Game update and costume time

Game over. Final score (tyler) Iowa 36 (daddy) Nebraska 15.

A picture of all three in costume today. Jake just got a dinosaur costume for Halloween. Kevin thought it would be fun for Jake because he can roar. Tonight we put it on him and he had a blast scaring us all. And Ty dressed up as a knight and Kevin was Agent P from Phineas and Ferb. They all had fun playing before dinner. So fun to see them all play.

Game night with dad

Tyler helped get his brothers bathed and in bed and them raced to the basement with dad for a football video game night. They haven't done this in a long, long time and not sure if ever a late night session since its almost nine.

I have just been listening to their chatter while baking some cookies for the start of football tomorrow. I came down to this scene.



Tyler was so into the game he didn't hear my two request to be a taste tester. And daddy wasn't answering either. Then I realized the situation. Tyler is Iowa and Adam is Nebraska. A match up Tyler asked for at dinner since dad is the only one who owns a Nebraska shirt and Tyler wanted to be Iowa since its his favorite team.

In case you can't read the scoreboard....Iowa is up 29 and Nebraska has 7 with two minutes left. Dad is definitely sweating it right now as I watch the final seconds tick by.

Tuesday

I came downstairs to this this morning. Next time I wash my ironing board cover I need to quickly put I back on I guess. They were turning the stairs into a treehouse.

First soccer game

Tyler had his first soccer game today. He was super excited! We were running late so Adam dropped Tyler and me off and went to find a parking space. In the rush, I left my camera in the car. :(. Thankfully, I had my phone so I got a few pictures.

Here they are about to kick off (Tyler's team is in red this week).



And at the end of the game. Kevin couldn't wait to give him a big high five and then dad and I followed.






He had a blast! He had a good save at his end of the field and his team pulled out a victory. I hadn't realized how much he would run! I had envisioned more day dreaming but these boys tried their hardest.

A little bit of everything.

Kevin has finally learned to read enough words (he has been asking for awhile to learn to read) that we could play around with various sentences. So last week he made two videos in his excitement to play with the dry erase board and read!  He couldn't wait for Tyler or daddy to actually get home and make up new sentences for him to read to them.  He is just so happy!

And dad made all of his excitement even better because once Kevin finished reading to daddy, daddy gave him a huge high five, started chanting "Kevin, Kevin", and threw Kevin up on his shoulder for a victory lap around the kitchen table while Tyler and I clapped along.  Needless to say, Kevin was all smiles, and has been very excited every day since asking for us to make him some new words to read.

Dad also suggested that we find some books for Kevin to read, since so far he has just been playing around with magnetic letters on a cookie sheet and then words we write on a dry erase board.  So Tyler and I got into our new roles of Jack and Annie (more about that below) and wished that we could go to Kevin and Jacob's room as I knew I had some simple readers stored away.  We completed our mission and found two books Kevin could read, and Kevin was very thrilled to lay down with daddy and read them to him.  Just love it.  First that he is excited about books, and secondly that he was having so much fun with daddy today.


Anyways....here are two videos of Kevin from last week.

 

 

 

Tyler was super excited for his very first show and tell. He came home with instructions on Thursday to practice several times before presenting on Friday. His instructions were to bring something that could fit into his backpack.  Even without that limitation he has always been adamant that Blur, his stuffed pet cheetah, would be the prized possession to share with his classmates.  So we headed home so he could find Blur, who happened to be hanging out on the fridge handle (he's always up to something), and tell him about Show and Tell.

We loaded up with snacks when we got home, headed out to the deck because it was so nice, and I taped Tyler's first attempt at presenting Blur. We had talked on the way home about what he wanted to share with the class.  He decided that he wanted to tell his class about how he got Blur (at the zoo), how he thought of his name (he heard it on a t.v. show), and where he sleeps (in his room, but tends to wander around the house at night and winds up in the silliest of places most mornings).  He also wanted to tell his classmates about Cheetahs because they are his favorite animal.  We haven't a clue what he actually said at show and tell, but during the few times he practiced he told us the following about Cheetahs:

- They live in Africa.
- They are his favorite color, yellow.
- They have camouflage.
- They have special markings on their faces so their eyes are protected from the hot sun.
- Their babies are called cubs.
- Their nails do not retract into their paws.
- They are the fastest animals to run on land, at 70 miles an hour, and hence why he likes them so much.

He tells us that Show and Tell was a lot of fun.  He says that he got to go first and Blur behaved all day at school (we were worried he might escape).  His favorite part was at the end when two questions were allowed to be asked of each presenter.  He loved that one person told him that they like his Cheetah, and then another person asked him where he got Blur and where does he sleep.

Here is a video of his first practice for Show and Tell.  Such a fun and exciting thing for him! :)

The highlight of some nights if dinner is cooked early, is that we can run outside and wait for daddy to get home. All three boys tend to run circles around the driveway, and yell in delight if they find a bug or spider.  They all love looking for these creatures and then get down low and watch them walk around.  When daddy finally appears with his car he flashes the lights and honks the horn, and all three start screaming in excitement!  And of course the best part is they all start begging to hop in dad's car so they can push all the buttons and check out all of the "secret" compartments.   In the past just T and K have done this, but this week J started expressing his desire (and disappointment when I didn't let him) to ride as well.  Such a simple thing, but all three just get so excited!  :)



A fun highlight to end of the week was having Sarah and her kids visit! We wish that they could have stayed longer but are so happy that they came!  It was fun finally getting to meet her kids, and next time we hope that she brings her husband along too.  It had been many, many years since we have seen her so it was a lot of fun to catch up with Sarah in between taking care of all of the kiddos.  While they were here, we had six kids, aged 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and 0 (he's not in the picture).  I kept meaning to get some posted pictures as it will likely be awhile before we see them again as they live way out East, but I at least got this one at breakfast.  :)



A screenshot of what Tyler was playing on the computer this afternoon. He is currently obsessed the Magic Tree House series and sure enough there is a website with games and activities related to the book series.  He got his sights set on checking one of the books out from the school library, and once he succeeded on Friday, it kicked up a whirlwind of excitement.  He had that book finished by Saturday morning, and then this afternoon we took turns reading one together before he ran off to play on the website.  Then the evening was spent in character with him being Jack, the brother in the series, and I was Annie, the sister in the series and we went on lots of adventures until I had to call it quits because it was bedtime.   Thankfully, I really like the series so I don't mind the constant focus on it right now.  :)




As part of our role play I was itching to make a fort.  Tyler helped me and was excited to announce that our tree house was finished.  He added the snake so it could be the ladder to climb up.  We had fun planing out our next adventure, though at this point I was exhausted. 

Kevin was thrilled to get a tent and begged to get to sleep in it tonight.  He had a blast playing action figures and was very thrilled when daddy came in to play with him as well. 

Jacob wasn't too sure about the tent, but he was very content to just grab a bunch of Hot wheels and go play on the trampoline with them.  He would occasionally come check on all of us, but appeared to enjoy the freedom and quiet to just line up his cars.







The dogs just enjoyed laying around the house this afternoon.  Ellie hasn't been feeling well the last few days so we took her on a last minute trip to the vet this morning.  It turns out that she has a herniated disk!  So she got some medicine and has been instructed to avoid stairs and live in our basement as much as possible to get some quiet and take it easy.  Hopefully she can rest up and quickly get better.  We all just feel so badly for her, and I know that her constant laying around is driving Carlie crazy.  ;) 

The Zoo, A Train Ride, and A Spider

While Tyler was in school, Kevin, Jake, and I headed to the Lincoln zoo with some new friends.  Kevin really enjoyed getting to ride the train with them and couldn't wait to tell Tyler that he meet two new boys today!  I kept trying to tell him that he swam this summer with one of them in his lessons, but he wasn't hearing it.  :)  He was just very excited to go play with two new friends and ride the train.  Tyler was very patient as Kevin tried to remember their names, and then very excited for Kevin as Kevin told him all the animals that he saw.  I gave Tyler a super big hug for that one!



After I finished hosing Jake off on the side of the house (he was covered in popsicle) I walked back around to see both big kids doing this.  UPon closer inspection, I realized that they were checking out a hairy spider! (eewww)  But Tyler exclaimed "this is the most awesome thing ever" and Kevin screamed in agreement, so I snapped a picture.  I don't get boys sometimes, but I enjoyed watching them be excited about something.  :)


And I have to also comment that today is the first day of Adam teaching a class! Yes, he has been working very hard for awhile to prepare and working on research, but I still think that it is very neat that today is the first of hopefully many first day of classes for him teaching a law class.  I can just imagine him rolling his eyes as he reads this, but I am an awfully proud wife and hope that he is more willing to talk about his day today than our five year old son seems to be.  :)

Popsicles and Bicycles

After we picked Tyler up, the kids all played on their bicycles and ate a popsicle.  They only lasted about forty minutes outside until Tyler and Kevin were begging to come inside where it was cooler.  Jacob didn't protest so I guess he was hot too.

 

I was floored to watch Jacob eat a popsicle.  In fact, I didn't get him one at first.  Last Thursday he fell and banged his mouth on the dog bowl.  It chipped a tooth, knocked two loose, and gave him quite the swollen lip.  Since then he has refused anything too hot or too cold, and has only been eating super soft food.

 

I even took him to the dentist today to get his teeth looked at and the dentist confirmed that he should be eating just purees for awhile longer and that his mouth is probably still pretty sensitive so to go slowly with introducing back in foods.  Well, Jake was having none of the water or applesauce when he saw that his brothers were getting a popsicle!  So I went and got him one too.  Most of it melted onto the driveway (and him) as it was so warm, but he enjoyed a bite here or there.  I just shocked though that he even wanted to eat it, but I guess you don't want to be left out.  ;) 

 

So while the kids played, Carlie and I watched them and I took a few pictures to share. And no worries....once I realized that Kevin's helmet was on backwards, I got it changed...even though he made me chase him up a few houses first.  :)

 

Bubble time!

While Tyler was in school today, Kevin and Jacob spent some time outside playing with bubbles.  Jacob had a good time trying to pop them as Kevin blew them, and Kevin LOVE being in control here.  If you haven't gathered from my last post or two, he is REALLY enjoying his new role as the sole big kid in the house and is very serious when it comes to helping Jacob do things.  In fact, today he was insistent that I stay away after lunch as Kevin wanted to scoot back Jacob's chair and help him down from his booster seat.  :)  

So while they played, I took some pictures from up on the deck.  :)

I have to share that tonight after Kevin's bath I was busy combing his hair that Kevin and I had a fun conversation.  

Me: You are so handsome.

Kevin: No, I am not handsome. My hair is wet.

Me: Yes, but you are cute with your hair combed.

Kevin: (Laughing) I am not cute. I am handsome when I am big like daddy.

Me: You will be and you are now.  Will your wife be pretty? 

Kevin: (Serious) No.

Me: Will she be cute?

Kevin: (serious) No.

Me: Well, what will she be then Kevin?

Kevin: Hungry.

Me: She'll be hungry?

Kevin: (Laughing) Hungry!

This conversation was just so random!!  He thought it was quite the funny joke though.  ;)

And one more from today.  After we all got buckled in the car from picking Tyler up (I was planning on walking, but Carlie scooted her way past Kevin and I couldn't get her easily back inside as she hid behind my car in the garage....so I just gave in and let the dogs come with me to pick him up.  Carlie is just not fond of this constant coming and going and leaving Tyler behind I think!).

Anyways...we get buckled in and Tyler seriously says that he has something to tell me.  He tells me that I probably don't want to hear it but he needs to tell me.  I figure he got in trouble and is scared to fess up so I tell him that its okay and to tell me.  He then confesses that he sat in the "safe seat" (a time out like tool that they use in the classroom to keep the kids in line). I respond quickly with an "oh no" and ask him what happened, he pauses.  He then starts laughing and tells me that he was just practicing telling me that he had to sit in the safe seat and that he really didn't get in trouble!  He thought it was so funny, and when we got home we talked more (as I wanted to make sure that he didn't get in trouble) he explained that his teacher was letting everyone in the class try it out while she explained all things that could get them in trouble (and hence land them in the safe seat for awhile).  Such a wise guy.  (Though I thought it was cute so he did the same thing to dad when dad got home).  :)