Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Falling Behind

That's right, I am falling behind again. Good thing school starts in a week and we will have some schedule to work with. So when I last left you we had just gotten home from State Fair- I still laugh when I see the picture of Maddie and her scared face.

We had spent the next few days just hanging around the house and then on Thursday we packed up and were on our way to Iowa. We made a stop in Marshall WI- it is pretty much in half way between Watertown and Madison. So you may be wondering, Marshall, really?? Well let me tell you- the girls had a blast and didn't want to leave. They had no idea what town we were in, but we were at this place called Little Americka- they loved it. I have a feeling that wasn't the last time we go there. It had a roller coaster, jump houses, a ferris wheel, merry-go-round, bumper cars, go karts, putt putt, a monorail around the park, a train around the park, and all the kiddie carnival rides you can imagine. The girls loved it, even Emma- it took her one ride and she was hooked. The nice thing- you only pay for those people who are going on the rides, so like Lilly and I didn't pay, we just watched. You also pay for a "level" of rides, sorted out by height of person. So Emma wasn't able to go on a couple of the rides Maddie could, but she was also 2 dollars cheaper. I think Maddie is now hooked on roller coasters- there was a wooden roller coaster, and she went on it twice, but each time you got to go around 3 times. We spent about 2 1/2 hours there and when we left there were tears because they didn't want to leave.

Emma trying not to look like she actually likes the ride.


That is Emma's arm up and having fun- she just didn't want us to be right.


Waiting for the little kiddie coaster- look they actually like each other.


On the boats- I was surprised Maddie or Emma didn't try to jump in the water.


Taking flight- Emma is really concentrating on her pilot duties.


Emma and dad keeping that Zebra in line.


Maddie doing it all on her own- that is the way she likes to ride now.


Getting ready to go up on the Ferris Wheel- again Emma not so sure, but she was smiling in no time.

The Mad Mouse- looked a lot like the Whizzer at Great America


At the end of the big roller coaster


Going down the first big hill- Maddie even had her hand up, well almost


Getting ready to start the ride- I think this is the 2nd time on.


Lilly was pretty content to just hang out in her stroller and check everything out.


We got back in the car and were on our way to Iowa. We made pretty good time, even for a short trip I am always glad to be out of the car. We made it to Kirk and Jodi's, Leon met us there while Luke (he's a 5th grader) hid in the basement because he was afraid of our girls. The rest of the weekend was filled with seeing old friends, talking way past my bedtime (every night), going to the Kernels game with uncle Mike and cousin Nolan, going to the Children's Museum with aunt Jana and cousin Nolan, celebrating Trinity-Cedar Rapids 125th Anniversary, spending an extra night that led to way too many laughs to even begin to count. The girls loved playing with all their toys and by Friday morning Luke wasn't afraid of them any more. Hannah- who is the same age as uncle Kurt helped a ton and I know that the girls loved playing with her.


Front row seats at the Kernels game, right by the visiting team's on deck circle



Nolan I think was more entertained by our girls then by the game


Nolan and his godfather doing the grumpy face



Maddie and Nolan- she was more interested in Nolan then the game


Emma and her rally cap- they were playing the Wisconsin Timberrattlers, you needed a rally cap if you were a Kernels fan- 13-2 after 3 innings.


I figured this was just to hard to put into words, but it is just a great representation of what Maddie is.


The Timberrattlers are the Brewers single-A team


Chad tells me that this guy is going to be good- he hit one onto 8th Avenue over the left field wall in the 2nd inning.


The Janetzke kids and Jonasson kids: Lilly, Hannah, Luke, Joe, Emma, and Maddie.
Their mom, Jodi used to babysit for Chad and Kathy.


Monday morning came way to soon after we went to bed, but we had such a good time on Sunday night, it was a nice split second decision to stay the night. So we got our things together and started for the drive home. We stopped for lunch, but that was about it. We made it home and grandma was making an appetizer dinner and then we also had birthday cake, since it was my big 3-0 birthday and everything. The girls were just more excited that we were having cake on a random Monday. They helped with the candles and of course with the eating of the cake.


Finishing putting the candles on.


The final product


Uncle Kurt wearing the stupid helmet, but now I can't even remember why.


Chad started meetings on Tuesday and had them through Friday. We went and spent the night in Germantown on Tuesday because Emma had her Therapy Evaluation on Wednesday morning. We did manage a few hands of cards that night. So Emma had been diagnosed with Sensory Integration Disorder. She doesn't have as much trouble with the physical part of it- she can handle the itchy clothes or different textures of food, but she has more issues with the emotional aspect- like transitions from one thing to the next, needing to know where we are going and how many places we are going to go, she notices that things in a room have been changed around, she doesn't like interruption to her routine (bedtime, school, etc.), she needs warning if those routines are going to change. There are a couple of main physical ones too- that would be she does not like when a brush touches her hair and water that would be lukewarm to you and me is too hot for her. We are hoping to get some therapy in a couple times of month, but insurance is not real cooperative- and at other times we will have to adjust and make some changes in our reactions and also try to be proactive in certain situations.

Wednesday evening, Kate and Ella came to stay for two nights. Not too much Wednesday since they didn't get back until 6, but then Thursday we went to Stone Fire Pizza for their mommy and me breakfast. The girls had a blast playing on the jungle gym and also painting their faces. They even managed to eat a little breakfast while we were there.


Kate eating her cereal- she was a little disappointed that there wasn't any Cap'n Crunch- that is her favorite


Ella enjoying her coco krispies



Emma with her face drawing- this is after we had to scrub her hands since she colored them completely green


Maddie's face drawings- not as much as Emma, but she did manage to get her neck


Ella and her goatee- this was the first picture I never got her after she went back the second time.


Friday night Chad went to go get Kurt and they were off to the movie theater to see G.I. Joe- I told Chad I wouldn't go with him. So then Kurt spent the night, I think some video games were played- I was sleeping. Saturday morning I was off to a couple of rummage sales- I was planning on flying solo, but then miss Emma was up and wanted to go with me, so she went and of course found things she couldn't live without, i.e. dress up clothes, barbies, jewelry, etc. We were then off to Germantown again- this time to help rip up the backyard. They have been talking about clearing stuff in the back and so we started the job. By the time we got there around 11:30 they had cleared stuff around the big pine tree and between the rock wall. We helped with rebuilding the rock wall, clearing the big bush and all the things around there. The girls even helped, Maddie had on her work gloves and was all about dragging big branches over to the burn pile. We got a lot done, but there is still some more to do. The backyard will just seem so much bigger when there is room to run. We stayed around for some brats for dinner and then the whole day the girls were asking about s'mores, so I had run to the grocery store for those supplies and they had a blast roasting and eating their marshmallows.


Sunday we spent over at Jan and Sharon's having a little going away party for Alex- who leaves for college this coming weekend. It was nice to just sit outside and hang out in the beautiful weather. The girls just love going over there to be able to play with Lucy the dog.

Eric getting his practice in since he will be a dad in March


Chad started school yesterday and so we have been getting things ready for school to start for the girls next week. Maddie is so ready, Emma says she wants to go, but I don't think she completely gets it. Luckily I am the helper on Monday in her class and I think that that will make the transition a lot easier.

I think we are planning on heading to the Zoo tomorrow- we have been to the playground and are getting the last few days of fun stuff in before summer vacation is over.


Just a couple of pictures of Lilly from the playground today.

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