Friday, November 15, 2013

Happy Halloween!

Dexter as Mickey Mouse Firefighter, Kellan as a Vampire, Zoe as a Fairy and me as a Vampire-Fairy.  

Yes, Jim made fun of me.  I thought I was being creative going as Zoe and Kellan's costumes combined.  Unfortunately, no shot of my cute little skirt, and Docs from circa 1990.  No pictures of Jim.  He went as our neighbor's campaign manager...pretending as if she was running on the platform of bringing In N Out to Denver (she really was running for a local office).   Kellan went trick or treating with a friend.  I think that made Jim secretly sad (and D and Z).  I felt bad, so instead of enjoying my annual catch up on TV and be home alone, I went out with the three of them.  It was of course the coldest night of the fall - and we were all home in about an hour. 

Not much else happening, baseball has ended...until January.  Jim's been trying to put his "elite" team together for next season.  We don't have Little League here, probably already mentioned this, but the competitive league is called The Warriors.  I was wishing he would give us all another season like this spring/summer - undefeated.  BUT, he had to go and go up two divisions.  He came up with the "Dirtbags" and the "Warrior Baseball Furies" (from the Warriors movie - click the link if you haven't seen it - Furies) for names for the team.  "Warriors Elite" goes before each team name, so he was trying to come up with something less "elite-ish".  I really liked the latter, it would have been awesome for the boys to go out in full make-up.  Very few of the boys (and parents) liked either name.  It came down to a vote and one of the boys came up with the "Aces"...no controversy there.    

Zoe was promoted to the next level in gymnastics.  All the girls are much bigger than her.  I never was able to make Kellan's baseball practices this fall.  Jim had to coach and watch D and Zoe.  He let Zoe play with the team a few practices.  She did as well as the boys.  She is eagerly awaiting her 8th birthday,  begging for a party - we need to figure something out.  I would love to get her a dog.  She's so good with animals.  Being the middle, female, child has really brought on challenges for her (at least that's what I think is part of the reason).  She's  having a tough time - nothing really new for our Zoes, yet different because she's getting older.  We can't seem to bring ourselves to getting another animal.  Munson is overall a really good guy, other than getting up on our bed numerous times a night.  On a random note, we bought Zoe new running shoes, they fit me.  She's constantly in my closet trying things on.  Instead of giving clothes away now, I'm packing them up for her.  

I'm finding myself telling Kellan more and more he's "just like his mom."  Poor kid.  He asked the other day "what does intelligent mean?"  D'oh, so like me.  He's always cold.  He gets so nervous and bites his nails.  He has nightmares.  I'm trying to convince him it's not all bad.  He's a sweet kid ;) He did something the other day, I can't even remember what it was, and all of a sudden he starts yelling "no, no, no!"  I asked what was wrong and he says "I really am, just like you."  I convinced him to be a Russell Wilson fan before the NFL season started.  I told him he won't regret it...he now has a jersey.  I'm also trying to convince him to like the idea of going to U of CO.  He still talks Oregon Ducks.  We went to Boulder last weekend to see the campus.  I got off at the exit to see the stadium.  It's no Husky Stadium.  We drove around a bit but I couldn't find the campus, we found a park to play at for awhile.  We were starved and went to Pearl Street (downtown Boulder) to eat, and then by that time had to get home.  As we were driving toward the freeway I found the campus.  Kellan was in awe.  He's never been to a college campus and had no idea, I believe he thought it would be a bit bigger than a high school.  We're going to go back soon and walk around.  I would love to live in Boulder.  Now, if I can keep him out of Oregon. 

Dexter's been beat lately, four days at school takes its toll.  His class learned about calm down steps recently.  His teacher gave them all "Calm Down Kits."  Consisted of a paper bag, with a candle, fake flower and a laminated paper with 1-5 written on it.  It's really funny.  He'll get upset, and one of us will panic and say, "Dexter, Dexter, hurry, hurry get your calm down kit."  He'll run and get - counts to five, blows out the non-lit candle and takes a deep breath and smells the flower.  I think it's losing it's appeal though.  We'll milk it as long as we can.  He loves to beat up on G-ma Chloe, literally, tackles her to the ground.  The kid gets away with murder with her.

I'm working a ton, drinking more, not exercising, eating crappy, gaining weight, going gray, losing my mind and not sleeping well.  Something's gotta break - probably not the drinking.  

We've had really mild weather through Oct. and Nov.  Kids are still wearing shorts. 

Biggest news of all - there will be a new Kabisch in 2014!  Mike and Jessie are having a baby boy - due on March 15, a day before dad's birthday and will be named Francis.  We're all super excited.  Things aren't that bad. 

I really had make-up on, not this sickly looking...yet.
At the annual neighborhood Halloween party. 
 
Cheater
Jim and kids annual pumpkin carving.  One request for an angry bird.
One request for a cat.
Jim's
No, that is not a bowl of cereal.  For about two days, Dexter ate French's Fried Onions as if they were cereal.
Kellan before a big day at school.  They have something called "Young Ameritowne" here.  The 5th graders plan for weeks for it...they get assigned a profession and learn what it takes to do it, then they go to this place that's set up with shops, hospital, post office, etc.   Kellan talked about it for weeks before and then weeks after.  He really wanted to be an accountant at the snack shop, but ended up being an accountant for the market.  
We weren't going to buy D's pre-school picture.  Then we got the proof and he looked so darn cute.  The injury on his eye was care of his dog.  It was one of those moments when I heard G-ma Chole yelling that he was really hurt...and I didn't hear any crying.  I couldn't tell because of all the blood if he got him right in the eye or not.  We got lucky. 

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Blog Catch-Up


For all the things I missed between our first CA trip, our second CA trip and now...
Kellan had his birthday at Water World.  We had never been and promised him a 10th birthday party.  He invited four buds and we all had a great time. Kellan had more teeth pulled.  He was supposed to have four pulled, but between appointments he lost one.  None of us knew, including Kellan.  He had his ten year well check last week...he's estimated an inch taller now, 6'2", which is lucky for him because we've been telling him for the last month that Dexter's estimated to be taller than him (he likes to call Dexter "tiny").  We'll see someday how tall they will actually be. All Kellan cares about is getting taller than me, he's 4'10.5", 87 lbs now.  He's almost caught G-ma Chloe in height.  We had conferences yesterday and got the kids' MAP scores (national testing scores), Kellan came up average, maybe a tad bit above in math.  As always very proud of the average!   

Dexter is loving pre-school.  We thought for sure he would be the kid to worry about in public - so far so good.  He goes four days a week for two and a half hours.  He's Obsessed with knowing for every story we tell if he was alive, constantly asking - "Was I born?"  The kid is determined not to miss a thing. He exhausts himself running after the big kids.  Yet at the same time he's constantly talking to himself, very independent kid.  At times we're caught up in dinner conversation, we look over at D and he's carrying on a conversation all by himself, karate chopping the air.  Unfortunately he has tough mornings.  He typically comes downstairs half asleep and cries for the next hour (as witnessed in the videos).    

Zoe finished off her softball season.  We're going to play her up a division next year.  The girl is too competitive.  She hit the ball out of the infield most at bats and throws/catches really well.  Maybe a little too well for the girls that are out on the field, especially the girls who really don't want to be out on the field.  We had her conference as well.  Sounding like a broken record from post to post, but her teacher couldn't get over how helpful and great she is in school.  She got a 90% mark for math and 84% in reading on the national test!  I think the girl works so hard at school (actually she doesn't work that hard at school), sports, keeping up with the neighborhood boys that she takes it all out on us ;) - I'll continue to brag, keeping in mind she's only in second grade. 

Lastly an update on Jim's ailments.  I can't remember where I left off with them.  He wore a boot for about a month for his "slightly" torn Achilles. It didn't help.  Two alternatives 1) live with it 2) surgery.  He's debating.  He had an injection in his back for that pain (don't ask him about what the problem is, because he's really not sure - bulging disc? out of place nerve?), the pain is still there, maybe a little less.  

Comment on the below pictures - I made the children take an excessive amount of them this summer, and there are the selfies, so lots of pictures of ourselves with little to no context.  

Zoe and Julia, last day of school
Zoe and Claire
Zoe's poem about her dog
Zoe and Mrs. Johnson
Much better weather for our second Rockies game of the year.  
G-ma post bicycle accident
Only posting these because of Kellan's faces....


Zoe also lost some teeth this summer

Kellan's 10th birthday at Water World
The DeMarini bat that D has been asking for months for - a little big but he'll grow into it...
Grandma Chloe spent a month with Aunt Sheila in PA.  They travelled down to Maryland to see the rest of the Ashley, Burton, Kabisch families.  Sheila accompanied mom home and spent a fun week with us (and gave us lots of help with the patio out front).  
D first day of pre-school
Zoe post birthday party hair-do
We tore out our juniper bushes and put in a little patio.  As one can see, half planted and the plastic adirondack  chairs aren't quite the lounge sofa and chairs I had in mind...maybe next summer.  
I really wanted a palm tree, but this plant was a close second - same as we had in CA.
The kids love their year books.  They look at them from previous years all the time.  Kellan went back to his first kindergarten year book and compared it to this year's picture - the kids all look so little.  It's hard to imagine this is his last year at Redstone and on to middle school.   I want this little guy back...
Kellan 5th grade picture
Zoe 2nd grade picture