The twins has a great first day of preschool.

 They really like both their teachers. Brenden's favorite part of the day was playing outside, and Logan didn't know what his favorite part was.

When I asked them what they learned today Logan told me nothing. I asked him if he learned the classroom rules and he told me there aren't any!

They said they only like being in the same class because they don't sit together! So much for a twin bond!

 Look at our cool backpacks!

Aren't we handsome!

 Silly faces!

More silly faces!

Even more silly faces!

Cute little school bus!

It has been interesting getting back in to the swing of our new schedule! I feel like we are going in 4 different directions at once! Oh wait we are! Layne has been adjusting well, he really likes school. He had his first orchestra practice yesterday and loved it.

The twins have their first day of preschool tomorrow. Brenden is super excited, Logan not so much. I am looking forward to seeing how this year will go with them both in the same class. 

Since Layne got a special breakfast at school on his first day, I decided to make doughnuts for the twins for breakfast. I am hoping this will lure them out of bed at 6:30. They need to be ready early because we don't know what time the bus is coming.

I'll post pictures tomorrow!

First Day of 4th Grade!!!

Layne had a really great first day of fourth grade! He really likes his teacher Mr. Klemisch. He is a little nervous about the amount of home work, but I think he will do just fine!

There are seventeen girls and six boys in his class! I feel very sorry for his teacher!

So we finally finished Layne's bedroom. Debbie helped me paint and then she came over while we were gone and painted the trim. Tim put up the wall paper and boom we were done! He really loves it. He took a video to show you all around his new room!

Layne starts fourth grade tomorrow! I can't believe it! He is turning into such a little man!!

I'll post pictures tomorrow. Take special note of his clothes he picked them all out by himself!

So I haven't blogged in a very long time and I promised a cetain someone that I would get back to it once school started again! Well guess what, school started again! I started my classes today, Layne starts on Thursday and the twins start next Wendesday.

Layne has been saving his allowance and decided that he really wanted to by a little video camera with his money. He has been taking some really cute videos! I am going to upload a couple.

For some reason when I upload the video it cut off the end of what Brenden said. He says "I don't like getting in trouble."

Tim went out to help some friends work cattle on Saturday. I took the boys out so they could watch, except we missed it. They finished earlier than they thought they would. But our friends invited us to stay and have a bonfire with them. The boys really enjoyed it because they got to run around in the woods, but we then spent the next 5 hours picking ticks off of them!

The boy are all enjoying their last couple days of school and I am enjoying my last couple days until
I start summer school. The boys and I are going t head to the lake for a Memorial, Tim has to stay home and work :( I am looking forward to getting out of town for a couple days!

Things have been crazy busy around here!! I finished up my semester of school. I was so glad to be done. I start my summer school classes on May 30th so I don't have to much time to relax!

Layne has been enjoying baseball. I know I am biased but he is so good!! He loves to be the catcher and last night he tried his hand at being the pitcher. He's team mates are so nice and really encourage each other.

The twins are working on learning how to ride bike without training wheels. Brenden wants Layne to teach him and they are quite funny to watch! I thought Brenden would catch on first but I think it will be Logan who will does it first!!

I booked our Christmas present from Scott and Debbie. We are going to Denver over the 4th of July! We are so excited! A fun trip without kids!!

I can't wait to get out of town for Memorial day! I haven't gone anywhere since I went to the farm in November!! I really need a nice long weekend at the lake!!

Layne has his first baseball game of the year tonight. He did so well! His team won 3-1!! He played catcher for the first two innings and loved it! And when he was up to bat twice he hit and made it to first base! It was so much fun to watch!!

Easter 2011

Easter 2011

I made a video of pictures from Easter.

Check out Brenden's new hang out!



Here is a cute video of the twins wrestling!

We found out on Friday that Layne made the baseball league. He is so excited to play! We have an informational meeting Tuesday night and we will find out what minor league team he is going to be on.

I only have 3 weeks left of school! I just figured that out this afternoon. It excited me and then terrified me because I have so much left to do!

 We had a crazy weekend. Went to Linton on Saturday to celebrate 2 of our nephews birthdays. The boys had a great time and it was really fun to see our youngest nephew walking! On Sunday afternoon we decided to clean out the laundryroom/storage room so we could move the stuff out of the office/guest room. We had planned to paint Layne's new room in the evenings this week, but I hurt my back while we were cleaning and moving. I had to go to the chiropractor on Monday and Tuesday. She had a hard time getting my back and hip into place so see suggested I get a massage before my next appointment on Friday. So tomorrow I will go get a massage and then see the chriopractor on Friday. I do feel better today so hopefully this weekend we canget Layne's room painted.

 The twins are celebrating "The week of the young child" at school this week. Monday was sports day, Tuesday was pajama day, and today was wacky hair day. So the boys got really wacky hair!

Tomorrow is hat day. Brenden couldn't be happier that he gets to wear his Vikings hat to school!

Tim and I spent yesterday cleaning the boys room in preparation for Layne to move downstairs. We tried on shorts from last year to see what still fit and what needed to go. Since Brenden and Logan are wearing completely different sizes I separated out their clothes and gave them their own dressers. I took all of Layne's clothes out of the closet to make room for the twins stuff. As we were doing this Layne was getting really excited to move to his own room, so I told him that he could start sleeping downstairs now if he wanted. So he did. We put a baby monitor down in his room so that we could hear if he got scared, and we told him that he could come up in the middle of the night if he wanted. But he didn't need to, he made it all night and then when he got home from school he asked if he could go down to his room with his friend Dimitri. He spent all afternoon in "his" room! We are going to move the bed tonight so he can get out the window if need be.

Tim's check up went well. The doctor said he is healing really well, she doesn't even want to see him for another check up. She said his swelling is almost completely gone and the scar is almost unnoticeable.

Brenden is doing fine today. He didn't want to change is band aid because he was afraid it was going to hurt and it did. The clinic has some really good super sticky band aids!

Isn't he cute!

Four stitches.

"I'm a tough guy!"

After Layne got out of school today I took all the boys to the bowling alley so that Layne could make up the games that he had missed fro the last couple of weeks. Layne did pretty good, got a 70 one game. When we were getting ready to leave Layne went to put one ball away (he wanted to use 2 so the 4 games would go faster), well he took a long time to come back to Brenden decided he would help Layne and get the other ball out of the rack. He pick it up and started to come over to me and just as I was telling him that it was to heavy for him, put it down he tripped on the stair. He cracked his chin right on the edge and was bleeding everywhere. I immediately knew he needed stitches. So I went home to drop off the other 2 kids and check with Tim, I wanted to see what he thought and he wasn't sure, but I was! So we took him in and he had to get 4 stitches. Thankfully Debbie just happened to be at our house so she stayed and watched the boys so Tim could come with!

Tim's check up is tomorrow. I will post details about both of them then!

I went to the doctor this morning. I have an upper respitory infection that caused me to have an asthma attack. I haven't had any trouble with asthma since before Tim and I got married so I didn't recoginze the sysmptoms at first. Once I got the inhalor and used it was almost imediate relief. He said this might cause my asthma to flare up for a while, so we will see!

Tim is felling pretty good today. He has yet to venture out of the house though, so tomorrow he is going to go the mens bible lunch at Holy Cross. Then on Thursday he has to get his license renewed since he is going to be an old man on Friday!!

We are being hit with another bad storm today. I hope it clears up quickly!! We do not need a  repete of a couple of weeks ago. Isn't it supposed to be spring!?!

Tim is feeling pretty good today, but a bit antsy. If he moves around to much then his eye starts to hurt so he can't really do to much. I have been really impressed with the plastic surgeon. She personally called today to check on him.

I have a cold and I can't stop coughing. The twins both had it last week and now Layne and I have it. We are trying to keep it away from Tim, because I can't imagine how much it would hurt to be coughing right now!

In the ER.

Mondy after it happened.

Day after surgery.

So Tim's surgery went well. The hole was little bigger than Dr. Honeycutt expected. It was 2 1/4 centimeters big which is about the size of a quarter. The original plan was to lay mesh over the hole and then the tissue would grow over it to keep it in place, but since it was so big she had to put in extra mesh and then put in two screws to stabilize it. Dr. Honeycutt said the screws shouldn't bother him, but he will be able to feel them on his face once the swelling goes down. Yesterday he didn't have much pain, but today he is having quite a bit. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

It was so nice here today. It got to 47 degrees! The boys played outside for most of the afternoon (at least the part where I wasn't chauffeuring Tim). When they came inside everything was soaking wet, but the time change has them all mixed up so I wanted them to get good and worn out!

It has been exactly one month since I last blogged. I guess I got a little busy! We have battle a round of flu and a round of colds. We have had some great reports at parent/teacher conferences and I have been plugging away at school.

I am on spring break this week and it is a good thing. We had a little accident over the weekend. Tim's eye is a very flattering shade of blue and purple. One of our precious, adorable children accidentally threw a toy gun at Tim and broke his eye socket. He has to have surgery on Friday to repair it. He is not able to drive or lift anything, so now I get to be his chauffeur for the week!

I promised a certain person that I would get back to blogging more, so I am going to try my hardest to do just that!!

Layne made a very awesome valentines box. It was all his idea, he just had a little help with the execution!

All the boys had a great party at school and managed to eat all their candy already. Now Tim is making us shrimp scampi for dinner! Yum!!

So busy this week!! On top of what is already a super busy schedule, this week I am spending every morning at Simile Middle School observing a teacher to see what they do for class room management. I am sitting in on a life science class and it has convinced me that I am absolutely in the right field! Tomorrow he is giving a test so instead of watching the sweet little darling pick their noses, my friend StaceyAnn, who is also a teacher at Simile, offered to let me observe her class. So it should be fun to see the difference in a 16 year vet and a first year teacher.

We had the twins parent/teacher conferences last night. We had Brenden's first. His teachers said he is a great kid. When they do their assessing of their skills they score it on a 1-3 scale. Brenden got all 2's and 3's. His 2's were because of lack of participation in things like signing and other group activities. Which is crazy because he like to do those things at church. Logan scored mostly 3's. His teachers said that he is a role model in class and does very well at all activities. Super great boys!!!

Layne brought this poem home from school the other day. I think it suits what our weather has been like for the last couple of days, although today was nicer! He was so proud of himself because he was able to read the whole thing to the other kids in his reading club.

I am freezing! I am freezing!


I am absolutely cold,

I am shivering and shaking

like a pudding in a mold.

There are glaciers in my stomach,

there is sleet inside my bones,

I am colder than the contents

of a million ice cream cones.



I am freezing! I am freezing!

From my bottom to my top,

all my teeth are clacking madly

and I cannot make them stop.

Oh I cannot feel my fingers,

and I cannot feel my toes,

now my cheeks are frozen solid,

and I think I’ve lost my nose.



I am freezing! I am freezing!

Inside out and outside in,

every bit of me is chilly,

every single inch of skin,

I have icicles inside me

and my lips are turning blue,

and I’m sneezing as I’m freezing,

for I’ve caught a cold . . .

AHCHOOOOOOOOOO!

On another note both Brenden and Logan have been sick this week. I have been home with one of them everyday this week. They both did fine today, they seem to be on the mend so tomorrow they get to go to Dee Dee's house so that I can go to school and take 2 timed tests for my online classes. My sister is coming up this weekend so we can celebrate her birthday (which is today and I just had to rub in the fact that while she is turning 31, I am still in my 20's! Then she not so gently reminded me that was only for another few months :( ) so I want to get all my homework done so I don't have to worry about it. I won't have time to do any homework next week because I will be at Simle Middle School every morning from 8:30-11:45. Ahhhhh! I need to find 5 meals that I can make in the crock pot!

Layne had a great Tae Kwon Do tournament on Saturday. He got 3th place in sparring and 4rd place in forms. I was so proud of him! His sparring match was really fun to watch, he score 7 points and most kids average 2-3. If he would have had that match in the first round he would have one 1st place.

We went to church yesterday planning to go to the late service and stay for the potluck, but we discovered that Logan wasn't feeling well during bible study. So we came home right after Sunday school and took his temp. It was 102. He stayed in our bed all day and even managed to fall asleep for a while. I stayed home with him today. He was running a fever for a while this morning but as the day wore on he seem to feel better and didn't have a fever. So I don't know what was up with him, but glad he is feeling better!

Layne has a Tae Kwon Do tournament next weekend so we spend most of today getting him ready for it. Tim bought pine board and cut it down so Layne could practice his board breaking. He is getting really good. He broke 3 boards in 3 tries! He has his pattern down to a T and has been practicing his kicks for the power challenge. We had a nice long talk about how he will feel if he doesn't do well and how to handle himself if he does do well. So I think he is all ready!

 I think I have a budding chef on my hands! 

We had a great day today! The boys didn't have school so I decided that I should take them out to Papa's Polar Patch. They turn the pumpkin patch in to a winter wonderland complete with car hoods pulled by 4 wheelers! It was kinda cold today so there were not very many people out there which was really nice, no lines to wait in for the rides. My friend Rauscha and her 2 kids meet us out there and she remembered her camera, so I have a few pictures of the kids.

 

 Logan went down the slide to fast!

Brenden took the safer route!

Layne trying to beat his brother to the top!

Can we go again!?!

We had a very nice weekend. We got to have 3 of the Thompson boys with us on Friday night because Pastor and Pam got snowed in in Fargo. We made orange julius's and popcorn and watched Mighty Ducks 2. On Saturday morning we made enough pancakes to feed and army and then took all 6 boys sledding. It was so much fun!

Scott and Debbie wanted to spend some time with the boys this weekend, so they took Layne yesterday afternoon and he spent the night over there. Tim and I took the boys to Sam's club so they could pick out snacks to take to Dee Dee's house. Then we came home and watched a movie with them. Today Scott and Debbie took the twins right from church. Tim and I took Layne out for lunch and then bowling to make up the games he missed yesterday. He had a pretty good day he bowled and 88 and a 78. After that we took him to pick out a new water bottle to take to school.

The boys don't have school tomorrow so if it is nice we will go sledding again, or do something fun outside!

It is really really cold here and the boys are really suffering from a bad case of cabin fever! I have been getting creative when finding things for the boys to do. Yesterday I moved the dinning room table to the side of the room and brought up all the pop up tents and tunnels. The boys spent all afternoon making forts and chasing each other around.

I started back to school today. It is going to take some adjustment to get used to my new schedule. Not being home in the afternoon will be interesting!

A friend of mine shared this with me on Facebook and I just had to laugh at how true it is!!

Thinking of Having Kids? Do this 11 step program first!


Lesson 1


1. Go to the grocery store.

2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.

3. Go home.

4. Pick up the paper.

5. Read it for the last time.



Lesson 2

Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their...

1. Methods of discipline.

2. Lack of patience.

3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.

4. Allowing their children to run wild.

5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breastfeeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior.

Enjoy it because it will be the last time in your life you will have all the answers.



Lesson 3

A really good way to discover how the nights might feel...

1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly. (Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)

2. At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.

3. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1AM.

4. Set the alarm for 3AM.

5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and watch an infomercial.

6. Go to bed at 2:45AM.

7. Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.

8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.

9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and be productive)

Repeat steps 1-9 each night. Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and together.



Lesson 4

Can you stand the mess children make? T o find out...

1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.

2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.

3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.

4. Then rub them on the clean walls.

5. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.

6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?



Lesson 5

Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.

1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.

2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.

Time allowed for this - all morning.



Lesson 6

Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don't think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that.

1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment.

Leave it there.

2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.

3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.

4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.



Lesson 7

Go to the local grocery store. Take with you the closest thing you can find to a pre-school child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.



Lesson 8

1. Hollow out a melon.

2. Make a small hole in the side.

3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side.

4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.

5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.

6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.

You are now ready to feed a nine- month-old baby.



Lesson 9

Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street , Barney, Disney, the Teletubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you're thinking What's 'Noggin'?) Exactly the point.



Lesson 10

Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' repeatedly. (Important: no more than a four second delay between each 'mommy'; occasional crescendo to the level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.



Lesson 11

Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt- sleeve, or elbow while playing the 'mommy' tape made from Lesson 10 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.

This is all very tongue in cheek; anyone who is parent will say 'it's all worth it!' Share it with your friends, both those who do and don't have kids. I guarantee they'll get a chuckle out of it. Remember, a sense of humor is one of the most important things you'll need when you become a parent!