The Anderson's Blog

Today was the last day of school for Bailey.  She game home with a perfect report card (all +’s) and gets to move onto the 1st grade.  She also was selected to receive the Citizenship Award by her classmates.  One award is given to a boy and one to a girl in each class.  She told us the criteria was based on being the nicest.  I asked who’s name she wrote down, Jordan’s and Dillon’s.  Dillon wond the Boy’s Cizienship Award.

She brought home several cute Journals for us to read through.  I’ll type some in here throughout the summer.

So tonight Bailey was asking me when she can have a cell phone.  She thinks she needs one now.  I said we may get a cell phone in a few years for all the kids to share.  She went on to ask how that will work when more than one of them need it at a time.  I explained what it was like growing up without cell phones and having only a home phone.  She went on to say “That was back in the 19’s mom”.  Then she went on to say, “all the phone were wired phones back then, not wireless, like they are today”.  Will I ever live down that I grew up in a different century?

Grandma Cindy got to town about 1:00 this morning.  We got up around 9:00 and headed to Pinkalicious, then to David’s Bridal to pick up our dresses for Cara & Craig’s wedding, then to Taco Johns.  After eating our purchase of an extra patatoe ole, Cindy asked if we could at least run 5 miles.  So, we ran all the way from our house to Jolly Rogers.  Then, Jason (after leaving the bar stool open), met us at Jolly Rogers.  Bailey and he rode their bikes home and Cindy and I walked back.  We think we went 7 miles total (running 5 miles and walking 2 miles).  WOW!  Wade & fJessica P, I”m getting closer to your 8 miles per run!

It’s crunch time in the Anderson house!  Sorry I haven’t written much lately, you’ll see why when you read on.  I don’t typically blog during the day, but I need to take a moment for myself.  And this may help to relieve stress.  

So, let me start out with a funny story…. A few weeks back, Jason brought a dish of leftover tuna noodle casserole with him to work for lunch.  Turns out he grabbed the container with a half-cut onion in it.  So, the other day Bailey wanted to have Tuna Noodle Casserole for supper.  Her and I went to the store to get the stuff.  Dad stopped home to eat quick before going back to work.  I asked if he wanted a quick sandwich or tuna noodle cassarole.  He said he wanted the casserole.  Bailey replied “Are you sure you don’t want an onion dad?”  She’s got a good memory!

Jason took the President role for Sculpt Siouxland, Inc. this year.  This group puts the sculptures up on 4th Street each year.  The SCGO group use to oversee this project, but to get more community volunteers, they seperated.  As a newly formed organization, they’ve been quite busy getting for the new Sculpture exhibit that is going to be installed May 16th.  They have 21 pieces coming in from artists!  I haven’t seen what they look like, but it’s going to be fabulous (or so I’m told).  He’s had a few late nights working on that.  Plus, this stock market is keeping him happier these days!  But, busy at the same time. 

Kyle has been selling townhomes right and left.  We are now up to 9 townhomes sold in Dakota Dunes (only 13 more to sell).  I’ve got 4 townhomes completed and 8 under construction.  We announced a similar project in Whispering Creek.  It will have 24 townhomes and 2 single-family homes.  So far, it sounds like we will have at least 5 homes sold before we dig the first hole on June 1st.  Closing weeks seem to get crazy and this week we have 2 townhomes closing this week.  So, double stress.  And our cleaning lady is trying to clean while sick with the flue.  NO FUN!  Also recently, Kyle has sold 2 building lots, signed 2 new tenants in Yankton, worked on build-out for a few tenants at the Marne Creek building and tried to get 310 Virginia demo project completed.  We have an intern starting May 11th!  So, that will help!

Jason and I are working to get the Field Day for Lincoln School put together.  We are in charge of the grades K-2.  Fun, Fun.

Oh ya, and our license to become foster parents becomes effective tomorrow!  That’s the challenge we are most excited for!

So, till there is more time….. which isn’t now….

Stayed in bed till 9:30 this morning.  Didn’t want to wake up Bailey when getting up so I just enjoyed my bed. Turns out, she snuck out of bed at 7:30 and watched cartoons all morning.  We ate breakfast, played Animal Crossing and then went swimming at the YMCA.  Watched the end of the race with dad.  Bailey made a card for Mr. Telgran (his last day is tomorrow), we ate dinner and then watched the ABC Family movie.  Finally, Bailey’s last night in the bunk beds.  The room is all ready for Foster kids.  We are suppose to be approved May 1st, but probably will not get any calls till May 11th. 

There was a story on the news tonight of a mother who allegily hit their son with the back of a hammer along with other tortures.  I can’t believe some of the stories I hear that happen here and around the country.  These kids have so much to overcome!

We heard that Sioux City was suppose to get rain and snow all weekend, so we decided to head to Kansas City for the weekend.  In big hopes that maybe we’d get snowed in down here.

Last night we went to a fundraiser for Sydney’s dance recital.  Bailey stayed with Craig & Cara.  Chris (Tryn’s boyfriend) and I didn’t play so we hung out all evening.  He won a 19″ TV worth $325.99 in the raffle.  Someone accused him of taking his raffle tickets, kind of funny.  Ward was out first, then Tryn, then Jason.  Robin made it to the final table and ended up in 4th Place winning $50.

Today we picked up Sydney and Bailey and went to Science City at the Union Station.  We had a blast!  See our pictures on Flickr.

*  played with animals / saw snakes/frogs/rats

*  dug for dinosaur bones

*  figured out mazes

*  went to electricity program

*  watched sydney ride a bike on a tight rope

*  landed a shuttle on earth

*  figured out all of #’s (oxygen level, balance tech, fat %, etc)

*  haunted house

*  laser show

* miniature golf 

We had a blast from 10:30 – 5:00 at Union Station.  Lunch was really good.  It was an old fashion diner.  Now, we are enjoying Little Chicago Pizza and hanging out with Robin, Cara & Craig.  Jason worked all day!  He says he got a lot done.

Bailey upgraded her report card to all +’s this past quarter!  YEAH!  She got 100% on everything.  She also is at a D reading level and by the time she starts 1st grade she needs to be at a B reading level.  So she is doing well above the goal.  Ms. Frink & Mr. Telgran said she is one of the first one’s to offer to pick up the bugs & worms they are studying and learning about.  The only thing to work on, paying attention the first time so you can retell everything that was just said in the story.

http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/shared-content/gallery/?galleryid=89&gallery_page=0&album_page=0&albumid=1050&mediaid=26860

Faces of Siouxland is an event put on by the Human Rights Commission each year.  There were close to 1,500 people at the event this year.  Once again, I watched over the kids craft area.  It’s a neat to see how many  people I knew stopped out to experience this event.

Yesterday was the annual Missouri River Boat Club Party.  We picked Gritz & Lindsey up about 12:45, dropped Bailey off at the Campbells (thank you very much!), ate a high carb meal at Jimmy Johns, then started drinking about 1:30.  The pre-party was definately fuller this year than in the past.  It was an interesting crowd.  A lot of people I knew and a lot of people we did not know.  Lisa & Nathan joined us around 2:00.  Cohrs & Lawrence soon after that.  I can’t believe it’s the 7th one we have been to?!!?  So, last year I tried to get a job at KSCJ.  This year I broke my heal to my boot and had to walk around without a heal most the night.  But, lasted till 9:30.  Then went to the Kalahers to play Mario Kart and to look at their house plans.  It’s going to be awesome!  Dinner did not settle well at all!  Went to bed curled up like a baby, but woke up feeling awesome.

On Friday night at dinner with my parents, Bailey asked why there were marking on the field of a football field.  I explained that they are at 10 yard increments starting at the end zone.  So, she goes, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60.  I stopped her and said it only goes to 50 from one direction and the 50 from the other direction.  She then said, “So a football field is 100 yeards?”  WOW, she picked adding up quickly.