Nashville Zoo

This past Thursday Karalee had a couple follow up tests in Nashville.  We looked at the radar and the weather looked good so we all got in the car and headed for Music City.  The plan was going to be drop Kennick and me off at the zoo and she would go to her appointment and pick us up after she was done.  We got to the zoo at 9:00 am.  I must say that I am a HUGE fan of the weekday off season adventures.  We almost had the whole zoo to ourselves.  Karalee didn't get back to the zoo until 1:00 pm.  By that time it was getting hot and time to start heading home.

Kennick playing on the big play gym they have.

We spent the first hour on playing on the mats.  He was super sweaty.

Watching the birds.

Kennick on the monkey riding the carousel

Polka-dotted sting ray

On our way home we stopped in Bowling Green so that Kennick could hang out with his best buddy Cash and Baylen.  We ate supper at Moe's and ended the evening at Stakz frozen yogurt.

First Week of School

This past Monday was the "official" first day of school!!  Yes, it is hard to believe that Kennick is old enough to be going to school already.  We had been talking about it for the past couple weeks and he seemed quite excited about it.  Sunday morning before school started we gave him a Clifford goes to School book and stuffed Clifford dog which we have read many times already.

He also received a few other going to school presents including a monster shirt from Cash and Baylen (See below first day picture).

This is the official first day of school picture.  So grown up!

This is the Montessori Academy.

The morning was a little hectic.  None of us wanted to get up and it was a little crazy getting everything in order to go.  We finally did but it was anything but a relaxing morning.  The very first day of school was only a couple hours with the new kids.  Karalee took him to school and was able to stay the morning with him.  He was not real keen on the idea of being in a new place.  They start the morning in the circle where they will begin the class.  They have to sit "criss-cross-applesauce-hands on your knees",  which in big people terms means cross-legged or Indian-style.  Karalee said that he was not interested sitting in the circle because the fun toys were upstairs and that is where he would rather be.  After the introduction they were able to go upstairs and he was much happier.

Kennick learning.



Kennick eating snack.  He really only ate snack because he got to use a sponge afterwards to wash his dishes.  The great thing about Montessori is that they learn self-sufficiency.  They have to wash their hands before snack, set their cup and napkin where they will sit, pour their water into their glass, then go back for snacks on their plate.  Each child is in charge of washing their own cup and plate when they are finished.

Day #2:  Wednesday

This marked his first full day of school with the other kids.  Karalee walked in with him in the morning and was able to stay during circle time and the lessons.  Once the children came upstairs and started activities, Kennick was fine with her leaving.  Mrs. Mary Ann, Kennick's teacher, said that he did every puzzle that they had in the school.  I think the day went well for him. Karalee picked him up at 3:00.  The children were all outside playing and Kennick was glad to see her.  He ended up the day without a nap and by the time he got home he rolled around on the couch for a bit, then was wired.  He played and played and about 9:00 he crashed hard.

Day #3:  Friday

The morning flow was much better.  He did not want to go to school this morning but we talked him into it.  I got to take him this morning.  When we get to school the teachers will come to the car and take them out of the car seat and into the building.  They say it is less tramatic.  Not so much the case this morning.  The second the door was opened Kennick started bawling.  We got him dropped off and no phone calls so it must have turned out well.  Karalee picked him up and he was very happy and had made a special "card" for Gran-Granny for her birthday.  He had used a gluestick (his favorite) to glue little shapes onto a piece of paper. When they got home Kennick was still going strong until about 5:30 when Karalee came back from letting the dogs out and saw this picture below. As we were getting ready for bed we had quite the conversation of what he all did in school.  Each time we said "Let's say our prayers" he said, "No, no. Let me tell you about my school."

The end of the first week of school...

(Gran) Granny's Birthday

Today was Gran-Granny's Birthday!!  As a celebration the whole family was rounded up and we ate dinner at Bully's, a local catfish favorite.  It was great to all get together and celebrate a wonderful occasion!

Kenle, Granny, Baylen, Kennick and Cash

The Lake

With a to-do list a mile long and a house that needed cleaning we decided to sleep in this morning.  Well, not so much decided as had the opportunity to do so since Kennick slept until 8:30.  It is pretty bad when 8:30 is sleeping in.  The morning started off cloudy and dreary so we had breakfast and coffee and the clouds started to part.  We packed up the car and the truck with the kayak, fishing poles and life jackets and off to Beaver Creek boat ramp for a morning of fun in the sun!

Kennick was very excited to play in the sand at the beach.  He spent most of his time trying to build the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse as a sandcastle.  There were times when it "resembled" it.

We had a great time and the weather was beautiful.  We swam, played and even got a little kayaking in.  This spring we had a LOT of rain and the lake was very high and it washed away a lot of the beach. Luckily they had just put some new sand down that we could play in.  There were a lot of better opportunities to take pictures but there is something about holding an electronic device with wet hands in a lake...

Kennick making plans for his sandcastle.

Phase I construction - the foundation.

Kennick, Karalee and my handprints in the sand.

When we got home the to-do list was still there but we were glad we went.  Good thing it was bath night!

Precious Memories

Tomorrow Kennick starts his first day of Montessori!!  We have all been very excited for this day for quite a while.  We spent the day talking about school and Kennick seems very excited to go.  He has his backpack, lunch box and clothes all ready to go.  We even hope to get the "cheesy" first day of school picture against the wall with his backpack on.

Tonight as we were laying in the bed getting ready to go to sleep Kennick was quite chatty.  As we sat and talked to him we were amazed at some of the questions that he had and some of the new thought processes that he was going through.  His questions were more detailed and his questions were more specific.  He was such a little person and so much bigger than he was the day before.  It is truly amazing to see how a child can change so fast!

We ended the night with a snack of cheese stick, yogurt, cantaloup and pistachios.  Then he got adjusted and we said our prayers and realized how completely blessed we were to have such a wonderful person in our life.  

Ball Park

Our "take me out to the ball game..." adventure officially started a couple days ago.  Karalee and Kasey had planned a fun night out in Bowling Green watching the local favorite baseball team, the Hot Rods.  Thursday afternoon we packed up the car and headed out for a night of hot dogs, baseball and playing in the grass.  Upon arrival to the ball park we soon realized the lack of fans and found the tickets that Kasey had were for the following Thursday and there was no game that night.  The boys were a little bummed but they were so happy to see each other it didn't even phase them.  Off to the Doggett's for some ice cream!

We decided to try our luck again after double checking the calendar and we couldn't have picked a nicer evening.  The weather was absolutely beautiful, the Hot Rods were winning and all 3 boys were together.  Kennick had been talking most of the day about getting to see Axle, the Hot Rod mascot, and how soft his fur was.  No more than we walked into the ball park and Roscoe, the other mascot, was there to greet us.  Within an instant Kennick turned into an octopus and hermetically sealed himself to me in order to avoid the big furry bear.  He spent the next couple hours with his "roscoe radar" on, making sure that he was no where in sight.  We did not "buy any peanuts or cracker jacks" though we did enjoy hot dogs and ice cream.  After that, Kennick was in much better spirits and soon forgot about the enormous furry bear.  

We threw the blankets on the grass and let the boys run full throttle with each other.  They had a blast under the stadium lights getting all hot and sweaty.  Occasionally they would even "root, root, root for the home team".

Go Hot Rods!

Kennick taking a breather on mom's lap.  His hair was tight wet curls. 

The Doggett's and the Oldenkamp's

Fortunately, even though it was "one, two, three strikes you're out"; we didn't strike out on the night.  We packed up before the game was over and packed up the car.  Luckily, before we got out of the parking lot we were able to see the firework show.  Kennick was still up when we got home at 10:45 but it only took a few seconds for him to hit the sack.  I am sure there will be dreams tonight of the "ole ball game".  

Fall Garden

Growing up in NW Iowa was quite a bit different than Kentucky.  Iowa is notorious for its long cold winters and hot humid summers and there always seems to be a breeze (20+ mile per hour winds).  I noticed spring comes a few weeks early even though we have to battle through the spring winters; blackberry, dogwood, linen britches and dogwood which was all new to me.  That also means winter is usually a little later as well.  So about this time of year I was used to picking the garden and getting ready for fall.  Now, a lot of the garden is already picked and we are getting ready for the fall garden.

That's what we did today at Granny's.  What was supposed to be a very early arrival this morning to beat the heat turned into a later than usual start as the bed was just a little comfier than it usually is.  Thankfully there were many clouds and a nice breeze.  We picked and picked, tilled and hoed, and by 9:30 we had a majority of the fall garden planted.  We got the second round of beans, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli in today.  And as always, the best part comes next...lunch!  Salmon patties, biscuits and gravy and fried okra.

I have always believed that it is important to teach a child the basic skills of being able to grow food, even in today's world where there are grocery stores that have everything you could ever imagine.  With that being said, Kennick was a great help today.  He helped Karalee pick a lot of tomatoes, peppers and many other veggies.  He even helped me and Granny do some planting.

This was Kennick helping me plant cabbage.

We have been truly blessed this year.  We had a good haul today and there is plenty more.  Tonight we will be busy cleaning and heading out to start canning some veggie soup.  Went over to Grammy and Grandad's house to help wash, cut and start the canning.  A very special thanks to Darlene who finished up with the pressure canner while we got Kennick to bed.  

While working in the garden is usually hot and tiresome it all seems worth it on those cold winter days when you pour a hot bowl of soup and remember back to the hot days of playing in the sun.

Kennick helping us plant a cabbage

Kennick watering the green beans

Here's what we took home today.  Tomatoes, carrots, onions, peppers, cucumbers, beets, okra and sweet potatoes.  This is just the beginning on a lot of them.  Hope we have a place to put them.

This is Kennick taking a picture of the goods with his "phone".  Like father like son.