St. Patrick's Day baby (not a baby any more!)

Due to having club on Tuesday and the fact that we normally will celebrate birthdays on a Saturday, we had Dakotah's party this past Saturday. Here is such a sweet daddy, decorating Dakotah's cake. Now normally we let them pick what they want us to decorate their cake like, but Dakotah didn't get a choice this year because we wanted to play a little joke on him. You see, Dakotah has been wanting a Nintendo DS for a VERY long time and so we decided to decorate his cake as a DS and give him his DS he has wanted so dearly.


So, he thought it was funny that his cake looked like a DS, but a bit bummed when we told him it was his DS he had been wanting. He corrected us and explained that it was a REAL DS he had wanted.


What little St. Patties kid doesn't deserve a cool green top hat as a party hat?!

Cool, a new Star Wars book from Colby and a DS game from Grammy Theresa and Grandpa Rob.... wait, now that means he has to ask and be so nice to Colby in hopes he will share his DS with him so he can play his game.

OOOh! A new transformer and one that is much more simple to transform than most of the ones we have.
Ok guys seriously, a DS case with game cases and more cool stuff, but Colby is never going to let me store his stuff in here.

More games too. UUUUH, these are cool but I know Colby isn't going to let me play all the time like I am going to want to. DRUM ROLL PLEASE...........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OH YEAH! The present I have been waiting for! What joy you get from watching your kid kind of flip out with a BIG smile because he actually got what he had been wanting so bad.
Well, today is his actual birthday and he will be getting a cool new quilt. It's very green, very St. Patrick's Dayish and has a dog on it that looks like his favorite stuffed dog. I will post a picture of it once I get the binding finished.
Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!!!!!

This ones for Theresa

I am posting this picture for one of my dear mothers who I was having a conversation with the other day about my hair getting shorter. I told her I would post a recent picture to show her since I had it cut again. Well Theresa, here it is. Sometime I flip it out at the bottom, but this seems to be the way I wear it most. I love it though and I'm sure I will appreciate it when it gets hot this summer. It has been a year come April that I have not been able to put my hair in a pony tail.

Our Fairy Fun Afternoon

This afternoon at a dance studio in Wabash, they had a "fairy" day. It was a blast for the girls and a blast for me to watch. First we had to sign in and since my girls didn't have wings they let them borrow some for the duration of the afternoon. Once signed in it was time for them to take their picture, but after I got a picture myself. Now the girls don't have a typical fairy dress up costume, they had their leotards and tights from Christmas and then they wore a ribbon skirt I made them (my Oma gave me the idea as well as all the ribbon). Then they wore their ballet slippers.



My little ribbon fairies.
After pictures, they broke up into age groups. Autumn was more than happy to venture off on her own while I chaperoned Madi. First Madi and I went to the story time station where we learned all about fairies. Next was a craft station where they decorated a picture frame with foam fairy stickers (this was for later to put their pictures in once they were developed). After that station it was off to the wand making station. The picture above is Madi showing off her newly made wand, ribbons, bell and all. At this station the girls also got to play with hula hoops. This was entertaining to watch Madi because she had the concept with out being shown how to do it, but I think she is just too little to handle a hula hoop. You can see by her skirt in the picture though she sure was trying.
We actually passe Autumn while changing stations and I took a quick shot of her and her newly made friend who later I learned is in Dakotah's class. Autumn was having so much fun and I think it was good for her to be in her own group away from her sis so she could be free to just enjoy.
Oh yeah, ext station..... cookie decorating station. Madi decorated a butterfly cookie and we found out Autumn did a flower one. After decorating, yep Madi got the chance to taste her work of art. I got to enjoy it too. After filling up the belly a bit, off to learn a fairy dance. Each class learned the same dance, but at the end of the event, they brought all the girls together to do the dance as one. Wow, it was a packed dance studio which made less space to really get the dance done but the girls looked so stinkin cute doing their twirls and fairy arms and the whole dance.It was a very enjoyable "girl's" afternoon out. Now before you go feeling bad for the boys I will tell you they were taken out to eat for lunch followed by about a 2 to 2.5 hour adventure at the park which included racing dad which I hear Dakotah gave up and Colby smoked both Dakotah and dad, or as Colby just informed me..... he "totally kicked dad's butt". The boy isn't competitive usually, I think the sure excitement of actually out running a grown up let alone your dad will light a little fire in you.

*Rodney actually had to pull back to get Dakotah to keep moving since he decided to literally sit down right in the middle of the path, thus causing Colby to beat him.

Pioneer Family Pizza Night

Last night was our Family Night at Pioneer Club. We had Pizza Night which obviously consisted of pizza but the kids got to put on the toppings. We bought the crusts all ready to go, sauced them and then lined them up n the counter for the kids to have at it. I actually think they did very good. I have to admit I was a bit worried how the pizzas were going to end up looking after the kids added their toppings (I was thinking back to crazy hair night and for us club people and parents who attended, we all know how that looked).

Here is Colby and a few kids that are in my class adding their toppings. Colby of coarse, cheesing for the camera.

Braden was very serious and intent on where the mushrooms went on his pizza. Such determination.
Another look of determination, this time with cheese. Cordell was precise on his cheese placement.
These girls were enjoying each others conversation as they decided what to put on their pizza.
The Carpenter family worked together to create their master piece for our event.
Once the pies were topped, we had to cook them and while that was going on all the kids found something to entertain. Some went to the kids room to play, some ran around, mine sat at their table as long as they could waiting for their pies. They really just wanted to scarf their pizza so they could have dessert, mom's fruit pizzas. Yeah, I made two fruit pizzas and two cookie dessert pizzas which consist of a cookie for the crust just as the fruit one, but then strawberry jam spread on it, shredded white chocolate for the cheese and circle cut out fruit roll up for the pepperoni. They were cute and all of it was gone at the end of the night.
Here is a group that found the stacking cups to keep them busy, including my daughter Bre which is the one sitting and facing the camera.
The boys got their turn on the cups too.
After food, Jennifer and Gay took the kids to the old sanctuary to play a relay game while many of the parents helped the remaining club leaders clean up. It was such a great night and actually the best one I think we have had. At least since I have been a part of club. Thanks to all parents who helped, donated food and to my fellow club leaders.

I love piggies and we have a challenge!

I truly love piggy tails! I wore them much while I was young and my girl actually let me put her hair up the other night, in a long time. My dear girl friend's little one (Miss Rachel) has made it to the piggy tail club and I adore seeing them on her cute little head every Sunday. My Miss Madi has been asking me since the other night, to see my picture of me when I had my piggies. She enjoys my stories of when I was young and I adore telling them to her. She is growing up so fast!

Me when I was 3 or 4........................... Madi this past weekend

We started a challenge today, a stop sucking the thumb during the day challenge. For those of you who have been around Madi ever since she was so little, your probably have a look on your face like.......
OK, maybe more of a surprised, shocked look. Yes, we are going to try to progressively make the habit disappear. We started with a band aide on the thumb as her "mander" as she calls it which is reminder. She has 5 chances a day (for a week or two). If she doesn't get 5 frowny faces on her chart, she gets a sticker (tonight she got a sucker), the next two days she has to get stickers to get her sucker on Friday. We will keep you posted on her progress. As for today, she made it the whole day without it getting to her or her sucking on it or even trying to take off the band aide. She did outstanding as far as mommy is concerned. She is my sweet girl!!!!

Presidents Day at the Children's Museum (this is a long one)

Presidents Day, our kids had the day off from school except Bre. She goes to the city school, so I guess you could say them there country kids had the day off. After having already decided we wanted to take them to the museum, I did some research and found that they offer free days on particular days and by george, one of those days was right around the corner. We just saved a bundle! Here is the crew nice and early, just loaded into the van and ready to head south. It was a surprise and suppose to stay that way until one evening at the dinner table DAD let it totally slip!


This is a beautiful blown glass display that is right in the center of the walk way that takes you from floor to floor (four floors let me tell you).
This is in the Carousel and Dreams area. It has three play houses, one is an ice cream parlor, one a house and the last is a tree house complete with some contraption that allows you to look out over the area electronically. The kids couldn't really explain it to me and I couldn't get up there to see it myself. I also couldn't get all the kids to stay up there and wait until they were together to get a picture. Her is Miss Madi and her side kick brothers.
Miss Autumn poking her head out as well. After playing a bit in the houses we moved onto the carousel. Now, a few weeks ago we took the kids on a carousel in Fort Wayne at the mall and when the ride began to slow down, my Madi began to cry because she wasn't done and her ride was NOT over. She was ever so excited when she saw this ride up on this floor of the museum. She could hardly wait.
She did experience a bit of upset feelings when she found out her brother would be riding on the buck though and not letting her. The girl just can't have it perfect you know. She did enjoy though and flashed me a sad look when this ride too began to slow down. Good thing there was so much to do that would distract her.

Daddy was with the girls while mom.......
was with the boys. After taking their picture, the horse next to them was open, so I my self got to have a ride. I love carousels and always have since I was a little girl and my Grammy and grandpa would take me to Pier 39 and I would always get to go on the carousel. How exciting it was to go and I would go by myself so it was even more exciting feeling so big but every rotation always looking for their faces and waiting to wave to them. Next stop, the science area with the most exciting part for our kids.......
the water table. What kid doesn't love to play in water, splash and soak their regular clothes? Our kids do and boy were their sleeves sooo wet. As I have made tradition from way back, I took a self picture. I have made this something Rodney and I do now when we go on vacation or adventures. It will be good when the kids can take our pictures, but I have always enjoyed trying to figure out where to hold the camera so I would cut any ones head off. He's such a good sport and we have actually ended up with some pretty good pictures.
Lego Land display. This was amazing! They had this huge dragon made from the tiny Lego's, they had a life size horse with night on him made of the block sized Lego's and they had
a life size armor made of the small Lego's as well. It was a knight/kingdom theme if you couldn't tell, complete with a video game where you could build a wall around your castle, then aim a catapult and launch it virtually.
Ok, now to many this little model of a town will just be kind of "eh", but to those who are from Madison Indiana or are married to someone from there this is cool. This was a replica of Madison from sooo long ago. I actually forget the date and didn't write it down. It was some time in the 1800's and when trains were main transport (aside from boats). This was unexpected and such a delight. I was able to get a picture of a sign they had that said something about Madison station computer desk that Rodney will be putting as his wallpaper on his computer.
After our stroll through Madison we ran into some ferocious, huge creatures. The dinosaurs were cool! Madi was kind of taken and the boys and Rodney loved it. I enjoyed it as well and actually snuck away to a cubby hole that was a part of the display where you crawl in and pop your head up into this bubble, then Rodney got the kid's attention and I waved to them. They were really intrigued how I was there. They got a turn too.
Ok, almost through our day. Wow, I am almost getting as tired blogging this as I was this day. This picture is actually (stick with me) the floor where the blown glass piece is sitting on, but is the ceiling to the room below. It was such a beautiful display of colors and it took all you had not to just throw your head back and get lost in the sea of it all.
Our last stop was the planetarium. I took this picture right before the show would begin and can you tell how tired this crew is? Wow. Madi fell asleep before the show started (basically as soon as I was done with the picture taking). After we left the museum, we took a drive through the city (Colby and I love to see the city so much and I have a feeling the rest do to). We then took a drive towards home, stopping in Kokomo to have dinner at the Cracker Barrel. The kids were so good even with being so tired. We stuffed our selves so much it was crazy and everyone except the adults and Colby fell fast asleep the remaining portion home. What a way to celebrate!

A new look!

I got my new glasses today and I am very excited about it. Let me tell you all a little bit about where I am at right now with this whole glasses thing. Obviously I have been having issues seeing and was beginning to get headaches. I bought my self some Walmart reading glasses and have been using them for about a year and a half now. I had the opportunity to go to the eye doctor and have an exam. Here is the thing....... I am at the time of the exam, only 27. I have been dealing with getting gray hair ( and I'm not talking 1 or 2). The eye doctor tells me "bifocals". Seriously! Now I feel so much older than I am. At first I decided against them and was going with just prescription reading glasses. Well, I came to my senses, got over myself and went a head with the bifocals. I got progressive so there is no line. I LOVE them! I can so see and have a new look on things. The only bad thing, I can really see those gray hairs now. I'll be taking care of those in a few weeks.