Kellen meets the pavement!

We went on a bike ride and Kellen's bike tipped over. I didn't think it looked like that bad of a fall, but when he came up, there was blood everywhere. He cried for about 30 seconds, hopped back on his bike and was happy as could be.

Happy Birthday to me!

I had a really nice birthday yesterday! The day started with a beautiful bouquet of flowers from Lovisa.

Then, I got lots of phone calls and the kids and Marilyn put on a little party for me.

Marilyn took the kids to the mall and let them pick out a present each for me.

Kellen picked out a candle.

James picked out cookie trays for me with snowmen on them because he knows that I love snowmen.

Skylar marched right into the jewelery store to pick something out for me. Apparently, she had picked out a really beautiful diamond engagement ring for me. Marilyn had to talk her down a bit. Skylar told her that I really don't like globy things and she ended up getting me a ring with my birthstone on it. After I opened the present, Skylar told me I was lucky I didn't get a church necklace because they were everywhere!

Marilyn got me a new golf outfit!

The day ended with JT taking me out to dinner and a movie. Overall, a very good day!

Music Maestro

Brennen just loves playing on the piano! However, the bench is not a safe place for him so Skylar came up with the idea of putting him in is high chair and letting him go to town. He is so content to just sit and play.

Thank you Skylar, but...

Skylar came home from school today with this beautiful flower for me. I think it is an absolutely beautiful flower, but I am sure my neighbor would rather have it on his bush. It is hard to explain to kids that the flowers are not to be picked out of other people's gardens.

Skylar rushes in the door and all she wants to do is play with her Brenne. She loves that little baby so much!

First Day of School!!!

Both James and Skylar were so excited for their first day of school. James could not wait to ride the school bus.



When the kids came home from school, Skylar was missing. I panicked, of course. As I got inside, the school called and said that the bus called them that they had Skylar. She had gotten on the wrong bus (to be fair the numbers were different this year than they had been for the past two) so now she had to finish out that route and then they would drop her off. She got home 30 min. later than James. Other than that, they both had a great day. James is so excited and happy about school-he just loved his first day! That makes me so happy!

We meet our teachers!

The school had an open house today so that you could bring in your supplies and the parents and kids can meet their teachers. Ever since I got the class lists, I have been worried about James' teacher. I thought he had this teacher (whom I've never met) that looks mean to me and I never see her smile. It turns out that I was totally wrong. He has a different teacher than I thought and she is one of the nicest teachers I have ever met. I am so relieved that my sweetheart has a sweetheart teacher.

James at his new desk.

James and his teacher putting his supplies away.

Getting James all signed in.

Skylar also got a wonderful teacher this year. I am so relieved. It would be really hard to send my babies day after day to school knowing they did not have a good teacher! Here is Skylar at her mailbox.

Skylar is getting a little irritated at James for going through her stuff!

The Brenneman turns 1!

As birthday season comes to a close, you guys know the drill by now. Pin the Candle on the Cupcake, food, cake, presents! We tried to get Brennen to wear his birthday hat, but he wanted nothing to do with it!


He was much happier using his hat as a napkin to clean off his food tray!

The kids never get tired of this game!

It was a safari party!

Kellen on the lookout for elephants!

I'm not sure who invited the pirates...

Oh Papa, I love this birthday stuff!

Cake Time! I could not of planned a happier birthday boy!



After a quick sink bath, it was time for presents!

As usual, Skylar picked out a winner for Brennen! I love this picture of the two of them.

Yeah!! An envelope! He got a little mailbox and he just loved the envelope.

Brennen does not have much in the way of defense, but he does have sharp teeth! When someone is bothering him or he is just feed up, he comes after you with his teeth. I can't believe I caught this shot of him going after James because James would not leave him alone. It makes me laugh so hard!



Of course for more pictures, see

http://thedeanslife.shutterfly.com/

One last day of fun

Since Skylar and James start school on Tuesday, I decided to take them to Adventureland for one final day of summer fun. They had never been here before and I use to come here all the time as a child, so I think that I was more excited than they were. The day was a little overcast and we had an occasional sprinkle of rain, the Iowa State Fair was going on, and some schools had started, so we were one of the very few people there. It turned out to be a perfect day for us to come. We had to wait for no rides and if the kids wanted to ride a ride again, all they had to do was stay on the ride. I mean, I remember waiting two hours to go on the raging river and today, we just took the loop three times without ever getting off! There was no competition for the games, so Skylar or James won everytime! We all had so much fun, especially me as I relived a bit of my childhood! The kids went on everyride, including the big roller coasters (I had to talk them into these, but they still went!). I can't wait to go again next year!


James and I sat out of a lot of rides, because the spinning rides make us sick. But Skylar was up for everything. In fact, throughout the day, she went on the Silly Silo six times. The first time, she was so scared and watching her face was so funny. When she was scared on a ride, she kept trying to sink herself lower into her seat to make herself smaller and smaller. Well, on the Silly Silo, she had no place to go. However, after the first time she kept going back for more.


The kids loved playing the games, especially since they were almost guaranteed to win a prize nearly every time. Here, James is pretty proud of his big monkey (he won two little monkeys and traded up for a big one), especially since Skylar did not get a big one (Skylar did let him win though since I asked her to!)

Here they are with about half of the prizes they took home.


The only problem with the day was that there was three of us, so Skylar had to ride alone a lot. She was fine with that and if she was a little scared she would just go up to some single rider and ask if she could go along with them (she has so fear of people!).

Everyone loves the bumper cars!



Of course, you can't have a day at an amusement park without a lot of junk food! The kids were in heaven!

And everyone gets a haircut!

Everyone was really shaggy after a long summer of sun, chlorine and dirt. All four of the kids got their haircut at the same time. It was Brennen's first haircut (I couldn't get a picture because I had to hold him in my lap).




I was pretty happy with the results! It's also good to note that Kellen kept his clothes on the whole time. Kellen has a really hard time staying dressed. Last weekend, I made my usual comment, "Where's Kellen?" and I looked outside (at grandma's house) and there he was on the golf course, completely naked, pulling all of the tee box markers out. He had pulled the markers out of 5 tee boxes so he had obviously been out there for a while. One of Marilyn's neighbors saw him doing this and tried to call her (Marilyn was on the phone) to tell her, but could not get through. She did managed to tell everyone else in town though, so now everyone is laughing at us:) Oh well!

And now we're vertical!

Brennen has learned to climb up the stairs (but not down, which is a little scary). Nothing is safe anymore with him on the prowl!