Stuntman!

When I left them they were just riding bikes...I came out to a jump, SHOCKING!!! Nate of course hooked Conley up with a small jump that Conley thought was AWESOME! I remember watching Nate and his buddies take their dirt bikes and 4-wheelers off jumps WAY larger than this in high school...I'm sure that is in my future. Remember...this stuff is all new to me. I grew up in a family of girls and we were much more cautious and careful.
Thankfully a collision was avoided here or I would have had tears for sure!

Nate of course gave Shay some "awesome air" and she LOVED it! She has mastered riding her trike and loves to go "faster" as she often tells me. I envision us outside riding bikes everyday this summer.

Conley 1...Shay 0

Yes, I'm going potty...no that is not what you think it is on my face!!!! And yes, I ACCIDENTALLY punched my sister in the face and gave her a bloody nose! I was wrestling my dad and her face got in the way of my fist! She is just fine, my mom took pictures to prove it...check them out:
See my sis is just fine. It stopped bleeding and her hair is even under control!

She was dramatic about the situation for a little bit and she had her "crazy after bath hair"! She had to show my mom her bloody kleenex to gain sympathy because mom was laughing and taking pictures. I don't think Shay liked that!

Watch out Lance Armstrong!!!

Shay now has mastered pedaling her trike. She loves it and is excited to finally be able to keep up with Conley!
Conley riding without training wheels. He will ride through the garage and onto the driveway doing large circles. He kept saying "this is awesome"! He would have done better, but he insisted on wearing his soccer shoes.


This was hilarious. He stood and told Nate that his "grandpa would be so proud of me". He would then ask Nate to watch him and see how fast he was.

He went by me too fast, so I only caught his backside.

Yesterday Tom took Conley to teach him to ride a bike without training wheels. We have tried before and he fought us on learning. I knew if we weren't there that he would behave and listen to Tom teach him. HE ROCKED IT!!!!! Every time he gets on the bike he can go farther and faster. I'm sure by the end of this week he will be a pro. Before I know it he will be riding RAGBRAI and mountain biking with Nate, hehe! And yes, he ALMOST ALWAYS wears a bike helmet. He just didn't have it on when I made him ride for pictures. It was put on later when he was showing off for Mary, Tom and Luke.

Party!!!

Our "mimi" (pacifier) throwing away party was tonight at Chuck E. Cheese's. OH MY WORD!!!! It has been 20+ years since my family has been there. WOW! The food was horrible and the atmosphere not much better, but Conley had a BLAST. He could have played ALL night. Of course the cheap toy he picked out broke/he broke it before we left Cedar Rapids.

We had a "first" tonight as well. Conley had to use the bathroom while we are on the interstate almost outside of Cedar Rapids, so we stopped at the Rest Area between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. My dad commented that we had never stopped there before, so it was just an extra adventure to the evening.

We also stopped at my aunts before going to our "party" and put her fish in her backyard pond. She had brought the fish indoors last fall for the winter, so we had to go up for the "moving of the fish". The kids thought it was awesome and Conley brought up some fish food to feed them in their new home. My mom took pictures, so I will post them later. No "moving of the fish" party is complete without wine, crackers, cheese, grapes and of course goldfish snacks and juice boxes for the kids. Thanks for the great "fish party" Linda!!!!

BIG NEWS!!!!!

We have been "mimi" free for 24 hrs!!!!! A "mimi" at this house is a pacifier. Yes, Conley still used his. I know you all are judging right now, but this is my house and my kids, and for a long time it gave me sanity in certain situations to have it. It was all his doing! He announced last night that he was going to throw them in the garbage. One by one, he found them all and in the garbage they went. He cried a little at bedtime, but otherwise did great. He asked for one when we got home from daycare, but quickly got over it. Hopefully it goes well. I remember my friend Jamie saying it was just a couple days of crying and then her kids forgot about it...so hopefully we are on that same plan!!!!

When I picked up Shay from daycare today, they announced that Shay went on the potty today!!! YEAH!!! I always joked that she would be trained before Conley...thankfully Conley is good to go with that subject. Shay initiated going and actually went. I have set her on the potty here but never have had results. Hopefully she slowly catches on by watching her friends!

Shay got her first haircut over Easter weekend. Conley just had to have his haircut after watching Shay. I never thought I would pay to have Conley's hair cut, I always thought Nate would just take care of it. It was a fun day, and they got suckers...win for everyone!

Shay wasn't exactly "loving" it!

Giving Aunt Jamie the "stink eye". I of course am tying to explain to Conley that he can get his hair cut when Shay is done.

Crazy Hair!

Daycare LOVES playing with Shay's hair. Here is today's creation.

Pea up the nose!

Last night I had a fun night out with the gals. Great girl talk, great food and lots of laughs! Before I left last night I cooked dinner for Nate and the kids. Tonight during dinner we were eating up the left over peas (we had other great food as well, no worries) and the following happened:

Con- "Hey dad, put the pea up your nose like a booger again, k dad?!"
Nate- "Con (it's supposed to be a secret tone), what are you talking about (with weird smile)"
Con- "Dad, do it again and then blow it out like a booger"
Shay- "Booger dada"

Of course I do the slow head turn to look at Nate with eyebrows raised. He of course has a HUGE smile on his face. And then folks, up the nose went a pea and yes, he shot it out like a booger and the kids were DYING laughing. I love the little things he comes up with to entertain them! However, the next time they have peas at daycare, I'm sure I will get a "talking" to regarding a pea up Conley's nose.