Kung Fu!

Okay....my parents are coming down....oh wait, they are not.....oh, maybe they are. Well, not this weekend. Oh wait, then again.....can we still??

First they were coming down for a big party weekend with Amy, Vince, Aaron, and Jenny....but then everything changed so no one was coming. Oh well. But, on Friday my mom calls and asks if we were heading out-of-town.....uh nope. They had to make a "business trip" down and wondered if we wanted to go out for dinner! How exciting!!

I wasn't in the mood really to clean and get ready for them....not because they aren't worthy of a clean house, it was just that last time I had an hour notice before their arrival and this time I had a 24 hour notice. I just realized that no matter what I did it would just get messed up behind me anyway. And, besides, I do pay someone to do my "dirty" work!! So, after a short nap and a thought....its Nana's birthday on Tuesday....instead of going out to eat, we should have a surprise party here!! So, Annika and I went to the store to get a few supplies and a cake (or three!). Keep in mind that this was when they were close to Sheboygan, so this all came together in about 2 hours. After our shopping trip we had less than an hour. Luckily our two neighbor girls were playing here, so I just let the kids have some streamers and told them to "decorate"....whatever they thought needed to be done to make it festive!

Nothing says "Happy 55th Birthday, Nana" like Kung Fu Panda!! We haven't even seen the movie yet, but Annika and I decided that it was way cooler than Cars or Princess....those are just getting so old! Kung Fu everything, but a chicken cake and then chocolate for Pupsi and Tim for Father's Day. AFter a charcoaled dinner (whoops....everything burned on the grill!) we headed outside for a bonfire and a mini concert given by Alaina, Erik, and Annika. Too cute.



My camera's battery died after downloading this picture, so its the only one for tonight. You have to click on it to get the full effect!! Gotta love Nana's beard!! I know you are expecting this, Mom!! I can say that you are probably the only Nana that can say she had this kind of party! Kind of like my Spider Man ice cream cake when I turned 28!! I'm so glad you came down so we could celebrate with you. :) The kids thought it was great, although Annika did say you stayed too short. Thanks for being such a fun Nana to my kids!! And, Dad, you are the best!! Happy Father's Day!! No one makes my kids laugh more than you....thanks for that!! We love you both so much and we cannot wait until Nathan gets up there so we can have you down here more often!!

More pictures later.....and an explanation to what happened last weekend!! I do have a bunch of stories for this past week! Tim heads down to Mexico City tomorrow....it would be fun to be going along! Although, its not the beach, so I don't feel too bad about having to stay home. I would like to go to Maine with him next week, though! Anyone want to come down?? I'm really not a huge fan of holding down the fort by myself!

And to you Tim, Thanks for being such a great Dad to Alaina, Erik, Annika, and Isabel! Whoa, that's a lot of names!! We make a great team and I love you!!

Too much fun.

Okay, I am doing the "marathon" posting again. Again, it was a big week!! I'm a little out of order, and am starting with Thursday night......after Tae Kwon Do I picked up a pool from the Ace. I do have to admit that I get the "super cool mom" award for the day with this idea!




Oh the laughter and squeals from the backyard. It was interesting to see all the bruises that the kids had when they woke up on Friday! But, they didn't care....they were back out there by 8 am! Well, Erik and Annika were. Alaina didn't get up until after 9!

This is what happens to 3 year olds when they decide to get up at 4:30 in the morning....all scared about a bad dream and cannot get back to sleep.


You go into a coma on the couch for 2 hours and nothing can wake you up!

What a big weekend. It was really humid....felt like I was back in TN! Yesterday will go down as "the dumbest day in Tim's life!" That's a whole other story that I am too tired to get into, so you'll have to check back later. And, to make it more suspenseful, he said that at 6 pm and it got even "dumber"......

Nibbles Play Cafe

On Wednesday we went to a place called "Nibbles Play Cafe". It is everything that a mother of preschoolers needs!! It was the best place. For one, there were about 6 different rooms, all with 1/2 walls so we could see the kids at all times. These rooms had different activities in each along with "helpers" so we moms can sit and visit and drink coffee!! As you can see, the face painting station was a huge hit. They actually do it themselves and it wipes off pretty easy. There was a train room, a "house" room with dress up clothes and everything you need to take care of a house! There was also an art room with fun artsy things to make and create! We didn't take Issy with us, but there is a room just for her and babies that crawl. It was just too fun. The whole place is designed for kids....even their lunch! Kid plates and sippy cups! My kids thought that was great b/c they haven't used one of those in years! It's made for kids 6 months-7 years, so Alaina is on the upper end, but with her imagination she had a blast.

We were here for 3 hours, then went to meet Brian at IKEA. I did make the kids clean their faces!! But, did paint something little on their cheek and hands!

Obstacle Course

On Wednesday night we decided to make an obstacle course for the kids. It was pretty crazy! We had kids from other houses cheering us on. :) I don't have any of Lis or Brian doing any of the "events", but it was sure fun. The kids thought they were just the coolest. :)


They had to jump from square to square.....

And, bounce ten times on my exercise ball! Then off to the swing set....up the rock wall and down the slide.....around the set and around the little tree 3 times.....push the Tonka truck to the line and around the other tree and back to the start. There was also a mini trampoline bounce in there and I am probably missing some things! It was fun. I should have taken more pictures! It ended with a game of throw the ball and then bed. On Thursday morning Lis and Brian left....Thursday was a very mellow day. Alaina missed them by 10 am!


Leave it to Annika to come up with this! She is such a nut!

Cookies

One of Erik's favorite thing to do is make cookies. Here Auntie Lissy is helping him put chocolate chips in these yummy peanut butter cookies! They were so good, but of course, Erik likes his original cookie balls better.

Last Day of School

On June 2nd, Alaina had her last day of school. It was a very bittersweet day for her! She is excited about first grade, but the thought of saying good bye to Mrs. Bartsch brings tears to her eyes! She loved kindergarten. It was a funfilled 2 1/2 hours of year book signing, end-of-year book making, obstacle course, popsicles, and lots of hugs.


Alaina doing the water part of the obstacle course!

All the left over water! The kids thought that was great!


Alaina and her friend Andrew.


The whole class. What a great bunch of kids. I even liked helping out in class!!


Mrs. Bartsch and Alaina


Here Alaina is receiving her "first grade fairy dust" that makes her an offical first grader! The kids thought this was way too cool!!


At her locker!

They're gone....

We had a great time with Auntie Lissy and Uncle Brian!! They came on Friday and left this morning. Thanks you two for a fun few days! I know it was a little CRAZY around here....but that's just our lives! Alaina already was missing Auntie Lissy at 10 this morning. I have a bunch of fun pictures, but it was Uncle Brian that got the new computer on Tuesday...not me, so I have to wait for Tim to get home tomorrow so he can download them. My camera is just too much for my old computer to keep up with, so I can't just plug it in and download!!

Issy was back at the doctor today. She has a double ear infection. Ouch. What a pumpkin. I feel so bad for her. She's still her happy self, but you can just look at her and tell she doesn't feel good. Papa Bob.....I could use a baby rocker!!

I think we all just need a nap now!