Things Heard Around Here

Kellyn: Mommy, if you go to the carnival, and you stick your fingers in the lady's nose you might get a surprise, too.

I'll leave this one up to your own imagination...

Concert

On Saturday night, Ryan and I were able to sneak away for an evening and head to Kansas City to see Miranda Lambert and Dierks Bentley in concert.

We didn't really sneak away as the kids had plans to spend the night at our friend's house.  They were pretty excited and spent their evening at a school carnival.  I don't think they missed us too much:

Ryan and I were able to have a pre-concert dinner, we stuffed ourselves at The Yard House, one of my favorite places to eat in Kansas City.  Afterwards we walked around a furniture store for a bit, since it was raining that day and too early to head to the concert. 

The concert was fun, though, we discovered a few things: 

-we must be getting old, because we both thought it was loud

-we must be spoiled by some of the concerts we have been to when one encore song seems like a disappointment

-planning a concert coinciding with Daylight Savings Time makes for a very long day after

-if we plan on going to more concerts in the near future, I need to bedazzle my jeans.  Apparently I'm not in style with the concert-going crowd in my plain skinny jeans and boots.

-the song Over You reminds me of my brother and makes me cry every time I hear it.  It didn't help that Miranda Lambert was crying when she sang it.

If you missed the concert here's one to hold you over:

Things Heard Around Here

Me: Aric, do you like Wreck it Ralph?

Aric: Well, I like it better than watching a Barbie movie.

That was a gross understatement.  He's all boy and Kellyn is very much a girly girl.  It definitely shows in their choice of entertainment.

Overheard later on:
 Aric to Kellyn: My feet are bigger than yours and I'm a boy so I get to be Wreck it Ralph.

Since purchasing that movie on Tuesday, our house has revolved around Wreck it Ralph.  (Well, Wreck it Ralph, Barbie and Star Wars, of course.)  We have seen Wreck it Ralph so much that I'm pretty sure it is well on its way to self-destructing soon.

Aric's Star Wars Room

Since late last year we have planned to move the kids back into their own rooms.  We felt they would both need their own space again, especially after Aric started school next fall.  After Kellyn's acrobatic stunt, our plans sped up and the kids were moved. 

I spent the past month working on pulling together all that I had planned for Aric's room.  I'm pleased with the way it all turned out and so is Aric.

Before:

We kept Aric in Kellyn's old room and moved Kellyn into Aric's old room.  It was more to do with paint colors than any other reason.

After:

I ordered quite a bit from Etsy to decorate Aric's room.  A friend of mine made Aric's name banner in a Star Wars font.  I ordered the Star Wars art, and matted and framed them with Hobby Lobby stock items.

The Star Wars Encyclopedia and signed character were my brother's.  They had been buried in my closet.  I had Ryan install a shelf high on the wall to prevent Aric from getting to them before he's old enough to appreciate them.

I made the Star Wars character cross stitch for Aric.  He was a little slave driver throughout the whole process, demanding to know when I was going to finish "my work".

The bookshelf and star light were already in the room.  I added the print above the bookshelf.  It was another Etsy item and a stock frame from Hobby Lobby.

Everything tied in with his quilt:

 I am really happy with his room and how well it turned out.  It had better will grow with him for a long time, because I won't be redecorating it for a long time.

Next up is conquering this mess:

Snow Day

Last Thursday we got 9 inches of snow.  It was the first big snow we've had in two years.  The kids loved every minute of it.

The first day they only played in it when Ryan was out shoveling.

The next day I took them sledding in the backyard...

...and jumping in the snow filled trampoline.

Don't worry.  We had more snow adventures I'll soon share.  AND there should be more to come since it is snowing right now.

On Letting Go

Lately I've realized just how quickly time has gone by.  I look at Aric and I know our baby/toddler/preschool days are rapidly coming to an end.  On Tuesday I was online researching information about which elementary he will attend this fall.  I also printed out the application for him to attend Kindergarten Round-Up this April.  It was a tearful day for me.  On one hand I want to hold onto him forever.  On the other I know that I need to teach him to be self-sufficient and let him be his own person.  He needs to learn how to function on his own and not be dependent on us.  Right now I'm praying for wisdom on whether sending him to half-day kindergarten is the best or if a full day is what he really needs.

The truth is he is growing up.  He can read, he can write, he can do math problems and so much more.  Yesterday he learned how to tie his shoes.

...and was rewarded for his efforts:

I want the best for him as he grows up and begins to expand his world.  As a mother all I can do is support him, teach him, pray for him and not hold on too tight when it's time to let him go.  Now if you'll excuse me I need to go cry some more. 

Hair

Last Friday I put Kellyn's hair up in her first pigtails.  I was excited, because it's finally long enough.

She was not so excited.

The pig tails lasted long enough for me to take photos and then they came out.  She was pretty upset with them.  I'll try again this summer when it's hot and she doesn't mind having her hair up off of her neck.

The same day I took the kids to the grocery store.  While there a store employee approached us and asked, "How are you ladies doing today?"  I didn't correct him and he eventually wandered off.  Aric, however, was quite perturbed with being called a lady.  That's when I realized that as a parent, it is not acceptable for me to avoid confrontation because I don't want to make me or anyone else uncomfortable.  As a parent it is my job to defend and protect my children.  I dropped the ball by not correcting the employee that Aric is a boy.  I won't make the same mistake next time.

Afterwards I took Aric to have his hair cut.  We've been needing to do it for awhile, and Aric has asked to have his hair a bit shorter.

Now it is out of his eyes and he is much happier.