Carter has been enjoying playing soccer this fall. His team is fairly "fresh" but he is having fun. I still think a sport like that is so hard at this age. They don't understand why you need to spread out and get open, or close in on the goal when the other team is doing a corner kick. Carter has made some improvements this year already and has shown some decent soccer abilities. He likes second grade. He has talked a bit more about what his day consists of so it has been fun hearing about it. There are a lot of *mystery* type themes for them and he likes that. They have mystery readers (family members of the students) who come and read on Friday's. Every day the kids get clues as to who might be coming. He enjoys guessing who it is. They also can be a mystery walker which if you are chosen and you walk to specials quietly you can earn a punch. A full punch card gets you something special, like sitting at the teachers desk, eating lunch with the teacher etc. We told him this year that homework was solely his responsibility and that we are not going to remind him to do it, or put it back in his bag. Since the boys each have a desk in their room where it is quiet, homework has gone really well this year. They both do it on their own and take care of it. Carter had one time where he left his homework folder on his desk and forget to turn it in and get new homework so he lost privileges for the rest of the day. He understood and was able to get back on track. He has really stepped up the responsibility this year. Some of the funny things he has said over the last few weeks.
-After getting the fundraising packet in his Friday folder he came home and gave me an amazing sales pitch as to why we have to do it. I listened to him, and he saw the look on my face and ended by saying I know you don't like these because you think we can get the same items for cheaper on amazon, but I really want one of these prizes! I guess he does listen to me when I talk.
-After watching a Husker football game Carter was talking about playing football in college and then said mom after I am done with college football will you vote for me to be on the NFL. When I told him you have to be drafted, he asked if I would pay for him to do that. I then told him that you get paid to play in the NFL. His eyes got big and he thought that would be a great job to have!
-We recently got a new TIVO and Carter was calling it a TEBO, like Tim Tebow.
carter checked out a book that was a science experiment book where you make a rubber egg out of vinegar and a raw egg. so we worked on it one day and let it sit for several and it worked. this is him bouncing the egg
perfecting the pogo stick
taking a breather
making his first purchase with his own money (see all the quarters, he has collected them since birth)
ready to go home with his remote helicopter
flying his new remote helicopter
chillin after a long day of school
one of his first day of school papers
another one
Kindergarten is all the rage for our middle child. He couldn't be happier at school and can't wait to go the next day. He doesn't skip a beat telling me all the things he does during the day including what he eats for lunch, who had to go to safe seat and whose turn it is for show in tell. He has started to do some shark research during one of his centers and loves to come home and tell us the new facts he has learned. He came home one day and told me that baby sharks eat other baby sharks. Yikes. I had to look it up but it is true. Camden also started piano lessons with Erin last Friday and he was one excited little kid. He wanted to go first for lessons and Erin said when he realized he was playing Mary had a little lamb, he kind of shook his arms in delight and smiled from ear to ear. He was eager to practice this week and hopefully that enthusiasm continues. I didn't write down much that Camden has said recently but to capture his true personality I thought I would share some of his wit and sarcasm. If I call the boys to dinner and he comes out he will say "is dinner ready?" I respond with, yes. (even though no food is on the table) He will respond with "well it certainly doesn't look like it." Of course he gets in trouble for comments like that, but it really seems to be a bit of his personality. Or if I accidentally say "remember to hang up your bags in the kitchen" but I mean to say the white hooks he will start laughing and walk his bag tot he kitchen and pretend to hang it up and then say things like "ok mom, I hung my bag in the kitchen." Most of the reasons I say the wrong thing is because I am already frazzled but when I step back from the situation I see he is just trying to be funny. He is also my kids who can read and dish out sarcasm which always makes me laugh.
working on homework. he is sad on the nights he doesn't have any.
being silly
first piano lesson with aunt erin
working hard
making his lords prayer pillow case at kindergarten faith stepping stones class
one of his first day of school papers
his hand print from the first day of kindergarten
Callan is enjoying his time as the only child and loving his time at preschool. Since he already knew a few kids in his class and his teacher it was a very easy transition for him and he loves it. He loves that at the YMCA he is now considered an older kid (since the older kids are in school) so he gets to go to the gym and game room which make him very happy. He is a very go with the flow kind of kid and has adjusted to whatever it is that we do during the day. We have had several play dates and lunch dates with his friends which is always a good time for him. He still talks all the time and will talk to anyone who will listen. With all his alone time he has stayed pretty busy building lots of lego houses, farms, and zoos. He will also draw and make signs for our front door or the boys bedroom doors. Some funny mispronunciations I have heard lately from Callan.
-Look, I can walk on my tippy froes! (tippy toes)
-At the Y we played with Hoolie Hoops. (hula hoop)
-The other morning he had an accident at night and came in to tell me about it. But he said not to worry because it was already dry. He even made his bed because he said it was dry.
a lego creation that mommy helped with
"It's not who i am underneath, but what i do that defines me. " Bruce Wayne
having a play date with his friend Reid
a callan original lego creation
my personal chef
working hard at tracing his name
callan's first day of preschool work
callan's sweet hand prints from his first day of preschool
his first official work sheet complete with his name
Here are pictures of all the other things our family has been busy doing.
swimming
they made a lot of food
playing in the garage
playing clash of clans with the neighbor, carson
helping unload the dishwasher. we are trying to get them to do this as a team to help out more. they did really well. they still need a decent amount of guidance but it is getting better and we know it will pay off in the end
enjoying the bit of rain before the fire pit
hard to have a fire pit in the rain, but fun to play in the rain
enjoying some delicious s'mores (brooks, camden, callan)
allie and carter thought they were tasty as well
celebrating logan's first birthday
some more party goers
the birthday boy himself
firespring had a charity event where they had a dunk tank. they kids loved it and carter even dunked jason, chad's boss
carter jumping up and down after he dunked jason
the kids watching the action
camden's turn
chad's attempts to dunk his boss
