A Day in the Life of the Turners: August 2017

We started off the month with an obstacle course in the backyard. The kids love these and we should really do them more often. As I was showing the kids the route they had to take, I took a shot with the soccer ball, and snapped my toe nail.. It hurt like a son of a B!

Dianna had a nodule on her thyroid. Biopsy was inconclusive. So she had to have surgery to remove it. They removed part of her thyroid, sent it to pathology while she was still under and then would remove the rest of the thyroid if it was malignant. Thankfully it was benign and she still has half her thyroid left. While we were waiting in the waiting room though, water started dripping from the ceiling. It wasn't raining outside, and there were other floors above us. Pretty soon, more area's started leaking, and eventually the whole waiting room area we were in looked like a waterfall. Apparently, one of the sprinkler heads had burst. It was quite entertaining watching people run around grabbing trash cans, the guy at the desk frantically calling maintenance etc.

Iowa State Fair!! First visit to the fair with the clan - It's a tradition that the Lichtenberger clan come along. We do spin art, little hands on the farm, eat ice cream from the dairy barn, see the baby animals, and of course the big yellow slide - at least 5 times. Lunch is always at the pork producers tent. Vera gets hers and Jeremys, while Jeremy is grabbing the kids get corn dogs and I hold down a table with all the kiddo's while Bobbie grabs a tenderloin for her and I to split. We have it mastered now. :)

Happy Birthday Cameron! Cameron turned 5! We headed to my mom and dads for Cameron's birthday dinner and KaVon's off to college dinner!

KaVon is attending Iowa State and is studying to be something like a genetics engineer.. or something way above my head. ;) We're pretty proud of him even if he is now a Cyclone.

We had Cameron's check up on his actual birthday. He had to get 1 shot for Kindergarten and he took it like a champ. Annette said I was the meanest mom to take him for a shot on his actual birthday - Whatever! He weighed in at 36# (16%), and is 3'6.25" (35%). Obviously, Cameron loves costumes and is wearing them most days. He doesn't like ice cream or cake so much, but does like cookies.. which is what he gets on his birthday. :)

Grandma Nancy came by the following day with more presents!

And she even got a little something for Ben - who loves PJ mask.

Last day of daycare.. Ben official last day of Daycare was August 18th - We are finally daycare free!! I never thought this day would come and I was so busy at work that I didn't have time to do anything special for it, other than give a few teachers a gift card. I really liked our daycare and am still in touch with the teachers that I really liked. The director, Denise, was the best and chose the day she would retire based on our last day. She retired a week later. :)

Apparently, I took no pictures of Ben on his last day of daycare. I did however, get a few pictures of his first day he gets to stay home with his brothers. Nancy watched Cam and Quentin all summer long. Then also brought Victory to our house and watched him for 3 of the days. We timed last day of daycare and the start of school to somewhere coinside and have the least amount of overlap as possible, as I know watching 4 boys, one being an infant, is a lot of work. So he had 2 days with all the boys, then Cam and Quentin started school on Wednesday so it was down to just Ben and Victory.

I enrolled Quentin and Cameron in a ninja workshop. They both said they didn't want to go and thought it would be scary. After they got there, they didn't want to leave.

More Iowa State Fair time - Jeremy and I always go on the last day of the fair - without the kids. We like to get there early, eat breakfast and then see the things we don't have patience to see when the kids are with us.. like the photography. We make our way through the varied industries building and anywhere else we didn't catch the first time. This year, we met up with the Lane's.

The best stand at the fair!

You know school is about to start when the fair ends. Back to school night is a couple days before the first day of school. It allows the kids to bring their school supplies, meet their teacher and get a little more familiar with their room. Ben starts pre-school this year, so he too, gets to get in on the fun of Back to School night. There's also a lot of papers Jeremy and I get to fill out, like an emergency contact card the teacher keeps, a form if they ride the bus etc. Oh, and we have to sign up for a conference time. It's a pretty hectic hour or so.

First day of School!

The bus stop - although missing some people who's parents took them the first day - there's usually another 6ish kids. Our neighborhood alone fills up a full size bus.. You can imagine how it is after school is out - KIDS EVERYWHERE!!

Cameron's teacher is Miss Campbell. Quentin also had her when he was in kindergarten. She's really good at posting pictures to a website only parents can access. Cameron loved the first day of school, especially since his friend Will is also in his class. And he got to play with his friend Benson at recess. Will's dad is also the school principal so I feel Cameron is already making good choices of friends. lol.

Cameron and Will

Preschool starts a week later than normal school. In that time, a teacher has a visit to the house. It's required by the state, I guess? and they try to evaluate the kid - does he know his colors, any #'s/letters etc. They feel the kid is more open and talkative in their own home.

Ben is in the afternoon class and we hung out and chilled all morning. He was very excited to get ready. Once we got there though, he didn't want me to leave. One of the teachers had to hold him as I left, listening to him cry. It was so hard, but I knew he wouldn't cry long.

I picked Ben up and he was all smiles - He loves pre-school and the teachers assured me he only cried for a couple minutes once I left. We got home, and he clearly was exhausted. He could barely stay awake.

Cameron learned how to ride a bike. I thought this day would never come. He had ever excuse in the book to not learn before. I'd given up and quit asking him if he wanted to try. Then one day, Quentin apparently taught him. (I don't know if this video will work, but it appears it will. So we'll try it)

Other pictures from the month...