Around the House

I've been feeling inspired to post to our blog more often. I have all these ideas of different posts but when I sit down to write I just can't seem to articulate what I want or just plain get interrupted by those little ones who can hear typing in their sleep which must mean mom has had enough relax time and they need to get up and set her straight. Lucky Charms and Curious George have come to the rescue thus far so I think I'll continue typing until sugar town runs out.

My main reason for not posting as much as I'd like to is because I think I'm a horrible writer. Then I told myself I'm not writing a New York Best Sellers novel, I'm writing a blog post. I can write how I want. So enjoy my really awesome grammar and spelling mistakes, get used to my made up words and run on sentances because they're here to stay! Oh, and I hope you like picture of my kids. (Probably only family reading this right now, so I'm sure you won't mind the picture overload). This doesn't mean I'll be posting consistently every week by any means I just want to post more than once or twice a month. Hopefully.

Moving on...

I have about 50 picture folders on the computer titled "Around the House." Patrick insists I label every folder but sometimes there are random pictures of the boys that don't really have a category and the date is apparently not a fitting label. So, I figured, what not a better title for a new string of blog posts for little random things I just want to put out there.

Today, it's fitting to talk about Halloween because, well, it is Halloween. The boys are excited to trick-or-treat blahblahblah. What kid isn't when you tell them all they have to do is ring a doorbell to get candy from strangers? I hope they don't remember this tomorrow and think ringing a doorbell will get them candy again.

I was excited to do some crafts with the boys today. I really just wanted to gauge how well they could do simple tasks because I'd like to do a little something every morning with them. They actually sat long enough to finish them!

 

Miles has been potty training and doing very well. I finally buckled down and got my hands dirty with this. I didn't want him turing 3 and still be wearing diapers. I look at it like this: he's my first so if I put in the work now I'll be a bit more prepared for that one (or more) child that struggles with potty training and potty trains late. It's tough! There are lots of accidents. There is a lot of washing to do. But it was time and what not a better gift for his third birthday, and my sanity, to have him potty trained for real. Way to go Miles! You're well on your way.

 
*Miles glued to the ipad, as usual. It's really been a lifesaver for trying to get him to stay on the toilet long enough for number 2.

Halloween turned out to be another success. Grant got the hang of going up to the doors without help and held his hand out for candy. They didn't last quite as long as I thought they would but they got enough treats to last for some potty prizes.

I hope to be back here again soon and I hope to get faster a posting. It's only taken me all day to finish this. I blame it on waiting to have pictures of the little Packer and horse.

Pumpkin Patch Year 2

We're just winding down from a morning at Schilter Farm. It's a big beautiful farm who's owners go to St. Michaels! It's where we went last year for pumpkin patch fun so Miles remembered the pony ride and had to do that first before anything else.

And a cute little video here.

We went to the 9:30 mass beforehand and I was so proud that we were out the door on time without forgetting anything. (We're potty training Miles yet again and I wanted to be sure to have a few changes of clothes and his potty chair with us). But low and behold the two cameras we brought with us had dead batteries. UGH!! So annoying! At least my trusty little ipod was with us so we could take some grainy/blurry photos of the fun. Be sure to grab your bifocals or magnifying glass to take a gander.

 

 

Top of the world! Or pile of Hay...

 

 

Little models :)

 

 

Hay jump and petting barn.

 

 

They also did the hay maze, played at the giant sand table, ate roasted corn on the cob and lunch, and picked out pumpkins. That wasn't even the deluxe package. Seriously, this farm is amazing and the barn is so pretty. A family could spend all day here. We almost did if it wasn't for nap time!

 You can check out our first year and see how Miles was wearing the same vest!

 

 

7 Slow Takes

Yeah I know, it's supposed to be 7 quick takes but I have so much to catch up on since the last post! Just being honest with myself that this won't be quick.

1. Miles is Mr. Entertainer lately with all the witty things he's been saying.
Patrick changing...
"Daddy is naked baby!"

Me: Miles, what is daddy watching?
Miles: something weird...

Pottying in the toilet...
"I make bubbles!!!!"

Grant acting like a 1 1/2 year old...
"Gant! SO ANNOYING!!"

Miles: Big cock!
Me: Miles, you need to learn to say your "L"'s, they make a big difference sometimes.

Miles: I have apple pine?
Me: do you mean pineapple?

*Singing* "Bob builder, yes we can! Scoop, dizzy, Rollie. Bob Builder, yes we can!"

2. Our big camping trip this summer was at Lake Pearrygin again. It was great! It was a lot of everything, a lot of fun, a lot of extra-super-duper whiney/clingy Grant, a lot of beach time, a lot of family time, a lot of relax time, a lot of "cat-herding" AKA keeping Miles and Grant wrangled.

We all slept in the tent together for the first time and it went 100% better than expected. Maybe having no expectations adds into that percentage. The boys absolutely loved playing with their cousins, eating every meal outside, being dirty, swimming, and of course candy school. I thought they'd go nuts over the sand at the beach but they were surprisingly not very into it. Grant acted like it was shards of glass and basically didn't want to play in it until the last day, but he'll sit in his tiny sandbox at home that has a half a bucket of sand left in it and play for an hour. Weirdo.

Miles shimmied his way to the tent floor between the side and Grant's bed.

Par for the course, Grant.

Miles in the great outdoor's corner for time out.

3. We went to the Hands On Children's Museum for the first time. I had no idea how awesome it could be. My favorite part was knowing the boys could touch anything the wanted without breaking it and I didn't have to clean up afterwards. We spent 1 1/2 hours and could have spent 4. Grant's favorite thing (which isn't specifically for museums) was the train set. You know, those wood trains with all the wooden tracks. He grabbed a little train and started laugh-barking. He couldn't contain the excitement that it came out in the form of dog noises.

Miles LOOOOOOVED the farm/playhouse/bakery area. He's enjoying playing pretend so this was his game. When it was time to go he was the kid scream-crying as I pried the chicken and egg basket out of his hand, but not before he ran down the hallway with it, tripping and spilling eggs everywhere. 

4. We spent our Labor Day weekend visiting Patrick's family in Everett. It was wonderful to catch up with some of his Canadian relatives who hadn't met Grant yet. David and Rhonda have two new kittens which were super cute and the highlight of the weekend to the boys. Grant would scream-bark at the cats, thinking it was a meow, everytime he saw them. It was cute at first but made us all deaf by the end of the weekend.

 

 

 

5. Miles and Grant get to stay with David and Rhonda for a couple days this week *angels singing* It's really weird being home without them but very nice. Although I already miss them, well, only the cute parts right now, I know I'll be beyond ready for them to come home in a few days. It's not l;ike I'm doing anything fun or exciting unless carpet clean and vent dusting tickles your fancy.

 

6. September already! I'm ready for fall to commence. I'm pretty sure I say that every year at the end of summer, but I'm really excited for layered clothes, bundled babies with red noses, hot cocoa, and a schedule to our week again as we get back in the swing of Confirmation and a 9 week course of Financial Peace University by yours truely Dave Ramsey.

 

7. Anyone else out there as captivated by Breaking Bad as Patrick and I are? This season has us slack jawwed after every episode and pining for the next one. We're bummed it's the last season of the show but glad to see such a good show go out on a high note.

Summer Routine

Ha, summer routine. As if it's any different than our fall, winter, or spring routine. Okay, I guess it's a tad different because we don't hermit-up in the house because it's raining cats and dogs. Now that we're getting some real sun and heat we've settled into a sort of lax routine that basically consists of being outside as much as possible sprinkled with a Curious George episode for recess and naps. Since the boys are older it is much easier to get out and go instead of thinking about the million things I need to pack and plan for with a toddler and nursing baby like I had to last summer. I mean, Grant couldn't even sit up until the end of summer!

It's beginning to be fun being a mom. Not that it wasn't fun before but there was much more work and exhaustion involved. Trying to figure out what Miles was whining about has been resolved by real words and waking up to nurse Grant and trying to keep the boys constantly entertained was hard! There are still things that are difficult now and as the boys grow and we add to our family the difficulties won't go away completely, they will only change.

I'm enjoying the stage we're in right now. I'll still be in the "trenches" of motherhood for a while but I'll go ahead and soak up this new toddler independence, non-pregnant, non-nursing, potty-training time while I still can. Things are easier. I feel like I can really enjoy the boys rather than anticipating and planning for the next thing they need and trying to just get through the day. This "break" is nice and very much needed. I feel a foreshadowing effect coming on as I type those last sentences...

All this to say we went to the farm today! It was awesome.

Awesome in the fact that the boys could run around and poke the animals (no stroller! Gasp!) and would actually listen when I told them not to go too far (Que flashback to last summer where I was wearing Grant and chasing Miles yelling for him to stop and come back. So not fun).

Miles loved feeding the goats but the novelty wore off quickly when he couldn't figure out how to throw more than two oats at them.





This peacock was huge and loud. It kept shrieking and Miles got really scared.





I'm pretty sure we'll be coming back here to enjoy another picnic lunch with their apple cider and maybe a fresh doughnut for desert!