Random K and Cora stuff

Kayson's growing up... but has lately started this attitude thing with me.  He isn't giving me the hugs that he used to...  he's talking back more than normal.  Hmmm... not liking it.  But then he can switch on a dime and give me all of the hugs and be the sweetest.  He got this note from school last week - which I loved seeing.  It's true - he does have a kind heart (when he shows it!!!) - and is funny.  He definitely makes us laugh daily.

Cora's still a challenge for me.  I find myself saving notes on her more (and now writing them on the blog so I officially don't forget).  She's sweet, but man she's manipulative, she's feisty, she's stubborn... and emotional!  ha.

About 2 weeks ago, she thought she would try to get away with something at school.  She bit herself.  Yep.  You read that right.  :)  Bit herself, then fake cried and tattled to the teachers telling them that her friend Grant bit her.  Of course he didn't... there was probably some back and forth - and in the end, there are cameras in the room.  So the teachers and owner were able to see what actually happened...  she was punished and spoken to. 

OMG is all I have to say.  I was livid, and SUPER EMBARRASSED.  I mean, really?!?!  Ryan was the same... frustrated.  She knew she had done wrong, and we hope that doesn't happen again.
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The two of them together are trouble too...  or they can be the sweetest.  And I can't nail down how I can always have them be sweet to each other!  ha.  Some nights they play so well together - and for them being opposite sex AND almost 4 year difference - we are very lucky.  They like to wrestle, they like to play hide and seek, they play restaurant (mostly with the neighbor girl), but they still do well together...

But some nights I can't even get them to sit at the table together and color or do a puzzle - they constantly bicker at each other, or fight about who gets the colors first and so on.  They'll copy each other, which is super frustrating.  They'll tattle on each other...  all sibling crap! 
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They both LOVE LOVE LOVE music.  I mean - the second we are in my car - we have those songs turned up loud and they are singing their little hearts out, which makes me so happy. 
Today as we walked into school... K and I were just singing away as we walked...  a mother was walking out towards us, heard us, giggled and then said - "I love that!"  I just think it's neat...  it shows that they are happy and I'm also trying to teach them the meaning of songs - especially the Christian ones we listen to...  just makes it more special. 

Our babies.

1st Christmas 2017 (St. Joe, Mo)

Like each year... we've made a tradition to get down to St. Joe, Mo to spend some time with Aunt Maagie.  She's a whopping 92 years young, so it's obviously important to get down there to see her.  She's doing well... it's just unfortunate that we (our little families) are just so darn busy, that's it's almost hard to just sit and have a conversation with her.  I feel like we are always tending to something or someone!!  But I know she enjoys watching (and listening) to all the kiddos.  Guess that's all that matters... 

We headed down to St. Joe on Friday morning... got there around lunch time.  The kids were excited to see each other, it had been a very long time!  So we just dove right in...  got settled into the hotel, and let the kids play.  The weather was amazingly warm, so the big boys went outside and played, which was great.  

Soon enough, Aunt Maagie, Jimmy, Diana and Janet joined us... we just visited (as much as we could!), let the kids open their Christmas gifts from Aunt Maagie and Jimmy/Diana... always such nice things...  I think the kids were excited, Xmas came early!  ha.  We ordered pizza in... and just hung out.  The kids got a little owly... so we opted out of swimming (until Saturday morning)...  and they all survived.  ha. 

Bedtime was terrible...  or I should say, overnight stay was terrible.  Awful.  Oh mylanta.  Ryan snores.  Bad...  and typically the kids sleep through it, thankfully - however, not this time.  Kayson struggled BAD - him and I were up for about 3 hours or so... tossing and turning, Kayson got pretty upset at one point as well...  just mad he couldn't sleep, teared up a little and "Dad needs to stop!!"  Poor kid.  Cora was super restless...  but she slept ok.  Pretty frustrating... but the kids did sleep til about 8:15 - K slept hard from 4:50 til about then... so that was good.  (I was a walking zombie this morning!!!)

Anyway...  we grabbed a bite of breakfast, took the kids swimming, got cleaned up, checked out... and went to the Rally House (which seems to be a tradition too!), grabbed lunch, then we were on the road. 

I did snooze on the way home... SO TIRED. 
Anyway, it was a good trip...  good pictures below, and glad the kiddos got to spend time together.  We will see them again soon...  we are hosting Christmas this year.  :)

Several attempts at a pic!

Poor Rhett.  makes me giggle!

and there's the best one!!!

lil misses.  Full of sass!

my birthday present to Aunt Tina.  So perfect. :)

Smiles from the boys.

Thanksgiving 2017

We spent Thanksgiving Day in Clarion...  headed up there Wednesday afternoon.  We spent some time at Tricia's for awhile, then headed out to the farm, and spent time with Dad.  It was nice being there... however, my allergies exploded.  Probably due to Cocoa's dog hair, and lack of cleaning...  :(  BUT, it was fine.  It made my heart really sad, but I survived.  We slept well...  and then Thursday morning (Turkey Day) we headed back to Tricia's - she hosted this year.  We had a great meal... everything went well.  I was a little sad...  and quiet.  Just hits me hard when we are all home... all there... all there without Mom.  

We just hung out... then ended up heading out around 4ish.  

It was a nice day.

Weekend

Friday:
We grabbed supper and brought it back home... and honestly that's about it.  Again, by Friday I'm worn out.

Saturday:
We actually had a fairly good day...  funny to write that out, because typically there's problems on a Saturday when Dad is gone.  Kayson was able to go to the last Iowa football game with Ryan... and took his friend, Carter K.  They had a good time...  Ryan may or may not be thrilled with two boy 3rd graders and the obnoxious stuff they talk about... but whatever. :)  Ryan did his good deed.  ha.  They survived!

While the boys were gone, Cora and I did well together.  Again, funny to write that.  She played with Olivia for a little bit in the morning - I did some cleaning and such.  Then her and I did a few errands, she helped me clean a bathroom (which she was pretty good at!), we snuggled, we played... and we even took a little rest.  #winforme  It was a decent afternoon.  

Hope and Logan then came to visit...  Cora typically gets a little wild when we have company, but she did pretty good with them... Hope is so good with her (just like the other big cousins).  Thank God.  Anyway, we hung out and visited... had pizza, and that's about it.  It was a nice night at home.  
Ryan and K got home around 7:30.  Tired. 

Sunday:
Church... and this is where our day turned around (compared to Saturday!)  Both kiddos weren't on the best behavior and I was not having it.  Once at home... they were pretty naughty, then they would have a 'good' streak... then back to being brats.  Wow.  I was (and still do) have a super short fuse with them.  

Between dealing with them... I did get the Christmas trees out and up, and they are super pretty.  I can't say it puts me in the spirit yet, but it's done... and I hope to enjoy the lights tonight, in the quiet.  :)

Good helper.

K and Carter K

They have a great tree... and do a great job of decorating.

She looks tired, and old.  :)

Kayson 3rd Grade Fall Conference

Fall conferences happened this afternoon... seriously can't believe we are this far into the school year already... fall and winter breaks are coming up.  Wow.
Mrs. Flack met with us; Kayson started by reading through a few items in his leadership binder --- math stuff, science stuff, reading stuff...  you know, the basics.  He did well - but I noticed he fidgeted a lot - rocked back and forth and also bounced his leg/foot the entire time.  Wow... he is his Dad in that aspect, or what?!? 

Mrs. Flack then dismissed K and she spoke with Ryan and me.  Overall, good... he's doing well, he's improving in a lot, he's 'secure' in many aspects of 3rd grade.  She says he is a joy to have in her classroom, he makes good decisions and always has a smile on his face.  (awesome to hear). 

Some stats information to keep track of:
Fall Reading MAP score - 201; goal for end of year is 209
Fall Math MAP score - 202; goal for end of year is 213

Multiplication facts mastered - all but 6 and 8 (working on those right now)

It's always nice to have these conferences... and get validity that we are doing something right, and we DO have a good kid.  :)

Sticks baseball

We have signed Kayson up for Sticks baseball (club ball)...  it's a different kind of league of baseball, more competitive, more direction/guidance, and more money!  ha.  But we feel that Kayson is good - especially at throwing and catching... and he's quick.  So having this option, we are trying it -- hopefully he will learn a lot, grow some and get better at hitting and more comfortable with the whole thing! 

Anyway, last week, Ryan and him went to their orientation... 

and this week is the start of some 'training'.  I really don't understand it - and not sure if I want to at this point!!  But he'll start some training and then practices this winter, and then we'll be super busy spring and summer (I think!) 

Just wanting to get this on the blog...  there will be definitely more to come with this subject. 

Weekend

I'm realizing I am not sitting down to blog on Sundays lately... I'm just wiped out, and honestly - not much interest lately... but I can't be like that - as this is our 'journal' and how I keep track of things, and remember our activities, and ups and downs.
 
Friday:
We stayed in.  I'm loving staying in on Fridays, as I know far too soon (with the holidays), we will be much busier, and staying in won't be that easy of an option.   We just hung out.
Cora's had a little snotty nose, and cough... however, I think it's been much better since Saturday night - Thank God for oils!!!...  so staying in was just a good option.
 
Saturday:
Ryan worked.
I did a ton of cleaning and laundry in the morning... kids and I went to the book fair at school for a bit.  I made them use their own money to purchase one book they could have now...  so that was interesting.  Cora definitely doesn't like to use money.  ha.  Anyway, picked up a few others to give for Xmas.
 
We had lunch at home...  then the rest of the afternoon was just hanging out as well.  We watched the terrible Iowa game...  but it was nice just being home...  Cora didn't rest, but did ok...  we kept each other busy.  Kayson was good too. 
 
Saturday night Ryan and I went out for dinner with friends... so that was good.
 
Sunday:
Church... and then church provided a Thanksgiving dinner for us, which was super nice... and fun.  We've gotten to know a few young couples/families and they are super great.  So it was a good extra hour or so there.
 
Then Olivia came over to play Sunday afternoon... for nearly 3 1/2 hours!  She wanted to play Saturday, but I just wasn't feeling it!!  So... I asked if she could play Sunday - her sister had a 4H thing and it worked out that Olivia didn't want to go... so I said she could spend the afternoon with us.  Best decision ever.  ha.  She's a good kid... and BOTH K and Cora have a ton of fun with her.  It's kind of a miracle that there is no fighting, nothing when the three of them are together.  They play, they giggle, they run.  Success. I got some stuff done... and was able to sit a bit. 
 
That was our weekend...  bummed as always that it was over.  Both kiddos were exhausted this morning - hard to get up and at 'em, and a little emotional tears from both of them.  I kind of felt like crying too!  ha. 
 
Random pics - but not many. I've got to get better at taking pics!

 
 

 

 

 

Sisters rock

Yesterday was my sisters and I annual shopping day.  I swear this day is the fastest day ever too!  We need to have a couple days, we said!  And as much as I hate to shop and drive everywhere, and walk around - we have so much fun. :)

I made NO dents in the shopping lists, which was super disappointing...  but oh well.

Long Weekend/Storage Room clean-out!

I'm currently on PTO.  I took Friday off... today (Monday) and tomorrow.  And man, I'm not feeling guilty at all!  It's been a great 3 days so far... and I anticipate the rest of today and tomorrow being great as well.  And to be honest - I need it. 

Friday I spent nearly all day cleaning out the storage room.  We couldn't walk into the room... it's was out of control and just needed a good clean out.  I just started taking everything out...  vacuumed the ground, and then just started going through stuff.  I tossed a lot.  I made a "garage sale" pile, which is actually pretty small. I went through printed pictures and organized those!  I took pictures of things and sold almost all of them on FB.  It was great!  By Friday night, I was wiped out!
In the middle of the day I did step away - had lunch with Nikki, then went back to the doctor.  My ear has still been bothering me...  enough that it's annoying and I was getting a little concerned.  Doc says I have TMJ (which basically means my jaw is so tight that it's causing pain in my ear).  Weird, but kind of makes sense.  I've been tense.   So he gave me a prescription Advil that should help it out...  I'm not 100% convinced cuz it's still bothering me...  but not as bad. 

Anyway, Ryan got home from MN Friday afternoon... we did supper out... then back home to just hang out. 

Saturday was a home Iowa game - a guys day - Ryan, Mike, Lester, Doug, Steve and Larry.  I believe from stories - they had a great time...  and it was a win.  Awesome day for the guys. 

JeanAnn spent most of the day with us...  I worked on the storage room a little more in the morning, we grabbed lunch out, then did a few errands.  Kids were a challenge for me...  they want everything and whine about me saying no.  Cora literally threw herself to the floor at Target.  So that's awesome.  I get frustrated because of a few things - Christmas is coming fast, they don't need anything right now...  and I try really hard to just talk with Cora about things - trying to get her to just listen and relax.  But she doesn't... so then I get mad.  I've decided that if I get them an inch - they ask for a mile.  :(  It's just so frustrating... and embarrassing.  JeanAnn (and others) probably thinks I have no control over my kids!

Anyway, we just hung out the rest of the day...  JeanAnn headed back to Creston before it got dark.  Kids then asked if we could go to GetAir (trampoline park) - so we did.  We took the neighbor girl with us too... so a good hour of jumping.  #check!

Sunday was church... and just a day of random stuff.  My ear was bugging me... terrible headache and ear ache... so I laid low.  Ryan and Kayson got groceries, which was heaven!  (I hate the grocery store!)

It was a nice day... 

That's about it...  really glad I have a few more days off.  Tomorrow is my shopping day with my sisters, and I can't wait to spend the day with them. 

SOOOO many gift bags. And I threw about 70 away!!!

we can walk in now!!!