Fourth of July 2014

Today is the Fourth of July.  We are proud to be in America!  We celebrated this holiday with the entire Routsong family in Noblesville at Melissa & Johns house.  Every family was there, which was awesome so we were able to get a massive family photo.  Nate's mom & dad and grandma Martha, Melissa & John's family, Beth & Abe's family, Mike & Kim's family, and Nick & Carissa's family even came from Arizona.  It was wonderful to have everyone there and to visit with all the Routsong family. 

They set up bounce house with a slide and turned into a water slide for the kids.  They had a blast.  Kaylee took 2 slides down and then got dunked underwater. She was done sliding after that but still enjoyed the water and bouncing.  They also all enjoyed the trampoline of course. We had a very large barbecue with lots of yummy food and desserts.  Cooper had a blast turning into Jedi and fighting light sabers with his cousin Ash.  Jaxton spent a lot of time with his cousin Jack working on Ninja Turtles and legos.  Kaylee made friends with Madi playing in the dollhouse and with baby dolls.  Dawson worked hard on building train sets and getting his hands and feet wet in the water.  He was too smart to get all wet in that cold water, but he enjoyed it just as much!  

We all had a great time.  Now on home to set off fireworks to celebrate America!

The Great Wolf Lodge

Saturday evening Nate came home antsy to get out of town.  After a bit of research and making sure all obligations were covered, we settled to leave in the morning for Sandusky, OH and stay at the Great Wolf Lodge, an indoor water park and family friendly hotel.  Kids were stoked! We packed our bags and set out for a short, but much needed family getaway!

After 2 and a half hours we arrived and checked in to our hotel room, changed clothes and went to get wet!  It was a blast.  The two big boys got A lot of practice swimming I shallow water.  They are capable little swimmers now, dunking under water and holding their breath a long time.  They are old enough and big enough to go down bigger kids water slides now on their own.  And they loved it.  We lost count how many times they went down those slides.  Cooper was practicing swimming so much his little eyes turned bright red.  Jaxton loved when the giant bucket would dump and he would walk  as fast as he could each time he heard the warning sings before it dumped.  Kaylee's favorite was the smaller water slides that landed in 2 feet of water.  She could do those slides confidently on her own, and we lost count how many times she would go down those.  She also liked floating on the lazy river and figured out how to float around in her life jacket in deep water.  Dawson liked the kiddie slides too, but had mixed emotions of fear and joy as he came sliding down.  He loved the basketball hoops in the water and wouldn't let any other kids have his ball.  We got in the kid friendly hot tub, which was really like a regular pool heated to 90 or 95 degrees and within the first few minutes of being warm with daddy in that pool, he fell fast asleep.  He slept for a long time in daddy's arms after that.  

The next morning we decided to go check out the beaches in Sandusky and Huron, OH.  We found a nice sandy beach in amongst a residential area called Nickelback Beach.  The kids loved if.  You couldn't see the other side of the lake and the kids tried to understand the difference between a lake beach and an ocean beach.  Jaxton and Cooper had no fear of the waves and enjoyed riding them up to their chests.  Kaylee made a sand castle with me and we waited till the ride filled our moat with wAter.  She was ok with getting her toes wet by the waves, but that was as far as she'd go in. Dawson just wandered the beach, found sticks and rocks, and just enjoyed being outside.  Actually, as we walked from the car all the way down the sandy beach toward the water, he was looking down at the sand.  When he looked up and saw the beach and the water and waves, he exclaimed "Ohhh wowwww!"  He was surprised.  

After our beach trip we went back to the waterpark for a few hours and then headed home.  It is nice that Nate can use his Mondays to spend with us.  We had so much fun together as a family!!

The End of First Grade

Jaxton has finished 1st grade!!!! That, I can hardly believe! My big boy is growing up!  He has had an awesome first grade experience with a phenomenal teacher, Mr. R.  His teacher was recommended to us and so we requested him and we are sure glad we did.  I have been so impressed with him, his mannerism with his class, his organization, his fun & laid back style and his excitement for learning. A few times I caught him reading to the kids with such animation and energy, it was hard not to become engaged in the story.  I got to help him weekly with copies and box tops and the bullitan board. So it was fun getting to know him a little through my volunteer work.  I think Jaxton benefited greatly from his teaching.

Jaxtons classroom put on a play for the Shel Silverstisn book, "The Giving Tree."  I went to see it and Jaxton was one of several narrators.  He had memorized his lines and spoke loud and clear. It was a lot of fun to watch and a great opportunity for him to experience a bit of drama.

The first graders also had been working on First in Math all year, an online math program to learn skills, problem solve and earn "stickers."  In the course of the year, he earned over 4,000 stickers and won a medal for his success.  The program was done mostly at school, and Jaxton would come home with lots of outrageous questions for a first grader, like what does the dot mean with numbers before and after the dot?  And what does that line mean with numbers on top and under?  So of course his curiosity led to fun teaching moments where I tried to explain decimals and fractions with pies and pizza slices.  He is a little mathmerician!  

Congrats Jaxton on finishing 1st grade!  On to Second!

The End of Kindergarten

Cooper has graduated from Kindergarten!!  He officially is a first grader, and I can hardly believe it!!  He really has had a great kindergarten year with a great classroom of friends and a great teacher, Mrs. Kinsey.  He has learned so so much too. As I was looking at his report card it stated that at the beginning of the school year he was reading at "level B" on an alphabet scale.  Now at the end of Kindergarten he is reading at a "level J," which technically is a Second grade level. It's amazing how he has thrived academically this year.  

Cooper had a Kindergarten Music Concert.  His class, along with 5 other kindergarten classes, put on a music program for parents and families.  It was so fun watching him with his friends and singing the songs he's worked on for so long.  They even had a folk dance to perform.  He was so happy out there!  

Cooper has made some great friends.  Drew is a confident little guy that can't wait for his birthday party in July. He talks about it every time I see him. And Easton is a sweet boy who rides the bus with Cooper and the two have become great buddies.  Cameron and Jacob are other fun friends.  We hope to have some  friends over this summer a and to keep in touch with neighborhood friends even if the kids go to a different school next fall.

Happy Kindergarten Year, Cooper!!  On to first grade!!

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!