More swimming and stuff

Caeden and Sylvia went for a swim this evening.  They don't mind at all that the water isn't quite Krampa's usual 90 degrees.  They're quite content with 81!  It's summertime!

I just have a couple funnies I need to record for remembering's sake...

The other night, it was dinnertime, and the kids were getting squirrelly.  Travis and Erin had both arrived home from work and came over to Mom's and Dad's to have supper all of us together.  (Mom had their kiddos all day.)  We were getting the table ready, kids were running through the house, people were hungry...it was a bit chaotic.  Travis had taken the time to throw a ball around with Caeden and was outside in the front yard.  I was thinking how cool it was that he was making time for Caed and that he always goes out of his way to do something with him.  Finally, we got the table ready and were rounding everyone up.  Travis came in and Erin said the funniest thing to him, and we are all still laughing.  She was corralling their three, and said to Travis, "Your three children are in here screaming their heads off, while you are outside frolicking in a grassy meadow in your bare feet!"  I think she was a little overwhelmed in the moment, and would have appreciated some assistance from Trav.  We all had a good laugh about it, and just love Erin's sense of humor!

This evening, Travis was showing us something a teacher had poorly worded on one of Tessa's preschool papers.  He read it out loud, and Caeden said, "Wow, that is really gramaticially incorrect!" We just laughed and laughed about his thinking the word grammatically was pronounced "grammaticially"--especially in that instance!  Funny stuff!

Just fine without me

I am sick this week.  It started with a runny nose on Wednesday.  Jeremy sent me to bed early after some NyQuil.  

Thursday morning I sort of woke up at 5:45 and made my way downstairs to the recliner, but I was completely out of it.  I felt so horrible and couldn't function.  I was vaguely aware that the girls' alarm went off and they started moving around upstairs getting ready for school.  At one point, Sylvia walked by me and I asked her to wake up Caeden.  I also remember opening my eyes once and seeing her sitting on the couch doing cross stitch.  I think I managed to mumble, "I love you." as they went out the door, but otherwise I was near comatose until about 9:45 a.m.  Even after a shower I spent most of the day either in the chair or in bed resting.

Today, I'm feeling quite a bit better.  Definitely not 100%, but well enough to communicate.  As the kids were having breakfast, Caeden told me that yesterday he packed himself a peanut butter and chocolate syrup sandwich for lunch.  

I've enjoyed that little confession all day.  I'm glad to know they got along just fine without me.  :)

Mostly and Less-ly

A few nights ago, the girls asked me if we never have peas anymore because Caeden hates them. It's true; that's why. I have lost my patience too many times trying for hours to get him to eat them, watching him pretend to gag on them, listening to the whining...It's not worth it to me to force him anymore.

So, the girls were thrilled, and actually cheered when peas were set on the table for supper tonight. 

Obviously, Caeden was less excited. We asked him to pray before we ate though.

Part of his dinner prayer:

"Dear God, thank you mostly for the food, but less-ly for the peas..."

Happy-Down!

I was testing Caeden on his spelling words tonight, and gave him the word "happiest" in the sentence: "Who is the happiest student in your class?"  As he wrote the word, he answered, "Hmm.  Probably me."  Then, I gave him the word "happier" in the sentence: "I am happier than you."  He immediately said, "Um, I doubt that. Let's have a happy-down!"  And he proceeded to do a grinning, laughing dance that was about the happiest thing I've ever seen.  (Of course, I had to participate, and I'm pretty sure he won the happy-down, even though I was cracking up!)  I love that we have a great new term in our family, and I think we will have to have many "happy-downs" in the future!  

Mr. President

Caeden burst through the door calling, "Mommy!  Mom?  MOM!!!!!!!" today, so excited to tell me that his 2nd grade class elected him Class President today!  They've been learning about the election process, of course, and had made posters and speeches for their "campaigning."

Caeden had actually forgotten to bring his homework folder the weekend the poster assignment was to be done, but he was determined to do the poster even without the instructions.  Since we didn't have the instructions that encouraged the entire family to be creative and help him with the poster, I made him do his poster all by himself.  He told me the day after he turned it in and they were all hung up that he thougth he had "pretty much the lamest poster of all of them."  It wasn't that bad.

He said there was initially a 5-way tie in the election today.  Then the class voted between those 5 and he was announced the Class President.  He said as soon as Miss J said his name all the kids jumped up, cheered, ran to him, hugged him, and patted him on the back.  So sweet!  I think he was very surprised and felt quite loved and encouraged.

So, next week "Mister President" gets to use the teacher's swivel chair, be the line leader, and run errands Miss J has for him!  

As Caeden was calling his Daddy and his grandma and relaying the exciting story, I remembered a funny story his teacher told us about him last night at P/T Conferences...

The class was studying life cycles in science, and talking about cats having kittens.  Caeden was "that kid," who raised his hand and asked how the kittens got in the momma cat's tummy.  Miss J said she'd never had a kid actually ask that question--until Caeden.  She said she told him he needed to ask his mom about that.  Then, he asked her if she didn't really know how the kittens got inside the mommy because she hasn't had any kids of her own yet!  She said it was like he was trying to help her not look foolish since she didn't seem to know the answer, and it was very sweet.  Hahaha!  (Fortunately, he has yet to remember to ask us about the kittens!)

Honors Assembly & Last Day of School

Today was the kids' last full day of school, and the 4th and 5th grade Honors Assembly was held first thing this morning.

Annah earned High Honors for the semester.  

She was one of 15 in her grade to receive high honors--a pretty big group!  (To attain high honors, students must receive at least 5 A's and nothing lower than a B.)  

Annah received all A's all the way through elementary school!

5th grade band students were also recognized, and each came forward to receive a certificate of music and a handshake from Mr. Marchese.

Almost the entire 5th grade was in the band this year!  Yay for music!!

(The 5th graders all wore their D.A.R.E. shirts today, and were responsible for helping run Field Day events for the younger grades.  Annah loved this opportunity, and said she had lots of fun!)

After leaving the school this morning, I took the car back to the shop.  (It had been in last week to have brakes and calipers and rotors replaced for $570-something, but was acting weird when braking and turning--like the ABS was activating.)  The rest of my morning was spent waiting while it was discovered that a sensor was broken, and a bearing/sensor had to be replaced for another $350.  Ouch.

I did get to have lunch with my sweetheart though!  Yay!  We met at Panda Express and had a very nice time chatting and spending time together.  That was an unexpected blessing today!  :)

I ran to the store quickly, and came home and decorated our dilapidated sidewalk to cheer the kids when they came home from school.

It is overcast and cool today (after last night's thunderstorms), but another gorgeous peony is blooming.  This one with no editing...

Happy kids got off the bus this afternoon!  We are excited for summer!!!!

After Daddy got home from his meeting for church, we celebrated the end-of-the-school year and beginning-of-summer with banana splits!!  Annah had mentioned last week that she'd never had one, and we discussed what was in a banana split...and enjoyed them tonight.  While finishing hers up, Annah asked, "How many do we get?"  ;)

Are you sabotaging me?

This morning I went into Caeden's room to wake him to get ready for church.  He was lying on his stomach, so I started rubbing his back.  He said, "Mom, are you sabotaging me?"  I assured him that "sabotage" did not mean "massage."  Heeheehee!

No Offense, Mom...

Today I got my hair cut.  I hadn't had it cut since last May, so it was very long and in need of some big-time chopping.  I had several inches cut off, as well as bangs cut in.  I knew the kids would notice right away, and they did.  Their different reactions were so funny.

Annah walked in from school talking about something and instantly gaped and said, "Oohhhhh Mommy, I LOVE your haircut!!!" and went on gushing about it.

Sylvia gave me a big hug and told me how nice it looked and sang a little song about how much she loves her mommy.

Caeden contorted his face in recognition of a drastic change, then went on chattering about school.  Later, I asked him to come sit on my lap.  As he wiggled and twisted around and literally kicked me in the face, he said, "No offense Mom, but your hair looks kind of weird."  I don't know how that kid has 3 girlfriends!

I should also say that Jeremy noticed it right away too, and commented that he liked it.  Whew.

Stealing from Justin Bieber

Caeden came home from school today and told me that he "stole 2 girls away from Justin Bieber." Apparently, these girls liked Justin before, but my boy talked them out of that and sweet-talked them into liking him instead! 

(Had to write that one down so I wouldn't forget it!  Heehee!)

Can't Stop Reading

While I was in the kitchen last night, Sylvia came running to me and said, "Mommy, it's so exciting and amazing; I can't stop reading it!  I don't want to!"

Praise the Lord, she was talking about her new Bible!  She is reading in Matthew, and is excited to read the stories of Jesus for herself!  Please Lord, help her keep this hunger for your Word all her life!

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

- Psalm 119:105

In the House of the Lord Forever

This evening, the kids were finishing up memorizing the last of their 20 Bible verses for Quizzing.  They can read them in their Quizzing book, which the girls do, and Annah even wrote all of them out twice to help her learn them.  And, they have a CD with a catchy repetitive song for each verse.  So, they learn them quickly and pretty easily.  Caeden, though he is becoming an excellent reader, learns his verses almost completely from listening to the CD and me reciting it and him repeating it back.

So, this evening, he was working hard to remember the 23rd Psalm.  (They have memorized the entire chapter!!  I'm so excited!)  He whipped right through it, and when he got to the end, he said, "And I will twirl in the house of the Lord forever!"  


I laughed and grinned, and almost hesitated to explain that it was 'dwell' instead of twirl, and what that meant.  I thought it was such beautiful example of a child's image of God and what he would really like to do forever in His house!

Boy things...

Another Caeden story to remember...!

Yesterday I was at the school volunteering.  I had lunch with Sylvia and Caeden in the cafeteria, and they had been dismissed.  As I was gathering my things, the principal came towards me with a larger grin than usual.  He said he had to tell me about something that happened with Caeden today.   He said I could talk to Caeden about it, but that I shouldn't get mad at him.  (I'm thinking, "Oh boy, now what?!")

Mr. Jones said he was walking past the bathroom and heard a fountain, well, water noise.  He walked into the bathroom to check on what it could be, since no classes were having a bathroom break.  There he saw Caeden, the only kid in the bathroom...

(Now, I'm pretty sure that when Mr. Jones told me this story he made a mistake in measurement terms when he used the term "feet," and must have meant 'inches' instead...)

But anyway, he said Caeden was standing about fifteen "feet" (It had to have been inches!!) back from the urinal, arching his stream into the urinal!   He did say that it was all going into the urinal, and he was not making a mess, thankfully!

(I could feel my face getting red as he told me this story.)

He told me he then said to Caeden, "Uh, Caeden, I don't think that's such a good idea." and that Caeden then slowly inched forward toward the urinal, stream going the whole time...

I did laugh as Mr. Jones told me this story, and he was definitely laughing and grinning too.  He said it was one of those great "Principal Moments" he has now, and that he walked out laughing.

So then...

Last night, when I finally had a moment alone with Caeden, I asked him if he had been in the bathroom at the same time as Mr. Jones that day.  He said he had.  And I asked him what he had been doing...

Caeden told me, "Oh mom, I had to pee so bad I was afraid it was going to spray back at me when it hit the urinal!!!"    He was com-plete-ly serious.

Well, that took me by surprise!  It was hard not to laugh as I was talking with him about it!  I had just figured it was one of those male games women can't understand, and he was trying to see how far he could make the stream reach!

So, I tried to remain mostly serious (and light...I didn't want him to feel like he was in trouble.) and I calmly told him with a smile, "Caeden, you can AIM that thing!  Point it at the drain!"  (Oh my goodness, where is a boy's daddy when you need him?!?!"  Jeremy wasn't home from work yet.)

Oh, the boy, still maintained that he was really afraid it would splash back and get on him.  Sweet little mostly-innocent soul.   Hahahahahahah!

I laughed so hard (out loud this time) when I was telling Jeremy the story.  He laughed too.  And, he said, I should follow up with Mr. Jones to tell him Caeden's reasoning.

The Dramatic Adventures of Caeden Chase

We've come to realize that our boy Caeden here is quite the dramatic kid.  

When we were at the school open house Friday evening, his music teacher had made a video of his class using scarves to move to music.  All of the sweet little kindergarteners were twirling the scarves nicely in their spots, while Caeden was weaving in and out through the other kids, twirling and traveling all around the entire gym.  His music teacher said, "He makes good use of his space!"  Heehee!

His kindergarten teacher also mentioned how it "really is night and day" between him and Annah, who she had in class 4 years ago.  We had been trying to warn all the teachers in the school! ;)  And, she mentioned how he is just SO excited about EVERYTHING!

Yeah, the boy has joy, for sure!

Saturday evening, Caeden noticed that one of his bottom front teeth had just begun to loosen up.  He wiggled and wiggled and pulled and twisted at it the rest of the evening.  He tried and tried to pull it, had it bleeding and hurting, and didn't want to stop and go to bed until he got it out!  We made him go to sleep and tried to explain that it usually takes days, weeks, or even months to completely loosen a tooth to the point where it is ready to be pulled out.   

But, as soon as he woke up Sunday morning, he started in on the tooth again.  He said it hurt, and he wanted to pull it so the Tooth Fairy would come and he would get money.  Well, within a few minutes, he had it out!

He asked me to write a note to the Tooth Fairy so he could ask her if she was really real.  So made her a little note cut out of paper in the shape of a tooth.  It said:

Dear Tooth Fairy, 

Are you really real?  I you are, I think it's nice that you give me money.

Love,

Caeden

This morning when Caeden woke up, he found a roll of nickels under his pillow, and a note with glittery fairy dust on it.  It said:

Dear Caeden--

Good job getting that tooth out so fast!

Be a good boy for your mommy and daddy.

Love,

The Tooth Fairy

He decided that she must really be real.  When he showed his sisters, they thought the Tooth Fairy must have used some of mommy's craft supplies to make the note!  ;)  At any rate, he was quite pleased.

Caeden sang this song for us the other night.  He said he learned it in his regular kindergarten class.

Rats & Crabs

Caeden and I were in the car today, and he was antsy as always. 

He said to me, "Mommy, I have so much energy, feel like I have rats and crabs all over me, biting me every hour of every day of my life, and I can't hold still, and I'm so scared!  I just have too much energy, and I can't hold still!  I have too much energy!"

I said to him, "Well, Caeden, I think that must be what it feels like to be a boy."

Caeden-speak

When Caeden wants to tell someone something, for a long time he has said, "Guess what?! Guess what?!"
But over the past few weeks, I've been noticing every time he's excited to tell me something, he says, "Hey Mama?! Guess what?! You know something?!" It just makes me laugh the way he says it.

---------------

Today, while Caeden was eating his lunch, I was folding laundry in the living room, and noticed he'd gotten up from the table to go to the bathroom and had been in there a while. He was sitting on the toilet, and I said, "Caeden, you've been in there a while, and you need to finish your lunch. What are you doing?" To which he replied, "Iiiiiiiiii'm just waitin' for my delivery!"

A New Instrument

Jeremy recently helped some friends move, and they were going to throw out a little organ that had belonged in their family for years. Instead, it came to our house today. We had to rearrange 4 rooms in the house to figure out where to fit it in right now, but the kids are excited to have it!

Caeden calls it the "double piano."





All 3 kids enjoy playing it together. Caeden plays bass, Sylvie plays percussion, and Annah plays the keys and just joins right in there.

Girl Brother

When Caeden's bus comes to get him, he tries to stall getting on the bus by asking for, "1 more huggie? 2 more kisses? One more hug? Please, Mommy?" How could I say no to that! (Just wanted to get it down somewhere so I never forget!)

The past couple days, when I've asked Caeden who he played with at school at playtime, he has told me about his friend Kendall. I asked him if Kendall was a girl or boy, and he said she was a girl. When I asked him if she was his buddy, he said, "No, she's not my buddy; a buddy is a boy. She's a girl, but like Sammy. She's my girl brother." (Sammy is his best friend who is such his best friend that he's closer than a best friend; he's his "brother.") Then, we figured, that maybe she was more like a sister than a girl brother.

She's SIX!!!!!!

Our sweet Sylvia Claire turned a big six years old today!

Last night, just before bed, she pulled a (3rd) tooth and got a new smile for her birthday.
She woke up before 6:30 this morning (very unusual for her!) with much excitement when she felt some coins under her pillow. She said the Tooth Fairy layed them out fancy under her pillow to say happy birthday to her.

Sylvia was also surprised to see her bedroom door decorated when her brother burst through it this morning!
She kept saying, "I am happy!" as she was getting ready for school.


She loved her birthday banner, streamers, and balloon bouquet.
The, "I love you so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so much!" is how she always tells us she loves us, so I wanted her to know we love her the same way!


We are waiting until the 14th to have her birthday party. But she chose macaroni and cheese for supper, and I made a Gooey Butter Cake in her honor, for supper.
We let her open a couple gifts.


She had told me she wanted a doll baby she could carry in a seat with handles, and she is thrilled this one. She's a Baby Alive Go Bye Bye in a 5-in-1 carrier, and she also makes cute noises.
She loves her, which she told us repeatedly all evening long,
and named her Lily Lollipop Lopshire.


All the kids were very taken with her, actually.



Baby went along with us to Mr. Anthony's 30th birthday surprise party last night too.


We try hard not to "blink" and miss the precious moments of our kids growing up SO quickly. It is hard to believe Sylvia is already 6, but she has brought us so much joy and sweetness.
We love her so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so much!!!

Preschool Changes

Homeschooling has been going really well with Caeden lately. He's been learning about the seasons and sun, moon, stars, comets, planets--the things God created on the 4th day of Creation. He made up a little song to go with one of his memory verses, Genesis 1:16--"God made two great lights--the greater light to rule the day, the lesser light to rule the night. He also made the stars." And on Monday, he was sounding out three-letter words and was so excited! He called Daddy at work to tell him, "Daddy I'm reading!!!!" On Tuesday, we finished up the first books of the curriculum...all set to start the second half.

I've been sort of surprised how much I've grown to love doing school with Caeden. It is a constant struggle getting him to sit still and listen, but it is awesome being there to see the "lightbulb" go on. I love the curriculum; the fact that it's Biblical and is teaching him all about the story of Creation and that he's learning scripture and remembering it. It's been a good experience for both of us.

But! God likes to shock us sometimes with situations that are totally unexpected, doesn't He?

Tuesday morning, I got a call from the pre-K teacher at the elementary school where the girls attend. She said an immediate spot had opened up in her class, and Caeden was next on the waiting list.

Uhhhhhhhh. I was so surprised, I barely knew what to say. I told her we would need to discuss it and decide. She needed to know our answer in 2 days! Time to start prayin'!

We had Caeden screened for this pre-K program last spring, and knew he was on the waiting list. But, I didn't expect a spot to open halfway through the year. We suddenly had a lot to consider--and quickly!

Yesterday, Caeden and I visited the pre-K class for the afternoon. It was great. He jumped right in and felt comfortable with the other kids. He had a chance to interact with all 3 teachers in the room. He spoke out of turn, and disobeyed the teacher's instructions and saw that he can't get away with that. He was excited when they talked about some things we've learned at home, and was obviously lost when they talked about some things we haven't. It was quite apparent that it would be a great environment for him.

SO! We're signing him up. By enrolling him now, he will be grandfathered in for next year's class, which we definitely don't want him to miss out on. Even though, I myself am not emotionally ready for him to start every day preschool next week, I know it will be good for him.

He will even ride the bus to and from school! Before you think I am totally insane putting my 4-year-old on a school bus, let me explain that it is a small bus that carries only preschoolers. There's no way we'd put him on the big bus.

I'm sure Caeden was overwhelmed with his classroom visit yesterday, and so tired, as we were tucking him in last night. Jeremy started to say to him, "Caeden, do you realize, when you go to school next week, Mommy will be home all by herself?" Caeden completely burst into tears and wailed, "But I can't ever go to school! I love her so much! I don't want to leave her all alone! She's the best mommy! I can't leave her!" Oh my gosh, talk about ripping my heart out! I was bawling too, and we hugged and hugged. Much as I would have liked to sit there and just hold him and bawl for a couple hours, I had to turn it around and do the positive talk.

He is really excited about going to school. I'm praying that getting on the bus won't be emotional for either of us. I think that will be the hardest part.

And so we start a new adventure! First, we have to buy him a backpack!

All Day Long

So yesterday was interesting... It rained, as predicted, with big thunderstorms starting in the wee hours of the morning. By mid-morning, we knew for sure water would be coming in the basement, as the rain wasn't stopping. The weather alert radio went off continuously all morning, and during lunch we had to retreat to the basement for a little while because there was a tornado coming our way. Thankfully, it missed us, but the winds were reported up to 80-miles-per-hour! Not long after that, the sump pump couldn't keep up anymore, and Jeremy had to start running another pump as the water came in the basement. He spent the rest of the day until about 10pm pumping it out periodically. We did make the right decision to come home early though, because had we not been here, the water would have risen higher and higher. He was able to keep it under control and away from the furnace, hot water heater, washer, dryer, etc.

While all that was going on, I spent the entire day putting together Sylvia's huge new Barbie dollhouse. (It was a "Santa" gift that actually came from us, my parents, and Travis & Erin, and included all the furniture and tiny accessories like food and teeny-tiny toiletries.) I actually finished it this morning, and she has been playing with it since. She said that now, when she and Annah get home from school in the afternoons, they will just say, "Hi Mom." and go upstairs to play with it and I won't get to see them anymore. I'm glad she likes it!




She thinks it's cool that it's taller than she is. Check it out...It even has a 3-story elevator!
When I was asking her to take a couple pictures, she and Annah were trying to play with it for the first time, and she said, "Okayyyy Mom! Can we get back to playing now?!?!?!"