Recent Nora-isms

Nora's been a very verbal girl from a young age, but we still get to enjoy some funny sayings from our four year old:)

A few recent Nora-isms:

• Callerpillar = caterpillar
• Adli, we have the meats!  = Arby's, we have the meats (the Arby's slogan from their commercials)  Nora loves the Arby's commercials:)  I wonder if it's the deep voice that says the slogan???
• Harry the Octopus = Perry the Platypus.  Perry is a character from Phineas and Ferb, a Disney cartoon.  Clearly Nora doesn't know what a platypus actually is:)  
• Pert = Put.  We hear this one daily and we still love it:)
• Brecktist = breakfast
• Mom, can I look at switching pictures on your phone? = Can I look through the photo album on your phone?
• Bandaid = headband
• Mark book = bookmark
• Stunk = skunk
• Thongue = tongue
• An indult = an adult
• Mom, what's the number that goes forever? = she forgot the word infinity :)
• Lusually = usually
• I smell something that's like...yuck = something stinks (today it was the cows at the corn maze:))

Also, a prayer from Nora last night went something like this...

"Lord, please keep the thunder away for a few days until I'm 10 and won't be scared anymore.  Also, take the angry from my stomach when I wake up in the morning."

I'm very intrigued by this "angry in my stomach", but I trust God knows what she's talking about;)

Preschoolers are so fun!  I know the day will come that she corrects all of these words and phrases.  I will enjoy them for now:)

Six Months in Stewartville

It's been about six months since our move to Stewartville and a year since we listed our house for sale in Rochester so I thought it was about time for an update:)

We're loving Stewartville!  We've settled into the house and continue to make it our own through small projects:

• Adding basketball hoop to the driveway (a "basketball driveway" was non-negotiable for Brent when building;))
• Adding landscaping rock around the house and planting perennials in the front of the house
• Building shelving in the garage
• Adding wall hangings around the house (this is still a work in progress)
• Adding a piano!  
• Adding an area rug to the living room

We're not only loving the house, but also the location:

• We are on the NW end of Stewartville, so we're only a few miles from Rochester on Hwy 63.  I only added 6 miles to my drive to work, Brent, on the other hand, added 14 miles to his drive to work.  
• Living on the NW edge of town is wonderful for the beautiful sunsets we see regularly as well.  I'm not a morning person so I'd rarely catch a sunrise if our house faced east, but I get to see lots of sunsets from nearly every window in our house!
• We are just over a half mile to the new Bear Cave Intermediate School, where Luke started 5th grade last week.
• We are about one mile from Bear Cave Park, which connects us nicely to the bike path.  Plus, Bear Cave Park is one of the locations for youth sports practices and games.
• Living in a smaller community has been wonderful for everyday convenience.  We're a mile and a half from Fareway Grocery Store (who price matches!) and there are local stops for other every day stuff.  I hardly even have to consider in "drive time" anywhere in Stewartville:)
• Our neighborhood is full of children!  This is very different from our quiet block in our old neighborhood.  Plus, we lived on a busier street before so we spent more time in the backyard.  Now, you'll find us in the front yard, possibly sitting in the garage/driveway, watching the kids run, scooter, or bike past with several neighbor kids.  This was helpful for Luke getting to know some kids before the school year started and knowing lots of faces on the bus.  Some of our best friends even live next door:)  

 There have been some adjustments to life in a smaller town:

• People wave when you pass...whether they know you or not:)  I'm trying to be a more conscious waver:)
• You run into familiar faces far more often and find connections among people very often.  (Think: "Oh, you live in that neighborhood, you might know..."  "Yep, we've lived by them for years")  I'm expecting this will be very nice as we get to know more families in town through school and activities.  Two quick examples:
• The first day of Nora's preschool, her teacher welcomed her by name.  They had only met at meet the teacher for a few minutes.  Impressive!
• At Luke's meet the teacher night, the first person we spoke to remembered his name from when I registered him for school online.  
• Stores close earlier in the evening.  I haven't run into this being inconvenient yet.  
• It's not always possible to find a website for a local business...this has been an adjustment for me.  I always default to the web before the phone to find out hours of operation, prices, etc.
• The weekly Stewartville paper, The Star, is lovely and keeps us apprised of all that's happening in Stewartville, including: school happenings, sports, city council, school board, etc.  They even have a football pick 'em that Luke enjoys:)  

So, we're Stewartvillian, or Stewies, or Tigers (school mascot)...and we're loving it:)  

I leave you with this post that I wrote before I even knew we were moving.  Alas, here we are in our own small town:)

High Five for Friday

I've been pretty absent from the blog lately, so I'm trying out High Five for Fridays again.  It helps me to do something weekly so I remember the everyday stuff of life.

#1

A few weeks ago, Brent's parents gave us an incredible gift: their upright piano!  We knew after living with Brent's parents this winter that we wanted a piano for the new house, but we were waiting for the right thing to come along at the right price.  When I came into some money from a medical study I did with Mayo Clinic, I thought it would be a good time to start looking more seriously.  When Ruth saw our search getting serious, she offered her upright piano to our family.  She said she wanted to give it to us now while the kids were young and were learning to play.  I am incredibly humbled by the gift and hope to learn to play someday too.  I love the draw of the piano especially for Brent and Luke.  Brent has played since he was a kid and Luke is currently learning from Gma Ruth.  They regularly sit down to play or practice and song or two and I love the music filling the house.

A naturally lit corner for the piano.  Love!
(Don't mind the frames all over the floor, trying to decide on a gallery wall:))

#2

Fridays are my day off each week, which is such a blessing to our family!  The past two Fridays, Brent has surprised us with extra time with him too.  Last Friday he called in the morning to see if we could meet him for lunch at Mr. Pizza North....umm, yes please!  Then, this Friday, he surprised us by coming home early.  It was a dreary, rainy afternoon with nothing on the calendar and it was extra nice to hang together, cook dinner, and watch the Olympics that evening:)  What do I love most about these Fridays?  That he thought of us and made time with us a priority.  Such a blessing!

#3

This past weekend, Luke attended church with me instead of going to Sunday School.  It was prefect timing.  Our pastor is going through a series on prayer this month and challenging us to make it a part of our daily routine.  Luke took the sermon to heart and we both picked up prayer journals before we left church.  Why is this perfect timing?  Luke is getting ready to head back to school, but this year it's a new school, new kids, new everything.  We recently talked about some of his apprehensions and I told him I've been praying for him and the transition ahead.  The sermon series on prayer is a wonderful challenge for both Luke and I and some special time we can spend together and individually growing.

#4

School is on the horizon and in recently we learned both Luke and Nora's teachers for fall.  Luke will have Mr. Jacobsen for fifth grade and Nora will have Mrs. Ellerbusch for her first year of preschool. Luke is very excited to have a male teacher for the first time, plus we've learned that two boys he's met in Stewartville will be familiar faces in his class.  Nora will be in class with our friend and neighbor, Emma, too:)
Back to school also means supply shopping.  Luke likes to get a jump start on this, so he's had a backpack full of supplies for a month already.  He says he likes to shop before everything is picked over:)  Nora doesn't have a list per se, but she does need a backpack to use each day.  We had a fun trip to Target together to pick it out this week:)

We had an Elsa bag in the cart, but then we found Minnie.
Minnie won:)

This big bag makes her look like a peanut!

 #5

The first half of our summer was busy.  All very good busy and lots of fun stuff, but the calendar was full.  The second half of the summer, after Nora's birthday mid-July, has been much more low key.  It's so nice to have the freedom of schedule to do as we please:)  What do we please?  Lots of time for walks and runs outside, picnics and trips to the park, time with friends and family, double dates, watching the Olympics, and anything else we come up with (like hanging pics around the house...my idea, but Brent gets to help;)).  In short, we're thoroughly enjoying the quieter half of summer!

Our Four Year Old

We've been living with a four year old for a week already!  I've been a little slow with this update because Nora turning four was tricky for me emotionally.  For some reason, it was a reality check that we're only two years away from school (yes, we've decided we're starting her at 6) and she's very likely to be our last child.  Brent and I love babies and young kids, so it's a little hard to know we're moving out of that life stage.

BUT, in spite of my emotions, Nora was pretty excited to be another year older!

We celebrated Nora with two parties and a long weekend together.  Her first party was Saturday night with Pickers and Riggins (our friends and neighbors) at our place.  Then, at lunch on Sunday, we had Beckmanns, Moyers, and my grandparents over for the afternoon.  Brent and I also decided to take a long weekend, taking Monday, July 11 (Nora's actual birthday) off work.  We had a lazy morning then had lunch at Pizza Ranch and saw The Secret Life of Pets as a family.

Monday, July 11 brought the biggest change for our four year old...we started Operation Stop-Thumb-Sucking!  We have been pleasantly surprised by how she's handled the change.  She regulates herself well, but when we catch her she's been very willing to take her thumb out of her mouth (usually accompanied by a sly grin for being caught).  She's certainly still showing her typical Nora spunk too;)  One day she asked Gma to leave the room because she was watching cartoons and wanted to be able to suck her thumb.  Just this morning, she was awake in bed with her thumb in her mouth (we allow her to suck her thumb while in bed...seriously, how would we monitor that???).  Since she was awake and needed to get ready for the day, I told her "You're awake.  Take your thumb out."  Her response?  She promptly closed her eyes like she was sleeping.  Stinker;)  But truly, all in all it's going very well and we're proud of our big girl!

The past year has brought many changes for Miss Nora.

• Hair, hair, and more hair!  Our kids take their sweet time getting hair as babies/toddlers, but then it comes full force.  Nora has fine, wavy/curly hair that has a mind of its own.  Some days I attempt to tame it, but most days we let it fly free.  It's pretty indicative of our girl's personality:)  

Third Birthday

Four Years Old
(Extra fluffy, freshly washed hair)

Long enough for braids!

• Potty Trained!  Last year at this time, I was dreading the goal of potty training Nora in the next six months (I wanted the deed done by the time she was 3.5 years old like Luke was).  Thanks to Brent's initiative, we dove into the process around Labor Day last year.  As with most things, it was not as bad as I thought it might be.  This post recaps Nora's potty training process well and I'm happy to say that public restrooms are getting less scary for her.  She still doesn't like automatic flushers and blow dryers and is still very aware of others in the bathroom who could flush their toilets at any time, but they don't cause paralysis any longer:)  Two of my favorite comments/questions from Nora about the bathroom still make me smile:  "I feel my pee" means she needs to go...we started using that language when we started last year and she still says it:)  "Are these toilets loud?" is her way of asking if the toilets flush loud.  As you can imagine I do not know this essential information about every toilet we encounter, so usually she leaves the stall or room before I flush:)  The things we do for our kiddos;)
• Separation Progress!  Whew, this was a tough one for momma!  This winter we started discussing plans for Nora to start preschool in the fall.  I had no doubt she'd love the activities, but I knew that the separation at drop off might be rough.  Since Nora was born, she has spent her days with family (no daycare)...this also means she is used to "ruling her world" and getting things the way she likes it most of the time.  So...to try to get her ready for a classroom setting, I signed her up for some community education classes and started forcing the issue of going to Sunday School.  The first community ed classes were dance classes, which were hit or miss.  When she was in the mood and engaged, she followed instructions well and had fun.  But, there were just as many nights that it didn't go well (didn't like separation, etc).  These unpredictable separations went on for a few months.  But then June came...and everything changed.  She now goes to Sunday School with no hesitation and had a 3-day community ed class where she walked in like a champ each day and had a blast!  Maybe I was forcing it too soon and she was finally ready, or maybe she learned from the past classes/experiences that it's fun going to class...ya got me (I'm just the mom after all;))!  I'm just hoping this all translates well to preschool starting in September:)  

These were major changes and milestones, but Nora is still the spunky, smiley, bright eyed, decisive, fun loving girl that we know and love.  

Now, a trip through the past year...

First face paint

Our artist at Comm Ed class

A little hair trim to enhance the curls

This girl loves her cousins

First dance class

Her absolute favorite: "bear bear"

Princess Sofia for Halloween

Learning from Daddy:)

Yet another cousin to love:)

Thanksgiving 2016

First dentist visit

Hair long enough for traditional pony tail

Hair long enough for french braids!
(my fav)

My sweethearts

Writing her name

Proud artist

This girl has style...

And more style:)

First time ice skating

Spunk I tell you

Still my cuddler

More art

Dressed for a run with mommy

First bike

She loves to be a helper in the kitchen and around the house

Park fun

Big cousin

Father's Day 2016

Tired girl with her daddy

She LOVES to swing

Our little track star

Fourth Grade in the Books

I've been very absent from the blog recently.  No real reason, just posting plenty on Facebook and enjoying the spring weather, I guess:)

Today, though...today warrants a blog post.  

Today, Luke finished fourth grade, but this year the end of the school year has many more implications. 

Luke finished his last year of school at Gibbs Elementary in Rochester, the only school he (and we) have ever known.  It was a wonderful five years of teachers, leaders, classmates, friends, events, volunteering, and memories...and it's hard to say goodbye.  Well, it's harder for me to say goodbye than for our stoic boy:)   He said he was ready for the year to be done and for summer to begin, even though he said he ranked Ms. Bottema as his favorite teacher so far.  Everyone in his class made a memory book to bring home with things like "favorite field trip, favorite moments, etc", but it also asked one question about next year: "What do you hope for next year?"  Luke's answer: "That I have friends."  (Typing this hours after I read it gets my heart going again!)  Our boy may be stoic, but he is sweet and sensitive in his own way.  My reassurance to him when I read his response was that making friends has a lot to do with being a good friend, and I think he's a good friend.  (But, oh, do I pray for his boy and his adjustment to a new school this fall.)

The end of the school year also feels like our last step out of Rochester, which just feels kind of strange after it's been our only home as a family so far and mine and Brent's hometown as well.  

The end of the school year also brings some refreshing changes too.  For eight months, I've been getting Luke to and from school at Gibbs since we moved out of our old house.  This has meant lots of extra time in the car on school days, but we felt it would be easiest for Luke to transition to a new school at the beginning of a school year.  Thankfully we were able to carpool a few days a week to lighten the driving load as well.

I'm getting away with myself here...this post was meant to be a wrap up to Luke's year...a very good, fourth grade year.

First Day of 4th Grade

Last Day of Fourth Grade

Our awesome boy

Our not-to-be-left-out and spunky daughter

Love them:)

Slow down, my loves, my heart and head are not keeping up with you growing so quickly.

April Update

Ummm....we're half way through April!?!?  How did that happen?

Here's what we've been up to:

Luke celebrated a belated birthday party (April 1) with a couple buddies from school with a sleepover.  He knew he wanted to wait until we were in the new house to have them over because he wanted them to know where he lives and because he thought they could take over the basement for all things boy (Xbox, nerf guns, sleeping bags on the floor, etc).  They are all great boys and had a great time together:)  Luke's sleepover was also the kick off to his spring break.  He spent three and a half days at the Blue Papa and Gma's house with Piper and Nora and had a full day home with Daddy and Nora on Friday.  The week was low key, but he did get to spend an afternoon at Chuck E Cheese with Gma, had a belated Easter egg hunt with the Beckmann cousins, and took a little road trip for lunch one day.

Monkey bread for breakfast (Luke's pick) after the birthday sleepover

Nora had her preschool screening (April 4) with the Stewartville School District.  She was very excited from what we told her: "a teacher will measure you and ask you questions about your letters and numbers".  She did great when we first got there, which included checking in and being weighed and measured.  Once the actual screening started, she was supposed to go to another room without us.  That is where the tears started.  The teacher told Brent he could come and he just sat in the back of the room while Nora went through all of the steps of the screening.  We had an exit interview at the end and learned Nora is right on track, has no vision or hearing troubles, and is currently slightly taller than average and slightly lighter than average (she stretched out this winter).  We also learned what we already knew, she has trouble separating.  Oh, this is a burden on my heart!  I am really focusing on getting her into classes and situations where she needs to be a "brave and big girl" and go by herself.  Say a little prayer for me!

Coloring while she waited before
her preschool screening

Last weekend we had our first overnight guests at our new place.  Greg, Cally, Mekhi, and Annalise came on Saturday for a "sleepover".  Our kids were psyched!  Nora had Annalise sleep in her room in the trundle bed, Mekhi slept with Luke in his full-sized bed, and Greg and Cally had the unfinished guest room downstairs to themselves (they get a queen bed and four walls, just no dry wall or carpet:)).  Saturday morning most of us met for Nora's favorite story time at ABC & Toy Zone, then the bigger kids met Ethan for rock climbing at Prairie Walls.  Saturday night, the adults (neighbors included) played Small World while the kids played and watched a movie.  Sunday, we had all of the Pickers over for lunch and hung out.  It was a full and fun weekend:)

Three families of kiddos snuggled on the sectional to watch a movie

They segregated boys and girls themselves:)

A few other random tidbits:

Brent and I finished shopping for kitchen chairs and bar stools and are very happy with how it all came together.  Our table came from Hom, the chairs came from IKEA, and the stools came from Wayfair.

Ice cream treat after our IKEA shopping trip

All of our seating!

The chairs have padded seats.
We bought four stools, but only use three on a daily basis,
hence the stool in the corner.

Last week, Luke realized he had more money in his wallet than he thought.  He proceeded to tell me "I'd like to buy Nora a shirt with my money.  I know she's growing a lot and I'd like to pick one out for her."  As you can imagine, my heart melted!  A few days later, I was at Target with the kids.  I asked Luke if he wanted to pick something out for Nora, but he said he wanted to do it when she wasn't around.  We have yet to get to the store without her to make the purchase, but I was so blessed by his generous desire:)

This week we're finally getting weather in the 60s and 70s without rain!  Last night we learned that the Dairy Queen in Stewartville is an easy walk from our house so we took a family walk for some ice cream.  This could be a dangerous convenience this summer;)

Some other random pics from April so far:

We have an awesome view of the sunset from our house

Fun new wreath made by my friend

Lukes' spring pics from school

Enjoying Mom and Dad's big tub together

Piper LOVES Luke and got attached to him over spring break.
She pulled him into the tent and gave him books to read.

Adding Nora to the mix

"Playing" Bananagrams

Proud of her finished product