Sesame Street Live

Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street....

Last night Paige and I went to Spencer to Sesame Street Live:Elmo Makes Music.

We had awesome seats in the front row right next to where the performers entered and exited the stage so Paige had an "up close and personal" view of everything. She even got to "give five" to Bert and hug Big Bird. The whole show was very interactive, with all the kids yelling out the answers to the questions and really getting into the show. It was so much fun.

Of course I took lots of pictures, but still can't get them to download onto the computer. Hopefully soon!

Happy 2007

I've been trying to download my Christmas pictures, but for some reason they just don't seem to want to leave the camera. Hopefully I'll be able to post some soon.

We had a wonderful holiday season. Seeing everyone we haven't seen in a while, eating way too much and enjoying the Christmas season.

Josh and the kids (I wasn't feeling well) went to Newell for Christmas Eve dinner at his Grandpa Spurbeck's. We then stayed home for supper and waited for Santa to come.

Paige woke everyone up about 6:30 Christmas morning because, of course, Santa came to our house. The kids had a good time opening their presents. I think they all got what they wanted (and more). The boys got some DVD's they wanted and Paige's favorite thing is her Easy Bake Oven. The whole family has already taste tested the finished product. Mmmmmm.....Delicious?

We went to the Hohensee Christmas in Pocahontas for lunch and Bingo on Christmas day. That's always lots of fun.

We waited until the 30th to have Christmas in Des Moines at Charles and Alyse's house. Thanks for hosting this year! It was so much fun watching all the kids open and enjoy their presents. They play so well together and have so much fun.

It reminds me of when I was young and couldn't wait to spend time with my cousins, Darla and Lynda on my mom's side and my cousin, Barbara on my dad's.

We had a little New Year's Eve "party" at home with the kids last night. Josh made junk food platters, we watched movies and were all in bed by 10:30. Whooo Hooo!

We hope this new year finds everyone healthy and happy!

Love to everyone.....

Baking Christmas Cookies

Today Paige and I made and decorated Christmas cookies. It was quite and experience to say the least.

She really got into it. She likes to be called the "dumper" whenever we bake something. Because it's her job to dump the items into the big bowl.

She loved decorating the cookies. We made different colored frosting, used colored sugar and sprinkles.

Dad even got to help.

Our beautiful cookies.....

Seems like forever....

since I've blogged. I can't believe it's been a month already. I just don't know where all the time goes.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with the family. We went to Darwin and Debby Eaton's on Thanksgiving day with the Hohensee's. We enjoyed dinner and an afternoon of visiting with everyone.

Later that afternoon, we put up our outside Christmas lights since it was so nice outside. There just seems to be something odd about putting up your Christmas lights while wearing spring jackets instead of parkas!

I had to work the day after Thanksgiving, but Josh ventured out to the stores. I haven't yet decided if he's brave or stupid:) He got alot of bargains and I got a new Christmas tree, so I guess he's brave AND thoughtful.

I only had to work until noon on Friday, so we put up our Christmas tree that afternoon. Let me tell you, it's just beautiful! Paige did most of the work and is so proud of herself. She let Cam help a little bit, but I don't think he really minded not helping much.

We made a trip to Sioux City to finish up our shopping yesterday. I think we are DONE! And Josh and I wrapped it all today. Well, I wrapped and he put the name tags on everything. That counts as helping, doesn't it?

I'm sure Christmas will be here before we realize. Hope everyone is ready for the holidays.

Arenacross

We took the kids to Des Moines on Saturday to see the Arenacross....So Much Fun! We are definately going to see it again sometime.

I don't know who's going to want a dirtbike first, Cam or Paige. I was really surprised how much she enjoyed it. She was really getting into the freestyle riders. They were doing all kinds of tricks that she loved. Guess I'd better size her up for a helmet now.

We told Cam we were going to Sesame Street Live. He was VERY surprised when we got there. Totally worth lying to your kid when you get to see that kind of look!

Trick or Treat

Paige dressed as a mermaid for Halloween this year......

She wasn't really into the trick-or-treating at first but got the hang of it later in the evening and came home with a boat load of candy. Just what she needs!

6 Years.....and 2 days!

Josh and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary on Friday. We enjoyed a night away in Des Moines on Saturday night.

The kids stayed with Grandma and Grandpa. They were also in Des Moines on Saturday. They went to take Logan home since his mom and dad are back from their honeymoon in Hawaii. Hope you had a great time, Brian and Sarah!

Anyway, Josh and I did some shopping (I know, how romantic!) and went to supper. After supper we went to Prairie Meadows for a little while. I hit it big on the nickel machines! I won $100. Such a high roller! The best part of the evening was getting carded there!

It was nice to get away for the weekend. Although, I'm always glad to get back home to the really important things (laundry). I don't know why it seems to multiply when you are away. How can the clothes fit in the suitcase so nicely on the way there, but have to be jammed in on the way home. Just one of the mysteries of life, I suppose.

I feel like it's been forever since I've blogged. Now that race season is over, we haven't been up to much. I will keep you posted if anything interesting happens to us!

Picking Pumpkins

We went to the pumpkin patch yesterday to get Paige a pumpkin. And yes, only Paige because, once again, certain members of the household are just "too cool" to participate in things like this!

She had to sit on the pumpkins to determine if it was the right size or not. Apparently a good jack-o-lantern has to be about butt high on a 4-year-old. The things I am learning as I get older.

She ended up getting 1 big pumpkin to carve and 4 little pumpkins because she's 4. The logic!

THE BIG 3 - 0 !!!!!

Today is Josh's 30th Birthday! Happy Birthday, Sweetheart!

This picture is actually from Paige's birthday, but I didn't have one of Josh opening his dead-blow hammer we got him. Give me a break, it's what he wanted.

Happy Birthday, Paige!

We celebrated Paige's 4th birthday today. Her birthday is actually tomorrow, but with Josh and I both having to work we decided to celebrate early.

Actually, her birthday will probably be celebrated all week. We gave her a present yesterday. She got a Dora the Explorer bicycle. Since it was so nice out yesterday, she got it early so she could enjoy it for an extra day.

Paige and I got up early this morning to make her birthday cake and some cupcakes to take to daycare tomorrow.

After lunch, we took her to the movie "Barnyard". So cute! She laughed through the whole thing. And, like normal, Cam was just "too cool " to enjoy it thoroughly.

After the movie, we invited Grandma Ellen and Grandpa Roger and Great Grandma and Grandpa Hohensee to eat supper with us at Pizza Hut in Humboldt. We then enjoyed cake and ice cream at our house and Paige opened some more cards and presents. Thanks for all the gifts, everyone!

Tomorrow she celebrate her birthday at daycare with the cupcakes baked in ice cream cones. They are so much fun! She will also get her favorite supper, and no, it's not going to be a bologna sandwich. She has already requested spaghetti.

On Thursday, she will celebrate her birthday at Pre-School. She is taking the treats and will get to wear the birthday crown!

I'm sure by the end of the week she'll think she's 6!

My Bologna Has a First Name

Paige has been on the bologna diet for the past few weeks. I don't know what the deal is, but every night for supper she wants to have a bologna sandwich.

I know, I know....why do I give in and let her eat a bologna sandwich every night. Because sometimes it's just easier to pick the battles. And is bologna really worth battling over, I say no. Eventually, she'll get sick of bologna and move on to something else.

I thought we had a break-through yesterday. I made tacos for lunch and Paige said she would have a taco, too. Whooo Hooo! No more bologna.

But, what she ended up eating was what she called a "bologna taco". Which was a soft taco shell, a piece of bologna, some shredded cheese and lettuce.

I need to buy stock in Oscar Meyer!!

First Day of Pre-School

Paige started Pre-School yesterday. She was VERY excited! She was up and ready to go at 5 after 7. It was much harder on mom and dad!

She will go on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. She has 17 pre-schoolers in her class. It must have been a big year for babies, because all four sections are very large.

She will also be riding the Transit Bus. I was very nervous about that, too. But she thought it was alot of fun to ride the bus.

I asked Cameron if he wanted his own post on here and a picture of his first day of school, as you can see, he didn't. He's way too cool for that since he's a 7th grader now!!

Working, Racing and Shopping

It seems like forever since I've posted.

I have been working alot of overtime and seems like we're never at home anymore. By the time I get home at 6, make supper, do the dishes, do some laundry, give Paige a bath and spend some time with the kids, it's bedtime.

Josh has been racing every weekend and seems to have all the kinks worked out. It's been a frustrating season for him this year, so I'm glad he'll be able to end it with some good racing. For updates on the 68 Race Team check out the "other blog".

We went school shopping in Mason City last Sunday. I think they are all ready for school to start. The boys start on Wednesday and Paige starts Pre-school on Thursday. She'll go on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Paige is very excited, but I'm not so sure about the boys.

Paige and Cameron had physicals for school last Monday. Paige is 3 ft. 7 in. tall and weighs 45 lbs. She is in the 96th percentile for height and the 95th for weight. Nobody's going to pick on her at school!

Cameron and I went to the movie today to see Pirates of the Caribbean:Dead Man's Chest. I loved the first one and this one was almost as good.


Other than that, not a whole lot has been happening around here. Sure seems like summer just flew by this year. I can't believe it's almost Labor Day already.

The Pool, The Parade and The Party

What a miserably hot weekend!! And, of course, we were busy all weekend.

On Friday evening, we went to the pool to cool off. We even talked Josh into going. He didn't really want to go, but once he was there he really enjoyed it. We like to go to the pool at 5:00 for "family hour". It's much quieter and less crowded at that time.

Saturday was the Havelock, Iowa quasqicentennial. Josh was nice enough to load up the racecar and enter it in the parade. Paige decided she wanted to sit on the back of the racecar instead of in the air conditioning of the Suburban. And lucky me, I got to sit back there with her. She had a blast waving at people and throwing out candy. Of course, by the end of the parade her pocket was full of the candy that she liked! She was sorting it before throwing it. Typical Paige!

We went to the races in Algona on Saturday night. After a few weeks of really bad luck and a few weekends off it was really fun to watch Josh race again. A nice breeze would have made it even better.

On Sunday, Paige and I attended a birthday party in Laurens for Kennedy Tate, who turned 4 earlier in the week. Happy Birthday, Kennedy!!

Last week was my first week back to work full-time so I'm back to working 10 hour days. I was getting pretty spoiled with the half-days, so it's been a little difficult to go back.

I am trying to be very organized since I don't get home until about 6:20 or so. I made up a couple weeks of supper menus and try to get as much done ahead of time as I can. It has been working out well. I'll just have to see how long I can keep it up. Sometimes the planning is harder than the implementation!

Hope everyone is staying cool!

They're Getting Better

Paige's hiding spots are starting to get a little better......

It's a Boy!!

Congratulations to my cousin, Kelly and her husband, Matt, on the birth of their baby boy!

Landen Christopher Tate
07/10/2006
2:05 PM
Parents: Matt & Kelly Tate
Weight: 8 lbs 4 oz
Length: 20.5 inches

I'm sure Mom and Dad will have lots of help from his big sisters, Addison and Kennedy!

Mom's Workin', Dad's not Racin' and Cam's on Vacation

It has been pretty quiet around here for the past week or so. (as usual, we're boring)

I went to the doctor last Thursday to see when I can return to work. He told me I can return on the 24th with no restrictions. Yeah! I think? I have really been enjoying the time off. But, oh well, back to the grindstone!

When I took my note to work letting them know that I was returning on the 24th, they offered me a different position and asked if I can return sooner. So, I am returning on the 13th for 1/2 days and will be a Production Clerk. Working in the same department I was in but I will be taking care of all the inventory and orders. At least I think that's what I'll be doing. Once again, I am in the dark about what my job entails.

I will still have to go to Physical Therapy until I return for my last check at the doctor's on August 17th.

It will be nice to get back into a routine and get Paige back to daycare. She really misses the other kids. I have been taking her a couple days a week for a couple of hours each time, but it's not the same for her. She may be a little difficult to get back into a routine, though. The last 3 mornings she hasn't gotten out of bed until 10! I think she's getting ready to have another growth spurt. She complains of her legs hurting, she eats like a pig and sleeps alot more! Definite signs! She already stands a head taller than most kids her age. She's definitely her dadddy's girl!

We have been enjoying spending time at the pool. She's such a little fish. I just put here water wings on her and away she goes. I stay within an arms reach of her and she puddles all around the pool.

Cameron is on vacation this week with his friend, Mike. Their family has a time-share at Okoboji and invited him along. He's called me once (I think Mike's mom made him) and told us what a great time he is having. It was very nice of them to invite him along. He and Mike are great friends and get along great. I just hope they do after a week together.

Josh has had a few weeks off of racing. The first weekend by choice when he went to Kansas City but last weekend he was getting the car ready to go and found a leak in the transmission. So instead of going racing, he took the tranny to Boone to get fixed. I REALLY hope the car is back together this weekend so he can race. He NEEDS to race! 'nuff said! You all know what I'm talking about.

Last Saturday when he got home from Boone, we grilled out and played horseshoes in the yard. Same stuff we did on the 4th of July. A few weeks ago our neighbors had an auction and I picked up a horseshoe/ring toss yard game for a couple of dollars. You wouldn't believe how much fun we've had playing with that thing!

Then on Sunday after Cam left, we went to see "Cars" again. Paige loved it as much the second time! And I think Josh liked it just as much!

Well, that about sums it up for us. Hope everyone is having a great summer!

Happy Independence Day!!

Happy 4th of July!! Here are a couple of neat links:

http://www.riversongs.com/days/skyfire.html

http://www.fireworkspop.com/liberty_.htm

Trucks, Movies and Cows

Instead of racing his car, Josh went to Kansas City this weekend to the Craftsman Truck Race with some friends and his dad.

Since we had "free" weekend (meaning not having to go the races), Paige, Cam and I went to the movie "Over the Hedge" on Saturday night. So Cute!! We all really enjoyed it. It was definitely worth seeing. The theater does a really good job of bringing family friendly movies to town. "Cars" is playing here next week, so we will go see that here. Even though Paige, Cam and I saw it in Humboldt on Tuesday night. It's so funny, it's worth seeing again. And this time, Josh will be able to go.

This morning we went to visit our neighbor's dairy farm so Paige could see their bucket calves. She was not even interested in the babies, she just wanted to see the big cows. At least she's easily entertained!

The Shiner

Cameron received his first major baseball injury. Ok, maybe not MAJOR, but bad enough!

It didn't look as bad last night. He iced it as soon as we got home from the game, but it still swelled shut.

It's pretty sore today, but I'm sure he'll be fine by the tournament tomorrow.