As we end the year...lets highlight!!

Highlights over 2012...

A picture with all 4 kids together...take 1...take 2...take 3... oh well!  

 Aubrey's baptism this year.  She received fun necklaces from her AZ grandparents, bookmarks from her Utah Grandparents, and a small scripture case and scripture set from her Florida Grandparents.  She loved having her friends and family come and watch.  She had a blast at her "Yellow Brick Road" birthday party.  Tate dresses as the lion, Caleb as the tin man, Ainlsey as Dorthy, and Andy was the Wicked Witch.  It was so incredibly hot outside that day.  But it was a blast!    

 As her 4 season on the Super Girls...they were ready to go!  Defensive End, we were even learning the positions!  Aubrey even scored a goal this last season!  She loved swimming over the summer and was tall and brave enough to go down the twirling slides alone!  

Caleb's hair turned green over the summer!  Oh boy!  He loves the water.  Loved the sandy Navarre Beach and when he first saw the sand he thought it was SNOW!  Caleb's favorite thing in 2012 was going to Florida.  He didn't want to leave.  He loved that you never had to wear shoes!  We took the kids to McDonalds one day and once he noticed that some of the locals didn't have shoes on he knew that Navarre was the place for him!!!  When we finally went home he brought home a big back of shells and such!!

Caleb also enjoyed visiting NAS.  Sitting in the planes, messing with all of the buttons and he got a fun pilot sticker!  

 This was Ainlseys year!!  She was finally old enough for everything!  Soccer was it and she was ready.  I was shocked actually,  I had no idea that the little girl who wanted to wear a dress everyday and have her hair done in millions of bows would get out there and steal the ball.  Quite aggressively for peewee!!  I loved cheering and yelling for her.  Even her little friend Emsley came to a game and clapped and cheered!!  One weekend it was "silent weekend."  No talking or cheering allowed from the parents, only mild clapping when a goal was scored....I must say...it was pretty hard.  I just kept giving her a thumbs up!  Something funny...in the first game.  She was running to steal the ball and I yelled," STOP IT AINSLEY!!!!, GO.. STOP IT, AINSLEY!!!!!!" Meaning, good job.  Go and stop her from scoring.  But Ainsley stopped right in her tracks!  She thought I meant stop it. All of the parents started laughing when we realized she didn't understand the difference from "at home" talk and "cheering!"  But Ainsley..YOU ROCK!!!  When all was said and done the Cupcakes only lost 1 game and Ainsley ended up having a fun birthday Yellow Brick Road birthday party with a bunch of her soccer friends!!

Ainsley was also old enough to start pre school this year.  She ended up getting the same teacher Aubrey and Caleb had when they were in preschool.  Ainsley had waited all summer to start preschool.  And to start with her very best friend by her side!  She was also a swimmer this summer.  Swimming in the deep end and doing a lot of belly flops!!  She loves to swim and she loves to unload the dishwasher so she can earn her a little extra money so she can eat breakfast as school!  

When we were in Florida Ainlsey loved going out to lunch with my neighbor Gin.  Coloring next to her and talking to her, building sand castles were fun too!

 Tate...this was the year that anything they can do I can do to.  Even if it is for kids who are taller and already know how to swim.  He refused to wear a life jacket. He jumped into the deep end and that is how he learned how to swim this summer!  Markers are my enemy and his passion.  If they are left out, they are found all over his face, body, or a wall.  

 After having ear problems for the past year, a serious strep pneumonia was found in his ear, and spending the summer going in to the ENT 3 times a week to have his ears drained he had surgery.  He had a bad reaction from the surgery and so the next month went badly.  He will have his hearing re checked in the next couple of weeks.  He is a tough little buddy and we love him.  Lack of hearing hasn't slowed him down, he is definitely my super hero!  

Tate's funny story is on Easter. He just walked over to the neighbors on Easter morning.  Opened their front door, and all of a sudden there was Tate in his pjs.  I guess he wanted to see what they got from the Easter Bunny or pet their dogs.  He just thinks their family...they've been their his entire life!

Wording we've used over 2012...

*SERIOUSLY!!!! (when something bad or crazy happens)

*REALLY...REALLY!! (when something bad or crazy happens)

*Caleb came home one day from school (it was Drug free week) and said very seriously, "MOM!, Did you KNOW...it is very bad to Drink Drugs!"I replied, "Drink Drugs?'  Caleb with a very serious face even using his hands, "YES MOM, It is so bad to Drink Drugs."  I was pretty sure times hadn't changed so much that we were drinking them now, so I tried to keep the straightest face and said,  "I am so glad you taught me that.  Are you sure it isn't Do Drugs or Smoke?"   He was so admit and I couldn't stop laughing!  

*JUST SAY NO...
*Tate your shirt looks sharp!! (at that point he flipped out saying his shirt was sharp and he had to take it off TOO SHARP, TOO SHART.  It hurts!!!) haha!  Now that he understands that it means he looks handsome, he tries to get dressed at leased once a week!
*It builds character.
*Make good choices. (I always say this in carline when I would drop the kids off for school and one day I turned to say it, and Caleb looked me in the eye and very seriously said "I know MOM, make good choices...YOUR SEIOUS!)
*You know you want to...  (example: did you make your bed? (uhg) you know you want to!  did you pick up your legos? (uhg) you know you want to!  did you say thanks? (huh??) you know you want to say thank you to the mother who gave birth to you!)

I found out in 2012

*While shopping for skinny slim jeans for Aubrey (she is so darn skinny she cant just have slim jeans and she cant wear a smaller size they are too short) I saw a 1D t-shirts.  I was like, "What is 1D?"  Ya, I said that out loud.   Boy was I an idiot because they were, at the time playing on the radio in the store.  It's One Direction.  There was a big poster of them at the mall with 1D plastered all over them as well.  At least I found a store that sells skinny slim jeans!!  Wow!!  They are still baggy but eventually she will gain weight!

Congrats 2012

My brother Spencer graduated from PT school and his family bought a house

My brother Seth and his wife added their 2nd, a baby boy on my dad's birthday

My sister Steffaney got married!  He is awesome!!

My sister Sydney graduated with her MBA and is under contract on her first house!!

The Jespersens added their 3rd baby a boy to their family!

Christmas Day

Christmas Morning

 6:00am sharp the kids were up and ready to go downstairs!  Santa has come!  Of course, Aubrey had been up since 4:00am AND had already been downstairs (I am not sure if she even went to sleep she was so excited).

 Since Christmas presents do not get put under the tree until Christmas Eve after the kids go to bed the excitement is EXPLOSIVE!  Santa came and we get presents under the tree...Just WOW!!  

 There was a lot of excitement.  Everyone was mostly excited for Tate and waiting for Tate's reaction when he realized he got what he asked Santa for.  This is how it went.  Tate ran to Santa before we could get there and sat on his lap...  Santa asked "What would you like this year?"

Tate, " A Wiener Dog!!!!"

Santa tuned to Andy and Me

We looked at each other completely shocked...

Santa replied something like, " Okay, a stuffed Wiener Dog!"

Long story short....wiener dog found!!!  Tate was Super Happy!!!  So were the rest of the siblings!!!  My kids are so odd.  Why he would ask for that is beyond me?!!!

 Tether ball...$14.  Pretty awesome...homemade...do not get directions from ask.com because if you live in the middle of nowhere you will have to drive back to home depot for more cement and the length of the pole..just don't look there.  Every 8 year olds dream, right here!!!  Just watch out Aubrey because Tate will be practicing while you are at school!

Opening presents was fun!  Ainsley is just so excited about everything.  Tate and his wiener dog opened every present together and Caleb thought the $4 mini pinball game I found was pretty cool.  Although, I found it to be a lot louder than I originally thought.  

After presents we ate breakfast and watched The Odd Life of Timothy Green that my Grandma gave me (I maybe got to eat 1/6 a handful of nuts and she sent an entire canister....I wonder who's little fingers got into those).  I think that if you combined all my kinds into one they are pretty ODD (actually they are pretty odd individually) and maybe by next Christmas I'll figure out the Mom thing.  That movie had me crying and busting up laughing.  Merry Christmas to my little family!  

Andy's parents drove up and we had dinner and exchanged gifts.  The kids all got piggy banks with their names on them and they got quarters!  Ainsley has her very first loose tooth so she has been waiting to show her grandpa!!  "I just know he will know what to do," says Ainlsey.

It was the Christmas of 3DS (yes, it took me a couple of weeks to learn it wasn't called a DS3...I get all the electronics confused), the American Girl Doll (can you believe that the sales lady tried to talk me into getting my daughter matching pj's for $59...bahaha!  Is she out of her mind?), Mario gocart, and Captain America.  It is also our first Christmas without fisher-price and playskool.  Thank you!   

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve 

The day starts at 6:00, even though the kids are out of school they do not sleep in.  Since Andy works a regular work day I figure if I dress the kids nice, it reminds them the day is special...keeps them excited and hopefully calm and somewhat clean and well mannered.  No matter what it is going to be a long Christmas Eve!!!

 4 games of Dr. Seuss matching.  The kids love that game (Ainsley wins every single time that day...and in the history of playing that game since my mom has given it to them).  Aubrey and Caleb try to sneak in a game while Ainsley is helping me make scalloped potatoes.

 Caleb wanted to help make the rolls.  His triangles were top notch!!  He took his job pretty seriously!

 Of course, in between making the fruit dish, the asparagus, the rolls, the potatoes, the pumpkin pie (I brought the hand picked pumpkins all the way from our other house), the ham, and a fun drink we HAD to make cookies for Santa.  Really...I am sure he would have been just fine if I left him some popcorn but when I suggested it the kids faces ranged from horrified to just flat out disgusted that I would even consider such a desert for Santa.

 Appetizer!  

 6:00pm...done and done!  Andy was home by 6:15pm and the kids were still dress and clean.

After dinner, the kids opened their presents from Grandpa and Grandma Clark....PJ's!

Christmas Eve!!

Griner Christmas 2012

Griner Christmas 2012

 Our yellow brick road has been one full of new adventures.  With the years passing by and the kids getting older, extracurricular activities seemed to be the name of the game with Soccer, Baseball, Scouts, and Piano engulfing our free time.  Visits from extended family, Royals games, a vacation to Florida, 2 Yellow Brick Road Parties, VBS, and weekend sleepovers with Grandma Griner are at the top of our 2012 list!

 Andy (33) Continues to enjoy his work as an Occupational Therapist at Garden Terrace treating patients suffering from Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Dementia.  Andy has enjoyed his daddy daughter /son dates and in October he took Caleb on his first Tiger Scout Camp Out!  He has been writing his own music and his recent song about the kids was a big hit at the camp out!

Aubrey (8) Was baptized this summer by her dad.  She loved having her close friends and family members travel to attend.  She loves math and tetherball!  She played two seasons of soccer this year and started piano lessons.  Although shy and very quiet, she is a great big sister.  When she grows up she wants to be an artist.

Caleb (7) Played soccer, baseball, and took piano lessons this year.  He loves to swim, do flips, back dives, and fun twists into the water.  He enjoys Tiger Scouts.  The highlight of the year for Caleb was our trip to Florida, it started his interest in bugs, rocks, and shells.  By the time we got home he was digging for bugs, catching bugs, climbing trees for bugs.  Isn’t he so lucky Kansas has so many different kinds!!  For him science, everything science!  When he grows up he wants to be an anthropologist.

Ainsley (5) Started pre-school.  In her mind she had waited her entire life to start preschool!  There is nothing better in life then going to preschool.  She loves counting, counting in Spanish, and she loves her teacher.  She spends all of her free time coloring and drawing.   She was finally old enough to play soccer this year!  The Cupcakes only lost 1 game!!   She always has a smile.  When she grows up she wants to be a “painter”.

Tate (3) Is a solid little man.  Weighing more then Ainsley but drastically shorter, he is thick and just wants to be included.  He can definitely run with the older kids.  Constantly climbing the fence to go to the neighbors house or breaking the bottom of the fence to go under. I am quiet certain you will want him on your football team.  He loves banana’s, oatmeal, and hotdogs.   All year he has always carried a stuffed dog/pillowpet with him and I am pretty sure he thinks he is or will grow up to be a superhero.

Sara (27)  This year was full of learning or banging my head against a wall….  I did finally learn how to get banana stains out of clothes!  That was pretty big.  This year I learned that I love watching Caleb play baseball in the 100 degree windy, dusty, heat where no team wins, no one strikes out, and everyone gets on base.  I learned that there is nothing better then peewee soccer and watching  Ainsley steel the ball and score her first goal.  I learned that even after hours of helping your child with homework sometimes they just need you to color with them.  I learned that it doesn’t matter what I cook if the kids see what ingredient I put in or on the food they will not eat it!  This year I learned how rewarding going to school was, studying, writing papers, and even passing finals.  Even Tate got a backpack…although, if ever I can’t find something I always check there (for example…) measuring tape, screwdriver, ice cream scooper, forks, ipod cord….he is out of control!!!!  I learned that lime green is happy, silence is sinister when your child is three, and ketchup goes with everything, even breakfast.  I learned hugs AND reeces pieces cure tears, going to the zoo is fun AND alot like being a kid again, and most importantly I learned that locking my keys in my car happen twice a week AND so does running out of gas.  Between dropping off forgotten backpacks, taking classroom snacks, half- birthday treats, and the fact that my son SERIOUSLY gets in the car and goes all the way to school with no shoes on….its just going to be okay, because I will learn eventually.

 

  2012 has been an exciting year and the biggest adventure of all was our move.  Less then a week on the market and we were in need of another house ASAP.  No pressure, right?!!!  With over 9 years of marriage, 4 kids, and no pets I didn’t think moving would be that big of deal.  WOW!!!!   We have a lot of stuff !  Here we are in Kansas (still).   There truly is no place like home.

Evolution of a Best Friend..the very best kind

The Evolution of a Best Friend

 This morning while we were waiting for Andy to take her into Overland Park for preschool I told her that after school I had a surprise for her.  A BIG surprise.  After guessing everything, I told her it started with the letter "C" and she will love it!  She asked me if she would be able to hold it and I said...Part of it.  So after I picked her up from preschool we drove over to Chick-fil-a.  She was thrilled.  I said to go and look in the trunk of the van.  She saw a sweatshirt that looked just like hers.  I asked "Sometimes when you love something alot and never take it off, I bet you would like someone you think is special to have one too.  Who would you like to give one to for Christmas?"  She said Makiya but knew she had preschool soon.  I said, "Well, maybe you should just carry it inside."

 So excited!  When we moved we needed Ainsley to switch to am preschool.  Tear and tears and tears followed for two weeks.  Kind of funny considering 3 years ago when they met they did NOT like each other!!!  Stay away from me, Stay away from my mom, Don't touch my french fry, Don't look at me...I guess if you stick them in the same room long enough they were bound to be inseparable!!!!

Ainsley and Makiya were both cats for Halloween and on their first day of preschool together they dressed alike.  Two separate times, while at the mall and out to breakfast I have been asked if they are twins.  Ha!!  Funny to think that they used to not get along because they've never had an argument since they've been 3!  When one needs help the other is there and when one needs protected from the boys.....well, I wouldn't mess with these girls!

Missing the old... but adjusting

Adjusting to the new means missing the old.

  The move was quick and I think a little too quick that the kids didn't quite understand the fullness of it.  They were SUPER excited.  But once they figured out they wouldn't be able to see Bud leave for golf, Frank walk his dog, David blow his leaves, no more throwing balls over the fence so they could talk to Bill and no more MaryLou bring over suckers  THIS was the real deal!  Worst of all for the kids was no more yelling over then fence for Nathan to come over, no more climbing the big trees, and no more watching the neighbors gather in the evening across the street for the nightly chats.  The kids were so used to the daily routine of our neighbor and we explained that we will get to know our new neighbors! 

 Although, we've become like one big Star Wars loving family!  I mean ask the kids a question and they could tell you anything in detail!  I had no idea.  Plus, I think Aubrey has a crus on the hug Harrison Ford when she saw him in the new Indiana Jones movie she was mortified!!!  Who new people in movies got old!!!

 I will say, I do not miss the leave...they were endless.

 The big plus for the kids (to keep them from crying daily was that they got to ride the bus).  Nice for me.  I spend most of my days in car line.  They do love the bus but they get on in the dark at 7am!  We live so far away that they are the first ones on and kind of out of the way (it was a situation... but they are riding and LOVING IT!)  They get home at 4:30 a big change from the 8:15 to 3:10 in their previous school district.

 Another part of the move was finding the school that fit the childrens educational needs, and high educational ranks and standards.  check.  If that mean that they have "rock star day", "spirit day", "cowboy day", "crazy sock day"...

"holiday hat day" and the up coming "christmas sweater day", and "pj day" I say whatever works.  They love there school and classes.  Caleb even got to go with his class across the street and sing 5 Christmas song to the Mayor!  There is no tether ball though, so that was a big blow for Aubrey, who loves it but that okay.  

My big change is the internet...can you imagine a world without it.  WELL...there is!  It comes and goes like a sneeze.  Rural.....hopefully we will figure it out.

All in all..we only lost 2 things in the move (or so we thought).  Flop Flop (Ainlsey homely looking dog and a gas can which would have come in handy recently when I ran out of gas AGAIN).  The good news is we have found Flop Flop when we went to visit MaryLou.  She had saved it for Ainsley! Now her little world will be okay and my nights will be a little more peaceful!

Pro-Bug's Life

As a mother this year has been a learning year but I feel that with Caleb's obsession I have done pretty well with (as long as they stay at a distance, in a container, or in the area assigned).  I thought it would be a short phase...although, I also thought pillow pets would be a short phase and they are still an important part of our family.  bugs. insects. nature. At first it was a scream or a cry....DO NOT KILL NATURE MOM!!!  Then as I huddle on my toes in a corner surrounded by pillows Caleb would scoop up the creepy bug and place it outside (only for it to eventually crawl back inside, I AM SURE OF IT!!!!). 

Then at night when I would go to tuck Caleb into bed I would look up and scream only to find cicada's lined up along his bed!!!  "What?  Dad said I could."  Then the books,  the bug dictionaries.... and now he knows everything!  "Bugs are important to nature Mom!"  Well, that might be true but I did not think it was very funny having a plastic bug pop out of a shirt last night while I was folding laundry.  Not funny.  No!  

                                                           The Griner Family 2012

Ainsley Dawn 5... Preschool

Aubrey Jean 8... 2nd Grade

Tate Delton 3... doing his time...

Caleb Andrew 7...1st Grade

It took me a while to find my blog.  It took me a while to figure out how to add pictures, not a year of course but a while.