1st Day of 'School!'

Since the boys' birthday is the 2nd of September, they have to wait a year to attend 4-year-old preschool this coming year. After much debate on finding a 3-year-old preschool, I thought the perfect compromise was ‘summer school.’ The ISU Childcare Center for 3-5 year-olds is literally right down the hall from my office. During the 7 weeks of ISU’s summer school, Evan and Jaden will attend. This appears to be a good transition for them with structured days, yet a play-based learning environment. I have heard so many great things from other co-workers who have sent their kids here, that I am excited for what the next month and a half will bring!

 Evan and Jaden walking into Turner on their first day!

Mother's Day Weekend!

Hello, South Dakota!! 

Kylie and I surprised her Grandma's for Mother's Day Weekend! Shhhh. Don't tell Jaden. She got to ride an airplane before him! However, the boys appeared to have tons of fun at home with Nathan. I mean what beats a weekend of blanket forts, bike rides, pizza?!

After spending an afternoon and night with Aunt Laurie, Kylie traveled to Volga to visit Grandma Linda. Thanks Aunt Rachel for helping with the surprise!

 

Cousin Elliot loved to give Kylie kisses.

Grandma Pam was a little more difficult to surprise. She had plans to shop for flowers at a greenhouse Saturday and insisted on driving to Brookings at a particular time to meet Aunt Laurie. So of course Kylie and I were there as well!

Yes, we did make sure Grandma Pam got her flowers!

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!!

We had lunch at the lake at met up with Great-Aunt Bondell and Great-Uncle Chuck.

Found lots of fun toys downstairs including a doll bed with a quilt made by Kylie's Great-Great-Grandma! 

Fun to see the Richard, Jenny and Grant Anderson who just happened to be in town as well!  (Miles was sleeping).

Miss Kylie and I had a wonderful weekend. Oh, I almost forgot the best part. Two nights in a row she slept for 9-10 hours straight......and so did I. The best Mother's Day gift!!

April 2015 pics

The boys love playing outside. Many evenings we walk to a park. There are four parks within about a mile of our house. There’s a combination of ways to ‘walk’ three kids to a park: Evan and Jaden ride in the double stroller while I wear Kylie in a wrap; or Kylie rides in a stroller and Evan and Jaden ‘help’ push her; or I wear Kylie in a wrap and Evan and Jaden walk.

Parks have these cool foreign objects called ‘dandelions.’ The boys love to pick the yellow ones and of course, blow the seeds on the ‘white flowers.’

 

Kylie can now sit up in a bumbo seat. It’s a great workout for her, so she doesn’t like to be in there for too long! 

Family Movie Night!

Kylie is growing—one month ago and today!

The biggest change that started this month was daycare! Kylie started to go full time at daycare with Evan and Jaden. Here is a picture from day #1 with protective big brothers. I told Miss Sherrie that Kylie took a nice long afternoon nap. When I went to pick the kids up, I was told Kylie had her days flipped and slept literally all morning. We are still figuring out this schedule-thing~ not as big of a deal with 1 versus 2 babies!

Kylie's 2 Months old!

April 24th, 2015

Kylie is 2 months old!

Kylie learned to smile!

She loves being swaddled at night. 

She sleeps in her own crib. 

She can nap anywhere. 

Kylie has traveled and 'stepped foot' in three states during her 2nd month. 

April in SD

Since I got this new minivan…..I thought I better drive it somewhere! Call me crazy, but I drove two 3-year-olds and a 7 week old from Illinois to South Dakota. 

Here are the top 10 reasons why this was a good decision:

1.   Kylie slept the WHOLE time in the car. I drove with the boys when they were about the same age and I was so worried—but they slept the whole trip, too.

2.   In the past 12 years, I have never been to South Dakota during the month of April. April is just an all around busy month at work, so being able to work from home this semester, I decided a road trip to help celebrate Grandpa Al’s birthday was in order!

3.   The boys ventured to Chuck E Cheese for the first time……we are going to pretend that only Auntie has a Chuck E Cheese in her town! They still are talking about it….. ‘Last night we played the apple game at Chucky Cheese!’

4.   There are still baby calves at the farm in April! The twin boys got to meet the twin calves. They played with a sand pile, met their calves, and of course drove the tractor and four-wheeler.

5.   The zoo is not crowded in April. 

6.   Grandma Linda got a picture with all of her Grandkids!

7.   Kylie ate at Perkins for the first time and met many of her extended family!

8.   Evan and Jaden graduated out of the bedroom and to the living room for a true sleep-over at Auntie’s. (Yes, this may have been strategically done to protect Kylie who was in the bedroom!)

9.   The Schumacher kiddos were able to meet and play with the Christensen kiddos! Evan and Jaden had a lot of built up energy to run out in their basement- Thanks Taylor!

10.        Even after a long car ride home, Kylie was exhausted and ready for bed. Love my sleeper!

The Club!

Never say never! April 11^th we joined the mini-van club!

After the whole family went grocery shopping to our new favorite store, Hy-Vee…..we struggled to find room for ourselves and the groceries……I knew it was time!

Nathan claims he will never drive it…..However, I must say, that aside from the fact that it’s a minivan, I do love it!