Hiking at Matthiesen State Park

Since Charissa is leaving in a week to head back to college, we decided to go to one of her favorite places here in Illinois - Matthiesen State Park.  It is about a two hour drive from our house but has always been worth the drive.  We packed a lunch and headed out with a promise of gorgeous weather perfect for hiking.

Tired before the hike ever began

Eric is ready to go ...

  
Eric was excited to bring his own backpack for hiking.  Yeah, that excitement died within the first three minutes of the hike, and Charissa carried it for 99% of the hike.  Eric did want it back at lunch time. Eric loved hiking.  He loves the outdoors period and was quite the trooper.  He did snitch a piggy-back ride up the flights of stairs - don't blame him there as some flights were quite long and steep.

Although we have had severe drought lately, the recent storms helped green up things and made for some beautiful nature shots.  It also created some puddles for getting wet and water fights.  The water was still low enough that the easier trails were accessible which made it easier on the younger kids and out-of-shape moms.

Let's Hike!

 

Jonathan doing some exploring

Clint and Eric enjoying the view

Joanna and Cara

Jonathan and Oren climbing and trying not to fall into the water below

  

Oren was King of the Rock until Charissa the Queen came along and showed him who was boss.

   

    

Kalynne tried to use a staff to part the waters on the bridge.

Enjoying a treat  ... It was National Soft Serve Ice Cream Day afterall.

Life Happens

Geez, it has been a while since I posted anything. There has been plenty going on though, mundane along with the not so mundane. Where to begin?

The weather can't decide if it wants to be Spring or Winter. I am just glad for our new sump what with the rain and thawing we have been having. It has most likely saved us a few wet floors in the basement. Thank goodness for tax refunds that can pay for it too.

Thank goodness for tax refunds that can cover the loss of income from a temporary lay-off too. All those kids and deductions can come in handy. It seems that Clint gets to take a week off of work and not be paid for it. It most likely will be two, but at least it won't be back-to-back ... sort of. The first one is at the end of March. We had just bought a trip to Branson for a 15th anniversary get-away. We were going to take it when the kids had Spring Break. We are going to go when Clint doesn't have to work now. We found a sitter and made our reservations. Something good besides the enormous amount of yard clean-up has to happen that week.

We also bought a porch swing. We have only been here 6 years. We finally found the right one. We ordered it, and it will be ready in time for Mother's Day. You know where to find me (with my nose in a book) this summer.

Eric is quite the chatterbox now. He has plenty of examples around here. He can say school (when he sees the bus come and the kids get on). There is thank you, welcome, bye-bye, night, and what's that? as well. Oh, I am "mom" now unless Eric is showing his imp-ish sense of humor. Then he goes around the house calling every dad and just laughing about it. I get "What!?" when I call his name. That is also due to the plenty of examples around here. I heard him say stuck the other day as well. He can also say Charissa's and Kaly's names or at least an understandable variation.

I am surprised I don't hear stuck more often as Eric is a climber. I am always have to rescue him. He loves water too. Toilet seats have to stay down and bath tubs emptied. I found out the hard way about the tubs when I found towels, blankets, clothes, toys, and a couple of pillows thrown in the water.

Scholastic Bowl season is wrapping up. Charissa did well as JV captain. Kalynne has her last meet this coming week. both girls love it and earn their team plenty of points.

Oren didn't make it to state for his National Geographic Geography Bee. The poor kid was so heartbroken. He studied really hard too. We are all smarter now, because he shared all his information with us.

Joanna busted her chin open in PE a couple of weeks ago. It is to match the back of her head, I guess. She also was out this past week for three days with a bug that just made you feel yucky and lethargic with a low grade fever.

Jonathan had Pinewood Derby last month but didn't win any races. He was so bummed, and then broke his trophy since he won a specialty category. It was just not his night. He is looking forward to summer camp so I better get him signed-up!

Cara has stayed free of injury, illness and disappointment unless you count having been made to practice piano. She is struggling with that right now. I get to teach her as her dad is about as exasperated as she is.

I am staying busy with PTO (finished one project last week and moving on to the next, a fundraiser next week). Church keeps me going too. What with my responisibilities, the activities and everyone else's responsibilities and activities ... ugh! Okay, it is not bad just busy. I also pamper myself by working out three times a week. I started attending Curves. So far the effort has paid off with 11.5 pounds and 14 total inches lost. The photo from Thanksgiving was motivation and a shocker about how I let the weight creep back on again. I actually enjoy exercise or maybe it is the me time. A friend watches Eric 2 hours twice a week so I can workout and run errands during the week. I also go Saturday mornings. I try to squeeze in walks the other days. hopefully the weather will decide on sunny spring days so it is possible.

Now I better get to bed. I just realized I had typed this entire rambling news bit in my cooking blog. Thank goodness for copy and paste!

Funny Kid Videos

Sorry about the darkness, but Eric was so funny thinking he was pulling Charissa in our rolling desk chair. MUSH!

Oren and Kalynne goofing off ... think being cooped up indoors is getting to them.

Geography Bee Winner

Today was our middle school's Geography Bee. Every student in the 6th-8th grades takes a geography test. The top 30 scorers then compete in the school's geography bee. For the third year, Oren made it to the school's geography bee. His first year he scored 11th, inched out of the finals in a tie-breaker.

This year hubby was unable to make it due to lack of any vacation time so I continued to text him the results as the bee wore on ...

Top 12 - still going

In finals! won tie-breaker

Top 3 so far!

HE WON!!!

Some of the questions I would really have questioned if Oren had not gotten them correct. One of the questions in the semi-finals was asking in which state the city of Galveston was located. We went there two Spring Breaks ago to camp and show the kids the ocean. I did realize we need to take the kids to Myrtle Beach in South Carolina as Oren was the only one to miss that question in the semis.

Now that Oren won at the school level, he will take an intense test after Christmas Break to try for qualification for the state bee. The top 100 scores on that test participate in the state's geography bee.

Oren won a trophy with certificate from the school and a really cool atlas from National Geographic. He might have to hide the atlas from his dad. Oren displayed good sportsmanship after which a slightly inflated ego surfaced. That is okay though because it isn't too bad, and he is almost as excited as I am about all of it.

The 30 Participants

The 10 Semi-Finalists

The 2 Finalists

Oren Wins!

The 3 Winners

Congratulations, Oren!

Thoughts and Rambles

Sometimes what is said is not what is really meant. My 5th grader (Kalynne) had a play. The entire 5th grade put on various Aesop's Fables. I planned to make the 9 a.m. show, but had the 1 p.m. one as a back up. It was a good thing since I missed the 9 a.m. one. I showed up a few minutes late but just in time to see Kalynne's parts. Kalynne told me that I didn't have to come if I was too busy. I am glad I did because after she left the stage I saw her scanning the crowd from the wings. I was at the back so she couldn't see me. I saw her shoulders droop a little.

About halfway through the plays when another 5th grade class was performing their chosen fables, Eric started fussing so I stood up with him. Kalynne heard him and turned to scan the crowd on the other side of the theater. She found me, and her smile said it all. It said, "I know I told you you didn't have to come, but I am really glad you since that is what I wanted. Thanks, Mom."

My kids like to perform. They love the theatrics and drama. They must since they practice it all the time at home. Joanna had her chance to shine too. On her last day of pre-school a Mother's Tea was put on by the class. The children greet their mother's at the door and show them to their seats. They then take their drink order and serve their mothers. It is quite cute. There are gifts the children made. They love to help open them. Next comes the performance of songs and rhymes. Joanna kept making sure I was watching. When I would wink at her, she would wink back. The Mother's Tea is then finished with the handing out of certificates for those moving up to kindergarten.

I was watching one little boy sitting forlornly waiting for his mother. She was running late, and the look of relief on his face when she arrived was similar to the one I saw on Kalynne's at her play. The little boy, Hunter, is also Joanna's shadow and playmate. The teacher said he was rather wild when the year began, but Joanna was a big help in mellowing him out. I think that is the polite way of saying she put him in his place.

Children are so trusting which makes their naivety really fun at times. Oren told me that he asked his dad why it is called the "Birds & Bees". Supposedly his dad told him it is because birds and bees don't get along just like males and females. Oren had to check that bit of information with me. Usually I am the story-teller and get away with it since I have the better poker face. After 14+ years of marriage though my hubby is getting better. It is just that darn dimple that gives him away if he is up to some mischief. I am usually the practical joker too. I figure a bit of fun makes my day go by faster. Besides I consider it payback for giving birth, nursing, changing diapers and potty-training the li'l hoppers. And that is just by age three and not taking in the teenage hormone years.

Turnabout is Fair Play

Do you know what a pain it is to write sentences? Maybe that is why it is used to punish children for misdeeds. Parents too.

This past September 11th we took the kids to deliver some goodies & thank yous to a police officer and returned soldier we know. We made a stop at a ice cream place on the way home for treats. It was raining when we returned home. Grasshopper #2 was standing in the rain refusing to go in the house. What do I do? I picked up a rock and tossed it against the back of his leg and told him to get moving. He did but not before stopping and whipping around.

"Mom, did you just throw rocks?" Uh-oh! This is the kid who had to write sentences for throwing rocks at his little sister to annoy her. He also received a gash and trip to the ER for a couple of staples courtesy of an older sister defending a little sister. "I think you need to write sentences." Dang punishment! It was such a good idea when I enforced it.

So at 8:30 that night I was writing "I will not throw rocks at people" 25 times. I gave the sentences to #2 who promptly declared that they were his most prized possession and wanted it laminated. Whatever, kid. Don't push your luck. Fair play is just grand.

Cheap Entertainment ...

Unless they drop my camera, of course. It wouldn't be too cheap then to repair or replace it. I mentioned in my food blog, Cornbread & Cookies, that we are easily entertained in this household. My 13 yo decided to have fun with my camera and entertain himself.



Note: No cameras or 13 yo boys were harmed (for harming the camera) in the making of this video.

You're never too young ...

to have your big brother teach you how to play Uno.


Eric really enjoyed the game. He get something to hold (& chew) and a steady conversation (Oren likes to talk). Those are Eric's two favorite things, chewing and attention. According to Oren, Eric won both games and fell asleep during the shuffling of the cards for the third.

Eric must know the ropes of the game though. Oren tried to help Eric lay down one card, and Eric yelled at him. It could be that Eric was busy chewing on it. Perhaps it was just Eric's strategy since another card was used. After all he "won" the game after couples more turns.

I think both boys rather enjoyed the game (it was sure funny to watch).