I-Click

It's seems like months have passed since I last visited the blog when in fact it has been several loooong weeks. Rather than one long exhaustive post I will provide a brief update in the form of life captured through the lens of my iPhone.

The entire 3rd grade class at Meadow Lane participated in a wax museum in late January. Each student chose a famous person {past or present} and did extensive research on their lives. They then wrote a narrative which they presented to fellow students, staff and parents at the wax museum. Gabrielle choose Carrie Underwood and thoroughly enjoyed learning the little details of her life as well as dressing the part :)

I'm sporting specs again. I began wearing glasses in the 2nd grade and graduated to contacts in the 7th grade. I despised wearing glasses in my early adult life. Picture Coke bottle lenses - not.even.lying! Fast forward to late 1999 when I met Travis and that sweet man paid $4100 cold hard cash to have LASIK surgery performed on my eyes (before we were engaged or married holla!). My specialist suggested at my recent visit that I wear glasses driving at night and/or reading to improve the clouded vision resulting from my vitreous detachment that I shared about here. What a difference they make! I went cheap and a little on the trendy side in choosing my frames.

This is a glimpse into our playroom on any given day we entertain "extra" kiddos in our home. I would absolutely be a fraud if I didn't say that just looking at this picture gives me the jitters BUT I will gladly take the messes when it means my kiddos are living it up with their friends enjoying free imaginative play. You have to look really close but McKenna and Buggie (Ellaina) are hiding under the table.

For the <3 class="goog-spellcheck-word" of="" span="" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Legos
. Dawson loves Legos. I love that D loves Legos. Truth be told, I love Legosso when Legos began taking over his bedroom and his existing shelf was overflowing with completed and 1/2 completed projects I asked Travis to cut, stain and install a 2nd much larger shelf. I realize this is one tiny corner of it, but it is functioning oh so well! I'm also over the moon happy with how the Lego Manual I created turned out.

This wee one has me at hello (remember Jerry Maguire circa 1996?) each and every morning. What is it with our last babes? I can't/won't/refuse to let her grow up!

Travis saw his surgeon for his 10 week post operative appointment February 19th. His surgeon harassed Travis that he was smuggling a golf ball in there. We laughed, but seriously this picture brings the term cankles to a whole new level!

 I'll wrap up with our little man representin' on our family date night last Friday. #PowerGen!

Christmas 2013

Christmas.

It wasn't the picturesque morning most parents envision.
In fact it was quite the opposite.
We woke just minutes before the kids so we all trickled downstairs to gather around the tree in preparation to open gifts. That is when all pandemonium broke lose between the two oldest in very short order.  One was blaming the other for peeking at the gifts or something to that affect but just envision voices and tempers escalating in seconds flat. Somehow we managed to settle down the forces just long enough for ONE gift to be opened. You read that right. One gift before attitudes became out of check again (mine included) and I called a family time out. A couple hours passed before the kids asked if we could revisit the gifts. I'm so relieved our 2nd attempt was a success. The kids were excellent and were thrilled with their gifts. Gabrielle's only wish, which came in late, was for another Vintage Pearl piece. Dawson wished BIG and asked for a Mustang - the real deal folks, not a matchbox, remote control, or toy model. We told him he needs to start saving his nickels and dimes now :)

In keeping with recording what the kids received this year (we follow the 3 gift "rule"):

Gabrielle -
Kindle Fire HD
Rainbow Loom tutorial book and storage case
Fleece leggings and cowl neck sweatshirt from Old Navy

I love that I captured her look of sheer surprise and excitement over her gift. Tears of overwhelming joy followed.

Dawson -
2 Lego City sets
{Nerf like} Bow and Arrow from Bass Pro
3 pair of {2nd hand} pants

Dawson whipped together this smaller Lego set in short order Christmas afternoon

McKenna -
McKenna the American Girl doll
Dream Lite
Carters fleece footie pajamas

McKenna tore into her AG doll immediately (ripping the box darn it!) and now has all the AG dolls housed in her Playskool Rose Petal Cottage. We renamed the doll baby Mackie to avoid any confusion. 

Family gift -
2 sets of Silly Hands identical to these but for a fraction of the cost. Honestly best gift ever and hysterical too!


I think in total we spent less than $175 for Christmas. Times called for resourcefulness and I'm so thankful for how well things played out with providing a wonderful Christmas for the kids. I picked up the Kindle on a screaming deal; we had $35 Bass Pro credit which covered the cost of the bow and arrow set; I bought the Legos on a B1G1 deal at Target and applied a $20 gift card I've had forever; the AG doll was purchased last year (thanks in part to GG paying for half) and tucked away until this year; and all the clothing items cost around $25 total out of pocket. Stockings were filled with gifts from Terry & Barb along with miscellaneous other fun finds.

Dawson's Big Day(s)

Dawson turned SIX on September 21st. 

We spread the celebratory festivities over several days. 

Kiersten made chocolate cupcakes with frosting, sprinkles and candied Legos at his request to share with his classmates at school on Friday. They serenaded him with an upbeat birthday song I wasn't familiar with, a birthday card and a 1st reader book. 

Dawson gave me the obligatory cheese when I asked him to smile for a picture :)

This one pulls on the momma heartstrings a bit more.

Ahhhhh, my handsome devil of a sweet boy!

Evan joined us early Friday evening for supper, play time, a movie (Star Wars) & popcorn and Dawson's 1st {hosted} sleepover.

Saturday was jam packed with fun!

We played miniature golf at Smiley's with his two buddies, Evan VonMoss and Brandon Lewis.

According to Travis, D has a natural swing, but I wouldn't exactly say it showed on the putt putt course. The boys were being boys! We left Smiley's and headed to Dickinson Theatres to see the movie Planes, then had lunch, cupcakes & gift opening at McDonalds.

After Evan and Brandon's parents picked them up, our family of 5 reloaded and headed to the River Run car show in Ottawa, Kansas. The picture above was the state of our troops in route to Ottawa. One followed by the other drifted off into a deep sleep.

The car show was phenomenal and something we will absolutely attend again in years to come. The weather was beyond perfect and the cars didn't disappoint! We all wished we had more time to spend there but alas we had evening plans.

We made a super fast 5 minute pit stop back at the house to change into blue jeans, grab our sweatshirts and hit the road to Liberty to watch the William Jewel Cardinals football team with the Eaton family which consists of D's favorite teen bud, Corey. It was a wonderful evening in which our little man was spoiled and given lots of love and attention. 

Sunday morning we opted to sleep in and played hooky from church. Dawson opened his gifts from us which were a Star Wars Lego set, a Star Wars wall puzzle, refill foam darts for his Nerf guns and the Action Bible (which was immediately confiscated by his sister who <3 it="" nbsp="" p="" reading="" s="">

He has his eye on this Lego set (costs $100 gulp) so we are saving up his birthday cash & chore earning and waiting on a great sale. 

Embrace the Camera: February 7, 2013

This is a regular occurrence in our household. If Daddy has the day off of work or a shift that allows him the majority of his morning at home with us, Dawson is quick to inquire if they can build Legos together.

We don't have any fancy Lego storage system in place {yet}, so a plastic shoe box suffices to store all the tiny pieces and instructional guides. 

McKenna sat as good as could be and entertained herself with a little make shift car and 2 Legos guys. She is never too far from where the action is!

Do you build Legos with your kids? I personally find it therapeutic. I'm definitely more of a "build per the instructions" versus free build however :)