Kai's Update

Since school has started it has been very busy our house.  I thought it would be easier to do the updates on the kids individually, instead of a chronological update on everyone, so that I could remember everything going on in each of their lives.

First up, KAI!  With school back in session Kai has a lot going on.  He attends Gifted Reading and Math classes at school.  Each class is one hour each day, so that means he is out of his classroom two full hours each day.  The gifted kids also have more of a homework load.  He is doing a great vocabulary building program in reading called Wordly Wise and is learning words (and having spelling tests on!) such as segregate, conspicuous, eloquent, arrogant, and squalor.  It's been fun to see him learn these words and learn how to use them in their various forms.  (For example, one word was abundant, but he had to learn how to use it as abundance and abundant.)

After school, Kai has scouts weekly with our local ward, piano weekly with his amazingly sweet piano teacher, and weekly swim lessons.  While we try to keep swim lessons to Saturday morning, in September that did not always work and so he had many weeks with after school activities 3 days a week.  Adding in the extra homework was overwhelming to him and he was struggling to get it done.  Early in September he had an opthamalogist visit (as a follow up to his optometrist visit earlier in the year) and we thankfully got a new prescription for glasses.  I had not decided what to do about his prescription, until he got so upset at school that he snapped his glasses in half.  The poor kid was under a lot of stress.  And the start of the year is very hard for him, as he struggles with changes to his schedule and so the first two months of school are normally just overwhelming for him to begin with.  Add in the fact that he is such a perfectionist, and well, we had the perfect storm.  I got several calls and emails from his teachers (he has two--his classroom teacher and his gifted teacher) expressing their concern over his anxiety levels and asking for help.  Early in October I attended a meeting with both teachers and the school counselor to talk strategies.  His classroom teacher is AMAZING.  He could not have been assigned a better teacher this year in terms of understanding who he is and being willing to think creatively to help him.  Our conversation was very productive and by the time we got to Parent-Teacher Conference night in mid-October I heard reports that he was a very different kid and was doing so well.  Both teachers are thrilled that the "old" happy Kai is back.  And he is.  He is happy, more settled, and we have managed to get his weekly schedule under control. (Oh, and he is back to completing his classwork and homework in manageable time frames without fights or tantrums.  Seriously, it's so much better!)

Mid-September all 3 kids had a joint dentist appointment and all were cavity free.  To celebrate we stopped to pick up some popcorn from a gourmet popcorn store and brought it home for movie night.

Scenes like these make my heart happy.  Our street is full of older families and no one for my kids to play with.  Over the last two years we have gotten to know the one other family on our street with kids our age and they love to play together.  It's a "yours, mine, and ours" family so sometimes not everyone is there, but when they are there is a 9 year-old girl (who is very sweet with my little ones), two 7 year-old (almost 8!) boys, a 3 year old girl, and a 2 year-old girl.  When the weather is nice and they are all out, they love to ride their bikes in our cul-de-sac and around the grass in the middle of our street.  Kai is finally a proficient enough bike rider to actually enjoy these games.

Bree was taking pictures and Kai did this for her.  Just proof that our happy Kai is back and more settled into his year and routine!

One day after school in mid-October it was nice outside and so instead of going home we stopped at the park to play.  These three were chasing me, "the tickle monster", and I made them stop for a picture because I did not want to forget how much fun we were having, just us.

The Rest of August

The second day of school I had a lot on the calendar.  I had a friend that had recently moved here from Virginia that I had randomly run into at the outlets two weeks prior and we had scheduled a play date at a park in Castle Rock.  It was going to be quick as I wanted to get back to school in time for lunch to make sure the routine went well, as we really didn't get to do what was planned on the first day due to the medical emergency.  Well, not far into my drive to Castle Rock I noticed the light on the dashboard indicating an issue with tire pressure lit up.  I thought it was funny because that happens rather frequently in the winter when it's much colder outside and here it was hot and August.  When we got to the exit in Castle Rock that we needed we were stopped at a signal and then once I tried to start going to make it the last mile to the park, I found the car was not wanting to move or move quickly.  And then I hear the thudding.  I'm grateful we made it all the way to the exit and that we only had a little more to go.  I got to the park and pulled into the first parking spot I could find and got out to find this.  I have never had a flat tire on the road before.  It was a completely new experience.  I was glad I knew where the spare was and I worked on getting it out and then I googled how to change a tire.  Yep--I've never changed a tire!  Thank goodness for google.  But I was struggling to get the lugnuts off.  They were tight!  A couple of ladies walked by on the last of a morning walk and I started talking to them to see if I could grab any help or advice.  Neither of them knew what to do either, though, so we decided I'd be best going inside the athletic center and asking for help.  I wanted to wait for my friend, though, so I kept working on it, knowing that eventually I would head inside.  Well, the ladies were nice enough to flag down the next man they walked past.  He happened to be a park employee who also knew how to change tires.  So, he hopped over and showed me what to do and had our tire changed to the spare in a matter of 10 minutes or so.  He was a super nice guy and it turned out he is also the trail "designer" for many of the local parks.  I was glad he was there that morning to help me out.  By that point I knew I wasn't going to make it back to school for lunch so I dragged my feet and spent a lot longer with my friend at the park, as I did not want to deal with the tire situation.  The tires were relatively new tires and I had also purchased a protection plan of sorts at Discount Tire.  There happened to be a franchise just a few miles from where I was at, so after our park time I headed over to the store.  They told me it would take two hours for me to get my tire repaired.  So, we left the busted tire at the store and drove on our donut over to Walmart where Bree and I had lunch and then did some light grocery shopping.  After that we returned to the tire center to check.  It had been nearly two hours and they said it would be another hour before they got to our tire.  I think I just about cried at that point because I needed to get home to get the boys from school (they aren't riding the bus this).  My near-tears was enough to kick their butts in gear and just around the 2 1/2 hour mark our tire was patched up and back on the van ready to go.  Thank goodness.  Bree and I got home with enough time to run the groceries in and then head back out to get the boys.  It had been an exhausting day!

While Bree and I had so much time together those weeks we spent lots of time playing, reading, and having "picnics'" (we pick one of her favorite TV shows and eat lunch on a blanket on the floor).  I also used the time to get some running in on the treadmill.

That Sunday (the first one after school started) this girl was super tired.  But I was surprised to see this.  This was a first for her.  She has pretty much dropped naps, but every once in a while it just catches up to her.

I was shocked the first time it happened and I was even more shocked when it happened again a day later.  And without her blanket?!  She must have been beyond exhausted.

After the boys had been in school for a week or so, Bree started asking about doing school with me.  So we started working on school concepts at home.  I've been combining some worksheets from Starfall (this one above is from that site) with some preschool workbooks and she loves it.  She insists on doing school everyday now and she seriously won't stop until we've done at least an hour's worth.  It's really been good for her, but it does take up quite a bit of our time.

Kai read all of the Percy Jackson series this summer and was very excited to start this book on Greek Gods.  It's the thickest and biggest book he has ever read, but he did it.  It took him a LONG time.

On Friday August 26th our boys had "assessment day".  Our school district uses this day to administer some beginning of the year assessments.  They do it in rotations by last name and the kids come to school for just a couple of hours to take the assessment.  Since we had the 10-12 shift, we had the rest of the afternoon to go visit the new Ft. Collins temple and take the Open House tour.  Finn had been looking forward to this for quite a while.  It was special to be able to walk through the temple with our kids and to point out pictures and explain various parts of the temple to them.  The inside of the Ft. Collins temple is amazing and definitely one of our favorites.  I wish it were closer!  

We took our time walking around and enjoying all there was to see at the Open house (we had driven 2 hours to get there after all).  

I love watching these two together.  They have a very special bond.  As I watch my children interact, I've been touched to see just how special Finn is in our family.  He is the glue that ties my other two children together.  Yes, he is the middle child but it's more than that.  He loves and adores his big brother and wants to be just like him, and yet at the same time he takes the role of big brother to Bree quite seriously.  He wants her to be happy and engaged in whatever he is doing, even if Kai doesn't want her tagging along.  Kai is at the age where friends are starting to become more important than his family and siblings and he's learning that those siblings are "annoying", but Finn is good at holding it all together.  I'm grateful for the effort he puts into making sure that Bree is a part of what he does.
Oh, and there are lots more pictures from the open house, but they aren't good at all!  Some passer-by offered to take our family picture and well, it was a disaster.  I don't even know how she managed to take such bad pictures, but she did.  Oh well, at least we have these few.

After visiting the open house we headed to Texas Roadhouse in Ft. Collins for dinner.  We decided it would be better to eat and let traffic die down before heading home at what would have been rush-house.  Our hostess saw our clothes and immediately asked if we had been at the temple.  I don't know if she was a member or not (but I got the feeling she wasn't) and she said they had had many people come through dressed up after visiting the temple and that she wanted to go, but had not had the time to visit yet.  I encouraged her to go and told her how easy it had been.

By the end of the month my jogging had been going quite well.  This was my first 5 mile day and I was quite proud of it.  Unfortunately early into September I hurt my foot and have been unable to run for nearly three weeks.  It's nearly healed and I'm anxious to get back to the treadmill and keep burning those calories!

And really--how is Walmart already getting decked out for Christmas?  And nearly $400 for my girl to ride in a battery operated princess carriage?  Umm....no.  But that doesn't keep her from dreaming about.  She loved this and would love to have it.  But really, my girl doesn't need a carriage to be a princess in my book!

First day of school 2016

Kai-4th, Finn-1st, and Bree-mommy prescchool

The boys went back to school on August 17th.  It is Finn's first time going to school all day, and Kai's 6th year of school (!).  The first day of school was a good warm day, and strangely enough it went by really fast.  Going back to school is always a transition, not just for the kids but for me, too.  Bree misses these boys so much when they are at school.

Kai--first day of 4th grade

Finn lining up with his teacher--I wanted a picture with her but she was very overwhelmed that first day as she was hired just one week before school started.  She is a veteran teacher who had been out of the classroom for a while and was then thrown in at the last minute.  Poor thing has had a steep learning curve.  As for Finn, he didn't know very many of the kids in his class (just three or so from his years of Pre-K and K) so he was nervous in this group of kids. 

After I dropped Finn off with his teacher, we made our way over to the other side of the building for the 4th grade lines.  Kai's teacher is also a veteran teacher and has always taught 2nd grade.  Due to many of the changes going on in education these days, she made the jump to 4th grade this year.  As sad as she was about that, Kai was thrilled.  It's the first time he has gotten a teacher whose name he recognized and who he knew before the first day.  His 2nd grade classroom was right next to hers.  And we had heard many good things from friends in the last year about her, so we were excited.  And over the last month we have learned that all of the good things we have heard were spot on.  We love his teacher!

After seeing that Kai was happy and settled, I headed back to check on Finn.  I found him in this group of boys and did not get my camera out fast enough, as they were all standing in this circle comparing muscles.  It was quite amusing.  Finn's teacher tells us that he has become quite social and has many friends.  He enjoys playing soccer at recess and has a firm team that he plays with.  He has told me several times over the last month that 1st grade is so much better than Kindergarten and that he really likes school.  That makes this mommy heart happy.

The PTO had a message of encouragement for the kids as they entered the building.

Poor Bree!  I mentioned that first day went by quickly, and it did.  After dropping the boys off and visiting with friends for a bit, Bree and I headed back to the house.  But it was quickly time for lunch and I wanted to be there for Finn's first school lunch to ensure that our plan for his enzyme dosing went well.  So, we pulled up to school not long before his lunch time and were greeted by the health aide coming out of the building.  When I told her that we were coming to see her and to check on lunch, she asked if I could handle Finn's enzymes and lunch that day as they had a bit of excitement on the way.  It was then that I realized that the sirens in the distance were getting louder and heading to the building.  I assured her that I would handle his enzymes and then I went to the office window to grab all of his stuff for lunch.  The office was closed (blinds closed and doors shut) as the paramedics came in a tended to a student.  From what I gathered after the fact, a 3rd grade girl with a seizure disorder had suffered a seizure just mere hours into the first day of school.  Poor thing.  But I was glad that I was there to help Finn and relieve the office staff so they could attend to her at the time.

After lunch, Bree and I headed into town to grab some cupcakes for the boys as an after school treat. (It was after the trip for the cupcakes that Bree fell asleep in the car.)  They were excited to see these yummy treats waiting for them at the end of the first day.  Kai had an ice cream sundae cupcake.

I think Finn's was a "birthday cake" cupcake, but I can't remember.

It was a good first day of school.  The kids got started out on the right foot and I was surprised at how quickly the time went by those first few days.  I had been concerned that 7 hours of just me and Bree would be long and well, slow, but those first few days were certainly not slow.

The End of Summer--Weeks 10, 11, and 12

The last few weeks of summer have been more of the same--lessons, playing with friends, pretending to keep the house clean, and really just slow days, enjoying our time together and hoping the kids get bored enough to want to go back to school!

This is Bree on the homemade wood swing that is at Kai's piano teacher's house.  Yes, it scares me!

And this is Finn on the swing next to it!  Bree can't handle this swing, but Finn likes the regular swing, too, so we have to take turns.

We pulled out the slip 'n slide one day and I had three kids staring out and not sure how to make it work.  They never really got the hang of it.

Monument is growing!  We are getting all kinds of new stores including Horseshoe donuts.  I found a coupon for half-off and the week they opened so we went to try it out.  This donuts are delicious and heavy.  Most of them are cake donuts which are my favorite, but not Reid's.

We've also been doing the last minute doctor appointments.   Here Finn is at the eye doctor.  He was making the funniest faces and cracking me up.  He even cheated if he couldn't see what he needed to.  His eyes are doing just fine.

On August 2nd, our friends Sawyer and Jude came to play for a good part of the day.  Their dad was having surgery and so we get them entertained.  Their mom brought some water balloons with them so we blew them all up.  The kids had a blast, except Finn, who doesn't like it when you throw one at him.  We also got out the slip n' slide again that day but unfortunately with so many kids it met it's demise that day.  

Bree had an ice skating lesson that day, so this is what my car looked like.  Poor Kai, we couldn't fit a booster back there for him so he had to ride like that.  I know...it's not safe.  We don't do it often but there was no way around it this day.

After ice skating, the boys had swim lessons.  So, I had 4 kids on the sidelines while one kid was in the water.  Yes, it was madness.

At least Jude and Bree played well together and weren't totally loud and crazy!

Finn had his quarterly CF clinic on August 1st (LONG day!) and he was put on a round of antibiotics for a sinus infection.  His culture came back with Staph (again) so this should do the trick.  Actually, it only took one dose and he has been clear ever since!  You gotta love it when the medication actually works.  Now the hard part is continuing it for three weeks when he is doing so great!

Can you guess whose head this is?  Did you guess Finn?  If so, you are right!  On Thursday the 4th he was doing cartwheels at Walmart while I was checking out.  I had told him to stop and to come stand by the cart but I was also at the self-checkout and needed to keep the checking going so I couldn't enforce it.  Well, he cartwheeled his head right into the shopping cart.  It bleed a bit but didn't seem bad.  I took him home to clean it up and was torn as to what to do.

After cleaning it up, it looked like this.  (The finger is to give an idea on size.)  I had the kids sit still and watch ET while I called the pediatrician for recommendations.  It wasn't deep at all and I didn't think he needed stitches, but I also didn't know how I was going to keep it clean on his head, or keep it from getting re-injured.  After ET and lunch we headed to Urgent Care at the advice of the nurse.  Urgent care glued it up which is what I was hoping for.  Now he has a glue stuck in his hair and I have no idea what to do.  Good thing his hair will comb over the spot and no one will know when he goes back to school.  But i have no idea how long it's going to take for this glue to come out.  And I'm not ready to cut it out....yet.

Bree's final ice skating lesson was on Tuesday the 9th with Ms. Stephanie.  She was the only kid in her class so she had a private lesson!  It was so cute to watch her with her teacher and to see how much better she was doing.  It kills me that she won't skate or do any of the skills she learns in her classes outside of class.  She wants more classes but we are going to take a break for now. She's still way too young to invest any money in lessons of any type (in my opinion).  But during this last lesson she was able to practice skills from three different levels, which was great.  In this picture she is working on walking on the toe picks.

While Bree did her lesson, Finn and I skated in the open skate.  We held hands and just went around and around.  Kai sat in the stands and read a book.  

Catching bubbles at the end of her class

The view from the Air Force Academy (where Bree takes lessons) is beautiful.  This shot was taken as I was driving away from the field house and it really doesn't do it justice.  I love where we live!  

To celebrate national S'mores day on the 10th, we made s'mores!  The kids were very excited to roast the marshmallows, but none of them wanted to actually eat it.  The only kid who enjoyed eating his s'more was Kai.  And then Reid and I got to eat a lot of leftovers.

Doesn't it look like she likes it?!  It's an act!

On Thursday the 11th, we went to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science with Sawyer and Jude.  It was Sawyer's birthday and so it was fun to spend a few hours with them there.  We bought ourselves an annual pass there this year (instead of the zoo) so we are excited to spend more time there and explore it again.  We haven't been there in more than a year.

Finn was soaking, dripping wet after playing here.  So much so that we had to cut our day short and head home.  Which was good because Bree needed a nap.

On Friday the 12th, we had Kai's friend Nathan spend a good part of the day with us.  His mom had taken his two older siblings to the temple so he got to hang out with us.  After playing at the house for nearly two hours, we headed to Fountain Creek Nature Center.  The last time I had been there was years ago with my friend, Laurel, who I thought about and missed while we were there.  We explored the visitor center (where we met up with Sawyer and Jude again) and then had lunch before walking the loop around the lake.  We were a crazy sight with 5 boys and little Bree.

Sawyer (and his mom actually) are much braver than me and my boys, as they had fun in this field of grasshoppers and even caught one.

And of course the boys had to take a turn climbing this cottonwood tree.  That is, all of the boys climbed it except for Kai.

While eating our picnic lunch, Kai came up to me and told me he had a loose tooth.  I told him that was fine and just to keep eating.  Two minutes later he came back and said the tooth was coming out.  Umm....buddy, next time you have a loose give mom more than 2 minutes notice.  He was chewing a bite of food and spit his tooth out in his hand.  Yuck!  It's hard to see which of the missing teeth in this picture is the one that just came out, but it was an upper left lateral incisor (yes, I did just have to look it up).

Finally, on Saturday the 13th we had friends come to dinner.  I was desperately to make my house clean and presentable and so I headed to Michael's to commit to buying something for this nook.  After nearly 9 years in this house it was time to bite the bullet and put something here.  This is what I found.  I told the cashier it was just too early for fall in my opinion but she didn't agree.  They didn't have any other arrangements that I liked that would fit this space, so I guess our house is now starting to get ready for fall.  Which, with school starting tomorrow, would make sense I guess.  I'm just not sure I'm ready for this new season.  It's the last day of summer vacation today, so now I'm getting off of this computer and I'm going to be with my kids.  Heaven knows I will miss them tomorrow!