Upcoming week= crazy!!!

Summer is coming to an end, my school kids started back to school Thursday. I have 3 that go to elementary school, and then the girl's start preschool on September 1st. I miss the big kids, they are all great helpers and will be truly missed this school year!

Chad and I have parent orientation for Madison's preschool Monday night. She also has her 1st pee wee soccer practice Monday night, at the same time we have to be at her school. We are very lucky that we have great family to help us out when we need them. Grandma Rose will be keeping the kids for us while we are at the meeting, so she is taking Maddy to practice. I told her that I would pack snacks for Tanner, hopefully that will keep him busy. Madison is very excited for soccer, we bought her shin guards and socks this week, I am still trying to decide if I am going to buy her cleats..it is pee wee soccer after all!! She is also looking forward to starting school. They are having a open house next Thursday, so she will get to go and visit and meet the teachers before her first day. Well it has been a long week, so I am off to bed, until next time....

Slip-n-Slide

This past week at Target I bought the kids a new slip-n-slide for $5! They loved it! Here are a few pics!

Mallory, Makaylin, Madison, & Tyson having a blast!!

Madison going down the slide.

The kids had a great time & I am hoping to get to use the slide again before school starts!

Tanner didn't want to get on the slip-n-slide, he wanted to play in the puddle on the sidewalk instead. Tyson splahed around with him for a little bit. I then put him in the small pool at the end of the slide and he liked that. He then decided he needed a drink, so he put his binky in the water and then put the bink in his mouth. He did that over and over till he got brave and tried to take a drink of the water, like he had seen the bigger kids doing! It was too cute! That is what we have been up to for the last few weeks, I will try to update more often!!

Relay for Life 2009

This past Friday Chad & I, along with the kids had the opportunity to participate in the Des Moines Co Relay for Life at the hospital lake. If you have never been it is a great time and a great way to raise money for cancer research, we have been involved for the last 6 years. The weather Friday morning was not good, I was afraid the Relay would be in the basement of the hospital, but by 3 the sun was out and we got to walk around the lake. Luminaries are placed around the walk way of the lake and lit at dusk. It is such a beautiful site to see, on one side of the lake they spell Hope with the luminaries, they also display the names on the side of the hospital. Cancer has effected my family and many of my friends families. I feel blessed to be able to participate for a cause that is so near and dear to my heart. I am hoping next year to be more involved and I would like to attend some of this years ACS (American Cancer Society) committee meetings to be able to do more to help raise money to find a cure! If anyone wants to participate next year please let me know!

This year we walked in memory of my Grandma Hopson and in honor of my Aunt Bettie. I love them both so much and I know my Grandma is watching over us.

My Aunt Bettie's luminary

My Grandma Hopson's luminary

Preschool

It is that time again when my daycare school kids will be heading back to school. I have 3 school age kids that I have watched since they were in preschool. And this year Madison and her good friend Mallory will be going to preschool! I have watched Mallory since she was 6 weeks old, so it makes me sad that they will be going to school, yes I know that it is 2 hours 2 days a week, but still!! Chad and I have a parent's meeting on the 24th and Madison has an open house on the 27th and then school starts on Tuesday September 1st!!
This weekend I took Madison to get some new school clothes, she is really into dresses and I have a feeling that she will be wearing lots of them to school. Some of the things that I picked out for her she told me it was ugly, but we were able to agree on a few outfits. We also got her some new tennis shoes, she is going to have my big feet, sorry in advance Madison! The shoes we bought her are an 11! I also bought Tanner some new clothes since he won't have much to wear come this fall. He was starting to wear 18 months late winter, and he has been in 18 mos all summer, so time to start buying 24 months. Tanner is really starting to talk and tonight he was acting like our dog, Zoe. He was crawling on the floor panting and barking, it was way to funny!
Tomorrow we sign Madison up for dance, she is excited for that. She will also be playing Pee Wee soccer in September, so the next few weeks are going to be busy, but a great new chapter in our lives is starting! I feel very blessed to have my 2 children, and a wonderful husband!

Niabi Zoo

Wow has it been sometime since I have updated our blog! We have been busy and I have a lot of catching up to do! So here goes!!

On Friday July 31st we took the kids to Niabi Zoo in Coal Valley. My sister, Alexa, & brother's, Ben and Zach also went with us. Grandma Rose was on vacation that day and brought Katelyn and Ethan. Our friends Matt and Kristen also came and brought their 2 kids, Kaitlin and Colton. We had a great time and the kids were all well behaved! Niabi Zoo is a smaller zoo, but perfect for our kids. Tanner loved walking and looking at all the animals. He was trying to make some of the noises he was hearing. I think his favorite part was the train ride at the end. The train loops around the park and takes about 10 minutes.

Madison also loved looking at the animals. We took her there 2 years ago and her favorite was the monkeys. I think she liked them again this time, there were a few baby monkeys. She was tried of walking and she climbed into the stroller. When we were done at the zoo, we all went to Chuck E Cheese. The food wasn't the best, but the kids had fun playing games! The kids were tired when we got home and slept in the next morning!

Tanner all ready to go!

Ben, Tanner, Zach, Alexa, Madison

Maddy feeding the goats at the Petting Zoo.

Chad helping Tanner fed the goats. Tanner liked getting to touch the animals.

Tanner feeding the fish and ducks.

Then he tried to climb in...to bad his head was to big to fit between the bars!!

Tanner and Ethan looking at the bears.

Tanner and I on the train

Grandma Rose with her grandkids~ Tanner, Katelyn, Ethan, Madison (Ali sitting on the rock deep in thought:-)

The Klein family at Niabi Zoo