Deer Hunting

Exciting news this year... Arlie shot a six point buck. He was really looking forward to hunting and really wanted to shoot a deer since last year, he didn't get to. He called and told me about it, so when I got off the phone I told Sydney, "Daddy, got a six point buck". She thought for a moment, "Where?". "He was up at Grandma and Grandpa's" I replied. "Grandma with Gramps, or Grandma and Grandpa with the Hinckley house and Cabin" she asked. "Grandma and Grandpa out at the cabin. Grandma and Grandpa Norwood," I said. She thought again and said, "So it was Grandma that gave him the money?" "What money?" I asked. "The bucks?" Sydney relied a little exasperated that I didn't know what she was talking about since it was me who kept saying bucks. I laughed and then explained that a buck was a male deer or a boy deer. She said, "I wish he would've gotten a girl deer". I told her that he was shooting them for food and not keeping them. She then thought it was OK that it was a boy deer.

The first snow

Today it snowed for the first time. I woke up to flakes in the air and snow on the ground. It didn't stay, but Sydney and Jordan had already started making plans about the Princess Castle and Snow Fort they were going to make. Actually, they were fighting about which one got to make their desired fort. Then they decided to do an igloo that would be big enough for them and mom and dad (if they were on their knees). Then they decided they would throw snowballs at us and Arlie and I would be on a team and they would be on a team. Unfortunately, when we got home, the snow was already melted.

Trying my luck

Jordan and I were running errands together and had to go to Cub food. In the exit between the two sets of doors, they have vending machines and a couple of those machines are the ones that have that claw that grabs stuffed animals, that you NEVER win at ;) Jordan saw that game and asked if he could play. I told him he'd have to use his money and that I thought it was waste because he probably wouldn't win. He looked up at me with complete sincerity and said, "Mom, I'd like to try my luck. You know, Mom, it's about having fun, not about winning." I caved. I let him use his money and try...he lost. The whole way to the car, he said, "It's ok mom, it's not about winning, it's about having fun. Besides, I just really wanted to try my luck" Everyone who passed us and heard him saying that couldn't help but smile.

Halloween

We had a big night planned. We were going to meet some friends of ours, the Ackers, at our church and do our "Fall Harvest" party and then let the kids trick or treat around our house. The best laid plans don't always work. Sydney decided that she didn't want to eat even a bite of her supper. The funny part is, we gave her things that she typically likes to eat and does without even a whimper. We finally told her that I would go with Jordan and she would stay home with dad unless she ate. This killed me because they had been talking about going to this for months now and I was bummed that she would end up missing the whole thing. I kept hoping she would just eat a couple of bites. NOTHING. So Jordan and I left and met Ackers. The church had a wagon ride outside, carnival type games inside with TOOO much candy. The kids seemed to have a ton of fun.


The children's pastor was dressed up like a toilet. After about a half hour, I called home to see if Sydney was coming (she still hadn't taken a bite...that girl can be INCREDIBLY stubborn). We were in the very last room doing the very last game when Arlie and Sydney finally showed up (apparently she finally caved). She had lost her gloves to her Cheetah Girl costume, so we dressed her up in a costume we got on clearance last Halloween. It was a Renaissance girl or something. Every time someone asked her if she was a Princess, or queen, or what she was, she'd shrug her shoulders and say, "I don't know". I laughed every time. The kids came home with several pounds of candy...seriously.



We then got Pete in his costume and went to a couple of neighbors. The kids love it and the neighbors around us are so sweet. The worst part of the night for the kids, was that it was over and Halloween wouldn't be until next year now. The good part...their candy should last until then....

Halloween Parade

Jordan's very favorite holiday is Halloween. This is a problem for me because I'm not sure how I feel about Halloween. Since I'm torn, I help him enjoy the "safe" and "fun" parts and try and discourage the scary parts. One thing his school always does is put on a Halloween parade which the kids line up and walk up and down the halls at school and let everyone see the cool costumes. It's very important to Jordan that I come and watch. It lasts about 5 minutes...or less and then they all pile into their classroom and take a class photo and take off there costumes. It's like getting kids bundled up to play outside and then after 5 minutes they decide to come back in. Good thing they appreciate it. They have a Halloween party at the end of the school day. Jordan thought that was pretty great. They got to do spooky crafts...like make a ghost candle and they even got candy. I asked Jordan who he thought had the best costume, he replied, "Me, of course, and then Patrick (who was the other transformer)." I like to think my son is not obsessed with transformers, but he reminds me that he really is a real transformer. He can even transform...make sure you ask him to next time you see him :) We made a list of all the cool costumes he can make for next year...some included a fly swatter, a toilet, a tube of tooth paste, a bush..etc. Next year could be really fun.

The long morning

Have you ever had that morning, where you are hoping everything goes smooth...but it just doesn't work like that? Typically one week a month my nephew stays with us and I watch him while my sister-in-law works. It was two weeks ago and Bjorn was staying with us. He had been waking up at about 5:30/6:00 and crying for awhile and then going back to sleep. On this morning both Jordan and Sydney had school. I had to get them ready, dressed, lunches made, breakfast made and ready for them to eat before we leave. Because Bjorn had been waking up during the night, I waiting until the last possible moment to wake him up (so the poor child could get good sleep.) I went in his room and notice that his leg was bare....that's strange, I thought, he must have taken off his PJ's. As I was rubbing his leg the blanket that was covering the middle of him, moved an dI noticed a bare bottom. OH goodness, I thought. I raced downstairs to get a diaper so as soon as I got him up I could put a diaper on him. I went back upstairs and turned on the light. Bjorn was sitting up and pointed and said, "poopy". Yes..yes there was a nice couple of logs of poop as well as it dried on to his legs, arms, hands, hair...etc. Oh yes, it was on his blanket, pillows, stuffed animals, sippy cup...of course his sheet. It looked as though he had probably peed a couple of times as his pillow (that he was laying on) was wet as well as most everything else in his crib. Now remember, I had waited until the last possible minute to get him up. So I grabbed him, knowing I wouldn't have time for a real bath, threw him in the sink and sponged him off super good, washing his hair and everything; got him dressed and started him eating...then got to have the joy of cleaning it all up. I just had to laugh...that what I get for waiting to wake him up. Lucky for you all....I always take pictures. Here is just half the bed ;)

Grand Avenue

Every year, the weekend before Halloween, Grand Ave has a day where all the businesses, up and down the Avenue, hand out candy or have crafts. There is pumpkin painting, pumpkin carving competitions, hay rides, movie night and a petting zoo. Typically we do the trick or treating and maybe a craft or two. This is the second year we have gone and it's a blast. All up and down the sidewalk you see people of all sizes and shapes dressed up. It's daylight so you really get to appreciate the costumes. This year there was a kid dressed up like a robot with real working lights. Pretty impressive. It inspires me to want to make my kids costumes rather than be easy and buy them ;) We went with some friends of ours, the Harris. They have two boys, Drew and Avery and one of them dressed up like a Packers football player (GO PACKERS!!!) and the other like a Vikings football player (VIKINGS SUCK...not that I have an opinion on this ;) ). We got A TON of comments on that. Sydney was a Cheetah Girl (it's a girl band that is big on the Disney channel) and Jordan was (oh this will surprise you...) A transformer. Bumblebee (animated...he will tell you that it was bumblebee animated, not just bumblebee ;) ). Jordan and Sydney love going to Grand Ave. When we got home they insisted on sorting the candy and seeing what all they got.

The Circus

We have some friends who get us tickets to the circus most years. I remember the circus being so cool when i was young....some of the acts are still cool, others however, are pretty cheesy ;)
The kids seem to love it, although intermission gets pretty long. They offer elephant, pony rides and have other money making things during intermission so it tends to drag on for what feels like forever. It probably goes pretty fast if you decide to do those, but they typically cost more than we're willing to pay :) There does always seem to be one thing that amazes me. The elephant in this circus was incredible!

My Youngest is 5!!

I didn't think I'm that old, but when I realize that my youngest is five, I realize I must be getting older too. My little princess turned 5 on October 18th. I think she has got to be one of the lovingest girls I've met. She is very giving and is very concerned with people's feelings and how they are doing. She is incredibly friendly and loves to include people. At Sunday School when there is a new kid, as soon as Sydney gets there, they tell her and introduce her because they know she'll play with them and include them in her playing. It's been such a blessing watching her and how she just loves with all she is. She's a little darling and we are so thankful to have her in our lives.

This year we actually had her birthday party on her birthday. Typically that doesn't end up happening...but it was fun to be able to do that. We went to the Shoreview Community Center and had a swimming party. Sydney loved it and I think her friends did too! After her party, she had her friend/cousin Elizabeth spend the night with her. We went to Chuck E Cheese's...my kids are big fans and ate supper and played games. When we got back home the kids wanted to do some crafts that Sydney got as presents for her birthday. Going to bed was a little tricky as it is always with sleepovers. I think they were sleeping by 10 (we put them in bed about 8:30 :) ). It was a great day and Sydney loved it!

Kickball

Arlie and I were in a kickball league this fall. We finished the season 12-0. It was a ton of fun (of course...we were winning ;) ). GO GREEN!

Amazing Color!

Ice Cream Girl

My mom watch the kids for me last weekend while Arlie hunted and I shot two weddings. She left me this note.

After I made ice cream with little chocolate chips, Jordan said, "Grandma, you need to get out of the business you're in right now.

Me, "Why?"

Jordan, So you can be an ice cream girl.

Guess he liked it!


I thought it was a cute note so i thought i'd post it! ;)

It's Party Time!

Jordan decided this year he wanted to have a party at Chuck E Cheese's. I figured we could do that. He had 8 of his "big kid" friends at the party. They all seemed to have a blast. The scariest part for me was we gave them all tokens and sent them to do whatever they wanted. I just kept walking back and forth making sure we didn't lose anyone. Every now and then, I wouldn't be able to find one of them (they would just be playing a game, but I couldn't see them) and I'd panic that I'd have to tell their parents that I lost their child at Chuck E Cheese's. Well, I'm happy to report, all 8 got home safe to their families and all had fun! I was ready for a nap when it was over!

Eveland Family Farm

Sydney's class took a field trip to Eveland Family Farm. It's located right next to the Andover High School. You don't think that a farm should be where it is, but it's great. When you're there it doesn't feel like it's in the middle of the city. The animals there were so friendly. The donkeys would just follow everyone around. The kids got to go on a Hay ride (which Sydney said she would rather not ride on a hay bale, just a wagon ride with real benches), pet and feed animals and pick out a pumpkin. It was short and sweet, but a pretty fun place to go! Sydney said she didn't have any fun because she was hungry and had to sit on Hay. I think she secretly had fun. I saw plenty of smiles on her face.

My baby is 7!

October 1, my little 2lb baby turned 7! Oh has the time flew bye. He is such a delight to us. He makes us smile and laugh...sometimes shake our heads and laugh, but he is such a joy to our family. He is imaginative and creative and keeps us on our toes. We are so proud of him and how he is as he is growing up.

We decided, as I think I wrote in an earlier blog, to let him stay home from school. We brought Sydney to school and in my opinion, had the most fun while she was gone. Jordan decided to invent a game for us to play. A transformer game. It was pretty cleaver. He made a game board and then you had dice that you shook and depending on the number you went to a certain square. All squares did something different, some gave you more energon, some drained you of energon (a transformer word) and if you landed on a certain square you died. We worked on and played that game for probably 1 to 1 1/2 hours.


When Sydney got home we let Jordan open presents and then brought them out to eat at Space Aliens and then went bowling. While we were at Space Aliens, I asked Jordan what his favorite part of his birthday was. He said, "Spending time with my family and seeing all the love that I have." That's my boy! ;)

NINE DOWN!

After that we drove down to Build a bear. The weekend before Arlen and Debbie had brought them there to get a bear, so they wanted to get clothes for their bears. Then it was back home for cake and ice cream! Time flies when you're having fun and having Jordan as part of our family is definately fun!

The Autobot and Decepticon signs (the two sides of the transformers...good and bad)

Our weekend away

The last weekend of September, Arlen and Debbie took the kids for us. Arlie and I drove up to Hinckley on Friday night. We stayed at Arlen and Debbie's house there. We decided to go to the Casino after we cleaned up puke (Rio ate a bunch of veggies out of the garden before we left and got sick in the car...it was delightful :( ). We enjoyed the noise and slots for about an hour, then went back to the house. Saturday we drove up to Duluth. The leaves were perfect. It was so fabulous. We went on walks through the woods, shot the 22, played games, read books, watch a movie, and kayaked at sunset. We slept late every day and relaxed like crazy. When we went on our walks we'd play silly games like, if you had to choose this or that, what would it be and why. We also played the, if you could be any animal...what would it be and why...or any vehicle..etc. Arlie seemed to have a recurring theme with his answers. His animal was a bear, because it got to live in the woods and not much threatened it. His vehicle was a broken down truck, because it would get parked by the woods. Do you think my husband might like the woods? Also on our walks, he seemed to find every deer stand, but not only find them, he'd have to climb up into them and tell me if they were a good stand or not. I honestly thought it was super cute and loved it! Sunday we had to leave earlier than we would've liked to because we had two kickball games, but on the way home we decided that we would like at least one weekend a month like that :) Something we'll just have to dream about!






I took these while thinking of you, dad!

My little flower girl

On September 20th, Sydney got to be a flower girl in Allysa and Justin's wedding (Arlie's cousin). She was so patient and good. I was so proud of her. She walked down the aisle good, she stood up front good, she took pictures good and she sat for a long time while getting her hair done...just like the brides hair. She was a fabulous flower girl and the cutest one in all the weddings I've done (I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that she's my child ;) )