Check it Out!

A book that is!

Man! Do we have a ton of books! We have books everywhere!  The kids love to read and be read to.  I find it pretty hard to say "no" to them when they want to purchase books at the Book Fair or through the school's book order. They especially love to go to the public library and bring piles and piles of books home.  They know exactly where to go for their favorite ones and go to the counter to check the books out themselves. 

When DD was in Kindergarten she started wanting to borrow "chapter books."  DD and Dig would sit on my lap and listen carefully to Junie B. Jones or The Magic Treehouse books.  My lap is too small now, but we still love to read together on the couch or on their beds. 

Over the past few years, our book collection has grown so much that the only logical thing to do was designate a portion of our toyroom to be "The Luiken Library." 

Nanny and Pa got the kids a few book shelves and the kids got to work!  We set up a little area for checking out, DD assigned everyone in the family a "library number," she has stamps, a calendar to know when you need to return the books, a book return basket, bookmarks for those who check out a book...just about anything you would need in a library! 

DD & Dig organized the books into categories for example, Phonics, Beginning Readers, Seasons, Holidays, Back to School, Birthdays, Junie B's, Treehouse, Fly Guy, Non-Fiction Animals, Dr. Seuss, Boys, Jesus, Little House, Sports, you get the idea...pretty similar to how they find them at the 'real' library.  We, yes, we, (I have to admit, it's quite fun for me, too!) change up the books that are in the spotlight each week, season, holiday, whatever.  Right now the books on display on top of the book cases are Valentine's and Birthday books because DD turns 8 on Thursday! We also find little decorations like the bee that says "Bee Mine" or a little toy birthday cake with the birthday books.  It's so fun!

Each time anyone gets a new book it's put in The Luiken Library.  We still have an overflowing book basket in the living room, books in bedrooms, books on the kitchen counters, but most of our books end up downstairs. One of the kids checks you out, puts your name and Library number in the notebook, the date you took it and the date you need to have it returned...and it doesn't matter who you are...the rules are rules.  If you don't bring them back you owe MONEY!  Just ask Nanny and Pa, who evidently neglected to bring their last books back in a timely matter because Nanny walked in with wad of one dollar bills as she entered The Luiken Library today!  Each kid ended up with ten dollars before those two left...hmm.  We may be on to something here.




DD is helping Nanny checkout a Ramona book.



Dig's helping Pa find a good book.

The kids love to spend time in the library and I'm thrilled it's keeping them excited about reading.

Long Weekend

What a busy, fun-filled weekend! The kids had a playdate with cousins Delia and Elliot Saturday morning.  Actually, we mommies use this "playdate" excuse often for a reason to get together for coffee.  I'm so blessed to have Mindy as a 'cousin-in-law' but I know we'd be friends even if we weren't family!  The kids have so much fun together!

After lunch, Saturday, cousins Cade & Lillian came over while their mom went shopping.  Then on Sunday,
we headed to Mimi's to see cousins Cade, Lillian, Mara, Cali and Clay.  Wowza!  When we get these kiddos all together, things can get cuh-razy!  Lane enjoyed taking Cade to Open Gym with him.  Cade loves sports, too.

D & Dig didn't have school Monday so we planned a fun outing to a hotel pool in Iowa Falls, just the kids and I.  We were there just over an hour, but the kids had a great time playing together. We'll definitely have to do it more this winter!  (didn't take the camera...phone pics will have to do!)

Now, it's time for this momma to get the house back in order...I took the long-weekend off of housekeeping, too!

Thanksgiving

Hey...at least I've made it to November!

We only had one Thanksgiving get together this year, as some of the Luiken bunch headed to Kansas City to spend the holiday with Mike and Trudi.  We were all able to be together a few weeks later for Christmas. 

Back in Iowa, the Balvanz, Larson, Danielson and Luiken gang gathered for a day of giving thanks and enjoying great food and family. 



The Welcoming Committee! 
Even Baby Sammi had a vest & headress!

 The kids have a Thanksgiving tradition that they've done since they could walk, (I may have posted about this in previous years?)  The night before, they head over to Mom's and help set the table for Thanksgiving dinner.  They then eat grapes UNDER the table.  Don't know how it started, but it was something they'd done every year...until this one! There was no "eating-grapes-under-the-table" this year.  Mom was kind of sad thinking that the kids thought they were too big to do it this year. 

She really wasn't grumpy!

The kids also had fun making Indian head dresses and vests out of brown paper bags.  The Indians welcomed each guest as they arrived...even Nan and Pa dressed the part! 

Pa wearing what I think is part of Uncle Steve's Eagle Scout outfit. 

 Pa made this!

Instead of eating snacks under the table this year.

The weather was so nice...and Lane's "favorite-at-the-moment" football team, the Detroit Lions played that day, so he was in the mood to play football! He talked about making everyone play all week! 

The kids also always want to see Tom the Turkey before anyone cuts into him. 

 Nanny always has something "a little fancy" this year it was a horn-of-plenty made of bread.

We stuffed ourselves silly that day.  Wish I had leftovers for lunch today!

Halloween in January

I've warned you about the crazy order, but there were a few pictures I needed to post waaaay back from Halloween.  I'm getting caught up! 
 

Dig can always talk Daddy into wearing a helmet.
Kind of hard to eat supper in one though!! 



Dig does not like carving pumpkins.  Never has. 
He got creative this year and used a plastic glove!

My lil' pumpkin



Disregard the groceries on the counter!



Kind of blury, but Great Grandma Mary had lots of candy for her kids.



Did you dye your hair Grandma Great!? 



The kids didn't want to Trick-or-Treat for long,
 so we helped pass out candy with Nanny &  Pa.



Only 2 Months Ago...

Hey, give me a break.  No, really.  Knock-it-off. 

Oh.  What? Wait.  That's me making ME feel guilty? 

Two months ago, Lane Ryan had his first Veteran's Day Program.  If you grew up in the Eldora-New Providence school district, or I guess, South Hardin now, you know being a "Red, White and Blue Singer" is a pretty big deal.  We have one of the biggest programs in the state. 

I get choked up and teary every.single.time. 

I need a better zoom lense, so these aren't the greatest.  But I want Lane to see them someday and remember his debut in the Red, White and Blue!

Dig's pretty much right in the middle of the screen. 

In between the two poles, front row.

There he is again, about 6 in from the left.  =)

Took me a while to find DD...but she's in front of the lone

tall guy about 3 faces to the right of the teacher in the middle row.

Pretty Rocks

I've figured out that part of the reason I don't post regularly is because I'm too darn emotional.  There are things that I want to post about but I know I'll get teary or sad writing it and I am selfish.  I don't want to be sad.  This story is an example.  I took the pictures way back in April of last year, thinking I should/could post it then, didn't happen.  But that's not even when this all took place...I hate to admit it's from DD's Kindergarten year.  She's a second grader.  Enough said. 

It's just a fact that Drue had a difficult time transitioning to school.  If you know me at all...you know that.  Kindergarten proved to be the worst.  Drue cried most mornings before school.  She had a wonderful teacher and many friends, it's just that she was missin' her momma.  Her momma missed her, too.

One day after school, I found a little hand full of playground rocks at the bottom of her backpack.  I was about to throw them away but decided to ask why she had them. 

"Cuz when I'm feeling sad and missing you, I sit under the playground equipment all by myself and find pretty rocks for you."

The rocks are...and forever will be, safe in a little Mason jar sitting in the kitchen window.  I tear up thinking about those days. 

Along with aluminum foil swans the kids made with Pa

Dig's even made me a special love note to keep in my special jar.

It's a little better now, two years later...but those little pretty rocks will always be special to me.

Better Late Than Never

It's true.  I've morphed into a Blog-Stalker instead of Blog-Writer.  I have such good intentions.  I really do.  Doesn't the little list on the counter with all the possible post ideas count for something?  No?  I think part of my problem is I think I have to write some long, detailed post every time.  When I feel I don't have time for a long post, I decide it would be better to just wait until I have time.  Well, I haven't been making that time lately and I hate that. 

I've told myself that this year I will post more often.  I will make myself post before checking the black-hole, time-sucking Pinterest.  I will post before I read all of the overnight gossip from Facebook and I'll post before I read all the blogs that people actually make time to update and that consume my morning.  Please keep me accountable. 

The purpose of this blog is to have a record/journal/diary of our life for D & Dig.  So as long as it's down, even if it's in the most screwy order ever...it's better late than never, right? 

HERE WE GO...


Waay back on November 8, we woke to a beautiful covering of heavy, wet snow.  I thought for sure it would be here to stay, but that is the only snow we've had so far all winter! Can you believe that? Today the expected high is somewhere around 60 degrees! January in Iowa...bizzare. 

The kids had to get outside before school to play...and taste!



My Bubby is always so helpful.  He loves to shovel the drive way!



Look at those skinny-minnie legs!

My girl loves to eat snow!

Pumpkins AND a snowman on the front step!

A little target practice on the dumpster!

I must have worked that day.  How can you tell?

Well, for one...I'm DRESSED! I think I even did my hair,

although, you never can tell with me.  =)

There ya' have it.  One thing crossed off my "To-Blog-About" list.