Sunday, January 13, 2019

Beginning of January Odds and Ends

Here are some random photos. I didn't get 18 month photos of Thomas done. Even though that was last week I'll probably just wait and do 19 month photos next month. And I forget to get his appointment scheduled til his actually 'monthly date' so then when I get it made there isn't an opening for a few weeks. So his 18 month check up will be at the end of January. I'll try to get on his 2 year appointment as soon as they can schedule it. Unfortunately she wouldn't for me cuz the calendar only goes out two months, REALLY?!?!

Emma is so funny and sits watching TV while rubbing her hair with her feet, LOL! Crazy flexibility.


Thomas is so stinkin' cute and he knows it. He loves to make us all laugh and is in his happy place here: eating.



Sending daddy a photo the other morning while he was away traveling. This is what 6:30 looks like. 




Here's Thomas in ECFE (Early Childhood Family Education) Lover of books and always on the go.


Roller Skating

Isaac was invited to a friend's birthday party at the Roller Garden just down the road. We had never been roller skating before so it was an exciting experience. Isaac was a little nervous and kept saying how he didn't know how to skate but I assured him he'd learn and it was okay he didn't know. 

We were a little late and Kyle dropped us off with the other kids in the van, I got Isaac settled in with skates on and luckily they were sitting down to eat. I ran back home with Kyle so I could get the other car and he'd stay home with the kids. I came back and Isaac had gone around once with his friend's dad and the push helper. He was a little upset saying he had fallen and bumped his elbow.

He wanted me to skate with him so I paid the fee and rental to skate as well. Gosh it had been maybe 20 years since I'd been on skates! He agreed to try it again with me, this time he held my hand instead of the push helper. We made it around with one fall near the end which frustrated him and causes a minor meltdown with a little tears. He was getting mad and angry so we took a break. 


A little time passed and I talked him into going one more time to try it out. I noticed some improvement. As we neared the corner where we were sitting I suggested going around again he demanded, "NO! You said one time!!" So we took another break. I didn't want this to be a bad experience and noticing his improvement I wanted to get him around at least five times before we left. So I told him our goal and said we could be done if we he had completed a total of five laps.

He obliged and each lap he got better. On the fifth lap, before we finished, I suggested to keep going. He said no. We went to sit for a bit and then he said he'd like to go again. Then we went again and a few more times. He started to have a really good time and I was SOOO happy he we reached this point!

We took a little break to play two games with his friend, went around one more time before we left and I got an amazing photo of him smiling.


I will treasure this photo forever because of the struggle, perseverance, and improvement that I know happened before capturing this face. I hope we can return with the girls sometime and give it another shot. Besides it's only a mile from our house!

Home Depot Workshop

Kyle took the girls to the workshop last Saturday. Isaac doesn't have as much interest in going, and besides it's funner when you have fewer kids with you :-)  The project was little easles with a white board they have had fun playing with them at home. 






New Year & Winter Break Activities

Time to get caught up. We've started of 2019 with lots of fun. Let me back track a bit to get it all documented. 

December 30th the girls were being goofy in my room, Mary got a hold my glasses and was running around saying "I'm wearing mama's blurry glasses" haha. They look good on her. Hopefully they won't need them but I'm afraid at least one will probably get my bad eyes. 

We got away, just us girls, and went to InnerActive for some energy burn then hit the Christmas Clearance at Target. It was a fun evening. 


December 31st
The girls had a little friend over. Her mom was closing on their new home so she spent the morning with us. We made more pretzel kisses. This is the best Christmas treat to make with little kids. Way better than cookies which we only attempted once this year. They can lay out the pretzels themselves, then they unwrap the kisses which takes some time. We pop them in the oven to melt then I put the M&Ms on myself since the pan is rather hot and it needs to be done quickly. Thomas wants to be in the middle of it all too.

We started a tradition this year, the girls wanted to sleep in our room on Christmas night but we agreed to allow them to New Years Eve Night. We watched the ball drop then called it a night. They keep asking when they'll get to again.. next year, next year.

Wednesday January 2nd we went to the MN Zoo. It was a really fun day and it was so fun to be with all four kids. These days are few and far between and will become even less when the girls go to school next year. But we all got along, they were good listeners and it felt great to get out of the house.

By request we attended the bird show again, love that they loved it so much they wanted to go again.




Thursday January 3rd we attended a fundraiser for the girls preschool at Pump It Up. It's just a big play area with tons of bouncy houses. It was a great energy burn and they go pizza for lunch.


Thomas had a lot of fun and was one of the big kids until the worker said he was too small and needed to stay off the bouncers. SERIOUSLY! You do realize he is baby number four and there is no stopping him. But luckily at that point he had burned a lot of energy and was okay just running around from room to room.



The kids were lucky to experience the Cyclone tube thing. They were all playing in it and some other adult put some money in it for it to work. They were SUPER excited! it was really fun to watch



We finished with Pizza. The worker was questioning Thomas's ability to eat it and gave him a tiny piece to start. Which I specifically paid for him even though I didn't need to, but I wanted him to eat. And he did! He ate more than Emma, which he usually does. Surprised the worker and that grandma sitting there.


We also spent much of the break doing fuse beads. Isaac loved doing them. I'd clean it all up and put the iron away then he'd ask to do more. So I've just left it all out for now, lol. He was making them because he wanted to sell them and a friend online actually bought the square ones as coasters and put in a special order for crochet markers. So he made 15 little alphabet markers for her and she sent him some money for it. Business has lifted off, lol.





The girls had fun with it too. I helped them a little for the mermaid and Kyle helped Emma make the unicorn. Mary made most of the owl herself. Mary would get a project almost complete then bump it and it'd all fall apart :-( She's got ants in her pants and tends to be more clumsy. I was so excited whens he completed her owl and we could get it melted together. Mary did the ones with openings (the heart, star, and square) We found it better to try to do less beads so we could iron it quickly before it got destroyed.

I had fun with it too and made a 3D food. I wanted to make a hot dog but I'm not sure we have enough brown to complete it.


While they crafted we sorted. I bought this empty container to sort the colors in... so yes we have sorted EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE BEADS. 

Friday January 4th, last day of break we went to visit daddy at work for lunch. When Isaac was little, before twins, we would have lunch with Kyle maybe once a week. After the twins we maybe went once or twice and then it's just too daunting so we hadn't. The bigger kids were asking to see daddy's work, Isaac had gone a bit ago, so we decided to make it happen. It wasn't bad, they were good. We gave them the speech about being quiet and respectful of the workers Emma says "Like in a library but there are no books here" lol. So they got it. We also got a little tour of his work which was fun.




Isaac had lots of questions. He wants to work there someday.



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