The Big Dig

Maddox ran upstairs last Monday morning and was up there for like 10 minutes.  I didn't worry as she was quiet and no one was yelling. She came downstairs fully clothed in this outfit.....!! Way to go Maddox!! So proud of her for getting herself dressed....she was very unaware of the 90 degree temperature outside :) She is pretty proficient at completing the process now especially if you lay everything out for her. 

Maddox put this headband thing on all by herself last week.  Eric thought she looked like Sacajawea

First the workers, as Maddox and Kennon call any man who comes in to WORK on our house, used the skid steer to move the swing set!! YEP they just picked it up and scooted it back to accommodate the demolition of the yard

So we had a great week!!  Our biggest news...the BIG DIG!! Last Thursday and Friday we had our yard regraded.  It was quite the project but something we have been kind of thinking about doing since probably 2008!  It became a necessity when we finished the basement this Spring.  They first moved the swing set with a skid steer. Then they used the skid steer and a tractor to remove 14 dump truck loads of dirt from our backyard to create the perfect grade from our foundation.  Then Friday, on the hottest day of the year, they put down sod!! You can see from the pictures there was lots of action for the kids to witness and a few machines for Kennon to ooo and aah at.  When we came home Thursday night both kids, particularly Kennon, were in heaven. There was no grass and a back yard FULL of freshly graded dirt. They went to town with their shovels...moving it from place to place and even throwing it in one another's hair. The neighbor girl Priyha came over to join us. The three were like little sweaty balls of dirt in a matter of 5 minutes.  Kennon threw the biggest fit when we came inside.  Friday morning they came early with the sod to get it down and to start watering it when it was still slightly cooler.  They were done in a matter of 3 hours or so and the sprinklers ran the entire rest of the day..... Needless to say our water bill is going to be at its highest this month. With the warm weather last week and this past weekend we had to water a TON. THANK goodness for the cool weather we've had in the last 72 hours and the rain we got Monday night!!  I think with the nice cool night temps it'll have a better chance of getting rooted. The other nice thing, other than the great grade we got from this project, is that Eric and I and our neighbor got to put in 2 huge flower beds. With all the old sod being cleared out that left fresh new dirt to till up and fill with flowers.  We were able to go to Grammy and Papa Dick's on Sunday and dig up some of her beautiful perennials to fill the 2 new beds. They look great and will bring me many smiles in the future.  

The first demolition of the yard in a much needed spot. On the south side of the deck the water would just pool  unable to get away from the foundation. A BIG problem requiring a BIG DIG :)

Carrying the sod to the empty field behind us. This field is likely going to be developed in the next year or so so the farmer did NOT plant any crops allowing us to DUMP our sod free of charge!! 

They were able to save my beautifully blooming zinnias.  The perfect cut flower for my kitchen table. 

Demolition done.  At this point they dug trenches for all the gutters coming off of of the house and put them down into the ground with pop ups about 20 feet from the foundation down the grade. Won't have to worry about the gutters blowing off in the wind anymore :)

Kennon with his first love......DIRT

Happy boy!

I'm pretty sure this was the face I got when I told him we had 5 minutes left before we needed to go inside to take a much needed BATH.  It was like 90 degrees hot and humid this day. 

All ready for sod....

Maddox and Kennon were extremely excited to see this big truck arrive. All that sod went in our back yard!!  

Delivering the sod.

So ironically the guy on the machine was the project manager, Mark.  It pays to be the project manager and run the machine......all the other guys would move/adjust the sod by hand!! The stuff looked super heavy and this was like the hottest day of the year thus far.  

Project manager directing his workers....

The new co-bed at the West end of our property. Our neighbors graciously prepared it for us. We provided the flowers and grasses. Maddox and Kennon thought it was the perfect ridding track 

With all the dirt and now kinda muddy, grassy, sod both kids have been needing baths nightly!! They LOVE to play outside all day long if I'd let them. So we went back to doing double baths to be more efficient. They seem to like it and it makes the evening routine a little faster allowing for more outdoor time. Kennon and Maddox have both been blossoming in their brotherly:sisterly love.  HAH!!!  That means they have both learned how to push each others buttons.  Some days they play really well together other days they totally pester one another getting in each other's space, stealing a toy etc.  Maddox's imagination has really expanded in the last month or so.  She LOVES to play school and will get her and Kennon's backpacks and lay out this entire school scenario in the house.  Kennon very obviously doesn't want to play but generally goes along for the ride for a little while.  However yesterday Maddox really wanted to play 'dolls' with Kennon.  This time he wasn't interested at all and started swatting at her with the plastic vegetable strainer he had ceased from the lower kitchen cabinet..... :0  She finally took the hint and left him alone. She thinks he should do whatever she wants him to do.  She has a little learning to do doesn't she :)   Kennon is really into kissing and thinks it is funny.  If you ask him for a kiss he leans in, puckers his lips and makes the 'smack' sound completely off cue from his contact.....so darn cute!! 

My little helpers carrying purple cone flowers to the new co-bed

We met some friends at the zoo today!!  Maddox and our friend Sadie. Such a beautiful day to be at the zoo. 

My new 'memorial' flower bed. My high school friends gave me a gift certificate to Wallace's, my favorite garden center, in honor of Mom. They wanted me to purchase some plants for a memorial garden so I did just that and even brought a few transplants directly from mom's garden.  We just need the edging and the rock but they all seem to be doing well so far.  The bush in the bottom of the screen with the maroon buds is a butterfly bush!!  It will get about 5 feet x 5 feet. Excited for that pretty thing.  The rest of the greens are a mix of perennials and flowering bushes as well as a few bushes that keep their leaves all winter to give us some winter color. ..... I know I"m a garden nerd :) 

Our new co-flower bed.  Lee our neighbor put in the river rock today. It looks great. These are all perennials and will give us lots of flowers for the summer....daisys, black eyed susans, salvia, purple cone flowers.... Most all transported from Grammy's garden in Aurora.  The grasses in the back will get about 6 feet tall and will be a nice screen for the houses slated to be built behind us. 

Back on Track!

The rainbow Maddox drew for Grammy autographed all by herself.  Each grand kid placed a photograph and little keepsake in the casket with Grammy to keep her company.  Maddox drew  this rainbow for Grammy and Kennon gave her a book about Trucks. Perfect mementos from the Kies kids. 

Maddox and Kennon digging in the 'dirt' from Aunt Diane.

Maddox and Kennon at Grammy and Papa Dick's.  Kennon's inaugural sleep in his bag. 

Maddox at Dance Camp at the Children's Museum

A little timid....but she had a great time.

Boy, where do I start!! We have been so busy the last several weeks the blog has gotten away from me....but I"m sure you understand.  We were so sad to say goodbye to Grammy but know that she is watching over us each and everyday keeping us safe and giving us strength.  It is almost every other day that Maddox asks  'is Grammy up in the sky?'  Actually yesterday she asked if she was in the 'ground'  Which to be honest that is the last place she visualized her going. It is definitely confusing for her but I KNOW she is getting the concept and we daily talk about her being up with God. She will forever live in our hearts and memories. We love you GRAMMY!! Thank you to all of those reading who drove hundreds of miles ( specifically Jody, Hannah and Charlie) and sent beautiful cards and memorials. It was very meaningful to see all of you at the visitation and funeral.  A special thanks to Grandma Ellen ( Brooke's Mom ) and Grandpa Jim and Grandma Jean for helping with the kiddos during all the services. We couldn't have done it without you~

Maddox and her 4 month old cousin Reid. 

So since I last blogged Maddox went to Dance Camp at the Children's Museum. WE talked about it for weeks/months and she was so excited to go asking everyday. But of course in very Maddox fashion when we actually got there and I went to deliver her to her room she clamored on my leg!! Once she got in she really enjoyed it and had this cute little dancer of a teacher Alyssa who did well to distract her.  We have also been enjoying lost of outdoor and pool time....which equates to little to no pictures....as having an iPhone at hand for pictures at a pool can be quite dangerous.  We actually went to 2 pools yesterday.  To the YMCA indoor pool in the morning and then a neighbor invited us to the Crow Valley Country Club pool in the afternoon. We had a blast with the Millage family. They live down the road from us and have 3 kids 2 of which are close to Maddox and Kennon in age, Breckon   1 1/2  and Maddie who turned 4 yesterday!! We went to the outdoor Bettendorf city pool called Splash Landing last week.  It has a nice toddler area that is fenced off and even has a chute water slide for the toddlers. Both Maddox and Kennon both enjoyed going down the big slide all by themselves~~ !!

We got to spent the 4th of July with Uncle Tyler and Aunt Brooke, Carter and Reid.  We took the kids to the fireworks Wednesday night....Maddox and Kennon's first ever display!  They both loved them and asked nightly for about a week after if we could go to fireworks again.  We all went to the 4th of July parade Thursday morning and scooped up lots of candy and freezer pops!! It was nice to have the Knowles family for the fun holiday.  

Kennon, Maddox and Carter anxiously awaiting the Red White and Boom fireworks

Kennon Carter and Maddox at the Bettendorf 4th of July Parade

Aunt Brooke assisting with a freezer pop! Most of the entries handed out hoards of candy as well as FREEZER pops. Great for a warm day with little breeze. 

Kennon gettin' in on a little freezer pop action. 

Dancin' to the Pleasant Valley marching band.  Maybe Kennon and Maddox will march in that someday!!

Kennon helping Dad dig the pea gravel pit for the discharge from the sump/pump gutter combination.

Maddox and Kennon resting in the shade 4th of July weekend. 

No description needed for that one....everyone loves Uncle Tyler 

A little more digging


Both kids have really been enjoying the outdoors.  Kennon is a magnet for dirt  and danger, loves to dig in anything and walk right over my flower beds...completely unaware. Maddox is quick to be the big sis and tell...or rather yell....at him to get off of mom's flowers!!  She is very big sis....and does look out for him especially when he is upset. Very cute!! However she has also figured out how to push his buttons! He has a mind of his own, is very daring and talks up a storm....or rather demands up a storm.  He is definitely in the terrible two's and thinks it's his way or no way. I rarely see the kid be timid.  He has moved up to the 2 year old room at Kindercare and is enjoying all the fun BIG KID activities they get to do like water day on Tuesdays and drinking from a REAL open cup!!  We are talking of moving him to a big bed soon as he has been trying to crawl out of the crib and we'd like him to be in his toddler bed before we attempt to potty train him ( slated for the weekend of August 17-18 by our book...but we'll see what Kennon thinks of that....may be too early ) Maddox's coloring skills are really developing as well as her sense of humor.  Sometimes she says the funniest things very intuitive and questioning in ways to ensure she gets just the answer she is hoping for!!  She continues to be sensitive and not extremely outgoing although LOVES to play with the big girls in the neighborhood!! She too is enjoying all the cool summer activities at Kindercare. This week she is walking over to the library and next week over to the Children's Museum. This week too, she is going to Church school for one of their summer programs. It is Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday morning and and the lesson this week is Community Helpers. So we have such a busy summer! I can't believe July is 1/2 over. Hope all is well!!  I"ll try to get back to posting weekly.