September 2013, kids pictures

Elliott, Olivia

Ethan,Owen

Owen

Elliott

Ethan

Olivia

Duncan, Olivia, Elliott, Owen, and Ethan

 

Owen

Duncan

 

Duncan's first day of kindergarten

The time has come for Duncan to be a really big boy and go to school. He did well the first day, I only cried when he got on the bus! I took him to the bus stop by myself so I could take pictures. He was crazy as always trying to get pictures of him. He had a good first day but of course can't remember what he did! Oh well.
The other kids are adjusting well with him gone as we are in the second week. We walk him to the bus stop every morning and see him off then come home and play until lunch. Duncan does not want us to walk him to the bus, but we do, I like doing that until it gets cold! We stopped on our way home from the park one day last week to go to recess with him. He did give me a hug and kiss, but that was about it. The kids were glad to see him. He told his Dad when he got home he did not like it that we came to school to play at recess! Guess we won't do that for awhile! He must like his time away from all of us, which is good. Would rather have him like it than to cry every day! I am going to volunteer on Thursday mornings, so we will see how that goes!

Iowa State Fair 2013

The kids and I went to the fair on opening day. We made it by 8:30am, I was really amazed we made it. Tracy dropped us off at the campground so we would be there for the twins, triplets and more contest at 9. The kids got 5th place in the least look a like contest. Who knows how many more years we will do it. I guess if they don't want to, we won't! The rest of the morning we just wondered around and looked at some stuff. We rode the bus back to the school early afternoon because they were ready to come home.  We went a few other times too, we saw all the kid stuff, animals, little hands on the farm, there was a Lego display this year they really liked. We also went to the stop, drop and roll both, animal leaning center and down the giant slide. The boys loved the slide and wanted to go again, but I said no! $20 for the slide in one day was more than enough. I paid for the big kids to take the little kids so I could get pictures. Olivia did not want to go, so she sat on the bench with Grandma. We were at the fair on park and recreation day too. The kids played soccer, basketball, bowling, and the big wheel race. Duncan was in the pie eating contest too. They had lots of fun, but everyone was ready to come home by noon. Grandma brought them home so Tracy and I could enjoy the afternoon and evening at the fair. We had our annual eat around the fair day too. Duncan and Tracy hung with Rodney and Hannah for awhile on eat around the fair day while the rest of us went to the camper for a bit. Duncan got to sit on a 4 wheeler that moved around and also got to practice welding in a booth they had. They had lots of fun and he was very tired when we met back up with them. The kids' favorite thing was to ride the bus to and from the fair and go on a tractor ride.
We did not go to the fair as much as I thought we would, it was much more work than I thought it would be and the kids got tired and really needed to take a nap. Next year they will be a little bigger, so we will be able to go more. Hopefully we will get to camp next year and then we can hang at the camper and they will be able to lay down to rest!
At little hands on the farm Duncan and Tracy went all the way through, but the other 4 did not because the lines were to long and they just don't do well waiting in lines. Well maybe it is more Mom, but we just planted food and then went to harvest and got a treat!
It really worked well this year. We left the stroller at Abby's camper and someone would either meet us with it or we would get on the tractor and go to the campground and get it. (We only did that once), but Tracy and I did decide to walk to the gate to go home one day. It was a long walk from the tractor drop off, but the kids did well. We just had to carry them a little bit!

A little catch up since Easter!

Duncan is going to be in kindergarten starting in just a few short weeks! He finished preschool at the end of May. I think he likes being home, but he enjoys school to!
The other 4 did speech 2 times a month for the whole school year. This month the speech therapist came and said they all sound really good, so no more speech! All we have to do is call if we have a concern and they will come back to see the kids. They all are talking A LOT, sometimes I think to much!
Everyone went to the dentist and all is well, he said we are doing a good job brushing teeth. I often times wonder, Owen is a stinker and hates for us to help him. Some days I have to hold him down.
Duncan went to the eye doctor too, all is well there! Ethan and Owen both got new glasses, they had a recheck at the eye doctor. No changes just needed different glasses, they had theirs for a year and were all scratched up and bend out of shape.
Tracy and I went to Bettendorf for a night, it was fun. The kids stayed at Aunt and Uncles. We still have to pack a lot for them, but it is getting easier they don't need quite as much stuff as before. Only 2 trips to truck to unload this time! 
We went to a wedding in June and the kids had a blast dancing the night away.
We went to the park a lot with the Etter's and Dotzler's this summer. It is nice to have some adult conversation. We went to the wading pool at Ashby park and it was fun, but getting back to the truck was a disaster!
Owen is starting to show interest in the potty. He will usually go morning, noon and night! Ethan will sometimes sit and go and Olivia also will sometimes go. Elliott has zero interest. We are just letting them go at there own pace now. I am not going to worry about it, when it gets cold out and we are home, maybe they will be ready! I am hoping that maybe they will just potty train on their own! Wouldn't that be nice!
Since we went camping and the kids got to ride their bikes all day they have been pedaling away. Elliott and Owen have been riding the little bikes with training wheels. Ethan and Olivia can, just not as well. We only have 2, so we are looking for 2 more so hopefully no more fighting. They usually pick out what they want and that is theirs and they don't fight. Pretty amazing to me! We sometimes let Duncan ride around the block since he is getting bigger and we can see him almost the whole time. I am sad he is growing up so fast. That's life I guess.

Tracy is very busy at work. I worked more in the summer since the girls can help out and babysit for us. Much easier to have the kids at home! I am also doing some data entry at home which is nice. I usually work after the kids go to bed. 5 hours a week, doesn't sound like a lot, but sometimes I have trouble getting it done.

 

Guess that is all, we have just been playing outside a lot enjoying the weather!

Camping July 2013

We decided to go camping again this year. The babies are older and they will have lots of fun is what we told ourselves! We did have lots of fun! Randy and Val had a tent we used. We took the pack and plays but then did not set them up. The kids really  did well just laying down and going to sleep! On Saturday we rocked them because they were so tired from no naps, but it went well. They rode bikes and rode some more bikes all weekend! We did have to kid proof some stuff! Elliott above with the kid proofed water spicket! He tried to get it off but was not successful! Thank goodness. Tracy loved being able to cook over the camp fire, although I think he would of much rather cooked something besides brats and hot dogs. I went for easy stuff since we weren't sure how it was going to go!

took kids on a bike ride on Saturday and they fell asleep because they were so tired. It was short lived, as soon as we stopped, they woke up.

  

This is Randy and Val's grandson's. It was "broke" but they all piled on to sit on it. Olivia, Ethan, and Owen

Olivia crawled up on her Dad's cot and went to sleep!

Owen and Ethan (brown blanket)

Big boy Elliott

Duncan playing with glow sticks

Sad Sunday. None of the kids wanted to go home. They sure did sleep good at home on Sunday night though! They all liked being able to go right outside and ride bikes first thing in the morning! Owen still ask in the morning if he can go outside as soon as he gets up! I have to tell him no we have to eat first! Our kids love the outside for sure.

It was a little chilly when we camped. Who would of thought the last weekend in July and it was like 55 degrees at night! I had to go to Wal-Mart and buy long sleeve shirts for the kids on Saturday morning! They wore them on Saturday and Sunday. It was nice but a little windy and chilly all weekend. It was a good weekend and we can't wait to be able to go more. Hopefully next year, we are saving money so we can get a camper again! We had to borrow lots of stuff all weekend which drove Tracy and I both CRAZY!

A little of everything May/June/July 2013

The kids love to go for bike rides! Olivia, Owen, Duncan, Ethan, Elliott  Duncan 5 yrs. Quads 2 1/2. 5/13

We love to play at the park. The "babies" could do way more than Mom wanted them to this year! Ethan, Olivia, Elliott 2 yrs. 5/13

Break for a sucker! Duncan, Ethan, Owen, Olivia, and Elliott 5/13

Duncan making Uncles Birthday cake. 5 yrs  5/13

Duncan and Uncle with the birthday cake.

We love to meet our friends at parks and play. Splash pad by Hy-Vee in Altoona. Owen, Ethan, Olivia, Elliott, and Duncan 6/13.

Walk home from Aunt's. Apple break. Ethan, Elliott, Owen, Duncan, and Olivia 7/13

Duncan decided to sleep beside his bed on a little mattress! 6/13

Another play date at the Dotzler's! Lots of kids. 16 to be exact, 2 sets of quads, us quads plus one and one set of triplets. The kids had a blast and we could sit and visit because they couldn't get out!! 6/13

Olivia decided to sun screen herself. I can't leave the room for 5 seconds some days. 6/13

Fun at Yellow Banks park while Duncan was at a friends. Ethan, Elliott, Owen, and Olivia 7/13

4th of July, Duncan took pictures of fireworks. We went to the parking ramp downtown to watch! It was a fun time. A bit challenging to keep everyone off of the wall!

The 4 wheeler must of been broke! Olivia, Duncan, Ethan holding Owen 7/13

Olivia 7/13

Duncan 7/13

Owen 7/13

Ethan 7/13

Ornery Elliott 7/13

Tracy and Duncan went to buy a picnic table for us and came home with this water slide too! The kids really like it! 7/13

Angels when they are asleep! Owen almost always sleeps on the floor by himself!

Duncan has decided he likes to sleep in our room. He will just sneak into bed if he can get away with it. This night I had taken him to his bed once and he came back. I just made him sleep on the floor. 7/13

Polk county fair. The kids loved the goats. I think they would of stayed there for hours. Owen in yellow, Olivia and Ethan. 7/13

RAGBRAI came through town this year. We tried to walk around, but lots of people. So we came home and watched from the deck. Lots of riders went through the alley and almost everyone said hi. We had a few bikes in the drive way for awhile. It was fun to watch.  7/13

My friend Christa from work gave us this swing set. The kids love it! Olivia, Elliott, Duncan, and Ethan  7/13

 

This and That

From Mother's Day weekend, May 2013



The kids and I had lunch with Hannah at school for her birthday. It was a week late since the kids decided to have fevers on her birthday. It was nice, then we went and saw one of her classrooms.
Tracy and I went to Dave Ramsey at the civic center. It was very cool to meet him! The program was good too, and now we need to really get back on track.
Mother's Day weekend: Friday, We went as a family to Sarah's tennis meet. Played at the park and went out to dinner. We went for Mexican since the kids love rice and beans. Everyone was very good and ate well.
Saturday: Olivia and I went with Mom to the Mother Daughter Brunch at church. It was a lot of fun. Tracy and the boys went to Menard's and got flowers and veggies for the garden. This was the first time Tracy took all the boys at one time. Everyone did well! During nap time, Duncan and I mowed the yard and scooped dog poop. The other kids all napped well since the house was so quiet. Tracy also had a bad cold so he took a nap! After naps we planted the garden and flowers. The kids liked doing that. Then we cleaned out the suburban, took car seats out and vacuumed and cleaned it out. Man I can't wait until we don't have to run so much so the kids don't have to eat in the car so much.
Sunday: Tracy made eggs and potatoes for breakfast. The kids slept in until 8.  Church as a family, all the kids did awesome. Donuts after church then home so we could go to Abby's for dinner. We had chicken legs on the grill, yummy. We spent the afternoon outside, the kids played, rode bikes, and finally did eat a little. Ethan found a dead mouse in the grass and picked it up. He was bringing it to us, but he dropped it and was very upset when his Uncle threw it away. Gross is all I can say.  Bed time was easy, not a peep out of anyone.

Olivia all pretty for Mother's Day Brunch.n 5/13 2 years

 Shopping for groceries.

 Planting the garden with Dad.

Mac decided to swim!

What a day

From May 2013


The day started normal for a no school day. I didn't dress the kids because I had some stuff to get done. If they get dressed they are ready to go! Before lunch we got dressed and went out.
Elliott didn't have his shoes on,  I thought he was saying deck but really was saying dogs. He gave his sandals to the dogs. Of course Duke had eaten 1/2 of one before I realized this. So I went in to get them. Well Mac got out. So Duncan ran after him and jumped on his back. Mac was just walking around the tree in the front yard.  My concern was the other 4 kids running off, but they didn't! So we got  Mac back in and Duke got out. He only went to the garage. So we got him in with animal crackers! The real trick was getting Mac away from the gate so I could open it. Finally he went over by the kids and garage, I got Duke in. Elliott knows how to flip the gate open so we have to be sure to keep it locked. This was all before lunch. We went in for lunch and naps. Then back out so I could cook on the grill for supper.  Well it was  out of gas. All the kids are in the drive way playing so I run in quick put supper on pan and in oven.  Come back 20 minutes later and smoke rolling out of the oven. Well I didn't think about juice running off the meatloaf patties, shut oven off and got supper out. Back outside till smoke clears out. Coming in for supper and Elliott is climbing over the fence to be with the dogs! He will get it done by the end if summer. He has been giving us a run for our money lately. He is ornery and always trying to get away with something! In for supper, carrots, grapes, and meatloaf. Kids love meatloaf, they ate almost 2 pounds of meat plus the fruit and veggies! Working up appetites being outside so much.

Duncan hooked the bike cart up to the jeep, he was in trouble and couldn't drive the jeep. So he rode in the bike cart while Ethan drove! Then he decided to hook it up to his bike, didn't work so well. The cart just drug on the ground. I told Duncan that he was not steady enough to pull anything yet.

The little boys went for haircuts the other day, we went to Fantastic Sam's while Duncan was at school. They all did very well, climbed right up in the chair and let her use the clippers with no problems.

What  a day.