Summer

It's officially summer, well...if the weather would warm up just a little bit!  Ethan had a GREAT 2nd grade year!  He passed all of his reading goals and excelled in math.   At the end of the school year awards ceremony, he received the Physical Fitness Achievement award!  He was pretty proud...and so are we.  He is looking forward to playing Little League this summer.  Kids Connection starts tomorrow, he has mixed feelings about going but I know he will have fun once he sees his friends.

Carson graduated from Follow Me preschool, they had a cute little ceremony where the kids sang some songs and received diplomas.  He looked all cute and grown up in his gown!  We also decided to start him in a new daycare, it was a very hard decision because we have been with Jen for 8 years!  He started going to PALS in Pemberton on June 3rd.  So far, so good.  I think it was a little easier because he had friends that he knew there already (Aubrey, Jack & Marshall).  He will stay at this place until Kindergarten, they start their preschool program when school starts in the fall.

Both boys have been enjoying playing outside.  They like riding bike and playing on the trampoline.  They have been to Grandpa and Grandma Poppe's a few times, they absolutely LOVE playing with all of the baby kitties!

We took this picture at Riverfront Park.  Proof that they do get along sometimes!  :)

Happy Summer!!! 

An Old Friend

I was looking through some old pictures, and came across a few of the kids with our old cat, Peppy.  We had him put to sleep back in May 2012.  The kids still talk about him and miss him.  He was 18 years old and a great cat! 

We got a new cat from the Humane Society, Kelly, and the kids love her too....but I guess there is just something special about your first pet! :)

Swimming Lessons, Basketball & Preschool-Oh My!

We have had an eventful start to 2013!  Carson started going to preschool at the church across from daycare.  We decided he needed a little more variety and he was always asking if he could go!  He was very excited on his first day.  He did get in to a little bit of trouble on his first day.  I think he was testing the teacher to see what he could get away with.  He drew a picture of a stick person, this stick person had 3 legs.  He told the teacher the middle one was the person's wiener.  Good impression on his first day of church based preschool!!  I guess you can't help but laugh at that.  I wish I had the picture, but the teacher made him scribble it out, so we couldn't tell what it was.  BOYS!  Otherwise, preschool has been great and he hasn't gotten in to any trouble.

Carson also started swimmng lessons at the YMCA.  Last year when he did it, it went okay but he cried at a few of the lessons and was a little afraid of the water.  This year, he has no fear!  Aubrey Will is in his class with him too, so it has helped them both to be together.  It's fun watching them!

 

 

Ethan has still been doing good in school.  He enjoys reading more this year and has passed both of his AR goals.  He started basketball through the YMCA, practice is on Thursday nights and games on Saturdays.  He plays with a group of boys from St. Clair.  He has played 2 games now.  At the last game, he scored a couple of baskets.  I even caught one on video.  He is doing a great job!

 

 

Hope everyone is staying warm, this cold snap makes me wish for spring!

Ethan is 8!

 

How did this kid grow up so fast?  For Ethan's birthday this year he wanted to go to the Wow Zone.  So we bowled, ate some supper and played video games.  It was a great time!  Ethan got his wish and got a Nintendo 3DS, he was pretty happy.  This weekend four of his friends are coming over and they are going to go swimming.  He can hardly wait!  We have some snow in the forecast, so lets hope the roads don't get too nasty. 

Happy Birthday big guy, we love you!

Happy 4th Birthday to Carson!

It was a little over 4 years ago that I started this blog.  I remember sitting down to start it a few weeks before Carson was born.  Now 4 years have gone by....and I haven't posted as much as I originally wanted to.  But I am glad for what I have done, because it's fun to look back on the posts and see how much the boys have grown.  So even if I don't post often, I will still try to when I can...and definitely make sure to post for events like birthdays and holidays!  I hope I still have a few readers.  :)

So anyway, Happy Birthday to my little...or not so little...4 year old!  We bought Carson a gophers football outfit for his birthday, he loves playing football.  One of his favorite things to do is play tackle football with his brother.  While this may drive me a little crazy, they have fun doing it.  Carson would wear this football outfit 24/7 if he could!  We had a birthday party with friends and family on Sunday night, Carson got a lot of nice things as always and it was a great time!

We love you buddy!

Pools & Sunshine

It has been a busy summer so far! Ethan started Kids Connection the second week in June. He had a few days off before that strarted, so one of the days he got to spend with his friend Mason. They went out to the lake fishing and paddle boating. It was definitely the highlight of his week!

There has already been a lot of swimming this summer. Grandpa and Grandma Poppe have a pool at their house, Carson's daycare has a pool and we have a small one at our house!   


Last weekend we went over to Janesville with Sara, Aubrey and Jack for the Hay Daze carnival. The kids went on a few rides. Ethan went on the titl-a-whirl so Carson also thought he should get to! I thought he would be scared, but he loved it and had a big smile on his face the whole time!

One of the kids favorite things to do in the summer is search for frogs and toads. Carson was SO happy one night because we found a toad in our yard. He played with that toad all night long and then released it into the garden when it was bedtime. The next day he asked if the "toady" was going to come back, he was a little disapointed when I told him that he probably would not be back.

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer!

Last day of 1st grade

Today was Ethan's last day of first grade!  He had a picnic at Spring Lake Park, Jarred and I both went and ate lunch with him.  I took a picture of him this morning.  He looks so grown up, even compared to the picture I took on the first day of school.

Last Day of 1st Grade

First Day of 1st Grade

Proud!

I am happy to report that both boys passed their swimming class! Ethan improved so much after taking this last class and has become a pretty good swimmer. Carson still needs to work a little bit on being a little more confident, he doesn't really like putting his face or head in the water. So we will practice that this summer.

The kids have also really been enjoying this weather we have been having. We brought the gator home from storage and Carson is now old enough to drive it by himself. Ethan really doesn't fit in it anymore, his legs are to long...much to his disapointment. He does try and ride with Carson so he can tell him where to go. :) I think the gator will be Carson's favorite toy this summer!

First Swimming Lessons

I am happy to report that Carson did a super job at his first day of swimming lessons! He was so excited. He didn't hesitate to go with the teachers when it was time, but he was a little shy when they talked to him. He did really good during the lessons and did what they said. We were very
proud of him. He is so grown up!

I think this picture captures his excitement perfectly! :)


Standing in line with the other kids listening to the teacher.

At the end of swimming the kids get a few minutes of free time, so Ethan go to come over and play. Ethan is in his third session of lessons at the Y, he did really good swimming across the pool!

Snow?

I guess I missed posting for the whole month of January. Oops! :) Not a lot has been going on in our household! The kids are missing the fact that we have hardly had any snow this winter. The few times we have, they are right out there to play in it. Ethan has been doing really good in school and just finished up a basketball camp and Carson is fully potty trained! Hallelujah! I may sign both of them up for swimming lessons in February at the Y. I am nervous to sign Carson up though...I am not sure if he will like staying with a teacher by himself and I also don't know if he will actually LISTEN to a teacher for lessons. I guess I won't know unless we try. Wish me luck!
Here's our last few months in pictures.

So happy to be out in the snow!

Ethan was pulling Carson around the yard in the sled...he was even doing it nicely!

Ethan all dressed up for his Sunday school Christmas program.

Carson opening presents on Christmas morning.

The kids with the LARGE Buzz tunnel that their nice auntie Shannon got Carson for Christmas.

Coloring a Mater cardboad play house. Our family gave the kids lots of large Christmas presents this year...I think they must be trying to drive us into a bigger house!

We went over to New Ulm to play with Owen over Christmas break.

Aubrey and Jack were over on a Wednesday (curling night!) and they are watching some TV. I took the picture because we thought it was cute that they were sitting from oldest to youngest, and we didn't even plan it.

Merry Christmas!

I am looking forward to a long weekend with family. The kids are very excited to open their gifts. Merry Christmas everyone!

Ethan is 7!

Over the weekend Ethan had a birthday party with two of his friends, Alex & Gabe. Jarred took them swimming at the YMCA. They came back to our house to play and had pizza and cupcakes. Grandpa & Grandma Poppe came to visit Ethan yesterday for his birthday and gave him a lego semi set, he worked on it all night long and finished it pretty much by himself. He was pretty proud of himself. Tonight we are going out for pizza with Jarred's family. It has been a fun couple of days.

I still can't believe you are 7, Ethan! Mom, Dad, and Carson love you lots!!!!!!! Happy Birthday!

Halloween/Birthday!

Just cathing up and adding a few more pictures from Carson's birthday and Halloween! Only a month behind. :) Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.

Bowling at the Wow Zone on Carson's birthday.

Eating supper with friends, Aubrey and Jack.

Tractor cake!

The dragon.

The skeleton.

Ethan's pumpkin that he carved in school.

Carson turns 3!

Our little guy turned 3 on Saturday! Carson had special birthday pancakces with candles and whipcream for breakfast on Saturday morning. His birthday present from us was a new "Toy Story" bike...he would have rode that bike around all day if he could have. At one point when he was riding he said "Buzz Lightyear to the rescue!". :) Later on Saturday Jarred and I took Carson and Ethan bowling at the WOW Zone. Auntie Andrea came with us too! It was a fun night. On Sunday we had our family/friends birthday party. Carson got all kinds of nice presents, he doesn't even know what to play with first. He also had a tractor cake! Carson, you are growing up so fast...we love you!


(more pictures to come!)

Fall Fun

Carson, Grandma Renee and I got to take a trip to the Minnesota Zoo a few weeks ago. Carson had the most fun checking out the new penguin exhibit and he loved the farm animals. Anytime he talks about the zoo, the first thing he brings up are the cows and pigs! We had a lot of fun that day.

We met Margo & Owen out at Center Creek Orchard over the weekend. It was nice to get together and the kids had fun. We also went out there again later in the day with Grandpa & Grandma. The bouncy houses and super slide are definitely their favorites!
The boys have also been enjoying riding in the tractor and combine with dad and Grandpa John. In a few weeks we will be celebrating Carson's 3rd birthday...hard to believe he is already going to be 3.