Saturday, February 16, 2013

Hockey


Gracie has been really missing Momma lately. Every  night she asks me if I have to work the  next day, and comes close to crying when I say yes. It's pretty tough on this Momma's heart. Luckily, a few weeks ago I signed her up to try hockey free for a day with the Hudson Hockey Association. I've gotten grief from a few people for letting her try the most expensive sport there is, but we can get skates and sticks from a second hand store and use the rink across the street from our house. The free night was tonight, so my parents came out to play with the littles while Gracie and I had a date night. 

Waiting for her turn.

Skates are on, ready to go!
First time on the ice!

 This high school hockey team member was very patient with Gracie, but eventually brought her back to me and invited me to join her on the ice.

Taking a little break.



She was very excited to use a stick.


Sunday, February 10, 2013

Ten on Ten


Checking in on my morning recovery run while eating my protein bar (yuck)

Sister love

Morning jumping!

Gracie drew Jesus. What's he doing? "Oh, nothin', just waitin' for some children to come."

Grooving at church.

Teaching Jerry to fist bump. He thinks it's hilarious.

"I can't eat lunch right now, Momma, I'm CLEANING!"

"K, Momma, I'll nap in the closet."

My little 'Sconie all tucked in for nap. Notice the milk, Brewers blankets, and Aaron Rodger doll which is always sleeps with!


Valentines all picked out for dance class and preschool!

Snow Day!

With Momma being a teacher, we try to make the most of our "snow days" around here. Most of them that we've had this year have actually been due to cold, so we haven't been able to go out and play. That changed a couple of weeks ago. School was called because of icy road conditions, but it warmed up significantly by mid morning. I decided to get the kids outside for a while. 


Being pulled in the sled around the yard.

Watching his sisters make a snowman.

"Just one more thing!" was uttered many times before SHE was complete. 




Their first snowperson that Momma didn't help with at all!


Tried to get Jerry in there but he just ran away. 

After nap the girls made dinner-homemade pizza!



This is how a Momma of three gets her exercise in! The girls now beg for it before bed.

Awana Grand Prix

You may remember that this is Gracie's first year in Awana. She is in the Cubbies program, which is designed for the four and five-year-olds. Every year Awana has a Grand Prix. It's similar to the Boy Scout Grand Prix and has three categories. There's the Sparks (elem), TNT (MS), and Open (anyone, even adults). Cubbies were welcome to participate in the Open category so I got Gracie a kit and asked her what kind of car she'd like to make. She started out with lots of silly answers and eventually got down to wanting a superhero car. She decided since Falcon is her current favorite superhero it should be a Falcon car. We looked up pictures of Falcon and I used the shape on his head piece for the front of the car, and had it get larger as it went farther back on the body of the car. I haven't made one of these since sixth grade, and I remember being disappointed in how mine fared in the race (although, ours had cartridges in the back to propel them, this was just a hill) I figured this was our first time racing, and we were just in it for fun. Gracie approved the design and she and Daddy went to the open workshop the church set up for those of us that don't have any wood working tools. 

They came back with it mostly done, and I got out my Dremel to finish it up. At this point we realized that we only had one of Falcon's wings, (from Gracie's massive superhero action figure collection) which we were planning on putting on the sides of the car to make it authentic. A little change of plans, and we used Archangel's wings instead. The morning of the race, we still hadn't painted it, so I got up early and did a base coat of white over all of it. I woke Gracie up, fed her, and dressed her and had her paint a second layer of paint over the white spots, and add yellow where it belonged. We brought a wet car to the church in the nick of time to register it into the race. 

Waiting to register and weigh her car.

My Archangel car!
As we registered the car, we were asked what category we'd like it to be judged in; Evangelical design, vehicle design, or non-vehicle design. We chose Evangelical, since it is Archangel.

Registered cars, waiting to race.
Unfortunately, they started the race with the Sparks. It took so long, when they were done with Sparks they had a 15 minute break for lunch! I was hopeful we'd be next. No luck. TNT was second. I took the younger two kids into one of the nursery rooms to play while Daddy and Gracie kept watching the races. A while later Daddy came in and said it's been enough, Gracie was out of control and we had to go home. As we were leaving I heard them announce the Open category of races. I was really bummed. A while later I got a text that Gracie's car had won best Evangelical design. I wish we had been there to see her face as she got announced! 

The next day we went to church and I looked everywhere for her car. We had told a friend who volunteers with Awana that we had to leave and I was hoping that he grabbed the car or put it in the office for us. No luck. I work with his wife, so I thought maybe it'd show up at work. No luck. Tuesday I went into my second school and there it was, sitting on my desk. One of my students grabbed it for us! I was so touched, I truly have the most thoughtful students! 

Bee really wanted to be in this shot. 
Gracie got a participation ribbon and a medal for winning best Evangelical design. I am most proud that it was her idea, her painting, and even her idea to add the action figure's wings. I'm sure people are thinking "her mom's an art teacher, of course she won," but this was as much her as it could be. It's not like we'll let a four year old run a wood cutting tool!

I won!


Jerry's Talkin'


Lately Jerry's communication has completely taken off. The other day he walked up to me and said, clear as day "sticker." I looked down at him, and he handed me a sticker. I was amazed. 

He has also started saying "pup pup" whenever he sees a dog. I got home from work on Friday and he was wearing a pair of pajamas I've never seen before and ran up to me as fast as he could, patting his tummy and yelling "Pup pup! Pup pup!" There was a dog on his pajamas. 

He can also say "co," which is cold and he uses it mostly when getting his diaper changed-he hates wipes this time of year! 

Today he surprised Daddy and I by taking a sip of juice and smiling up at us saying "juice" as if he's always said it.

 Bee ran away from me in a parking lot yesterday and I was panicking as I called for her to stop. She finally stopped when she heard Jerry, in my arms calling "Bee! Bee! Bee!" That was the first time I've heard him clearly say her name. He's been practicing B-anna lately too.