Accident

There was a fender bender on the way home from daycare/school on Monday. As we drove past the scene I told Sam to check it out to try to figure out what caused the accident.

We drove past and Sam said, "I don't think anyone peed their pants." Apparently preschoolers view "accidents" with a different definition.

Thanksgiving

With both sides of our families celebrating Thanksgiving prior to Thanksgiving break, we have five days of immediate family togetherness. We kicked off the time off with Disney on Ice which Sam kept calling Ice on Disney. The kids were fully engaged and Sam was very concerned how the characters could see where they were going while wearing costumes.
On Thanksgiving we started our own family turkey trot relay tradition. Laura made a turkey baton out of paper and we would run laps around the neighborhood pond with a turkey baton in one hand and a walkie talkie in the other saying "Gobble gobble, over". It was full on dorky-ness, but that's how we roll. We also set up the Christmas tree and outside lights while listening to Pandora's Christmas Radio. We made our own pizzas for supper and put out our Thanksgiving table cloth for everyone to write what they're thankful for. After everyone shared Sam said, "Isn't anyone going to say they're thankful for Disney on Ice?!"
I'm so thankful for our family, friends, laughter, and love. As I looked at the Black Friday ads and put together the lists of who's getting what for Christmas this year, it dawned on me that the things we cherish the very most are free.

Sam's Treasure Hunt Birthday Party

Ahoy! Sam's fifth treasure hunt birthday was a hit! This was the first birthday celebration we've had away from the homestead. It was so nice not to keep the house in "company's coming" condition while frosting cupcakes & setting up games. Eight friends met Sam at the Saylorville Lake Visitor Center which is surrounded by wooded trails, a butterfly garden, & within walking distance to the beach. A perfect setting for a treasure hunt!
The first part of the party was a photo scavenger hunt which led us back the van to get drinks. At the van, everyone got a shovel and we headed to the beach to search for the buried treasure. Yes, I had visited the beach earlier that day and buried a spray painted styrofoam cooler to look like a treasure chest containing party favor bags inside. While walking down the path juggling a shovel and a spray painted cooler, I hoped nobody would call the DNR to report suspicious behavior.
The kids found the buried treasure and when their shovels hit the cooler lid, it broke into a million pieces which got wet sand inside the cooler which compromised the integrity of the favor bags. We were able to keep the kids' bags separate but they all had ripped, dirty bags filled with Rolos candies (gold) inside. Yummy! I'm sure the kids' parents were impressed when they picked up their kids from the party.
We lucked out with fabulous weather, good spirited children, and nobody had to go the bathroom while we were there! This is a good thing because the visitor center has closed for the season and there wasn't a bathroom available except for the woods. We like to live on the edge!

The treasure map had burned edges and was soaked in tea. An old trick I learned from GG.

 

Happy Birthday, Sam!

Conference Week

After a long day of conferences, I came home to find this. God, love him!

Marathon Mama

2008-Eric and I spent months painting/repairing siding on our blue ranch, I taught 4th grade, Eric worked at EFCO, we had no children, and we trained for our first marathon together.

2016-We live in a new house that has vinyl siding, we both have different jobs, we have two kids, and in July I decided to train for my second marathon. Eric* (bless his heart) spent many Sunday mornings entertaining the children so I could get my long runs in and he squeezed in his own triathlon training when he could.


There have been so many things that have changed in the last 8 years, but my love for running has been constant. The marathon was HARD and miles 22-23 were brutal. At times it felt like it was self-inflicted torture and I questioned why I would spend $100 registering for this race when I could have gotten a massage instead?! I crossed the finish line under four hours (which was my goal) and have never felt so proud of myself. In the end, I found out that being a mama has only made me stronger and more determined. A massage wouldn't have given me that.


"Very rarely do the best things in life fall into our laps; we have to work for them."
Emilyann Girdner




*Mad Props to Eric. The behind the scenes guy never gets the credit he deserves. 2 days before the race we found out my minivan's tire was punctured and needed a patch. We had it repaired the day before the race, but that evening we discovered that there were actually two punctures and the tire needed a second patch. I was able to get to the race by taking Eric's car. Eric was determined to cheer me on so he put the spare tire on the minivan, packed a lunch for the kids, and brought the good camera to document the whole thing. Just the thought of him rolling into downtown Des Moines with the donut tire on the Chrysler and homemade posters to boot gives me the cry ball. If that's not love, I don't know what is.

Bad News...

We're in the thick of school routines and on days I need to take Laura to the bus stop and get Sam dropped off at daycare every second counts. This morning was one of those days as Eric had an early morning meeting. While I was getting Laura loaded on the bus, Sam was in the van eating a bagel and listening to Star 102.5. When I got back in the van he very solemnly said, "Mom, I've got bad news." Thinking this phrase usually leads to a wardrobe change and being extra late for work, I replied, "What?" With a sad face he said, "Someone else got to pick a purse today."  http://star1025.com/pick-your-purse
Sam, I appreciate your empathy as your mama likes a good hand bag, but we need to have a talk about probability.

Camp Laura

Laura's been helping plan her birthday parties since her Rapunzel third birthday party. I fondly remember her sitting on my lap as we looked at Pinterest ideas and I think we made her yellow yarn wig in July that year. Fast forward to her seventh birthday and she has this birthday planning thing all figured out. She created hand-made invitations for all of her friends and before I knew it the guest list had grown to 14 kids (not counting Sam and herself). I figured the chances of all of Laura's friends being able to attend were slim so I reluctantly agreed. Guess what, everyone could come. Eric & I had 16 kids, 3 hours, a whistle, and a plan masterminded by a first grader. Good Lord!

Hot dogs, chips, apple slices, & pink lemonade were served. We didn't plan on places to sit so kids were scattered everywhere.

We had "free play" time and Laura created the break-out groups with location stations on clothes pins. The kids were so excited to go to their next free play spot. It's amazing how a poster board and timed play can be so motivating.

Three legged race. Sam and Abby were partners (and the same size).

It's not a party unless someone has to dig into cool-whip topping with their face. Laura was able to dig out her 3 gummy worms in 24 seconds.

Light-up balloon volleyball. I'm calling it a win that nobody got a black-eye.

Not long after this picture was taken and the sun set, a neighbor was walking down the path and tripped on the sidewalk chalk container that got left out. Oops!

 

The party was a success and Laura told me it was her best birthday ever. I was reminded again of one of my favorite Laura Ingalls quotes, "Sometimes it's the simplest things that are the real ones after all." Happy Birthday, Laura!

 

TRI Harder

Eric set a new personal record at the Des Moines Triathlon (formerly known as the Hy-Vee Triatlon) today.

Sam and Laura slept in their clothes the night before to make for a quick transition out the door in the morning. When I woke Sam at 5:45am, he wanted to know why Daddy's race was in the middle of the night. 

Nevertheless, the race was a success and at the end of the day I was a pretty proud wife and mama.

First Day of First Grade

Laura started first grade on Wednesday. At meet the teacher night Laura got homework of filling a brown paper sack with things that represent her. She filled the bag with all sorts of crap treasures and when I saw her throwing a plastic whistle in the bag, I asked what that was supposed to represent. She said, "Well I love being a leader." Of course she does.

When I picked Laura up after the first day of first grade Laura told me she's pretty sure she's the fastest first grader and the strappy sandals she got from Maisie are just the trick to her speediness. 

Sam had to go to new backup daycare on the first day of school and he went to an in-home daycare run by a lady named Kristi that was a mom of one of Laura's kindergarten classmates. I found out that Sam called Kristi their dog's name the the majority of the day. (He has Claussen blood in him.)

We're getting into the swing of things again and everyday starts to feel more and more like fall which puts Laura in full time birthday party planning mode. Stayed tuned to all of the events our first grade leader comes up for Camp Laura's 7th Birthday Party. (This is a day camp party. Sleep overs would put me in Miss Hannigan mode for sure.)

On the second day of school, Laura lost another tooth. That made for losing four teeth in less than a week's time.

Growing Up Fast

Laura and I got pedicures to celebrate the end of summer and freshen up our pigs before we head back to school. While getting a thorough Asian inspired calf massage, Laura leaned over and asked me why the lady was punching me and if I liked that.

The pedicurists would talk to each other in their native language as Laura and I got rubbed, punched, and polished. At the end of our service we were handed a card to rate our experience and provide comments. I asked Laura what we should write for a comment and Laura suggested "Hola". Thank you, Dora the Explorer. 

I went to work again on Friday and within 4 hours of Laura being at daycare she lost 3 teeth. When Dana texted to tell me Laura lost her third tooth, I told her that if  Laura starts her period today, I'm out of here.

Laura starts first grade in less than a week and this will be Sam's last year in daycare and preschool. Why do I have a feeling that I'm going to blink and they'll be driving?!

GG and Papa Camp

It was another successful GG and Papa Camp experience for Laura and Sam. We met at Williamsburg on Friday and the Roadmaster took the kids the rest of the way to the land of oz.

Fishing, four wheeling, playing in a fallen down tree clubhouse, picking produce from the garden, sleeping in the cabin in the woods, & sewing a shirt were all events that happened during their stay. They lived off the land for the long weekend and loved every minute of it. It was like the 2016 version of Little House on the Prairie. Talk about blessed!

The Play

You know the summer is winding down when you decide to direct a readers theater with your children and the neighborhood kids. To have an authentic purpose, I contacted the local retirement village to ask if we could be put on their activities and entertainment calendar. Good news, they had room!

The play was called The Wind and the Sun. Basically the Wind, played by our neighbor Kyle (age 8) and the Sun, played by neighbor Ingrid (age 6) were competing to see who could get the traveler, played by Sam, to take off his coat first. Laura was the narrator.

When we arrived Sam started to get stage fright and told me multiple times that he no longer wanted to be in the play. I'm sure wearing a coat, hat and gloves for his role on a 90 degree day didn't help. I reminded him that the play wouldn't make any sense if he dropped out at the last minute. Reluctantly he put on his blue fleece jacket and his reindeer hat and mittens and joined the other kids. Sam's line of, "It's getting warm in here." was said in a whisper, but it was very believable.

The residents were delighted and were very grateful for their performance. The visit made me think of Sam and Laura's great grand-parents and how many of them were living in a home like the one we visited at the end of their lives. I know if they were there they would have been in the front row cheering them on. Who knows, maybe they were there...

Even though the play was short, nobody could probably hear, and Sam didn't totally participate, the energy in the room was very much alive and vibrant. To them this was better than Broadway.

The Cast

After the play, the kids read a book aloud to the residents.

Kyle read a book that he wrote.

Showing the pictures.

Ingrid's sure to point out details the illustrator included.

Sam was bored to tears.

My cup runneth over.