Thursday 12/5/13

Liz at her holiday concert... looking so thrilled!

Ben couldn't contain the music inside himself!



Mona and Colynn acting like they don't see me with the camera.



Riley and Zach- browsing for Christmas deals

Ben and Cody enjoying a game of checkers.





Visit to the Precious Moments Chapel in MO on the way back.

We had a great time the last few weeks with Liz and Ben's Christmas ... er... holiday concert and then drove down to visit Miekka in Arkansas over Thanksgiving.  The kids really got along well and it was nice enough to play outside each day which helped with everyone's sanity.  The boys and Liz each got a small marshmellow shooter- pretty good hunts were going on and marshmellows got everywhere in the yard!  There were some intense chess matches between Zach and Riley, the cat got ultra spoiled with Liz and anyone else that might get a second in edgewise.  We decorated ornaments for the family's "cousin's gift exchange" and they turned out awesome!  Everyone had a different plan of attack and they all turned out pretty cool.  Miekka and I got in a lot of sister time and it was sad to get going only because of the length of time until we see each other again.

On the way back, we stopped at the Precious Moment's Visitor Center/Chapel north of Joplin, MO and I was surprised at #1 how much the kids liked it and #2 how much I liked it.  I don't know if I'd ever go back, but after 13 years of passing all those signs in MO, I'm glad we stopped.  

A few more pictures... cause I can!

Nice photobomb, Miekka!

Monday, 11/18/13

I really wish I had some pictures to post- there's been so much going on and the kids are incredibly spastic anymore!  I think this cold weather has taken away their ability to be NORMAL!!!

We got to go to Ramona's Honor Band concert Saturday- she did great!  I told her we could hear her above everyone so that's good, right?  They announced some awarded places in the all-Iowa MS Honor Band for this spring and she didn't make that, though.  We were driving home and I told her about the girl that was bawling to her mom about not being chosen and Mona looked over and said, "I don't know, I was kind of relieved I didn't get it!"  THAT'S my under-acheiving over-acheiver!  Be good, but not tooooo good, I suppose?

Zach has been very emotional lately as his dear beloved GB Packers have a 3 game losing streak.  It was a hard game to watch, but really, maybe I should make appetizers to soften the blow next week.  Poor guy, he just loves them so much.  Ben seems to be taking on the supportive brother role by cheering for the other team in a very obnoxious way everytime something goes against GB.  And, it might not have been helpful that I couldn't stifle some cheers for my NYGiants that are on my fantasy football league.  Poor Zach... against the world!

Ben?  Well, I am thrilled to report the last three school days he was marked "Great Job!" on the behavior chart from his teacher.  This is month 3 of getting marked down constantly and never getting better than "Good Job" at best.  He's just loving reading so much and hides books in his desk and doesn't do his work (well, it's boring apparently???) and doesn't get to play anymore cause 2nd grade isn't fun.  *sigh* it's a tough life when your teacher doesn't put up with your crap anymore!

And then poor Liz and the eardrum saga.  A week ago, she came home with an earache that wasn't even there that morning and by the time her 2:00 appt came with the doc, her eardrum was "seeping and bubbling" infection.  That girl had a lot of pain going on.  After a day of rest, and a week of medicine (so far) she is back to normal.  She reminds me to do her drops (she's a bit tougher than Uncle Nick used to be) and get her "bubblegum" medicine.... smart cookie. 

We are gearing up for a trip to see Miekka, so a replacement camera is in the works to capture some memories.  More details on that after Thanksgiving!

November... ALREADY?!!!?

Halloween went off without a hitch- I would post my picture, but my camera doesn't like to focus anymore.  You would see a blurry bunch of blobs.  Blech.  I should have taken out my contacts and plastered them on the lens, I guess. 

Zach was a Skylander Giant (don't even ask.  I have no idea what it is), Ben was a Hawkeye football player, and Liz was a fancy cheetah.  I bit breezy and cool, but definitely not the coldest trick-or-treating we have ever done :)

Last night we got to go to our niece's bday party and use the costumes one more time.  This time Mona got to reuse the "Thing 2" costume from the football game posted in October.  Always a good time with the "big" family get-togethers.  Even in the midst of harvest, they do pause to celebrate the important stuff!

A couple weeks ago we got to go to another niece's bday on my side- 1 year old!  That was fun to visit with everyone there and see some people I don't get to see very often- and they were celebrating getting an ultrasound of their baby #2 on the way- cool, cool! 

Lots of family fun, wish I had pictures in FOCUS to post!  OH well.  Everyone keeps telling me it's time to get an iPhone.  I don't know about that, but I am needing something soon.  These blogs aren't a lot of fun without a little color and some smiling faces. 

Fall Fun October 2013

Mona led the middle school band last Friday during half-time of the HS football game!

Ben resting in-between plays at his flag football game.  I love the last name on the back of his shirt!  He played center and a few other positions, but also ran the ball 30 yards for a TD!!!

Matt serving up Fireman's Chili at the local Chili Cookoff.  Beautiful day, delicious food!

Sunday Sept 22

The kids' school council members voted this year to create their own local fundraiser and dedicated all the proceeds to Diabetes research!  Saturday night, they held "Walk 2 Hours 2 Cure Diabetes".  The honorary co-chairs for the walk were Mona and another student in her class with the same diagnosis.  They held a banner on the first lap around the track and their families followed.  Then... we walked.  and walked.  and walked.  Each lap around, they gave you a bead to add to a bracelet string- it ended up being a great way at the end to measure how far we walked. 

Mona walked with friends, Zach ran a lot of the first laps (wow!), Ben walked in flip flops until he got a season-ending blister between his toes, Lizzie walked quite a ways and then hitched 4 laps on Dad's shoulders- I was so impressed by the distance they logged!  There was music over the PA system and "fun laps" with different things to do (the chicken dance is surprisingly hard to do while walking) and they had tailgate games set up in the middle for rest breaks.  T-shirts, concession stand, donations... they had raised $2700 by the end! 

Pretty proud of my community right now, and inspired to get involved in more of their fundraisers for other's causes.  :)  I hope the kids learn the same lesson too. 

Sunday 9/15/13

Sunday afternoon after we got back from camping up by Humboldt, there was a lot of laundry and a lot of resting and movie watching and cleaning out the camper (I am so sad to have it put away for the year already!!!).  HOWEVER...

since it was so beautiful out, I had Ben put on his long pants, long-sleeved shirt, helmet, and knee/elbow pads and head outside.  I had promised him (and myself) this was the summer that he would be taking off those training wheels and it seemed like summer was coming to a close.Any of you that know Ben understand when I say this has been a lot of years of trial and error and him getting more and more worried about crashing on a bike.  I had finally broke down and got him some knee/elbow pads so he had NO EXCUSES anymore.  He got suited up, and he wheeled his bike over to the garage.  We ceremoniously took off those stupid training wheels that he was SO embarrased about this year.  GONE FOREVER!

and 15 minutes later- perfection!

So Ben suggested that maybe Liz could do it too, and an hour later, (after I called in Matt for some reinforcements cause she and I weren't getting anywhere) I got an excited Liz coming to pull me outside to watch the magic...

I am so proud!!!

Saturday 9/14/13- Flag Football



Zach (in the red shorts) on defense



Liz and friends at the game

Hawks vs. Cyclones