Sunday, November 9, 2014

My brave little Cub Scouts!


The boys became Cub Scouts at the end of the school year last year.  We joined late so there was not a lot of activities for them initially.  I had wanted to take them camping because I'm a firm believer that's how you bond with other kids - getting out of your regular life and having a camp adventure.  However every trip scheduled didn't work with our already busy summer.  We got an opportunity to go camping the week before I had a camp trip with Girl Scouts.  I couldn't go because I was still preparing for that trip so Steve went.  The boys were super excited and the day came along with a nasty thunder storm.  The lighting prevented camping the first night but Steve took them the next day.  They had the best time but did not stay since we had the very first Sunday school class of the season the next day in church.  Since then, Evan has asked me several times if we could go camping with the Cub Scouts.  That's how we ended up camping last week in 30 degree weather with 10 kids and their parents.  I was worried that this trip would make them hate camping since it was so cold so I prepared them the best I could: long underwear, new socks, new hats and gloves.  All stuff they needed anyway but now with a sense of urgency.  I'm happy to say they had a great time.  There was a big sand hill at our camp site that all of the boys spent the weekend on playing.  Sean predictably was ready to go home the second night but a promise of doughnuts on Sunday morning was all he needed to spend another night.  I did not disappoint them.  They ate a lot of doughnuts.  They earned it.  No complaints of being cold and very few of being bored.  I was so happy to see them happy!

Monday, November 3, 2014

Zombies and Vampires Oh My!

The boys had decided early on what they wanted to be for Halloween so I headed off to Goodwill to see what I could find.  Goodwill had the perfect zombie costume for Evan and a new Dracula cape for Sean.  I also got Sean a white dress shirt, black vest and vampire medallion instead of buying a all in one vampire costume.  I wanted to be able to layer his clothes because it was freezing on Halloween!  It worked out.  The day came and while we were very cold, they really enjoyed trick or treating.  They even go to go with their friends for a while and were very happy!  




Monday, August 25, 2014

First Day of School

Evan and Sean start first grade today.  Sean is at a different school in our district where they have a special education program for his grade level.  I am so worried for him but he was in good spirits and was chatty with his new teacher.  I hope he likes it. He complained so much about school the last few months of Kindergarten.  Evan on the other hand was chomping at the bit to go back to school.  He wanted to see his friends.


Sunday, August 24, 2014

Cub Scout Evan


Evan and I went on a hike with the Cub Scouts yesterday.  The scout season starts this week and oddly enough Evan is excited.  He really wants to hang out with the other boys and be social.  He insisted on wearing his uniform on this one hour hike!  (Of course it got hot and he had to take it off!)

Summertime Sadness

Steve and I did our best (well mostly Steve) to make the last week before school a fun one.  The kids went to the movies, the park, visit with Grandma, Six Flags (twice), the zoo and MSI.  Also they took their first Metra ride (commuter rail) to get to the city.  All in all, it was a tiring week but I think they had fun!



Sunday, July 27, 2014

My boys are SIX!!!!

I cannot believe it but they are getting to be so grown up!  Even though we celebrated in the Dells, we had a dinner to celebrate my sister-in-law's birthday and we waited to open presents and have cake (everybody got their own personalized birthday dessert) on Friday the 25th. So the boys had to wait three days to get their scooters.  They were happy. Grandma got them these giant pizza slices that they love just as much and are dragging around the house!  


:)

Camping 2014

We did our annual camping trip to Devil's Lake this week.  It happen to fall during the boys birthday (the 22nd) so instead of hiking we went to Mount Olympus Amusement and Water Park in the Dells.  The boys were appropriately surprised and happy.  We didn't get a hike in but the water park walking wore us out anyway.  It was a great trip!  

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Water Water Everywhere

The boys went on a Cub Scout water park night.  They got to swim from 8 to 10pm - just the Pack and no one else.  Sean swam very little - he spent the entire night doing the water slide.  Then he and Evan gave me a heart attack jumping into a 12 ft pool.  They took swimming and were fine (and there was a life guard) but it is hard for me to handle!

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Sean's Mug is Famous

I post a lot of pictures to Flickr and Sean has been used in several internet things.  Most of them have been articles that are really advertisements.  Today though, he is on something kind of big.  I need to get him an agent!

http://moms.popsugar.com/photo-gallery/35142144/Why-cant-understand-difference-between-tomorrow-today


Sunday, June 29, 2014

Squid-Os

They are so pleased with themselves for winning these at Wac-a-Mole!
















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Saturday, June 14, 2014

2nd Tooth Gone

Both front tooth gone..
He keeps reminding Sean that Sean hasn't lost any yet... sigh....











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Friday, June 13, 2014

Day Camp

Evan on Circus Day - he's a chiquaqua
This is the first summer the boys are not going to a daycare facility for the summer.  They are going to summer camp.  What's the difference?  Summer Camp (in my book) is outside all day type stuff with some swimming if possible.  Daycare is usually not (they go outside but it's not the homebase).  Gretchen has been doing a YMCA camp the last few years where she gets to go swimming and boating every day, archery and other fun stuff.  She loves it.  I was worried about sending Sean and Evan since Sean is a bit of hard case to transition to new settings especially since they are doing two different camps.  The good news is the are both really enjoying it!  No more whining about not wanting to go to school.  No more teary pleas to go to work with us (true story).  They are getting so big!  I miss them as babies but when they get in the car from being at camp and they are excited to tell me what they did that day, I am so happy.

Monday, June 2, 2014

And we have 2 more scouts in the family.....

The boys joined Cub Scouts last month....  Now Steve is the only "non scout" in the family.  Evan really took to it and was making friends.  Sean likes it but he is definitely easing into it.  Compared to Evan his pace is so much slower but I know that if ends up liking it, he'll get comfortable.  We went to a Cross Over Camp out but we didn't camp.  I'm hoping to take them early fall.  Balancing Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts is gonna be tricky but these faces remind me it's worth it....



Monday, May 5, 2014

Cowboy Day

Kindergarten counts down the last days of the year with the alphabet.  Today is C day which is Cowboy day.  I bought these hats last year for the same purpose and they still look so cute in them!  Please don't grow up!


Saturday, March 29, 2014

Evan's Tooth

Evan lost his first tooth last night!  Sean was a touch sad that he hasn't lost one of his.  Sean just saw the dentist so we know that adult teeth are coming up under the baby ones.

California Adventure

For Spring Break we took an actual vacation:  flew to Anaheim on Sunday and came back on Friday. Sunday we hit the Discovery Museum (its in the shape of a cube) and then some swimming at the hotel, Monday we hit Disneyland, Tuesday we went to Legoland, Thursday we went to the other Disney park California Adventure and Friday we headed home.  It was exhausting but fun.  We left Six Flags early to hit the Hollywood Sign and the Star Walk but traffic was so bad that we ended up just looking at it from the car..... I don't think the kids would've been able to handle it.  Sean surprisingly was a bit fearful at Disney.  All the rides in Fantasyland were too dark for him but literally and figuratively.  We had to force him on to Space Mountain and he flat out refused to go on a lot of coaster when Evan could not go (Evan is 3 inches shy of the 48 in height requirement).  Of course the kids wanted to go swimming every day but the weather was not extremely warm.  We tried to fit swimming and hot tub in after the day's activities.  All in all we had a great time.  Evan is already asking what we're doing on our next vacation.  We told him camping... he did not seem as excited.  Hard to top this adventure I guess....  Check out the exhaustive pics here.


Finally got to meet Mickey the last day at Disney




Saturday, March 8, 2014

Swim Class

To get the boys ready for the pool this summer we put them in swim class (Grandma takes them to gymnastics).  I wanted to do karate but swim class made more sense right now.  Evan likes it but I was worried about Sean since he does not like getting in the water (he's fine when he there but doesn't like getting in initially).  Both of them really love it.... which is good... they'll be in it until summer gets here....


Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Happy New Year




The kids made it to about 11pm.....  which is fine by us... we had a lot of poppers and streamers....