Our new backyard pet - Croakie

Ok so Toadie is dead and has his own headstone in our garden. (It is a big peice of bark from our landscaping) The produce next to him is growing well! :)

A few days ago we caught another random toad jumping around our hasta bushes. The kids name him Croakie (I thought that was appropriate for reasons that were different than the boys' reasons -smile)

John explains to them that we can put him in the habitat but he can't live in there like Toadie. He is MUCH bigger and will surely die in there. So later in the day with a tear filled Caleb we let him go. We tell Caleb that we are doing what is best for Croakie and that we will probably see him again because he will stay alive this way. (knowing the "next one" we see will actually be some other toad).

Well sure enough a few days later we see him again and 1 day after that we see him yet again. Well this sure was a good "lesson" especially for Caleb. He is SUPER excited that Croakie is living in our yard and eating our bugs.

Yesterday we saw him shoot out his tongue and catch a mosquito. Double good because Caleb just got a mosquito bite and is thrilled there is one less in our yard.

So this toad has taken up residence in our outdoor playhouse. So if you are over playing in our yard - Watch your step - there just might be a camouflaged toad nearby.

Ready for Summer

So all of the boys (John included) are now sporting buzz cuts. (I wish I could do that to mine).
The pool is pumped up and filled. We have secured new water guns and have even bought a slide to go into the pool.

I have already had my first sunburn. David's hair is WHITE and his face is freckled. Nathan and Caleb both have the best farmers tans I have seen in some time.

I love summer.

I was getting my feet sandal pretty and Caleb requests for me to paint his toes too. I hesitate wondering if I should fill this request or not. What the heck - I paint his toes too. Then Nathan chimes in, he wants his done too. So both Nathan and Caleb have their toes done. I guess that is the closest I get to mom/daughter pedicures.

Mom - Do you want to get a pedicure with me?

boy noise

A quick post of the backround "music" I get to hear all the time.

I notice Nathan making boy noise - no I don't mean farting - while playing with matchbox cars and airplanes today.



So at 21 months he already makes all the appropriate noises that go along with his boy toys.

I wasn't fast enough to get it on film but here is a clip of what boy noise is (from the oldest 2 boys) I have to say that I would rather listen to this than that terrible elevator music that played at my last workplace.

The family birthday party

What a lucky kid- 2 parties in 2 days!
You know when you have 8 boys ages 6 - 9 come (plus your toddler and preschooler) a 2 hour party is enough - is it time for the parents to come yet?

But when you have a beautiful day and family you love (well and truth be told a better adult kid ratio) the party ends too soon. So it was for the family gathering on Saturday.

I was especially glad for Megan and Samantha my 2 nieces as they were the age to really have a good time playing together - good for them each to have another girl (there is a bit of a shortage of those around these parts).

David's 8th Birthday

So this year we had a lego batman birthday party celebrating David's 8 years. (8 more and he will be behind the wheel of a moving vehicle!)

We played the batman theme song music as the guests were arriving. We greeted them in lego batman masks. Bat symbols hung from the ceiling in the living room and of course there were batarangs and legos galore.

Seems sort of weird to say but 8 has already proven to be a bit more Milestone - ish. He no longer needs a car seat, he finally gets to watch Pokeman (I should have made that provision 9years old) He moves up to Theodore Robinson intermediate school and he gets to be on the baseball teams that actually have numbers on the back of their uniforms - you know like the REAL baseball players have. (I remember when he dreamed of being on those teams when he was in t-ball - HA!)

Here are some clips and pics of the friend party - next post will have the details and pics of the family gathering that happened the next day.

A week of good news part 3 Update on Nathan's Aortic Heart Valve

Friday Nathan had his Pediatric Cardiology follow up appointment at UW Children's Hospital.

He was so calm and cooperative. What a blessing! We brought a Backyardigans movie from home and the ultrasound tech played it in the dvd that is mounted on the ceiling. What a difference a 30 minute Backyardigans can make! Needless to say he remained still thru the entire echocardiogram and the pictures and results were great quality. I was amazed at this almost 2 year olds behavior!

Since his last appointment he has become a body in motion. When we were evaluated last he was still an infant - not walking or cruising. Now he is full fledged willful toddler who is constantly moving. So this particular appointment was important to measure how well his heart is coping with the additional stress of increased physical activity and forcing the needed blood thru the obstructed valve.

The news was indeed good. Although we are still praying for his valve to perforate as it should have thru the Great Physician, his results were full of grace.

His left ventricle showed Zero signs of thickening and his pressure has not increased. His pediatric cardiologist said that he could stay at this level for years with no need for intervention.

So John and I left with no action items - no list of doctors to contact - nothing. We take Nathan back right before Christmas for another echocardiogram and consult to track his stenosis. What a great summer gift! Praise to our Lord for a good report.

A week of good news part 2

So for 12 days I have not been able to find my wedding ring. For the first few days it consumed my thoughts.

I have looked in every drawer, every pocket, the van, the garbage, the garbage disposal, and every other reasonable and unreasonable place.

I remember taking it off to put lotion on my hands at night when I was REALLY tired. Actually I was close to sleepwalking I was so tired. I even said to myself "Don't put your ring here you are so tired you will regret it. "

Suspiciously Caleb's Ben 10 Alien Omnitrix watch was also missing. Really unusual because he ALWAYS plays with that toy. So last night I realize "Hey one day I remember Caleb putting the omnitrix watch in his bed. I wonder if it is under his covers?" (he makes his own bed so it is actually possible)

I look and sure enough not only the omnitrix but my wedding ring is there! I felt like the woman in the Bible who found her lost coin, I wanted to shout from the mountiantops "I found it - come and rejoice with me!"

A week of good news part 1

This past week has been one full of "Thank you God!"s

Tuesday David finished 2nd grade. It is great to see him more often. His teacher made all the kids a DVD of thier year, it was sweet. His report card was outstanding and we are happy to move on to the summertime fun.

Wednesday we went to visit Aunt Kiki. On the way there I got pulled over for speeding. I will never hear the end of it with David and Caleb. The officer came over adn asked for my licsense and left to check out my record. (which is clean by the way) Then David asked: "Mom, were you speeding?"

I said:"YES and now I will get a fine as my punishment."
Caleb pipes in and tells me "You shouldn't be speeding mom now we are in this ditch and not going to Aunt Kikis"
We wait and wait and wait. You know how hard that is when it is the 1st day of summer break you have somewhere to go and my 1st born is CONCERNED that we have pulled over into the ditch. Which he did not notice until his brother mentioned it.(it was just the side of the road but you couldn't convince him)

The officer returns with a warning. (I was going 13 over the speed limit no less!)
WOW I get GRACE! I don't think that has ever happened to me before - not getting a ticket when I deserved one. He must have looked into my van seen the crackers, the cooler of sippie cups, the blankie, the stuffed animal puppies, the boys telling me I was in trouble and the sleeping toddler in the car seat and realized I wasn't much of a threat to society. He probably knew I would be reminded for weeks to slow down.

Now every time I accelerate on an on ramp Caleb yells out "YOU'RE SPEEDING!"
(which I am not but you can't convince him)

more of the week in the next post

David's new vocabulary

While David was playing at a park in Madison he learned a few new words. (I should mention he was there hanging out with a bunch of church friends after Sunday service no less)

David was running around "decoding secret messages". At least that is what he told me when I asked what game the boys were playing. Silly me I thought it was just a pretend game of spy.

Later that night John is reading the bible story and facilitating the bed time routine when David tells him about the game at the park.

Well come to find out the secret messages they were decoding were the things other naughty kids were writing on the park play equipment.

Now I am sure you have read that stuff just like I have, but this is the first time David had noticed it enough to read it. So he proceeded to tell us that he read the word f-ck. Yes he actually said that word out loud.

Thank goodness it was John who heard it first cuz I am sure it would have been repeated to see if my reaction could be duplicated.(probably by the little brother in the bottom bunk who has eagle ears no less)

John told David that was one of the worst words a person could say and told him that we would discuss it further at some time after sleep had occurred.

Fast forward 1 day and I am taking David to school - it is just him and I in the van. I bring up the subject of the bad word he read on the park walls. I asked him if he knew what it meant.

He said "it means that you really really hate someone - like when you give them the middle finger."

"HMMM how do you know about the middle finger?" I say trying not to overreact.

"Nick and Will told me about it. Don't worry I won't say that F - CK word or any thing like that mom."

So there it is folks - my disclaimer that it didn't come from inside this house. In the off chance you see or hear my oldest say that word or give you the finger. But you better tell me the instant it happens. :) Oh and there is no video or picture that goes along with this post - obviously.

So WI Airshow

A quick post to show some pics from the Southern WI airshow we attended this Saturday.

We took some buddies with us and had a boy festival there. We had David, James, Caleb, J.P., Nathan and John and myself. Plus a stroller, wagon, ear protection, diaper bag and a wad of cash.

We enjoyed ourselves until Nathan got frightened by a race that was between a semi truck with a jet engine and an airplane. The smoke and the loud BANG from the jet engine truck freaked him out. The smoke cloud looked like Hiroshima. I found it humorous because there was all kinds of advertisements for "Green" living. This place was exhaust city central! HA.

We are the backyard hangout

I can't tell you how happy I am that our backyard and house is the "place to be" for the neighbor kids. Yes indeed I get irritated that our toys get broken and that I can't bring out only 2 popsicles but a whole box, but I wouldn't want to trade that for David wanting to be at someone elses house all summer.

When I grew up, there was very few kids in the area. So I am glad for David and Caleb that we have 6 boys in their age range in the 6 houses that surround us. The kids are respectful for the most part and listen to our rules.

Here is typical backyard scene at our place when the weather is above 50.

AWANA Memorial Day Parade

Here we are marching in the parade. This has become a Memorial Day routine for us Baierls. This was the 5th Memorial Day Parade we have marched in. I remember marching down the parade route when Caleb was a few weeks old, now he was old enough to throw the candy. Some really good memories on the parade route. After the parade our church has a festival on the church grounds and this year David was old enough to work a shift volunteering in the food stand. Here is a clip of the parade and a picture of us at the food tent.

Grandma Lynn's Visit

This is Caleb and Nathan pooped from the first half of weekend.

We had to wake them up too because Grandma Lynn came for a visit. Here is a clip of that!

Busy Holiday Weekend

Memorial Day Weekend was a busy one for us Baierls. It has been over a week and we are still recovering. The next few posts will be of our activities during the holiday time.

This is of the boys church camp out of Oak Grove. It was boys only and Calebs first overnighter in the tent. Here is a cute clip of those roudy boys.