If you like Pina Coladas

As usual we had much noise, tears, laughter, and a really great New Years Eve dance off. With ten kids under eight years old there is always someone unhappy about something. We heard several renditions of "All the Single Ladies" from Hannah, Morgan, Hailey, and Kaylie. It fast became their their favorite song after we, while suffering from temporary insanity, took them to the movie to see the Chipmunk movie. Amazingly out of the ten of them only two didn't make it until midnight. We were all together and made some great memories: Morgan's energy, Todd's entertaining abilities, my rendition of Dawn's 1980's hiney drums and some fun dance moves. Needless to say after a few days together all the adults needed those Pina Coladas.

Sam's Favorite Spot

Every time I open the dishwasher, Sam comes running. He loves to take out the bottom basket and get in. It is okay if the dishwasher is empty, but a few times he hasn't let me get the dishes out and I end up running to grab dishes from hitting the floor. Why does he like this? We have tons of toys to play with and tents to hide in. What is so thrilling about the dishwasher?

My Little Pumpkins!

Sam carried his little pumpkin around the whole time and then carried it around the back yard at home. Thank goodness he didn't pick a big pumpkin.

Walk the Plank!

Tyler's Pirate Pary was great fun. We had buried treasure, a pirate ship cake, and sack races that left us rolling with laughter. Hopefully Jennifer will post some video on her blog.

"Mom, Sam has my underwear!"

Last weekend we had to round up some of the cows to take to the sale barn. While Wil was hooking up to the cattle trailer the kids and I decided to get started on getting the cows in the pens. We herd our cows with suburbans, not horses, so all the kids were in the back and of course since we are not on the pavement, nobody is wearing a seatbelt. We get all but two of the cows in the pens by calling them and shaking a piece of paper, which to them apparently sounds like a sack of cubes. When we go back to get the other two cows it becomes apparent that they are going to go into the pen nicely, so I tell the kids to sit down and hold on. Of course Sam doesn't understand what hold on means, so in my effort to herd the cows he gets thrown into the floorboard a lot. Anyway, we have been chasing these cows around the field for awhile now and I am getting a little annoyed. I am in serious "you will go into the pen" mode and then I hear Hannah laughing hysterically and Sam falling onto the floor yet again, and Morgan crying "Mom, Sam has my underwear." I turn around to A) check on Sam, and B) to see if Morgan is naked and ask her why she has taken off her clothes. It turns out that Morgan was fully dressed and a pair of underwear had been in the leg of her pants and worked themselves out and Sam had snatched them. Of course Morgan is mortified that her brother has her underwear and Hannah and Sam think it is hilarious and our laughing only makes him squeal louder and run with the underwear. We have chased cows hundreds of times and have lots of strange things happen, but this was the first time anyone lost their underwear.

The Thrill Is Gone

Okay, so the excitement of the new school clothes, new backpack and lunch box, and storytime has ended. Morgan did fine the first day of school, the second day she cried a little twice, yesterday she cried again, and today she ran screaming out of the classroom after me when I tried to leave. So I told her I would stay and help her get her breakfast tray and then I was leaving. Fifteen minutes later I am still there and realizing that this is not going to end well. I decided to just do it fast, like a band-aid. I told her I was leaving and kissed her goodbye. I started walking out and she starting following, so I walked faster and looked over my shoulder to see the teacher wrestling a kicking, screaming Morgan. I felt bad for Morgan. I felt bad for the teacher. I hope tomorrow is better.

First Day of School

Morgan on her first day of Kindergarden. She was very brave and excited and surprisingly she didn't cry or fuss once. She is growing up so fast.

Hannah at her new campus before her first day of second grade. She is so independent and didn't need me at all.