Christmas is Coming!!

We are getting ready for Christmas. Cards are out. Tree is up and decorated. Shopping is almost done. We are really enjoying it this year!!! I am trying to take my time and enjoy all of these things instead of just rushing through it just to get it done! It is not just about the one day of Christmas but the whole season of it. Months of preparing, all the things to get done, have ready and be ready for. I know all the stress I felt in years past but this year just seems calmer and much more fun. A couple of great family things we have done recently - First of all the kids and I survived 10 days with daddy gone hunting. Man am I glad when he gets back. Makes me aware of how much we NEED him around here. We did have some fun while he was gone though. We set up our Christmas Village houses (Cameron and I both have our own collections), had a sleepover by Auntie Melissa and by Auntie Wendy, took all the kids to paint pottery, took the boys to a movie, and had our own game nights. Since Ben's been home we have been busy also. We made Christmas ornaments with the kids, got a tree and decorated it as a family, put outside lights up together, made noodle/cereal necklaces, St. Nick came, we took the little kids to Betty Brinn, made Christmas cookies with the cousins, and went to see SANTA. These have all been fun things for the kids and really fun for ME. I am realizing more and more how different each of the kids are and I just loving getting to spend time with them doing family things and creating a lifetime of memories. I know how corney I sound but I guess with the holiday coming I am feeling very cheery and joyful and full of appreciation for what a wonderful family we have. Sometimes it might be crazy but it is the just the way I like it!!!! Merry Christmas to all!!! Hope you have a great holiday season and a Happy New Year!!!

Cameron, Clayton, Kenzie and Calvin at Creative License painting pottery!!!!

Kenzie, Clayton & Calvin chilling with Daddy (Glad he is home from deer hunting)

The boys climbed into Kenzie's crib one morning and the three of them played forever!!!

The haul from St. Nick!!!

Clayton at Betty Brinn

Calvin at Betty Brinn - Future scientist!

Kenzie at Betty Brinn - Delivering the mail

Then announcing the news!

Calvin drove us all in the Bus - Although he would not take Gigi and Papa's request to take them to the casino!

Kenzie Calvin and Clayton hanging with the bear while waiting for pictures with Santa at Cabela's!

Clayton

Calvin and Kenzie!

Cameron was to busy shopping to be in on these pictures

- after all it was Cabela's!!

Missing in action AGAIN

Wow I really have a hard time keeping up with this. I do love to do it but it does not end up on the top of the list very often. We have been having a blast (I think)! October flew by. We did the pumpkin farm with school, carved pumpkins, had a Halloween party at our house with trick or treating! I spent most of the month getting ready for that and getting all the kids costumes together. We did a Wizard of Oz theme. I will post a picture. Kenzie was Dorthy, Clayton - Lion, Calvin - Scarecrow, Mom - Glenda the good witch, Grandma Grace - evil witch, Ben and Grandpa Dick - Lollypop guild (muchkins) and Cameron was suppose to be the Tin Man (made a costume and all) but he decided he did not want to do it. Anyway it was a great time overall. Already trying to think of themes for next year. Any suggestions let me know!!!! We also got to celebrate the Rettler side of Thanksgiving already and the new truck got it's first ouchie. A row of carts at the store give it a pretty nice dent. Not fun. Then our 5 year anniversary and the St. Peter's dinner auction. On top of all this party stuff the twins have started Red Rhino wrestling club 2 nights per week which really keeps us chasing. They are loving it and it is so cute to watch. Being that they are the two smallest in the club they really only wrestle each other but it is still very entertaining. Cameron completed his first tackle football season without any major injuries and really started showing his true colors by the last game. He did a great job making the best of things and worked hard to prove himself. So proud of all the progress he made this season. Now we will be gearing up for wrestling to start for him soon also. We just finished first quarter grades and all three of the boys are doing very well and had good report cards. PROUD PARENTS! Again I am off and running. Have to work on the Christmas cards!!!!!


Kids carving pumpkins

Clayton's

Kenzie - ended up coloring it

Cameron

Calvin

The NEW Wizard of Oz

Just the kids!

Adult pie eating contest!



Kids pie eating contest!

Kids mummy wrap contest!

Kids riding horses!

Cameron

Clayton

Kenzie

Calvin

So my friend from Tracy invited us to come and check out her awesome home! We had a great day and the kids loved it. So much to see and experience. They have chickens, a wonderful trail through the woods, a pond complete with tadpoles and they keep bees!!! But the highlight of the day was the chance to ride one of her horses. Would love to tell you more but I am in a HUGE hurry just to get the pics up. Enjoy!!!

Dancing Machines!

So on September 17th we got to attend cousin Nicki's wedding. All of the kids were invited to attend and although Cameron was gone camping we decided to take Clay, Cal and Kenzie along. It actually went better then I expected. Calvin came to the ceremony with me (Ben stayed out in the van with Clayton and Kenzie as they were asleep. The mass was beautiful and Nicki was a beautiful bride too. We went to the bar and the kids were good there too. Then on to dinner and dance. The kids were so excited to go to the dance. It was GREAT.

We made it through dinner without any major issues and then the dance began. The dance was so fun!!!!!!! All three of the little kids danced the night away. Then one by one they crashed hard and soon I had three little pumpkins sleeping under the table. It was very cute.

Clayton, Kenzie & Calvin

Calvin and Clayton doing the garter toss.

Pictures tell the story!

The twins took a 4 week pee wee football class this summer. It was pretty funny. Here they are in action learning to hike the ball. Clay in green and Cal in orange.

Overall the boys did great. Clay seemed to really like it and Cal was not to interested. I know they both learned a lot and so did I.

Cameron has started 5th grade tackle football - here he is at practice. 1st game is coming up this weekend.

Cameron showing the boys how to rollerblade!

Clayton in all his gear for rollerblading! Takes longer to put it on then he stays in it but he really seems to enjoy this.

Calvin tried out his to but did not like it as much.

I just wanted to throw an extra picture of Kenzie in - no rollerblades for her yet.

We got the chance to go to the zoo for Zoo al la cart with my cousin Maggie, her husband and their wonderful little daugther Kendall. It was a great day!!!

The kids on the train. Cam has a blue mouth from his shave ice.

I also thought this was hilarious - obviously Cameron did not think it was all that funny. Calvin was pretty excited about it!!!

OK so these pictures may need a little explaining. My mom and I went to a rummage this summer. She saw this dress and loved it. I well to be nice - did not love it. I did think it was funny as I had a dress similar to this when I was in high school that I actually wore for my senior pictures with a sun hat (no laughing at the time it was kind of neat). Anyway - we did get the dress and then my mom found a hat too. We decided that we should be photographers.

( I won't quit my day job.)

So the funniest part of this story is that we call "the dress" Kenzie's ugly dress. I couple days after our 'photo shoot' Kenzie saw the dress in her closet when we were putting on Jammie's and was she got upset yelling that she wanted to wear her "uggggie wess" (her ugly dress). It was so darn cute and she was very serious about it.

Well the boys did not like to be left out of our photo taking. And I just loved this one of Calvin so I needed to share it.

You have to be kidding me. My kids are weird. Clayton decided one day that he wanted to put on his clean underwear over his dirty ones. Then Calvin encouraged him to put on his clean underwear too.
Well everything in our house gets out of hand. Needless to say brother Cameron encouraged this and we ended up with Clayton packing on the underwear.

When he finally got sick of putting them on he had a total of 19 pairs of underwear on. The kid could hardly move. It was very funny - glad my camera was nearby for this one.

We got to squeeze in one last Brewers game with the kids. My Mom and Dad took our family and my sister's family. That day the Gigi and Papa had the kids in the morning and they made these great signs! The kids had some fun with these (a couple fights too). Although the Brewers could not pull off a win that night it was a great time.

Gigi and Kenzie!

We also started SCHOOL. Cameron is a 5th grader this year and this is his last year at St. Peter's. Who is parenting this child and letting him have that hair? Oh, it was me... I guess I figured that it could be worse and it really was not hurting anyone. I also do not think it will last real long.

Clayton and Calvin have also begun 4K at St. Peter's this year! They go everyday from 7:30 to 11:00. I was terrified of how I would get them all up and ready in the morning but it has been going pretty well so far - not easy but we will adjust.

Clayton!

Calvin

And Kenzie did not want to be left out so she wanted to be dressed for "shoell" to and needed her backpack too. I thought she would be upset when we dropped the boys off and she had to leave with me but she did not mind to much. I think she was excited to have some quiet at home. Speaking off quiet I could not believe the amount of stuff I was able to do that first day with 31/2 hours with just Kenzie. Of course I set my hopes high to keep pace with that first day and that has not happened again!! I am enjoying the one on one time with Kenzie but I also miss the boys. And one thing it is not is quiet. That girl is like her mother - she has a lot to say and never stops. It is fun to just get the chance to really listen to her. Funny I did not realize just how smart she is. She told me she wanted to go to school and then went through the whole routine of what the boys do when they get to school. I did not realize how much she picks up of what she sees. I am sure it will be a crazy school year and so far all the boys are liking school. Calvin did tell me the first day that he did not like it though because his friends were not playing with him they were listening to the teacher! How dare they???

This past weekend we went up north to the cabin with Grandma Jane and Grandpa Gerald, uncle Tom and Joe. We had such a nice time. We just got to enjoy hanging out. The kids have SO MUCH FUN there. They were all well behaved and even helped out with moving some wood and loved every minute of it. They got to hike it in the woods to put up trail camera's and just had a great time enjoying the fresh air. Every time we go it gets easier and easier with the kids. I can not believe how independent they are all becoming. Unfortunately I was not attached to my camera this trip but I did catch a couple funny pics showing how exhausting up north can be.

Kenzie actually fell asleep while in the swing.

Clayton crashed on the couch before he could even put his legs up!

That's what we have been up too!!!!!