The weekend of Father's Day we had a visit from Uncle Scott, Aunt Sue, and cousin Zach from Minnesota. Maddox and Kennon both put on their performing hats and put on a 'show' for our guests. It was rather entertaining. Since they had just finished their week at Vacation Bible School it was primarily Bible School songs with an accompaniment from KTK on the guitar. I don't know…but there is something super funny about two toddlers singing Christian songs in their underwear atop plastic Rubbermaid stools!! We were happy to see the Kies family. Thanks for stopping by.
So the kids have been VERY busy, since Kennon's birthday party weekend, with summer camps. Two weeks ago it was VBS at Our Savior…their normal church preschool. And then last week it was Disney/Fairytale camp through the City of Bettendorf. Both kids enjoyed themselves at both camps, but particularly at the Disney camp. It was held at a park and each day had a theme with the first day being Frozen, the second Pirates and Fairies, the third a field trip to the Family museum and the fourth was Character day where all the camp leaders dressed up in Disney characters. The kids had a BLAST that last day getting all the characters' autographs. In the pictures above and below they got to paint on the Frozen day with 'snow' a mixture of glue and shaving cream…who would've thought!! So fun! ( and best to be at camp outdoors than at my dining room table!!) Tuesday they made these fabulous telescopes and got to walk the plank and play pirate games and go on treasure hunts for what I believe were gold color rocks…or er…'treasure'! I will definitely be looking into more of the City of Bettendorf camps next summer. The next several weeks both Maddox and Kennon will be busy with more camps but these will be held at Our Savior. They will go Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday all morning and each week has a theme as well as teaches some Christian value. This week is ZOO. I think the kids like the structure each week and I love the free time. Lets me get some things done around the house, run errands solo, and most important, time to work at VNA. I am training a new gal who has prior home care experience and seems like she is going to be a BREEZE to train. I am still keeping tabs on my initial trainees through chart audits/reviews while the kids nap.
Last week an extra special package came from Denver….Aunt Kelly specifically. She sent the kids kitchen items!! They are soooo perfect for my kids as both Maddox and Kennon LOVE to help me cook. Kennon got a chef's hat, Maddox a cute cupcake apron and then they each got their OWN SET ( Aunt Kelly must know we haven't perfected the art of sharing yet) of kitchen utensils. They are so fabulous. Then…she must know our love of fireworks too because she sent us 4 3D firework glasses. I can't wait to try them out!! HOW COOL IS THAT!!
We of course had to try them out right away. This was the BEST mac n cheese we've had ever!!
With the weather being warm and nice out we are outdoors A TON!!! Most mornings, even before camps on the weekdays and then every afternoon we are outside playing soccer or baseball, riding bikes, and hanging out with our neighbor Priya. The last week we added a couple of water activities. Tuesday after naps we headed to Splash Landing, the City of Bettendorf's public pool. It is a fabulous facility and has a great toddler area that is gated off and has a sand pit, several fun sprinklers, and a waterside for toddlers. We took our neighbor Priya and her mom Elisha. I didn't get any pictures as it is all hands on deck watching the kids around a water area but we had a great time. A perfect post nap activity for $3.00!!
Then last Friday we took advantage of another warm sunny day and met our friends the Wentlands at the Davenport Splash Park. The park was new last year but we didn't make it down. It was super fun. I unfortunately didn't quite plan for how wet Maddox and Kennon were going to get. I only brought swim tops, not bottoms, and no towels…ooops!! I"ll be better prepared next time. They have picnic tables and benches all around so it is nice for the moms to sit and chaperon. Then of course it is just up the hill from a regular park. So we hit that too!! So fun…and this is even FREE.
Maddox of course 'looked' after Nyle who will be 2 in August.
Kennon in the foreground….Nolan, Maddox, and Nash in the background….I"m pretty sure this is when we caught the three hoodlums in the background trying to drink the water sprays!
Shorts…totally soaked…. I guess I should have known coming to a 'SPLASH' park they'd get pretty wet!!
Maddox and Kennon
Nolan Maddox and Kennon
Maddox sitting on top of the sprinkler head
I love this look on KTK's face…such a sly smile
Maddox Kennon Nyle
This was the best that Megan and I could do to get all the kids together for a pictures…. yes…you are correct …..there are 2 kids missing and only one kid is actually looking at the camera.. :) Nyle, Kennon, and Nash. Kennon was NOT happy to leave the park and was holding up his fingers and yelling 'three more minutes mom….just three more minutes mom'….. he is quite the bargainer….
We were planning to visit Grammy'x box today and to have a picnic at the park in Orion. But, after the rain last night we thought the park might be too wet. So we just hit one of our favorite Bettendorf parks……hmmmm…. It TOO was wet. I did however remember to bring a towel and cleaned off 2 of the 4 slides. However Kennon apparently forgot which 2 those were and slid down into about an inch of water sitting at the bottom of one of the slides that I hadn't dried off… Luckily I had an extra pair of shorts/undies in the van. We played for a while at the park and then headed over to the baseball fields and actually had even MORE fun walking the 'plank' and balancing on the bleachers…who knew?? the bleachers could be so much fun.
Maddox's hair is getting so long…and unlike her mother…she does NOT like to have it up in a pony. She'd rather have braids or just down. I think it is so hot to have it down but she doesn't seem to mind. It is one of the things I CHOOSE not to battle with her on days when we don't have any set plans and they aren't going to school/camps. Ya pick your battles right….? She knows she can't go to school with her hair down in her face. I can remember mom telling me stories about parents who sent their kids to school with odd bows that distracted the kids or with hair down in their face. I can remember her saying 'how do their parents expect them to concentrate when they are trying to keep their hair out of their face all day long'. One of those 'teachery' things I learned from mom. ….. don't send Maddox to school with odd bows in her hair that keep falling out and get her hair out of her face!! Thanks mom:)
So Maddox has generally had really good behavior the last week or so. It is truly amazing how she can turn it on and then off again. Kennon continues to be my compassionate guy and is very forth coming with kisses, hugs, and affection. He does continue to have his fits and unfortunately the fits in the last 2 weeks have been intermixed with accidents!!! BOTH poop and pee. The little stinker would much rather just play than come in to go potty. The other problem we are having is he is constantly thirsty because they are outdoors playing and running around a ton and RIGHTFULLY so he is parched!! ( Eric and the kids went on a 2.5 mile bike ride yesterday morning…both kids riding their own bikes…!! whoot whoot!! ) So we of course give him water. I've given up on getting him trained at night and at this point am back to significant praise and MM's for staying dry during the day. Ironically he has been dong fine at summer camps and VBS……stinker…. We'll get there. Oh and we lost his paci on Saturday…literally…somewhere in the house!! But, he has been doing great…just don't think about taking any of his THREE blue bears….
A few funnies for the week….
Maddox is very happy to say the prayer before our nighttime meal and as I said a while back we no longer sing the song but she actually 'says' a prayer. Saturday night she said her usual 'thanking God for nice parents, for the food we were going to eat and for the nice house etc' She then said amen and we all started to eat…only to hear a 'WAIT' shouted at the top of her lungs. 'WAIT I need to say one more thing' ( hands out in front of her as if to signal us to stop) So we all bowed and closed our eyes again 'thank you God for keeping the monsters out of my bedroom at night'…… I just smiled at Eric and Kennon looked rather appreciate that his sister thought of the monsters and then we all went back to eating our pork :)
Saturday night we had angel food cake for dinner. I bought a pre made one from Hyvee so it needed to be cut. I rarely use my large bread knife but got it out to cut the cake. I hear from Kennon as he watched the process ' Whoa….that is the biggest SHARPER I have ever seen Mom'. :) I don't think we use the word 'knife' very often…which I suppose is good.
Last night I was talking to Kennon as I rocked him and we read books before bed. I told him he was getting so big and he said ' yah mom I'm getting too big for my bed' So I asked him if he wanted a big boy bed like Maddox's and he said 'No mom…I don't want to turn into a girl!' So I said 'Well I'll get you some boy sheets…what would you like on them?' and he said 'lady bugs just like Maddox'!! Maddox doesn't have ladybugs on her sheets specifically but she does have ladybugs in her room. He does look up to her and although marches to the beat of his own drum she is teaching him SO many things. We remind her of that regularly as she tends to thrive on being in the mother role.
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