Rain, Rain, Go Away!

A few of these pictures are from Matt's mom when she had the boys a few weeks ago. I just finally remembered to get them from her!

Zane wishing he were smaller...

Mason being used as a bridge!

Zane's hand on Mason as he watches t.v.

Zane fell in the mud and came in crying!

This week was crazy busy! Monday I had kindergarten round-up from 12:30-7:00, so it was a LONG day! We saw 59 kiddos and have more that didn't end up coming to their appointment, so it was a busy day! The boys had some quality time together while I was gone! When I got home, the first thing Zane wanted to show me was his "hot-rodded" jeep! He and Daddy doubled the voltage. They think they need to put another battery in also...I think not!

The "hot-rodded" jeep!

Dosen't Mason look cool?

Wednesday we had a visit from the Parents as Teachers lady. She "tested" both boys and they did well! At the end of the visit she told me to start working on letters and sounds with Zane and when I told her that he already knew them, she was surprised! He has learned SO MUCH this year in preschool! We are very proud of him!

Mason is 5 months old already!

This weekend we headed to Iowa for the first weekend of races, but they were rained out. This happens most years, so we weren't surprised. Saturday was Adam's prom, so we were able to go and see all of the kids walk in. That was fun! We went back to Keeta's and had pizza, then went to bed early. Today we went to Grandma/pa Beggs' for dinner, then headed back to KC. When we got home we mowed our yard and the neighbors' yard (they had to suddenly leave town so asked us to mow). The boys stayed asleep the whole time we mowed! I was unlucky and got stung by a wasp, which HURTS for a little while, but had to finish mowing! We got it mowed just in time...a couple hours later it started pouring rain!

Mason getting ready for his first marathon...

The World According to Zane

• Thursday evening I had a hair appointment and Matt had to work late, so Mary came over to watch Zane (I took Mason with me). While they were playing outside, Zane had to "fix" one of his toys. Mary told him he did a good job and he said, "I can fix anything, just like my Dad!"
• Tonight as I was uploading videos to the blog, Zane wanted to watch older videos. He watched one of himself singing and said, "I have big lips!"
• Last weekend, Matt and Zane went to the carwash while Chris was washing the racecar. Across from the carwash is the local John Deere dealer...and lots of tractors/combines! All this week, Zane kept asking if we could go to the "wash car place to look at combines." He saw a green combine (Corey) and a red combine (Frank) so he's been asking to see Frank and Corey all week! (Corey is from a book we have and Frank is the combine on the movie Cars).
• A couple of weeks ago Zane had a hair appointment which had to be cancelled because the lady who cuts his hair had surgery. When Matt took the boys to Iowa on Good Friday, he decided to take Zane to the local barber. We told him that Rich would cut his hair and his response was "Rich not cut my hair. Rich is a cat!" He's right, Rich is Grandma Farmer's cat...so we had to tell him the barber's name was Richard!

"The Crazies"

It was nice to see the return of some sunshine and warm temperatures this week! At school, it was another grueling week, literally. This was the last week of our state testing and the last week of a change in schedule for us. We had 3 days this week where the kids were in the classroom from 11:30-3:00 with NO break...it was exhausting for me and for them! Lucky for us we have a great principal, who allowed us to have some extra PE and recess time on a couple of those days to break things up a little bit!

Wonder what advice Zane's giving???

This is Mason all the time...we are so blessed!

This week Mason has decided that he wants to wake up in the middle of the night and get a bottle! Seems strange that the kid might be going through a growth spurt since that seems to be what he's been on since day one, but I think he is! So far he hasn't been completely fond of his cereal, so this week Jo started feeding him cereal in the morning and she added a little fruit to it for flavor and he likes it much better! We tried green beans one night and Mason seemed to like them! The last couple of nights we have fed him cereal, which is seeming to help him make it all the way through the night. I was not enjoying having to be up an hour or so at night, I thought we were over that!

The kids at Jo's enjoying the nice weather!
Who will win the Piston Cup?

Jo and Mason swinging!

Jo was closed Friday, so we loaded the boys up and met Matt's parents in St. Joe Thursday night. This was my first entire night away from Mason...it was hard! It was very strange to come home without kids...and what did we do but go grocery shopping! We also had to do laundry and pack for the weekend, and it was nice to do without also having to bathe/feed/play with the boys at the same time!

Friday night we went to the races in Kansas City. It was opening night and was standing room only! We didn't want to wait in the huge line to pay, so we went in the pits. We have some friends who always save a bunch of seats in the stands, so I sat there while Matt stayed in the pits. We headed for Iowa after the races and got there at 2:00.

The boys on their Jeep from our art teacher

Zane wasn't too impressed with its speed!

Saturday we went to Grandma/pa Beggs' house to see their new carpet and lineoleum. It looks nice! Then we ate lunch in town. While there, we were filled in on all of the latest with the movie that is being filmed in Lenox! It is so strange to drive through town. They have changed storefronts, signs, and even the insides of many of the businesses. The bank has been made into the sheriff's office and they have a "jail" inside. It is a remake of the movie "The Crazies." I know, a great title, but hey, it's big news for our town! They have been there all week filming. My mom, dad, and brother have all been filmed, so they may all be in the movie! The movie is about a town where the water supply gets contaminated, so the people begin going crazy. Timothy Olyphant (in Live Free or Die Hard, Hitman, Deadwood) plays the sheriff and he has been filming some scenes this week. Reports are that he's not bad to look at! Everyone is very excited about it and they are loving being a part of it! I'm hoping that one of the next couple of weekends that we're back they will be filming so we can go watch! Adam got his autograph this weekend on his DVD of "Hitman," so he was thrilled!

The main actor, Timothy Olyphant

Zane, the "mad scientist"

Today we had lunch with mom and dad, then headed to KC. About a half hour after we left, Dad called to tell us Adam had been in a car accident. He was fine, but his car, which he just got 3 weeks ago, is not. The accident took both driver's side wheels off! Sounds like he's very lucky that he did not get hurt. The driver who ran into him simply did not see him. We are glad everyone is okay!

Mason enjoying cereal...as long as it's sweet!

The World According to Zane

• Zane likes to open things with his teeth, and we were telling him that if he's not careful, his teeth will fall out. For Easter, Jo made tooth fairy pillows for all of the kids, so when we talked about this it must have reminded him of that because he said "My teethfall out, I put them in my fairy pillow in the pockets!"
• We were driving along the other day and Zane said, "Mom, we live on a pwanet." Funny the things he picks up!
• Mary, Madelyn, and Nora joined us for supper Monday night. Madelyn had gotten an umbrella from Jo and there was something not right with it. Mary told Madelyn that maybe Matt could fix it. Zane said "My dad can fix anything!"
• Zane was asking me for some milk the other day, in a whining voice, so I told him that if he could ask me without whining that I would get it for him. He said "I am not whining. You're calling me a baby." Well, at least he knows what whining sounds like!

Happy Easter!

It was a busy week with Easter! Jo was going to have her egg hunt on Friday for the kids, but since Zane wasn't going to be there, she had it on Wednesday instead. It ended up being a much better day for an egg hunt anyway...Friday was a rainy, dreary day! Here are the kids lined up outside after hunting for eggs! (Click on the link to Jo's daycare to see more pictures of their hunt).

Ryan, Makenna, Sam, Madelyn, Zane

Matt had Friday off (not me, boo hoo), so Thursday evening Brent stopped by our house on the way home and picked all 3 of my boys up! They headed to Iowa and left me all alone...to pay bills and clean the house! It was very strange not having to worry about anyone but myself and just doing my own thing! I worked Friday, then headed to Iowa as soon as school was out. Friday night we went to my parents' house to spend some time with them. We ate pizza, had an egg hunt, and just hung out.



Saturday we had Easter with the Baker side. There were lots of festivities there: egg decorating, cupcake frosting, coloring contest, egg hunt, fish moving, and kite flying. We filled up our day! Mason wasn't too aware of what was going on, other than he got lots of attention! Zane, Porter, and Tate enjoyed everything!

Zane & Porter dyeing eggs

Zane finally got a kite to fly!
Zane and Porter, our little bunnies!

What an adorable bunny!

Zane's goods from the egg hunt

Mason watching, wishing, from inside!

On Easter morning, Zane woke up and found a trail of plastic eggs from his room to the kitchen. And there, he found his basket full of goodies! He was very excited, but also confused about who left his gifts (Santa or the bunny?). He was also very concerned that Mason got only one thing! You can tell in the video that Zane had just woken up!

Easter morning

Zane opening his basket

After getting ourselves ready, we headed to the Beggs Easter. Grandpa Beggs doesn't usually hold babies until they're a little bigger/older...and Sunday was the first time he held Mason! They had a nice little chat with one another!

Mason and Great-Grandpa Beggs

We ate dinner and then the kids went on another egg hunt. Matt hid the little boys' eggs, so they were pretty easy to find. Jake and Celine didn't have such an easy time...their eggs were buried, on top of the silo, and way up in the trees. I didn't envy them having to find their eggs!

Zane & Keaton ready to hunt eggs!

Zane going through his stash

What a busy, and fun, weekend! It was so nice to see everyone and I know everyone enjoyed seeing the boys! I wish I had a quarter for every time I heard how big Mason is! He is our growing boy! Thanks for checking on us...check back again soon!

Egg Hunt

Wow, April already! You can definitely tell it's spring with the change in weather daily! This weekend was our last weekend in KC for quite while as we'll begin traveling home next weekend. First for Easter, then the races will be starting the weekend after. Friday after school I and some other teachers drove to Lincoln, Nebraska. Our principal's mother passed away this week, so we attended the visitation and rosary. She asked us to stick around for some time with the family, so we didn't end up leaving for Kansas City until 11:00 and got home at 2:00 a.m. It was a very long day! I sure did miss my boys, but knew they were getting lots of Daddy time, which they enjoy!

Read the shirt...I couldn't resist!

Mason in his jumparoo

Saturday our church had an Easter extravaganza. There were games, inflatables, and an egg hunt. Zane LOVED the inflatables! He kept going in them over and over! When it came time for the egg hunt, he had to "start" his shoes' engines so he could go "super fast" and get the eggs! His plan was that I would hold the basket and he would put them in his pocket so he could go fast. Afterwards, he wanted to know if he was the winner!

My three boys!

Zane the bunny
Mason the egg

Mason hanging out and trying to find his thumb

Zane jumping in the inflatable

Go fast, Zane!

Zane "starting his shoes" for the egg hunt

On your marks...

Saturday night we went to the Ottis' house for supper. Jason grilled burgers and hot dogs and we had a great meal! After supper we played cards. This time it was guys versus girls. It ended in a tie, the guys won the first round and the girls won the second round. Madelyn and Zane played so nicely together! We were there until 1:30, and both of them were still going strong, as Nora and Mason snoozed the night away!

Zane & Madelyn, in the dark, watching a DVD

The World According to Zane

• I don't even remember what I had done, but after doing it, Zane said, "That's it Mom. One more time and you're going to time out!" (Do you think he's heard that a time or two?)
• Payton, a friend from preschool, was talking to her mom about Curious George. She told her mom that Curious George reminds her of Zane. When asked why, she said, "Because Zane has a mind of his own!"
• When picking Zane up from preschool Tuesday, he was not listening well, so I called him by his full name. Another boy said, "Matthew Baker?" I said that was what I call him when he's in trouble and Zane said, "My name is Zane Matthew Baker Colletti!" (Colletti is Sam's last name, who is his buddy at Jo's house).
• Zane and Matt were getting ready for bed after taking showers and Matt had not combed his hair yet. Zane looked at him and said, "Dad, your hair does not look very good." Matt said he got this look like "that wasn't very nice," so he backtracked and said, "Dad, your hair not look like you!"
• Zane helped me peel potatoes for supper and was so proud of himself! When he was done, he put his hands on his low back and said, "My back hurts, I have to stretch!"
• My school had a book fair and pancake supper Thursday night. When I picked Zane up at preschool, I told him we were going to my school and he said, "Mom, I'm five?" We've been talking about him being able to come to school with me when he turns five, so he thought I meant he was going to get to ATTEND my school!