Grass & Crab Apple Cake Anyone?

It was my goal to get the lawn mowed last night. Well, I wasn't sure how that would go with Trent being gone to Baseball practice and a Basketball Game. I was able to get the front and sides mowed, but didn't get to the backyard. The kids were playing with bikes while I was mowing. Kale was afraid of the mower, so the presented a bit of a challenge, but with Rylee's help he started playing with her. After I got the biggest part of the front mowed. Rylee, Eli, and KC started picking up the clippings and putting them in the back of the little tykes car. Then they got out this little ride on dump truck and filled that up with clippings. Next Rylee got a tub out of the garage and started dumping it from the car and truck into there. Then they started picking up the dried up Crab Apples from the tree and added those to the grass. Rylee informed me they were making Cake! After about an hour of playing with the grass, I declared (again), that I don't know why they have toys! Who needs them! All you need is grass, dried up crab apples and some imagination!

We did have to take bathes last night cause the kids looked like they were part alien! Their hands and feet were completely green!

Quiet Night?

Tuesday night Rylee had another soccer game. She did a great job. She scored one goal and had an assist! After the game we headed over to Sally and Mike’s. They were watching the boys for me. Trent had baseball practice, so the boys went out and helped pick asparagus. I stopped in to Subway and got $5.00 foot longs for supper.

Yesterday, We had a late start at daycare, so the boys and I stayed home in the morning. I couldn’t believe how much stuff I got done around the house. It was nice. Then we headed to work and daycare. Last night Steve and Melinda came over for supper. Since we were gone this weekend and missed their shower, we had them over for supper! It was a good time. Before they got their Kale knocked a beer out of my hand it sprayed all over. Then during dinner Eli knocked his glass of milk on the floor. Then Kale had a temper tantrum later. Eli was crying cause he hurt his leg or something. The kids were running around screaming…I think they were glad to leave! However, It was a very enjoyable dinner, and was great seeing them!

Tonight, Trent has baseball and a basketball game, and the kids and I are going to stay home and play outside! Should be a nice quite evening…well…As quite as it ever is with 3 kids! Ha ha!

Big Boy Bed...

So last night Kale slept in his "Big Boy Bed" for the first time. All in all it went pretty good. He was very excited about it when Grandma and Grandpa brought it up. He was really excited about it when I washed it up and put it together, and put it up in his room. He was not so excited last night when bed time came, and he realized he was suppose to sleep in it. He cried and kept getting out of bed. Then he grabbed his pillow and his stuff animal and walked over and pointed at the crib! It kind of made me laugh. After about 5 minutes of laying him back down in bed, and covering him up. He gave up and laid there. I had mounted his mobile on the toddler bed (he loves his mobile!), so that I could still wind that up, and let it play. I left the room and shut the bedroom door and waited. After a couple minutes the mobile stopped playing. I stood in the hall for a couple more minutes and didn't hear anything. So I assumed he was asleep. He didn't get up in the night that I knew of. When I went in his room this morning he was laying asleep in the floor. So I am not sure when he got out of bed, or how long he had been on the floor, but he never cried, so that was good news! I can't beleive my baby is already out of his crib! Time goes by so fast. Here are some pictures from this morning...

Weekend Away...

This weekend Jen was nice enough to invite us all up to her parent's cottage in Altoona. It was a lot of fun. We got up there about 9 p.m. on Friday night. The kids stayed at Mom and Dad's for the weekend (Thanks!). Saturday we got up, and had a big breakfast, and then hung out. It was raining, so the boys didn't get to go golfing! We decided to go tour the Lienie's Brewery, which was a lot of fun! This picture was taken there. We got to sample lots of Beer! It was yummy! We headed back to the cottage, drank and played games. We grilled out for supper, and watched the Brewers game. Sunday, We got up ate some yummy breakfast and headed back to Mom and Dad's to get the kids! It was such a relaxing weekend away. How could you not have a good time, Beer, Great Friends, and Good Food!

The kids had a great weekend with Taylor, Grandma, and Grandpa...They played with the kitties, did Donkey chores, went for Gator rides, etc! They were very tired out Sunday night, as were Trent and I.

Zoo Pictures...

Thank you Melyssa for sending me pictures from our trip to the zoo. We all had a great time!

Tinker Dinker...

On the drive home from Madison on Wednesday night, Rylee was talking about a kid in her class and she mentioned that he had a nickname. That started a discussion about nicknames. Rylee asked what her nickname was, and I told her it was "Ry". Then of course Elijah asked his nickname was, and I told him "Eli". Then one of them asked me what my nickname was, I paused for a minute, and said I guess my nick name is "Stace"...After another minute or so. Eli asked me if I had anyother nicknames. I said, not really, but when I was a kid Grandpa Dick used to call me "Tinker Dinker". Rylee and Eli laughed. Rylee said, "Why did he call you that?" I told them that they would have to ask Grandpa that. I wasn't sure. Eli was giggling and then said, "I think I know why Grandpa called you Tinker Dinker." I replied, "Oh Yeah, Why?" Eli said back to me, "You must have had a little butt crack, that is why he called you that!" I had to laugh! Where does he come up with this stuff. Of course I had to call MOm and Dad right away and tell them the story! Both Grandma and Grandpa got a good laugh out of it! Kids!

Eli's injury

Monday night Eli was chasing our dog Easton around the living room. I yelled at him to stop (a couple times) and as I was going to yell at him the 3rd time, Easton spun around. Easton had a rawhide bone in his mouth and hit Eli's face with the bone. Eli instantly started crying. He said Easton bite me. But he didn't get bit. The Rawhide bone had a rigid edge and it cut his face. We ended up taking him to urgent care, it wasn't too deep of cut, but being that the bone had dog saliva on it, and being that the cut was on his face (I hope it doesn't scar). The Urgent Care doctor had two other doctors look at it, but because the cut was "V" shaped they couldn't stitch it. They couldn't really do anything, but clean it out good. They also gave us antibiotic ointment to put on the cut 5 times a day. It's nice a bruised too. This picture was from Monday night, it actually looks worse now, because of the bruising! He is very proud of his battle wound!

Swimming Lessons

Monday night was the last night of swimming lesson, so the parent's go to watch them. Here are some picture's I took of Eli and Rylee! The did a great job and are becoming good little swimmers!

The Pond...

On Sunday we headed up to the Pond to rake and start the spring Clean up! It was a very nice day. The sun was out, the birds were singing, and the fish were hungry! We had a nice day, and we got all the leaves raked! Mom took the kids for a Gator ride which left me with some time alone at the pond. Being that it was such sunny day, I walked around and took some pictures of the pond.

As I walked around I was thinking about how many memories I have that involove this place. They go back to being a young kid and sleeping in Mom and Dad's camper with Emily, pulling nails out of boards when we were building the "lodge", Hanging out with the Ehrenberg clan, swimming and playing Monoploy for days up in the loft, Family reunions, picnics, my college graduation party, Sally & Mike's Wedding, It's were Trent Proposed to me, Camping weekends with good friend, It's the final resting place of baby, It's the first place all of my kids went camping, and caught a fish. The pond means so much to my family. Here are some pictures of the place the will always hold a very special place in my heart, and most likely my childern's heart too!

Small stories that should make you laugh...

You Are Smart!
The other night we meet Tim & Emily out for supper at Red Robin after I got Kale's pictures taken. After eating Rylee and Eli sweet talked the waitress into blowing up some balloons for them to take home. They got to pic their color and everything! As we got into the van, I asked Eli how he was so lucky to get two balloons when Kale and Rylee had only gotten one. He just smiled. Trent responded with "Cause he is so cute, that's why he got two". Rylee quickly replied with, "What! Why didn't I get two!" Eli (without missing a beat) says back to her, "That's cause you are smart...You aren't cute, you are smart! I am cute and you are smart!" Trent starts laughing, and says...Let's hope she doesn't hear that alot in Highschool!

Sounds
We have been working with Kale alot lately on his sounds. We will ask him, What does a Train say, and he replies with a "Choo, Choo!" We ask him what a Dog says, and he replies, "Arf, Arf"...The other night I had exhausted all the things I could ask...Used up all the farm animals and transportation. So I jokingly said, "What does Eli's Butt say?" Kale just looked at me strange. I replied with "Toot, Toot!" Rylee and Eli started laughing so hard, Rylee actually went to the bathroom, cause she thought she was going to pee her pants! I had no idea I was that funny!

Art Night
Last night was Art Night at the Lodi Primary School. We went as a family and Rylee showed us all the things they had worked on for Art night. They had a African theme, so the kids had made lion things, Safari pictures, Africa Huts, Rain sticks, etc. In the gym the kindergarteners had done this shadow dancing that the recorded and were playing back. Rylee was super excited about showing us around her school, and showing us her projects. She was running from one things to the next...Overly excited. We went and saw her Art room, and he Music room. Then we stopped in the Library, where they were having a book fair. Rylee had 3 books on her list that she wanted. One was a joke book. I told her she had to pic 2 of them...I didn't really think she needed all three books. She replied that she would get these two books, cause she was funny enough! OKAY!

More Easter...

Here are some more pictures from Easter. Rylee hunting (it was windy), Eli dying eggs, and telling me about the yellow one, Rylee coloring the egg before it was dyed, and Grandma Sharron and Kale at the egg hunt!

Kittens...

This last weekend the kids gave lots of love to the kittens at Mom and Dad's house. They barely got a minute to rest! Eli just loves Cats! Here are a couple pictures. Mikki getting a kitty kiss, and Eli snuggling with the fluffy gray one!

Easter Pictures

Here are some pictures from Easter Weekend...First one is Eli on Easter Morning showing me his Jelly Bean. The Second Picture if Rylee Dying Eggs. Next is Kale finding an Egg at the Egg hunt on Easter...It was a bit windy! Fourth is the Kids in the tree by the house after the Easter Egg Hunt. And last is Eli with the carton of dyed eggs. (Yes, he is wearing the same outfit he wore last year when we dyed eggs...Strange, but true)

Easter Fun...

We had a great Easter. The day started out with the Easter Bunny Basket Viewing. The kids were excited to get the stuff the Easter Bunny brought. Some jelly beans, kits, some small toys. Then we headed back upstairs to get ready for Easter Lunch at my Aunt and Uncle's house.

The kids had a great time at Cindy and Harvey's house. There was tons of good food, and it's always nice to see everyone. We headed outside to for an Easter Egg hunt! Eli was too concerned with everyone else's eggs, he had trouble finding his own. Kale caught on to the concept pretty fast. Rylee and Cash were running around grabbing every egg they could find (int their color of course). The bigger kids are in the backyard for thier Egg Hunt! After the egg hunt we headed to the backyard for the Pinta! It was very windy this year and I think that helped the Pinta break, cause it broke pretty fast this year. The older kids didn't even get a wack at it!

After that we headed to Mom and Dad's house. Between the Gator and the kittens the kids didn't even come inside to find their baskets for awhile. Finally they hunted for their baskets and we also celebrated Mikki's birthday with Pizza, Cake, and Presents! It was a very nice day! The kids have finally come down off their sugar high, and are back to school this week too! I will post pictures of Easter soon!

Biking Pictures...

Rylee has it mastered...Eli is still working on it!