Momma Tries – Kids Play

Oma broke the side mirror on her car. Sure I could tell you some grand story of how she was hit in a parking lot or a vehicle clipped her side mirror as she was driving across a narrow bridge in the dark on a corner and how scary it was. But truth be told she backed out of our driveway, saw the garbage can but thought she would miss it and just kept on backing up. With that said I did my best to fix her mirror so she would be proud to drive her car. Some of my best work I think. (ok, the tape is really holding it tight while the JB Weld dries) Try and try as I may I struggle coming up with good hair do’s for Jo. Braiding is actually difficult but I practice and she is patient with me as she sits and sits. The other day while walking I saw this little girl about 2years old who had her hair pulled up into a bun. I walked by at first, thought about her hair, then turned around and said to her mother “excuse me, you might find this a silly question but I’m wondering how you did this to your daughter’s hair?” She was so kind as we stood in their front yard as she tried to explain it, she finally took her daughters hair down and redid the hair as I watched.
I thanked her and as I walked away I thought to myself…Our poor daughter is stuck with two Mom’s who struggle helping her become the “girl” she wants to be. Are you crying now? It was suppose to be a sad story, so tear up please and stop laughing!
Jo may be crying right now. Sunshine and yard play.
This will be a common theme again for our web site this summer as you can see it has started already this spring.
Cole had his buddy from wrestling (Noah) spend the night, then hung out and played most of Saturday. They are about the same height, weight and love the same stuff. They were darn funny while playing football. This was a serous game people! Full tackle don’tcha know! Not one tear ran down a cheek but I think each wanted to at least once because there were a couple hard hits. Mostly they laughed and just wore each other out!This little gal has turned out to be a great friend for Jo. Alexis, plays hard, loves to dress up and “pretty” up but will turn around and dig for bugs and make mud pies with lots of pretty flowers and rocks. All of these are Jo’s likes and loves! Both girls come in filthy each day they are out playing together…almost looking like they have tans on their faces. The laughter that comes out of them each day is sure fun to listen too!

Sun, Fun, Eggs & Independence

We finished off our spring break with all the neighborhood kids in the yard, it even got warm enough that they had a water fight! Cousin Hannah spent a couple nights/days with us joining in all the chaotic fun in our yard. We walked to a local Church Block Party one day where the kids got to play many games, bounce in one of those blow up things and even got their face painted. Dinner and ice cream to top off the evening and smiles all round. The kids were not out of energy yet so back to the house to ride whatever had wheels and create art on the driveway.Some times we just say “What were you thinking?”

Jo came rushing in the other day to say “Cole is hurt, you have to come!” Well as I headed out the door with Jo she followed it up by saying that Cole put a rubber band around his neck and snapped it. Oh,I started to laugh so hard. But then Jo said very seriously, “Cole told me not to do that because it really hurts”. Oh, I had to stop walking and almost cross my legs on that one! He was ok, just a welt along his chin and cheek that lasted a couple hours. I don’t think there was really any thinking goin on.Like last year, we headed out to the Young Belmont’s home to decorate eggs for Easter. It was speed for the twins…how fast can I get all my eggs colored! Derian took her time drawing on most of her eggs before they were dipped in color to become beautifull Easter Eggs.

Jo just loves to be goofy during photos lately and asked to have her picture taken with me while wearing my glasses. So Cole took aim and snapped this shot. Like Mother Like Daughter.We have worked with Jo quite a bit to become more independent and just thinking for herself. She has been doing a very good job of it lately and in many different settings. One in particular is playing with friends what she wants to play, not just what her friends want to play. One friend has gotten very upset with Jo the past couple weeks because Jo is not following, saying and doing what her friend has told her to do. We have explained to both girls that taking turns playing each others games is good but her friend will have nothing to do with it and so has left for home on many an occasions. We are very happy with Jo and her new found independence!

We spent our Easter weekend down South again, Momma got to help set up the egg hunt again and really enjoys this time with the extended family down there. Cole and Jo really got into it this year grabbing eggs and candy quickly, even coming up with some $ eggs. Cole didn’t want to stop, kept looking and looking until Rachelle pointed out that Derian was still looking for eggs yet to be found in her age group area. I don’t think Rachelle even finished her sentence when Cole took off running to that area determined to find more.

That afternoon the kids went to play with Connie’s niece and nephews for the afternoon and so I asked Rachelle if she wanted to go try and get her truck stuck some where…any where. We stopped and grabbed another friend who used to always get into trouble with us (whether she was with us or not) and off we drove to the mountains. We didn’t get stuck but had a lot of good laughs, a few cookies in the gravel and some awesome scenery! Oh, how I love those times.

On Sunday morning the Easter Bunny hid some eggs outside at Rachelle & Connie’s house. The kids slept quite late until I said quietly in their room “The Easter Bunny Came” and they both popped right up and ran down the hall. Their eyes were swollen almost shut (colds coming on) but that didn’t stop them from putting shoes on and hunting eggs out in the damp weather.

Candy, Sun, Friends, Family & Belly Laughs!

What a GRAND time we have!

Weekend Away

First just a random shot that Jo wanted to take of herself.

I actually like shots of the kids like this.

Like is not a strong enough word, Love would be a better word.

We headed to visit Jill’s family for the weekend and since we were heading through Portland we hit yet another wrestling tournament for Cole. We met up with my brother, Todd, and niece Derian, in the early a.m. (they were headed to a car show in the Portland area), we all grabbed some breakfast together and then watched Cole’s first match before Todd & D had to head out. Cole had a good time wrestling again, only two matches this day because there were only three boys in his group. He managed two pins and took his first Gold medal. He understands “pins” now so he was very excited heading off the mat and getting hugs from his coaches and family.

We don’t know if there will be another tournament in the near future and for this Mom, that’s ok. They make long days fun and exciting, but they are early mornings and very long days. Cole will still be going to practice and having a good time. Keeping him busy a few hours a day at least a couple days a week is a good thing.We spent time with the Smith family for the rest of our weekend and had a very good time. Maggie (Another Awesome March Birthday) turned 8 and had a “big girl” birthday party. So we took younger sister Lanna, the twins and cousin Holden bowling during the party hours. Way fun! We all had a good time laughing and waiting for the ball to get to the pins when the kids took their turn. All three kids bowled around 70 while poor Holden was around a 30. (he’s 15…heehee).We made a quick stop at Mom’s favorite Asian grocery store in Portland, Anzen. Why you ask? Well for a Bao! What else? YUMMY! And tried yet another fun kids snack that we could only look at the picture to know what it was. Marshmallow with Blueberry filling? Also a Yummy! Some times we just don’t know what we will end up with and there have been times that our snack has ended in the trash bin at home. Always fun to try some thing new!.

Wrestling and the Last of My Birthday

Well March is an awesome month to be born in, I think the best really. I know lots of folks who are born in March and they are just as awesome as myself. Now those who are saying “Hey, I’m awesome and I am not born in March”. The first two sentences were not about you were they? It’s all about me and March Babes like me.
Spent my actual Birthday at Cole’s first wrestling tournament, then headed North to Sherwood to celebrate with Awesome Betsy. She turned the big 40! We had a very good time and met lots of new folks. Then this past weekend another BASH of Awesome March folks at the coast for a night. That’s right! Lots of March Coolness going on! These women are great friends from my very first softball team and we still get together for laughing, drinking and just being loud! Two other Awesome March Chicks in this group, one who turned 50 and another who is a tad older than that! My belly almost hurt the next morning I had laughed so hard with them.

We spent another Saturday watching Cole wrestle. It was an extremely LONNNNNGGGG day with two different types of wrestling at this tournament. We are new to this but are learning quickly that when you wrestle don’t make any other plans for that day.
Cole did awesome again and just had a blast wrestling for points. He even got a pin in one of his matches! Though I must say that he really does not “get” all the point stuff yet or who wins what but he is getting there.
Coach Rich is great! He has taken the time to coach all the kids that show up from his school no matter how young or old. He gets the boys all pumped up and smiling and Cole really listens to his coaching while in the match.
After each match the kid who wins has to sign the score sheet. Our first tournament they didn’t have Cole sign anything but this week Rich had him sign his name. (Momma moment thinking this was cool)

Cole placed second this week and got yet another medal! He again wore the medal to school, not just the new one but both to show them off to his friends! He is just having a ball with this new sport!

Like I said, it was a very long day, but we all had a good time. There was a courtyard right outside the door we were sitting next to and Jo spent most of her time playing with other kids. She was so happy being outside in the sun, running, playing tag and hide n seak. She did come in for each of Cole’s matches but then bolted right back out the door. Happy Girl!

Wrestling

Cole has been going to wrestling practice for a few months now, Saturday he had his first tournament. After watching his first two matches we weren't sure if wrestling was his thing, it was like watching him in slow motion.
Well, the Cottage Grove coaches took him under their wings, gave him some tips (plus all the ones from Mom, Oma, Connie, and Rachelle to wrestle like he does against us or his 'boys' from the neighborhood), by the third match he was a different guy. Turns out he is mostly missing the fast pace of live wrestling. No matter, he absolutely loved the experience.

Along the way he made a new buddy (his words), Noah, who is the child of one of Oma's co-workers. They couldn't be separated!
Cole took 3rd Place!
Noah took 1st! It was both boys first tournament.
Jo was very happy for her brother!