Updates

We have been chugging along but I figured it was time for some updates. Where do I begin?
Hunter has been doing awesome. First quarter of senior year and he got a 3.47, worked 20 hours a week and handled a social life- including a new girlfriend. I was so proud of him. He recently retook the ACT's and received a 27 (25 the first time) so he now will graduate with an honors diploma. His college search has begun, and I hope he can get his applications in over the next few weeks. It's an exciting time for him.


Work has been going ok for him. The hours have slowed now that winter is approaching, and he's only averaging about 4 hours a week- and as you know with a social life- he needs more than 4 hours to maintain his little dating life. So- off he went in search of a second job to supplement. I was proud of his drive, but have maintained the attitude of no more than 20 hours a week. School comes first.


Speaking of school, Owen has rocked out kindergarten. I now know, even while talking to his teacher last night at conferences, that we made the best decision for him by starting him at age 6 instead of 5. The best compliment that came out of conferences was "if I could have 21 more Owens, I'd be so happy". His report card was straight S's (the highest you can get) and the comments on it blew me away:
"Owen is an enthusiastic and conscientious student. He has adjusted nicely to kindergarten and is a model citizen. He takes a keen interest in all work and approaches his assigned tasks in a confident manner. Owen has done an excellent job of mastering his sight words. He is working on writing sentences with capitalization, spacing and punctuation. Keep up the great work, Owen!"
Can it get any better than that?


Quinlin is doing amazing as well. It's crazy to think she'll be 5 in just two months. My baby... almost 5! She is working on her letters and writing in preschool and tries so hard when we do spelling and sight words at home with Owen to master them as well. Socially, she's everyone's best friend and constantly gets hugs goodbye from all her classmates when she leaves at the end of each day. She's very sweet natured too- always inclusive of everyone. It's such a wonderful, untaught trait and something I hope she maintains.


Sean and I have been working hard on our house. We made the decision that this is where we need to be. We have such wonderful neighbors who are more than neighbors, but friends and a really great school district. Though we seem a little cramped and could really use a 3 car garage, to know I wont be paying a mortgage when I'm 45 is a really good feeling. So- that's the plan. We spent this summer redoing our living room and really am happy with how the space turned out. That will be the next post.


Now would be a great time to include cute, smiling children pictures... why won't blogger post them???? ugh. Until next time.

Dear Owen...September 7, 2014

September 7, 2014

 

 

Dear Owen,

Where do we begin to tell you how so very proud of you we are? You light up our life! From the moment you were born, you have been our pride and joy. It has been so fun to watch you grow, learn and change over these last six years. You are an amazing little boy- so caring and loving, so compassionate and kind.

You have accomplished so much- especially over the last few months. You graduated from safety town and completed your last year of preschool. We knew you were ready for kindergarten- and here you are- learning to add and subtract, working on your sight words, mastering your letters and numbers. We love working with you at home on your flashcards and seeing the excitement when we read a book and you being able to pick words out that you know. Soon you will be reading- which opens up a whole new world of excitement and imagination.

You are the sweetest, funniest little thing as well. You get your humor from daddy, that’s for sure! Everyone wants to be around you- you’re so fun! But as fun as you are, you can be so serious as well. You love to make sure everyone is included, especially your sister. You’re such a great big brother to her, and a great little brother as well.

It’s been really fun watching you thrive at sports. You had an amazing baseball season and have just started playing football and soccer. We are so thrilled with excitement (as evidenced on our videos) watching your two touchdown runs so far this season in the first two games and cannot wait to watch your first soccer game this Saturday as well. Quinlin scored 4 goals in your absence while you were playing football and I have a feeling, you probably will match that, if not score more this weekend!!!

Thank you for being who you are. We love you so soooooo much and cannot wait to see what the future holds for you.

 

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

Owen's birthday Quiz

My little guy turned 6 earlier this month! Happy birthday to the sweetest, most caring, giving, funniest, clever, inquiring, cautious yet crazy, just want to have fun little guy I know. We are ready for new adventures (aka Kindergarten)! I love this little guy so much- words cannot describe. And in following tradition- the birthday quiz. We've been doing since he turned 3. Funny to see the answers change (even though Sean and I dropped off his list of favorite people this year):
1. What's your name? Owen Patrick Carlin
2. How old are you? 6
3. Where do you live? Broadview Heights
4. what is your favorite color? turquoise
5. who is your favorite person? Hunter
6. who's your best friend? Patrick
7. what is your favorite tv show? Sponge Bob and Full House
8. what is your favorite food? Tacos
9. do you have a favorite snack? Gummy bears and gummy worms- and Peeps!
10. what is your favorite drink? warmer water (much prefers from the faucet as opposed to filtered from the fridge)
11. where is your favorite restaurant? Applebees
12. what do you like to do for fun? play Skylanders
13. what do you like to play outside? Ninja turtles with my buddies
14. what is your favorite song? Sexy and I know it
15. what is your favorite movie? Toy Story
16. what is your favorite book? Pete the Cat
17. What is your favorite toy? I don't have a favorite toy
18. What is your favorite holiday? 4th of July
19. what is your favorite sport to play? Soccer and football
20. who's your favorite football team? Browns
21. who's your favorite baseball team? Indians
22. who's your favorite athlete? Michael Jordan
23. who's your favorite college team? Arizona Wildcats
23. what's your favorite number for your own sports jerseys? 6
24. do you have a girlfriend? Yep- Nora and Rylie
25. what do you want to be when you grow up? a football player

Ramblings

I feel like March came and went. My sister has been asking for a blog post, yet I sit here and think "what the heck happened last month that I can write about?"


As I look back on my calendar- I see birthday parties, girls nights, couples nights out, bowling... all your basic type things. Winter was still in full blast so we didn't venture out really anywhere exciting, but what we did do, basic living, was fun. We got together a few times with our friends Mike and Annmarie and Jimmy and Tanya as we are vacationing together this summer and want the kids to really bond prior. And have they been bonding. It's been fun to see them interact- and honestly am a little jealous as to how fast kids make friendships. It's so easy for them- carefree wonders. Although I do feel as I have gotten older and more comfortable in my skin and who I am, friendships have been coming easy as well. It's nice to not worry about things anymore. Popularity in high school fades away. We're all the same- we all want success, love, health and happiness. Life is too short to worry about things that don't matter. And frankly, no sense getting worry lines for things I cannot control.


I'm currently preparing myself for a girls weekend in Phoenix. Sean was away for a few ice fishing tournaments this winter, so this is a little bit of me time to make up for the fact that he was gone so much. I am going with three girlfriends and cannot wait to get away- 85* and sunshine awaits! I need to start packing, trying on summer clothes to make sure they fit before packing and need to do some last minute cleaning., laundry and grocery shopping so that I can make things easier for Sean while I'm away. Hunter is around most of the weekend to help- I think. I know he works on Saturday and possibly has a date on Friday, but other than that, an extra set of eyes is never a bad thing.


Hope to post pictures of my trip next. Until then...

Hunter turns 17!

Not to be outdone, my very first baby had a birthday in January as well. The big 1-7! which is shocking since I'm still so young myself (I kidd, I kidd).

My handsome 17 year old!!! with the two younger ones, I always discuss their stats. So- at 17, he's 5'8, 138 pounds and in a size 11 shoe. :)

This is what happens when I attempt to take a picture of my three kids together. Fail. 

Too cool.

Presents

Cake!

We had a nice time celebrating. He's really a remarkable young man. Junior year has been going well for him- grades are good, he's doing well at work (knock on wood) and he's scheduled for the ACT's in April. Yikes!!!

Celebrating Quinlin's birthday

Over a month later, but I didn't want to forget what we did to celebrate Quinlin turning 4. I wanted to start a fun tradition for her and I, so we planned a mommy/daughter morning, and truthfully, hope it's something we can keep doing every year.

We started with the "picture on the stairs"

Then it was off to dance class

and then to the salon... this was the tradition- a morning of pampering.

finished, pretty hair!

then it was time for Quinlin's first manicure

then it was my turn

She got her toes done too. she was too small to sit with her feet in the hot water, so we opted just to do it in the manicure room. 

Our finished hands

Her finished toes! she chose sparkly blue! they had to fold and cut her pedicure slippers. I wasn't thinking when I dressed her in her fuzzy brown boots that day.

After the salon, we came home, had lunch, and finally got to open presents!

She was so excited for her new booster seats, her scooter and her new birthday dress! 

Party time!

can I mention how much I love my new crock pots? They're the connecting ones where you can use one or more on one electrical plug. Love them!

Frozen cake! (we have a slight obsession with the movie)

My mom's annual birthday card! the sled is the number 4!

Cousin love!

More presents!

It really was a fantastic day. My baby is 4. sniff sniff. 

Quinlin turns 4

We have been chugging along trying to survive this cold weather. I cannot remember it being this cold in Ohio in a long time. Hunter has had school cancelled the past few days due to the temperatures. It actually has worked out though- he's home sick today (vomiting) and Owen and Quinlin are sick as well (Owen- double ear infection, Quinlin- sinus infection, strep and a staph infection).


Aside from the illnesses and the cold, we have been doing well.

This little lady turned 4!

I can't believe it (I say that about all my kids, every year, every age). 

• She is 37 lbs and I'm a slacker that I didn't catch her height at her sick visit yesterday. She goes for her well visit next week so I hope to get that then.
• She wears size 4 pants, and size 4 and 5 tops
• She wears size 10 shoes
• She has quite the personality- very animated, dramatic, sweet and funny
• She loves getting her hair done. starting to wear braids and ponies all the time.
• She knows all her letters and numbers (still working on both upper and lower case recognition wise)
• She is also starting sight words since we are working on them with Owen

Starting at age 3, we ask the same questions on their birthdays. Her answers from last year are here.

The annual birthday quiz:

1. What's your name? Quinlin Olivia (our last name here)
2. How old are you? 4 (proudly holding 4 fingers)
3. Where do you live? here
4. what is your favorite color? green and blue
5. what do you want to be when you grow up? a big sister (not happening, sorry honey)
6. who is your favorite person? Daddy and my new lamby
7. who's your best friend? Owen, Daddy and Ginny
8. what is your favorite tv show? Spongebob
9. what is your favorite food? Macaroni and Cheese
10. what is your favorite drink? grape juice
11. what do you like to do for fun? play with Tia
12. what do you like to play outside? ride my bike
13. what is your favorite song? What's the Weather
14. what is your favorite movie? Tangled and Frozen (we've seen Frozen 3 times now)
15. what is your favorite book? Pete the Cat

We had such a fun time celebrating this year. I need to get pictures off my phone and will post those in my next post.