The Boys are Back!

The Boys are Back...the Boys are back! I so wish I had taken pictures of the reunion between the boys and the girls! It was too precious. It is so true that "absence makes the heart grow fonder" at least with siblings:-) Surprisingly, the effects lasted a whole 24 hours!

So where did our boys go? It is hard to name all the places, but here's a taste of a few things they did....

-Bungee Trampoline in Purgatory

-Train ride from Durango, CO to Silverton

-Trolley ride in Silverton (purchased on eBay, no less!)

-Hiked to Spruce Tree House Pueblo in Mesa Verde

-Earned Junior Ranger Badges at the Grand Canyon

-Hiked the Bright Angel Trail in Grand Canyon and saw a chipmunk, 6 BIG elk, 4 mule deer, 2 lizards, many ravens, condors and bluebirds.

-Played Skip-Bo, where Owen became reigning champion

-Drove over the Hoover Dam

-Bought many multi-colored M&M's and an M&M tie for dad at M&M World in Las Vegas

-Saw "Mystiere," a Cirque de Soleil performance, at Treasure Island

-Danced with the fountains at the Bellagio

Wow....not many 5 and 8 year olds can claim to have done all that! What a great trip they had! Thanks to Nanny and Papa B. for taking the boys on this memorable trip!

Our week with the girls...

Darran and I have had a week of just the girls, while the boys took their bi-annual trip with Nanny and Papa B. (aka Ann and Blaine). I think Darran is a little ready to even the playing field but we have a terrific week.

Last Saturday, we took the girls shopping at the outlet malls in Osage Beach. How is it that girls just know how to shop? They loved it! We stocked up on some great summer bargains and then headed to play putt-putt (mini golf). We had a lot of fun and were shocked that Claire even got a hole-in-one once! We also ate at their favorite restaurant, House of Chow (aka Crab Rangoon to them). I didn't even have Chinese food until I was in high school but the girls are big fans, especially of the crab rangoon.

On Sunday, we took Charlie on a 3 mile walk/run on the trail in Rocheport. We made it all the way to the I-70 bridge. The girls were so proud of themselves. We also visited great-grandma Clarice and took her to her favorite restaurant these days, IHOP:-) The girls and I also visited the MO Theatre in downtown Columbia. The symphony and the MO Contemporary Ballet performed "Peter and the Wolf." The girls love the ballet and enjoyed the symphony aspect a lot as well. This was part of the symphony's family series so it was very geared for the kiddos. After the show, the kids got to go on stage for the "petting zoo." They had lots of instruments for the kids to try out...piccolo, flute, violin, cello, bass, harp, french horn and a trumpet. That was really neat!

On Monday, Daddy spent the day with his girls while I worked. They helped him clean the garage, took naps and enjoyed a lazy afternoon.

On Tuesday, we had a full day, starting with gymnastics, dance and then an afternoon of manicures and pedicures. Emma even got her ears pierced! Claire decided she would wait until she is a bit older, maybe six:-)

On Wednesday, we went to Wilson's Beach Club. This was our first trip there since summer began. We finally had a hot, sunny day to enjoy the pool. Emma is a natural in the water. She really loves it. She swims under water and strives to swim further each time. Claire is a bit more timid but loves it as long as her head stays above water. She is working on putting her head under though and I'm sure she'll succeed before the summer is over. We also visited great-grandma again and went out to lunch. They enjoy spending time with her and I am able to get her around pretty easily when I have just the two girls. Great-grandma is 92 and still loves to get out to lunch:-) The girls had a tee-ball game that evening as well. They did great. We barely finished the game before the storms started though. It was a hot and sticky game!

On Thursday, the girls and I cleaned and purged the clothes and toys in their room. They were great at sorting through what they didn't need anymore. We have SIX large trashbags of clothes and toys (mostly stuffed animals---I'm convinced they multiply at night!). Whew! We then went out with our dear friend and Claire's godmother, Kathy. We ate at House of Chow again--the boys aren't big fans of House of Chow, so the girls wanted to make sure they had their fill while the boys were gone. We had a great visit! We topped off our evening with a quick swim in the pool. Claire even stuck her face in the water...it's progress!

On Friday, we watched Evelyn, the girls' almost 5-month old cousin. She was a sweetie and the girls were such big helpers. They loved having her over to visit. They read to her, sang to her, helped with diaper changes. They said it must have been hard work for Brendan to have 3 babies to help out with when they were born:-) That evening we had BIG plans! We went to the Lyceum Theatre in Arrow Rock to see "Annie." Our friends and neighbors, Gwen and her mom Natalie came with us. The girls were sooooo good. The show didn't even start until 8pm, making it a very late night. They were all troopers. Here's a pic of the great friends..

On Saturday, we had a visit from my dad and his wife, Brenda. We took a walk on the trail and then a hike up to Les Bourgeois Winery, where we ate at the Bistro. Yummy! What a beautiful view as well. We ate and drank our fill before walking back to our car. We barely made it back before more rain came.

Today we've had a "normal" Sunday. Darran is working, so we haven't done much for Father's Day. We've done Sunday School and the girls are now napping. There has been lots of talk about the boys coming home. I love that they have missed each other while they were apart. How long that will last is another story:-) We have enjoyed the time with just the girls, but are looking forward to having our boys home. Of course, this will mean the house will be MUCH noisier, but we wouldn't have it any other way!

Graham Cave State Park

Well, we survived two nights in the Great Outdoors!  We traveled a mere 55 miles from home, just in case we had to make a quick exit.  The kids did great and we parents survived, despite the fact that we too slept on the hard, hard ground.

Graham Cave State Park is in Mineola, MO, just off of I-70.  Who knew a state park was hidden so near the highway?  It is mostly a wooded park with several hiking trails.  There wasn't any fishing or swimming but the kids found plenty of things to do.  The picture shows the cave which is actually an archeological find.  The kids were a little disappointed that they didn't get to go in very far.  However, it was still pretty cool.  

So what else did we do?  Hiked a good 2-3 miles....discovered a trail that was invested with ticks and mosquitos....played wiffle ball....played on the playground....roasted hot dogs.....made s'mores....made ice cream (yes!)....had a picnic....experienced our first camping shower...spent 2 hours poking a tree with a stick (Owen did anyway)....sat around the campfire...ate sugary cereal...and much more!

All in all, a successful first trip.  Next time we'll be ready for a little further from home...maybe Bennett Springs or Mark Twain.  We definitely will invest in some stronger bug spray, as we are STILL itching from all the bug bites!

Kids on Track

Some of you already know that last year the kids participated in the Kids on Track program sponsored by the local hospital.  Well, we are doing it again!  Kids on Track is a cumulative marathon (that's 26.2 miles, folks!!) run over the course of the summer.  The kids receive incentive prizes for each 5 miles they complete, with a big celebration at the end of the summer.  Today we kicked it off with a 2 mile run...yes, 2 miles!  I couldn't believe they did it (or that I did it, for that matter:D).  Our goal for the day was actually only 1 mile.  However, I think it was a combination of the newness and the wonderful 65 degree temperatures that made them want to keep running more.  We took a break after 1 mile to get rehydrated and our pace was not all that fast, but I am so proud of them!

Southwest Play School Graduation 2009

A is for Alberty!

It is so hard to believe the triplets graduated from preschool. *Sniff, Sniff*  It is amazing how far we have come in the last 5+ years.  I am so proud of the great kids they have turned out to be!  It was kinda funny to see Claire as the first one to graduate, as she is our "baby."  We typically do everything in birth order (Emma, Owen, Claire) and didn't even think about alphabetical order trumping that during school.  I was proud of her for going first and being so brave.  A year or two ago she would have melted at the thought of being singled out.  She was so proud!  

Claire basking in the glow.  

The swings are one of her favorite spots on the playground.  They all have perfected the art of "pumping" and she, in particular, loves to swing.  I think Claire has actually changed the most over the preschool years.  She used to cry when I left or when singled out to do something.  Now she is a confident 5 year old who has become incredibly social.  Check out those Baby Legs!  Great leg warmers- perfect fit, don't slide down, come in many colors, aren't too thick...just right for a girl who loves to wear skirts year-round!    Way to go, Claire!

What a gorgeous smile!

Emma is definitely ready for the next step.  Now that she has checked preschool graduation off of her list, she talks non-stop about kindergarten.  I am amazed at how much more she knows than Brendan did at this age, that they all know.  She is just a sponge soaking up everything that Brendan is learning.  She is the patient observer, listening when we do his homework and remembering it!  Her biggest hurdle will be learning to let others be the leader sometimes. Darran says she is a "mini-me," which I guess is his nice way of calling her a control freak:-)  I turned out okay!  Congratulations, Emma!!

Doesn't he look like he is up to something??

Owen has such a big heart.  He could often be seen helping a friend who skinned his knee or giving hugs to the teacher, Miss Garrett.  He really is such a thoughtful boy.  It has been fun to watch him develop friendships with boys his age.  He always has the girls to play with but it has been fun watching him play with boys his own age too.  He usually is much more calm and polite at school than home....he saves up all his mischievousness for at home!  Awesome job, Owen!

 

I finally got around to adding a picture of Emma playing t-ball.  It has been really fun to watch them all play.  Emma is busy learning the rules of the game. Claire is busy looking cute while playing.  And Owen really love the game of baseball playing catch with Brendan as often as possible.  We're excited for Uncle Patrick's visit next week so he can see them play!

Team Rangers

Emma, Owen and Claire have joined the Rangers tee-ball team (sponsored by D&H Drug Store, of course)!  The rain finally stayed away and on Tuesday night they had their very first game. Emma actually had to sit this one out because she has a sinus infection and wasn't feeling up to it.  Claire and Owen did a great job though!  It is hard to believe they are playing tee-ball.  It seems not so long ago that Brendan had his first tee-ball game.  Of course, he knew nothing about baseball when he started, while the other three have the advantage of watching him play for the last few years.  They at least knew how to run the bases and how to hit the ball.  They seemed like pros!  

Owen has an amazing swing.  He is such an athletic kid.  He is always wanting to practice at home.  He has quite an arm and made a terrific throw from third base over to first. He had some great hits as well, hitting it to the grass (which if you have been to many tee-ball games is not very common amongst tee-ball hitters, at least in my experience!).

Owen rounding third...what a hit!

Claire also did a great job with hitting and even knew where to throw the ball when she stopped it (FIRST, Claire, FIRST!). It is so cute to see her stop the ball, then "pop up" and aim and throw.  I am smiling just thinking about it.  She is, not surprisingly, the littlest one out there, but she isn't afraid to get in there with the boys.  She actually was the only girl playing on the team on Tuesday, since Emma was out sick.  She sure didn't seem to mind!

Claire after scoring at home...how cute is she?

 We would love to have you stop by a game sometime.  You can't help but smile:-)