Parent-teacher conference!

Last night, I had a teacher conference with Kenzie's teacher. It went pretty well. She just showed me some work that Kenzie has done throughout the year, like different writing and math papers. She's doing really well, she's right on track with the 1st grade level, which is good. She's in the AR reading program and also does the challenge spelling words each week. She said Kenzie is always happy and bubbly and eager to learn. Kenzie is quite a chatter box (she definately doesn't get that from me!) and her teacher said that occasionally she does have to tell Kenzie to let someone else have a turn to talk. She didn't act like that was a very big issue though. Thats all I have to report for now! Be sure to check back later for the Halloween pics of Alvin and Hannah Montana (what a combination, huh!) Have a spook-tacular Halloween:)

Kids' Choice

Yesterday at Kenzie's school, all of the kids got to go to the Forrest Library where the election voting will be held and they got to place their votes for who they think should be President. Kenzie just thought that was the coolest thing. It was between John McCain and "Rocko Bama," according to Kenzie. She said that John McCain won with 108 votes, so she was excited because that is who voted for. Kenzie was telling me that one of her friends voted for "Rocko Bama" and she said how another one of her friends said that she didn't like Obama because "he kills babies!" What the? It makes me wonder if the kids parents told her that or what. Maybe its just me, but I would not feel comfortable telling my kids that a Presidential nominee "kills babies!" How scary to them!!

Spikes, spiders, and hats.....Oh My!

I was bored over the weekend while Kenzie was over at Melanie's house, so I made some peanut butter cookies. Since Halloween is right around the corner, I made little spiders and pumpkins out of some of them with pretzel sticks. They look kinda funny, but they worked for the kids.

Aydan with spiked hair. Gosh, his hair grows so fast!

He's going through a hat stage right now. He's wearing Kenzie's pink hat and his Cars hat on top of that. I catch him wearing Kenzie's hat backwards all the time. I can't believe he keeps it on as long as he does!

Here he is showing me the gum he stole from Kenzie.

The results are in....

Looks like the majority of you voted for Alvin for Aydan's costume. Guess I'd better get to work on making it. I just need a really big red turtleneck and then I can sew or glue a big letter 'A' on it and that's about it! Hope it turns out OK:) Thanks to all who voted!

Field Trip

Today was Kenzie's field trip to Curtis Apple Orchard. Both 1st grade classes went from Meadowbrook so there were plenty of kids. There was also a couple of other schools there at the same time. We had a pretty good time. They played on the playground for a while before the tour started. In the picture above, the kids are listening to a lady from the orchard talk about how bees make honey and how they help pollinate the orchard. Did you know that honey never spoils and you can use it to treat cuts and burns? And that there's bees wax in Skittles, M&M's and other candy so it doesn't melt in your hands. Anyway, after that we got a tour of the back room where they make the cidar and sort the apples to be sold. We got to try their apple cinnamon donuts and cidar-Delicious!! We went for a walk out to the orchard and pumpkin patch and then it was more playtime at the playground for a little while until it was time to leave. It was a long drive and now I remember how much I hated to ride school buses!

Decisions, decisions

I've narrowed it down to 2 choices for Aydan's Halloween costume. One option is a cowboy because he loves to wear his cowboy hat around, and he looks so darn cute in it. The other option is "Alvin" from "Alvin and the Chipmunks," since he loves the movie so much. Both costumes would be very easy for me to put together. I can't decide!!! So, I've added a poll to my blog to see which costume gets the most votes. Your votes will help me decide what to do.
********************************************************************
On a different subject, there is no school on Monday (and no work for me, thanks to bankers hours) due to "Columbus Day." Kenzie explained to me today that theres no school on "Clumsy Day so we can spend time with our family:) How funny!!
********************************************************************
On Tuesday, Kenzie's class is going on a field trip to Curtis Apple Orchard in Champaign and I'm going with her. It should be interesting. I'm hoping its a pumpkin patch as well so she can pick out a pumpkin while we are there.

Things I've learned being a Mom...

1.) I never knew how much I could love my kids, even if they drive me crazy sometimes:)
2.) Theres just not enough time in the day!
3.) The house will NEVER be spotless all the time.
4.) Theres always laundry to do and dishes to wash, no matter if you just finished.
5.) Silence? Whats that?
6.) Kids hear everything and love to repeat it so watch it!
7.) Finding time to be alone with your spouse is about impossible!
8.) Enjoy every moment because they grow up way to fast!
9.) Just face it, kids do not want to clean their own room.
10.) Don't take the kids grocery shopping. It will take twice as long and you will spend twice as much!
11.) They WILL try your patience.
12.) Don't sweat the small stuff.
13.) I wouldn't change one bit of it.

Halloween is coming

Aydan last year

I can't believe its October already!! Halloween is coming and I'm still trying to figure out what the kids are going to wear. Theres a million things to pick from but I just hate to buy something. I want to try to come up with something from around the house. Kenzie wants to be a princess or something similar, which it seems like she's something like that every year. I'm gonna try and convince her to be something that we can find at home. Aydan obviously has no idea so I can put anything on him. Last year, I think he fell asleep in the car while we were going to different places so it was hard getting him in and out. I wish everyone lived in the same town and within the same neighborhood so we could just walk everywhere, that is, if the weather permits. Its never very nice weather on Halloween.

*********************************************************************************

The kids are growing up so fast!! Kenzie is learning so much in school already. It seems crazy to me that kids learn to read in kindergarten or even pre-school and by the time they are in 1st grade they are doing math and writing stories! She loves school and is doing really well. We got a note from her teacher the other day that said that Kenzie is ready to start the "challenge" spelling words each week.

And then there's Aydan. He is something else!! He is so funny and he's starting to jabber a lot more. His vocabulary has expanded a lot too! He can copy a lot of the words that we say. His new favorite movie is "Alvin and the Chipmunks." He will actually watch a good portion of it. I never thought he would sit still long enough, but it seems to hold his attention. He says "Ah-nin" for Alvin. He is such a boy; he loves to play with cars and trucks. Ok, he likes to play with babies too, but thats Ok:)

HAPPY 5TH BIRTHDAY MELANIE:)

Today is my niece Melanie's 5th birthday.
This is from the pumpkin patch last year. They had a lot of fun picking out pumpkins. Enjoy your b-day Melanie!

"Shhh.... I'm on the phone!"

Brother and Sister