Christmas time...

Not the best of pictures, they came from my phone. Christmas break has started. We have made 100 cakes balls. The kids had 3 birthday parties and Joshua had a friend over to play. We have started out busy looking forward to relaxing the next couple of days. Aidan will hopefully be off of the crutches Christmas Day and will only have to wear the boot for 4 more weeks after that. I hope to have my cold and Maude's cough gone by next week also! The kids will be making cookies and caroling tomorrow with the church, they are super excited. Merry Christmas!

Tiny Tim

In keeping with the Christmas theme and not to be outdone by his brother. Aidan stepped in a hole while running in my parents front yard. Breaking his growth plate in his ankle. So now he is on crutches... So we have a "all I want for Chrithmath kid" and a "Tiny Tim." I have been racking my brain thinking what will Maude do that will continue on the Christmas theme... Any ideas? Also here is our Christmas Picture for the year!

All I want for Christmas...

is my two front teeth!!

Joshua did this in P.E. on Monday with a Hula Hoop. Yes, I said a hula hoop!! They were jumping hula hoop. Apparently it popped up and knocked his two teeth looooose. He said there was lots of blood, of course. The P.E. teacher and school nurse felt very sorry for him. Funny it wasn't too surprising to us...
We wish you a Merry Christhmath!

Santa Letters

Each year Christmas always surprises me with the kids. This year has been not let me down. We went to the Polar Express the Saturday before Thanksgiving. (Train ride with hot chocolate to the north pole and you get to see Santa) Aidan and Maude had told us what they wanted but Joshua said he wasn't going to tell us. So we were stunned when Santa asked him what he wanted and he popped out with "DIRT BIKE" The cute little elf behind him popped off with "Well we will have to bring you a helmet too!" How could she not see the expressions on our faces of "NOOOO"? For the next few days I sat with him and showed him other things he could consider and told him it was official until he wrote his letter. So this past Monday at school they wrote their letters. He came home and told us what he asked for iPhone, Xbox360 and a dirt bike. No, No and No!! So tonight with my help we sent an email letter to Santa with a revised letter.

Dear Santa,
Can you bring me a Electric scooter, football helmet and pads, Romo and Witten figures? How many elves do you have?
Love, Aidan

Dear Santa,
Can you bring me a panda bear, bath cocker spaniel, Dr. Baby Alive and Dorothy? How is Mrs. Clause?
Love, Maude

Dear Santa,
Can you bring me a electric scooter, football helmet and pads? How fast and far can your reindeer fly? Also how heavy are they?
Love, Joshua

Hair and Little Girls

For the past year we have grown out Maude's bangs. About a month ago they finally had reached the length of the rest of her hair. Two weeks ago Maude started asking 2-3 times a day to cut her bangs. I kept telling her no. One day she grabbed her bangs and said just cut them right here and showed me how with her fingers. I thought I better have someone cut them or she was about to and that would end really badly. Last night I finally gave in and cut just a few wispy bangs just to make her happy, I thought!!!! She looked in the mirror and screamed!!! She started crying and was very upset too upset to talk. Finally I got her settled down and asked her what was wrong. She said "I want them cut all off so I don't have bangs!" WHAT??!!?? That is what she had!!!! This morning I had to bobby pin them back so no one could see that she had bangs! Please tell me that girls are really this way?

Teeth

Last week Aidan and Joshua were playing football in the field behind our house. They do this on a daily bases! Aidan tackled Joshua and knocked a baby tooth very loose. On Sunday night it came out with a little help from dad.
Last Friday night we were eating dinner with my parents and Aidan said he had something stuck in his tooth. So like any typical boy he chewed on his straw and stuck it up there to get it out. On Saturday night he woke up in terrible pain!! Apparently he had a cavity in that tooth. I couldn't get him into the dentist till today. It was abscessed and had to be removed! So the tooth fairy will make a trip twice to the Culwell house this week and it is only TUESDAY! When I went in to his room he had written a note to her in very tiny lettering.
Dear tooth fairy,
Can you leave me 20 dollars?
Your friend, Aidan

Did we do it??

sick :(

Aidan was sick last weekend with croup and missed his first day of school on Monday. He even felt bad enough it didn't bug him to miss school. Then Friday morning Maude was sent home from school with a cough and looking really bad! She wasn't running fever but her teacher and school nurse both agreed she didn't look good. I thought she probably had croup but with her asthma she would need steroids and breathing treatments. So I ran up to the clinic to get some prescriptions. By the time we got there she was running 102 and it wasn't croup. She had the SWINE FLU. We ran to the pharmacy to pick up tamiflu and Motrin. She went from looking bad to sleeping and moaning in a matter of an hour. :( Thankfully she is doing really well 4 days later! Saturday night in Joshua's loving brotherly advice he told her she better hurry and get well, people die from the swine flu. Thankfully she didn't listen to him just brushed it off to big brother being a toot.

Pictures!

Halloween, Birthday and football pictures!
We had trunk or treat tonight at the church. Kind of bitter sweet, sure miss my routine but it was fun and the kids loved it. Joshua celebrated his 7th Birthday last weekend with friends. He filled out the invitations and gave them out. I was very anxious to see who all came and was very pleasantly surprised. He has some great friends and very sweet kids. Aidan's team also was in the championship game the same day. They were undefeated going into the game. They lost in overtime but played their hearts out. They have been a ton of fun to watch!! That is about it, life is so busy and we are loving it!

odds and ends...

This week was red ribbon week at school. We made it and everyone came home drug free! Funniest comment didn't even come from the kids it came from my mom. "Oh yeah this is the week the kids are on drugs." Hope not!

And this is another bit of odd information not coming from the kids. Wal-mart is now selling caskets and urns. So at my funeral if I have a rollback sticker stuck to my casket you have permission to kick my husband as you walk by!!

Wasp and Bees

I know shocking two post in one day. Who knew Joshua would set a record for stings in 7 years. 1st was a wasp sting on the hand at a family reunion a few years ago. 2nd was at baseball practice stung by a bee. 3rd was on the top of his head again at family reunion (bad luck at John and Lucy's). Today he was stung 4 times on the back of his leg while walking home. Stinger was stuck in his skin and apparently hurt when I put a bag of ice on it! The scream was probably heard clearly around Canadian. We ran over to the clinic to have it removed. (not a normal procedure for a clinic but I couldn't find my tweezers!!) I have been stung once in my life, Cody NEVER and my dad numerous times. Hmmmmmm who have we always thought he takes after? By the way Joshua isn't 7 yet, he turns 7 Sunday!!

Fall Foliage

This is our first year in Canadian for Fall Foliage weekend. I didn't know what to expect but I was amazed with the number of people here. Also there was a ton to do so much we didn't get it all done. The trees I think in the next week or so will really be at there peak. The reds have really started to come out. So if you missed it this past weekend you can still come up or down depending on were you live. These pictures are from the wagon bridge in Canadian. It is the longest one in Texas (I think). The tree pics are from one of our trees but I will try to find a place to take a picture to show the real beauty.

SPIDERS...

We are being overrun with tarantulas!!!! Aidan found one the other day and captured it in a glass jar. The next morning he got up early and put it in his backpack to take to school without our knowledge. That afternoon after school he was upset because his tarantula almost died while he was playing football at recess from the sun. So he released it on the PLAYGROUND!! So this is an apology to the staff and children of Baker Elementary, we as the parents of Aidan had no idea and are very sorry! Then there was #2 tarantula he stayed for a couple of days and then was released into the wild (alley). And hopefully the last one (doubtful) #3 arrived yesterday and was found by the ever so GIRLY Maude! She was going out to swing and enjoy a snack in the very warm sunny afternoon when a TARANTULA was doing the same. So the BLOOD CURLING scream awakend all of my senses when she found him under her swing eating a dead bird!!!!! She came in screaming crying and shaking, the boys couldn't push her out of the way quick enough to go see.

bragging...

I am very proud of our kids and their transition into the new schools. Earlier this week Maude and I were walking by the Principal's office.
Maude - My picture is on his wall!
Me - Really? Why?
Maude - Oh I got student of the week...
Sure enough she did but actually it is Kitten of the week.
Then today they have an end of six weeks awards. I went with Joshua and Maude to theirs and Cody went with Aidan to his. They have an attendance parade for the little ones. It was very cute. The high school band came and played. The parents clapped and the kids walked around the cafeteria through bubbles. Cody texted me that Aidan had received the Top Cat Award for third grade!! We had parent/teacher conferences this past week also to discuss report cards. Everyone is doing well. Joshua had a 100 average!! I don't think he will be able to beat that. His teacher also told us he was such a sweet boy and a really good helper with other students. So life is good in the Culwell house.

God and a 6 year old...

I haven't felt well for almost a week now. Just cold stuff but today Joshua came home and said his throat hurt. Tonight he said the teachers told them not to come to school if they didn't feel good (swine flu), so he didn't think he should. I said why don't we pray that we both feel better in the morning or we might have to go in and get tested (big q-tip up the nose). He was tested this past February so I thought it might perk him up to want to go to school. So I prayed that we would both be better by morning. When I said amen I opened my eyes to two big blue eyes. He said "You know God might just say be brave..." Man I love that kid!

Also for those who don't know Canadian was featured in the New York Times Newspaper this past week. There is a picture of Aidan in the slide show at the pep rally. So here is that link. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/22/sports/22canadian.html?_r=2&ref=sports It was a great story.

Growing...

Maude, Joshua and I walk to their school every morning. This morning Joshua's legs hurt going up the two staircases it takes to leave our front yard. Then about a block away he stopped and said his knee hurt. He has been eating us out of the house for about a week now. So I told him his bones were growing and that is why they were aching. He said "Well, I hope I stop growing by recess!"

There was lots of talk about the Texas Tech vs. ut game around town and in our house Saturday. So Maude was talking about the kids at school that wore ut shirts to school for college day. Then she stopped and asked "Is it ok that we are still friends with them even though they like ut?"

School

Can't say I blame him...
I hate to get up some mornings too!

Wildcat Homecoming!

The kids had a great week at school. It was homecoming week so each day they dressed up in crazy things. Today was spirit day! I went up to Aidan's school to be monitor of lunch and recess while the teachers had a birthday lunch for September birthdays. Enjoyed getting to meet and see the kids that Aidan has become friends with.

30 years ago...

30 years ago today my parents started working in Tulia for State Farm Insurance. My Dad's name is on the sign out front but it takes a family to run a business. I am thankful for their courage to move our family to a small town and take over a business. In our family we have all joked with the numbers of hours we spent sitting waiting on dad in the car while he took pictures. I wouldn't have it any other way we were together. I know my parents are thinking is the same girl who complained hour after hour 'why does dad have to talk so much?' Well all those talks put food on the table and clothes on our backs. I can appreciate it much more now that I am married and have kids of my own. I can't write enough words to say how much I love them or appreciate them, so I won't try. THANKS MOM and DAD For the past 30 years of HARD HARD work. Love you both!!!

Sunday afternoon

How do you spend your Sunday afternoon?
Aidan stopped by to watch some Lone Ranger on his way outside to play football with Cody. Then there is the Lone Ranger himself that shot his cap gun every time the bad guys came on. Then there is Tonto's wife, who really enjoyed the 4 episodes of the Lone Ranger and insist that she is Tonto's wife.

School Nurse

Only 4 days, so this actually a record, and Joshua found the school nurse. Yep, he fell got two band aids for this one. Not two bad last year he came home one time with 8 or 10 band aids. I had already picked up Aidan so on the walk home he lectured Joshua on not acting crazy. It has been funny to hear Maude and Joshua come out of school they sound like a old married couple. They get to see each other at recess, so they play together with the ton of friends they have made. Tomorrow will post picture of FRIDAY and making it a whole week without tears (not including me)

First Day of School

Kindergarten, 1st grade and 3rd grade!! No hugs this morning everyone was excited and confident. Aidan went right in and sat down with the 3rd grade class and never looked back. Joshua saw a friend that is in his class and ran off without a good bye. Then Maude and I looked and looked for her class then her teacher appeared and she was in line talking away to her and didn't every look back. I will have to say I looked back a bunch and teared up on the way home...Hope to give an after school report and pictures of how they look after school. Maude spilled chocolate silk milk all over her first day of school clothes so we did a quick change.

We found Jesus

I know some of you are saying finally...
We went to meet the teacher last night for Joshua and Maude. When we went to Joshua's class his teacher gave him a treasure map to search the room. It was a cute way to explore the room. He found his locker and checked it out inside and out. Then he looked to the left and found that Maggie would be the locker on the left. Then he looked to the right and Holy Moly Jesus was going to be in the locker on the right!!!! He was so excited! I quickly said the kid might like for you to call him 'heysus'instead of Jesus. (I may be wrong)

Aidan

Well, we have hit a new age. I don't know if I am ready for it. We took the kids to VBS the other night. When we walked in there sat 4 girls in the 3rd grade row. All 4 scooted every which way and said "Aidan Aidan sit here." Funny thing is he had no clue. (such his father's child) He has also started wanting to sit with us and listen in on adult conversation and put his two cents in. This has been harder on me than the girl attention.
Aidan has been able to take art lessons from Amy Winton this summer. They had them in the Citadel's art gallery where the Leyendecker art has been on display for the summer. I don't know if he will every realize what a lucky young man he is for getting to experience both. Hopefully he will one day.
(I know this is a shock three post in one day)

Maude

One thing I have been amazed with is our youth group at church. There are tons of kids all ages. We have a huge high school group that are so sweet to our kids. The high/jr high group took the younger kids to Wellington a few weeks ago and played with them all day. They played freeze tag for hours and bowled, they did whatever the little kids wanted. Maude loves older kids so this has been right up her alley! She climbed the rock wall and got a little scared and one of the high school boys climbed up and carried her down. Well today we were in Alexander's (our sonic) and there was a boy from the youth group ordering. He said hello Maude, she just grinned and then as we were leaving she went up and SLAPPED his hiney!!! I was so shocked and he was too!

Long Ranger...

Wish I had the one of him asleep with his teddy bear and the mask on. I am sure I will capture that one soon. Nothing like bright blue eyes staring at you through a black mask! By the way I know it is the Lone Ranger, but when a six year old keeps calling himself the Long Ranger it kind of sticks. He has lots of different "Tontos", whoever is willing to be his sidekick!

Part 3 of Red River Pictures...

I know I know to many pictures. I had my blog printed to book form and the only thing I didn't like was when I used slideshows it didn't print all of those pictures. So I am back to boring pictures...

Red River Part 2 of Pictures