DIY Gymnastics Bar

Last summer, as a fun activity, I put my girls in gymnastics.  Little did I know that they would love it. I could not pull them out or it because they looked forward to it every week and it gives them something to do.

Putting them Keelie and Roarie in gymnastics I have seen many changes in them.  Roarie, 4-year-old,  has gained confidence in herself.  Before she would always say, "I can't do it."  But now she tries new things and gets back up and tries again if she doesn't do it right.  She is somewhat of a perfectionist and wants to do it right the first time, so her failing is made her a better person.   Keelie, 2 years old, she is pretty fearless when it comes to trying new things. The balance beam is Keelie's biggest fear.  She can walk straight but walking backward or sideways she thinks she needs help.
Both girls have learned strength.  Roarie is now able to do what is called "straight arm"  and is learn some other movements

 Since the girls love doing gymnastics, they have been using the big love sack as a "pit" to do flip, our little trampoline to practice different jumps, and now they have a bar to practice doing swings and flips.

Ryne and I spent some time over this Christmas break putting this together.  We used

4- 8ft 2x4
2- 8ft 2x6
1- 72" 1 1/4" dowl

I cut the wood.  All the 2x4s were cut to 4 feet in length. Then I cut the ends of 4 of the 2x4s at a 45-degree angle.  It was only my second time ever using a miter saw, so my cuts aren't perfect, but they got the job done.

The 2x6s were cut to the length of 82 inches long.  With just a guestimation that is how long I cut them and it is the perfect length

The 72" dowel was cut down to 48".

I have a fear of screwdrivers.  So I let Ryne predrill and put in screws into all of the pieces of wood. We tried just screwing the screws without drilling first, and that did not work well.  The pieces of wood were sliding around and did not align as they should.

Ryne also had to buy a new screwdriver because the Black & Decker we had was not powerful enough.  So he when went to Lowes and got Porter Cable an impact and a regular drill.  They worked really well and got the job done quickly.

Ryne measured about a down to drill 1 1/4" notch into the wood for the dowel to fit.

As the where Ryne put in the screws, well he put them where ever he felt would be the most sturdy.  He predrilled down at an angle to set the holes and then put screws in the wood.

We did put in a 2x4 going a cross to hold that frame together for alittle added stability.  We also have a couple of memory foam pads under the blanket to give a little padding to the floor.

We did not have much of a plan for this Gymnastics bar.  I found a sample of one from Pinterest.

A Childhood Dream Came True and I was so Mad

Every since I was a little kid, I have wanted a fireplace.  I remember asking my parents to put in a fireplace.  We already had a chimney so I thought it would be easy to do.  Well, we never got a fireplace.  The only time I ever got to enjoy a fire was going to my grandparent's house in the winter time.  I loved it!

Ever since my in-law got an electric fireplace about 10 years ago, it sparked my interest again.  So, I have hinted to my husband several times over the years about getting a fireplace, and let's just say he didn't get the hint.

This year, I decided that with my Christmas money, I would purchase a media center fireplace. I love Menards, and that was the first place I looked to scout out models and prices.  I found a model that I really liked, and their website said that they had one in stock.  Come to find out after calling them, it was the display model.  I was bummed, but they steered me in the direction of another model.  It was a little more pricey but after comparing the two the more expensive heated 1000 sq. ft. vs. 400 sq.ft. of the other model.

So after visiting the store and seeing the different models in we came home with the model the Menards employee told me about over the phone.  Even though it was a little more expensive, Menard was having their 11% storewide rebate, so I will be getting a little of that money back.

So you are probably wondering why I was mad?  Well you see, while Ryne and I were working on putting this bad boy together,  the kids got in the packing styrofoam.  All we hear is its snowing.


Not only is the toy room a disaster, but they broke up the styrofoam and were throwing it in the air.  Keelie was making snow angels.  They had it ALL over themselves.  I was on the verge of tears.  I had worked so hard to organize their toys and cleaned the floor, and then I see this. Tears!

So instead of enjoying
my fireplace when it was all put together.  I have the joys of cleaning all the "snow" up.  Let me tell you it is not easy because those little buggers have static cling.  So I had to blow on all the toys to get the "snow" off and then vacuum it all up because it would just cling to the broom and dust pan.

To make matters worse, while I was vacuuming I sucked up a sock.  Typically with our Shark vacuum I can take it apart and have no problem getting out whatever got stuck, but with this sock, it got stuck in the handle.  So, Ryne spent like 15 minutes trying to get the dang thing out.

After a hour and a half of cleaning,  I finally got to sit down and enjoy my fireplace.  The girls that night had to fall asleep by the fire.  Jeter like to sit and watch the flames.

Christner Gingerbread House Making

Last night, the high school basketball games got canceled due to weather.  Roarie was so excited in the thought of going.  She kept asking the kids in her preschool class to raise their hands if they were going to go to the basketball game.  The preschool teachers didn't have the heart to tell her that game was canceled, so they left that up to me to do.

When I broke the news to Roarie, she got a bird perch of a lip.  I told her that if she asked daddy real nice maybe he will let us go to Dollar General then get a gingerbread house kit.  Her face lit up like she would rather do that anyway.

We ended up going to DG to get a couple of kits.  I decided that I might as well get two just to eliminate the fighting, plus, I thought that Keelie would eat the candy and there wouldn't be any left to decorate.  The kits cost $10 each.  

Both kits had five different candies, one large bag of candy, 2four walls to the house, two pieces for the roof, and a piece of cardboard for the house to sit on.  I didn't think that there would be enough frosting, but when we were finished, I actually had some left over.

Roarie and Keelie had so much fun.  I was the one to put on all of the frostings but they helped put the walls and roof pieces together, and they put on the candy where ever they wanted too.  I was very surprised that Keelie did not eat any of the candy.  She licked her fingers a lot because she would get frosting on them.

The frosting was pretty good in consistency thickness ( and taste) It really didn't take long for the frosting to dry up to get the walls to stand and for the candy to stick without sliding off.
The girls did a great job with their gingerbread houses.  The whole project took us about an hour and a half.  Keelie's is on the left and Roarie's in on the right.

Roarie's First School Winter

Tonight, Roarie had her first winter concert at school. The school put to get her their concert in the manner of 4-year-old Preschool school thru first grade.  Being a small school they have all three grades singing all at the same time and all the same songs.  This makes it convenient for the kids, parents, and teachers.  The concert from beginning to end lasted about 25 minutes.

I curled Roarie's hair.  We borrowed a dress from a friend.  And of course, we had to wear make-up.  When I was a little girl, the only time my mom would let me wear make-up was when I had a concert and sometimes when we to to church.

If you give a Roarie some make-up, a Keelie is gunna want some make up too.

Saturday Morning Friends

Saturday are my favorite.  It is a very relaxing time for us.  We get up, go downstairs, and Roarie plays with Keelie.  Roarie likes to "read stories" to Keelie.  Keelie likes to spend time with her sister, watch her, play with her, and try to do the things that Keelie does.

Keelie- 7 months

Today, I turned 7 months.  Let me venture into what I have accomplished this last month.  I can sit up by myself. I can get up on all 4s and like to rock.  I am still learning to master how to pick up my knee and move it forward.  Right now,  when I do that, I face plant.  

I am still sticking everything in my mouth. I have gotten better.  After I get done eating,  I don't need to put everything in my mouth.

I love strawberry oatmeal,  sweet potatoes, and bananas.

My hair is so long that it goes to the top of my eye lids.

Go Tiger Football

Tonight is Iowa Valley's first home football game.  In support of daddy coaching the football team,  the girls are wearing their Iowa Valley appearal.

Being the good parent I am and was in a super hurry,  I allowed Roarie to eat a bag of Cheetos for breakfast.

Look at Me!!

Look at me.  It is 4 days before I just 7 months old and I can sit up by myself.  I am pretty hot stuff.  Of course the first time I sat up by myself was at Daycare, but mom and dad were excited to witness it with their eye for the first time.

As you do, I will follow!

Tonight was a great night.  We spent the night as a family. I just love just watching these girls grow up together.  Tonight was exciting because it was the first time that Ryne and I go to see Keelie sit up by herself.  Now that they both can sit up Keelie tried to copy everything Roarie was doing.  It was very entertaining.

2 1/2 and 6 months

What a beautiful day it was.  The shade was cool, but the sun was warm.  Great Aunt Linda met us in Oskaloosa, IA to take our pictures.  Roarie is 2 1/2 and Keelie is 6 months.  Aunt Tami made us tutus when she came back home from Virgina.  The tutus were so cute we had to get the girls' picture taken in them.  These girls are so precious. I couldn't ask for a better couple of girls.

Keelie-6 Months Old

Keelie is 6 months old.  Her form of getting around is to do the log roll.  She love to get under the recliners.  We found out a her 6 month check-up that she has geographic tongue. Foods like apples, squash and carrots make her tongue break out.  It doesn't seem to bother her, it just looks painful.

At my 6 month appointment.  I was 75th percentile for my height, around the 50th for my weight and head size.