Don't Eat Yellow Snow

This picture needs no words. I have no explanation. I have no idea why these things happen. 

Potty Training - Day 3-4

Day 3 -
We have told Zeke that if he poops we will have to throw his underwear away. When Zeke got up and went potty, he got dressed with his underwear. A couple of minutes later, he was running through the house holding his butt saying "I want my diaper on". I asked him if he wanted to sit on the potty and he thought that was a good idea. Sure enough, he pooped on the potty. Zeke wore underwear to Vickie's house. She said that a couple of times, he even told her when he had to go. When I picked the kids up at the end of the day, I needed to make a trip to Wal Mart. I was stuck on what to do...put a diaper back on him or leave his underwear on. I hate to go backwards in the process, so I packed an extra set of clothes and set on our way. We made it through Wal Mart without an accident and tried to go potty but had no luck. We ate supper at McDonalds and before we left, we used the bathroom. He is doing great!

Day 4-
Snow day. No school. Ben and I decided that we would just see what happens if we don't ask him. There were several times throughout the day that we could hear the toilet flush...he is now going to the bathroom on his own without asking for help or telling us. Unbelievable!

I am still not all the way convinced. On Saturday he was total diapers and had no interest...on Sunday he woke up and decided he wanted to wear underwear. He had two accidents on Monday and that's it. I cannot believe that he is now going to the bathroom without prompting or without help! I know this is how potty training works...it has been like this with all the boys. I guess maybe I'm just not quite ready to give up that baby boy. Although...the thought of no diapers is pretty nice too!

Potty training -day 2

Bad news: We are in an ice storm. We can't leave the house and the kids are climbing up the walls. There has been lots of fighting, hitting, yelling and screaming. We are on day two of being stuck inside. It's not good.

Good news: Zeke woke up yesterday and wanted to wear underwear. We haven't been home long enough this winter to even think about potty training. I am not sure where this is all headed...but he wore underwear all day yesterday and stayed dry. We are on day two now. He had one accident this morning, but otherwise is doing really well. Potty training is so weird. It happens so randomly (at least for us it has). You can push and push, try and try, but until they want to, nothing is going to happen. I assumed we would wait until this summer to attempt it. Apparently Zeke had different plans. We shall see..

Church

Me: "Hey guys, how was church?"

Evan: "Oh it was good. Well, Eli stuck a raisin up his nose. Other than that, it was good."

Eli: "It was fine. All I had to do is blow it out. It flew right out. Everyone laughed. It was just fine."

Good to know.

Clouds

A while back, we were driving by an ethanol plant and Eli asked "is that where clouds are made?"

Fork Lift

There are many times in the boys' lives that I have said "they are lucky God made them cute". I think I may think or say this daily with Zeke. There isn't a day that goes by that he does something that frustrates me so much...but then redeems himself with something super cute. 

The other night was no exception. 

I was trying to get supper ready. I asked Evan to check on Zeke...and pretty soon I heard him yell for me fromt the bathroom. 

Zeke had taken "lotion" and rubbed it all over his face. The problem with the "lotion" was that it was hydrocortisone cream. 

So...supper was delayed while I called Posion control to make sure it was alright he had all that steroid cream all over him. (Come to find out, it is completely fine. Even if he ate it, he would be alright)

Can you say FRUSTRATION! 

And then at supper, he did the cutest thing. I was really frustrated with him. Especially when he got up and was running around. Then him bringing his toy to the table was the last straw. I had had it! 

No joke. This really happened.

He had his truck on the table. I told him we don't have toys at the supper table. He looked at me with those big brown eyes and said "It's not a toy. It's a fork lift." And he set his fork on the skid loader. Guess he put me in my place! 

And yes, Zeke.  Your cuteness and cleverness has done it again. You are one lucky boy...and I am one lucky mommy!

Big Foot

Eli:  "I can't wait for Dad to get home so he can tell me if Big Foot is real or not."

The Wrestler

Eli was so excited to finally get to wear a singlet.

So excited that I had a hard time getting it off of him. He wore it for two days straight...underneath his clothes so I didn't know. He has waited a long time to be a big boy wrestler.

The meet was on Friday night. On Saturday morning, he came into my room to wake me up. He was fully dressed in his singlet and said "Do I wrestle today, Mom?"

Marshmallows

When Ben got home tonight, Zeke was snacking on some marshmallows. Ben asked what he was eating, and Zeke answered "Mar Mallows, you want some. You like Mar Mallows, Daddy?" Ben told him he was fine...

Then he proceeded to look for his shoes. Ben asked what he was doing with his shoes and bowl of marshmallows. He told Ben "Let's go make a fire, Daddy. I wike Mar Mallows". We told him he couldn't go outside for a fire...that it was too cold. He then went to the stove where I had a candle burning. He got a big smile, tried to throw the marshmallow in the "fire" and said - "I make a fire dad. I wike Mar Mallow"

I can't wait for spring and supper. I am ready for some backyard fire pit fires!

Friday night Dual

The boys had the opportunity to participate in a dual team meet. This is a rare opportunity for this age of kids. That usually doesn't happen until High School.  The Little Huskies went to North Butler and got to compete as a team against three other teams.  Isaac didn't have any interest in participating. He goes to practices but does not like to do tournaments. We don't push him, just encourage him to find something he is involved with and enjoys.

Eli really wanted to wrestle so we rounded up a singlet and let him participate. He had the time of his life. He got pinned three times but smiled all the way! He LOVED it! He didn't really know what to do, but he had fun and that's all we cared about!

Evan had a really good night and won three times. He had a blast wrestling like the "big boys"

















Eli looked so tiny out there!

The neatest thing was watching the boys cheer on their teammates.



















Future State Champs?

The Huskies ended up getting 2nd place and came home with a big trophy.


















And seriously…how cute is this?

Winter

Winter for us means wrestling season. Our life is pretty much consumed by it. Ben has morning practice two days a week, practice at night and doesn't get home until 7 or so, meets during the week and tournaments every Saturday. That is just Ben's schedule. The boys have practice every Tuesday and Thursday night. They don't do many tournaments because most are on Saturdays and there is no way I am taking them by myself and playing "coach"!

Needless to say we are just in survival mode when in comes to November through February. Survival mode for us means getting through the day....barely. It means laundry (clean and dirty) piled up. It means tired and crabby. It means not having the right groceries. It means not sitting down for a meal together, but rather, eating on the run. It means concession stands. It means total exhaustion. It means being behind in school work.

We are in total survival around here.

Not sure we're gonna make it out alive :-)

Kalainoff Christmas

Isaac and Uncle Josh making gravy




All the little Kalainoff boys waiting patiently for their gifts.








Zeke loved the babies! He wanted to be a big helper like the older kids.

Come to think of it….everyone loved the babies!

The Babies

This Christmas was fun because we had two baby girls home in Iowa. Cora loved the boys and I have a feeling is going to miss all her cousins when she travels back to California. 





And how cool that Ella not only got to meet her Great-Grandma, but she also got to meet Great-Grandpa John too!

Nanny's Christmas

On Friday night, we had Nanny's Christmas. The house was full! We were only missing 4 great-grandchildren. How special for the kids to get to know their great-grandma!



Eli and Keegan get along so well and have so much fun together!





Evan and Ella - The biggest and the littlest Kalainoff grandchildren.






Ella meeting Nanny. How sweet!

Lennard Christmas

Christmas afternoon we traveled to Grundy Center for my family Christmas. It is so fun to watch the kids and see the wonders of Christmas through their eyes!

For each of the babies' first Christmases, they have gotten a wooden rocking chair from my parents. This was Zoe's first Christmas, so here she is in her new rocking chair!


Beautiful Christmas Girls.


The Lennard Grandkids