The Circus!

On Friday I overheard some of the parents at work talking about their weekend plans and quite a few mentioned going to the circus.  When I saw an ad for it a while back I immediately thought Tyler would love it (dragon themed), but didn't make any real plans to take them.  I decided, on Friday, that it would be a really fun thing to do with them on Saturday or Sunday afternoon while Lance was working and started looking at tickets.  Then, Lance decided that he would really like to go too which eliminated Saturday and Sunday as options and left us with Friday night (7:00 show).  We debated it because the kids are usually in bed by 8:00 and we didn't know how they would do staying up so much later than usual, but ultimately decided to go if we could find affordable tickets.  I looked on Craigslist and found much cheaper tickets so I picked the kids up from school Friday and told them we had a big surprise for them.  We didn't tell them until we got in to the arena what we were doing there (weren't quite sure the tickets were going to be legitimate) and the kids were ridiculously excited once we told them what we were going to see.  To be fair, though, they were also excited to be in the same building where the "hockey players skate on ice" and where they have a "really long" escalator.

It was a great show, but yet again just a bit too long.  Not only too long for my children who are on the younger side of Friday night attendees, but also seemingly for everyone around us.  It started at 7:00 and ended at 9:30 with a 15 minute intermission.  Katie was enthralled the entire time, but Tyler was kind of over it and would have been happy to leave at intermission (at 9:00).  He did perk up, though, when he saw the big dragon at the end and he said that was his favorite so I am glad we stayed.  Katie said the trapeze was her favorite and the "soldiers" (not really sure what she is talking about, but I think she is referring to the martial arts act with swords).  Tyler cracked up at the clowns every time, and said that they were all so funny, but he really like the elephants and tigers too.  On the way home he asked Lance if he could be anything he wanted to be when he got big and we said of course, and he said that if he isn't an "animal doctor  at the zoo" he wants to teach tigers and lions at the circus :).

When we got home Friday night we realized that we didn't have any pull-ups in the house for nighttime.  So, we hoped that the later bedtime would keep them dry and vowed to purchase some more on Saturday.  But, they woke up dry and very excited to have slept in underwear!  We tried it again Saturday and Sunday and they were successful (even if it may be because they go to the bathroom incessantly from bedtime until about 9:00), so I guess we are officially back to working on nighttime potty training!  On Sunday they both woke up a bit late and we didn't get out the door for "breakfast" until almost 10:00 am so we opted to look for a brunch option.  We didn't find anything that sounded kid-friendly enough, and were kind of in the mood for more lunchtime fare anyway so we went to Chuy's instead.  The kids enjoyed the food but were very confused about why we didn't have breakfast (they had a banana and poptart before we left so they actually did have breakfast but were choosing to not acknowledge it as such).  So, we told them it was crazy, mixed up Sunday Fun Day and that we were having lunch for breakfast and breakfast for dinner.  Our breakfast dinner was great, and Katie has become an excellent kitchen helper (can crack eggs pretty well now and she iced the cinnamon rolls) so it was a great way to end the weekend!  Not much in store this week, but we have birthday parties the next two weekends and we are still hoping to make it to Gatlinburg sometime soon - if only it would SNOW!

Camping

Last weekend we had our first official camping experience, and it went better than expected!  We intended to get out there (Montgomery Bell State Park) early, but didn't quite make it.  It was our first time putting the new tent up and it getting dark as soon as we got out there didn't help speed up the assembly process - but we managed with the car headlights after we threw out the incredibly frustrating and just plain wrong directions and did what we thought made sense.  The kids did a great job helping gather sticks for the fire and then dad taught them all about grilling hot dogs!

I trusted Lance when I asked if we should pack warm clothes and he scoffed saying the low was only supposed to be 65 for the evening (the reason we went was because of the unseasonably warm weather).  It was kind of cold at our creekside spot and I really wished I hadn't listed to him on the clothing provisions (especially since he is never cold), but manageable when we all cuddled up together by the fire. 

We made smores and took nature walk trips to the only bathhouse open that was at the front of the park and really had a great time.  Sleeping went well until we realized our mistake of not fully putting the rain guard on (by that point we were kind of over the putting up the tent portion of the evening) and it started pouring at about 4:00 AM.  Tyler's side of the tent was getting a little wet and Lance had a busy day (plus thanks to Ray-Ray and So-So we had a much needed night out scheduled for Saturday night and I had false hope that we could catch a nap at home if we went early) so we decided to pack up the car when there was a lull in the rain at about 5:00.  It was dark so we turned the car headlights on and packed up pretty quickly and intended to get on the road at about 5:45 when we realized that the car never got started and the battery was dead.  We called the park ranger office and they weren't on duty until 7:00 and we were scouting others in surrounding campsites to see if anyone could help with no luck.  So, we didn't actually manage to leave until 7:45!  Despite that little glitch we had a great time, and we learned a little for the next camping adventure - get out earlier to get the rain guard on and the tent up before dark, any colder is not doable with the kids, and if we need light start the car :)! 

We really enjoyed the movie and dinner, too (big thank you to the Nashville grandparents) and all in all it was a fabulous weekend.  The kids are quite challenging these days and testing every ounce of both of our patience so it was great to be in a different environment with them and they were on good behavior.  They are so strong-willed and Tyler's meltdowns are out of control while Katie's drama queen antics are exasperating, but family time really is fun when all of us (me, included - I really need to work on being calmer and yelling less) are less keyed up and just having a good time!  We will definitely go camping again, but probably not until the Spring or Summer when we can have more time and better weather!  We were considering camping at Disney or renting an RV, but I think we are going to go with my sister and her family this summer and stay in an actual condo or house - which is probably  a better idea :)! 

Dead Serious!

The kids are, like most kids, total mimics and lately they have picked up some expressions that are pretty hilarious. For a while a lot of things have been "so awesome" and Katie exclaims "Oh My Gosh" (Valley girl style) over everything, but Sunday afternoon I was laughing very hard after seeing myself reenacted through Katie.  My dad brought a motorized jeep when he came to visit, that his girls no longer use, and the weather on Sunday was finally good enough to try it out.  They got on it in the garage and promptly ran me over and after I finally got Tyler to take his foot off the gas and explained how the thing worked, Tyler told me "I don't think this is a good idea."  It was on the fastest setting and was a little more powerful than either of them expected.  They were both pretty scared initially, but started to get the hang of it and were having a ball!

Then, they ran into a bush and Tyler was done.  Katie started out driving, but it scared her and she demanded that Tyler drive and said "girls don't drive" (don't know where she got that).  But, when Tyler abandoned ship she wanted to give it another try.  She did some donuts in the front yard for a while and then wanted to go down the sidewalk, BUT wanted me to move it into position so all she had to do was go straight (steering was difficult).

I was trying to push it, but it really is much easier when you are able to step on the gas pedal so I kind of got in to "drive" it to the sidewalk.  That is when Katie did almost an exact impression of me.  She went running in to the house and said "Tyler, you have got to see this (she was really amused at the sight of me in the jeep)."  I said the same to Lance about something on the computer just a few days before and her inflection was almost identical.  They both came running back out and proceeded to laugh at me before we went around the neighborhood.  Katie was the driver and quickly went from a little hesitant to speed demon once she figured out the gears.  Tyler didn't last long - he preferred to run ahead of us, but Katie thought it was "the most fun ever."

Of course, only hours before being at Monkey Joe's with all of their classmates was the most fun ever, too!

Chances are if you talk to Tyler in the next couple of weeks he will tell you that he is "dead serious" about something!  Lance was trying to explain to them that he really meant what he was saying about not getting out of bed the other day and told them he was "dead serious."  Since then (and after Tyler asked what it meant), Tyler has been repeating it anytime he really wants to get his point across :-)!

School Shenanigans

Well, yesterday Tyler was "on red" at school.  They are either on green, yellow or red based on behavior and they said Tyler was just really out of sorts and grumpy and acting up.  When I picked him up he was sitting by himself and wouldn't smile or talk and when I asked him why he was in trouble and why he was grumpy - he told me "I'm not grumpy, I'm sad."  That made me sad, too but it really is a bit of a catch-22 because I am sure he was being "mean" and not playing well with the other kids because he was in a bad mood and then they wouldn't play with him which made him sad.  He is a bit of a loner by choice, anyway but I think this is one of the few times that it wasn't his decision to play by himself and it was upsetting.  He has been difficult lately - really they both have.  Lance is taking prednisone for a strange rash, so he at least has an excuse for a short fuse, but I have been on edge lately too.  They are both just pushing all of our buttons right now, and the not listening, full-blown temper tantrums can really test your patience when you know that they know better.  My sister and brother-in-law were talking about how they take a couple of trips a year without the children and we really need to try to do that (we even talked of all four going together but that leaves 5 children and three dogs to get settled).  It is pretty impossible with our babysitter situation, but I do think we need to try to work it out once we get in a better financial position (see I am being positive in this new year trying to think when not if) because as they said, it just makes your relationship better with each other and with the kids and helps to re-fill your stores of patience and energy!  For the time being I would settle for a night to use our gift cards for dinner and a movie!

They just had their most recent assessment at school, too and not much has changed.  Tyler wasn't marked below "usually" (the highest possible) in any checklist area and the teacher's reiterated in their comments that he is still doing great academically.  They said "Tyler's memory, foresight and analytical skills are out of this world.  He is struggling with letting others speak and find answers by themselves, as usual.  Tyler is wise beyond his years."  Katie seems to still be having some confidence issues and the areas she was marked "sometimes" rather than "usually" highlight that.  She has been talking like a baby a lot lately (drives me insane) and acting like she doesn't know things that I know she does and seems to be trying to fit in and be like her friends more than being herself.  Her notes said, "Katie is a terrific student!  She is very bright and is usually very creative and has a great memory when called upon.  She doesn't tend to offer up answers on her own, though.  We have been making a big effort to call on her more, seek her advice and positively affirm what she says to build her esteem.  She is a bright star - just needs to let herself shine."

 I think a lot of what Katie is going through is very normal, especially for girls.  I struggle a bit knowing how to help Tyler, though, since I don't want him to stop answering and participating in class (and he is a very all or nothing kid) and I also can't make other children be friendly or play with him as he likes.  I do think he does a lot better with older children in school and playtime since those that are 4 and 5 years old are more apt to volunteer answers and participate in class or want to play intricate games with cars and dinosaurs or put together puzzles.  Older children, though, don't want to play with "little kids" like Tyler so I really think it is just a waiting game until the younger ones develop the same interests - and they will once they get just a bit older.  There really seems to be a pretty big developmental difference between 3 and 4 year-olds, and I will probably think the same between 4 and 5 so hopefully this in-between stage will just be blip on the radar!  I still think, too, that being in the same class is causing some issues.  It is almost as if they are typecasting themselves - Tyler is the one that participates in class and Katie the social one, and I can't seem to get through to them yet that they can both be both!  I know this is just the beginning of these kinds of parenting struggles and dilemmas - and this should probably also be the beginning of an annual resolution to just parent the best I can and try to let the worry go!        

We did coerce a smile out of Tyler last night when we stopped by Advance Auto Parts to see the Monster Truck!  

Family Time

We have had lots of family time in the week since Christmas and it has been great!  My dad and his girls came up shortly after Christmas.  It was wonderful to see them all and the kids absolutely love having someone new to play with - especially since they all had new toys and gadgets to figure out!  Right after my dad left my sister and her family came in town.  That is tons of fun for K & T too since they idolize their older cousins, and it is always great to have an almost 2 year old in the house (the younger cousin) - such a fun age!  My sister is absolutely awesome and she watched all five children for us on Monday while I, Lance and  our brother-in-law went to the Music City Bowl to watch the Commodores pull out a ninth win this season!

On Saturday we got a very little bit of snow and we all drove out to Bowie Park to see if it was "sticking" in Fairview, as they said on the news.  It wasn't really, but it was definitely coming down a bit heavier out that way and we had fun walking around in the "snow" for the afternoon until we all got too cold!

Me and Sweet T - he was fascinated by the lake and what happened to the ducks if it froze.

Katie was all bundled up and kept wanting to "build a snowman" - not nearly enough for that, but hopefully we will get a real snow sometime this year!  

They both insisted on wearing their snow boots!  Tyler went through a little growth spurt and it looks like it is time for new pants, but luckily the boots for both of them were a bit big last year and should make it through this year (good thing since even if there is just frost on the grass they think it is snow boot time)!  

Things are back to normal now - back to school and work.  Hopefully we can settle back into a good routine (drop-off was a bit rough this morning), although I am (probably stupidly) wishing for a few snow day interruptions this winter!

Christmas Fun

We had a fabulous Christmas!  We started it out with a trip to Alabama to see my side of the family.  We had so much fun getting to spend time with everyone and the kids especially love hanging with their cousins.  We drove back Christmas Eve and celebrated with Lance's family that evening.  By that point the kids had already gotten more toys than they will be able to play with in a year and that was before Santa made his visit!  Christmas morning was very fun, the kids were so excited and loved their gifts and Katie even told me "this is the best day ever."

We started it out looking in the stockings and then opened presents once Ray-Ray, So-So and Uncle Matthew arrived.  Probably the strangest stocking gift ever are the scissors that the kids asked for and received!

Once the gifts were opened we began the torturous process of putting it all together!  The marble run was a big hit for Tyler.  Katie was loving her waitress set, her barbie dolls and car (with doors that opened - a big requirement that was hard to fill), and played dress-up from her trunk that So-So gave her all evening!  We still have some things that are unopened, and not put together (although Tyler made me promise to put his wall track together this evening) and Lance wants to put some things away, but I don't know if that will work since Tyler seems to remember all the things he got and will almost certainly ask for them once they are sidelined.  We definitely need to figure out a better organization/storage system.  I had the "bright idea" to move everything upstairs and make the playroom the main area for toys and left nothing downstairs to gather things, but realistically there will still be lots of playing downstairs (better for cars, puzzles, that's where the play kitchen is and has to stay, and the car tracks don't do well on carpet) and we need somewhere to put stuff so will have to do some re-thinking on that one.  

Yesterday afternoon we spent time with Lance's cousins and Aunt and had a great time (and fabulous meal) there too.  The kids were shy everywhere we went at first, but finally opened up and had a ball - I think they had a wonderful Christmas and we did too!  

Lights

We were able to both pick the kids up from school today and wanted to do something fun.  It was too dark to go to the park, and Tyler's suggestion to go to Publix wasn't very exciting, so we decided to go look at Christmas lights.  We debated Shadrack's but it is a longish drive, interstates were a disaster AND the kids told us they didn't want to go look at lights (wanted to get home to color because Tyler has been practicing and doing well at staying in the lines).  So, we just decided to go to see a house that is nearby (actually on the same street as some relatives which is why we knew about it) and look at others along the way.  Well, of course the kids immediately were unbelievably excited about every little light we saw (which made us wish we had decided to go to the lights/music show at Shadracks) and were having so much fun pointing out every display (and telling us repeatedly that lights without houses meant that the people in them celebrate Hanukkah).  When we pulled on the street of the house with lots of lights they started ooohing and aaahing and then when they saw the actual house we were visiting they were in awe - Tyler said "this is amazing."

When we told them we could  get out and walk around they thought that was awesome and then Santa was there handing out candy canes which they thought was really cool too! 

They had a lot of fun looking at all of the lights (they dressed themselves this morning so the outfits aren't very picture worthy even if the kids are:))  They probably got just as much enjoyment out of this as they would Shadracks, because Tyler kept commenting on how he really like being able to get out of the car and walk around to see the lights!

They were both being so silly, but really were having fun and I am glad we "forced" them to go - sometimes we do know best!