Stomach bug

Last Wednesday before breakfast Eric threw up.  He seemed fine the rest of the day and then threw up again at dinner.  Thursday was fine and then Friday he had diaharrea all day.  Friday we headed to the Great Wolf Lodge (indoor water park) for a Strong Bonds retreat (marriage retreat) paid for by the Army.  We got there, checked in, had dinner, dropped the kids off at child care, and went to our first session.  We picked the kids up around 9:15 pm and went to our room to get ready for bed.  Will said he felt sick and sure enough threw up his dinner.  We all went to bed but it was a rough night.  Will continued to throw up all night finally stopping at 6:15 am.  Justin was not feeling well either and we made the decision that we should just head home.  Caroline, Eric and I went and got breakfast and told the chaplain that we had to leave due to illness.  So home we came with some very disappointed kids (and parents)!  During Eric's nap time we all slept.  Will on the sofa, Justin in the lazy boy, and Caroline and I in our bed!  We didn't rest well at the hotel all being in the same room!  Justin never threw up but had it coming out the other end.  Sunday saw an improvement with the boys but by that night I wasn't feeling so hot.  I made it through the night just fine but when I got moving Monday morning it wasn't good.  I had it coming out both ends but by 4:30 pm I was done and have felt increasingly better since then.  Caroline has yet to get it!!  

And with Susan, baby Ryan, and Graham coming for Thanksgiving I have been spraying everything with Lysol and Justin deep cleaned the kitchen last night!

Caroline on Friday after having her hair in french braids for 2 days has what she calls "aunt Karen hair"!

Talking on the phone at the Great Wolf Lodge

Here's hoping no one else gets this bug and all the cleaning/disinfecting works!!  It's warm enough to open some windows to air things out too.

Operation Christmas Child

The chapel on post participated in the Operation Christmas Child ministry this year.  What a wonderful  thing for the kids to help with!  This year the church was hoping to collect 500 boxes!!  I'm not sure how close they got but it sure looked like that many.

Our 3 boxes.  I paid shipping on line so we can track them and see where they end up!!

They kids (ages 6-11) filed in carrying the shoe boxes.  Will is in the red and Caroline behind him in the blue.  They came through 3 times I think!

The kids standing in front of all the boxes.  I think all of them are in there!

I'm excited to see where our boxes end up!!

Gymnastics

Eric is now taking a mom and me gymnastics class on Friday mornings.  I am sure it's the highlight of his week!  He tells me all week "nastics Friday!"  He has lots of fun bouncing on the tumble track, rolling down the mats, and hanging on the bars.  At the end of class the teacher blows bubbles and gives them all a stamp on their hands. 

Dog Carousel

The kids got these big stuffed dogs for Christmas a few years ago from my cousin Laura.  They still love them and play with them often.  Eric really likes them as well and took over Caroline's in the video below!  Caroline improvised and used a real dog!  

Will's dog sleeps at the end of his bed and Miles uses it as his pillow!

Tackle!

Playing tackle with Will is one of Eric's favorite things to do. He will initiate this game and at times has successfully pulled Will down. Most of the time it ends in tears and Eric's head hitting the floor too hard!
But over the weekend Will went to tackle Eric, Eric slipped on the floor and smacked his face nose first. I rush over but he doesn't really cry. Will gets put on the sofa and told not to move. Eric leaves my arms goes over to Will and says "tackle again!" I say no its nap time and the waterworks start!! No tears when his face slams the ground but lots when it's nap time!
The series of pictures below are from tonight after dinner. Lots of fuzziness since they are moving constantly.

Happy birthday Eric

Monday was Eric's second birthday!  He had a great day of opening gifts and playing.  He skyped with all his grandparents too.  He helped me make his cake (the often requested motorcycle cake) and got to lick the beaters!  Tuesday we went for his well baby check up and he is growing just fine.  He is in the 68%(2'11") for height and 39%(27lbs) for weight.  I have trouble keeping underwear and pants on the kids since he is so skinny!!  He has perfected the one-hand-reach-behind-pull-up-pants move.  Or he really loves to run around naked!

Some of Eric's "things"

* He LOVES to throw the football and tackle

*playing with Will is always fun (but I hear lots of screaming)

*he talks NON-STOP, now stringing 3 and 4 words into sentences.  His most commonly used sentence is "I have sticky hands"! And hold you please

* he is amazingly good at his manners

*is using correct pronouns with the exception of the hold you

*pronounces his "L" sound with either a y or d.  So Caroline comes out care dine and look yook.

*he can run/walk what I think are pretty long distances for a little kid (more than a half mile!)

*loves to be read too and finishes sentences in the books for me

*loves animals, especially cats (but we aren't getting one!)

*has a great sense of humor and makes us laugh everyday!

Happy Birthday sweet baby boy!!

this and that

I am starting to feel lots better.  Sunday afternoon and evening I was running a fever and feeling pretty bad.  The kids were sweet helpers and did the dishes, wiped the counters, and swept for me!  I am glad October is over since the schedule was a little hectic.  Justin is in class from 5:30-9:30 3 nights a week (Tuesday- Thursday).  Which means dinner is served at 5 so we can eat together.  The big kids both had swim lessons twice a week on different days.  Justin was able to take Will to his lessons and swim laps during his class time.  Wednesdays were a challenge since Caroline's class was M/W 4:50-5:20 and Will had football on Mondays from 5-6.  I had to do something in the crock pot (or leftovers) so Justin could eat while I had the kids at swim lessons on that day.  Caroline also has gymnastics on Tuesday nights from 6-7:30.  But a neighbor is in her class and I take the girls and the other mom brings them home so I can have the boys bathed by the time Caroline gets home.

Thankfully the kids advanced in their swim lessons and their new levels are on the same day at the same time!  And Justin can take them on Mondays and I take them on Wednesdays.  This is a bit easier on the meal planning and getting it on the table!

Caroline's classroom singing Happy birthday!

Out for a walk

Playing on the iPad with Dad.

The plie of candy Will can eat(closest pile) and the pile he can't (middle) and the pile Caroline is willing to make trades with(in front of her)! 

What I saw when I looked up from the story I was reading!

Caroline and Caroline in matching jammies!

Caroline's birthday

In a week late but so much has been happening this past week that I'm a little behind!  Caroline had a wonderful birthday last Sunday.  She started the day with beignets and then went to a birthday party for a friend in her class!  Then home to play with friends, while eric napped, and some pumpkin carving,  then we went to the T-rex restaurant for dinner.  She said it was the best birthday ever!!

SHe requested a horse cake.  I had lots of trouble with the icing on this one and it didn't turn out like I had envisioned it, but she said she loved it.

I made these to take to her class on Tuesday.

Why Tuesday and not Monday?  Well both my boys were throwing up early Monday and at one point both at the same time!!  So no cupcakes going to school that day.  It was a short lived bug and by lunch they were both eating and playing.  I spent my time doing laundry and cleaning the house of the bug.
Wednesday was Halloween and Thursday was spent getting ready for a visit from Granddaddy and Mimi.  Friday was a half day of school for the kids but super busy one for me since I was texting and on the phone a lot that day.  Jeff was in a car accident and Gdad and Mimi never made it to KS (their second attempt!)  Which is probably for the best since I woke up yesterday sick, AGAIN!  I have another head cold and feel terrible.

I have more picture of Caroline's birthday but they are on my phone and Justin's.  I will get them off soon!

Tomorrow is Eric's birthday!!

Happy Halloween

The kids had lots of fun and it was great that Justin was home this year to take them!  

We had a monkey (Will's from 4 years ago!).

I ran out of candy after 360 kids!  I bought a bag of 300 dum dums, ran out and found some boxes of tattoos from last year and ran out of those too!

The trick-or-treaters after getting their goodies!

They didn't get an overabundance of candy and it should be gone with in a week.

Basement

I have a few post to catch up on and there has been lots happening so sty tuned!  But for now here are pictures of our basement!  

Sitting on the landing of the stairs.

Standing in the corner.  That pile of stuff is decorations and army gear.

Standing in the same corner as the above picture just turned to my left.

Standing in the corner I just took a picture of above.  Our dining room table is in the basement since it wouldn't fit upstairs.

The bounce house fit down here too.  The kids have been busy playing outside and haven't played much down here yet but I expect that to change as the weather is getting colder.