Egg Toss

Have you ever wondered what activities you might do at a Klaassen bbq? Well throwing eggs at trees - DUH!

This is not a typical Iowa thing, but at Drew's birthday a couple years ago my mom told me that she was going to set up an egg "golf course." Whatever keeps them busy!My mom has a lot of eggs. She gets like 4 dozen every week from a local lady. If one of us kids don't take some they get old, not really sure if eggs spoil though?!?!

At bbqs each kid takes a dozen and aims at a tree. Fun! Practice for high school pranks! Each time we have done it, I have almost gotten nailed from the BIG boys aiming at each other - I won't be happy if I ever get nailed.

Watch the video again and watch Kaylee's aim (she is the front girl). She must get the aim from her mom.

This year when asked what he (Drew) wanted to do for his birthday party - he said - throw eggs at Grandma's trees!

Memorial Day

Watch out Iowa - The Scoggins came to town!

Ignore the dead looking baby in the front, but as you can imagine our house was very loud and busy this weekend. We enjoyed having the Scoggins family come and meet our little twinkle toes. She was cuddled and loved by all. I can't wait for the next Scoggins to come and add to the mix.

Quinn loved to hold Tana. Trip - not so much. He will be a big helper to him mommy when his new sister comes. (I keep saying that in hopes for a little girlie!)


We enjoyed a trip to the fossil gorge and then to my parents. Scoggins enjoyed a good ol' Iowa barbeque - complete with an egg throw. My brother's family joined us and we had fun eating Kaylee's birthday cake. Lauryn was so precious even though she got a little messy when climbing down from the four-wheeler that had been in the cow pasture!

Baby Girl - 2 Months!

Holy Cow! My baby girl is 2 months old. Time did fly by since I didn't want to head back to school, but the chapter needed to be closed. Tana is in good hands til the rest of us get home for summer break. For the most part, she is a really good baby until her tummy hurts or she forgets that she is little and needs LOTS of naps!

She now -
1. giggles (okay noise doesn't come out but her smiles are huge and if she could she would belly laugh)
2. starting to coo. She (and us) get really excited about pleasant noise comes out.
3. Sleeps about 6 or so hours. She did make it through one night, but typically wakes up about 5 to eat and then back to sleep until 8 or 9
4. Drinks about 4 oz every 3 hours
5. Has an extremely strong head - hope that the strong head doesn't mean she is going to be strong-willed. She refuses to put her head down on your shoulder most times!

She weighs 13 pounds 2 oz and is 25 1/4 inches long. Doesn't sound too bad until you compare her to Ally at the same time. Ally was this exact weight and length at 3 MONTHS! Ally was 11 pounds and 23 1/2 at 2 months. She is going to be tall like her brother. I need to look up and see where Drew was at this time.

Her funny faces! Dude - who are you and why are you sitting on my swing?

Everyone asks who she looks like. I think she is more Ally than Drew but here are pictures of them all at 2 months - you decide. Nobody looks like Jason or I!

Ally & Ally

My little Ally has been counting down the days til she got to go and meet "big" Ally. She has met her before but Ally was very little and has no memory except for a picture that sits on her dresser.

We named our little Ally after a precious girl from our Sunday School class while we were in Ames. Jason worked for her dad. I also taught her piano lessons - I have a feeling that she probably could barely play anymore though. We babysat them (her 5 siblings) a couple times. She always brought smiles to our faces. As you can see here, she still has a beautiful smile. She will head off to Creighton to play basketball and study nursing. I pray that my Ally will be as successful and sweet.

The Jensen men LOVE babies. We walked up and immediately Dickson's brother, Duane, took Tana away to play with her. He brought her back when she started fussin'. I remember him enjoying our other two when they were babies too while we stayed with them. Later on while I was chit chatting, Dickson (above) took Tana and cuddled her for awhile til we left. The entire Jensen family - extended family has meant the world to us. Without them, I know that Jason wouldn't be in construction now.

My Favorite Kiddos!

A busy weekend but filled with so much fun! I got to spend time with some of my favorite kids (and their parents)! Each have their own special personality that make them special.

Sound Sleeping

I can't say that Tana always sleeps soundly, but she does so well when it is noisy in our house - which is most of the time. The past couple weeks when we have been cleaning she has slept through vacuum and screaming kids running by. She slept for 2 hours on our bed - it was amazing.

So why won't she sleep very well other days? She seems to be saving up sleep for some days and then screams her little lungs out on other days. She is starting to get out of this phase but it doesn't seem fast enough!

Yes I am a bad mother, but so many people that I talk to let their kid sleep on their tummy. She gets swaddled at night and sleeps on her back but there is no sleeping in the Willis house during the day if she is on her back. She had been sleeping so long this day that we flipped her over to get her to wake up. Nope didn't work. I guess the high pitch scream of a 4 year old boy is soothing.

You & Me Going Fishin'

On Mother's Day we went to Brooklyn to try out Ally & Drew's new fishing poles that Grandma Rhonda got them. Everyone but Tana and I went to a friend's pond that is swarming with gullible fish just waiting to bite anything put in the water - literally!

Before they left farm, they spent some time searching for worms. Drew is grossed out by snot, but will touch and hold worms and fish. I don't get it.

Ally and Drew had so much fun and were proud of their catches. They brought home the scaled fish. I am not sure who is eating them, but pretty sure that it won't be Ally or Drew. I guess the princess and transformer fishing poles really did work.

Happy Anniversary

Happy 157 Months! Wow we have been dating for a long time!

Sleepy Girl

Why oh why will you not stay asleep! Tana is going through a fussy stage - or at least we hope it is just a stage. I guess I need to just put her down to sleep before she gets outrageous, but she is so sweet when she isn't crying - which lately is seldom! She is 7 wks old and between 12 and 13 pounds. She loves to give grins and prefers her Mommy over anyone else.

Hannah Montana & Goofy

We had a BBQ on Saturday night with a ton of friends from church. It is going to be a monthly deal so if you around - join us. I haven't set the June date yet! There were tons of kids but most were a couple years younger than them, so they were a little overwelmed. They are used to being the only kids around. By the end of the night you couldn't see either of their floors in their room. One sweetie even found Ally's make-up! Drew was very concerned that one of his Cars would sneak home with someone.

We had a blast though. Ally played dress up with her new Hannah Montana costume and made Daddy stop what he was doing to go get the camera. She asked a couple of the little kids if they liked Hannah Montana and they stared at her blankly. She really wanted to do a rock concert with them, but they didn't get it yet.

Drew is just plain funny looking. If Ally gets her picture taken, he wants some of the action.

Creative Use of Tissue Paper

After opening my Mother's Day present - I got a new garnet ring (my birthstone), the kids took the tissue paper and made some slippers. You wouldn't believe how fast scotch tape goes around this place. I have to hide it from Ally. She still finds it and then it is gone when I need it!

Let's just say that our kids are goofy!

Reading to Lil' Sis

Drew and Ally were resting on the couch reading books. Tana decided to sit on each of their laps and listen to them tell her the story. She loved it until they would make her fall over into an awkward position. Ally & Drew aren't very coordinated to get her back up sitting.

I must admit these are posed, but they were precious!

Both kids love Tana very much if she isn't crying - which is most of the evening. She also HATES her carseat which is unusual for a newborn. She typically screams no matter where we go in the van - quite fun and makes everyone want to leave the house with Tana.

Just Shy of 6 Weeks!

We are home and the camera is usually close by. I get a lot of pictures of Tana, but when the indians come home I am good if I can keep my head above water!

I am going a little crazy. We are ready to move up in some of her clothes, but for the life of me can't find my 3-6 month summer clothes box. I had to go get some sleepers today since she is getting too long for some. I don't remember loaning them out - so where could they be?

Clothes update - ah we need to reorganize the storage room (or put stuff away when we get it out). The tub was in the middle of the floor under my picture box and winter outside rug. I am so excited to have all those fun girlie clothes back! (not that they were ever really gone)

T-Ball Season!

Drew & Ally have been practicing t-ball for about a month now. Jason is one of the "coaches" (aka crowd control!). They have been anticipating their first game for quite some time. I was at a track meet so I was unable to be there, but thanks to Val I have some great pictures!

Ally & teammates giddy with excitement! (Drew is the 4th kid)

Ally up to bat.

Drew up to bat.

Poor Tana didn't get to go either. She had her first babysitter - Ms. Lori. Lori got to break in her glider and practice using it. I think she will be ready for Baby Lary in October!

Ally's Birthday Party

What was I thinking? Last year I said that I wouldn't have 13 girlies in my house all at once again, but never said that I wouldn't do a big party with her whole class again. She insisted having a couple boys and didn't want to say no to some and yes to others so we invited all of her class - all 13 plus Issi's twin brother. All but 3 were able to come.

We originally had it planned for Saturday, but this Mommy forgot to look at the calender to see that the Spring Amana Maifest was that day and NO ONE could come. So instead of a nice relaxing Sunday we had a party at the Iowa Children's Museum.

She had a blast! The highlight of ICM parties are the handprint that you get to put on the wall. I wish I would have gotten a picture of it after she wrote her name by it. She wrote her name in cursive - that we learned a week ago. My Mom and Jason stood there with jaws dropped open when they saw it. She is one smart cookie.


We are pretty sure that Tana is going to be a lot like Ally which means that there will not be silence in our house or a car ride for some time. Oh boy.

We all need to thank every kindergarten teacher there is! They must have so much patience!

Can It Get Any Better?

Time for bed for Tana Banana!

Huhot!

We love HuHot - yes we do!

We love HuHot - How 'bout you?

Chili's had too long of wait and HuHot had a 15 minutes wait that turned into 3 minutes! Yippeee. The kids were thrilled to see that we pulled up to their favorite restaurant (behind McD's) and ran in. It is the only place (including home) where I know that Drew WILL eat at least 2 plates of food. They love to carry their own bowls and put the food in. Ally tried to imitate the guys cooking the food with 2 forks.

At the end of supper Drew said...

I feel like we are in heaven.

Who else like Huhot?