So now I evidently only post every six to eight months or so.  Poor Eli, second child syndrome. I have Evi's life posted almost monthly, Eli, he's surviving, and that's enough!

Spokane, WA

Summer flew by! We had a great time in CO with Scott's family as always.  Then we took a side trip to Spokane, WA for a couple of days.  The kids loved it.  We stayed near the 100 Acre Park, the sight of the 1974 World's Fair.  So in the summer they have carnival rides.  There was no one else there so the kids rode and rode the rides. They loved it.



We now have a 4th grader and a 1st grader.  I can't believe it. 

old fashioned Merry go Round

first day of school

Eli was selected for Student of the Quarter for the quality of Trustworthiness (the quality will ironic later, just wait).  This was actually last year in kindergarten, but I'm a bit behind.   He was selected out of about 80 students.  I, however did not see the invite to the breakfast we were to attend until about 30 minutes before we were to be there, so there was a bit of a panic to make it out the door shortly after Eli got up.  He was not happy, he likes his morning lounging on the couch.  After the breakfast, he didn't want to go to school.  He cried big tears and still we got him to class and went on about our day...or so I thought.  Mr. Trustworthy then realized he could claim his tummy hurt and get to come home.  So he came home.
After a couple hours home with no electronics though he told me his tummy felt better.  Evidently being home with mom is not as much fun as he had hoped.

Our Disney passes were tons of fun for 2015. We were sad to see them end. 

sad to see it end!

half a year in review...

SO CLOSE to her ariel

I know! I know! It's been at least 6 months since I have shared anything! And I don't even know where to begin....

father/daughter dance

mother's day concert

This is the best thing that has happened in the last 6 months, Eli now successfully wipes his own butt! Scott is very excited and it was heavily celebrated in the Bernauer household.  On a side note to the butt wiping.  This summer when we let him attempt to wipe himself it was a hot mess and we jokingly told him, "just don't poop at school, Dude."  Weeellllllll....Scott got a call from the nurse's office one day because Eli was in there upset because he needed to poop but couldn't go at school!  So Scott talked to him on the phone and told him it was okay.

with cousin Lucas at Auntie M's wedding

We are horrible parents :-)

Santa brought us Disney passes again this year.  We have so much fun going.   And for Eli, it has been long enough since we went last time that it's like the first time for him again. 

Eli has lost 2 teeth since the beginning of the year.  Both within a week of  other, and both while I was on overnights.  Evi was more excited about the tooth fairy visit than Eli. She left his fairy a questionnaire and was the first one to remember to look in his pillow for the loot (and responses to her Q)

Disney

Electric Light Parade-Disney

Conversations with Eli:

Disney

One night Eli asked, "How do you know how many babies you are going to have?" ................ummmmmmm...
So, with my excellent parenting skills I deflected his questions with my own questions (he's 5, I feel no need to fill him on the facts of life.  Evi still thinks you make babies by hugging and if I can keep her thinking that through college, that's fine by me). 

we picked 26lbs of strawberries!

 It all boiled down to this question,

hustlin'

 "do daddy's have to have the babies too?"
 "Nope, just the mommy's"
"Oh, Good!" which was said with great relief.  Evidently watching his gym teacher's body grow to great widths with child had scared the bejezus out of him.

I know there is not about Evi here, but let's face it.  Eli is at an age where he's funny.  Evi's at an age where she's....well, she's emotional. which                                                              state we'll be in for forever, I know.      

                                            She's funny and lovey and is totally busy with Dance, Volleyball and friends. 

Birthdays Halloween....

silly face!

When school started a couple of months ago, I was truly worried that Eli was going to have a hard time.  The amount they expect them to know by the time they finish kindergarten is unreal.  I thought there was no way.  Mainly because Evi was light years ahead of where he is when she went to kindergarten.  But he has done well.  He is reading and sounding out words like a champ. According to his teacher, he is VERY quiet at school. Which explains why he talks nonstop when we pick him up.  He gets to go to the treasure chest or get a starburst candy for his good behavior on an almost daily basis.  That's my little rule follower. :-) 

jack-o-lanterns

Evi is doing GREAT!  She scores well on a regular basis and is evidently in an accelerated group with in her class.  Which to me says 'more work for the parents'.  But she does her extra projects during class time.  And she loves it!  And I love that she is so excited about learning and that she wrote a report without any help from me (and let's be honest, it's really about me doing as little as possible!) 


Big day in the Bernauer household...both kids now eat hard shell tacos! I can't tell you how excited I am about that.

The kids are once again enjoying soccer and volleyball.   Evidently Evi is a dominator at school with tetherball.  She went through the whole class beating them all.  Scott is so proud.

Eli enjoys the running skipping hopping of soccer and the occasional picking weeds.  Just kidding, he does a good job running with the group and smiles the whole time.  He's not very aggressive but seems to be having a lot of fun. 
He has also conquered riding a bike on 2 wheels.  It took him no time at all and he was zooming down the street alone. 

Halloween was a success.  Eli was a construction worker and Evi was...well, I don't know what she was.  A spider bride? She liked it.  I'm just excited she wasn't a princess!

When working on site words with flash cards, I tell Eli I can hear his brain growing! He seems to like that visual and keeps trying hard.  So the other night after I told him that I could hear it growing, he said,

all legs!

"BOOM!  My brain exploded...the words are broken!"

the party

Evi had her 9th birthday party. A swim party. One of the benefits of living in Florida.  It's still warm enough in October to swim.  And yes, that is my child in the teeny tiny bikini!  

School's in session!

School has started and both kids are officially in school ALL DAY!!! It's a whole new world! And I,for one, am soooo excited! (and to be honest, just a little sad too).

future's to bright

The first day went off without a hitch. In typical Eli fashion, he took everything in stride.  His teacher is Ms. Barnes.  She is young (although not as young as Evi's teacher last year).  I will assume he was excited.  Like everything else, he kept his game face on.  When you bring your own lunch into school, when you get to the cafeteria, you go straight to your table to sit down.  Well, Eli brought his lunch, but decided he wanted to see what all the hullabaloo was about and went through  the lunch line for shits and giggles.  He said the only thing they had that he liked was salad, and chocolate milk.  Then, since they only get 30 minutes for lunch, by the time he sat down, he didn't have time to finish.

Maya, Delaney, Evi & Bella

So the second day rolls around and when he comes home from school all that is gone from his lunch are his grapes and pineapples. He ate absolutely nothing else. All we were able to figure was that he talked too much to actually eat!  Evi had to learn this too.  We were able to walk him to his class the first 3 days.  So the 4th day it was up to him, (and his sister) to get there.  Well, we drive up to the front of neighborhood (they walk from there, the school is at the front of our neighborhood) and Eli jumps out of the car and is through the gate and with his buddy and could care less if I have kept up with him.  Meanwhile Evi is still standing right next to me and giving me a kiss before they cross to the school.  Night and Day!

kindergartner!

Evi started 3rd grade and is very excited about it.  Ms. Shimer is her teacher this year.  Evi was excited that she played music in the classroom (the Beatles)the first day. They get to use electronic devices of their own in the classroom this year.  So she finally got to spend her allowance money she was saving up and bought herself a used Kindle.  I was glad she finally was able to spend it.  She has been dying to buy something but has been picky about what to spend her money on (plus her mother reminds her that she won't play with most things after the first day anyway).  But an electronic device.  We know she'll get her moneys worth out of that.  She was very proud of her purchasing decision.

Now what are mommy & daddy up to now that the house is empty for  6 hours a day?  I'll tell you....enjoying it! Well, this week at least.  I've done lunch and sunbathing with the ladies, and Scott has gone fishing.  But now I plan on getting organized again.  I told our neighbor with 3 older children this and she laughed.  Said it won't happen!  We'll see!

Frisco, CO

We had our almost annual trip to Frisco, CO with Scott's family.  We realized that this was our 7th year to visit.  Evidently we really hate it there.
Eli spent his 5th birthday on a plane to get there, but didn't seem to mind.  It just meant he got his presents a few days early.  Then received more once he got there.  Lots of Legos.  And his dad and uncle Randy had more fun with those than he did I think. He also went on his annual birthday train ride.  He was a happy boy.
It was lovely as usual. And the kids had lots of cousin time with Grace & Mya.  Sometimes I am amazed that they don't want to strangle each other by the time it's done.  We hike and play and this year we went to a new mountain park.

they REALLY enjoyed watching Bebe roll down a hill

Glenwood Springs Caverns.  It was pretty neat doing the caves.  Eli especially liked it.  Evi got to play tour guide on one.  She had to hold a flash light and tell everyone in our group as they passed that the light was focused on the 'heart of the cave'.  (a formation that truly looked like a large human heart)
Eli had his first taste of playing baseball.  They kids and adults play it in the yard behind the house Bebe so kindly rents for us. And he is hilarious.  He was wiggling his butt to get ready to bat. The hand eye coordination isn't quite there yet, but he'll get there.  Now Evi, that girl impresses me when she hits a ball. 

Movin' on up

OMG!!

School is out for summer and Eli has 'graduated' from pre-k!  I can't believe my sweet baby will be going to school next year! His graduation ceremony was very cute. And he kept his game face on the entire time.  Seriously, the child would NOT smile. 

He also performed in his first (and probably ONLY) recital, along with the girl, of course.  It was too damn cute.  Again, he kept his game face on. But he had lots of fun. And of course ALL the girls knew his name. "Oh Eli!"
"Hi Eli!" "Look, there's Eli!" His father says there is just more of that to come, of course.  Evi was like a little ballerina.  I was so proud of her.  It is everything I have to not burst with pride, and tears, watching her on the stage. Well, watching her do anything really.  I just get so excited.  And she always looks to make sure I'm watching, especially in volleyball.  I just love watching her really try at something.  She has so much determination. (now if she'll just keep that!)

I know that there is so much more that happened that I should share, but I keep falling behind and forgetting everything I wanted to say.  I'm fired...


Eli-ism:
"ummm, we have a sexuation!"

And this blog is full of pictures.  I had to share them all!!!

seriously! nothing else to say!

i love it!!!

with Miss Aimee

with his buddy Avi

Sports?!?!

We have started sports for both the kids, low key, at the Y. 

Evi is trying volleyball and really really likes it.  She goes after the ball, and she's one of the few that does because most the other girls tend to act like their feet are stuck in mud and don't try to get it.  But Evi does!  She's not afraid of the ball (unlike her mother, she doesn't bury her head when a ball is coming at her!!).  She even said she felt bad for running to get the ball, that she's stealing it from the other girls.  I am totally surprised that she's that into it.  But that was my goal.  I want her to not be afraid of sports, like me.

Evi serving

kickin' it in

Eli has started soccer, with Scott as the coach.  He LOVES practice, but hates the games!  Granted he's really only played one game (against a group of super star 4 year olds who scored constantly!).  It seems Eli's team is full of the least aggressive kids in the whole program.  They just don't have the heart to take the ball from someone else.
And Eli is going through a stage right now where he gets very frustrated when he can't do something.  And playing in a game where he couldn't really get the ball and score frustrated him.  So he mostly pouted and sat out.  But he still loved going to the next practice.  And he's just like his mother, he giggles the entire time he plays.

The dance recital is only one month away.  I asked Eli if he wanted to take dance next year, and his response, without missing a beat, an emphatic "NO!".  It was rather funny.  But all I wanted was one recital, and I'm getting it, so I guess I'll be happy with that.  Evidently he wants to go back to gymnastics.  But how do I do that without disappointing Evi since I would rather she didn't go back?  It's just too intense and expensive for her.

wearing one of Aunt Tuti's childhood dresses

We have started allowances.  This will be the first month.  We'll see how it goes.  My mom believes we have the rest of our lives to have to do chores as adults, which I agree.  But I want my kids to be a part of making the house function. I'm trying to find a good balance. So we're giving small chores a try.  Basically they both have to care for their cats.  Eli is in charge of checking their food and water daily. And Evi takes care of the food on the other end...the litter boxes daily!  Evi also wipes down the bathroom countertops and removes bathroom trash cans once a week.  Eli will earn $2 a week, and Evi $4.  She is very excited about having an income.  But it's funny how picky she is when it comes to spending her own money.