So Few Days and So Many Adventures

What a wild and crazy week the Nutt House had this past week!  Our week started on the calm side Monday.  While we were busy at kiddo activities, we received a message from some friends to join them at the park for some playtime.  Knowing our days of tolerable weather are coming to an end, we jumped at the chance to join them.  As quickly as Kara finished at dance, we dashed home to change and swing by Little Caesar’s to pick up a pizza rush to the park before it got too late to be out since it was a school night. In between munching on pizza slices, the little Nutt’s soaked in the time they had with their friends scooting around the skate park, playing on the playground equipment and swinging.  As dusk started to set in, we finally wrapped up the evening and headed home for the night. 

Such perfect park weather

Swings are always better with friends!

Swinging, playing, and scootering... a perfect evening!

Tuesday and Wednesday brought us days of normalcy as school and after school activities kept us running around like the chickens with our heads cut off that we typically are.  As school ended for the day Wednesday, Kara and Kaden said good-bye to their teachers like they do every day.  The only difference this time was that the teachers had voted to do a walkout that started the following day, on Thursday.  This meant that the kids would be out of school for an undetermined amount of time.  There are many opinions on the walkout and what has been dubbed the #redfored movement.  There are components from both sides of the debate that I can agree with, however, at the end of the day,… these are our children and this is their education.  When money has been taken out of the funding of education and not returned, when we continually cut taxes (which I am all for) but it started negatively impacting education it is time for a change.  It becomes time to make the hard decisions and as needed pay a little extra to help fund the schooling of the next generation.  Though this walkout has caused so many questions and left so much unknown I still support it.  In fact, over the past few weeks I have been supporting the teachers in a walk-in before the start of school each Wednesday.  Brent has been wonderful and gotten the kids ready to go so I could lend our support to the teachers.  Wednesday, the last day of school due to the walk out I spent a large portion of my morning assisting others in gathering food to give to students who would go without because of school closures.  My heart aches for the teachers and how hard this decision must have been for them, I hope each day that the walkout will end.  However, I continue to support the teachers and hope the walkout will end soon because both the state government and the teachers have been able to come together and agree on the future of education for our state.  My fear is how political this is turning and because of that, the students and the teachers are going to be lost in all of this.  What a mess!

Our little diver!

If you can catch the smile on his face you'll
get a glimpse of how much he loves Jiu Jitsu

Lyrical practice

This mess has not been without benefits though.  Thursday was national take your child to work day and Brent’s work was participating in this.  Thanks to the walk out it was easy for him to take both Kara and Kaden to work with him in the morning.  Both little ones were beyond excited for the chance to go spend the day at work with daddy.  After a bit of a rough start to the morning, they had their backpack full of activities packed and were ready for a day of work with dad.  All reports I received back were positive and that all enjoyed the day.  Kara does wish she had been able to do more to assist her in understanding what it is that Brent does all day.  Hopefully next year, the kids can attend the event again and have more of an opportunity to see what happens all day for Brent. 

Lunch with daddy-o

Funny little guy, he called me and during the call, the headset
kept falling off his head

All ready to get to work

Yeah, he had a good time

Just chillin'

These two had the greatest of days!

Thursday evening brought Kaden his last swim lesson of the session.  It came to no surprise that he excelled with his backstroke and diving skills.  He’s eager to get back into the pool next week and continue to work on the other strokes that he isn’t as strong in yet.  While the boys were off at swim lessons, Kara and I represented our family in a night of service, providing and serving dinner to the homeless.  I continue to feel blessed for this opportunity and all the lessons and reminders it gives to the Nutt House.  I firmly believe we are getting more out of this than we could ever put in. 

Yay Kaden!

Our little diving & backstroking rock star!

Where Friday was another day of no school we had a day of play.  We kicked off our day by having friends over to watch the movie, “The Greatest Showman”.  This movie is quickly becoming a family classic.  The music is good, the story is great and it captures all of our attention annnddd as an added bonus, the movie isn’t animated!  Once the movie was done, I took the kiddos and their friends over to Urban Air for some fun.  The kids had a great time burning up all of their energy while they jumped, climbed, ran the warrior obstacle course and overall just darted back and forth from one activity to the next.  They had a blast and when it was time to leave there were four worn out kiddos in the car with me!  I would call that a successful afternoon!

Obstacle Course fun

Jump, jump!

Just gotta jump, jump!

This girl will climb any obstacle to
reach her dreams

Happy little man

Obstacle course fun!

Kaden loved just chillin' on this bouncy
thing in the tube play area

She came so crazy close to accomplishing the entire course
so close!!!!

Kaden had so much fun climbing through the
balls at the bottom of the obstacle course

Another try, still close but no cigar

That wasn’t it for Friday though Brent, Kaden, and I went to support the birthday of a friend while Kara went out with another friend.  They were supposed to go to Makutus Island, but that place was closed for a private party, so wouldn’t you know it?!  They ended up at Urban Air where Kara repeated the fun from a mere hour before for a couple more hours!  I can accurately say that girl slept soundly as soon as she got home.

She WILL conquer the world!

Craz Amaz Dance Buddies
& Good Friends

Saturday was as full and Nutt-y as they come.  We began the day doing the divide and conquer thing.  I took Kara to piano lessons and production dance practice while Brent took Kaden down to Arizona Mills to compete in the Legoland Creative Crew competition.  Ever since learning about the Creative Crew it is something Kaden has wanted to do.  If selected he gets a membership for himself and one other person free for a year, a t-shirt, and most importantly to Kaden he would get to work with the Master Builder once a month.  Out of everyone that applied 100 kids were selected to try out.  Kaden was in the 2^nd group to go and when his group was called, they had 20 minutes to grab all the Legos they might need and to build an animal – whatever animal they would like.  Kaden quickly got to work and his little mind started racing as he built a crocodile.  Let me take that back, he didn’t just build one crocodile, he build three!  Kara and I had been dashing after dance and we got to the Lego competition right after Kaden was done building.  We stuck around though, and soon enough the other groups had finished their turns and it was time to announce the top 24 that would compete for the 12 spots available on the Creative Crew.  Kaden was beyond elated when his name was the first called to compete in the final round!  For this round, the kids were given 30 minutes and asked to build something that they like, something that describes them.  Kaden thought about this and chose to build a dog because as he put it, he has a dog.  For this round, we had front row seats and Kaden’s three biggest cheerleaders cheered him on as he started working on his dog. Sitting on the sideline watching Kaden’s mind work was mesmerizing for me.  I can put it no better than to simply say when he is playing/building with Legos Kaden is in his zone, he’s in his Zen place, he’s in his happy place.  As he built the Creative Crew from this current year walked around asking questions as did the current Master Builder and three other judges.  Going into the competition, we knew it would be tough for Kaden to make in and he didn’t technically make the age requirement, as he was supposed to be 6 years old.  Kaden turns six in less than two weeks, which is why we entered him in the contest.  Fast forward to the end of the competition and Kaden had done his best.  Granted, his dog was really tall, with a super long neck like a giraffe, but that’s okay.  As we waited for the judges to choose the new Creative Crew I witnessed a side to Kaden I had not seen before.  This sweet lil’ man sat on my lap with his fingers crossed and he nervously kept commenting how he hoped he’d make it.  Sadly, this year, it was not in the cards for Kaden to make the Crew.  My heart shattered in pieces and tears filled my eyes as I witnessed Kaden shrivel up in disappointment at not making the crew.  He was so heartbroken and as his mom, I hated that I could not fix this for him.  We firmly believe a big reason why Kaden didn’t make it is that he isn’t quite six yet.  When he was asked his age, he was honest and said five, but that he turns 6 in 9 days.  Well, when they can only choose 12 kids and one isn’t even of age yet… that could be why he wasn’t selected and fortunately, Kaden can and is already planning on trying out again next year.  As an added bonus, Kaden has eagerly started practicing to try out next year.  To do this, we are giving Kaden a theme in which to create something out of Legos in and giving him the 20-30 minutes to bring that theme to fruition.  Kaden is encouraged that he has a plan of attack and is gearing up for next year. This was not an easy lesson, however, it is an important lesson... that we can do our best, but not always get what we want.  That we don't give up, we keep on trying... Kaden learned that lesson Saturday, I think Kara learned it a bit, and it was a good reminder to both Brent and I that we cannot fix and solve everything for our kiddos.

Pre-competition Lego Play

Ready to grab his Legos and go

Hard at work

Being interviewed while he builds

My very own Master Builder with the Lego Guy

Kaden with his 3 stacked crocodiles

A trophy he built while waiting for the results of
Round 1

First chosen for round 2!!!

Kaden is buried int he middle by the Lego guy
Kaden with the rest of the round 2 crew!

A little pre-round 2 encouragement from dad

The race is back on

Back at work

Totally in his zone

A little mid competition interview

Kaden with his favorite Master Builder

Kaden completely looks up to this guy

Kaden would love to learn from this guy
or even have his job someday!

So proud of his dog

Kaden's final build for the competition

After we were finished with the Legoland competition Kaden was cheered up with a ride on the train around the mall with his “sissy” as he calls Kara.  After which the boys had their hairs cut before the Nutt House ventured on home to rest up for our last escapade of the week. 

A little post competition train ride fixed all the sadness

My sweet lil' guy had all his hair shaved off
It isn't my favorite, but it's just what he wanted!

Saturday evening the Nutt House headed downtown to cheer on the Arizona Rattlers Inside Football League team as they took on the Cedar Rapids Titans.  We planned appropriately to allow time to participate in pregame activities that included both kiddos making a poster to cheer on the Rattlers.  After which, we headed inside to find seats where we settled on in and cheered on the team until our throats were sore.  I absolutely adore going to sporting events with Kaden.  He has got to be my most favorite person ever to attend a sporting event with… he gets so animated and into whatever it is that he’s watching.  He cheered, he screamed, he waived his poster around and even shook his little toosh when dance music was played during a time out.  Kara was a delight and tried activing goofy to make it on the Jumbotron, but Kaden… he is a true sports guy and a joy to be with.  I long for the day when Brent and I can attend a sporting event and actually sit with one another. Right now though, with two kiddos both having questions and needing assistance, it is best if we sit adult, kid, adult, kid.  While I miss sitting with my favorite guy, the family being together… totally worth it!  The game didn’t start well for the Rattlers with the Titans taking an early lead.  The Rattlers fought back though and didn’t let the lead get to big and still, the game was exciting enough there was plenty to cheer for.  With around 5 minutes left in the game Kaden was tired enough we made the decision to leave the game and beat the traffic heading out and on the light rail back to the car.  Of course, after we left the Rattlers came back and won the game by 1 point, securing their 300^th win of all time.  We may have missed the end, but the game was fun for us all and the Nutt House hopes to return and cheer on the Rattlers again in the future.

The kids were so excited we arrived early enough
to engage in the pregame activities

We never manage to get to sporting events
early enough for this, so it was perfect!

Poster making fun!

Adding the team colors to his poster

Our seats were high up, but so incredibly perfect!

He was so proud of his poster - with a couple rattlesnakes on it,
a football, the team colors, and the team name

She was must more excited than her face shows... she was
just nervous of her poster falling down

The best sports fan I know!

All of these events led to a very busy and very Nutt-y week.  Having had family council earlier today, I can attest to the fact that this next week isn’t going to be any slower.  In fact, we don’t have another slow weekend until sometime in June.  Equipped with this knowledge, we are preparing for all the fun, all the memory making events, and all the chaos that the month of May is going to bring!  I’ve said it before and it’s worth repeating… our lives may be Nutt-y but they are absolutely worth it!  I love our Nutt-y lives and would not change them for anything in this world!