Sunday, August 31, 2014

Durham Museum





The Sunday of Labor Day weekend, we drove straight from church to Omaha.  The girls watched a movie on Mena's new DVD player to make the drive go faster.  First we stopped at a grocery store to buy some Lunchables.  We arrived at the park just as it started raining so we ended up eating in the truck.  It only rained for 30 minutes all day and it was the 30 minutes we were eating!  We then went to the Durham museum where the kids went to all their favorites.  I pretty much just follow them around since they know where to find everything.  The trolley is still their favorite, followed by the house, and now they were checking out how people sleep on a train.

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Happy Birthday, Mena and Tyler!









Peg and Jon hosted Mena's 6th and Tyler's 5th birthday party.  The kids were able to play in the pool in the backyard while us moms sat on the deck and the guys watched Nebraska football in the basement.  Jon grilled us some hamburgers and hot dogs.

Papa and Grandma got Mena a DVD player.  She had to come ask me what it was before she got excited :)  Peg, Jon, and Jake gave her a Frozen book and dolls.  Beth, Tim, Peyton, and Tyler gave her the Husker cheerleading dress.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Maggie's Cake


Maggie was excited to show me her cake that she decorated in preschool!

Monday, August 18, 2014

Maggie's Medical Collage


This art work wouldn't be easy to keep in Maggie's scrapbook so I took a picture of it instead.

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Baptism? Nope, Sick in Bed!

 


The morning that Maggie was supposed to be baptized, she put on her pretty dress and then climbed back into bed.  I thought this was odd, but I just told her to come eat breakfast when she told me her tummy hurt.  She ate a little bit of food and I cleared the table.  She came into the kitchen to tell me she didn't feel well and threw up all over the floor!  I quickly called everyone to say, "Don't come to Lincoln.  Maggie just threw up."  It turned out to be a relaxing day at home other than the fact that I didn't feel good either.  At first I chalked my upset stomach up to having cleaned up where Maggie got sick, but it didn't go away and I accidentally fell asleep while reading to the girls.  When I woke up, I called Gene to ask if he could take Mena at nap time so I could take a nap with Maggie.  Maggie and I woke up feeling better.  Mena never got sick and Gene came down with it on Monday and Tuesday.  At least it was only a 24 hour bug!

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Recycling Crayons




For Mena's birthday party we made heart crayons.  The girls helped me peel the paper off our old crayons.  Then I cut the crayons into little pieces that the girls put into each heart cup on the silicone pan.  We baked them at 250 degrees until they were melted.  We let them cool on the cooling rack before I popped them out.  The girls were excited to see what they'd made!

Friday, August 15, 2014

Lunch Helper

The PTO asked for volunteers to help with kindergarten lunch during the first week as they learn the routine.  I was helping the other classes through the line when Mena's class entered.  On her face was a big smile and yet there was a look like "I see my mom but I can't get out of line!"  When she got to where I was helping she asked me to come sit with her.  I visited with Mena when there was a lull in what I needed to be helping with.  She was literally the last kindergartner done with lunch, but I'm not sure if that's because I was there or because she's such a slow eater.  My mom said I was always the last done eating in my class because I refused to eat my peas.  Will she ever let me live down my hatred of peas?! Haha.  After Mena was done, I was able to walk her to her class.  I gave her a hug and kiss and Mena walked off without any troubles!  Yea!!

The Sunday and Monday nights before school started were full of anxiety for Mena.  Bedtime was full of drama so that I was tired the next morning.  Then Tuesday night she went to bed just fine.  I think once she'd been through the first day of school, then she was able to relax.  She's also gone to the school age room at daycare without any issues the rest of the week.  We made it through the transition and she just might be like me.  It's more stressful leading up to a change than it is to actually live the change.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Arriving at Kahoa





I dropped Mena off at daycare so she could walk to school with her class from Rosemont Day Care.  Ms. Beth and Ms. Dawn walked the kids and showed them where to look for the Rosemont van after school.  Gene and I were so busy taking pictures with Mena that her class went in without her--oops!  She got into her classroom just fine and then Gene and I went to work.

After school I asked Mena how her day was.  Everything she described was positive, but after describing centers, library, and PE she then told me that kindergarten was too long!  She's had 3 years of half day preschool so I'm sure it did seem long, but the funny thing is that school is getting out an hour early this whole week so I'm anxious to see what she thinks next week when she has to stay for the full day!

First Day of Kindergarten




I got both of the girls dressed for Back to School pictures.  They were willing to let me take pictures until they got chilly!

Monday, August 11, 2014

Kahoa Open House




To celebrate the last day of summer, the girls and I went to Amigos for supper.  Then we met their dad at Kahoa's Open House.  Mena was excited to find her table in her classroom.  Her SpEd teacher left her an "O-fish-ally in Kindergarten" gold fish snack as a welcome gift.  I thought the tag was such a cute idea!  Maggie had to get in on the action by checking out Mena's spot at the table.



New Classrooms



Maggie brought home her name tag from the Lions room because she has a new name tag in the Monkey room.  Mena brought home her name tag from the Bears room because she moved up to the school age room at daycare.  Both girls were excited for their new rooms up until about 15 minutes before we left for daycare when Mena decided she wanted to stay in Ms. Maryann's room.  I explained to her that she was in the school age room, but I didn't convince her of this very well!  We had to peel her off my leg when we got to daycare.  Maggie went to the Monkey room without any troubles.  She was excited to see her old friends in her new room with her.  I think Mena was intimidated by all the upper classmates that she didn't know in the school age room.  On the second day in the new rooms, Maggie was excited to return and Mena tried again to tell me that she was going to Ms. Maryann's room.  I didn't have to peel her off my leg so it was an improvement over day one!

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Pawnee SRA








 

The girls enjoyed going hiking with me and they were thrilled that the two trees nearest our camper were low enough that they could climb them.  Each of the girls is now pretty good at taking pictures so they can take pictures of me with the other sister.  It's nice having pictures of me with my daughters!

Pawnee State Recreation Area










The girls and I camped at Pawnee SRA Thursday through Sunday.  The first picture shows the new curtains I sewed for the camper.  That long window is next to Mena's bed.  I also sewed a curtain for the door's window.  I take it down while I am driving and only have it up when we are camping.

The girls enjoyed bike riding, the playground, swimming in the lake, and playing at our camp site.  Maggie was trying to kill all the ants under our picnic table!  I successfully grilled our supper three nights in a row.  The girls thought the food was yummy and although the fire had gotten bigger than I intended after I put the chicken and bread on the grill, I was able to turn it all into delicious food!

It was great family time!