Santa and Snow

Here it is December and before we know it, we'll be ringing in 2017! The kids came down with a little fever this past weekend but that did not stop them from getting out in the first snowfall. It was perfect packing snow for a snowman unfortunately we did not get a chance to go sledding. We went up to my step-dad's fire house for a pancake breakfast with Santa. Drew was SO excited to see him but Kelsey waited til after she ate. (I don't know if that was a "hangry" thing or what - like she couldn't "people" til after she had some food in her.)

Now we are in full holiday swing! We have my brother's birthday, the kids holiday show at school and church, Kelsey's dance holiday party, we are hosting the Bonins for Christmas, then actual Christmas, and another Christmas celebration on New Years day.

October Tidbits

What did we do last month? I'm sure there were things...it just all goes by so fast! Kelsey is in full swing with dance practices. We just ordered her team jacket and will soon receive her leotard costume (I'm almost certain she is doing a jazz dance to Madonna's Vogue. It's all so secretive!) Drew's still doing a little gymnastics every week.

The kids had parent - teacher conferences and they were as we expected. Drew still pouts, throws a bit of a fit, and becomes stubborn and Kelsey is the teacher's pet! (School photos below!)

We had a great time celebrating Halloween again this year. We started by trick or treating at the farmer's market the weekend before and finished by strolling through the rural town my mom lives in. Drew again based his costume on incorporating his power wheels truck. There aren't any sidewalks and the houses can be pretty far apart, so the power wheels is a great way to prevent little tired legs:)

Serious concentration on his pumpkin 

In the lead, on our way to the next house

Candy break

Thanksgiving is almost here! We have some fun family weekends ahead - Auntie Cher and cousin Ella come every year on opening day of deer hunting for the Holiday parade downtown and a sleepover. We are also very excited to start decorating for Christmas - the most magical time of year!

Kindergartners!

Oh the fun we had the week before school started. Although I may have over did the excitement - Kelsey ended up having some "accidents" during school but not telling anyone til she got home :/ And she said it was all because she didn't want to miss anything in class. I think she was anxious about school starting; she did this last year but a couple weeks into it. It sounds like her body reacts to stress physically and not emotionally. (I personally enjoy eating my feelings/stress/anxiety but I don't recommend it ;))

My last Thursday home with them I let them choose the days activities. I thought I was going to get myself in trouble but they picked Culver's for lunch because they love that the kids meal comes with custard and then we went to Toys R Us to use up the rest of their birthday gift cards. Then 3 days before school started, we went to Bay Beach. Our friends from Denver were home and we had made plans to meet them there. It was our first time there but we have already made a pact to go back! This was K and D's first real experience with carnival-ish rides - which is good because we are going to Disney on Spring Break (that's a whole other post for another day)!

Waiting for our friends. We are so patient

Not sure who the boy was with Kelsey but our friend Declan is in blue

About to go down the big slide

This year the kids are taking the bus to and from school whenever possible. I have to pick them up on Mondays and Tuesdays to get them to New Berlin by 4 for dance and gymnastics. So far they enjoy riding it and haven't had any problems.

First Day K5

Kelsey has a matching LuLaRoe dress with one of her teachers. 

Someone else was waiting for the bus...

Second day of school shenanigans 

We watched the Badgers play at my cousins house and of course we were silly!
All of my cousins (and me) on the right and our respective daughters on the left.

Drew found this cool toy to play with at my cousin's

So we live in the city and have had to deal with more trees falling down or needing to
be cut down than ever before. This is actually just a BRANCH from a 100ft oak tree. It knocked over a
smaller tree. It took a solid weekend to clean up. 

This is a cookie! Isn't it beautiful?! One of Kelsey's dance team members had a birthday and
everyone received a personalized ballet cookie. (What did I sign up for? I can't keep up with these veteran dance moms!)

It's Been Too Long!

We have been ZOOMING through summer! Wow, am I sad that school started for Craig yesterday and the kids start Thursday :( I want just one more month!

Kelsey has healed beautifully from her broken collar bone - almost so well that on the last x-ray at the end of July, you couldn't see it unless you knew what you were looking for. She's back to 100% as of yesterday (they really require 3 months of no "contact" activities, so she was supposed to wear her immobilizer on the playground up until today). She really handled it all very well and was her own best advocate; remembering to bring/wear her immobilizer when we left the house and informing other kids that she had a broken bone;).

Drew's baseball season ended in mid July as Kelsey's dance year is starting! This was definitely a learning year for Drew - understanding that he was the youngest and the older players may play a little more and have to take turns more often than tee ball, where EVERY player was on the field!

Kelsey has 3 hours of dance a week - ballet, tap, and jazz. She is learning a jazz routine to Madonna's Vogue, which she will perform at 4 competitions starting in March. She loves it but is also learning that things can be hard and coaches are different from teachers.

Craig and I took a 5 day boat trip and the kids spent some fun time with grandmas and their aunties! They did miss us :) but said they had some of the best days ever while we were gone.

We are doing our best to soak up these last couple days before school starts. This weekend our friends from Colorado are visiting and we are very excited to spend the day at Bay Beach with them. Life is moving at lightning speed and I want to cherish it all!

Drew playing his last game at Helfaer Field

Leaving Milwaukee Tuesday night via boat, headed towards Door County

Some quality time with Auntie Tara

My "fish"! They love the water!

Summer So Far

Drew had his first session of swim lessons the last 2 weeks of June. He is much more timid when it comes to water, especially when it comes up to his shoulders. He LOVES water slides and fountains where, at most, the water came up to his knees. He did so well, that by the end of the second day he was putting his head under water and doing 10 "bobs". And of course all poor Kelsey could do was watch. (We saw the doctor again, took another x-ray, and the plan is one more appt at the end of July with a strong possibility of Kelsey being able to participate in the last session of swim class in August.)

The weekend of the 4th, we celebrated Craig's cousin's wedding. He was the officiant and it was a gorgeous outdoor ceremony. Drew was a DANCING MACHINE! I hope someone caught his amazing moves on camera - he was doing a break-dance spin, the worm, and what he called "a minion dance!" The kids were able to hang with their cousins all weekend too. There were lots of giggles and fun times.

On the 4th, we traveled north to my home town for the parade and picnic. As my cousin's children get older, we have quite the group of littles with us now (handing clothes down and around just like when we were their age!) Kelsey has also started dance this week. She does 3 hours, which includes ballet, jazz, and tap. She loves them all, especially since there are fancy shoes to wear for each dance!

Our broken kid vs. our new "fish"

These 3 have been buddies since K &D were 3 months old and started going to the sitter

Wedding selfies

Clearly, there is a gender difference in our house

Come on with these 2

Drew hugging the fire dog at the parade

The next generation of trouble-making Stahl cousins!

God Bless 'Merica, Y'all

Here We Come Summer

I have some end of the year photos, K4 graduation pics, and our long weekend at the lake. It's been a busy start to the summer. Craig and I had 2 busy weekends away before school ended and then 2 days after Craig's official last day, we were off to the lake house to spend some time with my family. It was a very relaxing way to cap off the end-of-the-year craziness! Now swim lessons have started, along with Drew's baseball games. Kelsey is supposed to have ballet/team auditions on Monday but she is very protective of her injury so I'm not sure how willing she will be (and she is SUPER shy about talking about her broken clavicle - she will ask me to tell people what happened when we are about to see someone who doesn't know or if we are in a group).

Yay! Onto K5

Last day of school

getting rid of the sling and now wearing the immobilizer. we have another appt on July 5th and we will see what the x-ray looks like and HOPEFULLY she can start doing things again

We spent 4 days up north on a chain of lakes with my extended family. LOTS of boating, fishing, swimming and fun:)

Master fisherman

Of course he had to drive the boat!!

Pretty good for a self-timer ipad photo