Weeknight Zoo FUN!

I'm totally not the "Let's go stay out late on school night," kind of Mom. I'm a very firm believer in hittin' the hay at a VERY decent time each night. If my kids are not in bed by 7:15ish and lights out by 7:30ish, no later than 7:45ish, then I start getting a little uneasy.....

BORING, I know, BUT bed time has always been a serious issue in The Weite House. When traveling, bedtimes go out the window. On weekends, bedtimes get extended a good hour or two, maybe longer, depending on the situation. BUT, on a SCHOOL NIGHT, we are totally a bath time, book time, and early bedtime type of household. My kiddos NEED a good solid night's sleep and, truth be told, I, myself, am NOT a morning person. In fact, I'm a snooze at least three times type of person and if I wake up even five minutes before the alarm goes off, I'm pulling the covers back up over my head, type of person.

With all that being said, I did break my own rules and take the kiddos to the Blank Park Zoo this evening for a little animal survival fun...It was all in celebration of a one-night, statewide celebration of science and math education, so I just had to participate.

I took the older two, Taylen stayed with Grandma, and Jason had (and is still, as I type, at his track meet). We roamed the zoo, enjoying all the learning stations and just absolutely soaked up the beautiful weather and relaxing atmosphere.....

Trey's favorite parts were dissecting the owl pellets (which I totally thought were owl POOP for at least the past 20 years, only to find out tonight that they are just a giant owl HAIRBALL...that's even with a hands-on dissection of the same thing in my Freshman Biology class...UGH!!!) and the Bald Eagle exhibit. Ty's favorite parts were feeding the goats and watching the sea lions. Seeing them both light up at just about everything made missing bedtime all worth it.....

Trey loving the bald eagles....

Checking out the different types of teeth....herbivore vs. carnivore....

Ty excited she got to feel a giraffe skin....she said she never touched one before ;)

Trey finding all kinds of bones in that owl pellet....

Sea lion tricks...

Having a blast and getting along....didn't even argue!!! WOW! Must have been the GORGEOUS weather!!!!

Ty feeding the goat that Trey refused to feed because it was acting like a bully and trying to hog all the food. Ty wanted to make sure he got some too...what a sweetie!!! LOL....

They LOVE feeding these fish....which are waaaay toooo overcrowded in my opinion!!!

Miss Tay after we picked her up from Grandma's.....she wouldn't take these silly things off the entire mile ride home!!! Silly girl!!!!

So, Trey and Ty, although I'm usually a "stay up late on the weekends" kind of Momma, I have to say that I'm sooooo glad we made the trip to the zoo this evening. I'm hoping those words don't come back to haunt me in about 8 hours when I'm trying to wake you three bear-like children up for the day.....Grrrrrrr!!!!

Love you BUNCHES and THANKS so much for the fun evening out!!!!

Easter

created the perfect opportunity for us to hit our first Iowa Cubs baseball game of the season and get together with a few of Jason's family members for a little egg-hunting and visiting.

Easter morning started out with a little visit from the Easter Bunny, where the kids got a few goodies and we got to give out at least a hundred hugs and kisses and tell our three just how much we love them. It's funny because the kids were able to open a couple Easter packages that had been sitting around for days just waiting for them. They were so caught up in checking those out that they didn't discover the Easter Bunny's gifts until a half-hour or so later. Thanks Grandma Cindy, PaPa Steve, Grampy, and Mi-Mi for sending wishes from back in St. Louis. The kids all loved it all!!!

After hanging out around the house for a while, we headed down to Principal Park in downtown Des Moines and got all sun-screened up for the Iowa Cubs vs. the RoundRock Express action. The weather was fantastic and the timing of the day game allowed us to stay until the 7th before we headed off to Grandma Marcia and Grandpa Ken's house for Easter dinner.....

Ty IMMEDIATELY found Cubby Bear. She definitely HEARTS him....

Look who else we ran into???

Ty having fun getting autographs.....

Family shot....HAPPY EASTER!!!!

After the game, it was off to a little Easter egg hunt. Whenever we are in town for the holiday, the hunt at Grandma Marcia's is where the kids enjoy spending their time. This year was no different and they quickly filled their baskets....

Tay got a chance to actually hunt this year...with a little help, of course!

She had more fun shaking the eggs and taking them in and out of her basket....

Miss Ty was all smiles and had a blast hunting....

LOVE this one....posing away!!! So happy....

The Easter Bunny even hid them up high....

Jackpot!!! Trey man...you are getting so big!!! Hope there are a lot more Easter egg hunts still left in you....

Checking out their loot....

After the egg hunt there was still a little fun planned. Jason's sister, Lyn, sent an egg-shaped pinata for the kids and they had a blast hitting away. The big kids, Damen and Caden, even had a pitch in and give the thing a whack!!! Thanks for the laughter and goodies, Aunt Lyn!!!

Youngest goes first, of course ;)

Whackin' away....

Caden's turn....

Grabbin' all the goods....

Trey's arms were officially filled....

What a nice little Easter 2012 we had.....so blessed!

It's BARNSTORMER time!!!

We are definite fans of the Iowa Barnstormers, which is the Arena 1 football team here in Des Moines. and LOVE going to the games. Jason had the awesome experience of playing for the Barnstormers, as well as a couple other indoor football teams, a while back. We've been attending games for the past few years since Jason traded in his jersey for season tickets. The atmosphere is undeniable and we really can't get enough. Ty grabbed her cowbell and hit the game with us on Saturday night while Trey and Taylen stayed at Grandma Marcia's. She had a fantastic time, to say the least and saw the team bring home a winner.

Other than the lights flickering and eventually going out, along with the emergency sirens and the horrible storms that hit Des Moines before half-time, we definitely had a blast!!!!

Showing off her cowbell....

All ready to throw the dollar footballs in Barnstormer Billy's wagon at half-time....

Checking out the players and soooo excited to get a bunch of high-fives....

LOVE this pic of Ty looking down at her Daddy....

And, this one where she's flying high at kick-off time....

So, as the season continues on we will cheer loud and proud. For Jason, the games are a definite second-best to actually playing, but I know they're something we look forward to enjoying for many years to come are perfect for fun family times together!!!

Learnapalooza.....

created the perfect combination of learning and fun for the kids and I on Saturday while Jason was off at a track meet. This circus themed event was put on by the kids' school district and featured many fun booths including animals, crafts, science experiments, book bingo, the West Des Moines Police Department, music, performances, etc...

The kids had a blast and Trey loved seeing familiar faces while cruising around and checking everything out. The entry fee was a personal care item donation that will be eventually sent on to the West Des Moines Human Service department and on its way to someone in need. Ty picked a few deodorants to bring and Trey chose bar soap and toothbrushes. Trey said everybody and anybody can use toothbrushes and Ty thought girls would like to smell pretty.....

Ty posing with good old Curious George....she's in AWE of anything in costume lately!!!

Being mad scientists and solving the mystery after making bite impressions from each jaw....they both figured out the one with the chipped tooth was the guilty one!!! Way to go, Jr. Scientists!!!

Trey ready to start the next game of book bingo....he had fun marking off all the numbers and wiggling that loose tooth of his. It won't be long....

Photo opportunity with Miss Tay-Tay....all having a blast!!!

Music and puppet time....fun, fun!!!

Snakes from the Blank Park Zoo....Ty couldn't get enough and Trey, on the other hand, didn't quite know what to think. He takes after his daddy on this one...Jason can't stand snakes!!!

Posing with their child safety cards....

Science fun!!!

Matching the type of food with the animal that eats it....

Trey's last stop before we left. He recognized a few things from school and told me he needed to get a little more information on it. Too funny!!!!!! He's such a little man!!!!!

Thanks WDMCS for putting on such a fun event. The kids learned a lot and it was really neat to see the strong ties between both the community and education.....

Not only is he the best Daddy.....

but he's also one of the best coaches and absolutely LOVES what he does.

Yesterday, Trey, Ty, Taylen and I all I packed up and headed over to watch part of the East team hit the track. Aside from the playful urge to "roll" down the hill at the stadium, the kids were in awe of the whole atmosphere and there were many moments that I caught little Miss Ty just watching her Daddy, out on that track, doing what he does best.

As everyone knows, Jason's first love is definitely football, but he's got a soft spot in his heart for coaching just about anything and everything. Track season is currently in full force and, just like he does with all his endeavors, Jason is all about giving 110% to each and every one of the high school students he coaches. It's always neat to watch Jason work with the athletes and see the impression he has on them, both as student-athletes and as people in general. I have never met a former player/student that has had a negative thing to say about him. Along those same lines, I can think of many parents that have made it a point to approach him outside of the "field" and thank him for all the hard work he puts in and the positive role he plays in their child's life. As both a parent and a former athlete, I know just how critical the coaching role can be. A coach can make or break a child's love for sports and competition, as well as foster that inner-drive that's key to being successful in life. I also know that, without Jason and the other coaches, many of these athletes would have no positive role models in their lives what-so-ever.

So, thanks Jason, for giving what you've got and sharing your knack for bringing out the best in all the student-athletes you coach. I don't know how you manage to balance being there for your own three, working with high school students who are ready to transition into the next stage of their lives, and dedicate nothing but the best to leading young athletes on their road to success, but you do it and you do it EXTREMELY well!!! Trey, Tylee, and Taylen are extremely lucky and will always be proud to call you Daddy. I can only dream that one day they will be blessed with the experience of having a coach like you!

Good luck with the rest of track season and never forget what a positive influence you play in soooo many young lives. It's just one of the many reasons why I love you!!!

"A good coach will make his players see what they can be, rather than what they are." 

The Easter Bunny....

was rather friendly this go round and managed to keep Taylen from falling into a screaming tizzy. Which, is what I totally thought was going to happen as I gently set her down in his lap. She scrunched that cute little face, squeezed those eyes, and started grunting as she reached for me. I walked away and stood by the camera man as he shook the bells and I snapped away. Her fear kind of dwindled and pure shock sort of seemed to set in. She spent the rest of her minutes on Mr. Easter Bunny's (or Mrs. Easter Bunny as Ty calls it) just staring into space.
The other two cooperated as they settled comfortably into that fuzzy, white fur. Ty gave him her fair share of high-fives and had been looking forward to this little visit for at least the past ten days!!! Trey whispered into those big, old ears just how excited he was to start playing baseball this spring with his buddies from the neighborhood and school. I'm totally loving the different stages they are all in right now.

I'm definitely hoping I can squeeze a few more years of Easter Bunny pictures into our collection from years past. It's always fun looking back and seeing the changes each one of them have undergone in the past 365 days. And, I know that one day all my little munchkins will be too "cool" to sit on the lap of anything...including their Momma. Until then, I'll continue to live in the present and enjoy all the little things about each and every moment!!!

So, thank you, Mr. (or Mrs.) Easter Bunny....I definitely think we can chalk this up as a successful visit....

Happy Easter from The Weite Kiddos.....2012

Almost there....

would be the TWO words that I could use to describe Tay's current "walking" progress. She's definitely following right in her big brother and sister's footsteps, literally, and is not walking yet. They both walked at exactly the 13 month mark and I think that's gong to also be the magic number for Miss Tay.

She loves "cruising" the furniture and has just recently started standing up from a sitting position. I've been trying to get it on video for the past couple of days, and today is about the closest I've come....she's a little stinker, that's for sure :)

Keep it up, Peanut.....it won't be long!!!