This Last weeks events

This week has been another busy week. Karlie started school, cousins came to stay with us with their little ones, jelly making with the apples off our crab apple trees, and a new addition to our family a kitten (I believe we've decided to name him whiskers). Saturday we had a family reunion at Woodenfrog. We thought it might rain, but it was an absolutely beautiful fall day. Auntie's & uncles, cousins & even littler cousins meeting each other for the 1st time, visiting, food, fellowship, and family. The little ones fed the ducks, ate cookies, chased after one another, the girls giggled. Tanner just ran around. It was picture perfect.

Monday mom had gallbladder surgery. Everything went fine. They sent her home the same day which is amazing to me. She's off work for a couple weeks and just resting & recovering now. Dad is being a good nurse. :)

Karlie started dance class on Tues. 1st half is ballet & 2nd Tap. So cute in her little leotard (picture coming soon). That teacher has a lot of patience. About 20 little 4 year olds with tap shoes (I'm sure you can form a picture with sound as I say this). She'll even have a recital in April. Mommy can't wait. She'll probably be the one doing her own thing. While some were watching the teacher & some weren't, Karlie was doing frog leaps & ribbits. Then she was upset during the tap parts her shoes hadn't come in yet so she was upset and she kept plugging her ears while the others were tapping. All quite comical in a oh, my gosh, that's my child sort of way.

Charlie was nominated twice and won both for the Sand Dollar awards for his designs! His firm took home 8 all together. Soooo exciting and I am soooo proud of my little bro. We all know he is a wonderful designer, but I think this just topped it off for him to be chosen out of so many other designers just a confirmation for him. Love you little bro!

Tanner is just my little love bug. I'm enjoying our couple of days that we have for one on one time. His new word for today is hug and then he would run over & give me a big hug & growl (bear hug) and smack his lips for a kiss. I love it!!! He's up to about 20 words so far (mama, dada, sissy, doggy (he say arf when he sees one), kitty (he says ow, ow so it sounds like a cat), fall, flower, just to name a few. It's so much fun to listen to him with new words. I giggle every time I hear a new one. I love the pic with his hair all over. He eats spagetti and then runs it through his hair. Such a little love!

Karlie has learned to spell her name and is learning how to write it. She's been working on the letter A this week. It's so much fun getting to check her backpack out after school and have her tell me about her day, what she had for lunch, and the little friends she's making. So much fun!

Check out the pics of these last events. I love all these special little moments with the kids. Love you my little bugs!

1st Day of School at LBF

Today was Karlie's 1st day of school. I brought her in today and she said Bye mom, love you; gave me a hug & kiss and headed off to play with another girl. It made me feel so good to leave her at school, her still be excited & not scared. Got some cute pics. My mom & dad used to do this every year in front of our flower bed and I'd be like, come on mom, we're going to be late for the bus (especially when I was junior/senior and she was still doing this) :). Now I'm glad they did this and I am going to do the same for my kids. :) I made cookies for the kids so that when Karlie came home from school they could have a cookie with milk. My mom also used to do this for me.

Tanner & I hung out today, snuggled. It gave me that one on one time. This is something I'm constantly working on...to spend equal individual time with each plus togetherness time. A mommy's job of showing each I love them the same. That's how it works with two little ones. Tanner liked trying on sis' cowboy hat & hopping on her bed. Shhhhh, don't tell her. :)

It was so fun when Karlie came home & told me about her day. She learned about the letter A, traced her name and some circles, played with play doh & outside on the slides, sand songs during circle time, quite a full day. A little cranky & tired later on in the day, but nothing that can't be taken care of with an earlier bed time on nights before she goes to school. She went to bed tonight at 7:30 because she was soooo tired. I think she fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow. I didn't even get any excuses tonight about why she couldn't go to bed (water, potty, etc.) :) We told Karlie we were so proud of her for being such a good girl at school today. I'm so glad she had such a good time.

Karlie Ann

Dear Karlie,

My dear first born, tomorrow is your first day of school. You head off for preschool early in the morning, a new outfit all picked out. I can't believe my little girl is big enough to go to school already. You are so excited and mommy is so excited for you, but a little sad thinking you're getting to be such a big girl already. You've made it quite vocal to us that you are not a little girl any more (but to mommy you will always be my little girl). :) So tomorrow I send you off to have fun, make friends, and have a blast at school. I love you so much sweetie. Happy 1st day of school!

Last night Karlie colored her special t-shirt from grandma Judy and wore it today. As you can see she signed her name down at the bottom. Today we had a fun day before Karlie goes to school tomorrow. Tanner went to grandma Tveit's this morning and I took Karlie shopping (not much for shopping in little I. Falls, but Kmart did the trick for her). We looked for shoes, and cute outfits, you know girls stuff. She picked out a couple of dresses, one she will wear tomorrow. Then after naps since it rained all day we snuggled up on the floor with blankets & pillows and watched Toy Story & Mulan. Then after supper we pulled out the Easy Bake Oven and made special sugar cookies. I had trouble with one of the cookies, and Karlie politely told me "It's OK, mommy, you must not have made a cookie before, I'll show you how you do it, just take it easy mom". I thought it was very cute and very sincere that she wanted to help mommy & walk her through it. Basically, it was a Karlie Day to make her feel special before she heads to school. It looks to me like she had a fun day, flour & dough everywhere, Tanner grabbing stuff off the counter. I know I had a very fun & special day with the kids.