Santa said I was very, very, very good this year!

 

 

Santa...I promise I was good this year! Would this face lie to you?

As wrapped gifts began to show up in the house, Zoe has been very mindful about being on her best behavior. She has been very helpful to everyone.  The good news is it also showed up in school.  We have been getting very encouraging comments about how Zoe is interacting with her classmates. She loves her time away from school during the holiday break. She likes that she gets to stay up a little later. Now that it is Christmas time, one of the things she most looks forward to is traveling to her Aunt Brenda’s and Uncle Jack’s to play with her cousins. Running around the house, playing hide and seek, yelling and screaming and every 15-20 minutes coming up from the basement to get a drink and sneak some goodies. I cannot imagine how the house looks like after everyone leaves, by now they must be used to it as they have been hosting the major holidays at their home for years now.

Last week Sonja took Zoe for her annual picture with Santa.  They waited in line for hours. They finally arrived home with a thumb drive of her pictures. Unfortunately, they gave her a bad thumb drive so they had to go back and get a new one. I must say, not only were these the best Santa pictures yet but the Santa in my opinion was very authentic looking. It surprises me that Zoe hasn’t noticed that each year the Santa she goes to is different.  Even Sonja got into the act and took pictures with Santa along with Zoe. Santa made sure to tell Zoe that she has been a very, very, very good girl. She made sure to tell both Sonja and I what Santa had said. So we will have to see if she is happy with what Santa brings!

 

Zoe has been a very busy girl. She is still doing hip-hop dancing, gymnastics and tumbling. Sonja has been taking her to Elite Cheer for private lessons. She is really improving. About a week ago she was moved up from Level 1 to Level 2 and is working on back flips and back handsprings. She will need to be able to perform these on a routine basis before she would be able to move up to level 3. Her instructor feels Zoe has some natural ability and could do well as long as she is able to focus. Focus?  That is the one word that seems to be her challenge at school, gymnastics and home.  Zoe is very social and her mind is moving in 100 directions.  Yes, focus! Focus will be one of her..maybe our New Year Resolutions. Focus..the lack of focus is what gets her in trouble at school…so hopefully this year we can focus on helping her get focus. Any suggestions from you battle proven parents would be greatly appreciated. 

 

Nathaniel just finished finals last week and did great. He ended up with a 4.0 this semester.  It amazes me he does so well with all the extracurricular activities he is involved with.  I guess I can excuse his tornado like devastation you see when you look at his bedroom.  Between Zoe and Nathaniel…I have stopped going up there.  Nathaniel tried out for and was selected to the University of Nebraska High School honor band where selected students throughout high schools in Nebraska will learn music and play together in a concert to be held in Omaha. How exciting. He will miss a wrestling meet which he is not happy about but sometime you have to make choices. Speaking of wrestling Nathaniel just competed at the Ralston High School Varsity wresting tournament.  He went 3-1 with two pins and came in third place.  This is the first time he has placed I a Varsity tournament so we were ecstatic.  We are only a few months away from baseball season and he is already working with an instructor for pitching.  We have our fingers crossed he will make the varsity team or it could be the end to his baseball career. If he does make the team, we think he will be mostly use for pitching in 2014.

So, all is well at the Teitler household.  We are ready as we can be for the rest of the holiday season. We want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a very happy, safe and prosperous New Year!!!

As the seasons change so do the sports!

Zoe's 2013 Soccer team! The Breakers!

 

Gosh, it has been awhile since my last post! I was having trouble adding pictures to the blog site.  So the good news is I am back! Zoe has had a number of exciting things happen over the last month or so.  She is so excited that her first tooth is loose, one of her front bottom teeth. She would not let me get pliers so I could help her pull it out so I guess we will have to take the usual approach of waiting until it is ready to come out. Zoe has been taking some private lessons to help her get ready to move to level two in tumbling.  She can now do a round off thingee and some sort of back spring.  Her coach said that Zoe has the body type to be a great tumbler if she can focus.  A six year old girl....focus? Really! Zoe also just finished her soccer for the fall.  I must say she improved dramatically from last year.  At last now she knows which way to kick the ball.  Last year it was progress for her to kick the ball, she still at times misses the ball...kind of reminds me of Charlie Brown, the only difference is when Zoe rears back to kick the soccer ball, Lucy is not there to pull it away.  Zoe just flat out misses the ball...both Sonja and I get a chuckle every time she plays.

 

How is school?  Zoe is doing so much better.  She has improved her reading skills but most importantly she is working hard on her social skills.  We have to keep reminding her not to kick, hit, punch, push, spit or say naughty things to others.  We received a progress report that she has improved significantly. Zoe likes school and gets to ride the bus on occasion which she really enjoys.

 

Zoe is so excited for the holidays.  There are so many toys out there that she is having difficulty choosing which ones to ask for. I am sure she will get many more than she needs.

 

Nathaniel's 2013 Football Season

 

Nathaniel's football season came to an end a few weeks back.  His team made the state playoffs but lost right away.  It is hard to come off a season before where you were the State Champions.  They played well and had fun. I cannot believe he only has one more year of football left.  We believe he has a good shot of being the starting punter his senior year. The would be a great way to cap off his football career.  now, he is practicing wrestling.  He was a 160 at the end of football season and is trying to get to the 138 pound class for wrestling. He has more discipline than I did at his age Nathaniel is doing great in school and is also practicing his pitching and hitting on a weekly basis getting ready for baseball season.

 

All else is well. Sonja is almost done with all our adoption paperwork and is getting our house in order (I hope) for the holidays! Until next time...have a great week and happy holidays!!!

We Have a Secret!!

School starts this week…Zoe going into first grade and Nathaniel going into the 11th Grade…wow does time fly.

School starts this week…Zoe going into first grade and Nathaniel going into the 11^th Grade…wow does time fly.

What an end to the summer.  The family went down to Branson, Missouri for our annual week long stay. While we were in Branson, Zoe had the opportunity to go to Silver Dollar City amusement park on several different days! The pictures below are her riding the rides.  She absolutely loves the frog ride and is becoming more of a daredevil riding a few of the “grown-up” rides with her brother and/or parents. We also had several opportunities to shop at the outlets malls; Zoe was on the hunt for her backpack for school.  She found it at Marshall’s so we are good for another year.    

Zoe's favorite cartoon characters (Dora and Diego)

Zoe has been very active in her tumbling classes.  She is now able to do a full cartwheel and some sort of bend over back bend thing. She has made a ton of progress in her tumbling classes.  Truly, I cannot remember exactly what they call it, but both Zoe and her Mom assure me that it is hard to do! Now that school is back in session she will again be participating in gymnastics and dance (hip hop and basics).  

Hey Dad...look at me!!!

Zoe was so excited to start school. She has a ton of clothes and got her hair cut, so she is ready. She rode the bus for the first time and likes her first grade teacher. She has a few of her friends she made in kindergarten in her class.  So for now all is good.

While we were in Branson, Nathaniel attended a week long baseball exposure camp. He has gone to the same camp for the past 6 years but this time we invited one of his best friends Isaiah to come along. Both of them had a great time. They too went to Silver Dollar City but we did not see them until either they were hungry or they were ready to leave.

Nathaniel and his friend Isaiah at Baseball camp

Nathaniel starts school as a junior this year.  He is signed up to take his ACT in the next month or so. He is also playing football so he has been lifting and now is doing two-a-days leading up to the first day of school.  This summer has been good for Nathaniel. He has been very active hanging with his friends.  His Grandfather Teitler passed down his Jeep Cherokee to Nathaniel. If you knew his grandfather, although it was a 1997 model it was kept in immaculate condition and with reasonably low mile. Having the car has given Nathaniel the freedom to see his friends.  When he is not there his friends are in our backyard enjoying the pool.  Sometimes I will look outside and there will be 10-15 kids swimming.

Zoe's favorite ride

So both Zoe and Nathaniel are going to be very busy with their school work, extracurricular activities and spending time with their friends. It’s been a great summer, so sorry to see it go so quickly. I know both of them enjoyed having their Mom at home.  

Shooting the water cannon

 

Zoe and Nathaniel are in full swing! To be a kid again!!!!

You can tell its July as my grass is turning from emerald green to a straw brown color.  Temperatures here in Nebraska are from the mid 80’s to the upper 90’s.  The heat in Nebraska doesn’t seem to bother Zoe or Nathaniel. 

Zoe just finished her second year of Tee Ball.  She was hitting the ball off the Tee well and actually ran for the ball when playing the field.  At her year-end party the coach indicated she was the most improved player.  Way to Go Zoe. Zoe is standing with her coach and her year end trophy she received this past Sunday!  Zoe is also taking doing gymnastics and taking tumbling.  She was just moved up to a more senior class based on her progress.  She is doing walk-overs, almost has her cart wheel down and a few other moves. She is doing great. We are very proud of her.  She also has had one of her friends come over to swim and play.  They have become fast friends.

I have to share a little funny that happened earlier this week. While eating a salad, she told me she really loved the berries in her salad.  I looked in her salad bowl and the berries turned out to be olives.  I give her some credit…they kind of look like a berry.

Zoe continues to make progress with school activities.  She practices reading and is doing a good job sounding our words.  This is a little girl that two years ago was speaking Mandarin who is now speaking and reading English.  Just amazing.

I have also noticed both her and Nathaniel are increasingly more comfortable around each other.  They have learned to pair up and work their parents.  However, both of them are quick to sell the other one out in a moment’s notice.

Nathaniel has had a busy summer.  He has probably played close to 60 games of baseball.  He goes to wrestling practice twice a week and has lifting for football Monday-Thursday.  His JV team went to districts but lost both games so I thought he was done for the season.  However, he was invited to suit up with the varsity for their districts with the chance of going to state. I do not anticipate him seeing any playing time but it was recognition for the summer he had on the JV team.  Only he and two other boys were selected to move up. Some more good news,   Nathaniel was just notified that as a junior he would be a co-captain of the wrestling team.  We are really proud of him for being selected as captain.  So he will be captain of the band and wrestling…he is having a really good year.

Summer time has begun....Lots of baseball! Zoe gets two hits at her game!

Baseball is upon us again. Both Zoe and Nathaniel are playing baseball. Zoe is in her second year playing T-Ball and we have seen much improvement.  Last year, when Zoe was out in the field, when the ball is hit she would stay right where she stood.  This year she is running to the ball, but typically will not pick it up. She hits well and is quick around the bases.  She has a good time with her friends and looks forward to the snack and drink after the games. Zoe just finished her first dance recital last weekend. I was up in Kearney watching Nathaniel in a baseball tournament and Sonja went home to watch Zoe Dance.  Sonja had to sit through 32 dances to watch Zoe.  Sonja said she did great and looked elegant in her outfit. For fathers day, we have four tickets  to the College World Series in Omaha (LSU v. UCLA) should be fun.

 
 
 

 

 

Nathaniel is playing Nebraska Legion Ball.  He is an every day player playing both first and second base. He is one of two or three starting pitchers. He almost hit his first out of the park home run, ball was caught at the warning track of his school field. It was a monster hit, we are hoping he hits a home run before he is done with High School ball. Next year will be much harder as he will have to again try-out in hopes of making varsity. All is well.

 

Happy Fathers Day to  all  those great dads out there!

Really, school is almost over for the year!!!

 

It's amazing that the school year is almost over.  Zoe finishes kindergarten this Wednesday and looking back she has come a long way.  She is now able to sound out small words and read Dr. Seuss books, she is much better at coloring within the lines and using multiple colors and her vocabulary continues to expand. Her teacher feels in most areas she is on target. She must be listening to her brother as she recently mentioned she had aced her math test.   Her swim lessons for this year are done, she just finished her gymnastics with a show that her and her team performed and we are a few weeks out from her dance recital. She really seems to enjoy dance. Zoe has mastered over 60 skills in gymnastics, receiving her red ribbon.  Over the summer, Sonja is going to enroll her in t-ball and tumbling at one of the cheer leading facilities. I have to mention one of her recent comments/actions.  "Dad, I am really full" and she opens her mouth and says "look, see I am full" as if I can see her stomach when looking in her mouth.

 

This year we have attended a number of graduation parties. Zoe's two cousins (Hallie and Madison) graduated from their respective high schools and both looking to go to college in Nebraska. Zoe really looks up to both of them.  We are really proud of both of them.  

 

 
Zoe is just days away from her 6th birthday. She has been asking for about 11 months when her next birthday will be and now we are so close. Her Mom plans to throw a party and invite a number of her school friends. Only two days away! We are also less than two weeks from our second "Gotcha Day".  Yes, it has been two years and we are so glad to have her as part of the family. With Sonja in semi-retirement, we are assured both Zoe and Nathaniel will have someone at home so they can do some fun things over the summer.  Just cannot wait for the pool to warm up enough so we can have some fun in the backyard.

Nathaniel is busy studying for finals and trying out for summer legion baseball. He will know if he makes the baseball team sometime tomorrow. Since the beginning of this year he has added a new pitch to his arsenal.  He throws a two seam fastball, change-up, curve ball and is now able to throw a slider. So, knock on wood he makes the team and has a fun and successful season. He has had a real successful academic and athletic sophomore year.  He received two varsity letters and three all Academic All-Conference Recognition.  He was also nominated as a Captain of the School Band for his Junior year. We are very proud of him. He still has wrestling practice twice a week so he will be really busy throughout the summer.

All is well here.  Glad we are finally seeing some Spring weather and looking forward to the summer. Hope all is well with all of you!

Has Spring Sprung?

Happy Passover & Happy Easter to

all of our family and Friends!

We are at the end if March in Nebraska and the reaming snow from last week is finally melting. Everyone I talk to is just about fed up with the snow and is ready for Spring. Me too!!!

 

It has been a couple for really busy weeks for both Zoe and her brother Nathaniel. Both of them had their parent teachers conferences.  Zoe's teacher indicated that Zoe is doing really well with both her progress and her school grades.  You have to remember that Zoe has been in the United States less than 2 years and she has almost caught up with all of her classmates. Her teacher was pleased with her progress.  However, her teacher was not going to let us leave on a positive indicating that Zoe has a tendency to be aggressive (hitting or saying mean things on occasion) with the other children. So, we have something we will need to continuously focus on.

 

Zoe has been very busy away from school...she received her next ribbon in gymnastics and also received a certificate of accomplishment in her dance classes. Sonja is exploring a cheer leading program in Omaha and she has again signed her up for T-ball this summer. So she will continually be busy with fun activities through the Spring and Summer. 

 

Sonja and Zoe currently are upstairs cleaning Zoe's room.  I can truly say I have never seen anything messier than Zoe's room. I have thought about nominating her for an episode of A&E's Hoarders show. You virtually cannot walk without stepping on something. I can hear Sonja's family chuckling right now saying it's payback for Zoe's  mom's room when she was younger.  While they were in Zoe's room Sonja found Zoe's original traditional dress  that we purchased while we  were in China. We wanted her to have something very special that she can have tied to her birthplace in the Yunnan province. So they decided to stop a few moments from cleaning and dress Zoe up, really is cute on her. This is the tradition dress from the original Chinese The Bai or Baip which Zoe is a part of is one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China.



Nathaniel too has been very busy.  His parent-teacher conference was very positive. He is currently ranked 18th in his class with almost a 4.0 GPA. We are proud of both Nathaniel and Zoe as they both received very positive grade reports.

 

He was in the midst of his High School tryouts where he made the JV team for his high school as a regular player plus will be asked to pitch on a regular basis. Unfortunately due to the late snows and cold weather his first four games have been cancelled or postponed so we are still waiting for his first game. He has a game this Monday, April 1rst that we are hoping they will get to play.  He is still practicing freestyle wrestling twice a week. He now is a regular full time driver and is now aloud to drive where he wants as his restrictions expired on his birthday earlier this week.

 

All is well here...hope you have a nice early spring!

Spring is right around the corner!

Slowly but surely I can feel spring is near.  Major League Baseball recently had the pitcher and catcher report to Spring training, the last snow fall has all but melted but for the few piles in the parking lots of the neighboring business and Zoe has her first school break of the New Year!

Zoe is really beginning to blossom at school.  She is very active learning her alphabet, recognizing a large number of letters.  She has many friends and is active in a few activities. She is excelling in gymnastics, loves going to dance class and goes to weekly swim lessons. The pictures of her are her gymnastics picture taken with her team.  She is inquisitive, apparently is very social which we are made aware of daily when she receives a green, yellow or red.  Typically we can expect two days of green, two days of yellow and unfortunately at least one red on a weekly basis.  She tells us her goal is 5 days of green….she has the ability but not sure if she has the will.  But it is a great goal.

Zoe's Gymnastics Class

Zoe has been preparing for Valentine’s Day.  She has all of her valentines written out and ready to go.  She also has her valentine’s box ready for the Valentines from all her friends.  Zoe and her mom worked on the box over the last few days. It is awfully cute.

I think Zoe is as excited as we are about Nathaniel’s wrestling season coming to an end. It is a grueling sport for friends and family who watch. Imagine what it is like for a 5 year old girl. She does pretty well, but being trapped in the stands when she wants to run around has to be tough for her. At least during baseball season, it’s warm and she is outside where she can run and play with others children.

 Nathaniel had a fantastic season as a sophomore.  He has a very strong record of wins with the JV team with 12 pins and a really high winning percentage and was asked to wrestle with the varsity towards the end of the season.  His varsity record finished at 5 wins and 5 losses. Three of his losses were against the numbers 2, 5 & 6 rated wrestlers in the state.  Taking two matches to a decision. He went 4-1 at the varsity conference meet and 1-2 at districts. I know his grandfather would have been very proud of his achievements.  His coach said “I was very pleased with how Nate ended this season. I was incredibly happy to see him win a match at districts and I told him after his last match that I am finally starting to see him wrestling to his potential.”  But most of all, I think Nathaniel is excited he can eat again. His Mom brought him and his lunchtime wrestling teammates 6 boxes of pizza, they devoured every piece like a pack of wolves. It was a celebrated end to dieting until next year.  I call it more like starving than dieting!

So Nathaniel is now focused completely on baseball.  Not that he isn’t the rest of the year as he practices year round.  He will play JV ball in the spring and he has been invited to play with the varsity American baseball team this summer.  I think they were really pleased with his pitching last year while playing JV baseball in the summer. 

Well it is still winter and Nebraska is not out of the woods for snow into the month of April.  However, this is been the warmest January and beginning of February on record.  So my hopes are for a shortened winter.  We are all read to be outside. All is well here and we wish you and your loved ones a very Happy Valentine’s Day!!!!

Our Little Cheerleader!

Well it is towards the end of January and low and behold it was almost 50 degrees on Friday, January 25th in Omaha, Nebraska.  I was half tempted to get the baseball glove and ball out and see if Zoe or Nathaniel wanted to have a catch! Maybe pushing it just a little.

 

Yesterday, Zoe's school sponsored sports day where the students were able to dress up in an outfit related to a sport or sport activity. When I came home Sonja had Zoe dressed up head to toe in a Razorbacks Cheer Leaders costume. She looked awfully darn cute! Wouldn't you agree? Oh...for my Nebraska friends and relatives...she would have sparkled in a Husker cheer leading outfit as well! I think next year Sonja plans to enroll her in some cheer leading clinics as she clearly is showing some interest. Oh...Oh I am not sure I signed up for this. (just kidding)

Last week Nathaniel had a high school wrestling tournament.  He took first place. Which was exciting but I think the picture below says it all. Nathaniel's matches may only last for 3 minutes or so....and the tournament usually last 4 hours so they found things to occupy themselves  the other 3 hours and 51 minutes. Then everyone looks forward to having dinner out..what to have in Plattsmouth, Nebraska ...let me think....hmmm...Kentucky Fried Chicken or Taco Bell were two really popular choices with Zoe and Nathaniel.

Sonja and Zoe at the wrestling meet!

   

I think we have three or four more weeks of wrestling before we get a week or two off and then baseball starts. We love watching the kids do their things...but baseball is so much more fun to watch than wrestling.

 

Finally...om a more sobering note...Starting last Wednesday, out of the blue, Nathaniel began receiving letters from various colleges.  Two on Wednesday, two on Thursday and three on Friday.  Not sure what triggered the letters but it was a wake up sign that he is really not to far away from college.  I am sure the next 2.5 years will fly by! Oh well, just an observation.  All is good here and waiting for spring....it really cannot come to soon.

Happy New Year....2013

 

Sadly to say, both Zoe and Nathaniel go back to school tomorrow. One thing both Zoe and Nathaniel have in common is they both love to sleep in. Starting again tomorrow they both have to get up relatively Early to start their school day. Lucky me...now I do not have to creep around in the dark trying to get ready for work as not to disturb their much treasured sleep time.

Zoe had a great holiday..she racked up on the gifts...a number of dolls, clothes,cute hair ribbons made by her cousin Avery and yes an electric guitar from her Aunt and Uncle Lisa and David and cousin Maddie. All I can say...when you least expect it....a friendly payback is in order. What Zoe has enjoyed the most is her Nabi (which is a child's version of an Ipad), you can download games and a number of other apps that are child friendly.  She takes it every where.

Zoe has started gymnastics again and dance resumes this week.  Sonja has also enrolled her in swim lessons again which starts back this week. She is becoming very active. I know she cannot wait until spring so she can play outside! She still enjoys watching TV and bugging her older brother.

Nathaniel also hauled in! He got a GPS maps for his car, a new baseball glove, clothes and a few gift cards. We still carry on the tradition my parents started which is to give him the Topps baseball card set, so he got the 2012 edition. He just tucks it away!

Nathaniel had two wrestling tournaments during the holidays.  In the two JV tournaments he took third place twice. His JV record is 12-4. He has had 10 pins and has been pinned only once. Next week he will be at his desired 132 pound weight class which should make him even more competitive.  He started at the 145 pound weight class although he was weighing 142.  Now he is down to 134, only needs to drop a few pounds (easier said then done).

We hope everyone had a nice holiday season.  If you are like us, we are ready for spring and the warmer weather. We are not too far away longer days and more sunlight and pitchers and catchers reporting for spring baseball..Can't wait!

We wish everyone a Happy New Year! May 2013 be the Best Year yet for you and your family!