decorating the tree

The girls esp C were soooo excited to decorate the tree. C begged and begged to do it yesterday but the tree was wet from the rain so we didn't want to put lights on it until it dried. The first thing out of her mouth this am was "when can we decorate the tree?" As soon as J walked in they were ready to go. We listened to holiday music and had a great time pulling out all their ornaments. Only about 5 ornaments on the tree are J and mine. The rest are the kids. Each year I get them at least one so someday when they have their own tree they will already have a collection. So I guess someday when they all leave me my tree with be bare. (but they are never leaving me) They love seeing their ornaments from the past years. I love the holidays!!! We tried to take our Christmas card pic but no such luck. E was not a fan of decorating the tree. All we said all night was "no Everett" and everything he tried to touch was taken away from him. By the end he was MAD. Only his milk calmed him down.

Christmas tree

After driving all day Sat we turned around and drove an hour in the rain on Sunday to get our Christmas tree. We had to. J is having his big V this Friday so we can't do it this coming weekend. If we waited till next the kids and I would have one week to enjoy the tree before leaving for WV so it had to be yesterday!! So rain and all after our Sunday boot camp we headed out. We had the time of our life. It was like the best day ever. We arrive at Huber's and got all our warm stuff on. The girls and I have rain boots so they were perfect for the day. We loaded up onto the tractor and headed out to see the trees. We only say 2 other crazy fams out in the rain like us. It was kind of cold but super fun. We found a great tree, cut it down and then drug it back onto the tractor. J tied it to the roof and then we headed inside for some pizza and wine. There happened to be a group having a 60th bday party and a guy singing with his guitar so we joined right in on the dancing. We even got to play the hokey pokey and musical chairs. It was a blast. This is the second year in a row we have cut down our own Christmas tree. I love love love our holiday family traditions. Av was the only one that would go near Santa so she got her pic taken with him. E was way more into the tree than the camera so I could not get a cute one of the 3 of them and then he fell. Poor thing could barely move in the puffy jacket and the snow boots that were way too big for him.

Thanksgiving

We went all the way to WI this year for Thanksgiving. We went to see J's Mom, Aunt Chris, Uncle Mike, Aunt Kari, cousin Kallan, his grandma and grandpa. We had a BLAST! We left on Wed about 1. The kids were so good in the car. We only stopped twice for a 7 hour ride. Once for gas and to pee and the other time for a quick park stop and dinner. We arrived in Madison about 8. Our hotel was very nice and the kids were soooo excited. We got everything to bed about 10 (way too late but calming it down was hard). Nobody slept great and everyone was up way too early. After waking at 530 am (ugh) we made everyone lay there till they all fell back to sleep for an hour (E slept cuddling withe me. Best hour ever). By 8:45 we gave up and headed to IHOP for breakfast. The kids had never been. C and E loved it. Scarfed down pancakes, bacon and scrambled eggs. Av refused to even touch the toast. J was not thrilled. E was being CRAZY and nothing I had or was doing was calming him. I finally gave in and let him play with a little creamer. Just as J said it ended up splattering all over John and a lady by us. Again J was not thrilled. Last time he will ever take us to IHOP. hehehh After that we went swimming. It was so much fun. Very nice pool. C was over confident in her ability to swim. She kind of forgot in the last few months so was very frustrated. We got her back in her water wings and she was fine after that. E does not love the water like the girls did. After that we got dressed and headed over to Aunt Chris's. We played and made crafts there. The girls loved Kallan (she's 8). After a very yummy dinner (which E slept through and the girls were not impressed by) and a little more playing we headed back to the hotel. We hung out as a fam for a few hours and then went to bed. The girls slept great. E not so much. On Friday I went shopping with J's Aunts and he went to hang with his uncle and let the girls play with Kallan at her house. By 4 we were back at Aunt Chris's for an early dinner and then headed into town to see the town's tree lighting. It was so fun. Perfect weather. First there is a parade of fire trucks that are all decorated with Santa riding in the last one. Santa is lifted up to the tree with a big ladder and after a count down the tree comes on. The kids LOVED it. They all saw Santa and ended up with 3 mini candy canes. They could not stop talking about how they got 3 candy canes. After that we went back to Chris's house for dessert and then back to the hotel. We got the kids in bed earlier (830) that night. They were tired. We all slept till 8 so that was great. On Sat Kallan came to swim with us. When C invited Kallan to come swim w us she told her, "the baby pool is hot." heheh No baby pool just a hot tub. C did a much better job swimming and was much more happy. We swam for awhile. E was much more happier when I let him just play and splash on the stairs. After that we grabbed lunch and headed over to J's grandparents. We hung with them for awhile and then said goodbye to head home. The trip home was as good as it could be. We only had to stop once!! We have some great car travelers.

e and his sisters

E gets mad when he does not get what his sisters get. My sister brought the girls a few little toys. She didn't realize he would notice but he sure did. He yelled and yelled until we found him something that he had not seen that could be his. heheh He wants it all and wants to be doing what they are. J left with the girls the other day and E acted like the world just ended. His little feelings were crushed. He is also bitting. Poor Av, yet again she is getting the brunt of it. She has a little bruise and blood marks in the shape of his little mouth. He does not do it to be mean. He just has not figured out yet that is it bad. Just feels good to him. He loves to rough house and tackle people but you better watch out. At any minute his little teeth can come out and boy do they hurt.

smart Av

Av is doing a lot better at school. I have had several conversations with her teacher and we have worked really hard at home. The teacher is pushing her more and every AM before school I remind Av of the Wilder motto "Wilder Wildcats always do their best." She is doing a lot less scribbling and her work looks better when it comes home. I think we are on a better track. Her report card came home and it was good. It even mentioned on it how she was playing soccer a lot. So cute. We will always have to work a little harder but the rewards will be that much sweeter!!!

e's blanket

Last night I laid down on the floor on E's blanket and he got mad. He didn't like me on his blanket. He came over and tried to pull it away from me. He got it and walked away from it. A few minutes later I asked him where his blanket was. He stopped, looked at me, looked at the blanket and then went and got it. So cute. Then as we were putting Av to bed we were covering her up with her blanket that is green. The same color as E's. All the sudden he got mad again and was trying to pull it off of her. He thought it was his. He is so smart!!

green, green screaming machine

and that would be Camille. She is insanely jealous of everything Avery. Av's bday weekend was a little rough on her. She wanted everything Av had and all her presents. I think she would have rather it be anyone else's bday but Av's. She was kind of difficult all weekend and demanded a lot of attention. Thank goodness G&PP and AA were here to give it to her. Today when we picked Av up from school she had a feather headdress on. She was sooo proud of it and instantly C was trying to pull it off of Av's head. She wanted it so badly. We headed home and made her one to match. She was pretty proud of hers too.

strawberry shortcake/princess/hula girl/puddle jumper

This is what C dressed herself in the other day. A strawberry shortcake dress, lei, princess crown and her beloved froggie boots. Yes she went everywhere that day in this getup. (pick your battles). The clock puzzle we have had since last christmas but she found that day and was obsessed with it. No one including E and her friend Max could touch it.

bday princess

Avery is 6!!!! None of us are happy about it. Except her that is. She is over the moon to be a year older and wiser. I remember when I turned 6. To think the things we do today she will remember someday later when she has her own kid turning 6 is crazy. Makes me a little nervous. I hope she only remembers the good stuff. heheheh G&PP& Aunt Anne all came for her bday. So sweet. Her bday was on a Saturday this year so her party was on the actual day. We all had a blast. It started at a local pizza place with 25 of our closest friends. The Shumans, Masons, Woodcocks and Heather and her bunch all came. The kids played and ran wild while we all had yummy pizza. Afterwards we went to the place they take gymnastics for some bouncing fun (All About Kids). More of her friends joined us. Classmates from school, girls from her old school, neighborhood friends, bus friends, siblings and adults. She had Jackson, Stella, Emi, Caroline, Max, Sayree, Neena, Jocelyn, Ella, Ty, Luke, Ella R, Jill, Mckinnly, Makayla, Noelle, Ethan, Alyssa,Violet, Camille and Everett there. We decided to make the party a "no gifts, please" party and it went off wo a hitch (no awkward a few peeps bring a gift then others feel bad). So proud of my sweet little girl for understanding that we are very lucky for all that we have and that our friends are gift enough!! Her two bff's brought her a gift in private earlier so that was super sweet of them as well. Since she has been playing so much soccer at school J and I got her a soccer net, ball and shin guards. Since then it has been raining but I can't wait to see my soccer star in action. It was a great bday with family and good friends!!!

family night

Last night we had a awesome family night. We went to get pizza by the slice and then went to the U of L basketball game. It was so fun. We do a lot with friends and then as a family we are home a lot but for the 5 of us to go out like that is somewhat unusual. It was a blast and we will for sure be doing it more often. The kids LOVED the game. They were amazed by everything going on around them. Camille like the dancers better than the game. heheh Me too Camille. She wore her princess crown that she has wore a ton since her bday. Everyone had to comment on how cute the princess was and how cute they all were in their U of L gear. E even made it on the dance cam for a second or two. They are really neat little people. Glad they are stuck hanging with me, for now.

amazing av

The other day a friend of mine brought her niece over to play. She is exactly the same age as Av. They were in the backyard playing well together. First they played hide and seek and then they were kicking a ball around together. Av was slightly faster than the little girl so she was getting to it faster and kicking it more. I was VERY impressed. My little non-sport girl was playing soccer. I had no idea where she had gotten the skills from though. I should have asked. Last night she started kicking a ball around in the house and started telling me about the soccer she plays at school. "Oh in gym class?" I asked. "No" she said, "outside." Then she went on to tell me how she plays with 4 other little kids. 2 boys and 2 girls and they are not the girls she normally plays with (girls she didn't even want to invite to her bday party). I asked how often she played and she said, "all the time." So she has been choosing to playing soccer with kids that are not her fav friends over playing with the girls she talks about all the time?!?!?! Love it!!! Maybe she does have some of her dad's athletic ability in her!!!! Today after gymnastics (more about that later) she was hula hooping. Like for real!!! I asked where she learned that and she said "in PE with Mr. Zoaller." Yay!!!

In gymnastics after stretching they jumped on a spring board into a foam pit. So fun! Then they went to the balance beams and did all 6 of them. Even the HUGE one that is higher than my waist. Av did them all (she usually sticks to the smaller ones). So impressed. Then they bear crawled on the parallel bars and swung from the rings with their feet by their hands. They worked on cart-wheels and ended jumping on the trampoline into the foam pit. She did amazing. We all slept in to 830 so she had soooooo much energy. It was beautiful. She is loving it and it makes me so happy and proud.

bubble burst

I've been MIA again recently but this time there was a reason. My bubble burst last week. It's changed a lot for me, I guess mainly it just opened my eyes to something I knew in my head was coming but I was really hoping it wasn't. Av's teacher called me last Thursday about her and school. I guess it actually started on Wednesday. She came home from school with her school work all messed up. She had gotten more than half the stuff wrong on 3 different work sheets. It was the worst I have ever seen it. Usually it's all pretty good other than her numbers and we knew that and had been working on them. As soon as I handed her the worksheet she was able to pretty much correct them on her own. It was very silly stuff that ever C knew. Huge red flags went up in my head. J was traveling so that sucked too. We went over it and then I told her over and over again that she had to try her hardest, slow down and concentrate on her work. I then put a note in her folder for her teacher to call me. The next day I was just waiting on her teacher. I went to my work out class but kept my phone with me so I could talk when she called. Of course she called during my class. The the worst part was she was not really calling me back about the worksheets, it was something worse. Her writing and expressing herself on paper is not the best. Basically the jist of it is that Av is falling behind her classmates in the fine motor stuff. They either can't make out what she has written or drawn or she just scribbles. By this time in the year that should be improving. Her teacher said she could tell Av knew the stuff but just can't get is out. Like in a dramatic sense of it she is somewhat trapped in her low muscle tone body. Now I know there are truly people trapped in their bodies and Av is not one of them but sometimes it just feels that way. It's so unfair. So a lot has transpired since last Thursday. I have thought it over and gone over and over and over it again with John and my good friend. I think there are a lot of different things at play here. One her teacher is not pushing her hard enough. The teacher at one point said to me that when other kids bring scribble up to her she makes them go back and re-do it but she does not know how often to do that with Av. ALL THE TIME! This last weekend was a long weekend (they had mon and tues off) and Av and I WORKED so much. Not only can she do it but she wants to. She is interested in it. We finished 2 work books and worked a ton in a wipe off workbook. She loves it and is doing so well. I also talked to her OT about it all and she was surprised. Av is doing great with her. I know that is one on one time, but still. Av can do it, she can write and she can draw (she was drawing apples and they blew my mind). She just needs to not be lazy and not take the easy way out and it's up to her teacher not to let her. Her teacher has moved Av's seat in the classroom so Av is closer to where the teacher spends most of her time. So hopefully that will help Ms. Roth be on Av a little more. She does need extra help, so we are doing that at home and they are starting the process to get an OT in the room at least once a week to help Av. Hopefully it will all be ok. We will see. She is happy though. Still loves school and socially things are great so that's a big plus. I was just so surprised it had gotten so bad so quickly but the positive is that the school jumped right on it and there is plenty we can do and get to help her. She is always going to have to work 10 times harder on things than the average kid. That part just sucks. I wish so much for her it was not like that, but what can you do? The most important thing though is she is happy. As long as she stays that way nothing else matters.

TD

E has a new name. I am going to figure out how to legally change it bc his new name fits him much better. He will soon be TD Hoekstra. It stands for toxic dump and that is totally what he is. He poops constantly. When he wakes up, durning breakfast, during nap (!?!?!?! who poops in their sleep????) and durning dinner. Never change just wet diapers bc if I just wait a bit I will get my money out of the diaper. UGH!!!!

Trick or treating

Was a blast!!! G&PP came to celebrate with us and the kids loved it. C really got it this year and I think she may remember it. The girls were so cute. We went with a few of their friends and everyone had a blast. The highlights were at first C didn't understand and thought she was being invited in when the doors were opened, C being scared of bigger peeps being dressed up, Av being the leader to the house but then letting the younger kids ahead of her to get their candy, the girls being silly and saying "happy birthday" and "merry christmas" instead of trick or treat and of course the grumpy dog the just had to sit in the wagon and look cute. He didn't understand what all the fuss was about and why he had to wear the silly fuzzy thing on his head and body again. He really thought he got the bum end of the deal. Still had to wear the totally silly costume but didn't reap any of the rewards from it. Some of the houses just had bowls of candy sitting out. We were stressing the importance of saying thank you and one of the silly girls said thank you to the bowl. So then that became the big joke and they all had to say "thank you bowl." At one house the lights were on and it was decorated so the girls were up ringing the door bell. No one came out but there was like a flower urn on the porch that didn't have flowers in it. At one point C was seen on tip toes looking in the urn for candy. She was leaving no leaf unturned. heheh When we got home the candy had to be looked at and gone through. I think I managed to keep them to only 3 pieces for the night, so not too bad. Slowly the candy will disappear never to be seen again.