Missing Two Front Teeth

In November of 2007 Kyle took Kelsie and Jaron to a sport store to just look around and kill some time. Kelsie was two an half , Jaron was four almost five. As they were walking around the store Kelsie tripped over a basketball standard (the ones that feet poking out so they can stand up). When she fell she knocked her mouth really good (fat lip bleeding and a wiggly tooth front tooth). We were hoping that the tooth would firm back up in the gums and all would be good. Over time (about three weeks) her tooth started to change color. We knew that it was dying and it was going to have to be pulled. I was hoping that it would hold out until after my sister Alycia's wedding. It did. But the following Monday after the wedding we pulled the tooth...and ever since then she has been without her tooth. Fast forward four and half years...

 Last Tuesday as I was preparing dinner. Kelsie saw that I was making corn on the cob. She was so excited. She showed me how much her front tooth was wiggling and was excited that her tooth would have a way out in this dinner. She attempted many tries in trying to eat the corn. But had to stop each time as it would give her pain as she bit into it. She left the table many times to go check out her tooth to see if it was coming out. Kyle told her to leave it alone and that he could cut her corn off the cob for her to eat. But she refused and was determine to have that tooth come out that night. She left to the bathroom once more...

Ten minutes later she ran out with such excitement and very toothless grin. Ready to show us all that she has finally lost both her front teeth. I never thought that day would come, but it did (means she is growing up too.) And she was so excited for the tooth fairy to come and get the tooth.

Water Safety and Sport Show

This weekend they had a water safety workshop. I guess they have done it for the last couple years. It is very well put together, Kyle and I were really impressed and the kids had a great time.

 When we first got there they had the kids color a t-shirt iron on and got it ironed on a shirt, while they waited for their group to be called.

 There was five kids in our group (one other girl beside our kids). And four stations/classes in the cafeteria. First one talking about always making a plan, and telling someone of your plan when you go on your outdoor activities. Second one talking about not polluting the water where the fish live. Third one is a pictured above, talked wearing life jackets and make sure they are the right ones and that they fit. Kallie and Jaron are giving examples of the wrong life jackets to wear.

 The last class in the cafeteria was talking about how Alaska waters are very cold and that you can get Hypothermia very quickly in them. The kids are putting their hands in buckets of ice trying to get out coins before their hand gets to cold.

 The kids then got in their swimsuits, and fitted into life jackets that are their size. And they are all ready to get in the water. Each part of the pool had different stations. 

 At the first station they once again talked about Hypothermia ...

 got into the water...

 learn how to float if you are alone to stay warm...

 and if you are in a group to stay warm you do the huddle.

 Rode on a banana boat and learn how use it.

  They also had fun being flip in the banana boat.

 In this station they were learning how to fall in the water from a boat. Grabbing your neck with one hand and the back of your thigh with the other hand, curling in a ball and falling into the water. Jaron and Kelsie had pretty good belly flops when trying, Kallie was able to make a ball.

 This is after the event by the rescue boat.

 After the Water Safety Workshop we headed over to the local sport show, to see all the fun things to do in Alaska. Lots of FISHING!!

And the wildlife.

 The kids were enthralled with the helicopter.

 Can you see it?

Checking out the vehicle that everyone seems to have here in Alaska.

It was a fun family day

80's Dress Day

Today the kids had a dress up day at school: The 80's.

When I found out that they had this dress up day, I was excited. It was the decade that I was in their ages. So I tried to remember all the things I wore in the 80's and what the boys would wear in my class. We did the peg jeans, knot in the skirt on the side w/ a tank top underneath, leg warmers, double layer socks, side ponytails ratted up, the look of an exercise girl in neon colors. For Jaron we spiked his hair with lots of mouse, wore two polos with the collar up and pegged jeans. To bad we didn't penny loafers :0) It was so much fun to dress them up.

Karlee Turns Four

 Today was Karlee's Birthday, she turned four.

I can't believe how big she is getting. Last week she had an interview for preschool, she did so well and very excited that she gets to go to school, like the other kids. It makes me sad that she is old enough to go, those four years seemed to go by so fast. 

 Karlee is in the stage right now where she doesn't want her picture taken unless you can bribe her :0). She also dosen't like the attention drawn to her. On her birthday we would break into song, signing Happy Birthday to her and she would run and hide. But you could tell because she would have a grin on her face. Her birthday fell on Sunday, the primary sang happy birthday to her and had her stand in the front of the group, she was shy about going up but loved when she got up there and didn't want to sit down. She was also excited to get her candy bar from the bishop and looked forward to that.

On their birthday the birthday star get to pick what they want for dinner. So the night before as Kyle was headed to the store we asked Karlee what she wanted for her birthday dinner. She said water for drink and top ramon for dinner. Since it was Sunday dinner I was hoping for something more, we told her that we would have that for lunch and what would be her second favorite meal for dinner. She said hot dogs...so for her birthday dinner we had hot dogs, carrots, and strawberries.

I love this little girl. She is always on the go and always writing in either her homework notebook or on other papers she can find. She love her Bob dog that she got on her first birthday, can't go anywhere without him. She loves to dress herself and her outfit are always cute because she put a lot of thought in them, even though they may not match. She loves to wear headbands and she shoes. She loves to take care of everyone and make she they have what they need and thinks of others. She also loves learning about Jesus at church and tells us about her teach has taught her that day. We love you Karlee, you are such a blessing in our family!

Kallie's Project Runway Party

This year Kallie asked if she could do a Project Runway party for her birthday.

 She likes to sew and create and wanted that to be part of her party.

 This is the invitation for the party:

You have been chosen to compete in Kallie's project runway birthday party.

 "Are you IN or are you OUT?'

We had a good turn out for the party which I was excited for. I wonder where we would hold the party, I wanted a big space where the girls would be able to create and I wouldn't have to worry about our rental. We have a two car garage on the property where we are at and thought that would be the perfect large space to use. The night before the whole got together and cleaned up the garage made it a great space to have the party.

The girls arrived and we got the party under way. We divide the girls into teams of two, each team was given one package of tissue paper, a roll of toilet paper, and a roll of masking tape. They were to design a outfit out of it.

The girls did a great job on creating their outfits. They had come up with headbands and necklaces. I was very impressed. The girls really got into it and was enjoy doing it. I gave them an allotted time to get it done and they kept asking for more time to finish.

Here are the teams with their finished outfits. 

I was very impressed with what they created.

Their prize for their creations were a black t-shirt with the project runway logo on it.

 We then moved to the main part of the party. Each girl had their own work station where they had a sketch pad, pencil, and measuring tape. They were supposed to design a dress for there model (a barbie doll). They were given twenty minutes to draw their design.

The girls busy at work drawing their designs.

We had our own Mood fabric store

Once the girls had drawn their dresses they came to Mood fabric store and get the fabric they needed to make their dresses. Here Kallie is measuring her model for her dress, to see how much she needed.

 Her picking out the fabric.

 I love how she has her pencil behind her ear.

 She really got into fun of the party.

And then the girl went onto working on their dresses. Cutting, pinning, sewing, and more pinning. Some girls knew how to sew and others didn't. The girls that did helped the others on the sewing.

           

In the middle of the creating, the girls took a break to enjoy something to eat.

 Then back to work on finishing their models.  

Dressing and doing the models hair to go on the runway.

 Here are the models on the runway. Jaron, Kelsie, and Karlee came out and judged the models. I had numbers next to each model and they wrote down which one they liked the best. They chose number one. Which won a amazing prize package as like what they have on the show.

The Grand Prize package:

Cover of Teen Vogue magazine (it was the whole magazine), line of make up (nail polish and lip gloss), a trial sample of Treseme hair care, and 100 Grand (candy bar).

Here are the designers with their models and drawings:

 We sang Happy Birthday and had cake and open presents.

Car Wash

Today the kids didn't have school, it was a vacation day that they didn't use as a snow day. The weather was beautiful and most of all the snow had melted - what a great time to wash our van that really needed it. What my car looks like in the picture below is what all of the cars look like. After all the snow melts you are left with the sand and rocks in the street that they have used to make it easier to drive in the snow. 

 Here the kids are ready to get in there and wash the car. Karlee is inside the house changing her clothes for the sixth time today - guess she has not found the right outfit.

 Busy Workers

 Our nice clean van. Kallie and Kelsie both commented on how new it looks. :0)

It did not stay clean that long, even though I tried to avoid the puddles as best I could. The dust just found it's way back. We will have give it another go. 

Since it was such a beautiful day, I thought I would venture over to the river edge when none of the kid were looking (they are not allowed over there.) It is so pretty, yet scary with how fast the water is moving but you know it must be freezing water with the thick snow on both sides melting into the river. You can see the snow right above my elbow through the trees and the white stuff across the river. I even open the window in the house, and you could hear the river flowing = very peaceful.