Komodo Dragons

Tayah had to do an animal report at school. She chose the komodo dragon. Because why not, right? I thought I would share what Tayah wrote.

Komodo Dragons

By Tayah Cade

Komodo Dragons are mostly three feet tall. 

They eat deer, buffalo, pig, people, and carrion. Komodo Dragons live in Asia, Indonesia, and volcanic islands. They just walk and stay on the ground. 

They do not make any sounds. Luckely Komodo Dragons do not get shot and killed for short and made in to shoes and dresses. Komodo Dragons live in small groups. They can weigh up to 150 pounds. That's a lot! Komodo Dragons have tongues that are fork shaped. One thing I know is I love them.

Officially Fall

Today is the first day of fall. I love fall! The weather has been beautiful and it is making up for our awful spring we had. The school year is starting off well. Tayah is in 2nd grade and does very well in school. She doesn't ask for much "extra" help from us. She gets it and it isn't a big struggle for her. She is very social and enjoys school overall. Collin started his first year of preschool. He has a busy schedule for a little guy between his speech 4 times a week, OT one time a week, school 2 times a week, and an evening ECFE class that I attend with him one time a week. He never complains and is always willing to go. As if that isn't enough he does karate 2 times a week as well. It's only fair that he gets to choose something to do that he wants to do and really enjoys. Plus I feel like it is helpful in the areas we are working on with him. Tayah does gymnastics and is really enjoying that and looking forward to moving up to the next level. We have begun the count down to her birthday. She turns 8 this year and chose to have a sleepover with a couple friends. 11 days and counting.

It's July!!

Okay playing catch up now that we are into July! Slow down summer! June was a busy month. We have been enjoying the nice weather every second we can. Collin is turning 4 next month and got a bike this summer and is getting quite good at it. Ben can no longer keep up with him on it.

Ben and I spent a week in California to celebrate our 10th Anniversary!! It was so wonderful to get to spend that time together and reconnect, just the two of us. This is the first time we have left the kids for a whole week. Kids are old enough now where it went well and they were in good hands with grandma. Ben and I traveled all over California in a mustang convertible and even made it over to Vegas for a night on our actual anniversary.

At the Jimmy Kimmel show in Hollywood.

Our anniversary dinner at Nobu at Caesar's Palace in Vegas.

8000 ft on top of a mountain in Palm Springs.

Renewing our vow at a drive thru chapel in VEGAS!

Love him so much, I married him twice!

Temucula, California wine country at a tasting.

We also have been spending as many free weekends as we can at our farm in western Minnesota. We were out there for a few days for the 4th of July. We had lots of fun in the sun.

There is a city pool just down the road from our farm which is lots of fun.

It's not a trip to the farm unless we stop at Runnings.

Tubing on the 4th.

Ben's sunflowers are growing!

And last, but not least, I started a little side hobby and started selling for Jamberry, a really awesome company that sells really cute nail wraps. {insert plug here, so go check them out!!}http://taranailjams.jamberrynails.net/

Happy Mother's Day

This is how I spend my Mother's Day weekend. I was turkey hunting in River Falls, WI. Ben and I took off Thursday evening and came back home Sunday afternoon and got to spend some time with the kids and our moms. We had a great time though. Came home with one turkey and just purchased my MN turkey tag today for the end of May.

Here is my mom and dad with the grandkids (and Holly) carrying one more in her tummy.

What's New

We have a new member of the Lee family. My brother Jason and his wife Katie, along with (little) big brother Asher, welcomed a little girl. Sloane Evangeline was born on Sunday. She is precious and fits right in line with our boy/girl ratio. Girl: Tayah, Boy: Collin, Girl: Grace, Boy: Asher, Girl: Sloane....Justin and Holly, your turn, a boy perhaps???


It was our spring break this week. Maybe the longest week of the year. Trying to entertain the school kids is a challenge in itself. Tayah went to work with Ben yesterday and apparently had so much fun she didn't want to come home. I guess she did drawings, played games on the computer, and went to lunch with dad. But back to school and thank goodness cause I'm exhausted.

Collin also starts his private speech therapy through Courage Kenny Kids/Buffalo Hospital next week. He will be going twice a week for an hour each session. Plus he will still be receiving his 6 visits a month with his speech therapist through the school. It's a pricey expense but will be well worth it. Trying to kick it in high gear the next 2 years until he starts kindergarten.

Ben and I booked a trip for our 10 year anniversary coming up in June. We had hopes of making it to Hawaii but after waiting several months on a waiting list for the resort we wanted and then getting Collin into Courage Kenny, we decided to change our plans and do something a little less expensive. So we are headed to California (neither of us have been there). We have a mustang convertible rented to do much sight seeing. We look forward to that.

Ben and I also have our 2nd annual turkey hunt coming up in May. Hoping for a bit of a warm up and for the snow to be officially gone by then.

Almost 60 by SUNDAY!! Can we say, It's about time!! 

 

The 100th Day of School

Tayah celebrated her 100th day of school a couple weeks ago. They always make it themed and do fun things to celebrate. Tayah had a little writing assignment she did with questions and she had to answer them. Ben and I laughed at what she wrote. Her answers were "very Tayah". Thought I would share:

1. Happy 100th day of School! What would you choose if you could have 100 of anything?

I would choose little baby labs. I would choose 100 of them because they are cute and cuddly.


2. If you had to eat 100 of one sort of food, what would you choose to eat?

I would choose 100 walnuts. I would choose 100 of them because you have to crack them to eat them.

3. If it was your 100th birthday, how would you spend your day?

I would spend my day at the Amaze' N Farm and have so much fun.

4. Would you rather have 100 pet snakes or 100 pet dinosaurs?

I would choose 100 pet snakes because if I get 100 pet dinosaurs they will crush me.

5. Would could you do 100 times that would make you tired or sore?

Spinning around 100 times will do the trick.

6. If you had 100 dollars, what would you buy?

I would choose to buy a horse because I could ride it to school.

7. Would you rather live with 100 ants or 100 butterflies?

I would choose to  live with 100 butterflies because they will not eat my socks.

Heart Day!

(I'm a week behind), last week was Valentine's Day. We ended up just staying home and making a nice dinner at home. Ben brought home fresh lobster. We also had salad, asparagus, and garlic bread, and good wine. Ben and I said, no gifts. I did get him/us some really yummy chocolate covered strawberries for dessert. Ben sent Tayah and I flowers. We were looking forward to putting the kids to bed and watching season 2 of House of Cards, which was released on Valentine's Day. It was a pretty good day.

Tayah was worried about the lobsters screaming. Just for the record, they don't scream.

It was also pajama day for us at home. Pretty great day!

  

Star Student

Tayah was a Star Student for the month of January. They have a big ceremony at school and somehow we missed getting the information on when the ceremony was (It was following a bunch of days off for Holiday break and then a couple Snow Days). Parents can attend and they have cookies after the ceremony. Tayah came home all excited, "Mom our Star Student Assembly was today." Ben is flexible when it comes to work so he could have attended but I think with having a bunch of days off we missed getting the memo. We felt bad we missed it. Tayah said she had to eat her cookie with the principal, which made us feel even worse but she said she didn't mind. Ben surprised her at school the next day to pick her up from school and took her out for pie to make up for missing the program. Way to go Tayah!!


Thanks Kia for thinking of us and snapping a couple pictures for us.

It's Been a While

It's been a while since I've updated the blog so I thought I would put up a quick post. Collin (3) is really into puzzles. I thought I'd take a photo to add to the blog so I snapped this photo and following he said, "Stop taking pictures of me, Mom." Figures. Collin's  speech is coming along nicely. He has been in speech for almost a year. His teacher comes about 1-2 times a week and it is still going really well. We are planning on him starting preschool in the fall. He is a home body and enjoys being home with mom (or dad) but I think preschool would be a good thing for him. We keep asking him questions like "So, do you get to go to preschool in the fall." "Are you going to ride a school bus like Nonnie (his name for Tayah)" He thinks about it and politely says, "Nope, Not me." Tayah was more than ready for school and it was easy to send her off. I feel like Collin is going to be a little more difficult.
Tayah is in 1st grade and loves school. She thrives at school and is the type of kid who needs to stay busy or she gets herself into trouble. She is 7 going on 15. I fear the teenage years with her. She is in gymnastics and is planning on doing soccer in the spring.
This winter has been brutal and long and cold. I don't mind the snow but the cold is annoying. I know Ben struggles in this weather and would love to move south (Arkansas would be Ben's ideal.) He received my permission to sell everything and I would be okay with moving but it really is easier said than done. We have too many properties and things established to just be able to pick up and leave. We celebrate 10 years of being married this year so we are planning a special get away for at that time. Looking forward to that.

Other than trying to stay warm we have spent as many weekends as we could at The Farm. I look forward to spending some time there in the summer and out on the lake. Which I am sure will happen quite a bit.

How many more weeks of winter Mr. Groundhog?

Christmas

Another year gone. That went so fast!! We had a nice Christmas. We spent another weekend at Grand View in Brainerd with the whole family. Ben and I spent a night in Minneapolis to celebrate New Years. I turned another year older yesterday and my brothers are celebrating turning 30 today. That is shocking to me.

                         Here is our group at Grandview.

THE FARM

Landscape photo of the property.

The kitchen "after". I painted over about 6 layers of wallpaper.

Room to run!

Found a salamander

I just realized I haven't posted anything about "the farm" as we call it. We bought a farm in western Minnesota with some good friends of ours, Levi and Steph. It's a hunting house, so to speak. We plan on heading there this weekend. The kids love to go and I really do too. It's a nice place to go and relax. I like to do home projects while I am there. The kids run and explore. I see lots of fun memories to be made here.

History of the house:

 The house was the original school house of the small little towns. When they rebuilt the school house a farmer bought the school house and moved it to his farm on logs using horses. Half way, the house got stuck so he cut it in half and took half the house and someone took the other half. So our house is half the original school house. Kinda a cool story. Here is a picture I found of it as the school house.  

Disney

We are back from our Not So Scary Halloween Party in Disney World. We had a nice time and left just when the weather here started getting cold. We enjoyed our sun and 80's for a few days while we were there. We went with Ben's mom, sister, and nephew. Now I am scrambling to get our MN Halloween ready. Picking up a (warmer) halloween costume for my Russell who is now going as Sulley from Monster Inc. Adding extra layers to Vanellope's costume. Picking up treats for the trick or treaters. Calling it good.

Tayah as Vanellope from "Wreck it Ralph"

Emily and I even dressed up as Belle and Alice

Collin as "Russell" from "Up"

The Haunted Mansion