Fall 2010

As the twins are getting older, we of course are finding that it is getting easier to get "out and about" as a family. Yes, it is still a lot of work, packing an extra-large diaper bag to include snacks, extra clothes, etc., and then there is the double stroller that cannot be forgotten...
however as compared to last year when we didn't do ANYTHING (it seemed), we were quite busy this fall, which was very nice for us all.

Here are pictures from a few of our adventures.

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Our yard has "baby" trees, and therefore very few leaves. So we've made it a point to rake a big pile of leaves at Nana and Bumpa Shoe's house every year since Gage was little and let the kids jump in the leaves. The twins reacted the same way Gage did at the age of 1: NOT HAPPY. We took a couple of quick pics, and then they were much happier walking around the yard and climbing Nana's steps. They had JUST started walking here...in fact, Bronson wasn't fully walking yet, so it was quite interesting to watch the "stumbling".

Landon, Gage, Bronson

Right before the tears

Bronson, Landon

Landon

Bronson (so proud he pulled himself up to standing!)

Bronson, Landon

Gage

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Halloween was very fun this year. Gage had stated early-on that he wanted to be a Fireman this year. I had two hand-me-down Elmo costumes that I had planned on using, however a brilliant (ha) idea popped in my head one day that I should make the boys Dalmations and pull them in a firetruck (the wagon with some cardboard "help"). Long story short, I stumbled upon exactly two Dalmation costumes at Marshall's completely by accident, so I knew I had to do it. The week before Halloween, Tim was gone for work the entire week and I came down with a terrible cold and laryngitis for two days. Needless to say, I didn't get a chance to make the cardboard "firetruck", although I did purchase the spray paint...

Bronson

Landon

Gage

No matter how hard we try...it's too difficult to get a great shot!

I'll take this one, however. Turned out great!

Our town always has "downtown" trick-or-treating on an afternoon around Halloween. This year it was from 1-5pm on Friday prior to the holiday. It works out great for families with small children, and the kids had a blast and came home with lots of candy.

There was even a jumpy castle set up on a sidestreet that Gage jumped in and the twins watched happily.

Nana and Bronson

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Our family (including my mom and Ken) took our first train ride on the scenic Ossceola railway this October. It was a very nice time, and highly recommended to my friends and family to try with your families! It runs weekends and some special weekday events May-October and the price is very reasonable. The train goes very slow, and you can walk from car to car freely. There is a concession car with treats for sale, and the very last car has a little "porch" that you can stand on and stick your head out the side and feel the breeze! (Gage is covering his ears as the train had just let out it's "whistle" and he is very sensitive to loud noises...so he's covering his ears in case it goes again, even though we reassured him it wouldn't!)

Here is our family right before getting on the train. The two people in the photo are the "conductor" and the lady taking the tickets. The entire railway is ran by volunteers.

Bronson and I

Daddy and Landon (Tim has been scolded to start smiling in photos and stop looking so damn grumpy all the time!)

Landon

Being silly with Bumpa...in the backseat of the van! (On the way home from the train ride).

Landon snuggling with mommy

Bronson

Exactly One Year Ago

As I was uploading photos tonight (for a post I'll probably get to in another month or so!) I found myself looking over past photos. I realized that these photos were taken exactly one year apart from one another.

Landon, Bronson. October 18, 2009

October 18, 2010

Everyone-Please take time to read.

Being "Real".

Weighing heavily on my mind...

Shortly after getting up this morning, we received the phone call that we were expecting for the last couple of weeks. An extended family member and close family friend, Cheryl, passed away this morning. Cheryl has been fighting a very courageous battle with cancer for nearly 2 years now. After realizing a few weeks ago that the chemotherapy would no longer work, she was able to move home and receive in-home hospice care and spend her last days with her family.

All day long I have had a heavy heart. The sun was shining, and it was just the perfect fall day. Part of me feels like it should be raining on a sad day such as this, yet knowing that Cheryl is now in heaven, with her mom again after 12 years of separation, I know that it truly is a joyful day for her. She was such a religious person that today was finally her reward, as she gets to meet her God. However for her family it is just the beginning of a long road without her present and they will now have to wait to see her again when they rejoice together in heaven.

I tried really hard to soak in all the moments of my day. They are so stressful and so busy sometimes, and I have so many moments of just plain overwhelming feelings of "Will my life EVER be calm again?" Then I tell myself, "YES! They are only this little once and life will slow down and get just a little bit easier"...yet it's something I have to tell myself over and over again, day after day. I don't want to take one second of my life for granted, yet it seems like I struggle with just wanting it to be naptime, or bedtime, so I can just have a few minutes to myself. I know this is normal, but I can't help feeling guilty having these feelings. I know that Cheryl would have done anything (and she tried!) to have even one more minute with her children and grandchildren. She didn't want to go yet; she wasn't ready to say goodbye to her life.

It's just so unfair...
yet those that truly believe in God and heaven know that dying is the true gift. It's just so hard for us here on earth, those of us left to say goodbye and stay "behind", to understand and believe.

A visit to Canada

Over Labor Day weekend, Gage and I took a "Mommy and Me" trip up north to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, to visit our dear friends, the Dube's. Yvonne and I met in a "Baby and Me" class through ECFE in when Gage was about 10 weeks old, and Gabrielle was about 6 weeks. Even after our move to Wisconsin, Yvonne and I kept in close touch and got together at least once or twice a month for visits and playdates. Gage and Gabi grew up together, and both are missing one another since the Dube's moved back to their home country of Canada last fall, 2009.

Ever since Gabi moved, Gage will ask at least once a week, "Mom, can we go to Canava to visit Gabi?" No matter how many times I've told him to say Cana-DA, he still pronounces it will a "V". I finally decided that we could make it work, and we left the twins home with Daddy and took a 4 day trip over Labor Day weekend.

We had a BLAST. It was so easy to be free of the twins (is that bad of me to say?) and just enjoy being a mom of one again. I had forgotten how easy it is to travel with just one child, which included one small carry-on bag, no stroller, no bottles or diapers, and just hand-holding to where we needed to go.

We spent most of the time at Brian and Yvonne's house, as there are plenty of toys and fun to be had by all. Gage especially liked the trampoline out back, and the kids were usually out there jumping in their pajama's at the crack of dawn. We took the kids to a wonderful kid amusement park, "Tinker Town" one day where the kids were able to go on rides all day long. Brian was also kind enough to allow Yvonne and I not one, but TWO times out...just the two of us, to shop and go out to eat. THAT was heaven within itself!

Since our return, Gage has asked me every couple of days when we can go back to visit Gabi again. Kind of breaks my heart, as I don't know when our next visit will be, but I hope within the next year that they can either get to WI for a visit, or we can get there...

But until next time, we have the photos, and more importantly the memories, of our wonderful visit, with wonderful friends.

Yeah. Um. The kids were gone "playing" quietly for awhile, and since we had just gotten there a little while before, Yvonne and I were deep in conversation and didn't know how long the quiet play had been going on. Thank goodness for washable markers, eh?

Another side note: These are Gabi's underwear. When the kids were jumping on the trampoline earlier, it was wet on the grass due to Winnipeg getting so much rain. Gage's pants and underwear were soaked, so Yvonne just gave him some of Gabi's!

Lil' Sophie. She's such a hoot. That is dirt on her face, and why I took the picture!

Making hot cocoa for breakfast!

The kids found a cool frog on our way home from the park. They named it Mr. Hopper Toad! I thought that was a cool name. They kept it in the fishbowl for a few days and then I made them put it back in the grass so it wouldn't die. I'm such a softie.

All of us on the Tilt-a-Whirl. Yvonne and I were both very ill for a good half hour after this ride. Very nauseated and fighting bad headaches. We realized we are getting older...

Little Miss Sophie

Brian and Yvonne