Monday, June 29, 2009

Awards Ceremony

On the last night of Safety camp they had a huge Awards Ceremony. The excitement in the air was CRAZY! You could tell they had a blast.
Each team had their own cheer. Kaydree's was the PURPLE SCREAM!
Kaydree getting piggy back rides brought back memories. Being the shortest one has it's advantages!
It was two full days filled with FUN!

Friday, June 26, 2009

Safety Camp

Kaydree's friend Brynn wanted to do Safety Camp so her mom asked me if Kaydree would be interested. When it comes to doing something with Brynn, Kaydree is always in! Words can not express how grateful we are that Kaydree participated in this camp!
The city puts on a Safety Camp run by Police Officers, Fire Fighters and Paramedics, every summer for two days, for Third and Fourth Graders. It was the best 30 dollars we have ever spent.
They got a T-shirt, water bottle, Bike Helmet, two lunches, four snacks, a medal, ice cream and root beer social, a dance, and a day of swimming.
The best thing they received was the relationships they formed with each other, the police officers, fire fighters and paramedics. Kaydree learned about fire safety, poison control, being alone and safe, bicycle safety, seat belt safety, first aid (which she has performed on Karsyn twice already, in a very serious manner!), and water safety.
On Tuesday, it was extremely hot and humid and Kaydree came home filthy dirty because they had a DJ and danced in the dirt and then got sprayed down by a fire truck! Talk about fun...
Hailey, Brynn and Kaydree are inseparable! They had such a great school year together that they were due to hang out for two full days, again!
After two full days of Safety Camp, Vacation Bible School (pics to come) and soccer this week, Kaydree is beyond worn out! It's GREAT!

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Surprise Visitors

Yesterday after running Kaydree to Safety Camp and Karsyn to Vacation Bible School, I hit: The Gym, Walmart, Target and County Market and made it home by noon to meet Amanda and her family at our house. Talk about a crazy morning!
Kaydree was not happy that she missed their visit. Karsyn thought she was pretty big holding a 4 day old baby!
Look at that little foot! So adorable.
Little Megan is a beautiful baby!
Karsyn snuggled right up to her!
Karsyn always has money stashed in places and Timmy found one of her dollars! It was a quick visit but it really meant a lot to us and made us so excited to have a little one around again to snuggle!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Pictures From Father's Day Weekend

I feel like our family events that need to be blogged are having a hard time keeping up with our crazy summer schedule! Every summer I have plans to just let life slow down so that we can savor the moment and not feel rushed onto the next thing. I have failed miserably! As most of you know last week was somewhat difficult for me to be away from our little peanut. We were all very excited to see her at Grandpa (G--pa's as Kaydree calls him now?) and Grandma's. Kaydree included! Auntie Lori did her hair and put some of Grandma's flowers in her braids, she was so excited, actually I think they are in the back of my car wilting right now...
Kaydree got to go out with me for "Girl's Night Out," at Applebee's for about 25 minutes and she had a fun time grossing us out with her tooth. She did lose it Friday, right before we left. As you can see it was hanging by one little root. GROSS
My niece, Korin, holding one of the little kitties.
Spencer and Makenna snuggling our dog, Charlee and his nephew Baxter, (Spencer and Emily's dog).
The guys cut down a tree and the kids had fun pretending they were building a house with furniture.
These were some of Karsyn's treasures that she found out at Grandpa's and Grandma's during the week. She was so excited and carried them around everywhere it was the first thing she wanted to show us.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

She Amazes Me...

Spencer and Emily invited Kaydree down to Iowa this week to spend the week with Makenna. I told Kaydree it wasn't a good week to do that since she had two soccer games, Activity Day Girls and a Birthday Party to go to. Well of course the soccer game got rained out on Tuesday and Activity Day Girls was cancelled. It was suppose to be a Mother/Daughter dinner where the girls made a vegetable pizza to share and serve to their Mothers. Kaydree was really bummed. She has been begging me to teach her how to cook. Benjy was working late and with Karsyn being gone, we decided to have a Mother/Daughter dinner that Kaydree would cook for me!
She decided on tacos. She had browned the hamburger at Activity Days for Sloppy Joe's, so she thought she was a pro at this!
She didn't like cutting the olives because they were slippery little stinkers!
When she went to cut the tomatoes she said, "Don't worry Mom, I know how to do this, I do it all the time on Cookin' Mama!" (Her Nintendo D.S. Game!)
She got her first taste of crying from cutting an onion!

She thought cutting the lettuce was fun!
The finished product! She did a GREAT JOB and she was so PROUD of herself. I think she not only surprised me but herself! She said, "I think it tastes better than normal, probably because I made it!" I thought it is funny how they appreciate it that much more when they are the ones putting in the effort! As we started eating, she said, "Well, this is kind of weird, just you and I sitting at the dinner table!" I said, "It seems so quiet without Karsyn around!" Benjy got home as we were finishing up and he did the dishes, so I scored a great night!

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Missing My Little Peanut...

This has been a long week already. My parents will tell you that I am calling them numerous times a day, just to check up on her. I just want to know what she is doing, how she is eating, if she is playing nice, if she slept well, is she being respectful, is she having fun.... yadda, yadda, yadda! I am so use to having my little shadow with me, that it is REALLY weird having her gone. It constantly feels like something is missing. Last night after hearing her little voice on the phone telling us everything she was doing and she sounded so grown up....I wanted to get in the car and drive to get her....just to hug her and squeeze her!
Now...don't get me wrong...there have been benefits to this week.
Having time alone with Kaydree feels more like girls day out, girls night out, then it does being a constant mother. I haven't had to break up one fight or send anyone to time out. Kaydree is so much more independent. She gets her own breakfast, she does her own hair, she sits down to read on her own, she puts in movies on her own, she practices piano, goes to jump on the trampoline, plays with neighborhood friends for hours, she dresses herself without me having to re-dress her in something appropriate (Karsyn loves to wear mixed matched layers upon layers clothing), she makes her bed and mine without having to be asked. I know...right? I don't ask her to make my bed.... she has been making my bed and helping with laundry just so that we can get out of the house sooner in the morning, as she puts it!
Monday..
Kaydree and I had a picnic in the park and then went to the outdoor pool. Then her and Benjy went shopping for me. Then they went and rented movies and got ice cream while I had time to read, alone...
Tuesday..
Kaydree brought a friend to playgroup and then played most of the day with her.
Wednesday...
We are suppose to go to the lake, not sure if we will venture that way or not?
My visiting teachers are coming over this afternoon and tomorrow I am going visiting teaching. (A little easier with one child who sits nicely and listens without a sibling to "mess around with."
I really love this time that my girls get to bond with their cousins and Grandpa and Grandma and they really look forward to it, but it has me wondering what "empty nesting" really feels like?

Sunday, June 14, 2009

The Sounds of Our Summer....

Friday was the first day of our summer together. The day started out great with the girls sleeping in and waking up in a relaxed, enjoyable mood. We had some errands to run and some yard work to do, so we took it easy in the morning and then headed out to run errands.
I don't know what happens once we walk into a store but for some reason my sweet little girls turn into crazy bickering little monkeys! They seem to get all this energy, thousands of questions (some of which are....can I get this?), and endless whining of, "Our we done yet?"
By the time we get home, I am usually exhausted, hungry and crabby and they are just starting to erupt into an all out fight! I sent them outside to jump on the trampoline to burn off some energy only to eventually hear screaming or crying because someone got a little too rough.
Just when I was ready to pull my hair out, I sent them to "time out" away from one another in their respective rooms. As I was sitting on the couch wondering if this was a sign for what was to come this summer, I heard Kaydree start playing a church hymn all on her own, " Do What is Right."

I then broke down in tears of gratitude for the beautiful girls I have. These must be pregnancy hormones, but I will take these moments when I realize just how blessed I am and just how fast this summer will slip away from us....so I will continue to treasure these crazy bickering monkeys that my sweet girls turn into from time to time.

Today Karsyn left for Grandpa and Grandma's house for the week, with her cousin Nick, and I already miss hearing the girls laughing and fighting together!
For the most part they are usually pretty sweet to one another... but they have their moments...I guess we all do!

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Only To....

Had a busy day yesterday, planting flowers, ironing, grocery shopping, cooking dinner and coaching soccer. I was completely wiped out last night, only to wake up with a raging headache, which is a sign that I didn't drink enough water!
While getting breakfast and reminding Kaydree not to dump out her belongings from school on the kitchen floor, I bent down to pick up her blanket from Moonlight Reading yesterday, only to have a flashlight drop on my big toe. It cut my toe nail at the base of my nail and bled like a son of a gun...so I have now gone through three band aides! It hurt sooooo bad!
Played a couple of games of dominoes with Karsyn, took an hour cutting and organizing coupons in the excitement of double coupon week at Kmart only to find out that they aren't having it! Corporate mistake?
All in all.... oh well! I can always go back to bed, or sit around reading books to Karsyn or just watch a movie and veg. out! The possibilities are endless!!!!!

Friday, June 5, 2009

Lori's 40th Birthday Surprise

My brother, Steve, told me a little over 2 months ago that he wanted to plan a Big Surprise Party for Lori, for her 40th Birthday. Since Lori has 14 siblings....we knew it could be a lot of fun! It was fun putting it together and keeping it a surprise!
I don't know if we got a final head count, but there were a lot of friends and family there!
Karsyn and the Birthday Girl! I don't think there was a dry eye in our family when Lori pulled up. It was so fun to see Lori so surprised. She got out of the car and said, "You guys are soooooo dead!" She was crying and I hope she could see and feel how much we all love her!
Grilling Burgers and Hot dogs.
The food was so yummy. So many salads and desserts!
Of course the bean bag tournament!
My cousin Suzi, her son Chase and friend.
My Grandma Ruth (She wasn't feeling well at all!) and my Cousin Samantha.
The kiddos watching the Whopper Hopper getting set up. That thing was used the entire day!
My Beautiful 15 year old niece, who just got a cute little sporty car, Courtney! She helped her dad keep the secret from her mom!
It was fun having people camp at my Parent's house. I think there were 3 campers and 7 tents?
We have been traveling so much lately but it has been fun! Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Lori's 40th...soon we will go for Father's Day, 4th of July (Mom's Birthday and Larsen Family Reunion), and at the end of July to Texas for the Villarreal Family Reunion.
I have a feeling our Summer is going to fly by!

Thursday, June 4, 2009

New Moon Trailer!


Click on the link...
I can't figure out how to put it into the blog.

http://www.mtv.com/videos/movie-trailers/395235/trailer-premiere-new-moon.jhtml

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

It's a.....

I have so much to blog, however one thing trumps all other news for us right now! We had another ultrasound done yesterday and we were able to find out what we are having!
As of now, everything looks really good. The placenta is attached on the right side, but high and the baby is growing and moving around like crazy! Karsyn got to come with us and she wasn't sure what she thinks of this whole thing yet. Kaydree was so bummed that we didn't take her out of school for it and now I do regret that decision! It was the coolest most detailed ultrasound that I have ever had. Karsyn saw that I was crying and asked why. I was just so amazed at how this almost 3 inch baby could be seen so clearly. Kicking, moving, waving, rolling and looking at us! It was sooooo neat. To watch its little legs kicking and crossing and scrunching up was so unbelievable! We could see the individual chambers of the heart and could see little bubbles in its stomach and the technician said, "That is a sign that the baby is swallowing!"

The technician asked us if we wanted to find out the sex of the baby. Benjy said, "Yes. Well I guess I should ask you, Kristen, do you?" Ha Ha.... So she looked at the internal organs and said, "I wouldn't paint a room based off of this, but it looks like a boy." She went on to measure some other things and then came back down to the legs and just then the baby opened its legs and she said, "Oh boy, it's a BOY!" She froze the picture and put a square around two little round shaped items and said, "Those are definitely boy parts!" The heart rate had dropped to 144 so I was thinking it was a boy and this pregnancy has been sooooo different from the girls, so now everything makes sense! I am really excited, Kaydree is really excited, Benjy and Karsyn....well they are still getting use to the idea.

BABY BOY VILLARREAL!

I bought some little boy shoes from my cousin Sam a couple of years ago and I just couldn't part with them yet, so now I know why! I put a pair out on the front step for Kaydree to find when she got off the bus and then hung a pair from the door handle. It was so funny to watch her pick them up, turn them over and stand staring at them. Then when she went to open the door and she found another pair, she yelled out, "We're having a boy! Yay!" The girls get such a kick out of little boys and they make the girls laugh so much that Kaydree said, "I think there is going to be a lot of laughing in our house!"