Vanessa's 4th Birthday

Vanessa had a fabulous day yesterday!!  She woke up to pink streamers on the girl's room door.  The first time I saw her she was wearing her "birthday suit" - ha!  I brought her a new swimsuit to wear for the first day of swimming lessons.  It was slightly big so I sewed the straps a little tighter and now it fits perfect.
She jumped around most of the day and was so excited to be four.
She chose to eat Oatmeal Squares for breakfast.  Her fav!

I started making hashbrowns and eggs and the rest of the family ate that, but Vanessa had no interest and was perfectly happy with her cereal. :)

Violet and Calvin said something like, "We're so glad you're four now! Now you can build cool lego things like we do!"

Another BIG perk to turning FOUR! is getting to eat two gummy vitamins every day instead of one.  She's been anticipating this moment for a long time.

The we scooted all the kids off to swimming lessons at UNI.  They got settled in their classes and Vanessa only seemed a little hesitant to join her class.  She just told me she didn't want Andrew.  He was her instructor LAST YEAR.  She remembered the class and her instructor and just wanted someone different.  Well, she got what she wanted.  A very nice instructor named Meredith (who happened to teach Violet in level 2 two years ago) was Vanessa's teacher this year.  She joined 4 other little girls and really seemed to enjoy herself.

What else does Vanessa LOVE?  Frozen, of course!  After checking out the garden on the way home and noting all the little seedling plants popping up and watching a house being built across the street, we ate lunch at home and the kids all watched a matinee performance of Frozen.  

Eli napped and I took advantage of the time to make and decorate Vanessa's cake.  We played outside for awhile.  I pushed Vanessa in the swing for a long time, her favorite activity!  Dave tackled a project he's been wanting to do for awhile - sand down some doors in the house so they shut more smoothly.  I prepared chicken for grilling, and cleaned up the house a little for company.  Rachel came over to help decorate at 5:30 and Mama Row showed up at 6.  Vanessa smiled and posed for photos (that's rare) and loved opening up all her presents.  Rachel got her some mints, gum, and a pink dress.  Mama Row gave her a clip-on flashlight, Dave and I got her some little frozen figurines to play with (Elsa, Anna, and Olaf), Grandma Jo&Grandpa Jon mailed a sparkly bunny necklace (they said one more package is coming), and Grandma Martha mailed a package that had some Frozen tableware - plate, bowl and cup.  So fun!  She loved hearing us sing Happy Birthday, blowing out the big tall candles one by one, and eating PINK CAKE.  

Violet solved a problem for me

I have to write about this one.  If anybody has spent time with our family eating outdoors in the screened-in deck area, you know that sometimes things get stuck down between the wooden deck boards and gets caught by the screen underneath it all.  We have enough stuff stuck down there to someday have a garage sale if we ever get things out of there.  Each child about age 2 discovers the wonders of slipping (or sneaking) something between the boards and being fascinated that its "down there", able to be seen but not reached.  There are pencils, crayons, papers, books, beaded necklaces, bubble wands, puzzle pieces, etc...and...utensils.  Two spoons to be specific.  Eli is at the age right now where almost everything he gets his hands on - he tries putting between the boards on the deck.  He dropped a spoon down a crack on Tuesday evening this week.  The other spoon was dropped down there a couple years ago. 

It. drives. me. nuts.

Well, today Eli put down there one of Violet's perler bead shapes.  A dolphin - her favorite. 

We've been only about 5% successful using a wire hanger to try hook things out.  I have tried sticking really sticky tape on the end of a long stick and gotten paper out before I think.  But it is hard because if the item does get hooked and lifted higher, it has to fit through a tiny slot to get out. 

I just happened to be walking by Eli on the deck this afternoon when I noticed he'd been in the same place for awhile.  I am not sure what prompted me to look down between the boards underneath Eli but that's when I found the plastic perler bead dolphin shape.  Violet was pretty distraught this happened and saw me try to use tape and a wire again.  It was too heavy for the tape, so I said, "It's gone, I can't think of any other way to get it out."

She got a bright look on her face and said, "Hey! I have an idea! Let's try using a long stick and hot glue! Like...put glue on the end of the stick and stick it down between the boards and glue on to the thing that's stuck then pull it up.  The hot glue snaps right off when it cools off!" 

I was super impressed with her thinking skills.  I told her she had a brilliant idea and we should definitely try it.  She was totally on board to help execute, helping me find a long skinny stick.  We found one in the garage that resembled a yard stick.  I plugged in the hot glue gun on the deck and we tried it.  Strip of hot glue on the end of the stick, put it down and stick to the object, wait for it to try a minute, then pull it up.  It worked like a charm on our first try.  When the plastic dolphin was raised high enough, she reached in with the tweezers and pinched it and pulled it right through the slats. 

Nicely done, Violet!  Good thinking!

We also retrieved a long lost puzzle piece (the "mommy monkey" to a mommy/baby animal puzzle).  Vanessa found it satisfying to reunite the baby with her mommy.  She told me the mommy had been on a long trip and came back.

Oh! And we retrieved the two long lost spoons.  We hot glued the curved part of the spoon to the stick, raised it up, and slipped a string with a slip knot over the handle and tightened it, then released the glue, and used the string loop's grip to pull it out.  She was so happy and proud to have helped me solve this problem.  We didn't try find anything else, although we KNOW there's a lego piece to Calvin's new lego helicopter that dropped down there somewhere, we just haven't found it yet.  But when we do, there's an "easy" way to get it out!

Marriage advice

Yesterday in the van with the whole family, Violet mentioned that Grandma Cindy (my dad's wife) was my mom.  I explained that she was not, but that grandma Martha was my mom.  Violet was quickly confused by this, eliciting questions about how this was possible.  I explained that growing up, grandma Martha and grandpa Ted were married.  Then grandpa Ted decided not to love or be married to grandma Martha anymore and married someone else.  Violet asked, "Is that a sin?"  I confirmed that it was a sin.  Calvin chimed in, "That's a baaaad sin."  I then went on to explain that when people get married they should stay married for the rest of their lives.  I pointed out one exception - when a spouse dies then the other spouse can remarry and it is not a sin.  Calvin quickly responded, "But you can't kill them.  That would be cheating." (we are still laughing at Calvin's logic here :)  Maria informed him this would actually be murder.  Calvin went on to say, "You can't change (as in...change spouses).  Dad...you haven't changed, have you?"  "No, Calvin, I haven't changed."  Upon observing their long faces following these comments, I told them, "And I will never change.  I made a promise to stay with mom for our whole lives."  Relieved and satisfied the kid's conversation meandered on to less weighty things.  

David

Goodbye to my favorite baby spoon

The days of needing this perfect little spoon are over. I fed Violet her first bites of baby cereal at 6 months with it and I'm sure the other kids as well. It was so nice because it was narrow and slim to easily fit in their little baby mouths and long handled for an adult to easily manage. It used to change color to indicate if food was too hot but I think multiple times through the dishwasher ruined that feature.  It's broken so needs to be tossed. Thank you spoon!

I know, silly post. :)

Aunt Lucy and Aunt Lydia visit Mama Rowena

The three sisters joined us for dinner (prepared by Mama Row) and we had a wonderful time!

It was Lydia's first time to Cedar Falls.

Lucy had visited us about 6 years ago when we lived in the river house.

Violet finished up 2nd grade

thanks to Miss Oppman for being a GREAT teacher!!! 

Alexis Harlan and Violet

Vanessa's preschool graduation (3-4 yr class at OHCP)

Vanessa's preschool graduation party was on Thursday, May 22.  The teachers had the kids perform "Our God is so big" and then handed out certificates.  Vanessa was sort of sang along with the song and half-heartedly did the motions.  She hugged Mrs. Nuece with a little back-kick of her leg (so girly!) and had fun playing outside with her friends afterwards enjoying cookies and lemonade.  Ms. Willhite filled in for her other preK teacher, Mrs. Netz (who is on maternity leave).  It was fun to have Ms. Willhite there - as she knows Violet, Calvin, and worked at the vet where our dog Abby was frequently boarded. 

Mrs. Knapp announced she no longer was going to be the director of the preschool (she taught Violet and Calvin during their 4-5 yr classes!) because she is staying home with her new baby.

Mrs. Jennie Knapp with her baby Sawyer

Calvin's kindergarten celebration

Calvin has finished up kindergarten!!  Miss Smits was a wonderful teacher.  As I watched the slideshow of all the activities the kids did throughout the year I was amazed how many activities they did and places they went.  Calvin has become a very neat writer, can read lots of things, and really loves learning.

Miss Smits commented on Calvin and said he always greeted her with "Hi Miss Smits!" or "Good Morning Miss Smits!" and often responded to her orders by saying, "Yes, Miss Smits!"

Calvin's last day of kindergarten

 

Violet's piano recital - "Morning Has Broken"

Violet was first up on the list to perform because at the same night and same time, Calvin had to be at a kindergarten celebration.  She wore her new black dress, and some nerves showed as she played - she messed up a few times (even though she played it perfect at home tons of time), but got herself through the song.  She stayed through the recital long enough to hear her friend Selah play her piece, then joined us for Calvin's kindergarten party.

Violet's fourth tooth came out

Lower left lateral incisor.  This one was by far the quickest to come out once it got loose. Only a week, it seemed. Compared to months with the upper central teeth.

2014 Patriotic Program at WCS

Violet - 2nd grade
Calvin - kindergarten

Another year has passed and another Patriotic Program is over.  They performed once on Thurs, May 15 for the grandparents, and another on Friday night, May 16.  The program was done well! 


Most memorable:
- Sunday School Spectacular - a conglomeration of tons of classic SS songs
- Selah's "Jesus Loves Me" solo
- Vanessa clapping and singing along to "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands!"
- Eli eating fruit snacks during the performance and spitting them out on his drawing paper and playing with it, laughing at the slimy fruit snack.

"Oh mom da pane!" ~Eli

translation= "Oh mom the plane!"

Eli. loves. airplanes.

That's the meat of this post and I can't say much else, other than he loves airplanes.  He reminds me SO much of Calvin at this age with his curly hair  (yes, Calvin used to have a head of blonde curls) and saying "ay-payne!" all the time.  Calvin was always so keen on airplanes too, hearing the buzz in the sky get closer, he'd also run around frantically pointing out airplanes. 

He loves books about airplanes.  He points them out, asking "where da pane?" and then finding it exclaiming, "oh dere da pane!"

He's got toy airplanes, and he thinks helicopters are planes too.

Vanessa's obsession of the week (mermaid bath doll)

A little mermaid doll bath toy that has been in the kid's bathroom closet for who knows how many years.  I saw it and pulled it out for her to play with during a bath and she exclaimed over and over how much she loved it.  She has been asking almost every hour if she can take a bath with her mermaid doll all week.   (oh, and Eli has a new bath move)

Mama Rowena is back for the summer! Gardening project

The Lord worked out this opportunity to garden together with Mama Row.  I was praying about something we could do as a family with her - and give me an opportunity to learn from her wisdom.  I suggested we find a piece of land and plant some things to grow over the summer.  Just so happened Dave met with his good friend Bob Smith Sr. for lunch one day and Bob says to Dave, "Hey, do you guys like to garden?  I have a piece of land where I plant corn that is hard to get to with my machines and it is good soil."  Dave came home and said, "hey what do you think about gardening this summer?"  Dave had no idea I'd been thinking this, so when I heard him say that, I was pretty surprised and happy. 

We went for it!  We bought some plants/seeds/gardening supplies and started planting on Wednesday this week.  There are 8 tomato plants, broccoli, cabbage, eggplant, sweet and hot peppers, white and red onions in the ground.  We still need to plant the seeds we got.  Carrots, green beans, squash, zucchini, cucumber, watermelon and sunflowers.  Vanessa helped us some while V and C were in school, then V and C helped us do the rest of it. 

The land is on the corner of W. 12th Street and Union road, about a 8-10 minute drive from our house.  We'll be weeding all summer I think!

digging holes for the tomatos

Vanessa helped put plants in the holes. Mama Row showed her the roots.

look at that cute row of onions :)

Calvin loves legos!

I am constantly amazed at Calvin's creativity when it comes to building things out of legos.

Family movie nights

The kids always look forward to movie nights, which we do on Friday nights if we have time.  Dave makes popcorn, we eat it on the couch, and find something to watch.  Finding something to watch is usually a challenge for me.  I am a bit picky about what we watch together - so many movies are so dramatic and emotional and make the kids have bad dreams.  I found a Lilo and Stitch movie on Netflix they all seemed excited about so we watched it.  It was ... ok.  They all seemed to enjoy it.

Vanessa's drawings

Vanessa drew me driving the van a few days ago.  I like her inventive drawings!