Moulton Chat

Greetings Everyone!

Jess is worried that the summer is quickly getting away from us. I reminded him that we still have two LONG hot months. He knows I'm already longing for October!

We ended up pulling up a lot of our landscaping this Spring so we've been trying to refill areas. Why hasn't anyone married a landscape architect? That's what I really need, so you single kids, get busy looking!!! I need your help!!! We do have a neighbor who has been quite helpful but just in general terms so the decisions have been left to us and neither of us has a clue so it's a slow process! I did plant flowers this year. Last year, with the wedding, I simply ran out of time so it's nice to have some annuals growing again!

We went to see Marianne and her little family in Houston. Luckily, a cold front came thru so it was the PERFECT week to visit! Grant is a little charmer, always ready with a winning smile. We sure loved visiting. Grandpa got to play Roller Man with him which made him giggle! He loves his baths and loves to get around! He'll be walking soon, I'm sure. Watch out, Marianne!We helped Marianne plant some flowers as well.

It's been easier for the kids to have family dinners at their place so we've been going there a lot! Ella has become Grandpa's Girl. For so long, she'd act scared of him but I think once he started swinging her around, she figured out he's pretty fun to have around. It really warmed his heart when she cried when we left recently. Makes up for all the 'stink eyes' she used to give him! Perhaps eating chocolate candy didn't hurt either!

Jess' sister Sally and her family came up for her grandson's 1st bday party. We all ended up at a park in Riverton and the weather was beautiful! It was fun to see Avery and Sophie show up in the same pink jacket. These two are two peas in a pod! We often just sit and listen to their chatter. No one else can understand half of what they're saying but they laugh and giggle and it's so fun!

Jess ended up bringing his rocket launcher which he built. It's amazing! You add water to a 2 liter pop bottle and flip it over on this contraption. Then pressure is added and the kids countdown and then POW! Those suckers go flying. So far, Sophie's Hello Kitty rocket flies the farthest! It's so fast, you'll miss it if you don't watch closely. The kids had a ball with that! This is a picture of the kids making their rockets.

We were so proud of Bryce for almost completing his MBA. He officially had 2 more classes to attend this summer but they had his class attend the graduation ceremony. Yay, Bryce!

 And now Scott has just started his own program at UNO and should take 18 mos. He attends every other weekend and so far, he's enjoying it. He's still crazy busy at work and recently moved. He sadly had to put down poor Ol' Sebastian. Rest in Peace, Ol' Friend!

We love being grandparents! It's the best part of our lives! So grateful for each one and we look forward to Baby Wes who will be here soon!

Van Natter June

The kids all came over for pizza (and Kneader's Brownies!) for John's birthday. He spent it putting together a little car he'd gotten Neil for Christmas. Neil was immediately immersed in the dashboard (on his high chair in this photo) pushing buttons and making noise. A typical boy!

Emily brought me this little baby as a thank you gift! (I chose the model I wanted.) I used her Vitamix everyday while she was here, mostly for my daily smoothie. This machine is a dream, and I would NEVER have spent as much on a blender. I am loving it.

We see Emily and the kids once or twice a week at least, so we aren't suffering from lack of contact as we'd feared once they moved. Neil is super-fast these days and can almost make it to the stairs before someone runs and grabs him and sets up a barrier. He doesn't really crawl, he kind of does the 'worm'. It's hilarious to watch but he can really move at lightning speed that way!

It's hard to tell in this photo but Addie is very proud of how she taped my desk drawer handle back on. On a previous visit she had managed to jam the drawer stuck and the only way to get it open was to pry it by the handle, which broke it off. It bothered her that the drawer now had no handle, so she used her favorite thing: Scotch Tape. She was pretty dismayed a minute later when she went to show me how it worked and the handle plus tape just pulled right off! I'm getting rid of the desk, so I'm not worried about fixing the drawer. When Addie comes to visit she heads straight for the tape dispenser! Good thing we know someone who works for 3M!!

This is what I've been spending a lot of time doing for Heidi and Emily. I'm sure it's hard to see. On the desk are the Morning Workbook pages (2nd grade) which I am making an answer key for. On the screen are the pdfs of the page with the answers I'm inputting in red. Those teachers had better be happy because this is a big project! 180 pages each grade. I'm currently working on 1st grade.

What fun to go by Starbucks to get Emily a Strawberry Frappe for her Celebrate Me day (the 29th) and while I was in the drive through, to pay for the person behind me! Neil is a fan of the Strawberry Frappe, it turns out!

June was a good month. John's birthday, Father's Day, a 41 degree day, Swig Sugar Cookies, Rudolph Day. And ended with a nasty computer virus. Good thing I have live in help for that kind of thing.

Hope June was a happy month for all of you!
love, Kathi & John

May 2014

May was busy month with all the end of the year events at school.

Spring “photo shoot” of the kids.

Sarah’s Second Grade Music Program. She was part of smaller group that sang “Let it Go’'

Family Home Evening at the School Playground and shakes at Sonic as our treat.

Isaac loves to bake.

Adam’s Fourth Grade Field Trip to the State Capital Building and HUSKER STADIUM!!!! The highlight of the trip for him was running on Husker field.

Mother’s Day: Lindsey got a a telephoto lens for her camera!!!

Kindergarten Readers Theater: Isaac was a the Narrator and had the biggest part. He was the best reader in his class this year and even got to “help” other kids with their reading skills.

Second Grade Field Trip: Three giggly girlies.

Adam won his last flag football game for spring today. His team had 5 interceptions, 4 TD, and only 1 extra point. It was fun for Adam to be able to play with two boys from the ward: Ethan Griggs and Hudson Addams. He also played with his best friend from school Kirean.

Second Grade Field Day

Fourth Grade Field Day

Kindergarten Field Trip to Gifford Farm

Kindergarten Indoor Field Day, it was raining outside.

Poetry and Muffins

We headed to Johnston for Memorial Day. Improtu trip to Adventureland. Thanks Mom and Dad Cottrell. Adventureland Bay also was open that weekend. We have never been able to try it out because we always hit the amusement park in September and the water park is closed. We loved it all.

After Adventureland we head back to Mom and Dad Cottrell’s house. Far from the back of the van Isaac goes…”um my tooth came out.” We started laughing because we weren’t aware he even had a loose tooth. About a minute later Adam goes, “um my tooth just came out.” We thought he was kidding at first, but it really did come out. Then Isaac dropped his on the tile floor at G and G’s and we couldn’t find it. So he had to write a note to the tooth fairy. Adam refused to use the girly tooth fairy pillow and came up with idea of sticking his tooth in the dino’s mouth. They tooth fairy found the boys and left them each a $2 bill.

Sarah had a ball playing in studio. She’s so creative!

Greg and Adam went fishing at Saylorville Lake and the rest of had picnic at the park.

 

Last Day of Kindergarten, 2nd grade, and 4th Grade.

Playing in the sprinklers and enjoying ice cream sandwiches is a great way to kick off summer.

We like to hit the parks and the pool in the summertime.