Saturday, September 8, 2012
Fun at Jester Park
We couldn't let this beautiful summer/fall day get away from us. Even though the Big Bucket is closed for the season, we managed to find some water to play in and a new place to have some fun. Dellisa and I took our 6(!) kids to the Natural Playscapes at Jester Park. The Geisler's camp there occasionally, but I'd never heard of it. It was so much fun. There are about 5-6 little areas for kids to play in. They are very close together so the kids could move between them and we could still have an eye on them. There is a sand area (which none of our kids actually found, which was good because they were soaking wet), a wooden block building area, an area with a metal caterpillar and butterfly bench, a live bison roaming area (a little further away from the others), and of course, the pond with water feature (our obvious favorite!). Here are some pictures of the kids having a blast.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Soccer Mom
We've had quite a few 'firsts' around here again. Last week was our first day of Kindergarten, and today was our first day of soccer. The girls had been looking forward to this for quite some time now, and I have to say that we all had a blast. It was a beautiful (87 degree) evening--soccer is from 5:30 to 6:30 on Mondays and Wednesdays so it's going to take up a lot of our time for the next 6 weeks. I chased Mylie most of the time so I didn't pick up on much this week, BUT Brandon (who will tell you he's definitely not the biggest fan of soccer) said he had a blast watching them and was so proud of how aggressive the girls played and how hard they worked. I had to giggle when he likened the experience to 'herding cats' :) We were pretty pumped to find out that they have another set of twin girls on their team. When there are only 8 kids on a team it's not very likely for that to happen. I've been driving a minivan for 5 1/2 years, but today, I officially became a soccer mom!
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| Getting ready to go. |
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| BFFs |
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| Purple team--the FLAME |
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| Soccer Dad |
Monday, August 27, 2012
First Day of Kindergarten
Well, folks, the day has come (and gone, actually)......Myah and Maysen officially started school today. I've been taking them to an organized, academic center for the last three years, but this is different. This is the big leagues, and I for one (because I get to be on the inside track) know how quickly these years fly by.
The night before, we read the book The Kissing Hand before they went to bed. If you aren't familiar with the book, check it out! It's a must read before you send your littles off to school. Of course my girls are the sweetest things ever (I might be a little biased) but before they went to school the next day they reminded me that if I missed them I could just press my palm to my cheek (read the book to find out why), and Delissa (my backyard neighbor who will put the girls on the bus each morning) witnessed them doing it again as they waited for the bus in the morning....melt my heart!
The girls woke up before their alarm sounded. I think this was mostly due to the fact that Brandon was leaving for work and I think he woke them a little more than usual because he wanted to actually see them on the morning of their first day of school.....I don't blame him. I also think this was because they were so darned excited to start school.
When I got home that evening, I couldn't wait to hear all about their day. I had told them that they had to remember every last thing about their day so they could tell me about it. That didn't work out so well, but I did find out that they got to have two (!!!) recesses. They also had Media Center as their 'special' so they got to check out books from the school library, and the lunch choices were Hot Dog (hot choice) or a Bagel/yogurt/string cheese (cold choice). Myah had the hotdog and Maysen had the bagel (with peanut butter). They sounded excited about making some new friends and for starting this fun chapter in their lives. I pray that their excitement lasts through the entire year and beyond.
The night before, we read the book The Kissing Hand before they went to bed. If you aren't familiar with the book, check it out! It's a must read before you send your littles off to school. Of course my girls are the sweetest things ever (I might be a little biased) but before they went to school the next day they reminded me that if I missed them I could just press my palm to my cheek (read the book to find out why), and Delissa (my backyard neighbor who will put the girls on the bus each morning) witnessed them doing it again as they waited for the bus in the morning....melt my heart!
The girls woke up before their alarm sounded. I think this was mostly due to the fact that Brandon was leaving for work and I think he woke them a little more than usual because he wanted to actually see them on the morning of their first day of school.....I don't blame him. I also think this was because they were so darned excited to start school.
When I got home that evening, I couldn't wait to hear all about their day. I had told them that they had to remember every last thing about their day so they could tell me about it. That didn't work out so well, but I did find out that they got to have two (!!!) recesses. They also had Media Center as their 'special' so they got to check out books from the school library, and the lunch choices were Hot Dog (hot choice) or a Bagel/yogurt/string cheese (cold choice). Myah had the hotdog and Maysen had the bagel (with peanut butter). They sounded excited about making some new friends and for starting this fun chapter in their lives. I pray that their excitement lasts through the entire year and beyond.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Meeting Mrs. Kenyon
Classes started today at Ames Middle School, and across the district, actually, except for the Kindergarten. Kindergarteners go back on Monday so that will be a big day for Myah and Maysen, and boy are they excited! We did however go in a meet their teacher this week. Tomorrow (Friday) was supposed to be their 'Kindergarten Glimpse,' where you go in and meet the teacher and drop off the school supplies. Since I will have students on Friday, I asked Mrs. Kenyon if we could come in early to do those things. It was something I really wanted to do, obviously, since I won't be able to drop them off for their first day. It's going to be a wonderful year and I know they are going to LOVE their teacher! They thought she was really pretty and seemed very nice. I'm going to try to not shed too many tears, but my little girls aren't so little anymore.
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Summer Vacation Recap--Week 12
It's my last week before going back to work. We've had a really
great summer and I feel we have made the most of it. There are a lot of
new things in store for this fall that we sure are excited for!
Sunday, August 12-- Despite dancing and being up past bedtime, the girls did not sleep in this morning. We laid around the hotel room before going to Perkins for lunch. All three girls napped on the drive home and played around the house once we got back. It was pretty cool outside so I did laundry and unpacked. Our granite countertops are going to get done this week so we had to clear the counters and get ready for that. Though it was chilly out, it was a great afternoon for playing with bubbles and the water table.....all of the kids needed baths anyway!
After getting the kids bathed and to bed early, I got to enjoy a night evening walk with Dellisa.
Monday, August 13-- I finished up the laundry from being gone and did the grocery shopping before heading to the park for a playdate with Myah and Maysen's friend, Hayden, from Formative Years.
We were hoping to go to the pool and/or
to a family fun night up in the Northern Lights area of Ames, but we
didn't get to do either because of having to wait for the granite guy.
We are getting a new countertop in our kitchen (I think I mentioned this
a week or so ago), and we're really excited about it. Here's what our old countertops look like:
However, the time of the guy's arrival kept changing and when he did
eventually call me, he said he'd be here at 5:30 but still didn't show
up until 6:10. Needless to say, the girls were frustrated that we
didn't get to do either of those things, but it's exciting that we will
have a new countertop by the end of the week. All of the girls needed
another bath after having gone to the park, and Brandon and I went to
bed early.....man we're getting old!
Tuesday, August 14--I got up and went for a 3 mile run.....it was a beautiful morning! Around 10:15, we headed to Des Moines to the Blank Park Zoo!
The girls had gotten free passes at the magician at the library last week and Mylie was already free so we couldn't pass that up! It was a great day, though hotter and much busier on a Tuesday than we had anticipated. The girls got to go on a Camel ride, which they thought was really fun. Brandon worked out once we got home and the girls and I made chicken salad--it's one of our favorite things to make and eat in the summer! Our after-school care gal (Kaci) watched the girls for about an hour and a half while I went to the chiropractor and Brandon made a quick run to Marshalltown with a load of basketball cards that he sold. It was a good time to have her with the girls for a short time and for them to get to know her before the first time she has to get them at the bus stop. Another fun day, but Brandon heads back for teacher work days tomorrow. We've really made the most of our summer. It's emotional for it to come to an end, but we do know how very lucky we are to have this amount of time at home with our kids so we try not to complain about it ;)
Wednesday, August 15-- Daddy went back to work today so of course the girls slept in until 8!! It was sweet (Brandon didn't think so). Mylie went to Sue's house so the other girls and I could get our hair done. Our appointment was at 11:30 and we didn't leave until 2!! Three haircuts, my highlights and eyebrow waxing later (me, of course), we look fresh and ready to start the school year. Afterwards, we headed to the pool for a little bit since it's supposed to be cool the next few days. After supper, I had a meeting at the church for Sunday School. I'm going to be a shepherd for the 4th grade class. It's a lot of the same kids I worked with for VBS so it should go pretty good. A shepherd basically leads the kids around to their stations. I won't be teaching the lessons.....more on the discipline end :)
Thursday, August 16--So much for the sleeping-in thing, Mylie was up at 5:15 but did fall back asleep when I laid down with her. Around 9, we headed up to Sawyer Elementary because today was the day we'd been waiting for for a while now. The class lists were posted. I had written a letter to the principal back in January requesting that the girls be put in the same class and all requesting a specific teacher. Since then, both the former principal and the requested teacher have left Sawyer. However, both requests were still granted. They are in the same class and they have Mrs. Kenyon.
Mrs. Kenyon was Mrs. Isebrand's (the first teacher I requested) student teacher and will be a great fit for my girls. We spent 2 hours at the middle school finishing up getting my room ready for me to have students starting next week. After supper, M&M and I went back to Sawyer for New Parent Orientation. We got to tour the building, but didn't get to meet the teacher yet. We will get to do that next week, though. The girls are excited that Tiffany, a girl from Formative Years, will be in their class so they will have that familiar face as well as each other. This mom is finding out quickly that it's going to be an emotional couple of weeks as this "school" stuff gets underway.
Friday, August 17--Mylie went to Sue's again today and will start there full time on Monday. She's been a little (sometimes a lot) fussy in the evenings. I don't know if that bottom tooth is finally going to be all the way through, or if she's trying to adjust to our new schedule. She's used to being with me pretty much 24 hours a day this summer so now in the evenings she's really clingy to me. I'm going to have to get back to having supper ready right at 5 because that usually helps the evening go better. Myah and Maysen and I went to the chiropractor and ran a few errands before I had to go to a meeting at 11:30. I'm a mentor for one of the new 8th grade math teachers. It's always an honor being asked to be a mentor. It's a paid position, though it does required some time outside of the school day. At 4:30, I came home to new countertops!
I LOVE them. The process is only half done because my dad is going to hook up the plumbing on Sunday and we are also going to get a new tile back splash so that will complete the project, but the countertops are so wonderful and make the kitchen look so much nicer than the ones we had. I made stirfry for supper.....it was a bit difficult to not have water in the kitchen, but we made the bathroom sink do!
Saturday, August 18--Mylie woke up early (5:11) today, which has been going along with her fussy evenings. It's been cooler in our house in the mornings lately, too, so hopefully we get all of this figured out soon! I got out and ran 5 miles on this beautiful morning and quickly showered so we could go to Staples for their Teacher Appreciation Day. The first 100 teachers through the door got a 'goodie bag.' Needless to say, we were early enough. One of the items in the bag was $10 off of a $50 purchase. We had already done most of our school shopping, but we did pick up a few things including a small fire-proof safe. This was something we'd been thinking about getting for a while now so with the coupon it was a good time to get it. Brandon's mom had given him some money for us to use on back-to-school items. In addition, we went to Target and also got Myah and Maysen each two pairs of jeans for school, Brandon a small coffee maker to have at school, and some shinguards for the girls since they will need them for soccer this fall. My cell phone had been on the fritz for some time now....most of the summer actually. I had taken it in about 6 weeks ago and they told me that the speaker in my phone was going out. It was to the point that I couldn't really understand people when they called me on it, and I was nervous to give out the number because I feared that they might actually call me on it and I wouldn't be able to hear them. That can't be the case when I go back to work in case Sue or M&M's school needs to reach me so we also went to US Cellular to get me a new phone. It took FOREVER, but it got done. We went to Noodles and Co. for lunch and them home for a nap. Nap time wasn't even nearly as long as I had anticipated it to be, which was a bummer. Brandon went to Humboldt to watch his brother race and the girls and I hung out at home. After baths, everyone went to bed a little early.....it's time to start getting on a school routine anyway, which requires M&M to get to bed about 1/2 an hour earlier than they have been for the last 3 years!
This is the final summer vacation recap. I go back to work on Monday and Kindergarten starts the following Monday. However, stay tuned for meeting the teacher, kitchen remodel continuation, our first soccer and ice skating lessons, etc.
Sunday, August 12-- Despite dancing and being up past bedtime, the girls did not sleep in this morning. We laid around the hotel room before going to Perkins for lunch. All three girls napped on the drive home and played around the house once we got back. It was pretty cool outside so I did laundry and unpacked. Our granite countertops are going to get done this week so we had to clear the counters and get ready for that. Though it was chilly out, it was a great afternoon for playing with bubbles and the water table.....all of the kids needed baths anyway!
Monday, August 13-- I finished up the laundry from being gone and did the grocery shopping before heading to the park for a playdate with Myah and Maysen's friend, Hayden, from Formative Years.
Tuesday, August 14--I got up and went for a 3 mile run.....it was a beautiful morning! Around 10:15, we headed to Des Moines to the Blank Park Zoo!
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| Sea Lion Demonstration |
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| In the Prairie Dog crawl space |
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| sleeping Black Swan |
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| MMM with the wallabys up by the tree |
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| Free roaming peacock |
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| Camel Ride |
The girls had gotten free passes at the magician at the library last week and Mylie was already free so we couldn't pass that up! It was a great day, though hotter and much busier on a Tuesday than we had anticipated. The girls got to go on a Camel ride, which they thought was really fun. Brandon worked out once we got home and the girls and I made chicken salad--it's one of our favorite things to make and eat in the summer! Our after-school care gal (Kaci) watched the girls for about an hour and a half while I went to the chiropractor and Brandon made a quick run to Marshalltown with a load of basketball cards that he sold. It was a good time to have her with the girls for a short time and for them to get to know her before the first time she has to get them at the bus stop. Another fun day, but Brandon heads back for teacher work days tomorrow. We've really made the most of our summer. It's emotional for it to come to an end, but we do know how very lucky we are to have this amount of time at home with our kids so we try not to complain about it ;)
Wednesday, August 15-- Daddy went back to work today so of course the girls slept in until 8!! It was sweet (Brandon didn't think so). Mylie went to Sue's house so the other girls and I could get our hair done. Our appointment was at 11:30 and we didn't leave until 2!! Three haircuts, my highlights and eyebrow waxing later (me, of course), we look fresh and ready to start the school year. Afterwards, we headed to the pool for a little bit since it's supposed to be cool the next few days. After supper, I had a meeting at the church for Sunday School. I'm going to be a shepherd for the 4th grade class. It's a lot of the same kids I worked with for VBS so it should go pretty good. A shepherd basically leads the kids around to their stations. I won't be teaching the lessons.....more on the discipline end :)
Thursday, August 16--So much for the sleeping-in thing, Mylie was up at 5:15 but did fall back asleep when I laid down with her. Around 9, we headed up to Sawyer Elementary because today was the day we'd been waiting for for a while now. The class lists were posted. I had written a letter to the principal back in January requesting that the girls be put in the same class and all requesting a specific teacher. Since then, both the former principal and the requested teacher have left Sawyer. However, both requests were still granted. They are in the same class and they have Mrs. Kenyon.
Mrs. Kenyon was Mrs. Isebrand's (the first teacher I requested) student teacher and will be a great fit for my girls. We spent 2 hours at the middle school finishing up getting my room ready for me to have students starting next week. After supper, M&M and I went back to Sawyer for New Parent Orientation. We got to tour the building, but didn't get to meet the teacher yet. We will get to do that next week, though. The girls are excited that Tiffany, a girl from Formative Years, will be in their class so they will have that familiar face as well as each other. This mom is finding out quickly that it's going to be an emotional couple of weeks as this "school" stuff gets underway.
Friday, August 17--Mylie went to Sue's again today and will start there full time on Monday. She's been a little (sometimes a lot) fussy in the evenings. I don't know if that bottom tooth is finally going to be all the way through, or if she's trying to adjust to our new schedule. She's used to being with me pretty much 24 hours a day this summer so now in the evenings she's really clingy to me. I'm going to have to get back to having supper ready right at 5 because that usually helps the evening go better. Myah and Maysen and I went to the chiropractor and ran a few errands before I had to go to a meeting at 11:30. I'm a mentor for one of the new 8th grade math teachers. It's always an honor being asked to be a mentor. It's a paid position, though it does required some time outside of the school day. At 4:30, I came home to new countertops!
I LOVE them. The process is only half done because my dad is going to hook up the plumbing on Sunday and we are also going to get a new tile back splash so that will complete the project, but the countertops are so wonderful and make the kitchen look so much nicer than the ones we had. I made stirfry for supper.....it was a bit difficult to not have water in the kitchen, but we made the bathroom sink do!
Saturday, August 18--Mylie woke up early (5:11) today, which has been going along with her fussy evenings. It's been cooler in our house in the mornings lately, too, so hopefully we get all of this figured out soon! I got out and ran 5 miles on this beautiful morning and quickly showered so we could go to Staples for their Teacher Appreciation Day. The first 100 teachers through the door got a 'goodie bag.' Needless to say, we were early enough. One of the items in the bag was $10 off of a $50 purchase. We had already done most of our school shopping, but we did pick up a few things including a small fire-proof safe. This was something we'd been thinking about getting for a while now so with the coupon it was a good time to get it. Brandon's mom had given him some money for us to use on back-to-school items. In addition, we went to Target and also got Myah and Maysen each two pairs of jeans for school, Brandon a small coffee maker to have at school, and some shinguards for the girls since they will need them for soccer this fall. My cell phone had been on the fritz for some time now....most of the summer actually. I had taken it in about 6 weeks ago and they told me that the speaker in my phone was going out. It was to the point that I couldn't really understand people when they called me on it, and I was nervous to give out the number because I feared that they might actually call me on it and I wouldn't be able to hear them. That can't be the case when I go back to work in case Sue or M&M's school needs to reach me so we also went to US Cellular to get me a new phone. It took FOREVER, but it got done. We went to Noodles and Co. for lunch and them home for a nap. Nap time wasn't even nearly as long as I had anticipated it to be, which was a bummer. Brandon went to Humboldt to watch his brother race and the girls and I hung out at home. After baths, everyone went to bed a little early.....it's time to start getting on a school routine anyway, which requires M&M to get to bed about 1/2 an hour earlier than they have been for the last 3 years!
This is the final summer vacation recap. I go back to work on Monday and Kindergarten starts the following Monday. However, stay tuned for meeting the teacher, kitchen remodel continuation, our first soccer and ice skating lessons, etc.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Summer Vacation Recap--Week 11
Sunday, August 5--Today was a good day for getting things done
around the house. Everyone's sheets got washed and bed's remade so
when we get back from Lake Mills we'll have nice clean beds to climb
into. I also sewed a button on one of Brandon's shirts, packed for
Mylie and I to go to Lake Mills on Monday, hung a picture down stairs,
pulled some weeds.....you know, it was one of those days. I also
'found' Kate (via interview) who will be the perfect girl to stay with
Myah and Maysen on those Wednesday afternoons when they get out of
school early. It's so great to just know when you've found the
right person--I'm hoping she accepts the position! Brandon left shortly
after lunch to go to Rembrandt to work with his dad on a car so it was
just Mylie and I for the afternoon and evening. We scrounged through
the leftovers for lunch to be sure we didn't leave food to rot and go
bad while we're gone (I HATE wasting food!). We went to Target and
Walmart to get the odds-and-ends we needed around the house (new filter
for the vacuum, printer paper, diapers....you know, exciting stuff!).
After supper, I pushed Mylie on a 3 mile walk in the stroller. She just
loves the fresh air, the cars, the dogs, the people.....she's a great
walking companion....if only she could hold a conversation, but that,
too, will happen. After she went to bed, I looked at my calendar for
the week since we'll be gone until Wednesday. I had a mini breakdown
about my little girls being big enough to start Kindergarten.....maybe
I'm not as ready for this as I thought. They're ready, they'll be
great, I need to get my act together!! The next two weeks are going to
be chock full of getting-ready-for-the-first-day-of-school type
activities. I'm pretty sure they're more for the parents than the
kids.....those sneaky teachers/principals!
Monday, August 6--Mylie got me up around 7 and it was just her and I that morning.....very quiet!! Did a few things around the house and had a chiropractor appointment before heading up to Lake Mills to see my other girls. I picked up Kentucky Fried Chicken in Clear Lake for us to have for lunch and then took all three girls to the pool (where I used to work) to wear them out for a nap. Mylie and I took a nap in one room and Myah and Maysen in another room. For supper, we met my high school friend, Jen, her mom, Julie, and Jen's daughters, Cora and Tatum at the park. We got a few pizzas and played for a few hours. Baths were needed and then all three girls were exhausted.
Tuesday, August 7-- We had a lazy morning around Mom and Dad's house. My dad and brother had gotten up early to go on Honor Flight so it was just mom, me and the girls. I made a casserole and programmed the oven so it would be ready for lunch. Then we went out to my Nana and Grandpa's house.....my girls call them Bessa and Grandpa. We were there for a few hours and the girls got tired running around their house. We went back to my parents' for lunch and a nap. From 5-8, it was the National Night Out event at the park near mom and dad's house. There were hotdogs and sweet corn offered by the local FFA chapter as a fundraiser for their trip to Australia next summer. There was a bouncy house, fire truck rides, obstacle course, and so much more. Here are the girls spraying each other in the kids water fight, trying the free Zumba, and getting fingerprinted.
Needless to say they were exhausted again.
Wednesday, August 8--Mylie bear turns 17 months today--boy does time fly! I gave everyone showers in the morning and then we headed back to Ames. Upon arriving at home, I did some laundry, bought some groceries and then got everyone down for naps since they'd had late bed times the last few nights. Brandon got home mid afternoon so the girls were excited to see him. He brought home a bag of craft supplies from his Aunt Darlys. The girls have had a great time playing and creating!
After
feeding the kids supper, I went with my friend, Dellisa for a girl's
night out to get pedicures, supper at Noodles and Company, and dessert
at Aspen Leaf.
When I got home at 9:15, Brandon headed out to the late
movie of Snow White and the Huntsmen with his friend, Mike. One of
these days, we like to have a date night with each other, but since
Mylie's seizure, we've had a really hard time leaving her.
Thursday, August 9--I've really been missing the pool this week and we didn't make it today either! I got up and folded laundry and ran 3 miles. Brandon and I FINALLY met with a lawyer today to start setting up a Will. It's not really something we like to think or talk about, but since our kids are our life, we really needed and wanted to get a legal document together 'just in case.' The girls and I went to the chiropractor and then played outside on the deck in the water table and with sidewalk chalk before going to the library for the Hotdog Dinner Theater. Our backyard neighbor boy, William, went with us to see the magician. It was a very average performer, but the kids enjoyed it.
A gal I work with was having a Back to School Vault Denim Party (you buy jeans at an in-home party) so the girls and I made a quick stop there before heading home for baths and bedtime. It was another busy day!
Friday, August 10--My morning started with a trip to the dermatologist. At the end of last summer, I noticed two darkish spots on my upper lip. I finally decided to get them checked out. He told me they are a result of Melasma. Basically a hyperpigmentation in the skin caused by the sun combined with a hormone releasing birth control. It is especially noticeable (and more prominent) in people with dark/olive skin, dark hair color, and dark eye color. Well, that explains me. Of course, the best medication they've found is not available on the market right now so I have to wait until it comes back out. At least I can be thankful it's nothing more serious than that, I guess. The girls and I ran some errands in the morning and then met Brandon at Fazoli's for lunch. It's one of those places that is underrated, we feel and we don't get there as much as we'd like. Of course, we had some coupons that were going to expire today so we made a point to use them.....can't pass up 99 cent kids meals and you can get up to three (how perfect is that!?) with each adult entree. After an attempt at getting all three kids to nap, one of them actually did (the littlest and most important one), I went up to the school to start planning with some of my coworkers for a few hours while Brandon played with the girls. His parents stopped by on their way to Des Moines so they played outside and in the basement for a while. Remember I said I had been missing the pool? Well, I decided we better make a quick trip there since I knew we wouldn't make it there tomorrow either. It was cool outside (78 degrees) and the water was cold but we went for about an hour. There weren't many people there, but the girls still had fun and the sun was out. We went home and made some Puppy Chow for our night snack and read some new books the girls got from my friend Sindy. Her sister is a children's book writer and she gave the girls 3 of her (Lisa Moser) stories. It's great fun to get books with such a personal story behind them. Brandon and I wound down our day by watching the movie 'One Day' it's quite slow moving and not all that great.....I don't recommend it :)
Saturday, August 11--Half Marathon training called for 4 miles this morning and they were wonderful! The weather was great and it felt like an 'easy' run, which NEVER happens! The rest of the morning was spent packing and getting things ready to be gone over night for my cousin Lars's wedding. We traveled north to Mason City for the wedding and to Clear Lake's Surf Ballroom for the reception. It was a beautiful wedding and the girls had a blast dancing the night away.
Monday, August 6--Mylie got me up around 7 and it was just her and I that morning.....very quiet!! Did a few things around the house and had a chiropractor appointment before heading up to Lake Mills to see my other girls. I picked up Kentucky Fried Chicken in Clear Lake for us to have for lunch and then took all three girls to the pool (where I used to work) to wear them out for a nap. Mylie and I took a nap in one room and Myah and Maysen in another room. For supper, we met my high school friend, Jen, her mom, Julie, and Jen's daughters, Cora and Tatum at the park. We got a few pizzas and played for a few hours. Baths were needed and then all three girls were exhausted.
Tuesday, August 7-- We had a lazy morning around Mom and Dad's house. My dad and brother had gotten up early to go on Honor Flight so it was just mom, me and the girls. I made a casserole and programmed the oven so it would be ready for lunch. Then we went out to my Nana and Grandpa's house.....my girls call them Bessa and Grandpa. We were there for a few hours and the girls got tired running around their house. We went back to my parents' for lunch and a nap. From 5-8, it was the National Night Out event at the park near mom and dad's house. There were hotdogs and sweet corn offered by the local FFA chapter as a fundraiser for their trip to Australia next summer. There was a bouncy house, fire truck rides, obstacle course, and so much more. Here are the girls spraying each other in the kids water fight, trying the free Zumba, and getting fingerprinted.
Wednesday, August 8--Mylie bear turns 17 months today--boy does time fly! I gave everyone showers in the morning and then we headed back to Ames. Upon arriving at home, I did some laundry, bought some groceries and then got everyone down for naps since they'd had late bed times the last few nights. Brandon got home mid afternoon so the girls were excited to see him. He brought home a bag of craft supplies from his Aunt Darlys. The girls have had a great time playing and creating!
Thursday, August 9--I've really been missing the pool this week and we didn't make it today either! I got up and folded laundry and ran 3 miles. Brandon and I FINALLY met with a lawyer today to start setting up a Will. It's not really something we like to think or talk about, but since our kids are our life, we really needed and wanted to get a legal document together 'just in case.' The girls and I went to the chiropractor and then played outside on the deck in the water table and with sidewalk chalk before going to the library for the Hotdog Dinner Theater. Our backyard neighbor boy, William, went with us to see the magician. It was a very average performer, but the kids enjoyed it.
A gal I work with was having a Back to School Vault Denim Party (you buy jeans at an in-home party) so the girls and I made a quick stop there before heading home for baths and bedtime. It was another busy day!
Friday, August 10--My morning started with a trip to the dermatologist. At the end of last summer, I noticed two darkish spots on my upper lip. I finally decided to get them checked out. He told me they are a result of Melasma. Basically a hyperpigmentation in the skin caused by the sun combined with a hormone releasing birth control. It is especially noticeable (and more prominent) in people with dark/olive skin, dark hair color, and dark eye color. Well, that explains me. Of course, the best medication they've found is not available on the market right now so I have to wait until it comes back out. At least I can be thankful it's nothing more serious than that, I guess. The girls and I ran some errands in the morning and then met Brandon at Fazoli's for lunch. It's one of those places that is underrated, we feel and we don't get there as much as we'd like. Of course, we had some coupons that were going to expire today so we made a point to use them.....can't pass up 99 cent kids meals and you can get up to three (how perfect is that!?) with each adult entree. After an attempt at getting all three kids to nap, one of them actually did (the littlest and most important one), I went up to the school to start planning with some of my coworkers for a few hours while Brandon played with the girls. His parents stopped by on their way to Des Moines so they played outside and in the basement for a while. Remember I said I had been missing the pool? Well, I decided we better make a quick trip there since I knew we wouldn't make it there tomorrow either. It was cool outside (78 degrees) and the water was cold but we went for about an hour. There weren't many people there, but the girls still had fun and the sun was out. We went home and made some Puppy Chow for our night snack and read some new books the girls got from my friend Sindy. Her sister is a children's book writer and she gave the girls 3 of her (Lisa Moser) stories. It's great fun to get books with such a personal story behind them. Brandon and I wound down our day by watching the movie 'One Day' it's quite slow moving and not all that great.....I don't recommend it :)
Saturday, August 11--Half Marathon training called for 4 miles this morning and they were wonderful! The weather was great and it felt like an 'easy' run, which NEVER happens! The rest of the morning was spent packing and getting things ready to be gone over night for my cousin Lars's wedding. We traveled north to Mason City for the wedding and to Clear Lake's Surf Ballroom for the reception. It was a beautiful wedding and the girls had a blast dancing the night away.
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