Star of the Week

Our dear sweet Quinn was the Star of the Week this week at school.  That means that she got be the line leader, be Mrs. Mediger's helper, bring snacks for the entire class all week long, count all hot and cold lunches each day, and have her parents and sister come to visit on Friday morning.  She also got to enjoy a special lunch with her dad on Friday.  He picked her up from school and took her to the restaurant of her choice - Bagel Boy!  What a treat!

She had an absolute blast this week being the star student and Mrs. Mediger did an amazing job making her feel special.

She brought several pictures and special mementos and items for the Star Student bulletin board.

 (disregard the mouth full of Special Star Student treats in Quinn's mouth)

On Friday, Quinn invited her family to the classroom to visit.  Ryan, Sullivan and I got to meet all her friends and play a friendly game of, "Who knows Quinn best?!"  The teacher asked us (her family) to answer 9 different questions about Quinn's favorites.  If we guessed correctly, we got a point.  If we failed to guess after three attempts, the class earned a point.  The team with the most points would win.  I am happy to say that her family won - barely -but we won!  The score was 5 to 4!

Although Quinn's time as Star Student came to an end on Friday - she will never stop being our star student!!! We couldn't be more proud of her!

Teacher, teacher

I was busy working on the computer one night this week while the girls were playing.  When I looked up, this is what I saw:

Sullivan was reading to her imaginary crowd of children... just babbling what she thought the story was about, then licking her finger to help turn the page, and continuing on!  It was absolutely hilarious to see her do this!  All with the great pick shades on (upside down)!  Might we have another teacher in the house?!

This picture I couldn't resist posting - A true Sullivan shot! 

Our Obsessions - Letter O

Quinn - Old Navy

Quinn doesn't necessarily love Old Navy because of the clothes or for the shopping experience.  She has fallen in love with the bouncy ball machine that is inside the store.  Once upon a time she was allowed to get a ball.  Every time since she begs and pleads to get one - usually without success, but never the less that doesn't stop her!  She is a smart cookie though.  If the girls are allowed to get one, she always waits to see what color comes out first before she announces confidently, "This ball is mine!" or "This one is Sullivan's" - all dependent on whether or not she likes the color and/or design! Like I said, we certainly don't get a ball every time we are there, but we most definitely have a good bouncy ball collection!

Sullivan - Olives

Black or green - it doesn't matter.  Sullivan is an olive eating machine.  To be honest, she is just an eating machine.  Doesn't seem to matter what it is - she sees it, she eats it!  But she does love an olive or two or twenty!  If Sullivan sees the olive jar or can open up, you can bet she is there asking, "Pease, momma?!"  She might get her loves of olives from her mom, her cousins, her great uncles?!  I'd have to admit our family loves us some olives!

Ryan - Oreos (Fried)

If you have never had them, you are missing out!  This is a tried and true fair time classic for Ryan.  We discovered it when we lived in Nashville and we went to the fair there.  It was harder to find around here until a couple of years ago.  Ryan LOVES them - melted, gooey, rich Oreos inside deep fried batter - what's not to love?!

Audra - Organization 

Really who doesn't love to be organized?!  I'd have to admit it makes me feel REALLY good to be organized and to organize things.  So much so that I kind of like (love!) stores like the Container Store.  You know how you secretly dream of winning a shopping spree to a store - they give you 10 minutes to grab whatever you can?!?  I might just choose a Container Store or something of the liking!  If gives me a euphoric feeling to clean and organize - time is the crippling factor that makes it hard to get organized and stay that way!

Quinn's First

 Here is Quinn's very first school photo of her elementary career:

Copyright: Photography by Mark

I know it sounds so cliche to say, "Where did the time go?" when talking about your children growing up, but I totally understand why people say that now!  Quinn is SO grown up!  When did that happen?!

A Big Difference

I know that I've said in past posts that Quinn and Sullivan couldn't be any different.  This was evidenced the other night when eating dessert....

Sullivan could care less if she makes a mess or gets dirty.... in fact, she sort of has fun doing so!

Quinn, on the other hand, really doesn't like to make a mess.  

Now I know that there is a 3 year age difference between the two of them, but Quinn wouldn't have dreamed of making a mess at Sullivan's age.  It's just not in her. There is no right or wrong way to live life - just different!

Happy Birthday, Ry!

This is the face of the birthday boy.....

Where does the time go and how is Ryan already 34?!? 

Last night on the way home from the fitness center, Sullivan and I were having a conversation about Ryan's birthday.  I said to her, "Tomorrow is Daddy's birthday! We will have to remember to wish him a happy birthday in the morning!"  Later that evening, after Ryan put her down to sleep, she was in her bed singing to herself (as she typically does)...an evening serenade to herself!  After a short while, as I was baking Ryan's birthday treats for work, I heard her stop singing and she started to talk.  At first I couldn't make out what she was saying from down in the kitchen.  Then I realized that our dear two year old was saying, "Happy Birthday, Daddy!  I wuv you!!"  over and over again!!!  She was practicing what she was going to wish him in the morning!  How absolutely precious is that?!

We celebrated low key tonight.  A Dairy Queen ice cream cake with a rainbow side (per Quinn's suggestion), a few small presents, and a quiet evening around the house!  The older you get, the more you appreciate those low key birthdays - nothing wrong with that!  Happy Birthday, Ryan!

Soccer - At Another End...

Soccer season has again come to an end for Quinn and it was another good season. She seemed to really enjoy herself.  She was one of two girls on the team, so she had to learn how to hang with the boys.  The boys proved to be a little more assertive than she was, but she did a great job hanging right in there!

Sullivan equally enjoyed going out to the soccer fields and "watching" Quinn - although I am not sure how much watching actually took place.  She enjoyed visiting the cows in the field next to the soccer fields.  She played on the swing set near the fields, and she entertained herself with all the soccer equipment laying around.  Whatever works!

When I asked Quinn to reflect on what she liked most about playing soccer this fall, she said she enjoyed being goalie the most.  She just might be the next Hope Solo!

All Decked Out For Halloween....

The girls and I spent last evening getting out the Halloween decorations and making our house as festive as it can be.  This was a very fond memory of childhood - helping mom put out the decorations for all of the holidays.  I never realized as a child how much work it actually was to do this!  I have to admit that I cringe when I think about having to do it.  Then I remember how much I enjoyed it as a kid, how my mom never complained despite probably having reason to do so, and the joy the girls having helping their mom.

I look at my girls and know they are worth every minute of it!  I hope they have fond memories of this when they grow up!

  (never mind the diaper...somethings aren't worth the fight!)

Quinn's class went to the "pumpkin patch" today.  The pumpkin crop this year is very scarce, so the annual trip to the real pumpkin patch was cancelled.  Instead, someone brought pumpkins to the school and the teachers and parent volunteers put on their own "pumpkin patch" in the backyard of the school.  Quinn had a blast - just like if they had gone to the real deal.  She asked that we use her pumpkin from school to make our black cat. See below...

Who doesn't love Halloween?!!?

The Things We Love - Letter N

Quinn - Nail Polish

Quinn is obsessed with nail polish. She loves to paint her nails and toenails fun and bright colors.  Most often she wants each finger to be a different color or to have some type of pattern to it.  I don’t mind painting her nails, and to be honest they look so good when they are finished. Not because I am an expert painter (far from it!), but because she has the dirtiest fingernails you've ever seen on a 5 year old girl!  I don’t know what she does, but her polish always comes off shortly after painting them.  Maybe I am doing something wrong, maybe it’s her playing too rough.  I don’t know – but needless to say, you often see her with half a hand painted at one time! 

My favorite nail polish story with Quinn happened a couple of years ago.   She received some blue fingernail polish as a gift from someone.  Without us knowing it, Quinn decided that she could paint her own toenails during naptime one day.  I would never have found out b/c her toes and her fingers were not blue.  She had decided that she didn’t like the color and instead of telling us or using a Kleenex to wipe it off, she decided to wipe her toes off on the carpet!!  That’s right – we had a streak of blue carpet from Quinn’s toes!  She was not the most popular person in the house that day and from then on, nail polish has been guarded and watched A LOT more closely!!!

Sullivan - Neigh Neighs

For as long as I can remember, Sullivan has been infatuated with horses, which she calls ‘neigh neighs’.  She can spot them from a mile away – on TV, on toy shelves, in books and on the road.  We have a horse farm not far from our house that we pass by almost every day.  She has to take a tally to see if all 5 horses are there. Then she reports the activities of the horses…. two neigh neighs in time out (in a separate corral than the rest), one neigh neighs eating gwass (grass) and one neigh neigh pooping.  She is obsessed with horses pooping. Lovely, I know!

Ryan - Notre Dame

(Touchdown Jesus - outside of Notre Dame Stadium)

As I’ve talked about in earlier posts, Ryan is in love with his Notre Dame Fighting Irish – has been for quite some time.  This time of the year, his weekend plans revolve around the Irish’s football schedule.  His eagerness to do yard work or handy projects around the house diminishes some too.  He is tuned in to the TV – along side Sullivan who is his football watching partner!

Audra - Naps

I am a fan of naps – for my children, for me and for my sanity.  There is nothing better than curling up in the chair on a Saturday afternoon, pretending to watch football or baseball (or whatever is on TV at the time), and taking a snooze.  It does my body and mind good to get that rest.  Ryan doesn’t understand this – he thinks naps are silly.  He thinks that there are other things that need to get done around the house.  I agree – there are plenty of other things that are more productive to do than napping.  However on Saturday afternoon when I am faced with doing laundry around the house, picking up a mess, or taking a nap… the nap wins out!!!  I justify the naps by telling myself that I am a much better mom and wife if I give my body what it’s asking for – sleep!

Pooley Pizza Night

Every Friday, for years and years, has been Pooley Pizza Night.  The family gathers together to catch up on the week, enjoy each other's company, and snarf down some yummy pizza.

As far as Mary and Randy can recall, they have been doing this tradition for nearly 29 years.  That's right... 29 years.  That is A LOT of pizza that has been consumed by this family over the years!

Aside from the tradition that we eat pizza on Friday nights, other steadfast traditions have formed too...
* Randy must always have pepperoni pizza. He really doesn't like any other kind.
* If Mary has a say in it, she would prefer a chicken pizza of some sort or taco pizza.  She is flexible though and will eat whatever is available.
* Everyone has their place at the counter.  No one sits where the other typically sits.
* Even if you are out of town on vacation or move away (us to Nashville), you still hold fast the tradition of eating pizza on Fridays.
*Most often Eric is the one who orders the pizza.  I am second runner up, followed by Mary.  Randy doesn't ever call and Ryan HATES to call.  Go figure - for a man who loves to socialize and talk to others, he hates the phone!

The girls really enjoy Pooley Pizza Night.  They look forward to seeing Nana, Papa, and Uncle Eric each Friday.  My hope is that this is memory that will always be near and dear to their hearts.  So many fond memories are created around the kitchen table with family.  This is no exception - great food, great company and great memories!

Letter M

Quinn - Mickey Mouse and Friends

Quinn had the opportunity to visit Disney World this summer where she got to meet her favorites, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, along with all their pals!  She loved every minute of meeting them.  I would be astonished to calculate how many hours we waited in lines to get autographs and pictures with these characters, but it was all worth it!  Quinn is a true    
M-I-C-K-E-Y    M-O-U-S-E   fan!

Sullivan - Making Messes and Being Dirty

Sullivan is my messy girl... and as my family claims she gets that from me!  Everyone in the family vouches that I was the stickiest, dirtiest girl growing up.  What can I say?!  I say the dirtier you are, the more fun you are having!  Sullivan lives life to the fullest and doesn't worry about staying clean.  As an adult, not such an admirable trait.  But as a child I say, "Rock on, dirty girl!"

Ryan - Minnesota Sports Teams

Ryan is a die hard Minnesota fan.... Twins during the summer months and Vikings during the winter months. He constitutes a true fan because he even follows them and admits to being a fan when they are in a slump (and boy are the Vikings in a slump right now)!  

Audra - March Madness

I don't know why, but I like to watch college basketball.  I am not a tried and true season long watcher, but come March, you will find me hooked.  I love to watch the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament almost as much as Ryan does.

I enjoy filling out a bracket each year to see how successful I am.  Ryan fills one out too and then we compare.  Ryan has real strategy - he knows who is picked to win, who has had a good season, who is over rated, etc.  My strategy is quite different.  I look at the two teams playing against each other and choose the name that sounds better or has the better mascot.  Logic should tell you that Ryan is much more successful than me, but logic would be wrong.  For several straight years, I have beaten him in the brackets!  Goes to show you statistics don't always work out in your favor.  Sometimes it's all in a name!