Orion Fall Festival and first day of Our Savior

Saturday we loaded up the kids and took a trip out to Orion for the Labor Day Orion Fall Festival. I have fond memories of this festival as a kid so I wanted to share the experience with both Maddox and Kennon. We all had an absolute blast and the kids especially enjoyed the park and the rides!!   They were just the perfect age for the activities. Too much younger and I don't think they would have been quite so excited. I was grinning from ear to ear as they ran from ride to ride with gigantic smiles on their faces.  So fun!! The even got to ride on a little mini Ferris wheel just the right size for a 2 and 4 year old. I have to say looking up at the full size wheel got me a little jittery thinking of the kids up that high unattended. But, luckily as we rounded the corner we found a perfect mini sized one!!  We all ate at the park at the Lion's Club food tent and enjoyed our hamburgers and hot dogs, Lays chips, and pop.....that is exactly what they sold back in the 90's. The menu hasn't changed.  I picked up a few new homemade hair bows from one of my high school friend's sister, and after the rides we headed for the PARADE!! Maddox was quick to tell my high school friends and their kids that there would be popsicles  ( like at the Bettendorf 4th of July parade) at this parade.  Nope.....Maddox just TRACTORS....!!  The parade was like 90 % tractors in addition to the 6 emergency vehicles ALL with their sirens whaling and a couple of bands.  Kennon was in heaven, Maddox kept plugging her ears as the emergency vehicles went by.  Too cute. I was really proud of their behavior and we only had one mishap the entire morning when Kennon broke open a rug burn on his forehead,  he had gotten the day before at Kindercare, while jumping in the jump house. But Eric was quick to run to a food trailer and grabbed a band aid as I had accidentally taken the diaper bag to the hair bow tent.   Then he bonked his lip and nose again when he fell during the parade. He is looking a little rough right now!! Thanks to Grandma Kathleen and Becky for providing a comforting hand after the parade fall. Kennon did very well using the kinda yucky park potties and stayed dry during our entire outing.  Thanks to the Kayser family  (another high school friend of mine) for a clean toilet and hand soap as our last potty stop before we loaded back up in Sienna.   And thanks to Amy Kayser's brother in law for scoopin' up Kennon as he ran off down the parade route to one of the tractors unbeknownst to Eric and i ( second child syndrome..!!) We hurried home to watch the Hawks play a fairly good game...although with a poor end result. Next time Hawkeyes. 

Headed home from their first day of Our Savior. They both have on medals that say 'I survived my first day of preschool'  Too cute.

Maddox colored this picture at Our Savior. She is getting very good at her coloring skills and is even starting to draw people...! They don't have any necks...... which is exactly how her mama used to draw them at her age.  

Waiting for the rides to open at the Orion Fall Festival.  Star sunglasses compliments of Grammy. We MISS you every second Grammy. Maddox asked yesterday 'when you are going to come out of your box?'

Maddox driving what looks like a sleepy Kennon but don't let him fool ya....he was having a ball and even had his own wheel to control!!  

Maddox and Kennon on the Amtrak train. 

Maddox and Kennon on the kiddie Ferris wheel. 

You can't see it really well but they were literally BEAMING from ear to ear as they came around.  ( I was too!!)  So fun to see them enjoying themselves. They used one of their tickets to ride the wheel a second time.  A favorite for them both. 

I was excited to find this adorable Princess pony tail holder. I think it looks so cute in her hair.  Maddox is plugging her ears as the emergency vehicles come whaling by. 

Still plugging......

The lady in the blue shirt in the back is the mom of my friend from high school Becky Roegiers ( who is in the back left).  Becky is the best mom and Kathleen the best Grandma....they both came to the parade with extra 'candy bags' and blankets to watch all the festivities!!  Thanks to the Nightingale family for outfitting us for the parade!

Maddox and Kennon playing in the sprinkler....clothes style!! YES....I let them play in their clothes :)   They were squealing with delight!! Something about playing in your clothes totally tops playing in a swimsuit!! 

Kennon is doing really well with this potty training. In fact he has gone like 5 nights in a row with no accidents at night until last Saturday he chugged an entire sippy cup of water at like 8PM and I knew he wouldn't make it. But, that's ok.  He was dry today....Monday AM He has been doing really well.  We are still having about 1 accident per day at home and at school generally speaking but he is telling us when he has to go and definitely seems to be starting to control it a bit more.   Although he is playing with the 'control' a bit. Letting out a little and then holding the rest in to keep playing....we are starting to know the 'hold look' so we know to then run him in to finish his business.  More praise is needed we think to get him off of the 'hold style'.  Most importantly he only had 1 accident at school on Friday and he had no accidents at Our Savior on Wednesday!!  Way to go buddy!!  We are so proud of him and keep showering him with positive rewards including MMs and match box cars.  We have this week, started standing. They suggested standing at Kindercare as he just was not able to get his pants all the way down to avoid the almost horizontal stream in the seated position. So he has been doing a little of both, some standing which keeps the unders dry and some sitting which he requires a little assist with still.  But definitely making progress. He is not even interested in sitting on the Thomas toilet seat anymore. Just sits on the potty like a big boy or stands on the stool.  That is totally fine by me....one less thing to keep clean.

Both Maddox and Kennon started at Our Savior this past week.   I dropped both of them off Wednesday AM at like 8.45 and they happily went into their separate room. Maddox was just a hair clingy but Kennon went right in remembering he had played with the trucks the week before at the Open House.   When I picked them up at 11.45 they both came sprinting out the door into my arms with the biggest smiles I have ever seen and their back packs bouncing on their backs. They definitely had a fabulous time.  Not only did Kennon keep his unders dry he went potty in the potty there as well.  I was like a tornado through the house while they were at school.  So efficient without 4 little feet underfoot.  I'm looking forward to getting some projects done while they are gone and getting back to cooking. My latest LOVE is spending a little extra time in the grocery store switching out one main stream item for an organic one... ( in honor of you Jody!!).  It is amazing what I have been buying with crazy chemicals!!  Super fun to sit and read the labels and pick something that at least sounds a little healthier.  But never fear there will still be a cake with OODLES of frosting for Maddox's birthday. 

Maddox's behavior has been better this week. We have tried to shower her with Love and positive reinforcement which I do think works.  She and Kennon play very well together when they are outside.  In the house they tend to get in each other's space. Wednesday afternoon it was so hot out we had popsicles as our snack after nap and then they played for what seemed like an hour in the sprinkler without any bickering or issues!  The neighbor Priya came over to join us too.  They had a good time and allowed me a chance to pull some weeds that are growing in our new sod.....grrrr..... They grow in between the strips of sod where there is just enough soil and space where the grass hasn't grown together as of yet and with the hot sun the weeds just proliferate there.

Hope everyone had a great holiday.  I"m off to buy some trees!!  With the prospect of houses behind ours sooner rather than later we thought we'd better start getting some privacy built up.  On the list a Quaking Aspen, a  Sunset Maple, and either a Paper or River Birch.....all researched by my fabulous husband to grow QUICKLY ( unlike the Oak in our front yard) in zone 5 as well as in clay soil and with beautifully turning leaves in the fall.  The Birches in particular are good at soaking up water....planning to plant those out in the swale by the culvert! We are also finishing up the mom's memorial plant bed this week. The 3500lbs of  shooting star rock will be delivered to our driveway on Thursday. The bed looks fabulous and all the plants, including mom's transplanted from Aurora are all growing and healthy. Love to garden!!