we just got out played...{BRAD}

 Last night our family drove to State College PA.  We headed up to Penn State to cheer on the WI Badger basketball team, who would be playing the Penn State Nittany Lions.  As you can imagine, Max had a hard time deciding which team to cheer for.  He was torn between his love for animal teams, especially large cats, and his love for WI teams.  Max’s loyalty stayed true…he cheered for the Badgers.

The Badgers ended up with a very difficult loss…56 to 53 to the Nittany Lions.  Brad’s comment on the on the game…”we just got out played.”

Even though the Badgers didn’t bring home a win for WI, we still had a great time.

now this is a family that isn't bothered by the snow...{MR. CARL}

With our first real snow fall of the year, this week our family feels like we are back in MN

The snow stared to fall late Tuesday night and continued into Wednesday morning.  I thought that fore sure we would have a late start, if not a day off.  (this snow actually looked like it could be messy and tough to drive in, not like last week’s ½ inch dusting that kept schools closed Friday morning)  After checking the news over and over again…I realized that I better hustle up as Max would indeed have school and it would be starting on time.  Max and I headed off to school…

As I was dropping Max off at the front door of school I heard Mr. Carl, Max’s school principal say to me…”now this is a family that isn’t bothered by the snow.”  Apparently many of the parents were very angry that the children still had school on a day where the weather had become so dangerous…and with more snow coming, was the district out of its mind?

School was later called off at noon, giving all the children plenty of time to get home before the second round started.  The district did listen to all of the angry parents…today we have our first official snow day!  Max is enjoying the day off by playing in his snow fort!

i can’t believe that my six year old just bought a wii…{BRAD}

As Max has been getting older, he has become increasing interested in money and how commerce works.  He saves his dollars happily, and gives to church joyfully.   So when he asked to use some of his birthday money for a BIG purchase…Brad and I said yes.

Yesterday was a BIG day for Max.  With all of his own money, Max bought himself a wii.  Brad and I explained to him that just because he bought it wouldn’t mean that he could spend all of his time playing games… it is still important to run and play.  We also told him that it was a lot of money, and to remember how long it took to save.  Did he really want to have to wait that long to rebuild his funds the next time he wanted to buy something.

I am very proud of my little guy.  He listened to what we had to say.  He thought very carefully about his purchase, asking many questions.  In the end he made his large purchase.  I am proud of how responsible he is, and so happy to see that the values we as a family see as important are also important to Max!

Good job little man!

it is a little overwhelming isn’t it...{JEANNI}

Last night Max had a birthday party.  We had invited the whole class and over half of the children came.  So I am sure that it isn’t a surprise to you that I said…”it is a little overwhelming isn’t it.”  But who did I say it too? 

Brad did well as door man.  Greeting parents and taking coats.  He was all smiles, and thought that the party went very well.

GeeBee spent the party in his kennel.  I don’t think that he would have been overwhelmed; however, I don’t know what the party guests would have thought.  Often times big fat bully knocks down people with his hind end without even knowing it.

Max…out little birthday boy was very overwhelmed.  Although he looks just like his dad, his heart is truly all his mom!  There were a few times of tears with all the excitement and I don’t think he knew what to do with himself most of the time.  It was hard for him to have all the attention focused on him.  But in the end, he had a great party…and is now looking forward to playing with all his treasures. 

happy happy birthday...{JEANNI}

Today my little boy turns 6.  It is an exciting day here filled with:  school treats, gifts, phone calls, a night out at Perkins, and a Star Wars cake.  Who would have thought that combining Max’s favorite thing and my favorite thing would come together in such a beautiful moment!

And with another snowy night headed our way, what could be better?  Could our birthday boy have another late start?  Well, the “snow baby snow” chant that worked last time has already been heard around our house tonight.

Tomorrow Max will be having a birthday party at our house.  He has invited his whole class, and is looking forward to having some friends over for a lego party…where he is sure to hear me say “happy happy birthday Maxwell” another day. 

let's get my eatin' sorted out...{MAX}

Last night we headed out for a special family event…celebrating Max’s hard work with SWEB rules at school.

Let’s start with what SWEB rules are.  SWEB rules are school rules that emphasize the 3 ideas of…be respectful…be responsible…and be safe.  Every day Max’s teacher moniters the students behavior and gives the children a color to report home to their parents.  The colors system is based on a stop light….green meaning good behavior, orange/yellow meaning the student needs to watch out for some behaviors that are happening, and red meaning that a behavior needs to stop.

Last night our family was celebrating Max because he had all greens for the month of December.  When Max gets all “greenies”, as he would say, he picks out a restaurant to go to for dinner.  Last night…Applebees.

One of Max’s favorite things to do at a restaurant is to fill out the kids menu, like the maze, tick tack toe, and bingo.  Has he sat in the booth and started to work on his menu, he turned to Brad and said, “let’s get my eatin’ sorted out.” 

So what did Max pick to eat?  If you said Mac and Cheese, then you are a winner!

can we make snow angels...{MAX}

Late last afternoon our family experienced a “first” in PA…our first snow storm!

All evening Max and I chanted…”snow baby snow!”  Can you believe it, we actually miss the snow.  It was so exciting to see the flakes falling.  Although Max and I were praying that our chants would result in a snow day for school, Brad brought us back down to reality.  Chances are we would not miss any school with this storm, which by the way was predicted to dump a whole 4-6 inches on us.  Even so, I kept my phone next to my bed, waiting for the schools global phone call telling us school was canceled for Wednesday.

When I woke up at 6:00, blurry eyed, I asked Brad if school was canceled.  He didn’t know, and headed out the door to work.  However, a few minutes later he sent me a text that school would be delayed 2 hours this morning.  Well that was enough for me to celebrate.

Max and I spent the morning playing out in the snow before school started at 10:30 this morning.  Max was excited to finally put snow pants on.  “Can we make snow angels…” were his last words as he headed out the door!

i think this is going to be a facebook post...{BRAD}

Brad is currently the only person in our family that has a facebook account.  (I think that GeeBee has a better chance of opening an account than I do.)  Now that Brad has the facebook app on his iphone, he has started to post some memorable events...and this event was defiantly worth posting about.

This last Saturday, after Max's lacrosse game, we decided to run a few errands.  I am sure you can guess just how much both boys in the family feel about shopping.  So, on the way home we thought it would be a "special treat" to get McDonalds for Max.  Brad pulled right on up to the drive through menu where he discovered...50 piece Chicken McNuggets!

That's right...Brad ordered himself a 50 piece Chicken McNugget meal.  While waiting for the nuggets to arrive he says to me..."i think this is going to be a facebook post!" 

The way that Brad justifies this nugget purchase..."I didn't eat all 50!" 

Good job Brad...good job!

i hope that we get to go outside today for recess…{MAX}

Being cold.  After moving from MN to PA, i have realized what a relative term being cold is.  Max has just gone back to school after Christmas break.  He was so excited at the thought of an outdoor recess.  Believe it or not…here in PA when the temperature drops below 50, the schools question if the children should go outside to play.  In a recent news letter sent home, we were told that it is extremely important to dress our children appropriately for inclimate weather.

So did Max get to go outside for recess?  Well today it is a chilly, but sunny 52 out…so we will have to wait and see?

this is a whacking stick so i can whack any wild animals that come...{MAX}

Today was a warm...but not so beautiful day in P.A.  With temperatures in the 50s, we decided to take a walk on some nature trails near our house.  When we first got to the trail, Max immediately picked up a large stick and told Brad and I that "this is a whacking stick so I can whack any wild animals that come."  So how many wild animals did we see today?  Just one very large snoring bully dog!  I guess the "whacking stick" instilled enough fear on the trials today that the wild animals kept their distance...and we all lived to quote another day.

i don't get this thing...{JEANNI}

In an attempt to stay connected with family and friends I have decided to start a family blog.  For those who know me well, you will realize that this seemingly simple task has taken me about 4 hours to actually get up and running and I am still not happy with the way it looks!  One would think that with basic computer skills and ample time on my hands, that I would have perfected blogging.  However, I can not figure out how to up load pictures, change the font, or center my title.  "I don't get this thing!"

With that said…welcome to {KUTZ} quotes!