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.

Van Natter April/May

It's kind of hard to COMPLAIN about you guys NOT participating here when I'm not doing much better. I will make the attempt to improve. You can make the attempt too. ALL OF YOU!!

So April:

Addie turned 4 on the 4th. She had a Frozen party at Aunt Heidi's and invited cousins and friends. I didn't go but I hear a wonderful time was had by all. We had celebrated here on her actual birthday with balloons and cake and presents. She had been so excited to turn 4, and it was really special to have her living here for her big day. We gave her some princess dresses.

 Her Frozen castle with Anna and Elsa.

She got lots of gifts and was in her element opening them all!

I drank the KoolAid and got the iPhone. Have to say I love it and wonder how I functioned this long w/o it!
John's windshield was bashed in by a loose pipe flying down the freeway. He saw it coming and was able to angle the car just the slightest bit so it didn't damage the body, and didn't hurt him. There was a lot of glass on the passenger side but thankfully Ian had not driven with John that day.

Of course, General Conference was fabulous. The best weekends of the year!

This always cracked me up - Neil watching Sesame St with such intent, his hand on Mama's shoulder!

Our Sunday School class during our special Easter lesson. LOVE these kids!

This is hard to see I think, but it's the gorgeous mahogany nativity set Linda got me in Swaziland, decorated with the beaded bracelet and necklace she also sent. (Decorated by guess who?)

This angelic creature can be quite a grumpus so it's nice to see him sound asleep with his lovey.

Just when we thought Addie had unearthed every treasure she could possibly find in her room (Heidi's old room/my sewing room) she discovered Samantha - Heidi's American Girl doll, plus tea set. We had to change her clothes so she could have a tea party with Addie (still in jammies!)

During one of their last days here I gave Addie my camera and told her to photograph her favorite parts of Grandma's house. Of course, there's her mom, and her upstairs domain with Teepee, rice sensory bin, etc. Her baby brother (and all the living room mess) and Grandma's foot!

MAY: 

This was their last day here - May 4th. I fed Neil some yogurt, then he tried to eat the carton. Soon his mommy and daddy collected what they'd need to sleep in their new house and off they went.

May 4th was also our wedding anniversary - 37! We look like babies in this photo!

So not a fan of Mother's Day. But my kids gave me a gift that made me actually glad for the day - a Kindle! It is so much lighter and easier to hold while reading in bed at night. LOVE this thing. GREAT KIDS!!

John hurt his foot somehow and was really in bad shape for awhile. Probably from over-doing it at the gym.

Addie visiting us. Her favorite playthings are post-it notes and tape!

The 3rd week of May saw a bunch of reality show season finales. Our favorites won on Amazing Race - father/son team from SLC! Also our favorite, Josh Kaufman, won The Voice. My favorites, Maks and Meryl won Dancing with the Stars. We were okay with the American Idol winner, Caleb Johnson, but our favorite had been Alex Preston.

Somehow, I managed to jam a kitchen drawer so it absolutely would.not.open. Finally John cut an opening from underneath (it was the top drawer of 2, where I keep my pots and pans right next to the stove) and was able to reach in and move the pot lid that was causing the problem. A young man in our ward happens to work for the company that made our cabinets, so he cut a new bottom and glued it in, good as new. One day, years down the road, someone is going to take out that drawer and look at the underside and think, "What the heck?"

After just one week away from us, Neil started getting up on his knees. Now he's off to the races! We're actually glad he waited since we would have had to put up the gate at the top of the stairs again, and keep him away from all the non-baby-proofed areas of the house. Good timing, kiddo!

I wanted to show this badge because I am SO proud of it!! I made it (digitally) with a 'toolset' that incorporates brushes/actions/styles. I was making a page to honor the women throughout my life who have made me who I am, and I wanted to make badges a la Girl Scouts. This one is for Judy Bingham, my Seminary teacher for 9th-11th grade. I loved her, and she really taught me the gospel.

And thus ends May.
Truly do miss hearing from you all...
John & Kathi