Alikah - age seven

1. What is your favorite color? Pink
2. What is your favorite toy? My iPad
3. What is your favorite fruit? Apples
4. What is your favorite tv show? Spongebob
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Noodles
6. What is your favorite thing to wear? Dresses
7. What is your favorite game? Minecraft
8. What is your favorite snack? Crackers
9. What is your favorite animal? Kitties
10. What is your favorite song? Same Old Love - Selena Gomez
11. What is your favorite book? Junie B Jones
12. Who is your best friend? Isabel and Emma
13. What is your favorite cereal? Coco Puffs

14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Hide N Seek

15. What is your favorite drink? Water

16. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas!

17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? My kiki I gues

(I thought this answer was hilarious because this is Alikahs bed, always)

18. What do you want to be when you grow up? A doctor

19. Who is your favorite person? You and Dad 

20. What is your favorite place? The Kalahari. And Campbellsport. 

pottery painting with her friends

this friend loved Ellie haha

Ill post the pictures from the Dells eventually :) 

Summer update! Long! Ah..

Hi! Okay for real this time Im going to start updating again. (And I wont delete this, promise Amanda Burg. ;) )   This is going to be a little update on everyone!

Grade: 4K
Favorite Color: Black
Favorite Food: Mac N Cheese
Favorite Subject: Playing
Favorite Movie: Big Hero 6
Favorite Summer Memory: Going swimming a lot!
Harper is doing amazing in school. We were alittle worried since hes really young and....well, hes Harper. But hes doing great. His teacher said hes such a happy kid and really wants to learn. Hes alittle bit to talkative but were all working on that haha. He loves it and is excited every day to go.

Grade: 1st
Favorite Color: Pink
Favorite Food: Apples, carrots, Cosmic Brownies, Spongebob Mac N Cheese
Favorite Subject: The Specials...like gym, computer, library
Favorite Movie: The Croods, The Little Mermaid
Favorite Summer Memory: Going to the beach a lot!
We definitely werent worried about Alikah and she is doing great too. Harper has a reading log and sometimes Alikahs homework is to read so she reads a book to Harper every night (getting both of their things done at once woo!) Alikah spent a lot of extra time at Nonnas this summer and loved it.

Im actually really surprised how well Ive fallen into the "school year" schedule. I get their backpacks ready the night before (And Alikahs lunch if shes having cold lunch), try to go to bed by 11, get Alikah and Harper up at 7:15, they alternate showering every other day, get them all ready to go. Their bus comes at 8 and then I usually go back to sleep for like an hour until Bodhi wakes up around 9. Some days though (like today) Harper woke him up so no nap for me haha.
Then me and Bodhi hang out until we go pick up Harper at 11.

Speaking of Bodhi:

He loves making "garages" and "train stations" with the wooden blocks. I can be on the computer in here and hell just play quitetly building his little cities behind me. He still loves Thomas. Hes very smart and funny. Love playing with Alikah and Harper. Hes scared of spiders and cars...if were walking anywhere and a car drive passed he starts screaming because he thinks theyre going to hit us. (Im guessing he got that fear from me haha) Hes still in his crib with his cribbies and music.
Favorite Food: Chicken, mandarin oranges, crackers
Favorite Color: Blue
Favorite Movie: I like Thomas
Favorite Toy: Gordon (train)
     (Harper just chimed in and said his favorite toy was Spencer (the train) )


Okay so me. Ive been pretty good.
Most people that know me know that last year was pretty rough.
Just a little refresher because I dont think Ive wrote about it since last year....After Marshall died I kind of lost my mind for awhile. The doctor I ended up seeing was phenomenal and I finally got on the right meds for my bipolar and OCD. I also got on the right meds for my heart and havent been to the hospital in months thankfully!!
This article is so true. The waves still come, but less often. I cant say they arent as hard though. Id day when they hit me theyre still 100 feet tall.

(His ashes.)

But I feel okay most of the time. Sometimes I do feel....boring? Numb? But I know I need to stay on my meds. Its the best for everyone.

We had an awesome summer. Spent a lot of time at the lake near by. Went to "A Day Out With Thomas"  on Harper's birthday. Had sleepovers with grandmas and grandpas. Stayed at hotels for fun (or when it was too damn hot in our house!) Lots of backyard swimming in the $10 inflatable pool we bought (cannot believe it lasted all summer haha) and cookouts, bonfires. We were in a parade for Spencers work and the kids loveddd that. Went up north to the cabin - For the last time!! Before the new one gets built! Thats pretty bittersweet. Went to my first Packers game at Lambeau with Spencer. Never again. Way too many people and I dont even like football lol.

I did not walk with my Nike+ AT ALL this Summer....Ill planning on starting again with the boys after we pick Harper up from school, once it cools down. Theres no way Id go work out in 90 degree heat...



And something Im SO excited about....Spencer got a new job! A fucking GREAT new job! I am so proud of him. It is a HUGE pay increase and great benefits. Its going to be so awesome for us.
I posted on facebook about this what seems like FOREVER ago because he was supposed to start the next day (sorry to everyone that thought I was pregnant lol) but his old job really needs him for a little bit longer so he doesnt start this new one for a bit. But itll be worth the wait :)

Okay phew I think thats all......hopefully.

Birthday Questions - Alikah- Six

1. What is your favorite color? Pink and purple
2. What is your favorite toy? Friendship bracelets
3. What is your favorite fruit? Apples
4. What is your favorite tv show? Teen Titans Go and Spongebob
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Noodles
6. What is your favorite thing to wear? Dresses
7. What is your favorite game? Hide N Seek
8. What is your favorite snack? Brownies
9. What is your favorite animal? Kitties
10. What is your favorite song? I have a lot.
11. What is your favorite book? Splat the Cat books
12. Who is your best friend? Layla
13. What is your favorite cereal? Frozen cereal

14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play at the playground
15. What is your favorite drink? Water
16. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas!
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Well I have sleeping buddies...stuffed animals.
18. What do you want to be when you grow up? Just a mom.
19. Who is your favorite person? I cant choose, I like everybody!
20. What is your favorite place? Waterparks!

The Mom/Dad/Siblings questions were insanely boring this year. I probably shouldnt have tried asking her when she was watching TV.

four year old questions
three year old questions
(didnt have a computer last year for 5 :( )

Alikah's 6th birthday

The Kalahari: Water park, arcade, bowling & bags, theme park, great food, presents, brirthday candle (lotus candle) setting off the fire alarm in our room, pictures with a kangaroo, tenzi, so much fun...

 

On the last day we had this private cabana with our own hot tub, TVs, servers, etc..

Birthday party with friends! April 25th. 

Balloon pinatas.
(These were kind of a pain in the ass to make but the kids loved them!)

 

Presents, decorating their own brownies, ice cream or both, pizza, drama, a crabby Bodhi that couldnt nap because 9 girls and 1 boy are LOUD...even louder than Bodhi is ;) 

Birthday questions are coming next!

xo 

kid updates! & hotels

Alikah (Almost 6)

LeapPad, writings, drawing, making crafts, singing, dancing, showers, hot tubs, her kiki (baby blankie) is back.
Lost 2 teeth! Her first one was so loose I pulled it out and she was kicking and crying and didnt even realize when I pulled it out haha. So then she knew it didnt hurt and pulled the 2nd one out herself! Saw her first movie in a theatre with me. We saw SpongeBob. I didnt like it, she did though. And then she saw Paddington with Nonna!
Shes very independent and smart. Likes to pick out her own outfits. Her 2 best friends right now are Layla and Harley. "Boyfriend" is Nolan.
Books: Mo Williams, books about animals, Love Storybook Collection, any really.
TV: Bob's Burgers, Spongebob, Paw Patrol, Octonauts, Blaze, Teen Titans, Breadwinners, Sanjay and Craig
Movies: Oceans, Frozen, Shrek, Wreck It Ralph, The Heat...
Food: Plain noodles, granola bars, cosmic brownies, apples, strawberries, cheeseburgers, banana bread, pancakes, waffles, cereal..

Harper (3.5)

 

Trucks, his ba, wrestling, Spencer, making castles with blankets and pillows, being allowed in Alikahs room, undies, swimming, brushing his teeth....
Potty trained! He potty trained in one day. He can swim! Hes extremely talkative. Hell talk to anyone. But sometimes/a lot of the time he just rambles on and on and on to himself haha. Hes very sweet. He does not listen AT ALL. I made a little booklet for him (Colors, numbers, letters, shapes) to work on, because he starts 4K next year and he needs the practice. Hes been doing a little better so far :)
Movies: All the Shreks, Chipmunks, Wreck It Ralph
TV: Spongebob, Blaze, UmiZoomi, Wallykazam, Amazing World of Gumball, Uncle Grandpa
Food: Pizza, crackers, toast, noodles, mac n cheese, chips, hot dogs, pretzels, cheetos..

Bodhi (2.5)

 

Loud. He shrieks. Its the most annoying sound in the world and I cant wait for it to phase out. Likes Thomas. He has so much Thomas stuff. I have no idea how many toys, tracks, clothes, hats, etc..He sleeps with Thomas' and brings Thomas' everywhere. He lines them up really nicely.
Hes talking great. Almost Better the Harper. Spreaking of Harper, he calls Harper "Bodhi." We have no idea why haha. He used to hate baths and then one day we said "bathtime!" and he was like, "YA!!!" Me and Spencer looked at each other like what the hell? but ever since then he loves them. He screams, "GO!!" at stop lights. Likes to "help" me fold clothes by throwing them on my lap.
He likes swimming, shopping and brushing his teeth. He likes practicing Harpers booklet with him. Hes so adorable and uses his manners really well. Hes funny and super ticklish. Oh and he dreads his hair. He doesnt do it as much as he used to but he dreads it himself and loves them. He cries when we cut them out. (We only cut them out for special occasions..like family Christmas or something)
Books: Thomas books and lift-a-fap books.
TV: Thomas, Blues Clues, Octonauts, Spongebob, Bubble Guppies...
Movies: All the Shreks, Toy Story 3, Turtle Tale, LeapFrog movies...
Food: Toast with jelly, pizza, chicken nuggets, crackers, cinnamon toast crunch, granola bars, all fruit esp. strawberries, cuties, and pineapple, mac n cheese, cookies...

We stayed at a hotel twice this month. The kids loved it, we ate like shit, they all loved swimming, Bodhi wanted to wear arm floats and was trying hard to swim, Alikah taught herself to go underwater and even walk underwater for alittle bit but shes still scared to actually swim.

For Alikah's birthday (April 18th) were going to the Kalahari hotel/water park. Its a surprise and shes going to LOVE it. My mom, sisters and brother are coming.

Ill add to the lists if I think of more :)
As you can see all 3 of them are obsessed with Shrek right now.
Theyre at the ages where they can all play together now and most of the time they play really well. Sometimes they start fighting but they get over it pretty quick. They like playing pretend....theyll pretend theyre grandma, grandpa, Lukey, monster trucks, babies, zombies, each other (we think that might be who Bodhi calls Harper "Bodhi") Theyll play "Paw Patrol" and "Shrek" of course. They wrestle like crazy. Hide N Seek. Harpers allowed to play in Alikah's room if she says so and he loves that.

 

 

I got these cat footies for $3 and posted that picture on facebook. The next day Spencer sent me that picture of himself hahaha.