Abby is turning 6 on Saturday

Abby is turning 6 on Saturday (Wowie) - I thought I would make a little movie for her, besides I needed the practice, I will be making one for her school to show at the school showcase in a couple of weeks.

Here is the Kindergartner. She will be turning 6 next month. She is enjoying school, her teacher says she is a natural leader. She loves soccer and is looking forward to starting girl scouts soon.

pics...

More Hannah Montana. If 10 years ago someone told me that I would have a little girl who would be obsessed with Billy Ray Cyrus's Daughter, I would have thought they were crazy. People have asked me what's the Hannah Montana/ Miley Cyrus craze all about, Honestly I still don't know. But truth be told, I have caught Charlie watching it with out her on more than one occasion. (he- he)

Here is another photo this time Ab is with her Auntie. Abby eventually warmed up to the wave runner. I would have to say Mom was pretty nervous. Abby's favorite people is her Aunties, she has a very special bond with both of them. Auntie Beth is very sweet and gentle and plans very special activities for them to do together from time to time. Auntie Kate lets her do everything Mommy won't :P.

I am starting to count the day til school starts, Abby is very excited to be a Kindergartener this year. Charlie and I have changed our mind about schools 3 times this summer, at this point we are looking at our nieghborhood school, we were very lucky to snag an all day K spot. I hope our final disicion will stick.

Abby's fabulous summer update

Abby hanging out at the park :)

A new smile

Abby is having a great summer!!! She lost her first tooth, learned how to ride a two wheeler, is enjoying swimming at the pool, and is WAY into the Disney channel line up. She is helping me with this post by picking out her favorite images and of course her favorite "Camp Rock" song video!

Here is the Abby's girl - Hannah Montana, I wasn't so keen on it especially after hearing how much the concert tickets were go for!!! I heard about one lady who was using a pair of tickets to sell her house! Abby went for a night with her Aunties and came back as Hannah's # 1 fan. :P

I like I Carly, sadly Charlie has caught me watching the reruns while Abby is out in the yard playing. For anyone who has caught the show, I really like Spencers socks!

We also have made it out to a drive in this summer, this is our pick for the summer. I am generally not one to gush about movies, but this is definately a good one for adults too! I have generally felt that way about all the pixar movies though.

I will try to post a bit more often!!!

April

It has been a crazy April at the Crohn house. I have been working a lot on setting up my Home Day Care. This has me busy on lots of little projects that I have been meaning to get to. I also have purchased a lot of furniture, toys, and such to complete setup. Last week when delivering a package the UPS driver knoked my storm door and frame of my house. What a nightmare! Poor Abby opened the door for me since i was busy, I got to the door in time to see the driver running away. He didn't even stick around long enough to tell me what he had done. I have heard plenty of UPS horror stories, but this is a bit outrageous.

Tuesday at School Abby was knocked over by older kids fighting at school. Abby was quite shook up. More about the kids fighting than being knocked over. I have tried to get in touch with Abby's teacher to talk to her about the incident, but have been unable to.

Here is a link to another Jordan News Story - Charlie is the expert they referred to on road safety. Charlie has stepped in as the Safe and Sober coordinator while the current coordinator is out on leave. He is doing well out there and is loving it!

http://www.jordannews.com/news/police/april-brings-stricter-speed-enforcement-6914

the Park

Abby and her Littlest Pet Shop.

Abby is very proud of her Littlest Pet Shop collection. She will play with them for hours. Each one has a different voice and story. I love watching her, her imagination is amazing.

"Imagination is more important than knowledge..."
Author: Albert Einstein


Today was the "try out" day for Kindergarten at Pope John Paul the II. She loves it there! She doesn't want to go back to Elizabeth Hall she wants to keep going to Kindergarten. She just couldn't stop talking about it. She made new friends, she loved that she had a chance to use her new lunch box, but most of all she LOVED RECESS!

It has been a busy few weeks since Easter. We have gotten outside and enjoyed some wonderful weather and we have gotten out the shovels fot the yucky weather too. Abby and I got in the food to do some spring and summer shopping yesterday.

Here is the fashion show.... DRESSES.... OF COURSE!!!

Thursday is the day Abby get to go for a "practice day" for Kindergarten. I am not sure if I have already mentioned it, but she will be attended Pope John Paul II Catholic School this fall.

Oscar is doing well, but Abby is learning that having a dog is WORK! At first she was eager to help, but a few months later and she isn't quite as helpful.

Abby and I are looking forward to warmer weather, we are planning to plant flowers to attract butterflies. Abby can hardly wait, she saw an infomercial where I can order butterfly eggs online. I tried to explain how butterflies migrate, how its too cold yet, how butterflies need special plants, ect. So we will stick to Monarchs again this year and hope that our special butterfly mixes attracts some new breads. Last year we raised 8 Butterflies. Abby named them all. Morgan (the cat) got a hold of "Carlos" it was a discovery channel moment that left me in tears.

Easter

Abby loved the Easter Egg hunt we had on Friday! She also loved coloring eggs and getting to wear her fancy new easter shoes!
We hope everyone had a wonderful easter! :-)

Cute Shirt

"It's my brother's fault"

We have been very busy and I haven't had much time to post lately, so here are a couple photos for now, :-)

Here is a fun website (Abby's favorite).... http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3Lm15c3BhY2UuY29t

Happy Spring!!!

Fun Photos

Abby and Oscar are such a cute pair. She is becoming quite the little wiener dog owner. I am proud of how responsible she is becoming. She takes him out on his leash to go potty, she feeds him, cleans up after him, and does lots of playing and snuggling with him as well. Here are some sweet Oscar photos, he sure is growing fast! I am not exactly sure how big he will get, since he is 1/2 pug and 1/2 dachshund. I am not sure when it happened that I became the kind of pet owner that dresses them up. I use to make fun of those people. To make it even worst he also has a corduroy pea coat.

I love this picture taken today. Despite the red eye it captures Abby's personality. Notice how the colored goldfish crackers are sorted into colored piles. She even eats them until there is the same amount in each pile. I took this picture yesterday, I had taken a few of Jack and she wanted her picture taken too. She was dressed up because we had went to Jax for brunch. We had met up with Papa, Nana and the Aunties. We all got a chance to meet Kate's "friend" as well. Actually Abby doesn't really need a reason to be dressed up. She love her dresses, her jewelry, her shoes that click, and most of all perfume.
Abby had Ella spend the night Friday. Ella is my best friend's little girl and is a year older than Abby. Ella told me they were BFF's. I thought it was so cute!!! I took them to the mall for American Girl day. Abby and I are reading Kirsten (the pioneer girl) before bed. It was a fun little event, they even made a cute little craft. As we were leaving I brought them into Claire's and let them pick out a Best Friends Necklace. Abby has worn hers everyday since and is in the picture above.

Jordan News

Check out the Joran News. I am sure it is full of all kinds of riviting stuff. (ha-ha) Charlie has an article written about him. The article is titled 2004 Reserve of the Year Gets Promotion.
Here is the link: http://www.jordannews.com/

I will take the pink one....

We all know how we like our wiener dogs!!!

Pulling my hair out....

Blogging about Abby this past week maybe a struggle. I try to keep these upbeat, short, and positive. This past week has not been any of those things. My daughter is smart, intelligent, witty, and full of charisma. She can use those traits for good or evil. For example last summer I had an interview for a family for my home daycare. While I was interviewing I set out large card board boxes for the kids to play with, to color, to climb in, etc. While I was touring Abby took one of the boxes, climbed the stairs, hopped into the box, and slid down. Needless to say that family decided to go somewhere else. This past week was full of such antics. Abby in return has spent alt of time in her room "reflecting."

and I have been doing a lot of this....


Now some news not so Abby related. I will be returning to school this fall (Metro State - of course!) to pursue a Marketing degree. Even though I love kids, I have decided when Jack , cstarts school I would like to enter the world of Advertising. I have a creative side that I would like to explore further.

Also Charlie was offered a full time police officer position with the City of Jordan. He will be leaving his job at Target and his job with the City of Belle Plaine. We are very excited. We will not be moving any time soon. We have considered the possible move to the Southwest Suburbs if this move to JPD ends up being the place Charlie wants to complete his career. But for now Charlie does not mind the commute and I will be important for me to live near school.

One last announcement of sorts, We have decided to send Abby to Pope John Paul II for Kindergarten. After School Information Fairs, Tours, and talking to other parents; we have decided that this is the best School for Abby. She is excited that she will get to have spanish class 2 days a week because than she can talk like Dora. She also gets to celebrate Christmas, which is what she tells everyone when they ask about her new school.

President's Day Photos

We had a fun day, We made puppets from stuffed animals. We hopped on the hippity hops and watched the "Game Plan."

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My Stubborn Valentine

Well last week I went to a Toilet Learners Workshop. Yes, thats right potty training isn't politicially correct term. Children are not animals we don't train them, we teach them. Anyhow it was pretty informative, I got a cool idea on promoting hand washing. You buy two different soaps and have the children wash with one and have you smell to guess which one it is. We have Lavender and Watermelon. Yesterday I put it in motion. Abby comes to me with soap covered hands, and I send her back to wash the soap off before I smelt her hands. Stomping away she starts her melt down, deciding its not worth it I tell her "it's watermelon." She stops looks at me gives me a grumpy face and storms off. She comes back in a few minutes with completely washed and dried hands, so I take a wiff, it's lavender. Very typical of Abby's stubbornness.

National African American Parent Involvement Day

Today was African American Parent Involvement Day. We hadn't really thought anything about it since we aren't African American. However, when Charlie drove Abby to school today (due to the cold weather), he was asked to stay. Charlie had a fun day in High 5. It turned out to be quite the day they had an African Story teller and Charlie had a chance to join Abby in Art class.

"Because Nana likes my hair out of my eyes!"

I know Nana likes jeopordy....

I will take hair cuts for 100. The awnser is "Because Nana likes my hair out of my eyes."

Oooh Oooh I know this one.... Why did Abby cut her own hair?

Cold enough for ya???

Charlie gave me a call this morning as I was hitting my snooze button, he called to tell me to go back to sleep for a while because I shouldn't bother sending Abby to school today with how cold it was out side. Back in my day -40 wind chill would mean school would be closed. Even the attendance lady was surprised that the schools were still open today.

Abby's cabin fever has returned!!! Even with my best attempts to keep her busy with little projects and games, she just couldn't stay focused on them. I also think the excitement of Jack's up coming first birthday is making her a bit jealous. We all know Abby likes being the center of attention!!! I think February is going to be a month of emmotional growth for Abby, or quite possibly the end to my sanity.

We have all have heard the phrase if you can't beat em, join em. Well Abby had a rough week last week, and did quite a bit of regressing. Abby wanted to do everything the same as the babies and toddlers, she wanted sippy cups, she wanted bibs, and pictured above was where we drew the line.

That horribaly cold strech kept us all inside cooped up TOGETHER. To make things worst no school Monday or Friday, and to make things even worst her bus didnt come AT ALL for her last week. It was awfully hard each day getting up and going out in that frigid cold and waiting for upwards of 30 minutes each day, and than spending almost the same amount of time on hold with the bus company.

This past weekend everything started to come back together. Friday we went out to the mall, shopping always seems to make me feel better. Saterday the kids got their pictures taken for Jack's one year photos. Sunday we had a mellow day at home, we needed it! It has been quite a while since we were able tio have a family day all four of us at home. It was an awesome start to the week,

Than yesterday Charlie was able to wait on the bus stop with Abby, and again the bus never came!!! He took her to school and convinced the principle to take action regarding our bus issue, FINALLY.

Today the bus not only came but it was on time, things are getting back to normal.

What a wiennie

This morning when I woke up I never would have guessed what this MLK day would have in store for me! As I was going along our morning routine, one of the families who send their little guy to me asked if I knew of anyone looking for a dog. I chuckled I said no but I'd be glad to ask the other families, What kind of dog. Than it happened, she said a dachshund! I said OH NO, I think we might end up with your puppy, and guess what? We did. I am afraid animals just find us. Skippy came to us because her owners were using the same realtor we were and they were unable to bring Skippy with them. Boo our kitty (who is no longer with us) followed Abby home Trick or treating. Now this little guy, we think we are going to name him Oscar, he is a sweet little dachshund - pug mix! We all are in love!