Simple Pleasures

One of the things I love most about my husband is how he manages to entertain the kids for hours with the simplest activities-like catching mice (We have quite a few in our garage.). Hours were spent crafting traps, checking traps, watching mice, redoing the traps, etc. As of now we have 4 pet mice (or so we think-we're a little afraid to open the aquarium because the mice have proved to be some impressive jumpers) and 2 escapees. We will probably gift these mice to our friend, Phil, who is a science teacher and wants to breed the mice for his snake.

Looking back

Life is so different than it was 9 years ago.
Life could be so different than it was 9 years ago.
And for both of these reasons, I'm especially thankful for these last 9 years.
Hoping for at least 9 more but if I don't get them, I'm okay with that.
Remembering Brittany who didn't have the opportunity for 9 more.........

Cashton Wrestling Tournament

I think Travis and I were more proud of Therin's 2nd place finish today then we were of his 1st two weeks ago. We certainly saw a number of displays of very unsportsmanlike conduct from some of the other young wrestlers. Therin got two pins today and lost in a close match. When he leaves the mat, he leaves the victory or defeat on the mat-no tears, no gloating, just a lot of heart and determination and that's the way we like it. Good job Bud!

She's on two wheels!

Grandpa brought this little bike over last week that he found in the garbage. It didn't have training wheels and Travis hadn't gotten around to putting them on yet but Saturday Kya was just like I'll try it without training wheels. Okay, and here we are two days later.....riding on her own.

Best Buds

Lego Creations

Therin and the walkie talkie he made.

Books by Therin

Book #1: I got hrt
it ws the forth av jali. Me and my frens ws playing outsid. Then I got a be sting. I ran inside and I went to the DookDr and I went hom. The end.

Book #2: I went to a trnamint
one day me and my dad wok ap arly then we goot are clos and we went to the trnamint then i watid for a lon tim then I strtid rasling I pind him then I watid for a lon tim then i restd a gen then I goot a trofy I was happy we went hom

Thanks!

Thank you for sending the sweaty bands Aunt Ashley. I love mine! Here is a picture of me wearing it. Mom doesn't look as awesome as I do in hers but she's working on it.
Love,
Kya

These are the days of my life

Monday
9:05 Return home from dropping Kya off at preschool and attempt to page husband regarding making an appointment for Kya-(possible food aspiration Friday evening and has been coughing all weekend). Didn't it dawn on him when he hadn't gotten ANY pages in the first 3+ hours of a Monday morning that something was wrong? Like his pager not being on??
9:45 Schedule an appointment with a pediatrician for 11:30
10:15 Feed Abram and Alayna lunch, change everyone's diapers
10:45 Pack everyone up in car and head to Congo to pick Kya up from preschool
11:45 See pediatrician who orders an X-ray on another floor, pack everyone up (with the assistance of Travis now) and get X-ray done
12:25 Return to pediatrician who tells us we can go home-Travis helps escort myself and the kids to the car whereupon he keeps saying, "I don't know how you do this every day!?!" (Finally, some recognition!)
12:45 Home, lay everyone down for naps
1:10 Call from nurse requesting that we come back in by 2 to see ENT doctor
1:15 Call Becky begging her to please come over and hang out while the daycare kids sleep
1:45 Leave for second appt where we're told: nothing will be done because the apple or bagel bit will dissolve and Kya will expel it in time herself; however, if it had been a nut or a toy, they would do a bronchoscopy and retrieve it. Glad I came back in for that!
2:40 Return home
That night: Kya doesn't cough once (okay, maybe a few times but she had been having fits of 5 minutes or more several times at night).

Tuesday
1:15 Leave with 4 children to go to the Family Fun Center at the Y (after eating rainbow colored Goldfish)
1:30 arrive at Family Fun Center and play for a few minutes when Kya starts having a coughing attack while I'm on my cell phone
1:31 Kya vomits while I hold up her dress to catch what I can
1:33 Notify the front desk that my daughter just puked in the FFC and I need some assistance to clean it up
1:35 Tell the kids to get their stuff back on because we need to leave
1:36 Adeline complains of the smell in the FFC and begins to vomit all over while I lead her to the trash can
1:39 Adeline finishes vomiting and we take off her dress
1:40 Y employee asks "What did you feed them?" Not willing to address her comment but apologize for the mess
1:41 Receive a bucket from the Y staff for the drive home and leave with the children
1:44 Load children in the car realizing that Kya's stuff has a very strong vomit odor and if I put it in the car Adeline will likely vomit again, stuff dresses in ice cream bucket, hang bucket from sideview mirror on Suburban and drive home =)
1:55 Kya and Adeline happily playing in the tub while I start a load of laundry
2:01 My friend, Celine, calls to see if my day today is better than yesterday?

We'll see what tomorrow brings.........

Julie, is the invitation still open to meet you in the Cities tomorrow? I'm sure I can provide some excitement and laughs! =) Have fun with Mom!

Therin's first wrestling tournament

This picture is to give you an idea of how well attended these wrestling tournaments are.


Therin trying to get his first pin in his first match in less than a minute.


This was Therin's second match. The kid from De Soto was very good and very technical but Therin was determined and just kept taking him down (scoring 2 points); the De Soto kid would escape (1 point) and Therin would take him down again and again. The matches were 3-1 minute periods and Therin was very tired at the end but victorious!


His last match and 2nd pin of the day.




After Therin was so successful, we joked that part of our strategy was looking very unsuspecting. All these little kids had wrestling shoes and a lot of them head gears (which we'll get Therin next year) but Therin looked like such a farmer-t-shirt under his singlet, colored socks, street shoes and no headgear. We were very proud. Now Travis is pumped to take Therin to another meet in Cashton or Caledonia the 20th of March.

Spring is here-new ideas and lots of outside time!

The latest idea:

the tape rolling game and the winner receives a trophy (my silver plant watering pitcher!)! This has occupied 2 afternoons already. Sorry for the terrible picture. I'm starting to think a new camera might be on the old 30 birthday list.

And lots and lots of outside time and clothes that aren't even dry before the next outing!

Having lunch outside today!


Got out the bikes February 28th for the first ride of 2010!