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 |
