Bowling - Day 1 of Catholic Schools Week

Today is day one of our Catholic Schools Week Celebration! The preschoolers had their second field trip of the year.....to the bowling alley! The kids were split up into groups of four kids. Kelly was in a group with Sophia, Reese, and Caitlin. The girls had a lot of fun! It was bumper bowling.....but they rolled the ball down the lane on their own! Enjoy the video of Kelly at the end! :)

Sophia, Reese, Mrs. Riniker, Caitlin, and Kelly

Kelly's first time bowling!

Kelly watching her ball go down the lane!

Kelly and her cheering section!

Sophia, Kelly, and Caitlin cheering Reese on!

Bowling scores.....

Sophia 67, Kelly 72, Reese 89, Caitlin 69

(Reese and Caitlin got strikes and Kelly and Sophia got spares!

CHICAGO!!!!

The girls and I spent the weekend in Chicago (Joliet) visiting my two college roommates while Daddy stayed home and had a "guys weekend"! We had a great time (despite the Bathan family illness). All the kids got along great.....and the three Moms even got a late night dinner out!!!! (THANKS KURT!!!) We spent the day at the Brookfield Zoo on Saturday. Sunday we went to Molly and Kurt's church and then to Chuck-E-Cheese before heading back home. The girls and I had a great time! Thanks Hoovers and Bathans!

Our three Princess' (Friday 1/28)

Our three princess on Friday....less than an hour after we got there they were all dressed up!

***This is the only picture we have of our three big girls....as Michaela got sick Friday night and was unable to go to the zoo on Saturday. :(

(Myka 5.5 years old, Michaela 4.5 years, Kelly 4.5 years)

Brookfield Zoo (Saturday 1/29)

The Brookfield Zoo!

Myka and Kelly by the camels

Kelly holding the ropes by the entrance to the giraffes.

Molly and Riley (our two youngest....they are 3 months apart in age) watching the 5 giraffes.

Sam and Kelly needed their picture taken in this sled.

Molly LOVED the zoo too!

Myka and Kelly by the Polar Bears

This Polar Bear teased us....he kept looking like he was going to go into the water.....but he never jumped in!

Kelly and Sam watching the Penguins.

Kelly and Myka "picking the nose" of the gorilla!

Miss Molly was tired.....and took over an hour nap in the stroller.

Kelly and Riley walking together....too cute!

Kelly (my bird) sitting on her egg at the Children's Museum that was a part of the zoo.

Our birds sitting on their eggs!

The dolphin show was AMAZING!!!!
See three of the dolphins jumping here! There were 8 dolphins in the show.

One of the dolphins jumping and hitting the hanging ball.

Molly woke up in time to see the dolphins!

Molly and Kelly LOVED the show....dancing and watching them jump!

Myka, Kelly, and Sam up close and personal with the lion!

The lion looking RIGHT AT THEM!

Chuck-E-Cheese (Sunday 1/30)

Kelly was excited to see Chuck-E and wanted her picture with him!

Molly was excited to SEE Chuck-E from a distance....but didn't want her picture with him unless she was riding in this car with him!

Kelly playing the Hungry Frog game.

Both girls playing the Hungry Frog game together!

The girls strapped in for their roller coaster ride!

Weeeeeeeeeeeee

Kelly enjoyed her horse ride!

This was Molly's FAVORITE game! She pulled the lever and hit the big red button and then watched the tickets come out!

We had a wonderful weekend in Chicago!

Beach Party

Kelly's preschool class had a beach party at school last Wednesday (1/26) as they were talking about oceans/beaches for two weeks. They got to wear swimsuits, play in the sand, splash around in a pool (with water in the classroom), and play beach games. They had popsycles as a treat because it was "so hot!" Dakota (a boy in her class) who recently got home from a family vacation in Florida, gave all the kids a sand dollar and 8 shells from the "real" beach! Fun times in preschool!!!

Kelly laying in front!!!!

Middle - Cambrie, Joe, Cael, Tanner, Sophia, Ellie, Mackenize

Kneeling - Andrea, Caitlin, Dakota

Standing - Eva, Eli, Michaela, Maria, Reese

Our last day with Jessen

Today was our last day with Jessen......we will miss him, but were so thankful for the time we had together the last two weeks. Grandma and Papa Mulgrew will be taking him home to Kansas City tomorrow. (The girls and I have our own trip planned as we are heading to Chicago for the weekend to see my college roommates and their families!) We had a fun-filled day and night playing at the house, lunch at McDonald's playland, picking Kelly up from school, dinner, baths, and more playtime! We will miss you, Jessen!!!

Building a tower together this morning.

Playing Little People "house" together.

Papa Bear drawing with his two youngest grandchildren.

McDonald's playland for lunch......Jessen stopped for a picture, but Molly wanted to keep going! I think she was trying to pull Jessen into play with her!

Jessen enjoyed all the toys on the fridge!

Kelly was so excited to get to play with her cousin when she came home from school.

Kelly LOVES her youngest cousin!!!

Cousins - Molly & Jessen

Molly and I spent the day in Dubuque with Papa Bear and Jessen (while Kelly was having a BEACH PARTY....more about that later). Jessen is really getting to know us as he ran right up to me this morning and gave me a hug when I walked in the door. Molly and Jessen are getting along GREAT....they play so well together, which is really nice. They are only 5 months apart (although Molly being soooooo tall makes it look like they are further in age) and they are the two youngest grandchildren on my Dad's side. Since Jessen is my only godchild....he has a special place in my heart! I love all this quality time that I'm getting to spend with him. Only one more day.....as he goes back home Friday!

Molly & Jessen sharing cereal this morning.

(You can see the height difference)

Papa bear is pouring chocolate milk for the kids.....Molly is watching Papa close, while I got an adorable smile from Jessen!

LUNCH together......mac-n-cheese.......one of the ONLY meals Miss Molly eats!!!!!

Papa Bear gave them suckers!!!! They sat together on the couch all by themselves! Too cute!

I just can't get enough....

.....of this ADORABLE little boy!!!

Jessen spent the day playing at our house again today! He is going back home on Friday....so I have to get all the playing and cuddling in the rest of the week! It will be a little while before I see my adorable godson again!

I LOVE this little guy!

Jessen and Molly playing with my old Fisher Price cash register from when I was a little girl.

Molly enjoys having someone help take care of her babies! Jessen was putting the binki in for this baby.....both Molly & Jessen LOVE their binkis at bedtime too!

H*O*C*K*E*Y

We went to our first hockey game last night.....as Papa Michael got 4 free tickets to the Dubuque Fighting Saints Game at the new Mystic Ice Arena. His tickets also included four free meals and eight free drinks....so we had a FREE night of fun! Grandma Peggy stayed home with Molly and Papa, Daddy, Kelly, and Mommy were able to enjoy a fun night! We weren't sure how Kelly would do at the game....since she didn't even know what hockey was (she thought we were going to watch air hockey....like she got to play at Chuck-E-Cheese one time!) Kelly absolutely LOVED it.....she especially loved the dance music that was contstantly played, the fact that we had front row seats and she could see everything, and she enjoyed that she could be as loud as she wanted! It was a great game, as the Saints were down 3-0 in the last period. They scored three goals in that last period (literally, right in front of us) and forced a 5 minute overtime period. The score was still tied after the overtime period which forced a shootout. The Saints WON in the shootout....which was especially fun.....as they said it was the best come from behind win of the season!

Kelly once we got to our seats before the warm-up period began. Our seats were right there...front row....right by the goal the Saints were shooting in for the first and third periods.

During intermission the Dog mascot skated around throwing out blow things....Kelly was able to see him up close and thought that was pretty cool.

Kelly holding her blow thingy that she loves!

Kelly cheering LOUD!

This is how Kelly reacted most of the game when everyone else cheered! She was so excited!

Thank you Papa Michael for a free night of fun!

Mommy, Daddy, and Kelly all had a great time!!!