Lincoln, Miles and Bennett have discovered that some of our old trains actually run if you put batteries in them. So we did just three and they have spent a lot of time playing with them. A lot of time.
Even though it has been too cold to go swimming, the kids have kept themselves well entertained with their friends. Ellie and her friends have started playing with their American Girl dolls again and are having a lot of fun. They just sit around on front porches and play with them. And Ellie ended up some of her own money to buy a couple outfits for her dolls that she found on Amazon-a gymnastics leotard and a swimsuit set.
Lincoln and his friends cannot resist the mud and had a full-fledged mud fight one night that was followed by each of them being hosed off at their respective houses.
I finished up the bonus room this past week too. I was just waiting on some picture to come in and got those hung up. I really like the way it turned out. Now I just need to get up the courage to move Miles and Bennett up there. They will be sleeping in twin beds on vacation in less than a month, so we need to get to work on it. I assume that it will mean they will be getting up earlier in the mornings and probably taking shorter naps, plus there will be the challenge of getting them to stay in bed. I am hoping that it will mean the end of them taking their clothes and diapers off though.
I also got a new phone this week. Mine kept acting up and I would have to charge it several times a day. US Cellular is always busy and you usually have to wait, so I went in the evening when Andrew was home so I didn't have to take the kids. I got there at 7:30 and they close at eight. I signed in but assumed they would close before they could help me since I was the third in line and everyone was already busy helping others. Well eight came and went and they didn't kick me out. They did eventually lock the door so no one else could get in and it was finally my turn around 8:30. I was so thankful they let me stay and I didn't leave until 9:20 (they were still helping else when I left).
We got some more rain on Thursday but that didn't keep the soccer kids from playing outside. I have had to do a lot of stain removal this week. We had two games scheduled for that night so I decided to splurge and get a sitter for Miles and Bennett. Molly's big, Mikail, said she would be interested in sitting for us so I set it up. Lincoln's game ended up being canceled because their field was too wet, but we still had Jackson's. Right before Mikail showed up Ellie and I were working on her back walkovers. She was close, but I had to help her. A little later I was showing Mikail where things were and explaining everything to her when Ellie said she got her back walkover. I thought she was joking, but she really did. She doesn't get it everytime, but she is so excited to be able to do it sometimes! But then it was off to Jackson's game. They played La Plata's A team who had a really good pitcher. We lost but we at least got a few runs in the end. Jackson only got up to bat twice and he struck out the first time and got a base hit the second time. And since we didn't have the twins we decided to go to Dairy Queen after the game.
I think things went well with the babysitter and we hope to be able to use her again. We have a lot of games over the next couple of weeks. When we got home, we all headed outside. The twins were pretty irritable because the Vincents got out their old tractor and Gator and the twins decided they would rather ride on those than their four wheelers. So they cried until they got to and cried when they had to get off because the other kids really wanted to ride them.
Mike was mixing and pouring some concrete to put in a new basketball hoop so Andrew helped with that a little bit. I finally had to take the twins inside for a bath around 9 because they were so crabby and crying a lot. No one likes to listen to that all night. So it was time for baths and then bed followed by returning to their room to make sure they still had their diapers on. They had taken off their pjs but the diapers were still on. They were not on the next morning though but thankfully they hadn't peed while they had them off because I had to get them ready quickly and get Jackson and Ellie to their last day of soccer camp. Then we went to Aldi and Wal-Mart, came home to put the groceries away and then went to watch Jackson and Ellie scrimmage. We got to see a couple quick games (it was fun to see them play together) and Jackson got MVP for one of them. Then they gave each of the kids a certificate that the coaches had filled out with some great encouraging words. It was a great week for them.
It was still a little too cool to swim that afternoon so the kids just played outside while I worked in the house and made some cookies to take over to my parents since some of my siblings were coming into town for a family reunion. Andrew took off work early and took Jackson and Lincoln with him out to the ranch to fix some fence while the rest of us went over to my parents for dinner. All the kids went swimming afterwards. Then after the swimming was done, it was bath time and we just visited for a while. We also brought out Lissy's old Cricket doll my dad found in the attic. It was kind of scary looking. :-)
We were up early the next morning to get Jackson to his swim meet in Kahoka. We dropped the twins off at my parents and picked up Carson to go with us. He had his first swim meet last week and got nervous and didn't do his race. So we thought maybe watching Jackson would help him get over his nerves. It was a 10 & under meet but there were still quite a few swimmers there. Sadly, Kirksville only had 2 swimmers. It was super windy but thankfully the sun was out. Jackson swam in three races and did a great job. He got first in his heat for his 50 Free but there were 2-3 heats so we'll have to see how he fared later. Then he got I believe 2nd in the 25 Breast and 3rd or 4th in the 25 Free in his heats.
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| First place finish |
Then after he was done we let the kids play on the playground for just a little bit before we headed home. Everyone was out at the pool when we got back to my parents and Pagliai's had just arrived. So we let the kids swim for a bit and ate lunch before we had to head home to get ready for my dad's family reunion in Baring.
The reunion was at the Clubhouse at Baring Country Club. They had Hy-Vee catering food you could buy along with different games to play. Plus the kids enjoyed playing on the old playground equipment. So it was nice to see and visit with different people but we knew Miles and Bennett wouldn't last too long as they had been up late the night before, up early that morning and no nap. The party went on through the night, but we left around 7:30.
We got home in time for Andrew to quickly mow since it was supposed to rain the next day. Then Lincoln decided he wanted to learn to ride his bike without training wheels. So Andrew took them off, gave him one push and off he went. He was so excited and loved it! Alex had just learned the day before so they had fun riding with each other. It was a little chaotic though as they both have a little trouble stopping.
That night I went to Wal-Mart to pick up some stuff for dinner the next. We had just decided that afternoon to do a Father's Day dinner for our dads. So after the kids went to bed, I had to run by my parents house since I had left my purse there earlier. Ellie was going to do a sleepover but decided to just come with me. So we ran to Wal-Mart real quick and once we got in there I realized how dirty she was. She had a white shirt on and it was covered in dirt as were her hands and face. And of course we saw several people we knew. But luckily it was a quick trip and then it was home and time for bed. Well after I took 15 minutes to try to kill a fly in our bathroom and got up several times to put diapers back on the twins after they had taken them off.
Sunday was Father's Day and we started the day by giving Andrew his cards. His present was the grill we had gotten earlier. The kids loved giving him a Duck Dynasty card. And Jackson gave him a really sweet letter he wrote for him back while he was still in school...
Dad you are amazing because you take me hunting. I always like to go hunting with you. You wake me up early in the morning. You let me sleep in the truck on the way to the ranch and usually you buy me a snack for when we are waiting for something to shoot. You put important things out of the way so you can do things with me. You teach me how to work at the ranch and drive your truck. Every time you get mad at me you still love me. You are the best dad ever. You hunt with me, bike with me, play sports with me and lots of other things. You care so much for me and the family. That is why you are amazing, Dad.
Then we were off to the early church service before we headed over to my parent's for a brunch. Andrew didn't get to go with us as he was doing the communion message at church and had to go back to second service. I guess we just missed Amanda and Todd before they left. So we just hung out for a bit as everyone else was leaving and then headed home so I could work on getting stuff ready for dinner that night. Andrew went for a bike ride while we were gone and got back just as we did. So he went outside and played with the kids and helped the LaBeths put up their basketball hoop while I worked on making a couple desserts and sides for dinner and cleaned the house. I wanted to make something for him so he didn't have to help with the meal since it was Father's Day but he said he wanted steak and he didn't mind the grilling. Then he went to the office for a little bit and took Jackson and Lincoln with him. The twins took a decent nap and I was able to get a lot done. Then everyone showed up around 6:30 and we had a nice dinner and visit. After dinner and dessert we all went out back while the kids played. Ashlyn and Luke loved riding on the twins' four wheelers. Then when all of our guests headed home, we headed out front to play with the neighborhood kids. They had a basketball game going and then did some games of Knockout. I ended up taking the twins in a little after nine to give them a bath and put them to bed while Andrew finished out his Father's Day sitting in the LaBeth's driveway watching the kids play. Then after the twins went to bed I went outside and finished picking everything up.
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| This girl loves snuggling! |
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Jackson had a ball game Monday evening. Andrew took him earlier and I showed up right at the game started with the rest of the kids. My dad saw me pull in and made his way over to help me gather everything. It was very much appreciated since I had three small chairs, snacks for the kids after the game, and the twins. Ellie was in charge of watching the twins because she had gotten into trouble a little before we left for the game. She did a really good job of keeping track of them but then my parents had to leave and they offered to take them. Andrew was in charge in the dug out so I went ahead and let the twins and Lincoln go home with them. It was kind of a rough game but Jackson did make an awesome falling catch out in left field. After the game Andrew took Jackson home and I went to pick up the other boys. Everyone was still outside when we got home so they all headed out to play until after dark.
And here are a few more pictures...look who made the paper and Jackson used to give Andrew "high hugs" when he was little, so he was doing it again :-)
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