Strikes me as Silly

Back in September, my sister's father-in-law suffered from a heart attack (we're so thankful he recovered well), and I said I could help watch Casen so they could concentrate on being with him. I was happy to help, and ended up watching Casen overnight and through the next morning. It's fun to let the cousins play together and wake up together, somehow with more it seems like less work.

That evening he was with us, Jon ended up having to work late, so I decided we better get outside to burn off some energy before dinner. We walked the couple blocks to the park and played for a little bit. It was a challenge to corral and walk with two youngsters (and a baby in the stroller) on a road with no side-walks, but they did great. They kept stopping to pick up sticks or leaves, so we made a game of it and put everything in the bottom of the stroller to see how much we could gather. After a poor attempt to get them to play on the playground, we walked over to ball field. They thought this was the coolest thing! I don't know what struck them as so interesting but this little video sums up what they did for at least 20 minutes. When I tried to tell them it was time to go home, because it started sprinkling and I didn't feel like getting soaked, they each looked at me like I was crazy and continued walking around aimlessly. I wish I could have gotten more video. I don't know what it reminds me of, maybe penguins, but I can't help but laugh! Enjoy...

So Telling

So... this is how I must dance!

Leftover Catering

After such a fun evening with coworkers, we thought it would be fun to invite people over to once again enjoy the beautiful weather and new fire pit. That next night, some of my family came over to partake in the outdoors AND all the (fresh) leftover food. Not that we're being cheep, it's just that they had bought too much food and we didn't want it to go to waste.  It was fun to relax outside and see the kids have so much fun playing together... then having smores!

My sister had her camera down by the fire and she captured a couple photos of the fire and Brianna's smore bonanza! Thanks so much for coming over and hanging out with us. We loved having everyone over!

Outside Entertaining

In the middle of September, Jon and I had opened our home to his coworkers (15 adults, 17 kids all under the age of 6) for the evening after their team building event. It was fun to get to know the spouses and families of most everyone he works. Plus, it was amazing there were so many kids, Brianna didn't know who to play with!

So... in preparation, we had been planning doing some outdoor work for a while, but this event kick-started our efforts. After the creek flooded this summer, the grass wasn't growing back in so we decided to use some edging to portion off the back corner, as well as put in a fire ring down by the creek. It's not quite finished, but with a little more attention and a few years to fill in, it should be a nice addition to the yard. I almost don't have to say it, but Brianna LOVED helping. She helped move rocks, plant hostas, even help daddy prepare and set the fire ring. There is just no keeping her away from us when we are working, especially if we are outside. And yes, she was working in a skirt!

We got the fire ring in place and had our first bonfire that evening with our friends/coworkers. How wonderful it is to be able to enjoy the outdoors with a twinkling fire and trickling creek!

B&L Lunch

The first day Oliver went to school, Margaret and Lucius came over to hang out in the morning. While everyone was enjoying a quiet morning, the time seemed to just slip away. After realizing what time it was, we decided we should figure out lunch, so she wouldn't be late to pick Oliver up. She quickly drove to a local restaurant while I prepared lunch for the little ones. I had a little table set up in the family room and as soon as I opened the bread bag to make sandwiches, both Brianna and Lucius had sit down on their chairs at the table. They were ready!

Brianna took a little longer to eat than Lucius, but that didn't matter much - we all had a yummy lunch!

Sing a Song of No

Brianna has been very particular about certain things and thinks she knows exactly what she wants or, in this case, doesn't want.  The word "no" has been in her vocabulary for a while now (this was recorded 9/6), but this is a fun video that accentuates her range and use of the word! For the record, she was saying no to Eko, who had to get involved, then to me recording her.

*Turn the volume up to get the full effect.

Orchard of Play

A family trip to the apple orchard is a fun tradition we continued this year with B and C. The warm sun was shining with just enough chill in the air to believe winter is right around the corner. Fall is our most favorite season of the year and relish in the vibrant colors, crisp air, and wonderful memories.

This orchard had fun wagons with comfy straw to sit in. B loved the ride! But an apple made it even better!

The honeycrisps were magnificent! There weren't many people at the quaint orchard just south of Afton but was full of ripe apples waiting to be picked!

Even Carl got in on the picking action.

It was a fantastic day! If only Eko could have enjoyed it with us. Maybe next year as our tradition continues...

Reciprocity

While in Chicago the end of August, we went to the Chicago Botanic Garden. Since their membership has reciprocity with the University of Minnesota's Landscape Arboretum, we opted to use the money we spent to get in that day toward a membership. It's like the gift that keeps on giving! We love the botanic garden and we love that we can now also get into the arboretum.

So... the beginning of September, we took advantage of a beautiful Saturday morning and went to the Arboretum with Grandma and Grandpa. 

 It was so much fun to walk around and for Brianna to investigate every aspect of the place!

 You can walk around that place and never walk the same path twice - there is just so much to see!

An Apple a Day

Ever since we took a trip to the apple orchard a couple weeks ago Brianna LOVES eating apples! (We'll blog the pictures soon)

We'll give her an apple for a snack, she'll carry it around, take a bite or two, walk around a bit more, take another bite. This will go on for a while until she has about half of it eaten and then she's done with it.

But the apple is just a premise for this little video gem. She is holding the apple while dancing (a bit) and watching mommy dance (seen in the shadow on the left). Eme was trying to capture Brianna singing along to this song when she goes "La la la la la," but started the camera too late.

In the end she just wants to eat her apple...while mommy dances. What a crazy duo these two make!

Picture Pages (end of August)

Although I'm not Bill Cosby, Brianna and I grabbed our crayons, pencils, and this time paint, to make daddy a picture. It was so much fun to see her face light up with all the colors on her palette!

AMEN (with 21 month old enthusiasm)

I'm ever challenged in our busy world to make sure I stop and thank the Lord for all he has given us - especially now that I have a little girl mimicking every word and action. Sometimes I forget, but I'm blessed with a beautiful 21 month old reminder! Like we always say, she loves to help.

During play times with the kitchen set, she sets out a table of all the plates and pans, takes a seat, says a prayer (which I usually can't understand), and then the AMEN! I wish I could catch it on video but by the time I realize what she's doing/saying, I hear the AMEN and it's on to the next thing. Even at meal times, it brings a smile to my face that she stops, folds her hands, bows her head even and follows up our amen with an AMEN!

Sometimes it's hard to know if what you're doing or saying is making a difference in their life, but she is reminding me that it does!


*I capitalized the amen because of her wonderful enthusiasm every time she says it. What a wonderful punctuation to what all God does for us.