Turkey Bowl 2013

 Dad hardly can get away without his little fan club.  Jack, of course, heard it was football and he was ready to go!  It was pretty chilly, so he had to wear a sweatshirt that covered up his jersey.
He loved running around on the big field- between points and during time-outs.  

 Mom attempted to play with him on the sidelines- but with Nora wanting to play too and me not being quite as cool, he wasn't all that enthused. 

 So these nice kids got their own game going and were good sports about the 3 year old who wanted to get in on the action.  Jack loved that, they even played a little gentle tackle football (if there is such a thing.)

After our Turkey Bowl Game, we  head up to Stevens Point/Junction City to have Thanksgiving Dinner with my extended family.  This year it was just my Aunt & Uncle, their kids and grandkids, and my parents.  The food is always delicious and tons of fun things to do.  They have a trampoline, swings, huge tree house, large play room (Jack got to play a little James Bond on video games with the bigger cousins-2nd cousins, 1st cousins once removed, whatever you call them) and plenty of adults to keep an eye on kids that we sometimes get a little after Thanksgiving dinner nap. 

Dan's night away

 Every season, Dan has the LUXURY of playing Ultimate Frisbee one night a week.  I don't mind all that much, but dragging little kids out in the cold (October) to watch him makes it a little bit of a chore.

Then, the excited husband after the game who comes over and asks me "Did you see that big throw" or "Did you see that dive" is sadly disappointed when my answer is "No." 
The truth is, I was keeping our two children entertained and happy. 

This particular night I had McDonalds to help me.

One day I will be able to go to the game and WATCH more than babysit.  For now, we still enjoy the night out and for the record, my husband is kind of a PRO. 

Zoo

One of our favorite outings- The Zoo.  We got a year pass last summer and have spent many hours there- just me and the kids, with friends, and our dad too! 

We don't take many pictures of animals- we use Google for that, but we do love the train and the Carousel. 
Once in a while we treat ourselves to ice cream on the way out.  :)

A GREAT investment

 

Dan and I surprised Jack and Nora with these new packers shirts for the 2012/2013 football season.  Jack always wants to wear Dan's jerseys so we made the "investment" in one just for him (way too big- so that it will last longer.)  HE WAS THRILLED!

Top it off with my 50 cent Packers Helmet and football pants that a piano friend gave to us, he was set for Halloween (throw in some really thick batting, bought years ago to make crib bumpers that were never made, and you've got football pads!) 

Nora's Packer dress- $2 at the same rummage!   

I rock as a mom sometimes. 

 We took the kids to the ward halloween Trunk-Or-Treat and stopped at maybe 6 houses for the city Trick-Or-Treating and my kids were thrilled with all of their yummy treasures.  They are still young enough that Mom and Dad get first dibs on all the good stuff. 

 Just a couple extra pictures of our pumpkins and Nora's beautiful smile. 

Fall 2012

Sometimes life just seems to keep going- one day at a time.  We do the same thing most days, get up, eat breakfast, get dressed, play downstairs, play outside.  Maybe run an errand, eat lunch, naps :), piano lessons, and then whatever we have going that night.  We tend to stay pretty busy but we love the excuse to enjoy the outdoors and the fun things that fall brings. 

Nora riding bikes through the leaves- loves the crunch crunch.  I especially like when she rides this bike, it was mine when I was a little girl. 

 Grandma Cindy really enjoys spending time in the cooler weather with the kids.  She builds them fires in the "jungle" and lets them enjoy the really safe activities, like lighting marshmallows on fire. 

 But she is always prepared- with her two buckets of water ready in case of emergency.  Nora liked to hang out there and play with the pile of sticks they collect. 

 We don't have enough leaves at our house, so Grandma and Grandpa's is the best place to play.

 Our own version of Grandma's campfire.  Wimpy in comparison, I know.

 Our cousins from Utah came to visit.  We are spoiled, I know. 

 

And when the weather looks like this (that is HAIL.  The best hailstorm we've had in years!)

 We play "Jetpack Joyride" in our bedroom or have a picnic in our swimsuits. 

CHANGE

This is my last picture/memory of Jack with his McQueen hat and Nora with her pacifier.

September 15th, 2012.  It was a Saturday and we spent the afternoon at the park with friends eating dinner, playing on the swingset and hiking the trails.  It was 6 PM and we got home- both kids were passed out cold.  I cut their fingernails, washed their faces and hands with a washcloth, and neither kid flinched.  I knew I was going to be up at 5:30 AM with them if we put them to bed, but I didn't want to be up until midnight (or later) either.

So, we did the unthinkable.  After a short conversation between Dan and me, I took both the hat and the pacifier and hid them.  The pacifier was starting to bother me, and the hat that Jack rarely took off for over 1 year and 3 months (only for baths and church) was really starting to bother Dan.  And with that they were gone.

The next morning, surprisingly we made it until 6:30 AM, and Jack asked for his hat.  I told him I couldn't find it- he decided that we had lost it.  For days he asked for it, but we just never could find it.  No tears, just "oh well."  Much easier than we thought it would be considering his attachment.  (The hat, 9 months later, is still hidden in my pajama drawer.  One of these days it will find it's way into his keepsake box.)

Nora never really asked for her pacifier after that, so that was lucky.  She was having a very hard time sleeping since our vacation and the pacifier wasn't doing us any good anyway.  She still had a hard time sleeping, but decided that it was due to her crib instead.  So shortly after the pacifier disappeared, she moved to a toddler bed too.  Finally we were getting a little sleep.

UTAH VACATION September 2012

 As a little bonus, Dan let me and the kids fly out to Utah to visit my family and friends.  I often wonder who's bonus it is?  Dan slept at home, in our bed, no interruptions for almost a week!  That was not my experience, but WE LOVED every minute of it!

The highlight of the trip (and everyone since then) is the jumping/stunt gym.  The kids just love running and enjoying all the open space.  During preschool time is the best- no big people to really have to watch out for.
The blue foam pits are always a favorite- I was so afraid of losing the McQueen hat or Jacks green car he couldn't let go of. 

 Nora loved the trampolines.

We went with our cousins, and friends met us there.  It was so nice to have all of them entertained, in one place, so that we could enjoy chatting. 

 Just a normal night- all 4 kids happy and ready for bed.  Dan stayed home, and my brother-in-law was traveling for work.  2 moms+4 kids= a little tv is not all that bad. 

 Our flight home- ice cream on the layover and two very tired kids for our last leg of our flight.  I was particularly satisfied with the accomplishment of two kids sleeping peacefully, and I even dozed off a little too!

 It was a great trip, we really played a LOT with family and a few friends.  We took it easy, with 2 little kids and being on my own, I did all that I wanted, and that I could handle without going absolutely crazy!