is who wears 12-18 month old shorts! She is our little bit! A little bit packed with a mighty mind! The sad part is that it was a tiny tiny indention on her skin. It wasn't bothersome enough for her to go change, I think seeing her skin change ever so slightly was more disturbing to her! Like always I will point the finger to Rob, but he doesn't do laundry very often so this blame is a bigger stretch than most! I'll just place it on my ever so building "mother of the year" nomination form.

Birthday Party-The After After Prom Party

 Rob is a keeper. I have always known it, but its nice he gives me nice reminders why he is a keeper!

He was planning a surprise party, but upon my request I made him spill the beans a few days before. He was trying to do a good thing for me, but what he doesn't realize that the planner in me doesn't find surprises fun. I am the planner so planning is fun for me, not knowing the plan = no fun for me! Regardless of not being in on the planning he did a great job! Note to self work on being more spontaneous and less planning!

We had joked in the past that we should throw a prom party. I called it alternative prom, but my friends said that wasn't correct. Alternative Prom made peoples minds go places they shouldn't be so we came up with After After Prom Party. I am delighted at how many people came in costume! Rob had food, drinks, cake, and a DJ for dancing! Happy Birthday to me and who couldn't be happy with a dress up prom party! We think this might become a yearly gig, start shopping for your prom dress now! I was pleased that my dad saved all of my prom jewelry from high school and brought it up to me a few years back. I am also happy I never found the time to go through it all because I probably wouldn't have kept my old jewelry. My beautiful earrings and hair piece is from my sophomore year of high school, not college HIGH SCHOOL! Yikes! 

Mohawk

Oh, the things we let go and allow our kids to do. Mason buzzed his hair to a "1" last time and when my friend Anne saw him she told me she could do it. I joked telling her she could have told me sooner and saved me $10. Well, I decided to take her up on her offer and saved us $10. She cut Mason's hair and went the extra mile for his request. Not my favorite hair cut, but he was thrilled. We call him WTM aka White Trash Mason. We originally left it a mohawk from top to bottom. The original deal was that it was all going to get shaved off the next day, so it didn't matter how it looked, but he loved it so much that we just shaved off the back of the mohawk and left it on top. 

Bryson 21 Months......

Since I am catching up the blog and didn't put my notes in like I usually do I have nothing special to say about Bryson except he continues to be a sweet little man. Doesn't have much to say yet, but you can tell he is taking it all in. He still loves to tap your leg to get your attention and it seems to work for him at this point so no worries on our end on our silent little man.

Happy Birthday Mandi

 We have wonderful neighbors that put this home made sign up for me! We eventually had to move it inside because I didn't want the wind to blow it away! Surprise it was a typical NE day-WINDY!!!!

The kids were thrilled to help sing me happy birthday so they could eat my cake. It appears Bryson got a taste while no one was watching. He also really enjoyed attempting to blow out the candles. Rob and the kids put a game show on for me to give me my presents. I got a new camera that isn't too fancy. It is just that, not fancy, just point and shoot. 

Poor Hudson

Where do I start with Hudson. Well, if only it was a bad case of gingivitis. We have been through a roller coaster of a ride with the dog. We should have budgeted more for him. After taking him to the internal medicine doctor we came to the conclusion he had snout cancer. We had to do one more lab test to rural out a fungal infection before starting him on steroids and pain meds. We had prepared ourselves with Hudson having snout cancer and started to prepare for making sure he had a great time with what he had left with us. Well, the fungal test came back positive, so he doesn't have cancer. The vet offered scans, surgery, and all sorts of treatment with only a 60% cure rate. It would only cost us $12,000. When all three kids ask can we have a car, go to college....I will just whip out a picture of the dog and say no.....This is what you get! A picture of the dog that took your money. We decided to turn down the surgery offer and treat him with oral medications. The oral medications are still a bit pricey, but we are going to give it a try for a bit and hope it can help. The good news is that Hudson is now on the Walgreens prescription plan. For a small fee he qualifies for meds at a very reduced rate due to him not having insurance. I now go to the pharmacy for meds for the dog! Wish us luck, Rob is defiantly not ready to let his first born go and I am struggling a tiny bit as well!

They Hatched

Our praying mantis egg hatched today! It said we could get 75-200 nyphys and we got over a 150, but less than 175? If you look closely you can see the tiny little guys on the top of the butterfly habitat. The kids were thrilled to see the transformation and the egg finally do something!

You know it is bad when our kids see a moth or bug flying free in our house and give the statement: Look mom we have a new pet!

The First Lady

Girls Inc. had a luncheon and brought The First Lady in as a speaker. 

Mason 4th Quarter-Mid quarter report

Mason came home with his mid quarter report for the 4th quarter.
Thematic Units included the following: eggs and chicks; spring; trees; plants and seeds; weather; caring for the earth; reduce, reuse, recycle.
Concepts are language arts and mathematics. Mason is satisfactory in both categories. He is reading, writing, and doing math. He is also satisfactory in personal and social growth.
Mrs. Farley wrote the following in the comments section:Mason continues to do well in all areas. He can work on the following:
-staying focused during work time (especially writing so that he produces his best work)
-neat handwriting-this has improved

Overall we can't complain!

How to Draw

I checked out a how to draw book from the library and Mason was very excited to draw the airplane. I was very impressed how good he did with something to look at while drawing. He then added a roller coaster and a rocket.

Loves to Cook

Mason wasn't the role play child, Bryson will play any roll you put him in. He currently loves to bake cupcakes. He even pretends they are hot and wears his hot pad as he serves you! He spends hours playing in the toy kitchen! 

Mason School Music Program

Mason debuted in his first school music program. They sang Friday Nights, Under the Sea, and You've Got a Friend in Me. They had actions they did with the songs and a speaking part he had to memorize. The video of him singing is too big to upload, but you really aren't missing anything. Rob captured the smile in the and it shows his excitement. We were surprised that he actually participated and sang. When they sing at church he doesn't sing and he may or amy not do the actions! As the night went on the actions were smaller and smaller as Mason lost interest or was just too tired to carry on!

They Clean

If only it was help that was actually help. The positive is that my floor had a bit of water on it after so it is also a bit cleaner. Not sure if the dishes are clean, but nothing the real dishwasher couldn't clean up! Funny how times have changed. If the sink could eat people I think it would have eaten Mason whole! 

Reduce-Reuse-Recycle

Mason is talking about recycling in school and they asked for him to take a picture of himself making an impact on recycling. He is more than happy to help take out the recycle bin at this point in time. Funny how I mentioned him helping prior to this movement at school and he had no interest! The power school holds while I hold none! Hmmmm something is wrong!

Dressing

Ellery is working on dressing herself! What a thought to have two children that can dress themselves. She does great as long as her undies are set out for her. If she has to do any figuring out how they go on, they go on like this. I can't imagine how uncomfortable that it, but it doesn't seem to bother her!

Another loose tooth

We have another really lose tooth. Warning: this video contains wiggling in inappropriate ways!

Bryson's new tote

Bryson really likes to mimic Ellery. She is very impressionable for him as Mason is for her. She tends to be more into what Mason likes when he is around, but when it is just Bryson and Ellery her girly girl side really comes out which brings out Bryson's girly side. Grandma Debbie probably had no idea that the barn yard animals in this cute barn carrier would get a lot of playtime. Bryson likes to carry it around and will put anything he finds in it along with the animals. Sometimes he chooses to find another home for the animals so he can put more into the barn. Today he decided that Rob's shoe would be a perfect new home for the animals. Sometimes he tucked it under his arm like a football and other times the shoe strings proved to be a great handle for him!

Eagle Report

Mason's school has an Eagle Report every morning. It is produced in the library and the reports are staffed from the 5th grades. The  5th grade anchors do invite in reports from the field aka younger classes. They do the kindergartners towards the end of the year and invite the parents to sit in the library or known these days as the "media center". I think if you asked Mason if his school had a library he would say you mean the media center. Regardless of the somatics these days we sat in the room full of books and watched Mason on the TV. He had to do a report on tools to prepare himself for the big event and I don't think we have to worry about him being camera shy!

I can whistle

Ellery is a self taught whistler. She can only whistle by sucking air in, but she is getting pretty good! I am not sure where her motivation came from, but she has determination when she wants it!

New Pets

I really can blame this one on my neighbor Darcy. She wanted to get a praying mantis egg and said she would split shipping with me if I got one. I couldn't resist that offer!  I then ended up getting the praying mantis egg and lady bug larvae. I missed my calling in being an entomologist. The kids are fascinated and I am excited to see if the egg hatches. I am a bit nervous, it states we could get 200 nymphs. Wish me luck!

Soft Blankie

The true highlight of the visit was the discovery of soft blankie. Grandma Debbie has a gift on finding the best blankies and the softest hence the name the kids came up with---soft blankie. We had to take turns on who got to sleep with soft blankie along with time each day to play and wrap up in soft blankie. Ellery was nice enough to share her time with Grandma Debbie, what Ellery didn't realize is that Grandma Debbie was the one doing all the sharing. I now can't wait for my birthday because Grandma Debbie had an extra one she gave the kids to give to me for my birthday! I even like soft blankie!

How are you doing

Bryson is doesn't understand what "monkey sees monkey can't do." He is a firm believer in the concept of monkey see/monkey do! Our newest cry for being older is sitting in a big boy chair. I literally have to bend him to get him to sit in his chair. It isn't a pleasant scene or experience for anyone around. Some days I just don't have the fight in me and Easter was one of them. I decided to let him be the big boy that he thinks he is. The problem is that while I was multitasking on getting everyone else their requests and needs I didn't tend to Bryson's table manners. I found him happy as can be enjoying his meal, just not like how I would prefer he sit at the table!

Happy Easter

 The Easter Bunny spoiled everyone. The person spoiled the most was daddy, the Easter Bunny gave him the Star Wars Millennium Falcon. I wonder if Rob is going to let the kids play with that one?

 Ellery did not find any humor in Mason wanting to wear her pink hat on the way to church. She has a very stern way of saying Mason. Is sounds very airy and a very distinct May-SON. 

 We couldn't take a family photo in front of the tree, because we cut the tree down, but we still tried to pose around the bench!

Bryson has a new "pretty" smile. He just can't resist crunching up his pretty face to smile. It also doesn't help that he has two older siblings asking for him to give them his pretty smile and then laughing hysterically at him. 

Cooking at Papaw's

Grandma Debbie does a great job on cooking with the kids when they come to visit. The kids really enjoy it and I don't mind it myself. She always makes us cinnamon rolls and I have to use the term us very loosely. She might make them for everyone, but I can't stop eating them because they are sooooooooooooo good! So she might make a big pan of them, but I eat about half the pan because I can't control myself around them. They are my favorite cinnamon roll of ALL TIME!

The highlights of this trip were donuts, even papaw got in on making these with the kids. We also made cake pops on a stick. If you look closely at the picture below you will see the fancy holder Papaw made for us to stick them in. (a box with nail holes) He treats us well. I had never made the cake pops, but was amazed by them. You bake the cake, crumble it up, mix it with frosting, form balls/insert stick, and then dip in melted chocolate! Who wouldn't love that?

Retirement Ticket

Rob and I have been having a few good laughs at our children's expense. We were on a long drive back and somehow got into a discussion about lottery tickets. We then decided we should have bought a lottery ticket with the pot being so large, but Rob pointed out that we have three retirement tickets sitting in our car right now.

Fun at Papaw's

 How can you not have fun with this crew?

 Some of my favorite photos are the silly faces? It makes me laugh and smile and those things bring me joy and who doesn't want joy! I might have to name our next animal Joy!

To Papaw and Grandma Debbie's House We Go

Who wouldn't want to travel with this crew?

The Great Grandparents

We headed out west again and took a longer trip through Topeka to see my grandparents. My grandpa just had a hospital stay and a life scare so it was nice to see him up and moving. They still have the squirrel, the kids really don't know what to think of it. It jumps around a little too fast for them. It was a great visit!

3 out of the 5 generations of girls

FBI-Event

Rob is now the president of the FBI-Citizen Alumni Academy. Oh, we are lucky they won't take anyone over 40 because Rob found his other passion. Luckily they have this program to satisfy his need. It did get me a date night with Rob. They were able to bring in the FBI agent who interrogated Saddam. He has talked about his experience on 60 Minutes, but we were able to hear it live and in person. It made for a very interesting date night.
On a smaller scale of important people I was able to sit down and have a fun conversation with Bob Boozer about basketball. Sure he played at K-State but he was also in the NBA. It was fun to talk hoops with a hoop celebrity!

Carton-Wheel

We don't have Ellery in gymnastics, but she is interested. For some reason Mason calls them carton wheels. We corrected him for a bit, but then we decided to call them carton wheels too!

Easter Egg Coloring

We didn't get too crafty with decorating the eggs this year, we were just brave to do it with 6 kids. Scarlett didn't have that much interest, but Bryson wanted to be a part of it! Proud to announce no tears or stains from adults or children. In my opinion that is a successful egg coloring experience at the Keith family house!