Hugs All Around

It's pretty obvious that Eko doesn't mind the extra hands in the house to give him attention. There was no coaxing or placement for the making of this picture, it happened entirely on it's own...

I mean really. What is he thinking??!

Good Things Come in Twos

2 adults making their way on a fun (free) adventure at the Landing

2 babies all bundled for a cool September morning

2 BOBs geared up for a stroll on a bumpy dirt road

2 lunch packs ready when hunger strikes

and a 2 year old with an apple, energy and curiosity!

I don't see their beds in there!

A couple more minutes.

Just chillin'.

Are you done with your apple? Not Yet.

See more pictures of our adventure here!

Why Not! (wednesday)

Yesterday Brianna and I walked the short distance to the library. Usually not a huge fan of libraries but they seem to be making a come-back in my life. We picked up one of those free museum passes and a book for me. I'm not much of a reader, but hey, why not! It's never to late to start... again.

A little back story - I was filling out a few pages in her baby book and one of them was all about news/movies/events - "The world as it was when you were born" kinda pages. One little section asked about popular books. As I was looking up the information, I came across The Shack by William Young. According to marketingcharts.com, this book was the #2 Fiction book of 2009. I've heard of it before and heard good reviews, so why not! That's the book I checked out from the library.

Already 120 pages into a 240 some page book, it reminds me of what reading should be - enjoyable. It's all about finding the right genre combined with the right style of writing. For me it's something that leaves you in suspense but at the same time gets to the point, a real page turner. Since I'm making good head way on this book and it doesn't seem to be taking me long to get through it, and I should really continue to read every once in a while to keep my mind sharp... I thought, why not! Any suggestions?

No Hot Water Here

Last night, after unsuccessfully trying to sell our tickets, we opted to change plans and attend the game - a little last minute. It ended up being a wonderful evening for baseball and the Twins (winning 4 to 3). Brianna came with us and did pretty well. She is much older than when we last went to a game together, so she was over stimulated and couldn't help shifting each second to get a better view of... everything. Thankfully, near the end of the game, she focused on 3 women sitting behind us and sat still for a little bit. It was well past her bedtime, but she did well at not fussing.

OK... down to the issue at hand. I have been, so far, very impressed with Target Field and its consideration for nursing mothers, as compared to other stadiums we've been to with Brianna. However, yesterday I was less than impressed when there was no hot water to be found to make a small bottle - my sweet Brianna likes her bottle (really) warm. I might have been able to find a handicap sink somewhere that would have gotten hot enough (not even the family restrooms had dual facets), but instead I tried asking staff where I might find some. It was suggested I try the First Aid room. That sounded good, so off I went. They tried to help, but their facets were not warming up at all. First aid you're questioning, yeah, no hot water... you'd think they would be in some if they didn't have any...   Anyway, then I tried asking a few food stands and finally found a mother of four that was willing to help a girl out. [Thank you lady at the food stand for helping and Tony, also at the food stand, who was so enamored with Brianna that he kept us company while we waited.] Her water didn't get very hot either, but she gave it a go and did pretty well. I'm into saving water and the earth's resources but I have a steadily decreasing like for the push facets where all you get is cold water to wash your hands, or in my case, make a bottle. (soap box dismounted)


On a much higher note  - Things you would never see if baseball were still at the Dome:  With the lights of the stadium brings bugs, moths, and BIG moths. Last night, a BIG moth was flying around and a hawk swooped down, grabbed the moth, and flew a victory lap around the bases (a few feet above the players). The section we sat in were not watching the game at that point but watching the bird show off his dinner. I even saw him devour it right in front of us before retiring back to his dugout!

Apple Picking

Last Sunday, we took our first trip to an apple orchard as a family. We picked some yummy Cortland apples that have yet to be baked into some yummy goodness. We even met up with Grandpa and Grandma B (seen in the background picking their apples) to enjoy the sunny afternoon.

Tell me you just love my hoodie!

Brianna loved sucking on the apples and grinding her two bottom teeth over its flesh. She'd get a few chunks but it didn't bother her - she kept on eating. What you can't see in this picture is her other hand gripping mine, not allowing it to back away.

Yup, this is a good one...

After the apple orchard we made our way to my parents getaway to have dinner together and chat around the fire. It was fun to reminisce about my younger years camping and listen to the campground DJ turn up the hits. We ended the evening with the ever popular smores. Hope you had a fun Labor Day weekend as well and were able to ring in the new school year with flair!

Sunday Paper

Who printed this paper sideways?

I love waking up Sunday mornings and reading the paper with Daddy. Problem is, he always army crawls out of nowhere, tries to take it from me, and then crumples it in his hands!

Here I am trying to get caught up on yesterday's news about the Twins. Good news...they won!

Even Short Visits do Wonders

Brianna and I made the short trip to visit with Auntie Mick and Cousin Casen this afternoon. We were thrilled to play for a little bit, have a bite to eat, and share a little about our weeks. Thanks Mick for the company, it was just what the B&E Bon needed. And thanks Cousin Casen for lending your blanket for a little play time.

As I suspected, on the short trip home Brianna fell asleep. I picked her up out of her carseat and she just laid her head on my shoulder and fell back asleep. She doesn't do this very often, so I thought on this cool Friday I would take advantage of her cuteness. She slept in my arms for about 20 minutes, before I decided that maybe I should lay her down because she was out cold and she might take a longer nap. It was wonderful to snuggle with the little girl, even if it was for a brief moment, reminding me how precious she is and each moment that we have together.

Eko Dog Hunter - Ventures Out!

With my trusty caterpillar and camera crew, I ventured beyond the Eko Dog habitat to somewhere more unfamiliar - The zoo of Como. I knew this was no ordinary day and certain precautions needed to be taken. I buckled and sunscreen lotioned up and we were off.

We came across a large turtle that didn't seem to move. Naturally, my fellow companions opted for a photo since the beast was so welcoming (plus no signs warning to not climb).

I was looking really hard to spot an ostrich, but no luck. I think I must have missed it... maybe it was running and it's speed was just too quick. Valiant effort!

I say, I've never seen a giraffe do the splits before - Show Off!!

We did catch a glimpse of the tiger pacing back and forth. I tried to tell him it was hot out and to just lay down, but tigers can be a little hard headed.

It was a great adventure. Thank you to my traveling companions for a fun afternoon!

Can't Quite Reach

See my phone on the edge of the table in this picture... I was giving Eko a toy when I turned around to see her outstretched arm reaching for my phone. Not just an ordinary reach - It was a "I'm determined to get there, no matter what" type reach. Her face was so focused on the prize. She's caught on how to move this chair/walker thing back and forward, so no more just setting something down - everything has to be intentionally put up!

She was sure cute doing it though.

OK OK... How about this...

I've heard from a few people that my "Before and After" puzzle was a little difficult. Let's try this.

_ _ i _ _       A r _ y        _ r a _ l

* ^   * *            -          "       ^

The symbols mark the remaining letters left to be filled in. As you can see only 4 more letters are needed to solve the puzzle. Any guesses??!?

Happy Birthday Jon!

You are an amazing husband and an awesome father. I love watching Brianna's face light up when you come in the room - and your face as you get her smiles and laughter! We love you so much and hope we could make your birthday special!

Starting Thursday night, we began the celebration of Jon's birthday with a Twins game with friends. It was so much fun to enjoy a beautiful evening watching outdoor baseball sans a major loss to the White Sox.

Friday, his actual birthday, we headed northeast to the cabin to spend time there with family. We were able to swim, play a bunch of games, and just enjoy some time away.

Thank you to everyone for helping us celebrate!

Wheel of Fortune... Your clue is "Before and After"

_ _ i _ _       A r _ y        _ r a _ l

It is so fun (and slightly amusing) to watch as Brianna has now mastered the art of pulling and skooching. Her adventures have only just begun - and at this point, limited to areas that have enough gription for her little hands to pull with. Dog toys will now be a challenge to keep out of her mouth, as is sucking on the carpet!

She makes me smile every time she looks up and grins, saying... there are places to go, things to see and items to touch. You can see in her eyes that she is enjoying her new found talent. The day has finally arrived that I need to officially "baby proof" the house. Almost 8 months have gone by, she amazes me with her daily transformations!

Eko doesn't seem to mind sharing.

She just spied the camera wrist strap when I took the picture.

You can see her first tooth - she's showing it off proudly!

I've Stopped Asking Questions

It doesn't seem to bother Brianna that Eko just loves to be around us - even when he lays his head on top of her. She giggles and smiles every time he comes around. I suppose Eko thinks it's fair game since Brianna grabs for him and plays with his paws! The two of them will be quite the pair to watch as Brianna's mobility continues to increase...

Our First Box

Need I say more!





AND her first attempt at her fish face!

Eko Dog Hunter

Brianna, Eko, and I went outside the other day to hang out and get some fresh air. It was so nice out, that we just had to take advantage of it. The little hat that I put on her, flipped up on the one side, kept reminding me of the crocodile hunter. Although no crocodiles were spotted that day, we did come across an Eko Dog in his native habitat (please add your own Australian accent).