Chores

Don't you hate it when chores get in the way of life?

I wanted to take my kids to the zoo today, but my house, especially the bedrooms, had not been really cleaned in a while. Picked up, sure, but not put everything where it goes, clean out the things you don't need, vacuumed and dusted, kind of cleaned. It feels good to have it done and I wanted to take a picture so that if I need to do it again, I know what it should look like. =)

Now we can go to the zoo.

a few new pages

I am back to working on Christmas pictures...

Little scrapper...

Every once in a while Bailey takes on a page to scrap. At first when my kids wanted to scrap, I had a really hard time wanting to help them mat pictures or keep things straight. A nice even look. But one time when Aunt Bob was visiting, she helped me see that they can do it their own way.

And they sure do!

Lost tooth

It seems as if whenever Dillon loses a tooth, Avery gains one. This time Avery got hers before Dillon lost his.

Yep, the boy now has 4 holes in his mouth. Oh- Maybe that means he still is up on her. She only has 3 teeth. She will probably get that 4th one any day.

New tooth

Tooth number three has finally arrived. It was first sighted last Tuesday or so, but finally broke through just this weekend.

Also, she is standing up by herself quite often. She took one step the other night at Dillon's lacrosse game. It has taken her almost 4 weeks to take that first step, so I am not sure if she will be walking by her birthday, but she is on the way!!!

Day camp

Well, I thought you all might like to see a little follow up on the day camp situation.

Kevin went in to talk to the head counselor and the director of the camp. They were both shocked by what had happened. They promised something would happen discipline wise. And a follow up call later confirmed that something did happen.

Three kids were suspended from camp for 2 days each. The stories were all inconsistent but it was clear that all 3 played a role. One of the parents has also offered to reimburse us for the book.

Dillon returned to camp yesterday and enjoyed a very fun day at the park. Today they are off to the Rockies game.

I think we are back on track. Fingers crossed for the rest of the week.

parenting

I am in another one of those tough parenting quandaries. I hate this. Why didn't anyone tell me how hard parenting was before I got involved? And now I am 3 kids deep into this hole, but still loving it.

Dillon is at camp this week. Not a drop off on Sunday pick up on Saturday type camp, just a day camp where he is supposed to be having a ball with friends he hasn't seen since last year at camp. A camp that this week is focusing on sports, a trip to a local park for sponge baseball, and a trip to the Rockies game on Wednesday. Fun stuff! This is NOT the experience he had yesterday.

When I picked him up, everything seemed fine. The room a little sparse, but kids having fun. Dillon was deep into a game of UNO with a few other campers and one of the counselors. I asked him how his day went. He said "fine" in a hurried manner, and that he just needed to find the book that he had brought downstairs with him. Okay...but then, he does get distracted easily by books that he loves, and he had just gotten this one for his birthday the day before.

The book was not where he had left it. He searched around and then went to ask another camper that I guess had been looking at it. The camper told us that the book had been flushed down the toilet. "That can't be" I said, "Let's go ask the counselor about it." The kid said "it's true. Go ask him, he knows all about it." The counselor that Dillon had just been sitting with, playing UNO.

We walked back over to him and asked. Sure enough, the book had been taken into the bathroom, peed on, and flushed down the toilet by another camper. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
The counselor apologized then told me that he was still trying to figure out who exactly had done it and to not have Dillon bring personal items to camp with him.

We left. Dillon crying. Later in the car I asked him if he had had fun at camp. It was okay. Did anything else happen while you where there? Well, I got punched in the chest and in the privates. WHAT? Did you tell anyone? Did you do anything? No.

I immediately called the director and left her a message that we will not be back the rest of the week and that I wanted my money back. This is not the camp that we signed up for! Kevin had a different opinion and went in to talk to the director and staff today. Not that he wants this to happen to Dillon, he just wants Dillon to learn to stick up for himself.

We start out parenting tell our children not to hit. To use gentle touches. To be nice, kind, share, etc... At what point do you have to change that message so that your child is not the victim of bullies? How do you explain to your child that it is okay to defend yourself, NOT to start fights, but to finish them? Especially when schools tell them that it is not okay to fight back. All students caught fighting will be disciplined. Isn't it true that if we do not teach our children to protect themselves that they will be walked upon the rest of their lives? These are not our battles to fight, but as parents, giving our children the power to defend themselves. Isn't this a life long lesson that is worthy of being taught?

How hard it is, when we see our children's tears, not to fight back! And yes, sometimes we do, as Kevin did today, but trying not to let Dillon know all that he was doing to help the situation. I think that this also has to do with other parenting situations as well. When is the time to let your child fall on their face so that they learn? We, as parents, can not continue to catch their every fall. I think that this society thing about coddling children is why so many adult children move back in with their parents. Today's young adults have been over nurtured. They do not know how to take care of themselves. I just hate the fact that it is my turn to teach my young babies these hard life lessons.

But teach them I will.

Today the big boy is 8!

Yep- my baby is 8. What is a mom to do?

Yesterday he had his party at Laser Quest. A very fun laser tag game place. I even got in on the action! The "Mominator" took down as many little kids as I could. I must say though, I got tagged quite a bit. I think I gave as good as I got and if the kids had half as much fun as they looked like they were having, it was quite a successful party.

Today he got up early and went with Kevin to the Goalie Training camp. He got to skate with the big kids and shoot on some AAA players. He has a blast.

Then we went over to the book store, one of his favorite hangouts, and picked out a few new books with a gift card he got from his party.

Home for lunch. A little quiet time, and then he took on Dad at the rapid shoot hockey machine at the hockey store near our house. He shot over 300 pucks!!! Kevin kept asking "Are you ready to go yet?" "nope" Kevin came home with blisters on his hands. And remember the hockey field is his career and he coaches too!

Old Chicago was his dinner choice and a little Cold Stone ice cream for dessert. A kid after my own heart.

I would say he had a fabulous day.
Happy Birthday, Baby!

Quiet time

I am one of those people that really needs their quiet time. Quiet time every afternoon to just unwind, read, and/or nap if necessary. I treasure the time, and it may be selfish, but I think that it is a good thing to teach the kids as well. Time to relax and read, just rest your body. After an hour or so, we are up and at the world again.

Today I really needed it. Avery was napping, Dillon was reading, Bailey at camp, and so I headed up to my room. I laid down on the bed, and 5 minutes later Avery was awake.

Strike 1

I got her up, changed her pants, and brought her down for lunch. She ate well, and I was able to get a phone call made that had been waiting. Then my phone rang. Dillon is having a birthday party tomorrow from 12-2. Can an invitee bring their sibling? Normally I have the party at our house, in the backyard, lots of sprinkler, bouncer action. THis year Dillon wanted to go to Laser Quest, a fun, indoor laser tag game place. $14 a person. ....Um, sure he can come.

Strike 2

Then I sat down at the computer and tried to check email. Avery comes over and hangs on me whining. Dillon is yelling at me to come read his latest book entry... he likes to write books every once in a while... Magnatism verses Dillon. Against all odds, Dillon wins the grappling match!

Then I think, this is my chance, I am going up to take a quiet shower. Just me and the water. Ahhhh

Not quite. Avery comes up with me and is whining because I am behind the curtain. Then Dillon comes in and asked to jump in the shower as well.

Strike 3, I'm out. So much for quiet time today.

Sicko

Kevin has pneumonia. Poor guy has been sick for a week. He is so tired and has a little cough but yesterday he had lost all patience and called the doctor. Good thing he did! He had an xray this morning, and sure enough, pneumonia.

I hope he feels better soon!

(He has all 3 kids most of the day tomorrow. He could use all the prayers he can get!)

Catching up on excuses

I have been a bad blogger for a little while now. I would like to apologize. I was trying to figure it out today. The why I haven't done it. I think it was because I had to write these serious papers for school and so writing for fun, wasn't any fun. Any ways, that is the best excuse I have.

So to catch you all up on the doings of the fam...

Avery: She started standing up by herself on June 28th. It started out only for a second and then back down she went, but it seems that she has a lot of Dillon in her. She keeps on trying! Standing up every chance she gets. So I got her a walking toy, and now she is trying to walk around the living room. All with a 2 tooth grin on her face. It's very cute.
She is also talking a bit more. She says "A Da" for all done. "Na Nigh" for night night. "Hi Da" not sure that she really means it though. And other repetitious one syllables. I am not ready for her to say "Mama" yet though. I hear it too much already from the other two!!! She also made the sign for milk last Friday. I can't believe that her 1st birthday is right around the corner, only 3 weeks away. YIKES!

Bales- Oh that Bailey girl. Just loving the fact that she is learning to be...hum... smart and such a girl! She flips her hair. Gestures with her hands while she is explaining. And constantly tries to be Avery and Dillon's mom. She can have the sweetest grin on her face, and not have a care in the world. But her listening skills leave MUCH to be desired.
I had this conversation with her yesterday. "Bailey, have you noticed that I have been yelling at you a lot today?"
"Yes."
"Why do you think that is?"
shoulder shrug
"Do you think it could be that you are doing everything right? Or are you having trouble listening?"
"I'm doing everything right!"
"And I am yelling at you because you are doing everything right? Does that sound right to you?"
Shoulder shrug
"Have you noticed that I have been saying the same things to you over and over?"
"No"
"Well, I have. Do you know why that would be?"
"No"
On and on this went. Do you think she ever got the point? I don't think so.
She is something else, for sure! You just have to love her though. She is so happy most of the time. And her giggle is so infectious!

Dillon- Busy, busy, busy this summer. And he loves it! I just wish that he had a friend that lived closer. Bailey has Jada, who she plays with all the time. Dillon needs a drop in buddy. I think that is one reason he loves all his activities. If he is not at a practice or game, he is here alone or with Bailey. But his birthday is also right around the corner, and he has been busy planning. He is going to invite just a few friends and go over to Laser Quest. It is a place where they can run wild and play laser tag. I think it will be a blast.
He also shocked me today! He can dive! Really dive!!! He passed the test to swim by himself in the 10 feet area of the pool. That was the first time he did. He hasn't tried it before, but today he decided he wanted to, and passed no problem. He had to swim from one side of the pool to the other and back without stopping. Then he went over to the 10 feet, which made me really nervous. So I walked over to stand there and watch for a few minutes. Off he went. Swimming like a fish. Then he climbed out, put his hands over his head, and went in hands first! Of course, he loved that I was shocked. He giggled about it later. He is growing up so fast.

Me: I finished out my first 2 classes and now am taking a break because all the kids are home. I really do not have any spare time to be writing serious papers right now. I will gladly get back into it come September. Both older kids will be settled into school, and I will have some time during the day to work. Well, I hope Avery will let me work. My grades just were released for my first 2 classes....both As! I think I really can do this back to school thing.
Work is fun. I wish I had more time to go in. I love looking around the store at all the new things. Every time I go in, I walk the store to see what is new. Ohh the possibilities.
I have also found that I have a little more time to scrap, which I haven't done so much of in the last few months. I am loving it.

Kevin: Hockey is starting up again. His business will be picking up again really soon. I am sure I won't see him much of September at all. But this year he has an assistant to help him with all the paperwork, with which he is not so good at keeping up on. It makes him nervous though, having an assistant. He is not as busy as he was, because she is helping, and he feels.... you know. Like he isn't getting as much business, because he has free time. I think that will just make him work all the more. Drumming up new stuff with new clients.
His practices with the Thunderbirds AAA team have started as well. Luckily he won't have to travel with them until September, but after that, I will hardly see him until Thanksgiving. Wait, he has a tournament over then as well. Maybe December.

Well, that is our life story for now. I hope it didn't bore you too much. I will try to say Hi more often.

Chow!

Happy 4th of July!!!

On this fabulous 4th of July day, Dillon set up his 2nd lemonade stand. This time he decided that he wanted to offer not only lemonade, brownies and chocolate chip cookies. He was goin' for it. He offered strawberry lemonade!!

We sold out in an hour and a half! 4 quarts regular and 4 quarts of strawberry! The brownies and cookies only sold a few, but still he made a pretty penny and a few dollars to boot. $38.25 to be exact! not kidding!

After he paid back his investors, namely dad and mom, and paid his help, Bailey. He still made over $27.00.

You think I could set up one tomorrow?

Pool days

One of the many activities that we are having fun with this summer is swim lessons. As you can see, the kids love it!

There are definate advantages to working at

the best local scrapbook store in Denver!!!

When Mary Kay needs help making samples for store display, we get to try out new things. I hardly ever do projects beyond scrapbook pages so I was happy to volunteer to do a few new projects. I got to play with chipboard letters making a wall hanging using paint doppers, chipboard, ribbon and of course paper. It was so much fun! (I forgot to take a picture of it though before I took it into the store. Maybe I will get a picture of it hanging there!

I also got to make this little brag book for a display. Sometimes it helps customers when they can see a new product in action.

You also get to try the newest tools on the market. For this one, I got to use the crop-a-dile (which really isn't all that new, but I have only used it once or twice before) and these new Basic Grey files. They are awesome!

The Baseball game page

Hi! I am Dillon. I really love baseball. Well, I like every sport that I can play. I like to keep active to stay healthy.
This page is about my first baseball game. I played against 2 of my friends, Zackry B and Jake. At my first at bat, I jacked a ball and got a home run. I would really like to get a grand slam, but those are really hard.
Bye Bye.

Page and blog posting done by Dillon Whalen