PLAY-DOH

BIG moment! The first time EVER I've pulled out the playdoh and let them go to town. We've got many cans of the stuff and many more cutouts and shape-y things and since it's too poopy of a day to be outside, I did the good-mommy thing and brought out the fun. Paxton got very creative and dove right in. Beckett? Pulled out EVERY bit, part and piece then went upstairs to put in a DVD he has no intention of watching.

Paxton's passion

So anyone that knows Paxton knows of his love of trains. What started with Thomas, Annie and Clarabel grew rapidly to include James, Percy, Edward, Henry, Spencer, Neville, Molly and about 100 more! Beckett is starting to enjoy playing too so his upcoming birthday does include a couple of playsets to add to the collection (yes, there ARE things out there that we don't have). But today while Beckett napped, I built Paxton my version of the Island of Sodor and he happily played. He'll act out the stories he sees on DVD's or make up his own. Parker loves it when he gets into his hospitable routine "Hello Big Ben! Welcome to the Island of Sodor!", which gets repeated for EVERY train =) Paxton had a great time--until Beckett discovered it and knocked it all to pieces...

Random pictures from the week

Another week gone by--and what a FABULOUS week for weather! Unseasonably warm for us here in Wisconsin with NO complaints from me =)

The college kids are hitting their groove, but so far, no big headaches for Kurt. I have 3 clinicals in the book out of 11, all is going well there too. Homecoming week is behind Arielle and Parker, so they can really focus on school--right? Paxton continues to love heading out every morning and so far every day has been a good one for him--big changes from last year! And then there's Beckett--soon to be 3! He is a hoot and a half, even Kurt has to admit that on what are sometimes very looooonnnnngg days together!

Here are a few random shots of the kids from this last week--some are more cooperative subjects than others...

Her last Homecoming Dance

The end of an era here--Arielle's final high school homecoming. She finished the way she started, by going with Spencer. I've put a picture of last years event up along with this years--do they look any older?

The big dance wasn't the only big happenings on this Saturday night! SOMEONE here had their 20th high school class reunion, and it certainly wasn't me! Kurt's big event was held at the Ullsvik center, he saw several old accquaintances (none of whom he'd ever arrested) and had just enough of a good time that maybe he'll attend another sometime =) No need for photos of us...

Friday Night Lights...

Ah to be a Senior at the Homecoming football game! Good thing it was an unseasonably warm September night for belly painting. She's the 2nd "L" in Platteville. Oh, and take note of the new Henry Hillman costume =)

No picture, but a bit of prose!

So it's Homecoming week here, and half of our high-schoolers in this house are into the spirit of it all! Wednesday was toga-day and Arielle headed out to school in a blaze orange version that kept her safe from harm all day. It was quite a production to get it rigged, we followed the directions on THIS website. He pretty much went against every piece of advice that Kurt offered up, beginning with "just use a bedsheet"! I do have a picture of her in her Roman glory, but more flattering ones do exsist.
In other Tuescher household news, I had my orientation for my clinical today. This semester I'm in Platteville, which is SO much better than that weekly trek to Richland Center I made last winter. NO photographic documentation of today's moment to ruin your appetite with.
My next entry SHOULD be of the actual Homecoming dress and do'. I know you're all waiting with bated breath...

The Blanket Explanation

I'm not sure where the text went that is supposed to be UNDER the blanket photo. Is it possible that I'm not as computer-savvy as one might think? Nah!
Anyhow, not ALL of my time is spent boring friends and family with photos and amusing ditties about my offspring. Once in a while I get to sit and create! This I made for the newest member of the family, Miss Piper Jean Jones. She was born on Arielle's birthday =) Even cooler, Piper's Mommy and I share the same birthday--albeit a few years apart in both instances! Piper's parents are Kurt's cousin Greg and his wife Cyndy.

Piper's blanket

Only one jump--but it was a doozy

So taking advantage of a nice Fall night, after dinner Kurt helped me load up the kids into the stroller so I could take them for a walk. That generally means meandering over towards campus to see if they can catch Daddy at work (hold laughter please). Once we hit the campus sidewalks, I let them run to their hearts content as long as they are within sight. Tonight when we got close to Kurt's building we walked up one ramp, saw he wasn't there and headed down the other. At the bottom was quite possibly the only mud puddle on the entire property and I think Beckett and I spied it at the exact same time. Well, his almost 3 year old legs seem to be a TOUCH quicker than mine and he beat me to the "prize". ONE jump was all he got in before I grabbed his little arm, but what a well-placed hop it was. His shoes weren't even allowed in the house when we got home. BOYS. OK, THAT boy...

New wheels!!

Are you impressed by the sheer volume of my posts so far?! I'm sure they'll slow down, consider that good news or bad--you're perogative!

Anyhow, this was REALLY big news if you're a 17 year old girl getting her first real ride! Arielle and her Dad went halvsies on a "new" car. Pre-owned, used, depreciated--whatever YOU'D like to call it, she's calling it HERS!

Rest assured, she is stopped at a stopsign while talking on the phone (this time...)

Just because I like the picture!

Beckett. Sitting quietly. Photographic proof.

Poor Mr Potato Head...

The poor spud can't see a darn thing because Beckett has claimed his glasses as his own! He will wander around the house asking "where my glasses?" He came down to dinner wearing them the other night like they were straight from the opthamologist and completely necessary! Oh, the way his mind works...

And we have a 17 year old!!

Squeezed in between Parker and Beckett is Miss Arielle! ALMOST a legal adult--17 this time around. We had a party planned, but grown-up responsibilities of her job meant that we had to do a switcheroo and hold a smaller version on her birthday. She's into clothes and purses, so that's what's in the boxes piled in front of her!!

Next up, Parker!

In July we had the next birthday--our nut Parker! Fourteen big ones now! His party day was nice enough to be held outside, with just the slightest breeze which is why you see him blocking it from his lit candles! Arielle bought him Guitar Hero for his gameboy and you can see her trying to teach Papa how to play. He's not quite ready for arena-gigs yet...

Paxton's Bday

Since Beckett's birthday is closing in fast and I'll be posting about HIS big day, it's only fair if I do a little blurb for the other kids too, right? Paxton turned "a whole handful of fingers" in May. It was the year of the bike =)

Because Arielle requested it:

So after school I showed Arielle how hip her Mom is with a blog and all. After the obligatory nose wrinkle she says "so how come my prom pictures aren't up?" So per her request/demand, here are a couple from the big night that involved a lot of prepwork, but seemed to be SO worth it =)

Playing TOGETHER

Sometimes they CAN play nicely together. It seems so rare that the occasion should be marked by a photograph...

Back to School!!

Beginnings and ends of new eras in our house! Paxton begins all day 5yo kindergarten this year. He loves his teacher and so far, every day has been a "good day"! Parker started high school! When asked if he was looking forward to it, his standard reply was that he was more looking forward to ending high school =) And (enter sniff here) my baby girl entered her final year of high school. Here's a picture of the two bigger kids, Daddy was in charge of getting Paxton's and he was less than cooperative...

Lots to do in our own "backyard"

This summer meant lots of picnics for the Tueschers. Sometimes it meant heading out to Galena to our favorite Grant park and a walk over the bridge in the hopes of seeing a train going under. Even closer to home is the area near the UW (Daddy's job) with the walking trail and beautiful stream. Kurt knows the best place to throw rocks into the water and showed the boys just how it's done while I took pictures.

Summer's flown by =(

We had a busy summer that went way too fast! The little boys found that they LOVE the pool and Paxton surprised us all by morphing into a total fish whenever we went. Beckett didn't stray too far from me and was happy to splash in the shallow end, but I think next year will bring a mirror image of Paxton.

We snuck away for a weekend boating trip with my family, we had a perfect day for it and it was a hit all around. I've attached a couple of pictures from that day.

Getting Started!!

So this is me, being a TOTAL Lemming, and following all the cool kids into the world of blogging. I really stink at doing anything with my Facebook page and ever since Scrabble was pulled I never get there. Lets see if I can get creative and wow friends and family with my blogging talents =)