Sledding, birthdays, wrestling and more!

Last Thursday was sledding day at the elementary school.  I took a vacation day so I could go and watch the kids (and to also take some pictures too!).  It was a perfect blue sky, sunny day.  The temps were perfect as well.  Payton's class went in the morning and they got to sled down the big Catholic Church hill.  It made me tired just watching!  It is a huge hill to have to walk up!

I went back in the afternoon to watch Carson's class.  They stayed at the elementary school and had a hill in the back to go down.  He had a blast!  Everytime I looked at him he was laughing!

When I got home from work on Friday the weather was finally cooperating so we got to take Aidan out in the snow for the first time.  He had 2 falls which he didn't find fun b/c he face went right into the snow but other than that he loved it...he also ate a little snow as well and didn't mind it either.

We also had a little celebration of Aidan's 18 month birthday on Saturday.  I can't beleive he is already 18 months old!  Saturday was also a really big day for Carson!  He and Mike went to a wrestling tournament at Lake Crystal.  Carson wrestled very hard and ended up winning his bracket.  He got a first place t-shirt that has "champion" on the back.  He thought that was pretty cool!  Mike said he was doing moves he had never seen him do before and he stayed focused the entire time.  I was bummed that I didn't make it there!

On Sunday Lake Crystal had another tournament that was a state qualifier.  We packed up the family and headed there for the day.  Carson had 3 great matches and wrestled harder than I have ever seen before!  I was shaking, crying and taking pictures all at the same time!  He lost only one match and it was a close one that came down to the last few seconds.  He brought home the 2nd place medal and qualified for the state tournament in Rochester this March.  We are very proud of him!

Today I dropped the kids off at school at 7:45 and went into work.  School ended up being closed at 10 due to the weather.  Mike is out of town today so I had to turn back around and pick the kids up at school.  What a deal!  It sounds like tomorrow and Wednesday are also supposed to be bad as well.  I was supposed to have Aidan's 18 month check up but had to call and change that as well.

Today was the 100th day of school.  Carson had made a t-shirt in school that had the 100th day of school on it and then it had his handprints totaling 100 fingers.  SO CUTE!

I will be so glad when spring is here!  It will be nice to only have to worry about rain instead of snow, ice and below zero temps!

Here are a few pictures of our last few days:

Full Weekend

We had a great weekend and I am a little sad it is over!  Let's see...where do we start?

Friday afternoon Mike's parents came up and we headed to the elementary school for the presentation of crayons for Carson's school.  He was SO excited!  His class actually had gym right before the presentation so we got to watch him a little in gym first. 

Monsanto did a little farm safety presentation first and then went on to his award.  I was so proud of the little man!  I did shed a few tears, but nothing to embarasing for him!  :)  He won a t-shirt, 2 boxes of crayons, a pen, cap and a cooler.  Plus they are framing the picture he colored and framed a certificate as well.  It all went really well and I couldn't have been more proud!

From there, Mike and I headed to Sioux Falls to see Rascall Flatts.  What a great concert!  We sat by a co-worker and his wife and had a blast!  The next morning we got our things around and did a little shopping before coming back home.  The guys went out do the "man stores" and Nikki and I went and looked at our girly things!  The best part of the day was getting my new cell phone!  I have hardly put it down since I got it!  It will take forever to learn how to use everything on it!

We came home late Saturday afternoon and Mike's parents headed back to Ames.  We got up on Sunday morning and headed out to a wrestling meet for Carson returning with a 4th place medal! 

Whew!  Today the kids didn't have school so Mike stayed home in the morning and then I left work a little early so he could go into work.  We hung out here watching old bugs bunny cartoons.  I was completely cracking up at Carson.   He was laughing so hard at the cartoons....it was the deep belly laugh like kids do when they are being tickled!  Too Funny!

This week is winter week at school.  The kids get to wear PJ's to school tomorrow and then possibly sledding on Wednesday.  It should be a fun week!  Here are some pictures of our weekend....

Payton after she lost her 2nd top tooth last week

Carson's first grade class

Getting his prizes on front of the school

He needed more hands

Our little man

New hat and sweatshirt!

Payton and Aidan walking around at the tournament

Carson and Nolan showing their wrestling stances

Gymnastics!

Last Sunday we had the opportunity to watch Payton at her Gold Medal Gymnastics performance.  All I can say is WOW!!  I can't believe how much they learn in so little time!

First she did her beam routine and was so excited b/c she didn't fall off this year!  You can tell she is still a little hesitant but she is really coming around!  Her second rotation was on the floor.  Her routine was to the music from "Where the Wild Things Are".  She was very nervous b/c she had 2 back walkovers in this year's routine.  She practiced and practiced at home and she would fall sometimes which was discouraging to her.  During her routine she did them flawlessly!  I was crying when she was done.  She did so well and I was so proud of her!  From there she did her routine on the bars and again I was impressed with her upper body strength!  The last rotation was on the vault and then we were done!

It was a great year and she is looking forward to gymnastics starting again this summer!

Today is a big day for us as well.  Carson entered a coloring contest through Monsanto and was one of 12 kids across the country to win!  He is being recognized with an assembly at school today.  All of the kids in his class will get a box of crayons and each student in his class will get a t-shirt.  He is very excited as are we!!  I will post pictures after the ceremony!

Tonight Mike and I are heading to Sioux Falls to see Rascall Flatts.  We will stay overnight and head back home tomorrow.  Mike's parents are coming up to stay with the kids and take Carson to a wrestling tournament.  It STINKS that we are not able to do both but we agreed to go to the concert before we realized the tournament was tonight.

That is all for now...I will post pictures from our weekend later!

Back Walkovers -- NO PROBLEM!

Payton and one of her coaches - Tammy

Payton and Traci - her other coach  (Also Jennifer snuck in the picture with her new leotard!)

This year's theme was Peace - Love - Gymnastics.  Her medal had a tye-died ribbon!