Call me old fashion, but I appreciate a hand written thank you note.
There's something about getting a note of appreciation from someone. It doesn't have to be fancy or even store bought. In fact, a simple thank you on a post it note would suffice. Just the fact that someone wrote a quick message of thanks and dropped it in the mail is enough. It shows gratitude for whatever it is he or she received, whether it was a gift, a service, or something else.
Alena has been to many birthday parties over the last year and received very few thank you notes! Maybe this is just the norm now?
I'm going to continue to be old fashion and write thank you notes for my children until they are old enough to write their own. I think it's important that they continue to do this as they get older because these little notes are definitely appreciated. Yes, I know most people open the card, read it, and throw it away. I'm OK with this knowledge as I know they will be grateful to receive the little note in the mail.
Speaking of mail, isn't it wonderful to receive a letter in the mail? I hate that electronics have taken this away from most of it. It's so easy to send a text message and email now but there is something special about seeing your name on an envelope in the mailbox, (except when it is a bill). A couple weeks ago, Alena saw me getting our Christmas cards ready to mail. She decided to make her own cards for some of her cousins. They were short and sweet but very thoughtful. It will be fun for her and her cousins to correspond via mail as they get older.
Last month I received a letter from a new patient I was going to meet for the first time this week. He introduced himself and indicated he was looking forward to meeting me. Isn't that just the sweetest thing?
I see over 200 dialysis patients a week and many have become dear friends of mine. Some patients I know so well we often spend more time talking about social things than medical things. One particular patient always remembers to write me a thank you note near the holidays. I greatly appreciate this each year and it's a nice reminder of why I do what I do. I love the patient interaction the most about my job, and why I went into this career. Today I met a patient who went to high school with Elvis Presley-such interesting people I have met over the last 10 years!
I think we can all do better with showing others our gratitude by saying thank you, whether that is in written form or verbally. A thank you is like a compliment, it makes the recipient feel good about him or herself!
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Sunday, December 13, 2015
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
Christmas is by far my favorite holiday and the one I go all out for. I don't really decorate for the other ones but maybe that will change in the new place. We got a jump start decorating this year because, well, it seemed like everyone was already in the mood and decorating so we jumped on the band wagon. I almost always wait until after Thanksgiving, using the long weekend to place things in their correct places. We started the weekend before this time. I figure, if we go to all this work getting things set up, we might as well enjoy them a little longer.
I purchased something I never thought I would: A fake Christmas tree. My father will probably shake his head at this item in my home, but I just thought we needed two trees! One to gaze at from our main living space and one in our front room.
When we built this house, I knew exactly where our Christmas tree would go. Justin picked the tree out this year from Dad's tree farm and honestly it was a nice choice. I knew it was a little bigger than what we normally pick but thought it would fit perfect. Well, it's a good thing we ended up cutting some of the top off to shape it a little better otherwise it would not have fit. It's big; maybe a little too big, but it's growing on me.
The other reason I felt we needed two trees is because we have so many ornaments. Justin and I have our own from when we were little, (both getting new ornaments each year), plus we have ornaments that we have obtained from being together. (We usually get one from locations we travel to with the date on it). The little ones also receive new ornaments each years so the number has grown.
The kid's ornaments are all on the real tree. In all honesty, I probably should purchase more ornaments for the tree because it is a little bare but it's fine for this year. We are pretty simple people, so lights and ornaments are all that go on our little (big!) tree.
Decorating the mantle was fun and I went a little non-traditional with the color scheme. I went back and forth about where to hang the stockings and ended up getting new hangers for the mantle. Caleb and Alena each have a little tree in their room, (next year I'll find one for Lauren). While I was busy decorating the inside, Justin headed on the roof to hang a few Christmas lights. He also put lights around the deck.
We've had two weekends of baking and a freezer full of goodies. I purposely place these in the freezer in the garage so they aren't as convenient. When we designed this house I pictured my three little ones sitting at a big island while we rolled out and then decorated Christmas cookies. Having two ovens made the process go even faster. I went back and forth about doing a gingerbread house. In the end, I found a cute "gingerbread village" with 4 little buildings. C missed out on this project as we was down for the count the day we did them.
Elfie joined the family again on December 1st and I love each child's excitement every morning when they roam the house looking for him. They are really getting into it this year!
Alena has her Christmas list all ready to go and has made one visit to Santa. (She may need to revise this list as all she needs for Christmas are her two front teeth!). The twins have no interest in seeing Santa although L did give him a high five when we ran into him at Home Depot a couple weekends ago. C told me he wanted ME to tell Santa what he wanted.
To help our little ones remember the reason behind Christmas, we are focusing on the four gift rule: One thing they want, one thing they need, one thing they wear and one thing they read. We will also have a few items for their stockings and maybe one or two other presents for them to open, but we really wanted to avoid going overboard with presents.
I love listening to what others do for the holidays and their traditions. Do you wrap the gifts from Santa or not? Does Santa bring many gifts or just one big gift? Are stocking gifts wrapped? What do you leave out for Santa and his reindeer? Do you do anything special for Christmas Eve? I will be honest, some of our traditions we are still figuring out. Justin and I came from two different families that each had their own traditions so we are trying to meld these traditions together.
I hope my kids continue to believe in Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy forever! Unfortunately, I know that once they get into school, rumors about these friendly visitors being pretend will come up. Alena is already asking questions so I have to be even more careful about things, (she found the wrapping paper "Santa' used last year!). Please stay young with your innocent minds forever!
Alena had her Christmas music program a couple weeks ago and we have already had one family Christmas. Another Christmas is this weekend. The month is going so fast. Does anyone else think 2015 went by faster than it should have?!
I purchased something I never thought I would: A fake Christmas tree. My father will probably shake his head at this item in my home, but I just thought we needed two trees! One to gaze at from our main living space and one in our front room.
When we built this house, I knew exactly where our Christmas tree would go. Justin picked the tree out this year from Dad's tree farm and honestly it was a nice choice. I knew it was a little bigger than what we normally pick but thought it would fit perfect. Well, it's a good thing we ended up cutting some of the top off to shape it a little better otherwise it would not have fit. It's big; maybe a little too big, but it's growing on me.
The other reason I felt we needed two trees is because we have so many ornaments. Justin and I have our own from when we were little, (both getting new ornaments each year), plus we have ornaments that we have obtained from being together. (We usually get one from locations we travel to with the date on it). The little ones also receive new ornaments each years so the number has grown.
The kid's ornaments are all on the real tree. In all honesty, I probably should purchase more ornaments for the tree because it is a little bare but it's fine for this year. We are pretty simple people, so lights and ornaments are all that go on our little (big!) tree.
Decorating the mantle was fun and I went a little non-traditional with the color scheme. I went back and forth about where to hang the stockings and ended up getting new hangers for the mantle. Caleb and Alena each have a little tree in their room, (next year I'll find one for Lauren). While I was busy decorating the inside, Justin headed on the roof to hang a few Christmas lights. He also put lights around the deck.
We've had two weekends of baking and a freezer full of goodies. I purposely place these in the freezer in the garage so they aren't as convenient. When we designed this house I pictured my three little ones sitting at a big island while we rolled out and then decorated Christmas cookies. Having two ovens made the process go even faster. I went back and forth about doing a gingerbread house. In the end, I found a cute "gingerbread village" with 4 little buildings. C missed out on this project as we was down for the count the day we did them.
 |
| My new favorite holiday cookie! |
Elfie joined the family again on December 1st and I love each child's excitement every morning when they roam the house looking for him. They are really getting into it this year!
Alena has her Christmas list all ready to go and has made one visit to Santa. (She may need to revise this list as all she needs for Christmas are her two front teeth!). The twins have no interest in seeing Santa although L did give him a high five when we ran into him at Home Depot a couple weekends ago. C told me he wanted ME to tell Santa what he wanted.
 |
| I believe these lists are a combo of what Addie wants and what Alena wants! Hope Santa can sort it out! |
To help our little ones remember the reason behind Christmas, we are focusing on the four gift rule: One thing they want, one thing they need, one thing they wear and one thing they read. We will also have a few items for their stockings and maybe one or two other presents for them to open, but we really wanted to avoid going overboard with presents.
I love listening to what others do for the holidays and their traditions. Do you wrap the gifts from Santa or not? Does Santa bring many gifts or just one big gift? Are stocking gifts wrapped? What do you leave out for Santa and his reindeer? Do you do anything special for Christmas Eve? I will be honest, some of our traditions we are still figuring out. Justin and I came from two different families that each had their own traditions so we are trying to meld these traditions together.
I hope my kids continue to believe in Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy forever! Unfortunately, I know that once they get into school, rumors about these friendly visitors being pretend will come up. Alena is already asking questions so I have to be even more careful about things, (she found the wrapping paper "Santa' used last year!). Please stay young with your innocent minds forever!
Alena had her Christmas music program a couple weeks ago and we have already had one family Christmas. Another Christmas is this weekend. The month is going so fast. Does anyone else think 2015 went by faster than it should have?!
Friday, November 20, 2015
Transitions, Kindergarten, a lost item, oh my!
TRANSITIONS:
A few weeks ago we decided to make the transition.
With so many changes over the last year, we didn't want to transition the twins to big kid beds until we had been in the house for a while. With every move we made over the last year, it would take a good week before everyone was back to sleeping well.
Ironically, since our very first night in the new home, everyone has slept well. Yes, I know many people transition their little one out of a crib much sooner than we chose to. In all honesty, we had no reason to move them. They weren't climbing out, sleeping horribly or out growing their cribs yet.
I also have heard many horror stories of transitioning to big kid beds. My co-worker, whose twins are six weeks younger than mine, had no choice but to transition about 9 months ago because her girls were crawling out of their cribs. Their transition to big kid beds included putting the lock on the outside of the door, her husband sitting in their room with his computer working until the kids fell asleep, and watching them play for over an hour on the video monitor before they would finally crash, in whatever location in the room they ended up. In fact her stories were so frightful I stopped asking her how the transition was going! Even months after they made the transition they were still having difficulty. Cribs for life, I decided!
Then one day, I was in Lauren's room and just thought today was the day. I already had a toddler bed for her, (the one A used), so I gave it a coat of paint and the next day took down her crib and replaced it with her toddler bed. She was so excited.
It was a little bitter sweet disassembling that crib for the last time. We carefully picked that crib 6 years ago from Suite Dreams, not knowing if we would have a little boy or little girl sleeping in it. Not knowing how many other little Schaack's would make that their first bed as well. I've always loved that crib. Now it's home to another couple who is expecting twins soon.
Ironically, right after this, we were given a box spring and mattress that we would use for Caleb's room. So a couple days later, his crib came down and his new big kid bed went into place. He loves his new big kid bed and eventually we will get him a headboard and frame but for now it does just fine on the floor.
About a week later, I stumbled upon a bedroom set from L I just had to have. I have no intention of putting a full sized bed in her room but what if she has a friend over and she needs somewhere to sleep? I decided a trundle bed would be perfect. This set included a trundle bed, dresser and night stand and fits perfectly in her cozy room.
Our transition has been very smooth. C has yet to get out of his room and does exactly what Alena did when she transitioned into a big kid bed: Calls out for mom or dad to come get him when he is done sleeping. (You may recall from previous posts, that A continued to do this for years, and just recently realized she can get out of bed on her own!).
About a week into the transition, Lauren woke up early in the morning and just sat outside our room, saying "mommy," "daddy," louder and louder until one of us heard her. Another time she decided to come all the way in our room and ended up standing right beside my head. I rolled over, opened my eyes and saw a figure there! Startled, I let out a little gasp, which frightened her and we ended up with a tearful L in our bed for the rest of the night.
The best story of all, was when we had tucked all three kids in bed and Justin and I were doing our normal evening routine on the main floor, (making lunches, gathering things that would be needed the next day, etc). Justin went up to shave and saw something in the hallway. There, fast asleep with Clifford was little L. Our carpet must be pretty comfortable.
Other than that, our transition has been successful!
KINDERGARTEN:
A is loving school. We had her conference last week and left her classroom very proud parents. She loves to read and is so motivated to learn. I hope her love of school continues.
She loves riding the bus and has a group of friends she visits with during the ride. Her bus driver, Alan, is great and I feel completely confident when she leaves my side in the morning and walks up the stairs into the bus. (I did recently discover what happens if I am not home when the bus comes to drop her off! Silly work made me 2 minutes late!).
She eats school lunch about once or twice a week. I'm glad she is willing to try meals at school and I'm always quick to remind her to get some fruit and veggies on her plate too :). Otherwise, she takes cold lunch which we get ready the night before. I am not that parent who cuts her sandwiches into cute shapes or gives her surprises/notes every day. She is pretty easy to please but I will surprise her with a treat every now and then. I've tried and tried to find a vegetable for her to pack but have not been successful, yet.
Her teacher says she is a great friend and is friends with everyone. This does not surprise me at all as this is similar feedback we received when she was at PCDC.
She had to bring snacks to school today and wanted something "fun." Her teacher has stressed the importance of healthy snacks, (plus it cannot be homemade, which still irritates me!), so we had to get creative. Thanks to Pinterest, these little turkeys were made last night:
A LOST ITEM:
On our way back from San Diego, right after we had gone through security, I realized we had left a pretty important object in our rental car.
The first day of my conference, I took my I pad with me, not knowing if some of the information I would need would be online. That afternoon, I unpacked the I pad from my purse and left it in the rental car. I didn't use it the rest of the trip and didn't realize it was still in the car. (It must have been tucked between the seat and the console). We unloaded everything from the car the evening before we left CA and packed our suitcases. When we dropped off our rental car the next morning, (at 4:30 AM), it was still dark. We assumed we had gathered everything from the car the night before so didn't do a final check.
After going through security, we had an hour and a half before our flight would take off. I knew it would be close if I decided to take the shuttle back to the rental car location, find our rental car, obtain the object, catch the shuttle back and then go through the every growing line at security. I didn't want to risk missing our flight and we had already checked that there were no open seats on later flights that would get us to Des Moines that day.
We tried to contact the rental car company to alert them that we had left an item but got no where. We were worried that if someone found it, they would just take it and not turn it in. Justin was smart enough to lock the I pad preventing anyone from getting online. We have a lot of personal items on there, (emails, a link to our discover account, etc). I was not able to get through to anyone at the car rental company and was told to just fill out an online form detailing the lost item. If it is found, someone will email me.
Wouldn't you know it, Monday morning, I received an email back saying the item had been found. I had to pay $36 to have it shipped but I was pleased to have it back a couple days later! Lesson learned!
A few weeks ago we decided to make the transition.
With so many changes over the last year, we didn't want to transition the twins to big kid beds until we had been in the house for a while. With every move we made over the last year, it would take a good week before everyone was back to sleeping well.
Ironically, since our very first night in the new home, everyone has slept well. Yes, I know many people transition their little one out of a crib much sooner than we chose to. In all honesty, we had no reason to move them. They weren't climbing out, sleeping horribly or out growing their cribs yet.
I also have heard many horror stories of transitioning to big kid beds. My co-worker, whose twins are six weeks younger than mine, had no choice but to transition about 9 months ago because her girls were crawling out of their cribs. Their transition to big kid beds included putting the lock on the outside of the door, her husband sitting in their room with his computer working until the kids fell asleep, and watching them play for over an hour on the video monitor before they would finally crash, in whatever location in the room they ended up. In fact her stories were so frightful I stopped asking her how the transition was going! Even months after they made the transition they were still having difficulty. Cribs for life, I decided!
Then one day, I was in Lauren's room and just thought today was the day. I already had a toddler bed for her, (the one A used), so I gave it a coat of paint and the next day took down her crib and replaced it with her toddler bed. She was so excited.
It was a little bitter sweet disassembling that crib for the last time. We carefully picked that crib 6 years ago from Suite Dreams, not knowing if we would have a little boy or little girl sleeping in it. Not knowing how many other little Schaack's would make that their first bed as well. I've always loved that crib. Now it's home to another couple who is expecting twins soon.
Ironically, right after this, we were given a box spring and mattress that we would use for Caleb's room. So a couple days later, his crib came down and his new big kid bed went into place. He loves his new big kid bed and eventually we will get him a headboard and frame but for now it does just fine on the floor.
About a week later, I stumbled upon a bedroom set from L I just had to have. I have no intention of putting a full sized bed in her room but what if she has a friend over and she needs somewhere to sleep? I decided a trundle bed would be perfect. This set included a trundle bed, dresser and night stand and fits perfectly in her cozy room.
Our transition has been very smooth. C has yet to get out of his room and does exactly what Alena did when she transitioned into a big kid bed: Calls out for mom or dad to come get him when he is done sleeping. (You may recall from previous posts, that A continued to do this for years, and just recently realized she can get out of bed on her own!).
About a week into the transition, Lauren woke up early in the morning and just sat outside our room, saying "mommy," "daddy," louder and louder until one of us heard her. Another time she decided to come all the way in our room and ended up standing right beside my head. I rolled over, opened my eyes and saw a figure there! Startled, I let out a little gasp, which frightened her and we ended up with a tearful L in our bed for the rest of the night.
The best story of all, was when we had tucked all three kids in bed and Justin and I were doing our normal evening routine on the main floor, (making lunches, gathering things that would be needed the next day, etc). Justin went up to shave and saw something in the hallway. There, fast asleep with Clifford was little L. Our carpet must be pretty comfortable.
Other than that, our transition has been successful!
KINDERGARTEN:
A is loving school. We had her conference last week and left her classroom very proud parents. She loves to read and is so motivated to learn. I hope her love of school continues.
She loves riding the bus and has a group of friends she visits with during the ride. Her bus driver, Alan, is great and I feel completely confident when she leaves my side in the morning and walks up the stairs into the bus. (I did recently discover what happens if I am not home when the bus comes to drop her off! Silly work made me 2 minutes late!).
She eats school lunch about once or twice a week. I'm glad she is willing to try meals at school and I'm always quick to remind her to get some fruit and veggies on her plate too :). Otherwise, she takes cold lunch which we get ready the night before. I am not that parent who cuts her sandwiches into cute shapes or gives her surprises/notes every day. She is pretty easy to please but I will surprise her with a treat every now and then. I've tried and tried to find a vegetable for her to pack but have not been successful, yet.
Her teacher says she is a great friend and is friends with everyone. This does not surprise me at all as this is similar feedback we received when she was at PCDC.
She had to bring snacks to school today and wanted something "fun." Her teacher has stressed the importance of healthy snacks, (plus it cannot be homemade, which still irritates me!), so we had to get creative. Thanks to Pinterest, these little turkeys were made last night:
A LOST ITEM:
On our way back from San Diego, right after we had gone through security, I realized we had left a pretty important object in our rental car.
The first day of my conference, I took my I pad with me, not knowing if some of the information I would need would be online. That afternoon, I unpacked the I pad from my purse and left it in the rental car. I didn't use it the rest of the trip and didn't realize it was still in the car. (It must have been tucked between the seat and the console). We unloaded everything from the car the evening before we left CA and packed our suitcases. When we dropped off our rental car the next morning, (at 4:30 AM), it was still dark. We assumed we had gathered everything from the car the night before so didn't do a final check.
After going through security, we had an hour and a half before our flight would take off. I knew it would be close if I decided to take the shuttle back to the rental car location, find our rental car, obtain the object, catch the shuttle back and then go through the every growing line at security. I didn't want to risk missing our flight and we had already checked that there were no open seats on later flights that would get us to Des Moines that day.
We tried to contact the rental car company to alert them that we had left an item but got no where. We were worried that if someone found it, they would just take it and not turn it in. Justin was smart enough to lock the I pad preventing anyone from getting online. We have a lot of personal items on there, (emails, a link to our discover account, etc). I was not able to get through to anyone at the car rental company and was told to just fill out an online form detailing the lost item. If it is found, someone will email me.
Wouldn't you know it, Monday morning, I received an email back saying the item had been found. I had to pay $36 to have it shipped but I was pleased to have it back a couple days later! Lesson learned!
Monday, November 9, 2015
San Diego
I can see how people who venture to this beautiful state end up staying there, (as my cousin did many years ago).
The last time I was in San Diego I was 6 years old. I don't remember much except going to Sea World and even those memories are quite faded. My mom has been telling me for weeks now that it is such a beautiful place and one of her favorite places to visit. It all makes sense now.
It IS absolutely gorgeous with tons and tons of things to do.
Knowing I have to renew my AANP certification next year, (crazy it will be 10 years I have been practicing as a nurse practitioner!), I needed to start earning some continuing education credits. My employer is very generous and gives all providers a nice lump sum each year to spend on CEUs. Most of the time I don't even come close to using all of that money as often times I don't travel too far for conferences or won't attend any at all for various reasons. Last year I went to a conference at Mayo Clinic with a dear friend. We had a great time, but I wanted to do something different this year.
This year I decided to do it right! I scoped out all the renal-related conferences around the states, (even looking at some in Hawaii and in Europe), before I decided on attending Kidney Week in San Diego. I liked the time of year, (right before my birthday), the location, and the topics that would be presented at the conference seemed interesting. We went back and forth about whether Justin was going to go with me and in the end decided to purchase plane tickets for 2!
As things always do, this "vacation" sort of snuck up on us and I didn't feel prepared at all to leave. It was probably a good thing, however, or I would have been more worried about leaving the little ones behind. With one page of written directions for the grandparents, the kid's insurance cards and a letter stating the grandparents were allowed to make medical decisions for the kids, we packed our bags, parked the car at Keck and took off. (Note: We STILL have not completed our will. I know, I know, only 6 years too late! It's moved to the top of our "to do" list).
We seem to never have good luck with traveling/vacations so I wasn't surprised when we had an extended layover in Phoenix while they searched for another co-pilot! Seriously?! However, the next day we were driving around downtown and saw that quite a few streets were closed off by police cars. We later learned there was a standoff in the neighborhood and all flights into San Diego were shut down. I overheard people at the conference saying they had to spend 6 extra hours at their layover destination! Whew, at least we avoided that fiasco.
After getting the rental car it was close to 9:00 pm, (11:00 pm Iowa time), and we were over-hungry and tired. We walked to Little Italy and enjoyed some delicious Italian food before running back to the hotel during a thunderstorm. The locals were in awe of the thunder and lightning because that NEVER happens there. We were more annoyed because we didn't come to California to see a thunderstorm!
Thankfully it was sunshine and perfect temps the rest of the stay.
Wednesday was our only day together to sight see so we really had to narrow down what we wanted to do. I was all about going to the zoo and the safari but Justin wanted to spend our time doing other things. In the end, I think I would have wanted to see the zoo with our kiddos anyway.
We started at Coronado Island, walking along the beach and seeing the sights before heading to Imperial Beach, Seaport Village, (lots of restaurants and shops), and then to Balboa Park. There is a ton to do at this park and unfortunately we just didn't have time to do it all. There are 10-12 museums and various gardens to walk through. For dinner we headed to the Gaslamp Quarter, famous for it's dance clubs and restaurants
Thursday was the start of my conference which was at the largest convention center I have ever seen. It makes sense why it had to be at a place so large: This conference was HUGE! There were well over 1000 people from over 100 countries. In fact, English speaking people were the minority. Of the 10 people I ate lunch with, only 3 of us spoke English and only one other was from the US. Friday morning we had breakfast burritos during the presentation and I spent a good 5 minutes explaining to my table-mates what they were!
While I was stuck inside all day, (OK, I did skip out on a few talks to do a little more shopping at Seaport Village and enjoy the San Diego Bay), Justin spent the day doing a seal tour on land and in water and touring the USS Midway Museum. I met him at the museum and we headed to Old Town for some sight seeing and Mexican food. Wouldn't you know it, the restaurant we picked just happened to have a special on the 5th of every month if it was your birthday. Since it was November 5th, my meal was free :). The food was excellent and Old Town was really cute: Picture original buildings from when the Europeans first settled, workers wearing clothing from that era, old time candy stores, etc. I loved it!
We ended the evening at a new location in Little Italy called iDessert. This is right up my ally: You use an iPad to create your dessert, choosing the meringue, gelato, cream, and toppings. I would have gone back if we had time.
Friday our conference started a little earlier, but I decided to leave after lunch so we could do a little more sight seeing. Justin spent the morning touring Petco Park, (where the Padres play), and finishing his tour of the USS Midway. Our adventures together on our last day took us up the coast to a few more beaches and an evening in La Jolla for cocktails, dinner and shopping. There are also quite a few free museums to browse through which were very impressive. I particularly loved the Peter Lik gallery we went through. He is a world renowned photographer who sold the most expensive photograph in history, at 6.5 million, (www.lik.com).
This definitely ranks high on my list of places to visit. Our hotel was nice and in a perfect location. We walked to most of the areas we visited, with the exception of Balboa Park and our La Jolla trip. The San Diego bay is gorgeous, full of sail boats, blue water, beautiful parks. I was most impressed with how clean the entire city was and how friendly the locals were.
We will absolutely be planning a trip back in a few years. We'll spend this trip as a family of 5, visiting the zoo, Sea World and Legoland!
Thursday, October 29, 2015
A Recommendation
I don't give many book recommendations. Mostly because everyone has their own category of books that they like to read. If they are like me, their book interests may change from week to week or month to month.
However, I did recently finish a book that I recommend EVERY parent read.
You may say, "I've never yelled at my children, I don't need to read that." Well even if you have never raised your voice towards your children, (do those people exist?), this is a must read.
I not only learned a lot about how to be a better mother, I also learned a lot about myself and my relationships with everyone; adults and children alike. I found myself relating to the author's personality, likes/dislikes, and story so much it was impossible not to feel like one of her friends. And most importantly, it was nice to know that there are other mothers who I can relate with out there.
Whew, parenting has been very challenging lately. Being a working mom means the time you spend with your children is often the most difficult periods of the day: Early morning, when everyone is still half asleep, and early evening, when everyone is tired, hungry and cranky from their 10 hour day. It's hard.
Parenting two infants at once was challenging, but two 3 year olds is about to put us over the edge. One moment they are getting along fine, the next second, Caleb grabs something that is very precious to Lauren and runs away from her, teasing her the entire way. This usually ends in Lauren crying and screaming and eventually after asking him many times, Caleb will return the prized possession. It then takes Lauren quite a while to calm down before it is inevitable the "game" will start again. Mothers should wear black and white striped shirts and carry whistles around their neck because most of the time I feel like a referee. Throw in a third child who is exhausted from her day, starving, and left her listening ears at school, and you can bet I am on edge at dinner time when I just got home and need to whip up a meal STAT!
With all the chaos of the last 12 months, we went into parenting survival mode: Do whatever it takes to get through the day. Not only were Justin and I stressed to the max, but the kids could sense that too. Over the last few months, I realized we were spending way too much time raising our voices towards our three precious children. Not all day long or even every day, but definitely more often than we ever had. No, we weren't screaming down their throats. We had just taken our voices to another octave hoping to get our point across. This caused significant mommy/daddy guilt, didn't help with any of the situations, and most importantly, didn't help strengthen our relationships with our children. I went to bed many nights wondering if I was cut out for this parenting thing, (obviously 3 children too late, huh?).
I had to do a lot of soul searching during this time. I felt like I was growing farther and farther away from my children, when it should be the other way around. What was wrong with me?
The author talks about the time when she "hit rock bottom." It was the moment when she knew she needed to change her parenting strategy. I had one of those moments: It was a Saturday and I was parenting alone. We had just finished lunch and I was cleaning things up, hoping to get the twins down for their nap soon. The girls were done eating and I had gone into the other room to grab something. When I came back I heard Alena tell Lauren: "You better go wash your hands or mom will yell at you." Oh. My. Goodness. Why is my six year old even worrying about that, let alone telling her sister this? Have I really done that? Obviously, not a proud moment in my life.
It was a few days later when I was browsing through the parenting books at the Des Moines Public Library that I found the pink and orange covered book above. This is such a quick read and as I said before, I found myself relating perfectly to the author's story.
Some important points in the book:
-The book makes you really focus on what your triggers are for yelling/raising your voice/whatever you want to call it. This was so helpful. Many of my triggers have nothing to do with my children. Most of my triggers are my own issues: I'm hungry, tired, had a bad day at work, have too much on my plate, haven't exercised, etc. It's very hard to put myself first, but I learned I have to in order to have a happy, peaceful household.
-L.O.V.E. In any situation where a child is upset, think about this acronym: L-Listen. O-Observe. V-Verify his/her emotion. E-Empathize with the child. I'm still working on this one. My sweet L is a little emotional, (mostly when her basic needs haven't been met). So some days there are a lot of tears in our household. I try to use this acronym when she is upset. Even though she has a fabulous vocabulary I think she is still working on using her language to tell us what she needs. We are really hopeful this stage passes soon because 3+ years of this definitely tests your patience.
-The book reminds you to think about who your audience is. Do you care that the entire Target store is watching you as your three children run around like monkeys not listening to a single word you are saying? Although I would like to answer "yes!," the author reminds you that your most important audience is your children. You shouldn't change how you parent whether you have witnesses or not. Your children are your most important audience and you should do everything you can to please them.
- "At Least:" This is another good concept to remember. Things could always be worse. The other day I was making cookies with my cousin's little ones and my oldest. One of them turned the mixer up to the highest speed and flour went everywhere. "Well, at least we can still finish the cookies," is what went through my mind. Where previously I would have thought, "what a mess I have to clean up now!"
-The last important concept is to identify what symptoms you experience prior to feeling like you want to raise your voice. When these surface, you can first realize it, and then you can do something before things escalate. I know what my symptoms are now so I can leave the room or refocus on something else. My favorite thing to do when these symptoms occur is exercise, whether that is standing right where I am and dropping to the ground for some mountain climbers or push ups or jogging around the house. Exercises immediately calms me down and sends happy endorphins into my little brain :). My kids wonder what mommy is doing but sometimes join along.
The author also mentions yelling at something inanimate, rather than directing it at your children if you feel a need to yell. I thought this was really weird when I read it but one day I actually felt a need to do this and yelled at the kitchen sink during a meal with the little ones. They thought it was hilarious and it made us all laugh.
This book was eye opening and definitely a life changer for me. My husband isn't a huge reader so I made sure to tell him about all the pertinent parts and we are both focusing on yelling less and loving more. It is already a more peaceful home.
(Obviously this took a lot of honesty to write. Many times I contemplated erasing the entire post. It's hard to be this open BUT maybe other mothers/fathers will find this book as helpful as we have).
However, I did recently finish a book that I recommend EVERY parent read.
I not only learned a lot about how to be a better mother, I also learned a lot about myself and my relationships with everyone; adults and children alike. I found myself relating to the author's personality, likes/dislikes, and story so much it was impossible not to feel like one of her friends. And most importantly, it was nice to know that there are other mothers who I can relate with out there.
Whew, parenting has been very challenging lately. Being a working mom means the time you spend with your children is often the most difficult periods of the day: Early morning, when everyone is still half asleep, and early evening, when everyone is tired, hungry and cranky from their 10 hour day. It's hard.
Parenting two infants at once was challenging, but two 3 year olds is about to put us over the edge. One moment they are getting along fine, the next second, Caleb grabs something that is very precious to Lauren and runs away from her, teasing her the entire way. This usually ends in Lauren crying and screaming and eventually after asking him many times, Caleb will return the prized possession. It then takes Lauren quite a while to calm down before it is inevitable the "game" will start again. Mothers should wear black and white striped shirts and carry whistles around their neck because most of the time I feel like a referee. Throw in a third child who is exhausted from her day, starving, and left her listening ears at school, and you can bet I am on edge at dinner time when I just got home and need to whip up a meal STAT!
With all the chaos of the last 12 months, we went into parenting survival mode: Do whatever it takes to get through the day. Not only were Justin and I stressed to the max, but the kids could sense that too. Over the last few months, I realized we were spending way too much time raising our voices towards our three precious children. Not all day long or even every day, but definitely more often than we ever had. No, we weren't screaming down their throats. We had just taken our voices to another octave hoping to get our point across. This caused significant mommy/daddy guilt, didn't help with any of the situations, and most importantly, didn't help strengthen our relationships with our children. I went to bed many nights wondering if I was cut out for this parenting thing, (obviously 3 children too late, huh?).
I had to do a lot of soul searching during this time. I felt like I was growing farther and farther away from my children, when it should be the other way around. What was wrong with me?
The author talks about the time when she "hit rock bottom." It was the moment when she knew she needed to change her parenting strategy. I had one of those moments: It was a Saturday and I was parenting alone. We had just finished lunch and I was cleaning things up, hoping to get the twins down for their nap soon. The girls were done eating and I had gone into the other room to grab something. When I came back I heard Alena tell Lauren: "You better go wash your hands or mom will yell at you." Oh. My. Goodness. Why is my six year old even worrying about that, let alone telling her sister this? Have I really done that? Obviously, not a proud moment in my life.
It was a few days later when I was browsing through the parenting books at the Des Moines Public Library that I found the pink and orange covered book above. This is such a quick read and as I said before, I found myself relating perfectly to the author's story.
Some important points in the book:
-The book makes you really focus on what your triggers are for yelling/raising your voice/whatever you want to call it. This was so helpful. Many of my triggers have nothing to do with my children. Most of my triggers are my own issues: I'm hungry, tired, had a bad day at work, have too much on my plate, haven't exercised, etc. It's very hard to put myself first, but I learned I have to in order to have a happy, peaceful household.
-L.O.V.E. In any situation where a child is upset, think about this acronym: L-Listen. O-Observe. V-Verify his/her emotion. E-Empathize with the child. I'm still working on this one. My sweet L is a little emotional, (mostly when her basic needs haven't been met). So some days there are a lot of tears in our household. I try to use this acronym when she is upset. Even though she has a fabulous vocabulary I think she is still working on using her language to tell us what she needs. We are really hopeful this stage passes soon because 3+ years of this definitely tests your patience.
-The book reminds you to think about who your audience is. Do you care that the entire Target store is watching you as your three children run around like monkeys not listening to a single word you are saying? Although I would like to answer "yes!," the author reminds you that your most important audience is your children. You shouldn't change how you parent whether you have witnesses or not. Your children are your most important audience and you should do everything you can to please them.
- "At Least:" This is another good concept to remember. Things could always be worse. The other day I was making cookies with my cousin's little ones and my oldest. One of them turned the mixer up to the highest speed and flour went everywhere. "Well, at least we can still finish the cookies," is what went through my mind. Where previously I would have thought, "what a mess I have to clean up now!"
-The last important concept is to identify what symptoms you experience prior to feeling like you want to raise your voice. When these surface, you can first realize it, and then you can do something before things escalate. I know what my symptoms are now so I can leave the room or refocus on something else. My favorite thing to do when these symptoms occur is exercise, whether that is standing right where I am and dropping to the ground for some mountain climbers or push ups or jogging around the house. Exercises immediately calms me down and sends happy endorphins into my little brain :). My kids wonder what mommy is doing but sometimes join along.
The author also mentions yelling at something inanimate, rather than directing it at your children if you feel a need to yell. I thought this was really weird when I read it but one day I actually felt a need to do this and yelled at the kitchen sink during a meal with the little ones. They thought it was hilarious and it made us all laugh.
This book was eye opening and definitely a life changer for me. My husband isn't a huge reader so I made sure to tell him about all the pertinent parts and we are both focusing on yelling less and loving more. It is already a more peaceful home.
(Obviously this took a lot of honesty to write. Many times I contemplated erasing the entire post. It's hard to be this open BUT maybe other mothers/fathers will find this book as helpful as we have).
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Dental Exams x 3
I hate the dentist. Always have. It probably didn't help that I loved candy as a little one. We all know how horrible eating candy frequently can be for your teeth. Apparently going in for multiple fillings didn't prevent me from continuing to indulge. I'm sure my hate for the dentist has nothing to do with said fillings...
So, I really wanted my children to have a better experience at the dentist than I did. I know it's recommended for children to start seeing the dentist as soon as their first little baby tooth pops through. But seriously, who calls their dentist after that first baby tooth so their little one can be examined? Our dentist has always recommended starting exams at age 3 so that is the rule we have gone by. At 3 I feel they can follow directions, sit still (maybe), and understand a little bit of what is going on.
Alena had a horrible first experience at the dentist. Actually it wasn't that bad but I didn't like how she was treated. I quickly left the office and asked some neighbors for a good pediatric dentist. The next day I called the office of Dr. Evans and Wilson and Alena was seen shortly after that. We love this office and couldn't be happier with the switch.
I had wanted to prepare the twins for their first dental exam, but I didn't know when I had scheduled it. Then all of a sudden I worried that we had missed it amongst the move because I had nothing written in my calendar. I panicked for a little bit because scheduling 3 appointments together, early in the morning, is not easy. I worried it would be months before they could get in. Luckily I called the office and wouldn't you know it, we hadn't missed the appointment. It was 3 days away. Not a lot of time to explain to 2 three year olds what was going to take place.
Thankfully they had big sister to watch as she had her teeth examined first. After everyone drew on their paper bibs, picked out sunglasses, stickers and huge pretend rings, (yes, even Caleb), they had their teeth cleaned and a quick dental exam. As you can tell from the pics, one twin was more into it than the other. (A 5:20 wake up that morning didn't help things). Caleb was a champ and allowed his teeth to get polished without any hassle.
My six year old is soon going to have another visit, (or two, or three, or four), from the tooth fairy. Her two front teeth are "blowing in the wind" according to her dental hygienist. I'm so thankful we made it through school pics and family pics because those things are bound to fall out any day. Let's hope her adult teeth grow back soon because I only think a toothless smile is cute in babies and old men, (just kidding). Hoping for another successful, and cavity free trip, in 6 months.
So, I really wanted my children to have a better experience at the dentist than I did. I know it's recommended for children to start seeing the dentist as soon as their first little baby tooth pops through. But seriously, who calls their dentist after that first baby tooth so their little one can be examined? Our dentist has always recommended starting exams at age 3 so that is the rule we have gone by. At 3 I feel they can follow directions, sit still (maybe), and understand a little bit of what is going on.
Alena had a horrible first experience at the dentist. Actually it wasn't that bad but I didn't like how she was treated. I quickly left the office and asked some neighbors for a good pediatric dentist. The next day I called the office of Dr. Evans and Wilson and Alena was seen shortly after that. We love this office and couldn't be happier with the switch.
I had wanted to prepare the twins for their first dental exam, but I didn't know when I had scheduled it. Then all of a sudden I worried that we had missed it amongst the move because I had nothing written in my calendar. I panicked for a little bit because scheduling 3 appointments together, early in the morning, is not easy. I worried it would be months before they could get in. Luckily I called the office and wouldn't you know it, we hadn't missed the appointment. It was 3 days away. Not a lot of time to explain to 2 three year olds what was going to take place.
Thankfully they had big sister to watch as she had her teeth examined first. After everyone drew on their paper bibs, picked out sunglasses, stickers and huge pretend rings, (yes, even Caleb), they had their teeth cleaned and a quick dental exam. As you can tell from the pics, one twin was more into it than the other. (A 5:20 wake up that morning didn't help things). Caleb was a champ and allowed his teeth to get polished without any hassle.
My six year old is soon going to have another visit, (or two, or three, or four), from the tooth fairy. Her two front teeth are "blowing in the wind" according to her dental hygienist. I'm so thankful we made it through school pics and family pics because those things are bound to fall out any day. Let's hope her adult teeth grow back soon because I only think a toothless smile is cute in babies and old men, (just kidding). Hoping for another successful, and cavity free trip, in 6 months.
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Concert Fun
Justin and I used to be regular concert goers BC. We've been to countless concerts together throughout the years seeing a variety of genres. Country, pop, rock and roll. Living in the Iowa City area we had countless opportunities to see shows in Iowa City and the Quad City area.
However, having a family really cuts down on your concert going. I think we have attended 2 concerts together within the last 6 years. Both being quite epic, (Kenny Chesney-6th time, and Jimmy Buffet). I have a short list of concerts I want to go to before it's too late and a couple acts I'd like to see again.
I've always had a love for Taylor Swift. Who would have thought, 10 years ago when she released her song "Tim McGraw" she would become as big as she is now. She is a great role model for young girls, has no trouble giving back to the community, and is so down to earth with a quirky personality. Plus, she is extremely talented and writes every single one of her songs. Pretty impressive.
I have a lot of trouble spending money on myself so when I knew she was coming to Des Moines for her new tour, I didn't even think about getting tickets. I was completely surprised when Justin bought me tickets for Mother's Day!
Now, he had no interest in going so I needed to determine who to bring with me. I decided to invite my dear friend from high school who I have known since we were 4 years old in dance class together. We enjoyed a nice dinner out before the show and had a fabulous time at the concert.
It was an awesome concert! It definitely ranks up there in my top 3 concerts, (behind the U2 concert-that concert is probably unbeatable!). It was a perfect evening out!
However, having a family really cuts down on your concert going. I think we have attended 2 concerts together within the last 6 years. Both being quite epic, (Kenny Chesney-6th time, and Jimmy Buffet). I have a short list of concerts I want to go to before it's too late and a couple acts I'd like to see again.
I've always had a love for Taylor Swift. Who would have thought, 10 years ago when she released her song "Tim McGraw" she would become as big as she is now. She is a great role model for young girls, has no trouble giving back to the community, and is so down to earth with a quirky personality. Plus, she is extremely talented and writes every single one of her songs. Pretty impressive.
I have a lot of trouble spending money on myself so when I knew she was coming to Des Moines for her new tour, I didn't even think about getting tickets. I was completely surprised when Justin bought me tickets for Mother's Day!
Now, he had no interest in going so I needed to determine who to bring with me. I decided to invite my dear friend from high school who I have known since we were 4 years old in dance class together. We enjoyed a nice dinner out before the show and had a fabulous time at the concert.
It was an awesome concert! It definitely ranks up there in my top 3 concerts, (behind the U2 concert-that concert is probably unbeatable!). It was a perfect evening out!
Friday, October 9, 2015
4 Years Later
Last month was Justin's 4 year cancerversary. Four years since we were called into the general surgeon's office to discuss his biopsy results. Four years since we hid this huge secret from everyone until we knew more. Four years of praying for no reoccurrence.
I've said it many times. I can remember exactly where I was 4 years ago on September 6th when my phone rang and I saw it was Justin calling. I knew it was going to be bad news. I remember going to Corydon, IA the next day for clinic and sitting at the park across the street from the hospital, barely being able to catch my breath through the tears. The next day he had his PET scan. I couldn't get out of clinic so while I attempted to see patients at the VA, he was all alone during this very important test.
I'm not sure we've ever felt more alone before. We have always depended on friends and family during difficult times. It felt so good to finally let our family know the following weekend.
We are so grateful that his 3 years of treatment were tolerable and that his CT scans continue to show no evidence of disease. He will continue scanning every 6 months for now. Metastatic lesions can show up anywhere, but are most likely to occur in the liver, lungs or brain. His scans look at the liver and lungs but not the brain. It is not routine to image the brain. This part really scares me but as of right now, this is protocol. Unless he is having problems such as headaches or dizziness, imaging of the brain will not be done.
Cancer sucks. I've learned that through friends, family members and numerous patients. A diagnosis of metastatic melanoma will forever haunt Justin's medical record. Any small health concern will likely be investigated thoroughly. We can only pray he will continue to remain cancer free.
I've said it many times. I can remember exactly where I was 4 years ago on September 6th when my phone rang and I saw it was Justin calling. I knew it was going to be bad news. I remember going to Corydon, IA the next day for clinic and sitting at the park across the street from the hospital, barely being able to catch my breath through the tears. The next day he had his PET scan. I couldn't get out of clinic so while I attempted to see patients at the VA, he was all alone during this very important test.
I'm not sure we've ever felt more alone before. We have always depended on friends and family during difficult times. It felt so good to finally let our family know the following weekend.
We are so grateful that his 3 years of treatment were tolerable and that his CT scans continue to show no evidence of disease. He will continue scanning every 6 months for now. Metastatic lesions can show up anywhere, but are most likely to occur in the liver, lungs or brain. His scans look at the liver and lungs but not the brain. It is not routine to image the brain. This part really scares me but as of right now, this is protocol. Unless he is having problems such as headaches or dizziness, imaging of the brain will not be done.
Cancer sucks. I've learned that through friends, family members and numerous patients. A diagnosis of metastatic melanoma will forever haunt Justin's medical record. Any small health concern will likely be investigated thoroughly. We can only pray he will continue to remain cancer free.
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Alena-6 Years Old
Happy 6th Birthday Alena! What an amazing little person you have become. It seems like since you have started school you are even more grown up. Time, please slow down!
You love school; every little part of it! It hasn't been too challenging for you yet but I'm hoping the teacher will start pushing you a little more. PCDC prepared you way behind what you would need to know for Kindergarten and hopefully you can continue to expand on that.
You have such a caring personality. Although you are still pretty quiet in new situations, it doesn't take long for you to open up, especially in smaller groups. You are always watching out for your brother and sister and if you get something special, you always make sure you share with your siblings. They are so lucky to have you as their big sister who will forever protect them.
Speaking of your siblings, you play well with both your brother and your sister, although you play more often with Lauren. I'm not sure if that is because you two enjoy playing "girl" games or not, (although you love building and playing trucks/tractors with Caleb too). I always wondered what the dynamics would be with having three children, two of whom are the same age. It's quite fascinating watching you all play together, whether as a threesome, in pairs.
You love having your own room and bathroom and are still a good sleeper. Every once in a while you have to use the restroom in the middle of the night. You still think you need to wake up mom or dad to tell one of us you need to go to the bathroom!
You are hungry ALL the time, except in the morning. Unlike your mom and dad, you could wait until 9 or 10 o'clock to eat breakfast. Although still a skeptic when it comes to trying new foods, you have expanded your palate some recently. You have your favorites though and I try to make them every once in a while for you: Yummy French Toast, steak and mashed potatoes, Taco Pizza rolls and anything with Kielbasa.
One thing I really love about you is your positive attitude. This trait comes from your father as I have always been a glass half empty kind of gal. Whenever I mention something not going right or being upset about something, you are so quick to comment with something positive. This attitude will take you so far in life.
Your 6 year stats: Height 48.5 inches (93%), Weight 48 pounds, 13 oz (69%).
Having a birthday in the beginning of the school year, I was worried if you would have any friends to invite to your party. When I asked for a list of friends, you just went on and on with new friends, (and a few old ones), you wanted to invite. Your teachers at PCDC always mentioned what a good friend you were to EVERYONE so I shouldn't be surprised that this has continued. It also doesn't surprise me that you play with both boys and girls in your classroom. We loved meeting your new friends at your birthday party and think you picked some pretty special friends!
I'll be honest. I really had no idea what to do for your party this year and with the craziness of the move, working, the twin's birthday, etc, I didn't have much time to think about it. You really wanted to do your party at Skyzone again but when I mentioned doing a party at the new house you were completely on board. Then one day while driving home I thought it would be fun to do an arts and crafts party.
You and your friends painted canvas paintings and did play-dough creations. The one thing you really wanted was a scavenger hunt. I knew this would be tricky with no grass or trees so I decided to do a little scavenger hunt in the house instead. This turned out to be just as good. Instead of cake we did rice crispy bars, ice cream cups, M & Ms and goldfish. It turned out to be a beautiful afternoon and everyone enjoyed playing in the cul de sac after the party.
We hope you have a fabulous year!
What is your favorite color? Purple
What is your favorite toy? My Little Pony
What is your favorite fruit? Mandarin oranges
What is your favorite movie? My Little Pony
What is your favorite TV show? Paw Patrol
What is your favorite thing to wear? Dresses
What is your favorite animal? Unicorns
What is your favorite song? My Little Pony song
What is your favorite book? Paw Patrol
Who is your favorite friend? Valen
What is your favorite snack? Peanut Butter Crackers
What is your favorite drink? Lemonade
What is your favorite breakfast food? French Toast
What is your favorite dinner? Waffles
What is your favorite place to go? Monkey Joes
What is your favorite game? Memory
What is your favorite thing to do outside? Ride the Easy Roller
What is your favorite holiday? Christmas
What do you sleep with? Lots and lots of stuffed animals
What do you want to be when you grow up? A Doctor or a Teacher
You love school; every little part of it! It hasn't been too challenging for you yet but I'm hoping the teacher will start pushing you a little more. PCDC prepared you way behind what you would need to know for Kindergarten and hopefully you can continue to expand on that.
You have such a caring personality. Although you are still pretty quiet in new situations, it doesn't take long for you to open up, especially in smaller groups. You are always watching out for your brother and sister and if you get something special, you always make sure you share with your siblings. They are so lucky to have you as their big sister who will forever protect them.
Speaking of your siblings, you play well with both your brother and your sister, although you play more often with Lauren. I'm not sure if that is because you two enjoy playing "girl" games or not, (although you love building and playing trucks/tractors with Caleb too). I always wondered what the dynamics would be with having three children, two of whom are the same age. It's quite fascinating watching you all play together, whether as a threesome, in pairs.
You love having your own room and bathroom and are still a good sleeper. Every once in a while you have to use the restroom in the middle of the night. You still think you need to wake up mom or dad to tell one of us you need to go to the bathroom!
You are hungry ALL the time, except in the morning. Unlike your mom and dad, you could wait until 9 or 10 o'clock to eat breakfast. Although still a skeptic when it comes to trying new foods, you have expanded your palate some recently. You have your favorites though and I try to make them every once in a while for you: Yummy French Toast, steak and mashed potatoes, Taco Pizza rolls and anything with Kielbasa.
One thing I really love about you is your positive attitude. This trait comes from your father as I have always been a glass half empty kind of gal. Whenever I mention something not going right or being upset about something, you are so quick to comment with something positive. This attitude will take you so far in life.
Your 6 year stats: Height 48.5 inches (93%), Weight 48 pounds, 13 oz (69%).
I'll be honest. I really had no idea what to do for your party this year and with the craziness of the move, working, the twin's birthday, etc, I didn't have much time to think about it. You really wanted to do your party at Skyzone again but when I mentioned doing a party at the new house you were completely on board. Then one day while driving home I thought it would be fun to do an arts and crafts party.
You and your friends painted canvas paintings and did play-dough creations. The one thing you really wanted was a scavenger hunt. I knew this would be tricky with no grass or trees so I decided to do a little scavenger hunt in the house instead. This turned out to be just as good. Instead of cake we did rice crispy bars, ice cream cups, M & Ms and goldfish. It turned out to be a beautiful afternoon and everyone enjoyed playing in the cul de sac after the party.
 |
| Regan, Lauren, Jessa, Madalyn, Jackson, Gage, Rylee,Sophie, Peyton (not pictured: Tessa, Quinton, Lauren) |
We hope you have a fabulous year!
What is your favorite color? Purple
What is your favorite toy? My Little Pony
What is your favorite fruit? Mandarin oranges
What is your favorite movie? My Little Pony
What is your favorite TV show? Paw Patrol
What is your favorite thing to wear? Dresses
What is your favorite animal? Unicorns
What is your favorite song? My Little Pony song
What is your favorite book? Paw Patrol
Who is your favorite friend? Valen
What is your favorite snack? Peanut Butter Crackers
What is your favorite drink? Lemonade
What is your favorite breakfast food? French Toast
What is your favorite dinner? Waffles
What is your favorite place to go? Monkey Joes
What is your favorite game? Memory
What is your favorite thing to do outside? Ride the Easy Roller
What is your favorite holiday? Christmas
What do you sleep with? Lots and lots of stuffed animals
What do you want to be when you grow up? A Doctor or a Teacher
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