Six and a Half!

I missed it by a couple of days, but Carter you are now six and a half!  Right now we are nearing the end of your kindergarten year.

 

 

You are at such a great age.  In basketball this year you started to show an inclination toward sports.  I'm excited to see how your baseball league is going to go this spring.  In kindermusik you are learning how to play the glockenspiel and read music.  Kindergarten is going along well.  The evening grumpiness is subsiding but still does rear its ugly head from time to time.

 

Your interests include legos, super heroes,  hunting and the military.  Recently you told me "I love World War II so much, do you think I can have a WWII party?" 

 

Right now you are digging the Tacky the Penguin book and you go around singing "How many toes does a fish have?"  all. the. time. 

 

 

We went to see The Lego Movie and you really enjoyed it.  When we returned home you had to make the double decker couch with your own legos.  I'm looking forward to all the new experiences this next half year will bring.  What a sweet smile and disposition you have!  Mom and Dad will love you forever!

Haircut

 

Miss Avaroo decided that she was in the mood for a change, and I wanted to document her shortest haircut.  I always appreciate it when she gets her hair cut, it's much easier to wash and brush.  Plus an added bonus, it stays out of her food when she is eating!  I like it and I think it makes her look older.  In the picture she is showing off her newest lego creation, a graveyard.

A weekend at Castaway Bay

We spent a wonderful weekend with our Bo, Grandma, Uncle Jason, Aunt Tiffany and cousin Andrew at Castaway Bay, an indoor waterpark.  We were celebrating Bo and Grandma's Birthday!

 

 

The kids were in seventh heaven with two sets of bunk beds and their very own TV to watch. 

 

We did spend a little bit of time in the arcade on Saturday night.  It is insane how fast you can blow through money in those places!  Ava was little miss frustrated.  She was grumpy after a long day of swimming and she does not react well when she can't do something perfect the first time.  She tried ski-ball and at first pitched it like a baseball.  I demonstrated proper form and she just couldn't roll it fast enough to get it anywhere.  Carter and I had a heated game of air hockey, one of his favorites.  Dawson was just happy to try any of the games, but driving a car like a maniac was just a favorite. 

 

Our sweet little cousin toddled around the arcade and just enjoyed the sights and sounds.  I remember those days of cheap entertainment!  Andrew very sweetly kissed the snoopy statue in the kiddie car.  Maybe it reminded him of slinky?

 

 

 

Ava at the top of the toddler size water slide.  Dawson and Ava went down this slide over and over and over.  She was a little daredevil and was not content to relax in the water like her brother.  There was a rather scary (for a four year old) raft ride that included some drops and lots of turns.  She was barely tall enough to go on it, but she loved every single second of it and did it over and over again!

 

 

Dawson at the top of the water slide.  This kid loved the toddler area, but boy did he play himself out quickly!   I'm pretty sure Ava and Carter could have stayed there hours longer.

 

Bo and our favorite little water baby

 

Carter's favorite spot was the wave pool.  Unless he was going down a water slide he wanted to be in the wave pool.  

 

Big Smiles from the boys

 

Dawson, smile for the camera. 

 

This is the silly little dance/face I got.  He is such a ham.

 

Happy Happy Birthday Grandma and Bo

 

I couldn't believe I got a good picture on the first try.  Everyone looking at the camera, and some smiles too!

 

Carter had to check out the map to make sure that he hit it all up before we left.

 

 

 

Mike had to make sure to take a (fake) palm tree picture.

 

Thank you for the wonderful memorable weekend!

Thankful

 

 

Thank you for this wonderful little boy who has decided to dress as batman non-stop for the past few days.  Apparently eating with the mask on is pretty tricky because batman has some sunbutter on his nose.

 

Thank you for this boy who I'm enjoying more and more every single day.  I think that ages 5-6 (maybe longer?) are a reward for surviving the toddler years!

 

Thank you for 40 and 50 degree days.  We've had so much play time outside lately, it has done wonders to lift our spirits.

 

Thank you for my Roover girl, and the poor exasperating life that she has to live with all these brothers.  I heard this conversation yesterday "Let's go to a fancy ball, we can dance together all night long."  To which Dawson replied "No, I'll just shoot you with my gun."

 

Thank you for snowball fights, shaking out sand from beach toys to use in the snow and a wonderful waterpark vacation coming up!

 

(Every time it is mentioned Dawson spends time crying at the top of his lungs "I CAN'T WAIT I WANT TO GO NOW!!!!)

Radio Station

 

Yesterday we visited Aunt Pam's radio station.  Carter has been asking "How does Aunt Pam's voice get into our car?"

 

So it was the perfect time for a visit.  But I was shocked how many people at the radio station answered that question with "magic."  So today it's off to the library to find some books on the topic. 

 

Anyways, we got to see both the AM and FM studios.  We went into the FM studio and saw all the sound boards and microphones.

 

 

 

I took this picture in the production studio.  They talked to Aunt Pam for awhile on the microphones and she tried to get them to say some phrases that could be used on the radio.  One was "make miracles come true."  So Dawson decided that was much to blasé for his tastes and changed it to "make miracles burp."  Perfect!

 

We also were showered with gifts: 1480 WHBC t-shirts, key chains, bags and the FROZEN SOUNDTRACK!!!!!!  Now we can cruise around town belting out Let it go!

 

Thanks Aunt Pam!

The post in which Carter becomes smarter than his Mom and Dad

Recently Carter had an assembly at his school where they learned facts about the moon.  Carter was listing all the different things he learned and Mike and I were nodding our heads in agreement.  Then he started explaining "During the dinosaurs time there was a meteorite that hit earth and it sent a bunch of rocks into outer space and they started going into orbit around the earth.  Then they crashed together and made the moon."

Well, Mike and I were looking at each other with skepticism in our faces, we sure hadn't heard that theory before.  But then Carter picked The Moon Book by Gail Gibbons to read before bedtime, and sure enough that entire scenario was described in this book!  I just laughed and told Carter, see now you are smarter than your Mom and Dad!  I have to say I really don't remember that theory of the moon's origins but one of the best parts of life is learning something new everyday!

Our Valentine's Day and some Stories

 

 

Happy Valentine's Day!  I love making this day special and fun for my family.  It was nice because Carter didn't have school this morning so we got to hang out and cook a special breakfast together.  While I was making the pancakes Ava and Carter decorated everyone's plates with blueberries and strawberries.

 

This little boy is such a charmer.  He loves giving butterfly kisses!

 

Today Carter told me "because you are my Valentine I really want to help you.  I'm going to clean the kitchen."  He unloaded the dishwasher for me (he dried them off and put them on the island because he can't reach the top cabinets) and loaded the dishwasher with dirty dishes that I had pre-rinsed.  Thank you buddy, that was genuinely helpful!

 

Later he told me that I needed to go see his room.  I assumed there would be some sort of lego creation, but no he had cleaned his room and done an awesome job of it!  Really I couldn't have asked for a better Valentine's Day surprise!

 

 

I have spent the majority of this winter huddled near the heating vent in the playroom, dressed in two sweat shirts, pants, two pairs of socks and wearing slippers.  Typically I'm also sipping hot tea, just to have something warm in my hands.  Ava has spent this winter in the least amount of clothing possible.  Typically I have to coerce her into wearing socks and asking her to wear a sweatshirt, well that is just crazy talk.  She has been wanting to wear her bathing suit around the house so they can play pool, but I have absolutely, positively put my foot down.  It is way too cold to run around in nothing but a bathing suit.  So this was her compromise:  bathing suit on top, leggings and a jean jacket for warmth.  I can agree to that!

 

This look cracks me up.  He has been doing it lately, it's not a grumpy or angry face.  But he will just look at me and say something like, can I scoop the flour?  Sure, but I still can't figure out that crazy face!

 

I hope you have enjoyed your Valentine's Day!

Have a SUPER Valentine's Day!

 

You are our Hero!

 

We are ready to fight for you!

 

 

You are super!

 

 

 

 

We love you all!

Stories

• At breakfast I have been reading Little House in the Big Woods to the kids and it is pretty funny the stuff that they have been picking up from this book.  Ava had asked me for something to which I had to respond in the negative, but for the life of me I can't remember it.  Anyways, she looked at me and said "If you don't let me do XYZ you are going to get a switch for Christmas."  I couldn't help but to laugh uncontrollably so now her and Dawson tell me on a regular basis that I'm going to get a switch for Christmas. 
• Last night I did the general announcement, time for bed!  Ava started sobbing and I went to see what was the matter.  She couldn't go to sleep because she hadn't finished all her valentine's for her family.  Dawson's wasn't ready yet!  I assured her that Valentine's day is still two days away and that she would have plenty of time to finish her homemade valentine's for everyone.  What a sweet, caring heart she has! 
• Yesterday was just one of those days.  I LOVE my job with all my heart, but goodness some days.  Ava and Dawson were tornadoes, I felt like I spent all morning following them around cleaning up their messes.  As I was in the playroom trying to put the stuffing back into the couch they went up to the bathroom and were dumping cups of water on the floor.  I sent them down to the playroom and found them coloring all over each other's faces.  Their play definitely gets more destructive as the winter wears on.  I was sooooo happy to get Ava to preschool and Dawson out of the house for awhile.
• Notice how I got Dawson out of the house?  Well I decided to go for a walk in the park during Ava's preschool with Dawson in the stroller.  I wasn't sure how he would do, and figured well if I get to walk one mile it will be better than doing nothing.  The little guy fell asleep and I got to walk for SIX miles!  Thanks buddy, it felt so nice to be outside in the fresh (albeit cold) air.  I had you snuggled up tight in a sweatshirt, coat, snow pants, mittens, hat, blanket and my coat on top.  The canopy comes down over top to keep the wind off.  You were snuggled in so cozy that you felt sweaty when I went to pick you up!  Here is the proof:

 

 

 I know that I have a tendency to focus on your ornery moments, maybe because I find them so funny and endearing, but you do have your perfect angel baby moments as well. 

 

 

 

Finally, a quick picture of the three amigos making snow ice cream on our last snow day.

Go for the GOLD!!!

This afternoon we had a lazy afternoon with Grandma and Bo.  We popped popcorn and watched the Olympics.  The kids felt inspired, and imaginations ran wild.  Here was the result:

 

 

 

Ava's skis are two belts, Carter has a car track and Dawson had two pieces of paper.

 

HANDS BACK!!

 

We were watching the ski jump at the time.

 

My skiers caught some air!

 

 

Silly Antics

Dawson and Ava have developed such a close relationship this year as Dawson has gotten older and Carter is off to school.  Their silly, crazy antics are hilarious.  This is the scene that I walked into today:  Dawson and Ava are running around in nothing but their underwear.  The ride on horses have underwear on their head and they are galloping around the room on them.  I started laughing and said "What are you doing?"  Ava told me they were pretending to be Queen Underwear and King Underwear.  They like to "burp and lay in the sun."  Then the two of them laid down on the ground and feigned sunbathing while burping.  Crazy, kooky kids! 

Heard around the House - Baby Number THREE

Scene:  I'm driving in an unfamiliar part of town.  I know there is a bank nearby because I've been to it before, but I can't find it.  So I pull over into a parking lot to check my phone for directions.

Dawson:  Mom, you are a really bad driver.
Me:  Thanks son.


Mom:  Dawson, I can't make you a sunbutter and jelly sandwich, the jelly has mold in it.  Do you want plain sunbutter?
Dawson:  Do we have jelly?
Mom:  No.
Dawson:  Do we have mold jelly?
Me:  Well, yes.
Dawson:  I'll take that.
(and no, I did not serve him mold jelly.)

 

 

I had forgotten to write this, but recently angel baby had become MIA.  I was pretty sure it was at the library, but as dirty and icky as it was I kind of decided to leave it lost.  Dawson was very happy with a replacement angel baby and life went on as normal.  Welllllll, yesterday Dawson went up to the librarian and asked her "Did you see my angel baby?"  Sure enough, there it was.  So angel baby is back!  Mom, it reminds me of that song "But the cat came back, the very next day, the cat came back, they thought he was a goner but the cat came back, he just couldn't stay away."

 

 

 

Ava and I went to a nearby frozen yogurt place to celebrate her wonderful preschool conference.  For her particular concoction she choose vanilla frozen yogurt, frosted animal cookies, marshmallows, and marshmallow sauce.  It was so fun getting to talk with my sweet little girl!

Our Weekend

 

 

BIG NEWS!!!!!  Carter made a basket during his game on Saturday.  Way to go!

 

Meme and Riley visited, which made our weekend.  We hung out and Meme let the kids pick out toys for good report cards.  Which hmmmm, Dawson you got off easy on that one! 

 

Speaking of Dawson, he had a crummy weekend.  He ran a temperature on and off and needed Daddy snuggles something fierce.  Hopefully he will be on the mend soon. 

 

On the way home from picking out a new train (surprise!!) he told Meme "This is my new train.  It's gonna be broken."  Very true, that kid is very hard on toys (and computers, phones, clickers, etc.)

 

His little brain is so curious.  Today he asked Mike to open the hood of the jeep and he just stared at the engine for twenty minutes.  He didn't even touch anything, he just needed to look at it.

 

He also managed to lock his bedroom door (luckily no one was inside at the time) and break the lock so that the only way Mike could open it was to take the door handle off the door and manually turn the lock.  Never a dull moment with that one!

 

 

Ava was just so happy to see her big buddy, Riley.  For her Meme toy she picked a bow and arrow set.  I knew, knew, KNEW it was going to cause her major frustration and it did.  Ava is such a funny little bird, if she cannot do something perfectly the first time, she gets so angry and frustrated.  Eventually she ran around with the bow and gave up trying to shoot the arrows.  I know that she will be able to do it eventually, she just has to practice. 

 

Another Ava funny:  Riley was putting the pressure on her to pick a Monster High doll.  Ava said "I can't get a Monster High doll because THIS GUY (pointing to Carter) is scared of them."  All of us were laughing.  She didn't want to call him out, but she got her point across.