3K is Exhausting!

Update on the second day of 3K for the twins which was just this past Wednesday. Since last week we have been telling the boys that they would be going back to school and that mommy would be leaving. Clayton was insistent that we were not leaving him there alone. Wednesday he actually seemed better with the idea that I would be leaving. So I took Kenzie along to drop them off. The went in to the class and put their backpacks away and went right to the rug to play. I went over to tell them I would be leaving and Clay got very teary and asked me not to leave so I as any good parent would LIED to my three year old that I would just go wait outside until they were done and he seemed OK with that. Calvin on the other hand said bye mom and waved and gave me a kiss. I did leave and go home but not before a stop to the office to assure them that I would only be 3 mins away if he needed me just to call. I got home and Kenzie was already asleep. It felt great to just get things done around the house for 1 1/2 hours!!!! I even made stuffed peppers for dinner! And no phone call. When I went back to pick them up Mrs. Arendt said they did good and that Clay only cried once on the way up from gym but once she reassured him that I was just in the van with Kenzie he was fine. I did feel a little bad that we lied to him but what he doesn't know will not hurt him (until he is older and finds out)!!! We will see what next week brings. As you can see from the photo's 3K is very exhausting.

Clayton ready for day number 2 of 3K (Brown was the color of the day)

Calvin is SOOOO ready and excited!

We got there a little early and they liked watching the big kids on the playground!

Calvin had to go 'poop' after class and then it got very quiet so I went to check out what he was doing. This is what I found!


Clay made it almost through dinner but just could not keep the eyes open anymore!

Other then the fun of 3K we had a busy weekend. Last friday we took all the kids to the Slinger High School football game and they were all really good and it was actually a lot of fun. Slinger lost but still a good time. Saturday Ben and I went to a wedding in the evening and the kids spent the night by Gigi and Papa. The wedding was a blast and Thanks to the grandparents for a night off!!! Sunday we went to church then headed off to the Zoo. Had a great time there, as usual, and then Monday we painted our bedroom! What a fun and productive Labor Day weekend. Sure did miss going Up North but being home was not all bad either!!!! Looking forward to another busy weekend.

4th Grade & 3K

So today was a BIG day for us. Cameron started 4th grade!!!! And the twins started 3K!!!! I was THRILLED! I think I was actually sad about Cameron going back to school but not about the twins starting 3K. Part of that is that Cameron goes to school all day and then I do miss him and our time together. The twins are only going to 3K two days a week for 2 hours a day . It is in the afternoon when they normally would have napped so I don't feel like I will be losing much time with them. AND I feel that they are ready for this and need it for the socialization. I am also looking forward to 2 hours 2 days a week to spend time with little princesses or to get things done if she is napping!

As for how things actually went today - It was better then I expected!!!

We have been preparing the twins for the starting 3K since they went on their "practice day" in June. That day Ben and I both took them and brought Kenzie too. Clayton was extremely teary and we never even left the room. Since then we kept explaining to both Cal and Clay that when they went to school we would not be staying with them. Clayton was not thrilled with this plan. He kept saying that we could not leave him there. Clay is also the shy and VERY emotional one so I was not sure how this was going to work. Clay and Cal's teacher Mrs. Arendt suggested to all parents that they stay on the first day until their kids have calmed down, got involved in the activities, and were o.k. with them leaving. I had fears that this could take Clayton the whole year...

So on to today!!! In the morning Clay woke up early (6:00) and helped get Cameron up and ready for school. When Cam got picked up Clayton was very upset because he wanted to go to his school too. He even stood by the door with his PJ's on and his backpack! Try explaining 5 hours of waiting to an excited 3 year old. Anyway when Cal woke up he was so excited and kept talking about going to school. The morning flew by and soon it was time to go. They were both excited. We dropped Kenzie off by Grandma and Grandpa so that mom could focus on the boys and we were off. We got to school and all went smooth. They got into the classroom and found their hooks right away and followed the directions (not a word from either one!). The other kids were coming in as well and as their parents were saying goodbyes and leaving I stood in the back to see what would happen. Clayton only got teary once and asked where mommy was and his teacher reassured him that I was right in the room and then he did fine. Cal was all smiles! Their teacher and I decided it would be a good idea for me to hang out for a while and another mom had to do the same thing. I stuck around for the first hour and just hung in the back and watched. I loved to see the interactions of all the new kids and the teacher. She is amazing!!! Cal and Clay both followed directions well but did not make a sound. When the kids got up for some free play time I stepped out and went to the office for a while. I peaked in later and they were doing well still. Mrs. Arendt told me Clay did ask for me and got teary but when she told him I was just in the office he went back to playing and was reassured when he saw me in the hall. Then it was 2:30 and it was time to go home. I went outside and waited with the rest of the parents and the boys came out with their class and their Big Brother, Cameron. It was so cool. No meltdowns!! You could tell they were wiped out but still talked about the things they did and their new friends. I LOVE IT! I am hoping that when they go back next week I will actually get to leave the building for a while!!!!! Overall much better then I expected and even more exciting. Now sitting here typing all of this I think the sad part may come. I can not believe they are three and they just started SCHOOL. OH MY...

And not to forget my amazing 9 year old who had a great first day as a big fourth grader! He could not believe he had homework the first day though!

I also don't want to leave out an update on the little princess in our family. Who I am sure is going to love the peace and quiet of the house with no boys for a couple hours. Kenzie is just starting to stand on her own and climbs on everything she can get to. Next will come the walking. How is it that they are growing up sooooooooooooo fast.

Cameron's ready for 4th grade!

Calvin took his 'beary' along!

Clayton took his 'lima bean'

Calvin and Clayton ready to go!

Calvin and Clayton walking up to school.




Clayton, Cameron & Calvin coming out of school!

BROTHERS!!!

I think 3K wore Clayton out!



OK - And just for my mommy! Here are our princess pictures. Poor girl is going to be so mad at me when she grows up and we show her boyfriends all the outfits we dressed her up in.



Waving to her Royal subjects!

Roughing it!

So from the 11th to now we have been going so fast I hardly have time to download pictures. Last Saturday we went to Slam Fest with the three boys and my sister's two boys. By mom and dad came along too. We had a blast! The boys loved it and so did the adults! Can not wait till next years!

Isiah, Calvin, Clayton, Xavier, & Cameron at Slam Fest!!!

I am enjoying each day I have off with the kids because soon school is going to be starting. Last Monday the kids and I went and did all their school shopping. Cam is getting ready to start 4th grade and the twins will be going to 3K. All three of the boys got to pick out new back packs. That was really funny. After Cameron and I convinced Calvin not to pick the Hanna Montana back pack he settled on a Buzz Light year one. Once Clayton saw it he wanted the same one. So yet again they have picked out their own matching stuff. Oh, well - sometimes it is just easier that way. They did pick out different color scissors and folders! Anyway, when we got home they had to load up the backpacks and walk around the house in them. It was too cute. I don't have pictures of this yet but I will make sure to take some on the first day.

The rest of the week we kept busy too. One day we went by my friend Jen's house. We had a absolute blast. She also has four kids and the kids get along GREAT. They have a lot of fun together and we like to visit, which is so nice to do. Another day my friend Sara and her daughter came here to visit which was also very cool. I love getting the chance to have adult conversation, laugh about my crazy life, and still hang out with my kids all at the same time.


So this past weekend we went camping with all the kids! Ha- We camped out at my in-laws house and Friday with the rain and the storms the only tent that made it up was ours but the only ones who actually slept out there was Ben, Cam and Calvin. The rest of us stayed in the comforts of the house!!! Saturday Mom, Kenzie and Calvin wimped out and stayed in the house but everyone else tented it. The weekend consisted of great eating, games, some swimming for the kids, relaxing, trailer rides, a HUGE campfire, and even some smore's. Saturday we also celebrated Ben's Birthday!!! He turned 36! Overall a very nice time and the kids LOVED it.

Kenzie, Elsa & Clayton

Lauren, Kaylee & Calvin riding on the tractor.

Now only one more week of summer vacation and we will be getting back into school mode. Hope this week does not fly by as fast as the rest of the summer has!

Not getting behind again!

Just so I don't get behind with my blogging again I thought I would share our week so far! Cameron's official 'golden birthday' was Monday and I enjoyed it as much as he did. Monday morning Cameron asked to go to Cabela's because he had some gift cards and wanted a new tackle box. So I took all four kids and it turned out to be a lot of fun. Monday evening Grandma Grace and Grandpa Dick babysat for the little kids and Ben and I took Cameron to see the movie 'Despicable Me'. It has been a really long time since I have been to the movies and really enjoyed it. The movie was super cute and it was just fun to do something with the three of us. Although I now want to take the twins to a movie also because I think they would like it also. Then today was Kenzie's 1st birthday. I had to work in the afternoon for a big work event so we just hung out at home this morning and built a huge train track with Geo Tracks. I did take some cute pictures of Kenzie today so I just wanted to show them!! Enjoy -

More Birthdays - TONS OF PICTURES

We have been crazy. We are having so much fun this summer. Since my last post we have been going non stop. After the twins birthday party we kept busy going to parks and swimming by Gigi and Papa. We got a new patio door ( this was real thrilling as now we can go in and out the back easily and have a screen!!!) We went up north for 8 days. That rocked. All the kids did some fishing (including Kenzie) and spent tons of time hanging out by the lake. Cam got to do water skiing again and he is a real ham. He also loved Grandpa Gerald's new 'little boat' and spent half our vacation rowing the new boat around and fishing. The weather was great the whole week. GiGi and Papa even came up for 2 days to experience our Up North. We got to spend a lot of time with all of the kids and I actually felt like I spent some time with each of the kids on their own - which is rare and really fun too. Came back from vacation had a busy week and then this weekend we celebrated Cameron and Kenzie's birthday's! Cameron turns 9 on the 9th and Kenzie will be 1 on the 11th. Because it is Cam's golden birthday this year we decided to let him have a Friend birthday party (his first one). We booked the party for bowling because I did not want all those kids at the house and I don't ever trust the weather. We had the party Saturday until 2 and then at 3 we had our family party at the house. It may not have been the best plan to have the parties on the same day and it was a little busy but overall I think they both went well. I did have a pretty big headache after bowling with 12 8 to 9 year olds for 3 hours but the kids were good and it actually was a lot of fun. Then home to have another party. I absolutely love our families. They are both super helpful and we could not do the things we do without them so that party went off without a hitch also. Sunday should have been a lazy clean the house day but that did not sound like any fun so Ben and I decided to take the kids to the Betty Brinn museum and then went out to dinner at Olive Garden. It was super fun to see Clayton and Calvin explore everything at the museum. Cameron seems to have a really good time also and Kenzie was her usual 'happy about everything' self. She did get to explore a bunch and really liked the little kid areas. It was really fun and only a few minor issues of repeatedly losing Calvin (who takes off every chance he gets) held us up. Just makes me aware that I would not be able to take the kids there by myself for quite a while. Enjoy the pictures they are much more interesting then my typing!!!!

Kenzie driving the boat Up North!

Clayton driving!

Cameron driving

Calvin driving!

The kids with GiGi and Papa

Cameron fishing on his own!

Ben & Grandpa Gerald take Kenzie, Cal & Clay out fishing in the boat!

Kenzie's first fishing trip!

Ben and Cameron catch some Bass!

Clayton, Calvin and Grandpa Gerald in the "yittle boat"

Cameron tubing!

Cameron skiing!

Kenzie laying on the beach! (eating the sand)

Cameron JUMPING in!

SUPERMEN!!! Calvin, Cameron & Clayton
Cameron taking Lauren for a tube ride - Rowing the boat!

Cameron giving more tube rides (to Calvin and Lauren).

HAPPY 9TH CAMERON

HAPPY 1ST KENZIE

Cameron and the Pinata!

Clayton gives it a try!

Calvin's turn!

Cam and the pinata

Our Clan - Kaylee, Calvin, Isiah, Lauren, Elsa, Cameron, Kenzie, Clayton, Xavier

Cameron

Cameron's new cane pole!

Birthday PRINCESS!

Kenzie riding her new horse!

Kenzie enjoying her cake!

Kenzie loved her cake - She even licked the plate!

Cameron hanging out at the museum.

Clayton tries some golfing!

Clayton does some shopping!

Calvin drives the bus!

Calvin milks the cow!

Kenzie harvesting some corn!

Kenzie checks herself out!