Trick Or Treat

Reece the Dementor and Riley as Lord Voldemort.

And Savannah as a super cute candy corn.

Happy Haunting!!

Carving Fun

Well, "Manly Weekend 2.0" brought pumpkin carving.

Which means mommy missed the gooey fun!

Mommy also missed the boys getting their fingers dirty.... this might be a first! Haha!

And Riley actually carved his very own pumpkin. WOW! That's pretty impressive!

I have a very "lame" camera....Jake turned off the flash to try to see the lit up pumpkins, and this is the masterpiece.

Riley's spooky face and Reece's "challenger" spider.

Dad did most of that because it was a "Web Master" design.

Happy Halloween!

Doctor Frustrations

I just realized my "Close Call" post wasn't complete.

We need a new doctor. Now. Okay, more like yesterday!

Finding a doctor is always hard when you move. I was given a recommendation, however, this doctor had decided to only take baby making women. Trust me, I was tempted to lead her to believe that maybe that would be in my future..... but how could I explain the other 3 family members I wanted to bring with me? So, I really didn't ever seriously consider that, but it crossed my mind. I ended up calling the main family care office here in town, which works real close to the hospital..... it's actually in the Hospital parking lot, and I was just assigned a family doctor. I will call him Dr. B. (Although I've probably named him previously...)

Dr. B. is an arrogant man. That's the best way I could describe him.... and I was just thankful that I didn't have any little ones that needed routine checkups, multiple times a year. I never had a real reason to dislike him, so I continued with my life and only saw him when the kids were sick. Jake's confidence in him was first shaken when Riley ran a fever last February/March for 34 days. Never found a reason for it..... My confidence was shaken when he told me Riley was having growing pains in his chest last month. Really? I've never heard of such things!! Not that I'm a doctor, but I just didn't like that answer. Shortly after this, our mortgage friend, who had helped us refinance, told us her husband was so close to paralysis after complaining of neck pain for over a month. Dr. B told gave him pain killers and told him to see a chiropractor. Turns out it was a staff infection. Yep! Almost paralyzed!!! Then she had a fractured foot, but Dr. B. needed time to think about his action plan, and guess what! She ended up breaking her foot, because there was no care or boot given to her! Youch!!

So, of course I needed a last minute appointment yesterday, and I was wishing I would call and only have a P.A. available to see Riley. Nope..... he just happened to be available. I should have asked for anyone else, but I didn't. Appointment goes fine. I get my prescriptions and leave. I am pulling into the parking lot of the pharmacy and get a phone call from his nurse. "Dr. B. accidentally wrote the antibiotic RX for an adult, not a child." What? It didn't dawn on me until I had time to really process the severity of this mistake, for me to freak out. Of course, I would hope that the pharmacist would catch this, but that's still not okay with me. So, I have had enough, and maybe I am still more lax than some moms, but I am terrified that my child has been in his care for so long!

This is where my "Close Call" post was supposed to go. Wish me luck in the new doctor search. Definitely a disadvantage in a small town.

Close Call

Riley is sick. I was that mom today, that felt like she was jumping the gun on getting him medical treatment. I was so sure the doctor was going to say it's just a virus, and it needs to run it's course. Thanks for money!

It all started early Monday morning. I was woken up by Riley coughing.... and it was a rough cough. This was the start of it. He literally went from no cough, to a horrific cough. Well, you can't really keep a kid home from school anytime he coughs, and there were no other signs, so I sent him on. He came home to tell me he coughed all day..... he was a little extra lazy, and finally after dinner, I found he had come down with a fever of 101.1*. I decided then, he had to stay home from school today. So again, early this morning I was woken up by his cough. He was now wheezing. I got him into the doctor, and when the doctor listened to his chest and cough, he was almost positive pneumonia was our problem. He was very concerned about how rapid these symptoms were taking place. We did a blood test and chest x ray, and thankfully no pneumonia. However, it could have been just around the corner, so we are on an antibiotic and a steroid to loosen up the junk in him.

So glad I didn't sit around on this one.... it could have been a close call.

Conferences Part I

Today we got to go see Mrs. Olander. The WONDERFUL Mrs. Olander. She just always puts me in a wonderful, try to hold back the tears, mood. How can you not want to cry with joy when a teacher wants to clone your kid? She honestly feels like Reece is a model student..... and when she says this, I believe her!!

Her comments on his progress report were: Reece is doing a good job in first grade. He has a positive attitude towards school, makes a sincere effort to do his best, and works hard in class. Reece is a leader and a positive role model for other students. I enjoy having Reece in my class!

Reece is reading at a level G. The benchmark for first grade is D. His teacher for Guided Reading is Mrs. Presnall. She stopped to introduce herself to us, and let us know how well Reece is doing at reading. Reading isn't a skill that Reece shares with us at home, unless it's required homework, so it was a nice surprise to hear these kind praises. Mrs. Olander shared that this reading group with be pushed until things get hard this year, something Dad and I are happy about!

Mrs. Presnall's comments were: Reece is a careful reader. He has a strong sight word base that helps him read fluently. He pays attention to the text and pictures. Reece has good comprehension skills. It has been fun getting to know to know Reece in this reading group. Keep up the GREAT reading, Reece!

Reece is also above average in his Math skills. Mrs. Olander says he comes in with a lot of skills already and then he picks up on the new skills right away. She wishes she could take this quality of his, and sprinkle it on the others. Those were her words.... He even did a timed math test, with 30 addition problems, and he completed them in 2 minutes 25 seconds. The fastest of the class.

Reece is doing great at his Art, Music and PE. Reece has conquered the National Fitness Award. This doesn't really surprise me.... and he ran the mile in 8 minutes 11 seconds. That surprised me a bit. He takes after his mommy here.... I remember making it to the Presidential Fitness Award by 5th grade. I bet he gets there too!

I always have to double check, that my "know it all" son isn't isolating himself because of his social skills, that sometimes lack a bit. She never feels this is an issue. She actually says he played more solo in kindergarten then he does this year. He is actually in charge of 4 square at recess. He operates the game, every time. He told Mrs. Olander that Savannah taught him all the rules. Savannah is really the one that knows all. If there is any question, Reece tells everyone that he will ask Savannah. (Savannah is our 5th grade neighbor....a.k.a. Reece's favorite person ever.)

Gosh, I've really gone on and on a bit much here. At least in 8 years, when Reece is a terrible teen, I can remember exactly how I felt on this day in 2011.

Here is a picture Reece made at the beginning of the year. Reece told his class he wanted to be a scientist when he grows up. Mrs. Olander was very impressed with the details. Aside from the beakers, I just love the hair!

Pumpkin "Carving" Fun

(More like digital carving fun!)

Grammy's Pumpkin Patch

Here is the only documentation from the "Manly Weekend" my boys had.... I'm not going to pretend like I was there, so here are the boys at the pumpkin patch. Enjoy!

The rest of the weekend was spent putting up some crown molding in the striped room I haven't touched since putting stripes in it.

As for me.... I worked all weekend and now I'm fighting off a terrible cold.

BOO!

Retirement

So, I think Reece just retired from tumbling....

Yep! He came home today from school, and told me he didn't feel like going to tumbling. I told him it's okay to take a day off, and that's when he told me he didn't want to go anymore.

I was thrown off guard, just a bit. Up until today, he really never hesitated to go. He showed pure excitement each day we went. I'm a little confused. But, I'm okay with it. We pay monthly. I am not bothered at it, except he won't give me a reason. The way I feel about it, is we didn't put him in tumbling to become an Olympic tumbler..... it was just an inexpensive activity to put him in, and anyone who knows the kid, knows tumbling comes pretty naturally to him. That was all. He enjoyed it for 6 weeks, so we will see what will come next. Jake's views are different. And I will leave that there.

What did make my day, was that Reece decided he didn't want me to put him in soccer, but he wants to keep playing basketball. Yay!! However, I don't think I will tolerate this back and forth, wishy washiness very well.... Hope he really does find something to be happy with and will stick with it!

Manly Weekend

*Reader discretion is advised*

As you can see.... the next 3 days are penciled in as "Manly Weekend."

I am heading to Wichita to work, and Jake has the weekend off, so I am giving my mom and dad break from the boys.

Today after school, I hear a pretty loud fart come from the living room..... the next thing I hear is Reece.

"Come on!! It's not even MANLY WEEKEND yet!!!"

Sorry, Mom! That was just too funny not to post!!

Persistent

In the rush of all that happens in this household, this time of year, Jake yells out to Reece, "Why are you always in such a hurry to do "big boy" things?" Better yet, "big people" things!

Reece's response was simple. "Because, I want it ALL!"

Who are we to keep him from accomplishing this! Reece has the personality to leave this house and conquer the world. So, naturally I believe Reece will get older and share "it ALL" with his loving parents! Right? Isn't that his obligation? I love this kids ambitions!! Even if he doesn't really know yet, what they really are!

*

Riley has his own ambitions..... Last night while he was doing his homework, he needed help with the word, "persistent." We helped him sound it out, then he needed the definition. We went the route of, someone who never gives up, someone who keeps trying. Riley then decided to give himself a "persistent" label. Why? He is trying to get in the Guinness World Record Book.... for being the best video game player ever! He dreams BIG!!

How does the same DNA create such different little people. I love these little men, and I cannot wait to see them as big men!

Quarterly Birthdays

****PICTURE OVERLOAD****

Actually, we combined the last 2 quarters into one party for 2011. This will wrap all grandkid's birthdays up for the year. We always enjoy, even though October is an exhausting month for all of us, having a "Halloween" themed party.

Aunt Jaime is such a sport too. He actually hand made and sewed her costume. Along with her friend, Kimberly. It took her 3 months..... literally!!! Corset and all! What is she? She is a steam-punk zombie killer. It's a gothic movement from a time I'm unaware of....... that really just means I don't get it. Her friend is a vampire killer. They have fun with it.... ;)

Fun pumpkins on Aunt Joanna's porch.

Aunt Joanna had a soup bar with nachos on the side. It was a perfect fall meal!

Notice her fun dungeon walls...... she loves this time of year!

Jason made an appearance..... and I have the upper hand!

Aunt Jaime from the back side..... I couldn't resist!! Look at the detail!

Costume mix up or "Revenge of the Nerd(s)?"

Just one adorable cookie made by Aunt Joanna.

Pumpkin painting..... more kid friendly and less time consuming for the kiddos.

Reece's pumpkin.

Riley's pumpkin. Love the mummy.

Alex loves the camera!!

Owen playing on his own.... he is very good at entertaining himself.

Boys costumes.... nothing fine tuned, just thrown on. Riley is Lord Voldemort and Reece is a Dementor from "Harry Potter." A big, scary step from "Super Mario Brothers" characters!

The gang!

Hannah, Will, Jack and Alex were characters from "How to Train Your Dragon."

Colby was a nerd, and Camryn was a fifties girl. These two never get excited for a camera.....

Good vs. Evil!

Britton was Harry Potter and Ariana was Hermoine.

Here they are at a standoff!

Strike a pose Jason..... I mean Aidan!

Owen as Elmo and Aidan as Jason. Quite the duo! You can tell there is a 7 year difference here. ;) I have to add that Aidan referred to Owen as, "A Nightmare on Elmo Street!" He cracks me up!! And although little brother drives him crazy, I know how much he loves this "Elmo!"

Present time!! Alex turned 4 in September.

Reece will be 7 in December. Legos and Nerf.... what more does a boy need?

Ariana also turns 7 in December.

Jack turns 7 this month!

Will turned 8 in September!

Britton turns 10 in November.

And finally, Hannah turned 10 earlier this month.

Thanks for being the best host, Aunt Joanna! Although it was a bit rushed, we all had a great time! (Reece was actually sad that we had to leave..... he always is! He said," I wish I lived here, because they get all of the cool stuff!" I believe he'a referring to his cousin's toy store in the basement. It is a fun time, but I remind Reece that if he had all of the same stuff, he would stop having fun there!)