Ronnie's First Case of Lice.... November 2011

Ah - the joys of school....  Ronnie's daycare notified us a week prior that there was a reported case of lice in his High Five room.  We checked Ronnie over, as did they, and he was lice-free.  On Thursday, when Doug brought Ronnie in for a haircut, the lady at Super Cuts told Doug that he (Ronnie) had lice.  We bought the requisite $94 worth of RID medication and began the treatment process.  Believing in an old wive's tale, Lauri also doused his head with vinegar and wrapped him up in Saran Wrap for an hour.  Doug stayed with him the next day and did another treatment.  Let me just say that we did not find any of the lice through the entire process....  Lauri has an appointment with the MN Lice Lady on Monday - she will do a check of his head, and will do her process for getting rid of the lice in one treatment if she finds any.  Ronnie has been a trooper as we inspect his head, run through his hair with that tiny comb, and put nasty smelling stuff in his hair.  Let's hope it works.  He's been through enough this school year!

The vinegar and Saran Wrap treatment.....

Halloween 2011

This year, Ronnie continued with the Star Wars theme (big surprise) and was General Grievious...  the 4-armed, part-mechanical bad guy who uses 4 light sabers to fight the Jedi.  Lauri had to add 2 arms on to Ronnie's costume along with light sabers made out of paper attached to those arms to complete the costume.  Ronnie's school sent a note home saying that the kids were not allowed to wear masks or carry any weapons of any sort.  So, when he got to school, they removed the 2 paper light sabers and put them in his backpack.  I guess that's what a "zero tolerance for violence" means....    Lauri volunteered in Ronnie's classroom for the Halloween party and then took him trick-or-treating at home while Doug handed out candy to the neighborhood kids.  We had a good time!

 General Grievious

The 4-armed, 4-light saber'd General Grievious.

Mrs. Haugstad reading a Halloween book to the kids

right before the party started.

 Ronnie having fun at my station during the Halloween party.

I did a Halloween walk where the kids had to walk like a Halloween character would

(float like a ghost, dance like a princess, crawl like a cat, stomp like a monster).

They had fun with it!!!

 Andrew as Anakin, Ronnie as General Grievious, and Mason as Harry Potter.

 Parading through the school.....  each classroom walked through all of the other classrooms

so that every student saw all of the other student's costume.  It was mayhem - but fun!

 Parading through the gym - the 5th graders cheered the kids on.

 Ronnie's class...

Andrew, Ronnie, Ulrich (as Indiana Jones) and Ethan (as a karate guy).

General Grievious ready for trick-or-treating.

 First stop - Bruce and Pat's house...  for a BIG bag of Skittles.

 Next stop - Lori & Mick's house - with their big fluffy white dog.

And last on the block "the house that scared the hell out of me last year, mom"

Yes - that's Michele the realtor's house.

Emma Krumbee's Pumpkin Patch

Every October, we head to Belle Plaine to Emma Krumbee's pumpkin patch.  They have all kinds of fun things to do there....   ride ponies, jump in the hay stack, play on playground equipment, go through a rope maze, ride a barrel train, and pick out pumpkins.  We did it all!

 Ronnie and some pumpkins.....

 Ronnie as a scarecrow.

 Doug and Ronnie jumping off the top of the hay stack!

 Ronnie on the top of the pirate ship play structure.

 Going through the rope maze.

 Riding in a barrel....  waving to EVERYONE!

Ronnie as a boo hoo ghost!

 Picking out his pumpkin....

 Ronnie with all of our pumpkins.

 A family photo.

 We decided to walk back through the apple orchard with our pumpkins.

 Ronnie in the hay stack.

Riding a pony - and petting her and talking to her the whole time.  

What a sweetie!!!

Meningits - September 2011

In September, Ronnie complained of a headache that wouldn't go away...  While Lauri was working in Fargo, Doug stayed home with Ronnie one day and when Ronnie wasn't feeling better, took him to Urgent Care.  Lauri drove home from Fargo in time to make it to Urgent Care just before Ronnie was given a spinal tap.  The test results came in that he had meningitis.  Ronnie was admitted to St. Francis Hospital around midnight and stayed there for 2 days.  After having some neurological issues, and a test result come in positive for bacteria, we were transferred to Children's Hospital in Minneapolis.  Ronnie was there for 2 days - and progressively got better.  He was discharged on Saturday  - 4 days after he went to Urgent Care.  He returned to school on Monday.  It was a whirlwind 4 days and nights....  He had many visitors, deliveries, prayers and well-wishes.  Today, he is good as new!

 Ronnie in Urgent Care.

 Hooked up to an i.v. for 4 days...  not Ronnie's favorite part.....

 Transferring to Children's Hospital via ambulance.

 One sick little boy - out cold for the ambulance ride.

 Feeling MUCH better at Children's Hospital 

with the stuffed animals from Nana & Papa and Maama & Momo.

 Hey Ronnie - which finger did they draw blood out of?

 Released - heading home - the finish line is near!

 At home - with the shoe full of goodies from Lauri's coworkers!

Ronnie wearing a sweatshirt from some ladies Lauri works with at the University of Minnesota.

KINDERGARTEN!!!!

Ronnie started Kindergarten in September 2011.  Of course we had to prepare in August...  it started with school shopping - Maama joined us.  Then, we had an Open House, Orientation and finally, the first day.  It's been fun to get Ronnie involved in school.  He goes to Poplar Bridge Elementary in Bloomington and is part of the afternoon Kindergarten class.  He rides the bus from New Horizon to Poplar Bridge and back every day.  Lauri volunteers in his classroom 1-2 Fridays a month and during the room parties (Halloween, Christmas, Valentine's Day, etc.).  So far, he's doing great!

 School supply shopping with Maama.

 Searching for the right pens!

 We found most of the supplies on his school supply list....

Ronnie with all of his new school clothes!

 Ronnie and Adam in the library at Poplar Bridge - with the shark from the MOA.

 Ronnie found his name on the roster for Room #7 - Mrs. Haugstad's afternoon Kindergarten class.

 Adam wanted to introduce Ronnie to his teacher, Mrs. Haugstad.

 Ronnie and Mrs. Haugstad.  Turns out, she attends our church in Shakopee!

 Ronnie on Orientation day - bringing all of his school supplies to the classroom.

 Ronnie moves his name to the Honey Pot using the electronic whiteboard.

 Our little Kindergartener on his first day of school!

 First day of school photo - at 228 Columbine Lane in Shakopee, MN.

 At Perkins - coloring ....  "being an architect"...  

 First day of school breakfast at Perkins with Ronnie and Mom.

Riding the school bus.... 

 Ronnie and Adam give their first day of school 2 thumbs up!

 Ronnie likes Kindergarten!

 Day 3 of school - Ronnie came home with a fundraiser.  His goal was to get the limo ride by selling 25 items.  He accomplished his goal thanks to family, neighbors, friends, and Lauri's coworkers!!!

Here Ronnie is with JoVonti' in the limo.

Ronnie and JoVonti' in front of the limo....