Sweet Boy.

I have to share this story about Landon.  Landon has had a rough three weeks.  He has been plagued with strep throat, the stomach flu, and a cold/infection.  He has been a trooper through it all but was pretty pekid for almost a month.  He was complaining of his neck hurting for a few days and Ryan and I noticed his glands were swollen but decided to just watch him for a little bit.  Friday afternoon (430 pm when most teachers are checked out for the week) I received a phone call from Landon's teacher, Mrs. Spanier.  At first I was a little worried he was in trouble.  She was just calling to let me know that she had noticed Landon's neck had been bothering him in school and he had said he had a headache a couple times.  She said he is not a complainer and never brought it up unless she initiated the conversation and then would always end with, "but I'm okay."  She wanted me to know and thought maybe he should see his doctor.  At the end of a very good conversation she said she had one more thing she wanted to tell me (I thought oh great, always save the bad for last) and she said:

"Thank you for Landon.  He is such a sweet, good boy.  He listens so well and is so willing to learn.  He is trying so hard and doing so well with his reading.  Landon is nothing but a joy in my classroom and he is just a good boy."

I don't think that I could have heard better words about my son.  I was so happy and so proud of him.  It was after this conversation with Mrs. Spanier that I was reassured sending Landon away every day to school to learn was the right thing to do.  I am so blessed that the one person who I have to share him with more than anyone is a kind-hearted, sweet, smart woman who I have no doubt in my mind would protect my little boy in a heart beat.  This was just what I needed to feel after the horrible news of the elementary shooting in Connecticut.  We are beyond blessed to have this little boy in our lives and beyond blessed to have such a caring teacher.  

Happy Birthday Ry!

 We were all excited to celebrate Daddy-o's birthday today!  Unfortunately, he had to work later than normal and didn't get home until almost 6.  The kids and I had picked out an ice cream cake for him from Dairy Queen and I think they were more excited to eat it than he was!

Happy Birthday to the best dad and husband in the world.  We love you so much!

Little Gymnast!

I wanted to share these sweet pictures of Kenzie!  She had her last class of her first session of gymnastics.  I didn't know they were going to do a little awards ceremony or I would have brought my camera.  Luckily I had my phone to snap a couple pictures.  She went up to the podium and did her "ta-da" and then with clapping and cheering was handed her very first gymnastics ribbon!  I was surprised she even went up there by herself!  She has made some serious social progress since the beginning of class and I am so proud of her!

She thought she was pretty special and loved all of her stamps as well!

Holiday Baking.

 We did some family holiday baking today.  Baking cookies takes a lot of time with 3 little ones and is one giant mess!  They had fun helping and we were exhausted by the time the cookies were baked and everyone and everything was cleaned up.  We just made a couple different kinds but they are yummy and it was fun.

 Kenzie didn't quite understand why we were putting a plate full of yummy cookies in front of her but she wasn't able to eat them!  She did pretty well and when we were all done they got to choose a cookie to eat.

You can see the excitement in Landon's face!  He is my sweets boy.  Oh, and why not bake cookies in a dance costume?

Holiday Recital 2012.

 Kadence had her holiday recital for dance.  It is a very informal recital where the classes just where costumes from their own closets and do short dances.  Kadence's dance class had a lot of 3 year olds in it this year so they had two big girls helping on stage.  I think it may have been distracting for those few who actually knew the dance, but it was cute nonetheless.

 Kadence was so excited she kept telling us to hurry because she didn't want to miss her recital.

 This little copycat wanted to pose for pictures just like big sister.   I can't wait to get her in a dance class!

 When we arrived at the school Kadence still wasn't nervous.  She gladly posed for some pictures for me while Dad, Landon, and Kenzie found some seats.  She was the first in her class to line up and after  I had been there with her for about 10 minutes and one other little girl had come she says, "mom, you can go now- I'm good."  I was shocked and glad at the same time.  She was so excited and didn't seem nervous at all!

 It was pitch dark when I snapped the picture below so it was fun to see her smiling face with the flash of the camera.

 Love her little nervous smile!

 Such a pretty little dancer!  I have moved Kadence up to a class with some older girls which I think will be great for her.  So, I am excited to see what her recital this spring will bring.  So proud of of our little girl!

That's Weird.

This little girl was just what I needed this morning.  I am thinking this family is starting to feel better although my little Kadence girl is still pretty pale.  Just wanted to share Kadence's chatter this morning. I have recently discovered that Barney is the one thing that Kenzie will actually sit and watch on TV only for about 10 minutes but that is better than her crying while I try to cook, or get ready, or help the other kids, or basically anything else that does not involve holding her and/or directly talking and playing with her.  I had recorded a Barney Christmas movie and turned it on for the girls while I helped Landon get ready for school.

 Kadence: I didn't know Barney was a dinosaur, I really just thought he was a long-tailed purple hippo. That's weird.

It was just what I needed.  I was instantly in a good mood and couldn't stop smiling!  I love catching insight into these little minds!

Shake it up!

We have had an extremely rough week and a half around this house.  We have been plagued with the nastiest bug I have ever encountered in my life.  It has gone through everyone but Ryan-thank goodness for his iron guts.  I wont go into details to spare your own stomachs but I will say our washer and dryer has ran continuously for 10 days and we will probably have a water bill higher than when Ryan was obsessively lawn watering this summer.  Kadence and I also had recreated words to "This is the song that never ends" with our own "This is the stomach bug that never ends..." On a positive note I am hoping (and praying) that once this bug leaves our home we should be good for awhile and be able to enjoy Christmas.  

I had to write this post so that I could remember Kadence's adorable name for 7-up.  Our kids rarely get pop and to be honest with you they never even ask for it.  We have been desperate in settling the kids' poor tummy's so I gave Kadence a few sips of 7-up.  It seemed to help her for a little bit and she would ask if she could have another sip of "shake it up."  I corrected her a few times but quit when she didn't get it and I realized how adorable it was when she would ask for her "shake it up."  

We have spent way too much time sick and at home, it has been exhausting for everyone.  I let the girls work out a little frustration by finger painting this morning.  They had a blast!

 I had to laugh because neither one of them loved having paint all over their hands and asked to wash them in between painting.  Little cutie patooties!