Busy Blogging

I’m really not as bad of a blogger as it probably appears.  Believe it or not, I’m constantly on my computer updating one of my other blogs.

First, there is my class blog . . . which I feel obligated to keep up since my kiddos at school {and their parents, grandparents} love checking it all the time to see all of the fun things we’ve been doing.

Then there’s my new blog that my friend Diane and I launched last month for other 1st grade teachers.  It’s linked to our TpT {Teachers Pay Teachers} store and it has been quite popular this past week.  Thanks to some fun giveaways that we offered there have been teachers from all over the country checking in and buying our products.  It’s been very exciting . . . but it also feels like another full time job!!!

Our Busy Weekend {In Pictures}

This was a jammed pack weekend of sporting events for us.  Besides playing in the 2-1 Tournament at Westurban, Grant also had two basketball games.  We finally charged the batteries in our {good} camera and got some great shots during last night’s basketball game . . . which we just happened to win 29-21.

 

Today we headed out to the ballpark early . . . all bundled up again!!!  Grant had three games back to back {10:30, 12:00, 2:00}.  They won one, tied one & lost one.  We had our first experience playing the Cardinal’s.  It seems so weird seeing Grant dressed in green in all of these pictures instead of red.  He played the majority of the day on 1st base and did a great job!!!

Here he is up to bat against the Cardinal’s.   It’s still very weird seeing all of his buddies in the outfield when he’s batting.

Grant also got to make his pitching debut of the season in our final game.            

Baseball is Back {already}

Even though it’s officially still winter we got back to baseball today.  It was a day full of new beginnings.  Not only was it Grant’s first baseball game of the season, but it was also his first time playing with his new team {The Wichita Athletics}.

This is a 2-1 tournament so every kid steps up to the plate with a 2-1 pitch count.  Luckily, he cranked one of his first pitches out into right field and it actually got stuck in the fence!!!    

Jeff helped out on first base today and I was kind of hoping to get a picture of him and Grant there together.   {I don’t think I’ve had one of those shots since the early days of tee ball.}  I guess I’ll have to keep waiting though because Jeff flagged him on around to second base before I could get my camera ready.

  

Here he is on third base with one of his {new} coaches . . . Gary!!!

I even got a little smile after he crossed the plate and was running into the dugout!!!

From these pictures you can probably tell that Grant had to bulk up for the game.  Thanks to the cold Kansas wind he had 5 layers on top and 3 on the bottom.  We are crossing our fingers for much warmer temperatures tomorrow.  Since our first game got cancelled this morning due to the wind-chill we have three games left to play tomorrow.

Fear the Phog

In Social Studies Grant’s class has been learning about Kansas.  This past week they had a living wax museum.  Each student was assigned a famous Kansan and had to do some research and prepare a speech about their famous person and present it to parents and students.  Grant was Phog Allen.  Here he is all decked out in his KU gear.   

Luckily I was able to sneak over to Grant’s school on Thursday afternoon and see Phog Allen in person.  I also got to see lots of former {famous} students.  I have to admit I was a little surprised at how many famous Kansans were represented. 

Glow In the Dark {Mini} Golf

Yesterday we took Grant and his friend Cameron to Towne West mall to play glow in the dark mini golf.  Once they realized how cool their white t-shirts looked under the black light they ditched their coats and sweatshirts.  They also had Jeff videotape EVERY single hole so they didn’t have to keep score.  Then they watched all of their videos when we got home. 

Who knew two boys could get so many hours of  enjoyment out of a round of mini golf???

    

I just noticed the Welcome Girl Scouts sign in the background . . . how funny!!!

Let It Snow!

Last night it began snowing and continued on and off for the majority of the day.  Grant and I both crossed our fingers before bed last night in hopes that we would get to enjoy a snow day today. . . but no luck!!!  Jeff is out of town so I got the fun job of clearing off the driveway as soon as I got home from work tonight.  While I was busy doing that Grant was enjoying some fun in the snow with our neighbor Autumn.

It seemed like a good idea to Grant to get buried alive in the snow.  

I think he rethought that idea after half of Autumn’s driveway got shoveled on top of him.  Luckily he had a warm electric blanket turned on to high waiting for him when he got home.  Smart boy, huh???

Christmas 2010

On Thursday {December 23} we packed up the car and headed to Winfield.  We were hoping to do a little shopping at the Rubbermaid store but it was closed, so instead we just spent the day relaxing and watching movies.

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve morning Jeff, me, my dad, my sister and my grandma decided to try our luck at one of the Indian Casino’s just over the state line.  Grant stayed home with Grandma Linda to help her with some cooking.  It didn’t take us long to lose so we were home before lunch. 

As a little surprise this year Grant got to open two gifts on Christmas Eve.  We let him open the first one earlier in the day in hopes that it would keep him occupied.

Here he is with the first gift of Christmas.  It was a set of Club Penguin cards.  Not only is it a card game, but there are also cards with codes that Grant could use on his Club Penguin online account.  As you can tell from his smile, he was very surprised.  We had spent the entire day on Wednesday looking for a set of cards just like this that he wanted to buy with his own money.  Little did he know, I had already got him a set!!!Here’s Spiro getting a little {Christmas Eve} love from Jeff.My grandma’s little dog Tiger wanted in on the attention too. 

He’s really not as evil as he looks in this picture.  He just happened to yawn right as I snapped the picture.

We took a few pictures after we got back from church on Christmas Eve.

Then Grant opened his other Christmas Eve gift . . .  

 

SURPRISE . . . It was Christmas pajamas!!!

What says Christmas more than a friendly, family game of poker.   My dad and Jeff taught Grant and my sister how to play 5 Card Draw.   They raided my dad’s jar of quarters before they got started.

This is Grant’s poker face.He has obviously watched too much poker on tv because he had to wear his hoodie while he was playing.

Christmas Morning

As you can see Santa didn’t miss us  in Winfield this year.  Grant got a fun dice game that provided hours of fun Christmas night and a flying monkey, which Spiro absolutely hates. 

Here’s Jeff launching it for the first time.Santa also brought Grant CUPONK . . .

Dad {with Sprio and  Casey}

Mom getting her new office chair . . . with a little help from Grant!!!A few more presents for Grant . . .

    Jeff loved all of his new eBags.  Now he’s ready to start packing for his first trip of the year.

Jeff was super excited to model his new vest . . . can’t you tell?!?!Nana loved her new Keurig coffee machine.

I think my dad was just happy entertaining all of the dogs.

I got this new fancy case for my laptop that came with an extra bag from Jeff’s grandma.  Even though it was beautiful, my stuff didn’t actually fit inside of it very well.  Luckily I was able to exchange it for a black one that holds everything perfectly and is on wheels.

Aunt Karen loved the new stone we got her for her Studio Ring.

The fun came when everyone started opening their bags of purses from Gran.  It’s become a tradition for Gran to give everyone purses for Christmas.  She loves to hit up the sales at Dillard’s throughout the year.   In all the excitement I didn’t even get a picture of the three new Kathy Van Zeeland purses I got.

I love the look on Nana’s face in this picture!!!  Can you tell she loves her new yellow Fossil purse?

I think my Grandma Norma loves her new Jessica Simpson purse, too!!!

My dad and Jeff drove to Emporia to pick Miles up during the afternoon and then we did Christmas all over again with him that evening.  One of the gifts from Santa was for both boys so Grant had to wait and open it with Miles.   

The boys also got electric blankets {which they both loved} from Jeff’s grandma.

Miles got his own flying monkey and Right Left Center game in his stocking.  He also got several VISA gift cards so he could do a little after Christmas shopping.

        

His big gift was a laptop.  It was fun to see how excited he was.

Miles brought Grant a baggie filled with practical jokes.  If you look carefully it looks like Grant has a nail through his bloody, bandaged finger in this picture.  He also got some ice cubes with spiders in them, a whoopy cushion and some trick bubblegum.

After our yummy Christmas dinner the boys scratched the lottery tickets that were in their stocking.  Grant ended up being the big winner.  He won $2 and Miles won a free ticket.

     

  As you can see we had a VERY Merry Christmas!!!