McKenna Happenings

Mrs. Stevenson has said that McKenna is a model student. She has won the very prestigious bee award for behavior twice. Only one person per grade wins it a week, so having won it twice is quite the honor! It is rather ironic that on the very day she got her picture taken to put on the beehive wall, we were sent home a "minor slip." These are sent home when students receive a reprimand of some sort. You could tell she was all on edge about it. After the boys went to bed I told her we needed to talk. (She didn't realize I had found it in her bag.) So Josh, Kenna and I had a very grown up conversation about behavior. Apparently, Libby and Kenna both wanted to play with blocks during center time. Sounds as if Kenna pushed Libby first and they kept hitting eachother....yikes. We asked her how she could have better handled it, and she gave us lots of better choices. Then we asked her what she felt an appropriate punishment was. She decided no TV for a week. And I am very certain she learned her lesson. I wrote Mrs. Stevenson and apologized. She ensured us that it was an isolated incident and was two sided. Still wasn't happy to get a behavior report, but seems as if it won't happen again.

On a lighter note, something that had me rolling laughing. We are teaching Zachey big, bigger biggest (he really knows it already, but sometimes fun to put things out of order.) In the car coming home from Eski's I asked Zachey who the biggest kid was, he replies "Kenna!" Then I asked who the smallest kid was he says "Grayson!" Then Kenna says, and Zachey is the middlest! Maybe you had to be there, but I thought it was hilarious!

Karate

Kenna has been talking about karate for a few months. I told her that if she still wanted to do it after Christmas we would look into it (thinking she would forget about it.) Well, she didn't. So, we paid for a "trial class" where they give you a little karate outfit and she gets to try out two sessions with their lead instructor. Man was I impressed! In 30 minutes he talked about goal setting, hard work, respect, and challenging yourself. She ate it up! We were in a little bit of sticker shock when we heard the 6 month price, but thought we would try it out to see if she would stick with it.

I hope she does, I just LOVE what it is teaching her. Already she has incorporated some of the learnings. One thing he focuses on is facing challenges with the attitude of "bring it on" versus - that is too hard. I have already heard her say "bring it on" a few times since last week when I asked her to read me a book that may have been a little challenging :)

It has also been good for her because there are 6 "beginner" classes a week. You can come to whichever two fit your schedule. So, she has a different class each time, with all different skill levels. It was good to see how she handled being the least experienced in the class. She watched others, asked for help and really has quite a good roundhouse kick ;)

this was the night of her white belt "ceremony" 

she has great form when punching (in the middle) 

she needs to learn that accuracy is more important than power - getting there 

looks so cute in her little karate outfit (that is wayyyyy too big ;)

Leftover Picture

I don't think I ever posted this picture from a fun night we had at the Andersens? It was us, Stones, them, and Montegnas. Fun to see how all of the kids are getting so big! They definitely outnumber us now....9 of them!

Wreaths

I wish I had taken a picture of both of these, but somehow only managed to capture one. Kenna and I thought it would be fun to make her two best girlfriends (Chloe and Peyton) wreaths this year for Christmas. But not Christmas wreaths...ones they can hang in their room. So we bought a 12" wire wreath form and a ton of different ribbons. Chloe's was yellow, silver and pink. Peytons is pink, silver and purple. Then Kenna painted a little letter for each of them and we tied a gazillion knots. I think it turned out really cute, and the girls seemed to like them!!

Silliness and Fondue

Just some funny pictures from life lately. I have been spending my "days off" preparing for my substitute teaching gig in March (sub-ing for a counselor at the elementary level.) I am also picking McKenna up from school everyday, which has been both wonderful and challenging as I try to mute my conference call run up to the school, get her, run home, find something for her to do and unmute. She goes back to YMCA afterschool care the middle of February because I have a lot of traveling that month...and there really is no way Josh can get her.

I also had a great date with Zachey the other day. We went to the library and played with the new lego table. Then off to the park (it was 60 DEGREES in January!) Also had some great time with Kenna. I took her and Peyton to the muppet movie last weekend. Pretty hilarious! There was lots of adult humor, I would totally recommend it!!

Below is a picture of Zachey pretending to be Rylee. He is really into pretending these days, dinosaurs, superman, cars, whatever is laying around. He has started talking as if he is the primary caregiver of his giraffe "jaffey." "Jaffey sad mom" or "Jaffey weally tired." So cute!

Also last weekend we had an impromptu fondue night. Luckily I had some frozen Gruyere and Fontina cheese in the freezer, so whipped up a cheese fondue. Cut apples, bread, peppers, broccoli and carrots for the appetizer. Then we had pork chops as a main course and finished with chocolate fondue for dessert with marshmallows, pretzels, and bananas. The kids weren't a fan of the cheese, probably because it was made with white wine, but they definitely loved the dessert!!

Grayson is doing a good job of sitting on his own now. He still topples when he isn't paying attention. This was a cute picture because Kenna is his favorite person in the whole world. No one can make him laugh like her. Also, you can see my new favorite pictures in the background. We got 11x14s of them and hung them on the wall. Hopefully will be able to update each time we have a photo session :)

More Christmas Pictures

Some pictures from the holidays that were sent to me after my posts.

Grayson opening a gift at Gona's 

We got these gloves as a white elephant gift, Zachey LOVED the "globs" 

 Emmi got everyone socks, YAY socks!

Kenna smiling through the silly glasses 

What a fabulous Christmas :)

Casita Update

Gona and Baca just got back from Mexico. They stayed in their Casita and spent Christmas on their patio toasting in the Christmas season. It is realy homey now, complete with bikes, new furniture and a cozy little backyard! Will be fun when the kids get older and we can all make a trip down there :)

Major Milestones

A few major events in the Skinner house. Grayson has one tooth (bottom right) and is most assuredly working on more. He has not been taking naps/eating/happy at all....poor Eski this week. Poor mommy at night...

On an unrelated note, I decided that I will stop nursing him. I made it 7 months, but the last few days he has been interested in looking around, and using me as more of a teething ring than a food source. Needless to say it hurts. He is now eating baby food, and in a few months will be able to have whole milk, so I guess this is it. We had a bit of a "moment" last night where he was eating and looking at me lovingly. I rubbed his head and started bawling knowing it would be the last time I would ever feed a baby that way again. It sounds ridiculous, but was a really hard decision for me. This is a stage of my life that has gone by far too quickly...no more new babies.

And on a much lighter note, I got teary eyed again tonight. McKenna had her friend Megan over for dinner, after spending the night at her friend Peyton's house. I love watching her interact with her friends, seeing the sort of playmate she is, and the friend she has become to them. We were eating grilled sandwiches and pan roasted potatoes. I forgot to put ketchup on the table. Rather than ask for it, McKenna got up out of her chair, grabbed it out of the fridge and brought it to the table, all while holding a conversation with Megan. I stood there, aghast....who is this grown up little lady? Again, it seems silly, but that is the first time she has ever just gotten an item that she needed for dinner rather than asking for it. We are in the twilight zone!

Hmmm....where does she get it?

Last Chrsitmas

We had our last Christmas at Gona and Baca's. They had a mexican style cuisine (pork and rice, queso and chips, and chocolate flan.) It was all delish! Josh brought his new kinect and the kids played that.

Josh played a funny trick on his mom. She has been dying of anticipation about this "gadget" that Denny bought her. Josh found a gag gift box for a coffee maker that you put in the shower. As you take a shower it brews coffee for you. Kathy did a great job of faking excitement as Josh laughed hysterically. She figured out it was a gag a few minutes later :)

The kids got spoiled rotten as usual. We could barely get all the toys in our house! Today I spent the entire morning going through every toy in our toy room and getting rid of half of them!

Christmas at Gramma Rue's

What an adventure. Thursday we opened presents from eachother and packed up to head to Gramma Rue's on Friday afternoon. We left around 1, and the kids did pretty well. No delays, no problems, lots of ipad, portable DVD player, snackage, books and toys. We got into Pasco around 7 their time (9 ours) and got the kids home in time to crash :)

Much of the trip was spent just going to movies, playing board games, eating (a lot), and relaxing. Josh had to work a little, and was sick some of the time and Grayson was teething and didn't sleep more than 3 hours straight (tired momma) aside from that we had a wonderful time.

getting ready to open gifts Christmas morning

Zachey got a Batman castle

He liked the wrapping paper too

Grayson opened his first present ever

First Christmas with uncle Spencer. Kenna was IN LOVE with her uncle...climbed all over him, constantly wanted to play card games with him and have him read her stories.

Grayson tried veggies, LOVED EM!

And he liked playing on his new blankey Chels made him

Sleeping on Auntie

Took a bath in Gramma's sink

The only pic I got of Brandon!



We went to dinner at the country club the last day we were there. Got some good pictures :) The ride home was less than stellar....we got to the aiport in plenty of time just to find out our plane was delayed on one screen but on time on the other. Then we waited in line for over an hour in security. Like somethign in a movie, people saying things like..."oh I have to put my cell phone on the conveyer?" Just seemed completely unorganized especially with three tired kids. We waited with no screen to update us and finally asked a security guard what was up. Luckily we got on the plane and made our connection in Denver. But, with Grayson teething, it was a little touch and go on both flights. It was great to be home and in our own beds! The kids slept in till after 8!

Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Decor

This year I splurged and finally bought matching stockings for my whole family. I think that now we are complete I don't have to worry about them discontinuing the stockings in the event we had another baby :) I just LOVE them...they are so cute!