Lego Robotics & a snow day

For the past 8 weeks Austin has been particiating in a after school program called Lego Robotics.  The school got involved in a program with the state of mn where they let us use the kits (worth about $300 each) to teach the kids about programming and building the robots.  Austin has been learning to program his robot manuver through different challenages throughout the past 8 weeks.  They program it to follow a line (straight & curved) go into corners, pick up a ball, go up a ramp and spin around. Lets just say that we are EXTREMELY proud of our little Legoman!

Tonight they had their final challenage where the parents got to come and see all that they have learned and we got to see the robots in action. 

Austin's team....Team Robotics Two got a red 2nd place ribbon!

the computer screen showing some of the commands Austin was programming

Austin's robot being set down by his partner Calin..getting ready to test it out for the challenge

one proud Lego Manic!

His team stats and the 2nd place ribbon!

And of course they got a treat....a smartie lego robot to fill them with sugar

Last Wednesday when we got our 1st MN blizzard of the season...the Moen's took a snow day.  The kids had a blast later in the day playing on a very small but yet productive snow hill and making sure they blasted Dad with snowballs (while Mom laughed and took pics!)They also built some little snow people and fort.

There are no words!

Throwing Peanut  on the straw bale covered in snow! A better vantage point to peg Dad with snowballs...

Peanut and her snow person

Booger's...I love the smerky face his snow dude has!

The fort!

This picture needs alittle explaining...while Dad was plowing the driveway the kids saw this little mouse burrowing a hole next to their sandbox from inside the house...while they went outside and Austin started digging where the mouse had burrowed and out ran the mouse...the kids than chased it with their bat and started taking swipes at it..and they got him! Right over the head! And yes our little pink girly girl grabbed the mouse and ran to show dad!

A new pink bed!

You know if it involves the color pink it has something to do with Bayleann :o) She finally got her own real big girl bed this weekend thanks to Papa Don (Great Grandpa Don).  His old metal twin bed got a girly makeover this weekend! And is now happily making dreams again with a new little kid after all these years.
Bayleann thinks its pretty cool that she is now sleeping in the same bed that Great Grandpa used to sleep in when he was little like her.  Only it's better now that it's pink in her opinion.

We went and picked it up on Saturday and by Sunday afternoon it was primed and painted "Ballet Slipper Pink" (if that isn't perfect for our peanut!) and within a few hours of dry time it had a happy little girl snuggling under (of course) pink sheets and comforter.

We went in and checked on her a few times last night after we put her to bed and she was happily snuggled under her covers dreaming sweet little dreams.  And this morning she said she didn't want to wake up-just say in her bed all day!



Daddy painted the frame from brown to pink





Taking apart the old tinker bell bed





Helping make her new bed



Snuggly little peanut

Not quite sure what happened with the exposure on this picture...but I snuck into her room about 10pm and took a somewhat sleepy peanut picture.

It amazes me how a twin bed can look small when sitting all by  itself but yet when you get your little girl tucked in there all happy and content it can look so huge! Another moment when a parent realizes how quickly their children are growing up...
Hold them close and kiss them often!

World's best Hubby!!!!!

Ok I'm sure every girl thinks they have the best husband..but I'd have to disagree :) Sorry ladies I married him!  Being 8 months pregnant with what we already know is going to be a big little baby he has been so sweet to give me regular "tubby times" (as we call them in our house) to relax and soak the aches away.  But yesterday he out did himself...he set up the portable dvd player and I got to watch Breaking Dawn Part 1,eat a treat, soak and have some quality mommy time!
                    IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!! THANK YOU ANDY!!!!
Then tonight when Bayleann & I got home from dance these were waiting for me since tomorrow I have a doctor's appt during the afternoon and he didn't want them to be delivered when I wasn't at work :o) Always thinkin that man!

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone...Don't ya wish you had a hubby like mine! :o)

Happy Birthday Bayleann!

Our little peanut turned 6 years old last Saturday! Can't believe how the time has flown by...seems like she was just a little peanut :o) It amazes us how quickly our kids have grown up-it makes you hang on to each and every moment!
Since her actual birthday was on Saturday we decorated the house for her with pink & purple balloons and streamers (which she loved when she woke up!)  Then she decided she wanted to go out for pizza and to pick out her present.  Then we came home and ate cake and played! :o) It was a great birthday according to Bayleann!

She got to wear her new dress to school on Friday, she got to bring in treats for her class.

Daddy bought her 6 pink roses for her Birthday :) Along with a Happy Birthday balloon.  She was one happy little peanut!

The yummy birthday cake.

She he only had 1 boyfriend :o)





Getting to know the BEAN :o)

Well the bean will be here before we know it! I'd have to say that this is the longest and the shortest pregnancy we've had.  With all the worries in the beginning, it seemed like it was taking forever to get over the "hump" of worry...now we are on the down slide and it does seem to be flying by.  Now with the busy season for me at work approaching the months will really go by fast.  The bean is supposed to make it's big arrival on April 16th....now keep in mind that neither Austin or Bayleann ever showed up when they were "supposed" to :)

As of right now the bean is just a bean...not a girly bean or a boy bean....the only people who know are God and the bean itself!  Not sure if it will stay that way...can't promise- for now the answer in safely sealed in a envelope.

With all the worries in the beginning they were checking and ultrasounding me every week for the first 3 months..I picked some of the better pictures to share.  Now we are on a more normal schedule.

This is one of the first pictures we got of the bean....you can see a oval shaped area and then a little dark spot toward the top-that is the embryo sack.  It was the first sign we got that the baby was growing safely in the right spot!

The kids got a kick out of this picture...they said it looked like a little laughing animal.  It kinda does :o)

Here is the bean looking more like a actual baby! The head is to the far left and the tummy to the right...you can kinda see the little arms and it has its legs kinda tucked underneath itself...

This is the most recent pic...right before xmas.  It is blurry cuz it's a close up of the head....look in the middle of the pic you can see the the jaw and teeth, eye and roundness of the top of the head.

Gotta love these types of pictures....I personally don't like my belly hangin out there but the kids love looking at how it changes. Bayleann especially likes my funny belly button! By child #3 the belly may never look the same again! ha! But I wouldn't trade my kids for a normal looking button!

The kids love trying to see if they can feel the baby kicking me..Andy likes to torment it and me with cold hands and poking my tummy.  When he used to do that to Bayleann she'd kick him right back! Somehow I always got the raw end of that little battle!  This little bean is very active & likes to move around.  Getting exciting!

GOTTA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR FAVORITE 4TH GRADER!!!!! Austin made the December HONOR ROLE in his class! We are so proud of our little booger! Way to go kiddo keep up the good work!