Some of the kids are doing cross country this year. It has been really fun and interesting to see them try so hard to do their best.
Julianna doesn't really care for running but she sticks with it and does a really good job. This last week they had a meet and they ran a 1.8 mile course, Julianna's time contributed to the team score and she was really proud of that. Julianna's time was 16:41, her team came in 4th.
Kaiden of course is really into running and does well at each event that he participates in. He ran his 1.8 in 13:05 he came in 18th place. His couch would like him to learn to run with his arms, he tends to hold his shoulders up and keeps is hands by his sides. He kind of looks like a gorilla when he runs, but clearly he is fast so he must be doing something right!
Keith is determined to be great so he tries very hard to be like Kaiden. He ran is 1.8 in 20:02 his time also contributed to the team score they came in 8th (which was not last and the 4 & 5 runners were the two kindergarteners on the team) He was very proud of the fact that he was asked to pass the two kids who had been in front of him the whole race and he actually ended up passing four. He tripped and the beginning and then fell in the middle and tripped again at the finish, he woke up this morning with his eyes so swollen that I kept him home from church. I think his face plant into the field caused his allergies to act up.
All of the kids are really great and give everything they have each time. It is nice to see them work hard and then do well. I hope they continue to love it.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Thursday, September 8, 2011
School is in session.
Well school started on August 7th so we have been going for a month now. The kids all love their teachers and are really excited each day to go.
Koen turned to on Wed. it was fun to see him get so excited for his cupcakes! He is a little beastie always into everything. He seems to have no fear of consequences and no sense of self preservation. He loves his sister Julianna and will sometimes choose her over mom or dad, he also loves his dog and sleeps with her at night. It is fun to sneak into his room and watch him play with his siblings he always wants to be doing the exact thing they are!
Keith is in Kindergarten this year and has the same teacher that Evelyn had last year. He loves her, she sent a note home telling him what a great kid he was and how much she loves teaching him, he carried it around for the whole day! He is well behaved at school and does his work well, I wish I knew what magic I could use to get him to be that way at home. His teacher told him that he was smart and he said to me this morning "I am not smarter than a first grader because I don't know how to read. But I am smart because I know what 2+2 is." It was cute. Keith turns 5 of Thursday next week and he is going to have a pirate party if I can get my act together! He is loving cross country and it is fun to watch him run, he looks exactly like Kaiden only smaller. He placed 25th in last week at his meet and got a fun horse shoe medal, he is very proud of it and carries it everywhere.
Evelyn is loving first grade she loves her teacher and LOVES reading. She has chosen not to do cross country this year, she doesn't enjoy it and so we decided not to force the issue. She would really like to start doing a dance class but I am not sure I can add something to my schedule right now! I love watching her choose her outfits every morning she has such a specific idea of what she wants to wear each day. She is still very well behaved at school and works hard on her homework without prompting from me. She is trying to keep her room clean for the rest of the year in the hope that we will get her an American girl doll for Christmas, we will see.
Kaiden is officially a 3rd grader, he loves his teacher and he loves MATH! He really enjoys art, and his penmanship is amazing! he of course loves running and has starting running with the middle school team because he says "the longer distance is more fun" I personally think he is crazy! He did well at his meet last week taking first place, he received a nice plaque that he has displayed on his dresser. His teacher is a runner so it is fun for him to share his race times with her. He still loves school but he is starting to get lazy with his homework, I have to remind him several times. He is also in scouts and next week will be going into Bears. His Birthday is on Monday and he is also having a pirate party, I was hoping to be able to combine birthdays!
Julianna is in 5th grade and I can't believe how fast she has grown up! She is liking this year better than last year so far, I think she is more comfortable now that we have been here a year. She loves her teacher who is pregnant with twins due in Oct. she can't wait for the babies to be born. She told me a couple of days ago that she wants another baby sister. I asked "what if it ends up a boy?" her reply "then we will have to have two more girls." I am not sure that three more kids are in the cards!!! She is a great help around the house and with the other kids, she is always willing to pitch in and get things done. Julianna is loving gymnastics and last week she got advance into division 2, she is pretty excited about that and is always practicing whenever she can find a space big enough.
I will try to post a few pictures of our meets and other randomness soon.
Koen turned to on Wed. it was fun to see him get so excited for his cupcakes! He is a little beastie always into everything. He seems to have no fear of consequences and no sense of self preservation. He loves his sister Julianna and will sometimes choose her over mom or dad, he also loves his dog and sleeps with her at night. It is fun to sneak into his room and watch him play with his siblings he always wants to be doing the exact thing they are!
Keith is in Kindergarten this year and has the same teacher that Evelyn had last year. He loves her, she sent a note home telling him what a great kid he was and how much she loves teaching him, he carried it around for the whole day! He is well behaved at school and does his work well, I wish I knew what magic I could use to get him to be that way at home. His teacher told him that he was smart and he said to me this morning "I am not smarter than a first grader because I don't know how to read. But I am smart because I know what 2+2 is." It was cute. Keith turns 5 of Thursday next week and he is going to have a pirate party if I can get my act together! He is loving cross country and it is fun to watch him run, he looks exactly like Kaiden only smaller. He placed 25th in last week at his meet and got a fun horse shoe medal, he is very proud of it and carries it everywhere.
Evelyn is loving first grade she loves her teacher and LOVES reading. She has chosen not to do cross country this year, she doesn't enjoy it and so we decided not to force the issue. She would really like to start doing a dance class but I am not sure I can add something to my schedule right now! I love watching her choose her outfits every morning she has such a specific idea of what she wants to wear each day. She is still very well behaved at school and works hard on her homework without prompting from me. She is trying to keep her room clean for the rest of the year in the hope that we will get her an American girl doll for Christmas, we will see.
Kaiden is officially a 3rd grader, he loves his teacher and he loves MATH! He really enjoys art, and his penmanship is amazing! he of course loves running and has starting running with the middle school team because he says "the longer distance is more fun" I personally think he is crazy! He did well at his meet last week taking first place, he received a nice plaque that he has displayed on his dresser. His teacher is a runner so it is fun for him to share his race times with her. He still loves school but he is starting to get lazy with his homework, I have to remind him several times. He is also in scouts and next week will be going into Bears. His Birthday is on Monday and he is also having a pirate party, I was hoping to be able to combine birthdays!
Julianna is in 5th grade and I can't believe how fast she has grown up! She is liking this year better than last year so far, I think she is more comfortable now that we have been here a year. She loves her teacher who is pregnant with twins due in Oct. she can't wait for the babies to be born. She told me a couple of days ago that she wants another baby sister. I asked "what if it ends up a boy?" her reply "then we will have to have two more girls." I am not sure that three more kids are in the cards!!! She is a great help around the house and with the other kids, she is always willing to pitch in and get things done. Julianna is loving gymnastics and last week she got advance into division 2, she is pretty excited about that and is always practicing whenever she can find a space big enough.
I will try to post a few pictures of our meets and other randomness soon.
I missed Aug.!!
I am so frustrated I missed posting in August, it was my goal to post at least once each month. Well we are all doing pretty well no one had been sick for a while and that has been nice. School is back in and we are steadily getting used to the routine of things. Cross Country has started and Kaiden of course loves it while the other kids tolerate it.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Our Family Vacation!
Out trip to Virginia went really well, the drive did not feel nearly as long as the one to St. Joe. We did get a blow out on the way there but Kevin quickly fixed it and the kids sat very patiently on the guard rail on the side of the road, we were only about 20 miles away so the doughnut tire got us there safely and the next day Kevin replaced the tire. It was really great to be back with Julianna we really missed her.
We spent a day at Virginia Beach the kids loved riding the waves, I got tossed under a few times when I was busy watching kids and not the ocean! The kids made fun of me because I spent the day telling them "never turn your back on the ocean" and then I did and got pulled under, thankfully we all had fun and no one really got hurt other than a few scraped knees. There was a cheesy little circus performance on the boardwalk in the evening and the kids really liked that. The man on stilts freaked them out a little, at first they didn't see him approach and then when they realized he was there they all took a startled step back. It was hilarious! On the way there and back you have to go through a tunnel that goes under the bay, definitely not my favorite thing!!! I bit off every single one of my beautiful long nails, so now they are all ragged and nasty again.
We went into Richmond and toured the Maymont estate it was built 3 years after the house we live in now so it was fun to see what our house would have been like in that time. It was around 100 degrees that day and most of the estate tour was outside so we were all drenched in sweat and very tired by the time we got home, the kids agreed that even though it was super hot it was fun and they loved it. Keith proclaimed it to be the best day of his life. After we got back to the Galitsky's Kevin took the bigger kids to the pool and I put the little guys down for a nap. By bigger guys I mean all of mine except Koen and all of Jen's except Elsie! So he had 8 kids at the pool! Let's here it for Kevin! It was nice to have a pool just down the street the kids spent a lot of time there.
On Friday we decided to go up to DC and go to an aquarium and then in the evening drive the monument mall, it was just to hot to hike around another day. On the way up we stopped at a gas station for a potty break and they didn't have a public rest room, once we got back in the car I commented to Kevin on how oppressively hot it was outside. We started talking about the pioneers and how no matter what happens in our life it is no where near like having to pack up your belonging and walk out into this open unending field pulling a cart. No roads, no A/C, I really appreciate that I am not living in that time. We found a McDonald's to do the bathroom break and when we got back in the car it wouldn't start! I was pretty sure it wasn't the starter because there was no clicking sounds when he turned the key, so that left battery and alternator, or something extreme! I took the kids into the play place and Kevin went to work 4 hours later we paid an outrageous amount for a new battery and were back on our way. It was to late to go to the aquarium so we went to dinner and then drove over the bay bridge ( it was a very questionable bridge and for a minute I didn't think we would make it). We also went to the Peeps store (I hate those things but it was fun). We got to the Temple just as they closed the gates, it was still pretty to see from a distance, we then decided to drive down to monument mall and take a look around. We got to the Washington Monument around 12 midnight the kids were tired but they were troopers and since it had cooled down to a balmy 90 degrees we got out a hiked around a little. Evelyn really had to pee and her shoes were hurting her foot so Kevin carried her and Koen and then he added Keith who was walking like a drunk he was so tired. Evelyn peed her pants before we could get to a bathroom and so she finished the trip with a pillow case skirt. When we got back in the car traffic was not to bad so we drove around and then headed back to the Galitsky's. We got to their house a little before 3 am so the next morning Kevin let me sleep in while he packed the car, then he took a nap while I took the kids to the pool and we hit the road around 5pm. We got home at 3am and it was great to be home, church was hard the next day but our nursery kids are great and it was good to be back!
It was a very relaxing time, and now we are busy getting everything in order for school! We start here on the ninth of August, and this year all but one will go! Just me and Koen kicking it around the house what will I do...
I will try to post pics as soon as I get them from Jen, I didn't have my camera with me!!!
We spent a day at Virginia Beach the kids loved riding the waves, I got tossed under a few times when I was busy watching kids and not the ocean! The kids made fun of me because I spent the day telling them "never turn your back on the ocean" and then I did and got pulled under, thankfully we all had fun and no one really got hurt other than a few scraped knees. There was a cheesy little circus performance on the boardwalk in the evening and the kids really liked that. The man on stilts freaked them out a little, at first they didn't see him approach and then when they realized he was there they all took a startled step back. It was hilarious! On the way there and back you have to go through a tunnel that goes under the bay, definitely not my favorite thing!!! I bit off every single one of my beautiful long nails, so now they are all ragged and nasty again.
We went into Richmond and toured the Maymont estate it was built 3 years after the house we live in now so it was fun to see what our house would have been like in that time. It was around 100 degrees that day and most of the estate tour was outside so we were all drenched in sweat and very tired by the time we got home, the kids agreed that even though it was super hot it was fun and they loved it. Keith proclaimed it to be the best day of his life. After we got back to the Galitsky's Kevin took the bigger kids to the pool and I put the little guys down for a nap. By bigger guys I mean all of mine except Koen and all of Jen's except Elsie! So he had 8 kids at the pool! Let's here it for Kevin! It was nice to have a pool just down the street the kids spent a lot of time there.
On Friday we decided to go up to DC and go to an aquarium and then in the evening drive the monument mall, it was just to hot to hike around another day. On the way up we stopped at a gas station for a potty break and they didn't have a public rest room, once we got back in the car I commented to Kevin on how oppressively hot it was outside. We started talking about the pioneers and how no matter what happens in our life it is no where near like having to pack up your belonging and walk out into this open unending field pulling a cart. No roads, no A/C, I really appreciate that I am not living in that time. We found a McDonald's to do the bathroom break and when we got back in the car it wouldn't start! I was pretty sure it wasn't the starter because there was no clicking sounds when he turned the key, so that left battery and alternator, or something extreme! I took the kids into the play place and Kevin went to work 4 hours later we paid an outrageous amount for a new battery and were back on our way. It was to late to go to the aquarium so we went to dinner and then drove over the bay bridge ( it was a very questionable bridge and for a minute I didn't think we would make it). We also went to the Peeps store (I hate those things but it was fun). We got to the Temple just as they closed the gates, it was still pretty to see from a distance, we then decided to drive down to monument mall and take a look around. We got to the Washington Monument around 12 midnight the kids were tired but they were troopers and since it had cooled down to a balmy 90 degrees we got out a hiked around a little. Evelyn really had to pee and her shoes were hurting her foot so Kevin carried her and Koen and then he added Keith who was walking like a drunk he was so tired. Evelyn peed her pants before we could get to a bathroom and so she finished the trip with a pillow case skirt. When we got back in the car traffic was not to bad so we drove around and then headed back to the Galitsky's. We got to their house a little before 3 am so the next morning Kevin let me sleep in while he packed the car, then he took a nap while I took the kids to the pool and we hit the road around 5pm. We got home at 3am and it was great to be home, church was hard the next day but our nursery kids are great and it was good to be back!
It was a very relaxing time, and now we are busy getting everything in order for school! We start here on the ninth of August, and this year all but one will go! Just me and Koen kicking it around the house what will I do...
I will try to post pics as soon as I get them from Jen, I didn't have my camera with me!!!
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
It feels like we have moved again!
We have so many new pieces of furniture and organizational things in our home that I feel like we have moved again. I have spent the last week cleaning and throwing things away and trying to get the house more organized so that when school starts again things will run smoothly! A friend of mine gave me a set of 8 lockers that we have by the back door and we will be using these for the kids to keep jackets, backpacks, and other misc. items that they take with them when they are on the go. I also have a ton of totes and desks that we had to find a place for as well as another table! It has been fun getting things out and unpacked and put away. It is also nice to finally have a couch to sit on. When we moved from Missouri we left our couches and so it has almost been a year without comfy seating at our house.
Evelyn now has a day bed a corner desk and her own room! Kaiden, Keith, & Koen are all in one room with a bunk bed and toddler bed they have three matching white dressers so the boys don't share drawers anymore which is nice. Keith had a tendency to throw clothes on the floor while looking for something to wear and I am hoping that not have to dig through Kaiden's clothes will help with that. Koen is doing great in his "big kid" bed he is pretty good at staying in it once I put him there, a nice surprise. Our upstairs foyer is officially the family room we have a couch and love seat up there with a small tv. It is a nice comfy layout, we also turned the closet into the "toy closet" and added a lock so the kids can't get into anything without permission. Julianna's room is still pretty much the same she has always had a really nice bedroom set, she was so happy when we moved Evelyn out of her room. Julianna likes her things to be just so and Evelyn likes them in a totally different way but they both like things neat it is funny to see the two different personalities.
We have the living room downstairs converted into a formal living room. I have a really nice couch and chair set in their with two book shelves and a TV cabinet that is solid maple. The whole feel of that room is really nice now and the kids have been informed that they are not allowed in their without an invitation! I made a mini craft room back by the Laundry room and the dining room has two tables and the computer desk for now but I am sure we will rearrange those things soon. Our room still looks like a bomb exploded in it but slowly I hope that everything will get in it's place. When I am all done I will take pictures and post them!
We will be leaving soon to go to Virginia for vacation. It will be fun to see DC and the beach, it will also be very nice to all be together again. School starts again on the 5th of August and I have mixed feeling about that. I am excited for Keith to start Kindergarten and I know he is looking forward to it, but at the same time it means he is growing up!
Evelyn now has a day bed a corner desk and her own room! Kaiden, Keith, & Koen are all in one room with a bunk bed and toddler bed they have three matching white dressers so the boys don't share drawers anymore which is nice. Keith had a tendency to throw clothes on the floor while looking for something to wear and I am hoping that not have to dig through Kaiden's clothes will help with that. Koen is doing great in his "big kid" bed he is pretty good at staying in it once I put him there, a nice surprise. Our upstairs foyer is officially the family room we have a couch and love seat up there with a small tv. It is a nice comfy layout, we also turned the closet into the "toy closet" and added a lock so the kids can't get into anything without permission. Julianna's room is still pretty much the same she has always had a really nice bedroom set, she was so happy when we moved Evelyn out of her room. Julianna likes her things to be just so and Evelyn likes them in a totally different way but they both like things neat it is funny to see the two different personalities.
We have the living room downstairs converted into a formal living room. I have a really nice couch and chair set in their with two book shelves and a TV cabinet that is solid maple. The whole feel of that room is really nice now and the kids have been informed that they are not allowed in their without an invitation! I made a mini craft room back by the Laundry room and the dining room has two tables and the computer desk for now but I am sure we will rearrange those things soon. Our room still looks like a bomb exploded in it but slowly I hope that everything will get in it's place. When I am all done I will take pictures and post them!
We will be leaving soon to go to Virginia for vacation. It will be fun to see DC and the beach, it will also be very nice to all be together again. School starts again on the 5th of August and I have mixed feeling about that. I am excited for Keith to start Kindergarten and I know he is looking forward to it, but at the same time it means he is growing up!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Off on an Adventure!
So my very good friend Jenny moved away on Tues. it was sad for me, I became very close with her over a short period of time. Jenny had six children and her younger five were all within six months of my five and most of them were the same gender as mine. It was great because whenever we would get together all of the kids had someone to hang out with, and the house was usually peacefully quiet with the sound of children happily playing! Julianna was friends with two of her girls Sophia who is her age and Nadia who is Kaiden's age, they play really well together and they look a lot alike so it seems as though they are sisters and not just friends.
Well right before they left Jenny and I had discussed Julianna going with them since we plan on visiting them in July for a week we could just get her back then. Kevin and I decided that it sounded like a fun opportunity for Julianna and so we let her go. I miss her and she has only been gone for two days so far! It is amazing what a difference just one child makes, I am sure she is having a great time. Julianna has had the opportunity to travel away from family before and she always does really well, she is good with separation. I was like that as a kid and never understood my friends who would get homesick, but as a mom I am homesick for my child! I know Julianna misses us but she is the kind of kid who will focus on the fun she is having and not on what is not available to her. I am proud of her for being able to go and excited for the adventure and fun she will have. It is also nice that her friends who have moved away will get a little more time with her, hopefully it will make the transition a little smoother.
Koen misses Julianna he cried for her last night! He also cried for Kevin who is away at scout camp just for yesterday and today. I was glad Kevin got the opportunity he loves stuff like that. Koen is attached to Julianna in a very special way they have a great bond. I remember having it with my little brothers and that love that they have for each other will help her out as she gets older, I know the love of my little brothers really helped me at times. We will have to do a long post when she gets back and post pictures and details of what she is doing. I know they went to the beach yesterday, Julianna has never been to the Atlantic Ocean so that would have been very cool for her!
Well right before they left Jenny and I had discussed Julianna going with them since we plan on visiting them in July for a week we could just get her back then. Kevin and I decided that it sounded like a fun opportunity for Julianna and so we let her go. I miss her and she has only been gone for two days so far! It is amazing what a difference just one child makes, I am sure she is having a great time. Julianna has had the opportunity to travel away from family before and she always does really well, she is good with separation. I was like that as a kid and never understood my friends who would get homesick, but as a mom I am homesick for my child! I know Julianna misses us but she is the kind of kid who will focus on the fun she is having and not on what is not available to her. I am proud of her for being able to go and excited for the adventure and fun she will have. It is also nice that her friends who have moved away will get a little more time with her, hopefully it will make the transition a little smoother.
Koen misses Julianna he cried for her last night! He also cried for Kevin who is away at scout camp just for yesterday and today. I was glad Kevin got the opportunity he loves stuff like that. Koen is attached to Julianna in a very special way they have a great bond. I remember having it with my little brothers and that love that they have for each other will help her out as she gets older, I know the love of my little brothers really helped me at times. We will have to do a long post when she gets back and post pictures and details of what she is doing. I know they went to the beach yesterday, Julianna has never been to the Atlantic Ocean so that would have been very cool for her!
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