Preschool Shapes & Colors

Kaylee's preschool group has been a lot of fun this spring.  I enjoyed holding it at our house and Kay really enjoyed having all her friends over each week.  She would ask every day two questions: are my friends coming today?  And what are we going to talk about at preschool this time?  Each Wednesday we focused on a new color, and when we ran out of colors, we learned our shapes.  I think all the kids learned a lot, but I know for a fact that Kaylee did.  She would find things all around the house after preschool and say, "mom, did we forget to bring this rectangle to show at preschool?"  She definitely knows all her colors and shapes and I had a whole lot of fun teaching her and her friends.  Even Dawson would participate as he was able and loved having lots of kids around.  

So preschool was over just as school was ending and we got the group together at the mall to eat lunch, ride the carousel and play together one last time.  They all are such good trends by now.  I'm looking forward to the fall preschool group we will do rotating teaching wth 5 other moms.  It will be fun!!

Congrats Kaylee for all you've learned this spring!!

Dawson Update 18 Months

Dawson is too cute for his own good.  First, he loves to eat.  This particular day he got a frozen tortilla out of the freezer and was munching away.  He hid in the cupboard and we found him eating his tortilla in there😄.

Dawson still loves his warm milk.  Kaylee calls it "a cup and a cap."  So Dawson says "a buppity bup."  It's too cute!

Dawson loves Nursery at church.  Whenever I peek in he is happy and participating.  I was told one Sunday that he's been pushing other kids.  Then I was told the next week that he had buy another child!!  So I have the "mean bully kid" in nursery this time lol. He has such a sweet heart. Hopefully that heart of his will shine brighter than his bullying.

"Just had to check to see if I fit in here, and , yep!  I do fit!!"

Miniature golfing

At the mall.  Who needs quarters anyway?  

Dawson's new toddler bed.  He's passed out!  Love him!

Daddy and Dawson match in their cozy Jammie's! 

Grandma's Surprise Visit

I woke up early to go to work at 5am and started going through all our expenses.  I found a flight charge on our statement and flagged it because I couldn't recall any recent flights we've purchased.  As I looked into the charge, I noticed the departure date was today, May 20.  Then I looked further and the passenger listed was Doreen Hutchinson.  My mom was planning to come visit with my dad in July for the baby.  So I was extra confused, but excited at the same time.  I decided to ask Nate, and discovered his surprise.  He had flown her out for fun for a surprise visit for me and the kids!  What a surprise!!

So Mom was here for just over a week and we all had such a good time.  Dawson got to know Grandma really well and Grandma got to see his cute little personality.  The big boys were super surprised when she arrived and really enjoyed having her here. And Kaylee got to be really good friends with Grandma and started to understand that she has 2 sets of grandparents and she was beginning to figure out how to distinguish between the two.  It's always fun when the kids grasp that concept.  

So Grandma got to join us for church on Sunday.  On Monday she spent time with the kids while Nate and I took a getaway trip to Ikea.  Tuesday she got to go see Jaxton earn a medal for First in Math at Cedarville Elementary School.  Then we all went to a cookout at the school and spent their lunch and recess hour with them.  Wednesday she joined us for Kaylee's last preschool event at the mall.  We rode the carousel, ate lunch, and did a little shopping and playing.  That was the last day of school for the boys, so we celebrated at Chuckee Cheese after school.  That was so much fun!  Even Nate stopped by in between appointments to join in on the fun.  Thursday we went to the park and met some friends for visiting teaching.  We didn't bring swimsuits, but the big boys went splashing at the splash park there and got drenched!  Grandma had them running to dry off and get warm.  We went to the dollar store and Grandma gave each kid $5 to buy 5 things. Then we enjoyed pancakes for dinner at IHOP.  Friday we went to the zoo and visited Australia and the splash area.  And Saturday we took her back to the airport.  What a fun filled week!

All our kids are cuddle bugs.  They love to cuddle.  They each wanted a turn to sleep in grandmas bed with her at night.  They had sweet conversTions together and bonded during those times.  She and Kaylee worked on lots of puzzles together and Kaylee became the Puzzle Princess.  She had a suitcase filled with special thoughtful gifts for each kid each day. It was a highlight to discover whT Grandma wS going to pull out of her suitcase next.  

I am so grateful that Grandma could come for he kids and that my mom could come and spend time with me.  We had some really fun conversations and enjoyed the kids together.  I appreciate her love and support and all her hands on help while she was with us.  You are wonderful Mom!!!

Cooper's Kindergarten Field Trip

I was able to go with Cooper on his last kindergarten field trip to the zoo.  Since lots of parents wanted to come, I only has Cooper and Camdyn in my chaperone group.  They were good friends so we had a really good time.  We got to just wander the zoo on our own the whole time and had free passes to ride the carousel.  We spent some of our zoo time with Drew and Cameron and Drew's mom.  One highlight was when the giant male lion walked right over to the window and climbed up onto the ledge at the window and got cozy right there in front of the kids' amazed faces.  That was really neat.  Cooper especially liked the giraffes.  We ate a picnic lunch with his class and fed the ducks.  We rode the bus home and Cooper just came home with me early from school.  It was a super fun filled day spending one on one time with my Cooper!

Jaxton's First Grade Field Trip

I was able to go with Jaxton on his last first grade field trip to Fox Island County Park.  We rode on the bus together and I chaperoned 4 kids in a group.  We had Jaxton, Madison, Cohen, and Lydia.  The group was great.  The boys tended to run ahead with our nature hike guide while the two girls wanted to stay together and hold my hands along the nature trail. After lunch we got to wander through nature with our small groups and we stumbled upon hundreds of tadpoles, which the kids thought was so neat.  The kids were great and it was so fun spending an entire day with Jaxton.  

Cooper & Dawson

These two kiddos are look-a-likes.  And they love one another too.  Dawson is Cooper's little Mini-Me.  And he adores his big brother "Popper."  (That is how he pronounces Cooper's name.)  He is so lucky to have Cooper as a big brother.  

This particular day, we had forgotten to bring Dawson's shoes with us to the church for Scouts.  All we could round up were some of Kaylee's jelly sandals that were under the seats in the car.  Lucky boy got to wear jelly sandals.  At least they weren't pink, right!