just the latest....

new addy

2010-08-14T10:35:00.000-05:00

I switched my blog over to wordpress.... not sure how i feel about it yet. Hopefully it will just take some getting used to. :)

www.aprilaune.wordpress.com

ahhhh

2010-08-12T07:16:00.001-05:00

I am having issues with my blog. It's all messed up - and though I love pink, this is not what I wanted. I think I will need to have Erin or Bill come and help me out and get his squared away. :(

So sweet.

2010-07-30T21:11:00.002-05:00

My goodness I love this little blue-eyed boy!

Gramps

2010-07-21T14:28:00.005-05:00

Sadly, my grandpa A passed away yesterday. He was an INCREDIBLE man... so funny, such a good heart, hard working~ but most of all, he was so loving. He was SO IN LOVE with my grandma... and though I am sad, I feel so much relief knowing he is with her. Before he left, and as he was ailing this week, he told me that gram wanted him home to be with her. As much as we wanted him with us, he really wanted to be with his true love ( I mean, they were together for like 70 years!!). He also told me that I shouldn't come to visit him tomorrow, because "I won't be here-- but I know where I'm goin'". The last thing he said to me is that he wanted to go home. I have this indescribable guilt-- I mean, I am sad-- but I feel like I should be more upset. It's hard to explain. I think it's because I know he is now HOME and so happy again. He had so many wonderful stories to share... so many good laughs~ and I still hear him singing " Here She Comes, Miss America", as he always would when we'd walk through the door. He had such a sweet tooth~ esp when it came to chocolate. He'd hide it and every now and then he'd share. ;) He once brought his bar of soap over to dad's when we first got the hottub~ isn't that funny? It was the perfect surprise on my wedding day when they were able to come~ I wasn't expecting them to make it... and I sobbed like a baby.
Tough days- I have been thinking about all the losses we've recently gone through- 4 grandparents in 6 months. It's painful. But- I also feel so fortunate to have had so many great years with my grandparents. I know I'm lucky.
enough for now.

So busy...?

2010-07-11T20:56:00.004-05:00

I feel like I have been so busy lately- but then I think back, and I try to figure out what I have been 'busy' doing.??

We had a great 4th of July. We headed to Tower (as tradition continues) and watched the parade with gramps, and Uncle Rob/Tina & Jordan. We also met up with the Johnson's, dear friends of Erin/Bill who traveled over from Washington. Sawyer wasn't too into the parade, but he was busy being cared for by Uncle Robert- who took him and played with him in the shade. That afternoon, we headed to help our sweet cousin Stacy celebrate her 40th bday. It was a great surprise and was so nice to see her so happy- and in complete shock- as she walked in the door. We love you, Stanny. ;)

Yes, back to the Johnson's. I have heard many stories of all these Alaskan friends that Bill and Erin have made. I was so happy to finally meet Josh and Stacie and their family~ it felt like I already knew them. We were able to spend some time on the lake with them, as well as some time visiting at the house. They were a blast to get to know- and I am hoping we can see them again soon!

We've spent LOTS of time out at grandpa jimbo's house the past week. With the hot weather, we've been getting in lots of boating and swimming. Sawyer is not sold on swimming yet. I am hoping that by the end of summer he'll enjoy floating with the rest of us, and if not, there's always next summer!

Our latest purchase is a fancy sailboat that we bought from the Fogelberg/Lavine crew. We are having a BLAST using it... ok, I've only gotten to go on it once, but the boys seem to be getting out there LOTS, and it's only been in the water about 2 weeks! We love our new toy- and I can see that we will get a lot of use out of it. It even has a little cabin underneath. How cool is that?

Saturday, Kraig, Amy and the boys were here for a quick visit. It was so fun to see them AGAIN. We are lucky to see them 1x/year-- but now we've seen them 2x/month! We took the sailboat, big boat, and pontoon up to Twin Islands for the afternoon. We had a picnic lunch and watched the guys jump off the rock. The babies played in their rock pool and enjoyed sampling some blueberries. It was also Erin's bday- I think she had a great weekend. ;)
Sat. night we headed up to Orr to have dinner with Jesse's parents, sister and her hubby. We had some tasty enchiladas and enjoyed watching Sawyer play in buckets of water. It was a good evening, and it sounds like we will be heading over to stay with Scott/Annie at the end of July.

Sunday we headed back to the lake, went for a long boat ride, and hung out with Lo and Miss Kate for a bit. Later on we dropped sawyer off with Uncle Pa and Auntie Sharon for a couple hours while we headed to a movie with Erin/Bill. I hadn't been to a movie since I was pregnant-- and i think it was something like The Terminator(not my kind of movie!). This time we saw Grown Ups... and I thought it was cute.

So- I guess I have been busy... just enjoying summer. :) How's your summer?

The new 20!

2010-07-10T21:28:00.002-05:00

This lovely lady is sportin' the new 20. Love you, Erin.

yum.

2010-07-10T09:29:00.002-05:00

Today I got breakfast in bed. Lucky me!

musical babies

2010-07-02T09:51:00.003-05:00

Sawyer's 1st Birthday

2010-07-02T09:47:00.002-05:00

June 27th was Sawyer's first birthday. It was a beautiful day so we headed out to the lake for the evening. Auntie Erin made Sawyer a cake and we had a little celebration with Stacy and Dylan. Last night was his birthday party at our house. Sawyer is so lucky to have so many people who care about him! We had a great time visiting with friends and family~ and celebrating this little guys first year!

all about family

2010-06-27T08:50:00.006-05:00

Wednesday night we headed out to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. We have family there-- who we don't see nearly enough. We always have a great time when we are together, and this trip proved just the same.
We stayed with Kraig, Amy, Brock and Isaak in their newly built (beautiful!) home. Thursday we headed over to Uncle Bill's to do some visiting and managed to get out on the Lake Michigan for a bumpy boat ride in the speedboat. Thursday night we all headed back to Kraig's for some grilling and great visiting. It ended up being a late night- luckily Sawyer slept in till nearly 8:00! Friday we were lucky enough to get to go and watch Brock and Isaak get awards for their basketball camp. These boys are so fun to be around! Brock really took care of Sawyer for us- and he loved playing with them. Friday night, Mark's family came over for more fun. We had a baseball game, pool, some Rock Band Superstars playing~ just an all-around GREAT time with family. We had lots of stories going on...it was great reminiscing. I kept thinking how much fun gram and gramps would have had if they were with us.
We decided to leave Saturday to have a day at home before Jesse has to go back to work-- but we surely look forward to our next trip out there. I'm hoping more of our family can join us. :)

uncle pa

2010-06-22T10:08:00.004-05:00

While the guys were on their camping trip, apparently it was naptime... and Uncle Pa decided to nap right in the woods. This guy is one of the kindest people I know! Sawyer adores him-- esp when he walks all over the place with him. Uncle Pa has his own blacksmith shop and is busy making things for everyone. What a guy...

moose

2010-06-22T10:02:00.002-05:00

We just had a moose walk through our yard. Seriously. It was right outside the kitchen window and then walked across the road. Of course our little camera isn't working~ so no pictures, but I did manage to get a little video of it. I will have to have Bill figure out how to post it, cause I am not tech savvy at all. wowsers.

Sawyer

2010-06-22T10:00:00.005-05:00

Hard to believe this guy is almost one!

a favorite

2010-06-08T20:12:00.002-05:00

Erin has a million great pictures on her computer- but this is by far, one of my favorites. My dad is the youngest of 4 boys. Aren't they adorable?

Sometimes...

2010-06-08T19:59:00.002-05:00

I think Sawyer looks a little like grandpa jimbo.

jammies

2010-06-08T19:18:00.007-05:00

My sisters hear this all the time- but these jammies that Sawyer has on are one of my best purchases. I bought them AFTER Christmas- for 90% off.... and he has worn them from the end of Dec into June! Plus- who wouldn't want to look like CHRISTMAS in June?? I can tell they are getting snug on his monstrously-wide feet ( so either it's time to say goodbye, or else i will just cut the little footie-part off!).
In other news, the boys have been out camping since Saturday morning. Bill, my dad, Uncle Pa and Jesse all headed out to the BWCA for a few nights. Since I tend to NOT enjoy staying home alone, I've spent a couple nights out at Erin's, and coerced Trish to come stay with me last night. Gotta love family. I've spent lots of sister time the past few days, including some walks and a girls' (and sawyer) trip to Virginia for a little shopping (Bless Erin's heart for sitting in the back with 2 screaming babies. yikes- can't imagine twins!). When we got home, I was pleasantly surprised when my friend, Mary, came over to visit! She's home from Philly for a few weeks. Sawyer certainly enjoyed sitting and reading with Mary. He decided to play with her, instead of nap. :)
Today we went and and visited Gramps A-- Sawyer just smiled and smiled at him, and then he wanted gramps to hold him for a bit. We would have visited longer, but gramps was going out for lunch. I'm sure he had a good time.
Tomorrow the boys come back and Thursday we have a lunch date with mom. As for the weekend, we don't have any big plans- but it is Timberdays, so we'll probably go to the parade if the weather permits.
OK- enough is enough. :)

Happy Birthday Sweet Kate!

2010-05-22T07:03:00.002-05:00

Our little buttercup turns 1 today!

Little Buddy

2010-05-21T19:51:00.001-05:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY...

2010-05-21T19:42:00.002-05:00

to one of my 2 favorite boys.

Being sick is no fun.

2010-05-15T11:13:00.006-05:00

So- Last Sunday (Mother's Day) we were in Tower, and I started to feel like I was getting a cold. I was hoping that it was allergies, as I had been outside a ton- mowing the lawn and just playing with Sawyer. So- Monday morning, full-blown cold. :( And- Jesse was worse than I was! I got home from work Monday, and I could tell Sawyer was getting a cold. Boo. Wednesday I get a call that Laura's sick and her eardrums have ruptured- both of them. (Poor Laura... she's always got something goin' on!). So- Jesse takes off from work and watches both babies so Lo can go to the Dr. He didn't mind, because he wasn't feeling the best either. Oh- and then erin emails that she isn't feeling 100% and we decide to skip our dinner date. Thursday morning comes and we find out Sweet Kate has bronchitis. In the meantime, Sawyer is getting worse- more coughing and a SUPER runny nose. He didn't sleep the best Thursday night, so we decide to take him in to the clinic, just to make sure he doesn't have what miss kate has. Well- he doesn't- but he does have double ear infections. Poor baby (babies!). I am much better, Jesse is -getting- better, and Sawyer is sleeping better- though he still has a cough and a really runny nose. He is chewing on his fingers, so there could possibly be some teeth coming in too. Erin still isn't 100%, but she seems better... and Laura, well, she's still a mess- but it sounds like she's going to a specialist tomorrow.
But really, being sick is no fun. (on a side note- I realize it could be much worse... and I am grateful for the health we do have!).

In other news- we have a WALKER in the house. Sawyer started walking last week, and he's finally getting more stable. He loves walking all over the living room- now we just need to figure out how to keep him away from the TV area. ;)

happy.almost.summer!

jam packed

2010-05-09T20:38:00.004-05:00

Jesse, Sawyer and I left Friday morning at 7am for MPLS. We were SOOO busy- but had a fun-filled day/night. Unfortunately, I didn't take many pictures. Our first stop was the company he previously worked for. He wanted to stop by and show off Sawyer to his friends. It was fun for me to meet some of the people he's worked with-- and see a couple of them I already knew. Then we headed off to this awesome kids playplace and met up with the Stepecs and Trisha (who had Jaxin for the weekend). We played with the kids for an hour or so, before heading back to the hotel for swimming and pizza. That evening, the boys headed out for a movie, while us girls (and 4 baby boys) caught up on some good conversation and indulged in some tasty ice cream. Saturday morning found us all up early and off to the MN Zoo. We spent at least 4 hours there- Sawyer LOVED the fish...but other than that, he wasn't much into the animals. After the zoo, we said goodbye to our friends and headed over to see Jesse's grandpa. While we were there, we were able to go out for dinner with him and Jesse's cousins who were up visiting from Chicago. We decided to drive home Saturday night to have Sunday to relax a bit. I'm hoping we get back to the cities soon to see some of you we missed!
So- for Mother's Day~ I slept in (until 6:30-- does that even count?) and then we headed up to see my mom and grandpa. I SO enjoy watching my grandpa and the babies together. He loves to hold them, sing to them, clap with them, and just watch them tear up his house. He even lets them leave their fingerprints his TV and recently washed windows (and anyone who knows the poderzays, know they have a crazy cleaning side to them!). At any rate, it was fun to surprise him as well as see mom.
Once we got home, we cleaned up the yard, had dinner and headed to bed early, as it seems we are ALL fighting off a nasty cold.

PS
Happy (belated) Mother's Day to all the moms out there! Is there a special holiday created for Aunties and Uncles?? Cause I know a couple who are pretty deserving of a little recognition. :)

My sweet girl

2010-05-09T20:34:00.003-05:00

Is it wrong for me to call her my girl?? I am an awfully-attached auntie!

Dear Auntie Becky,

2010-05-09T20:29:00.002-05:00

Thank you for the book. I love it!

first haircut

2010-05-09T20:25:00.003-05:00

Auntie Trixie gave Sawyer his first haircut. He left with a stylish mohawk- that lasted through his nap. He looks like such a big boy!

Spaghetti...and a bath

2010-05-01T13:29:00.001-05:00

Swinging

2010-04-26T20:03:00.001-05:00

Baby Benjamin

2010-04-26T19:58:00.004-05:00

Erin, Sawyer and I went and met up with Kelly and baby Ben this weekend. We hadn't seen Benjamin in quite some time-- he has grown- and is still just adorable as can be! He was such a good baby, even when Sawyer tried to attack him. We look forward to our next visit with the newest 'bakk boy' and his wonderful parents.

thoughts

2010-04-23T20:04:00.007-05:00

Yikes! The end of April? Already?

Had another good week at school. This one actually flew by, (which is great) considering how crazy and mixed up it was. My class celebrated Earth Day lots of simple ways- they loved it... making posters, recycling, cleaning garbage, making a model of Earth, only natural light all day, planting new plants-- small things that really get ME thinking about the little changes I could/should/will be making. I showed them my reusable grocery bag that is so tiny, and clipped onto my car keys, and they thought it was the coolest thing ever! We also had our annual tornado drill this week- something else they (oddly) look forward to. Of course we ended our week with a dance party-- another fave of the kids (and mine too!).

My goal for this weekend is to go and see both of my grandpas. I did make it to see grandpa A. on Saturday, but haven't seen gramps P. in a couple of weeks. I am just so lucky to have had such close relationships with my grandparents... and now I think of how lucky Sawyer and Kate are that they are able to grow up with their grandparents so close to home. I think of how much they are going to learn and grow-- and how much fun they are going to have! They are already getting polka lessons from their grandma, and have been on several outdoor adventures with their grandpa. And someday, they'll be able to say "my other grandma lets me stand and dance on her table!"... I also look forward to watching the babies swing on the swing with their grandpa~ one of my favorite memories of growing up at the lake. We would sit between gram and gramps when we were younger (and older) and my gram would ALWAYS start monkeying with my hair.

Auntie "Trixie" watched Sawyer today. They spent the day with grandma Katie and went to visit grandpa Earl. Sawyer is lucky to have such wonderful people taking care of him! Then we grilled with the Brysons, Trish, Lo and Miss Kate-- who, btw, celebrated her 11 month birthday this week!! She's walking all over the place (and trying to avoid allergic reactions!). She has also learned to scream~ lots of fun! :)

Oh- we are in the middle of planning a quick trip to MPLS in May. We'll go and see Jesse's family, and then spend the weekend with the Iowans-- as it's been wayyy too long since we've seen them!

Anyways- I am tired- and could ramble on for hours. Instead, Jesse and I are going to watch Sherlock Holmes. OK- Jesse is going to watch Sherlock, and I will fall asleep on the couch until he wakes me up...

New Faves

2010-04-14T18:21:00.009-05:00

* We had a great Easter- we went to Uncle Pa's and Auntie Sharon's with our family, Stace, Ken and Dylan. We had a wonderful meal and lots of giggles. The Easter Bunny left Sawyer a small basket with some puffs, a book and a summer outfit.
* We have been trying to get to Tower each weekend to visit with Gramps. This past weekend was one of our best weekends, as Sawyer put his arms out for my grandpa to hold him-- first time he's done that. I loved seeing how happy that made my grandpa.
* We're going to see Gramps A this weekend- it's been too long.
*Lots of friends having babies... Congrats to all the new mommies.
*Dad got the 'big' boat in, so we went out for our first ride... LOVED IT. It makes me even more excited for summer.
* Went for a walk with Lo and Er- and the babies. Actually, we've been having lots of sister time lately-and I love that.
*School continues to go well- although today one of my students tattled because someone called her a "cycle"...( Umm- I think you mean psycho.)
*My sweet baby is nearly 10 months. He is so busy- into everything~ got his first 2 teeth- is a very happy (and super energetic!) boy. He is walking along all the furniture and learning to talk. So far he says 'mama' 'dada' and 'moo'.
*Have gone on a couple of hikes... one nice, short one, and one longer one ( in which I was crabby!).
Off to eat some ice cream with my hubby. Please excuse the fact that I can't figure out how to put my pictures in a better order.

Congratulations!!

2010-04-03T20:15:00.004-05:00

My cousin Tara was married last weekend. We love Todd- and couldn't be happier for the 2 of them!

Dear Grandma,

2010-04-01T07:07:00.003-05:00

Yesterday we played outside together. Kate DID NOT like sitting in the grass. She screamed for a bit. I loved it.
Anyways- we are thinking of YOU today. We hope you have a happy day- and we can't wait to see you this weekend. My mom talked to Great-Grandpa this morning, and he said you are going to be at his house. Maybe we will join you to help out. :)
I love you~ and so does Kate. She told me so.
xoxo
Sawyer

March Happenings

2010-03-18T20:43:00.010-05:00

My family has been helping out a ton with babysitting. We have been fortunate to not have to take Sawyer to daycare this year... not that I am opposed to daycare, it's just nice to be able to let Sawyer stay in his jammies and not have to haul him out early in the mornings! Laura is our primary daycare person right now....when she isn't working. She stays busy watching these two monkeys.

I had a wonderful surprise last Friday. A dear family friend stopped by with flowers for me... just because. That made my day, and added some sunshine to an awfully long week/s. Thanks, BC. xoxo This has also inspired me to 'pass' the torch . So- now I am trying to decide who I want to send some flowers to- or send a letter/card, buy a coffee, etc.- just because~ in hopes of brightening someone's day.

Last Saturday, Sawyer and I met Mom for breakfast and some shopping. Mom wanted to buy the babies their first Easter outfit... so Kate has this ADORABLE polka-dotty dress and bright yellow sweater, and Sawyer will be in a little suit and tie. Too cute! I also bought Kate some little bows for her hair- because I am obsessed with her beautiful, dark hair-- and because Sawyer may look a little silly in bows.

Last Sunday, Jesse and I took off for Duluth for the day. We contemplated taking Sawyer, but then decided that we could have a more relaxing day without him. So- off to Auntie Ersy's he went. Jesse and I went to Duluth, walked around the lakeshore, went to Caribou, went to Michael's (yes, Jesse even came in with me!), went to the mall, Kohls, Home Depot, Olive Garden and Target... a busy day- but so nice to just have some time to ourselves.

Monday I had a birthday party. Here is Erin with a couple of her favorite babies. And yes, she is wearing a bow in her hair like sweet Kate.

And now, it's already the weekend. I tell ya- the week just flew by! We started off the weekend on a not-so-great note. Sawyer started getting a cold Wednesday night... and it got progressively worse. So- in to the Dr he went. He came home with some antibiotics and a nebulizer to help his cough/breathing. :( I am so bummed out! I am praying this goes away quickly! He despises his neb- we have to basically tie him down for 5 minutes while it runs. Yuk. He goes back to the Dr. on Thursday. Here he is this morning- he is VERY HARD to keep calm- he's all over the place... from one end of the room, to the other- up the stairs, and into the kitchen. We took out his jumper today to see if he still likes it. He was in it for about 10 minutes, and then fell asleep.

Yesterday he and I went out to Erin's. He was sooo sleepy- but has never been a great napper during the day- he fought with her for a good 30 minutes before finally giving in.

love him.

2010-03-08T19:53:00.002-06:00

So it goes.

2010-03-03T20:46:00.006-06:00

I'm tuckered out. It's been another exhausting week. I think it's Spring fever-- yes, it has hit 40 degrees here- and that will do it!
The weekend was.....ok. Well- great, if you consider the fact that I had more time with Gramps P and mom. I was even feeling domestic and whipped up some delicious soup, a meatloaf and mashed potatoes to share with gramps. I hope he enjoyed it~ I mean, after all- I am not a great cook. I'll admit that! Of course he isn't one to complain. ;) It was fun visiting with them, and watching how Sawyer tries to copy my grandpa--clapping, hitting the table, and making noises. I love watching that. They both look so happy.

The downside of the weekend was losing another grandparent- though this time, it was Jesse's grandma. We've been hit hard these last 2 months-- and I am ready for it to be over. So ready. I am glad we went to see her a couple of weeks ago.

Of course, as Jimbo would teach ya- life isn't easy, or fair. So- in the midst of more sadness, Jesse ends up getting an infected and impacted wisdom tooth. So- before we can even think about heading to the cities to be with his family, our first stop will be the oral surgeon. Ugh. We are hoping that everything goes well and Jesse will be feeling better Friday morning to meet up with family.

So it goes.

2010-02-25T19:51:00.004-06:00

Last weekend

2010-02-25T19:40:00.002-06:00

Happy Birthday MOM!!

2010-02-19T07:04:00.000-06:00

We love you!
Looking forward to tomorrrow!

MPLS

2010-02-16T20:49:00.005-06:00

* We headed to MPLS on Saturday morning.. had a great day, did a little shopping, met nikki for lunch, hung out with Erin/Bill in the hotel, ordered pizza.
* Sunday morning we took Sawyer for his first swim. He wasn't quite sure what to think- but I sure hope he'll be a little fish like the rest of us!
* Then we went over to Matt and Deana's to meet up for breakfast with them and Zac, Michelle and Madelyn. We had a wonderful visit- and Matt certainly prepared a tasty breakfast ( complete with gram's famous roll-ups and peanut butter twists- thanks, guys!).
* Sunday afternoon, Jesse and I took Sawyer to his first MN Wild game- he did so well~ sat for the 1st period, walked through the 2nd, and slept through the 3rd!
* Ordered in dinner Sunday night.
* Went home through Duluth, found a few good deals.

AND- someone decided to start following his mom up the stairs. Today he made it up FOUR STAIRS! Time to put a gate there.
My goodness he is getting so big...

Thank You

2010-02-03T20:12:00.003-06:00

Thanks to everyone who has been keeping our family in your thoughts/prayers... for the cards, phone calls, flowers, treats, blogs/comments, hugs... thanks. It was a rough week, but I am so grateful for the very-caring friends and family I have. xoxo

2010-02-02T20:58:00.000-06:00

Sad days...

2010-01-25T20:08:00.003-06:00

It's been a long couple of days. I am too tired to think or type. But I can write that I miss both of my Grandmas this evening. :(

These babies love their AUNTIE

2010-01-21T20:32:00.000-06:00

2010-01-21T20:28:00.001-06:00

Happy Birthday Henry!

2010-01-10T07:34:00.001-06:00

We can hardly believe you are already ONE! We miss you and can't wait for our next adventure to the zoo!
xoxo

he loves this

2010-01-06T20:22:00.003-06:00

Dear Furnace,

2010-01-06T20:02:00.004-06:00

Please. work. now.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2010-01-02T12:14:00.004-06:00

Trish, Erin and Bill all came over New Year's Eve to help ring in 2010. Erin made this DELICIOUS cocktail-- I think it's called a working-woman's tang ( but I am not 100% sure on that). Anyways- we had crab legs, along with too many other snacks, and watched The Hangover together, then watched the ball drop... A fun night with a few of my favorite reli's.

And here is Sawyer on New Year's Day.

Christmas Part 2

2010-01-02T12:01:00.003-06:00

Here is Christmas in Tower at my mom's... more fun with family. We were lucky to have Christina and Donny up this year- it's been a while since they've been around for Christmas! We also played Loaded Questions- my new favorite game. :)

Christmas

2009-12-28T21:09:00.007-06:00

The 23 of December found Jesse and I headed to a MN Wild game. I couldn't decide if I really wanted to go because~ a. Sawyer had his shots that morning (what kind of mom would leave her baby after shots?), b. We were hosting Christmas Eve for 30 the next day, and c. we were warned of a nasty winter storm headed our way and I didn't want to be stuck in MPLS for Christmas. So-- after many discussions, we decided to go anyways and just drive part-way home so we could make sure to be here for Christmas Eve. Erin met us at Sawyer's appt. and took him for the day/night. That was my 2nd night away- it's such a relief to have family around to watch him~ esp overnight (THANKS E&B). And- after worrying about how he'd sleep- I called Erin early the next morning to find out he slept 10 hours for them. :) Anyways-
So- we started the game night out at a bar/grill right across from the Excel Center. It was freezing, so I decided to get a coffee with some Bailey's in it- doesn't it look delicious?
It was, so I had another. Then came the game- I LOVE watching hockey- it was exciting as we won 3-1... oh yeah, and I was able to catch up with my uncle and Brennan there for a few minutes too! Then came the disgusting ride home.... beautiful, but disgusting. We drove half way ( Cloquet) and it took a good 3 hours. We were up early Christmas Eve to finish the drive... this is what it looked like. We got home just in time to rest for a few minutes and then start getting things ready for the Aune Family Christmas..... I was a little nervous about 30 people in our house, but it worked out fine. It was extra special as gram and gramps were able to come, as well as the newest member- Baby Drew, who was only 18 days old. ;) It was so nice visiting with everyone- can't wait to do it again!

Christmas morning we headed up to Mom's to do it all over again! Mom had a great meal and it is always good to see everyone in Tower. Unfortunately~ this year was a little quieter as Laura, Gram and Gramps, and Uncle Robert were all unable to make it. We got to steal Kate for the day though- so she could join in the fun! Both babies liked playing with the bows that grandma had for them... They got some neat toys, clothes, DIAPERS and wipes. I'll have those pictures soon.
Anyways- here's hoping everyone had a great Christmas!

THANKS CHRISTIE!

2009-12-19T13:11:00.002-06:00

I LOVE MY NEW CHAIR~ see you in a few months. xoxo sj

new tricks

2009-12-19T13:06:00.002-06:00

Sawyer does push-ups.

some of my favorites

2009-12-19T11:52:00.002-06:00

2009-12-19T11:46:00.002-06:00

Last night Erin and I headed over to Granmda Katie's to make some lefse. It was a great evening. I could listen to Grandma Katie's stories forever... esp when they involve cats. Here are a few shots from the night.

2009-12-09T12:22:00.004-06:00

We had a great weekend.... one of the highlights was Sawyer's Baptism on Sunday~ here he is with his Godparents. He was sooo tired, but did well through the entire service.
Other updates from the weekend include:

1. Getting to the shack at picking out a perfect Christmas tree- it was so nice to be outside before this bitter cold weather showed up! (Erin- I need those pics!)
2. Heading to a benefit in Orr that was JAM PACKED with people...SO GREAT to see strong support. :) --gotta love small towns--
3. Ham dinner out at Erin's.

Looking forward to another busy weekend~ beginning with a hockey game in Duluth Friday night and hoping to catch a quick visit with Amy??.
15 days till Christmas!!

just happy

2009-12-04T18:44:00.002-06:00

A good week in school, a nice week at home... and a busy weekend ahead!

Oh- and sweet baby who loves his early-Christmas present.

Draining week.

2009-11-26T20:34:00.004-06:00

For being a SHORT week at school-- I am completely exhausted.... my kids are keeping me so busy~ somedays I feel like I hardly have time to breathe! Monday was long... Tuesday was longer- and I was supposed to get home early for Lo's bday party. Then came Wednesday....the last day of the work week, and I end up staying until 4:40 and STILL didn't finish up what I needed too. I have all these new ideas of how I want to try something new in READING and these thoughts start to literally consume so much of my life. I can't sleep. I get headaches. There are other little projects I have going on in class as well~ in fact, this morning, I was up at 4:00 working on something because I couldn't fall back to sleep. YIKES! Everything will get done-- I just need to figure out how to budget my time a little better- ( ok- so why am I blogging?). There is also lots going on in the family~ not all BAD things~ just things...
OH- and to top things off, Sawyer went from COMPLETELY sleeping through the night, to waking up screaming about 3 times each night. This week I was lucky enough to have Jesse to run in his room and pop in a nuk so he'd fall right back to sleep.... anyone else have this problem?

Anyways-
Jesse did come up and meet me for lunch on Wednesday. And- after arriving home late on Wednesday... 5:00 came and there was a knock on my door. And these were there:
I love my hubby. He spoils me- even when I am being difficult and sassy. xoxo

Welcome Madelyn!

2009-11-26T20:32:00.003-06:00

Our cousin Zac and his wife, Michelle, welcomed a sweet baby girl on Monday....
Madelyn Marais, 4 lbs 15 oz, and 18 1/2 inches long.

We've seen pictures- she is BEAUTIFUL!!
Welcome to the world, little one!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T20:27:00.002-06:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

2009-11-23T20:36:00.002-06:00

We love you! :)

a night away

2009-11-21T08:51:00.003-06:00

I got home Thursday night after school and Jesse and I decided to head to Duluth just for a night.... we initially thought we'd take Sawyer with, but since our #1 daycare lady- auntie laura, was at our house, she offered to just stay overnight and watch 2 babies (along with her hubby). So- off we went! It was my first night without the little guy-- a little hesitant to leave, but both of my sisters know our routine, so that certainly helped! We had a lot of fun in Duluth. We first headed to the mall for some shopping. Jesse was the one who needed shoes, but somehow I ended up with new shoes, a sweater and an outfit for Sawyer! Next came Applebees for some appetizers and a drink. Yummy. Friday morning we got up at 8:00-- we hadn't slept in that late since before Sawyer came along! We went and walked down by Lake Superior then went to the mall and finally found Jesse some shoes and then went car shopping.....just looking for now. Anyways- then we came back home to these 2 sweet babies... Thanks Lo and Mike!!

Finally!

2009-11-14T09:16:00.002-06:00

Sawyer FINALLY got to meet my dear friend, Christie! She is home from Africa for a few weeks. We were so happy to snatch her up for a couple of nights. She stopped by with her friend JK and sister Amy, JUST to meet Sawyer (well, and I suppose to see Jesse and I too!?). Then, she and Amy came over for girls' night! Sawyer was so happy to meet her (and JK) because, he's heard his mom talk about Christie and read her blog to him for so long now... We're hoping we can steal them for another night before she heads back. THANKS Christie. ;)

And...

2009-11-13T18:46:00.003-06:00

I love the holiday season.

First Week Back

2009-11-13T18:28:00.002-06:00

My first week back went quite well. I didn't even cry when I left Sawyer on Monday- though he got to stay home with his daddy all day! I did get a little teary-eyed when I got to school as my class (and thanks, becky!) had decorated my room for me-- signs with messages and hearts all over the place-- even balloons taped to the walls. So sweet! Monday was exhausting and I felt like I had no idea what I was doing or what was going on. Each day got a little better and I think I am feeling ready for next week. It did help that the school football team went to state (GO BRAVES!) so there were no students in school on Thursday. I tried to do a little cleaning in my room, got my kids set up on a new computer program and met with the staff that didn't go to the game.
So- one week down, a few more to go... looking forward to getting some sleep this weekend as I feel a cold coming on.

P.S. VOTE YES!!!!!

2009-11-05T07:56:00.003-06:00

* Sunday- I had a day to myself. Jesse took Sawyer and I stayed home, drank coffee, stayed in my jammies until 3:00, worked on school stuff- found some neat science experiments. Then I met up with the boys out at my dad's and watched the Vikes play with dad, bill and erin.
* Monday and Tuesday I spent at home with Sawyer.
*Wednesday I had another 'me' day. I dropped Sawyer off with my aunt/uncle and took a quick trip to Virginia. I found some deals on clothes and was able to take a trip to Target and went grocery shopping. All in about 2 hours.
* Sawyer slept for 9 1/2 hours last night- straight! We've had 6 nights of that now... I hope it stays that way for when work starts.
* Erin came this morning before school and had coffee. A nice way to start my morning!
* Lots of girls/sister time this weekend. The guys are all out hunting...
* Sunday- a visit with Kelly and meeting Baby Ben for the first time. Can't wait!
* Monday- school starts again... I"m not too depressed- I would love to stay home, but I also love my job, love my schedule, and am excited to see happy faces each morning. I think we'll make something fun on Monday- something messy and fun! :) Kids love that... and so do teachers. Anyways- we'll see how Monday goes.
* Hoping to see my friend, Christie, who is home from Africa... SOON!
* Currently, Sawyer is napping, I'm blog-stalking, drinking my coffee and watching GMA. It looks like it's going to be a nice day today. Maybe we'll go out and swing!

Halloween

2009-11-01T06:46:00.006-06:00

I am 'that girl'. That girl that drives people crazy by only blogging about her baby-- and her niece. Sorry. I will soon be able to add work to my list of things to blog about (more kids!).

We had a fun (and busy!) Halloween. Erin and Bill brought us McD breakfast to start the day. Lo and Kate joined us too! We got the babies ready and headed to gram and gramps Aune first. Then we headed to Tower to see G&G Poderzay... and then it was home for naps! Later on, we headed out to Grandma Katie's, Uncle Donny's and then Jesse and I took Sawyer on to Virginia to see Grandpa and Arlene. We dropped Sawyer off for an hour, went out to dinner, did some quick shopping and picked up a pie to share with our babysitters. We had a great day....

2009-10-31T09:13:00.000-05:00

Tough day.

2009-10-29T17:44:00.002-05:00

Vermilion Falls

2009-10-23T11:28:00.004-05:00

What to do on a perfect FALL day?? Head to the falls.....

Meeting Nikki

2009-10-23T11:22:00.004-05:00

Sawyer finally got to meet Nikki! It only took (almost) 4 months!! He talked her ear off. :) We met up for lunch, and then Jesse took Sawyer so Nikki and I could spend the afternoon hanging out. We went to her cute place, then off to do some shopping, then out for ice cream, and finally back to meet the boys. THANKS for stealing me for the afternoon, Nikki! It was GREAT catching up with you!!

mpls

2009-10-23T10:52:00.004-05:00

We snuck away for a couple of nights to hang out with some dear friends ( and GREAT family!!). We hit the zoo, did a little shopping, ate lots and spent a TON OF TIME laughing in our hotel room. We had a blast and can't wait to do it again... SOON! Here are few pics from the weekend.

sweet baby

2009-10-18T21:13:00.002-05:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMY!!

2009-10-11T11:09:00.002-05:00

We'll celebrate Thursday...and Friday...and Saturday!
LOVE YOU!

the week

2009-10-09T14:28:00.005-05:00

It's been a busy week. Jesse went to work on Monday to find out that he's been laid off until Oct 26. So..... we've been taking advantage of having him home with us for a couple of weeks. We are also in the midst of planning a road trip. We talk about it LOTS, but then wonder how the little guy will do in his car seat (currently not a fan). We head to MPLS on Thursday for our weekend with the Stepecs, Brysons, Trish and us. Then, we might continue onward to Mitchell to visit friends, then perhaps head to Amy's for a night, then on to Illinois to visit Jesse's grandparents, then over to Wisconsin to visit more family... and then back home. It SOUNDS fun... but we are playing it by ear, seeing how the weekend goes in MPLS first. We aren't on a time schedule, so it may work out?! The other option is heading up the North Shore for a couple of nights-- not nearly as far, we wouldn't get to see great friends, but certainly one of our favorite places to be. We'll see about that.

Tuesday I took Sawyer to his first VB game. Cook played Orr, and since Sawyer is a fan of girls on both teams, he wore a shirt that was for both Jessie and Kaylee- his favorite 2 players. He did really well at the game and it was nice to be able to visit with my friend, Becky, from Orr, along with seeing a couple of my sweet students.

Wednesday I decided to go and chop my hair off. I needed a change. Love it. On Wed. night it was girls' night. There were about 12 girls that came over and we all just sat around and chatted. I hope everyone had a good time. I did. It's always fun to catch up with girlfriends. It was also neat to just sit back and watch the MANY conversations that were going on....high school memories, upcoming weddings (CONGRATS KERRISA AND JOEL- can't wait to tear it up on the dance floor!!), babies, Germany, jewelry, wine~ just to name a few. All in all- a great day.

Jesse headed out to Bill's during girls' night and then he head to head to Duluth at 10:00 that night to pick up his brother, Luke. Luke flew in for a wedding so he graced us with his presence for a night. Here he is with Sawyer. He's not a big fan of babies (more like baby vomit), but Sawyer certainly loved spending time with his uncle! He could have sat in his lap for hours (ok, maybe not hours, but minutes for sure!)

Today we had Baby Kate for a couple of hours while her mommy ran some errands. We bundled up the babies and took them for a walk. The stroller put Kate to sleep, while Sawyer enjoyed watching shadows. It's definitely chilly here! I'm hearing snow is in the forecast. Yikes!

susie homemaker

2009-10-02T15:09:00.004-05:00

Today I attempted a cake I found on Mckmama's blog. It isn't pretty- but it was fun to make (I ran out of frosting!). I am NOT at all domestic... but since I've been home, it's been great to try!! Jesse and Laura giggled at my silly-looking cake, but they both agreed it tasted good... at least I've got that goin' for me. ;)

CONGRATS MIKE AND KELLY!!

2009-10-01T08:48:00.000-05:00

We can't wait to meet baby Ben! And- we look forward to some camping trips in the years ahead!!

3 months

2009-09-28T17:07:00.000-05:00

Sawyer turned 3 months old yesterday....

I know- a bit ridiculous that I take these sorts (and ALL sorts) of pictures of my sweet baby- but I can't help it. He's just so darn adorable.
Who would have thought I'd have a blonde haired blue-eyed boy??

butcher block

2009-09-26T20:53:00.000-05:00

Against my better judgment, we bought a butcher block. Jesse REALLLLLY wanted one, and though I would rather not have something in the middle of the kitchen, I lost this battle. I suppose I'll get used to it-- maybe I'll even like it. Someday.

swinging

2009-09-26T20:46:00.001-05:00

Grandma's Birthday

2009-09-26T20:17:00.000-05:00

Today was my grandma's birthday. We, along with Erin/Bill, Lo and Kate, Dad and Stacy celebrated with some birthday treats and juice.
Anyone who knows me, KNOWS that my grandma (and grandpa) are such a special part of my life. I have so many sweet memories of them growing up- beach trips, baking and cooking, piano lessons,walks, buttercups and nasturtiums, hide the penny, finding change in the chairs, cleaning cupboards for two bits, snacks and tv right off the bus, "call me for your free reading", basketball games, trips to wisconsin~ not to mention, grandma would do ANYTHING for us- even silly things like wearing garbage bag crowns, singing or saying whatever crazy things we'd tell her.
Today was a GREAT day.

the weekend.

2009-09-22T07:48:00.000-05:00

Last Thursday Jesse and I had some friends come and stay with us before they (including jesse) all went on a camping trip to the BWCA. Sawyer's a little too small to go yet- but maybe next summer we'll be able to tag along for the adventure! Anyways, Paul, NIchole and Alex got to our house around 9:30 at night. We ended up staying up visiting and sitting outside until 12:30 before deciding it was time to go to bed. It was great to see them and catch up!
Friday morning came awfully early- and I had Miss Kate for the day to play with Sawyer. We were busy- and trying to keep both babies happy was a challenge! Luckily, Kate is an angel baby-- so mild mannered and just easy going- Sawyer, not so much!! He is the feisty one.
Since Jesse was gone, I decided to head out to the lake Friday night. I got there just in time for a tasty steak dinner. We spent Saturday being lazy, doing some swinging in Grandpa's swing, and dipping sawyer's toes in the lake while everyone was swimming. He seemed to enjoy it. Saturday night (EARLY morning) Sawyer decided that he wanted to get up for the day at 4:30. My sister is a saint- she came and took him from me so I could sleep until 7 or so... THANKS erin.
Sunday brought a FUNDAY for me. My mom took 'the boy' and Trish and I headed to Duluth. We shopped, and shopped, and shopped! I got the babies a few Christmas presents, a few clothes for me, some things for the house, some baby gifts for friends.... plus I got to meet up with Tawnya and see her dorm room, go out to lunch, and just have a baby-free day. Don't get me wrong- I LOVE my sweet boy... but I hadn't been away from him yet... so it was definitely needed. :) Thanks, grandma, for watching! ;)
Yesterday we played at dad's with Lo and Kate for a while, took a nap, did some more swinging- then Jesse called and said he was home. He came to dad's, brought me some ice cream~ it was so great to see him.... 4 days is too long for me. He was also surprised as my dad bought both him and Bill a muzzle loader.... fun times ahead for them!
Today I have Kate for a couple of hours and then her daddy is picking her up. Both babies are sleeping-- and it's Kate's 4 month birthday! xoxo

thursday

2009-09-17T15:54:00.000-05:00

Jesse took today off and we started our day by playing in the garden. We've got lots of treasures waiting to be munched on...

Then my sweet Kate came over for a play date.....all dressed up. Isn't she beautiful?

two things.

2009-09-16T08:34:00.001-05:00

1. i love pandora.

2. we finally got our recycling bins started.

yay.

Dear Jack,

2009-09-15T09:49:00.001-05:00

HAPPY THIRD BIRTHDAY!!

We'll see you soon.
Love,
all of us
xoxo

2009-09-10T13:47:00.000-05:00

Let's see....

We had a nice Labor Day weekend. Jesse, Sawyer and I took a trip to Duluth and walked and walked and walked around in Canal Park, watched the ships and sailboats-- had a great time and the weather was perfect! Monday Dad, Erin and Bill, Lo, Mike and Kate, and Sawyer and myself all went to Twin Islands for the afternoon. Dad put up a tent, Bill had a hammock, the babies had their baby tent-- it went pretty well! Sawyer sure loves the boat and being outside. He refuses to nap while he's out there! Kate, on the other hand, can nap anywhere! :) We spent some time swimming and watching the guys jump off the rock.

Tuesday I returned to school to help my sub get all set and meet my parents and students. It's always a blast to see "my" kids again-- and meet new little ones-- and watch them start playing and interacting together. Knowing I have a great bunch will make it much easier to go back in November.

Yesterday I decided to call erin over after school for a 09-09-09 party-- complete with treats and decorations, and princess crown for Erin. Thanks for coming to my party! :)

Sawyer's First Boat Ride

2009-09-04T20:02:00.000-05:00

Tonight we came out to Grandpa's house to go for a boat ride. Sawyer loved it! He definitely loves being outside. Grandpa, Uncle Bill and Auntie Erin all jumped in the lake and Sawyer watched them swim around. Then we took off for a little ride around the lake- it was a gorgeous night- perfect to be out in the boat!

update

2009-09-02T20:28:00.000-05:00

What happened to August? I'm still waiting for summer weather to arrive. The fact that I have only been swimming twice this summer is depressing. Really depressing.

In some happy news, my friend Heather, her mom, and her beautiful daughter, Elspeth, came over for a visit Saturday morning. It was great seeing them. We don't get together nearly enough, but she is one of those people that you just kind of pick up where you left off... even if it was a year ago. All in all- a great Saturday morning!

Things in the house are going quite well. We are all unpacked EXCEPT for the books that need a home. Jesse is building bookshelves for our den area, so in the meantime, there are about 10 boxes of (mostly) books that need to be unpacked. I'll be glad when he's finished with that project!

I spent today back in school at an inservice day. It was my choice to go- and I am glad I did. It's always nice to see people after summer vacation- not to mention, it's great to see other teachers in the district that I don't normally see during the school year. My mom came and watched Sawyer for the day ( tomorrow too!)... so it wasn't too tough to leave him. I know he was well taken care of!

Yes, Sawyer. He had his shots on Monday. Ouchie. I asked Jesse to take the morning off to go with me, because I KNEW that I wouldn't deal well seeing big crocodile tears. So off we went. I sat in the appt long enough to visit with the Dr. about Sawyer-- and then I took off and left Sawyer with his daddy. By the time Jesse was out of the office, Sawyer had fallen asleep ( I suppose he was so overwhelmed from crying....boo!). Anyways- he did so well and didn't really fuss after he had a good nap. Next time I will try to take him on my own. It amazes me that he's already 2 months old. He is so much fun right now- talking and smiling so much..... I love it!

We have no plans for the weekend. I will go to my classroom next Tuesday to greet my parents and students, as well as make sure my sub has everything she needs. Then it's 9 more weeks off....

As for now, I need to get to bed. Sawyer had been sleeping so well, and then last night he decided to be silly and wake up at 11:00 and not sleep well the rest of the night. It's like he KNEW I had to be up early for work. So- I've been up and running since 4:30 this morning.... I'm hoping tonight goes a little better!
Here's some new pictures of Sawyer. He loves his outside swing (thanks, Stace!)-- the other is a picture I sent to Jesse explaining why I can't get anything done during the day. Who wants to clean when you can stare at this smiling face instead?

Kate's Baptism

2009-08-30T21:17:00.001-05:00

Baby Kate was baptized today in church. She looked so sweet-- here she is with her mommy and daddy.

2009-08-27T09:39:00.000-05:00

my favorite guys.

2009-08-24T16:23:00.000-05:00

Oh Deer!

2009-08-19T09:36:00.001-05:00

This was the view out the living room window this morning..... a mama deer and her 3 babies.

Cry Babies.

2009-08-19T09:35:00.001-05:00

the new house and a sleepover

2009-08-17T20:21:00.000-05:00

Here are a few pictures of the house, including the guest room (aka-Laura's room). Laura and Kate are our first overnight guests- so we are having a slumber party tonight!

2009-08-16T21:42:00.001-05:00

We took our first road trip with Sawyer this weekend. We went to MPLS to introduce Sawyer to his great-grandparents, aunts/uncles and cousins. Here are some pics from the trip...

Happy Birthday Nikki and Erin!

2009-08-10T11:32:00.001-05:00

A visit with g-squared.

2009-08-09T17:16:00.000-05:00

breakfast with annie

2009-08-09T17:11:00.000-05:00

Saturday morning I was able to meet up with Annie in Virginia for breakfast. Annie could quite possibly be the sweetest person I have ever met-- not to mention, she is hilarious. We both enjoyed some tasty strawberry crepes and GREAT conversation with lots of giggles. We met in high school on a trip to France and have managed to keep in touch through the years-- though we don't get to see each other nearly enough (something to work on...)! Anyways, thanks for a great morning, Annie!

August already?

2009-08-07T10:57:00.000-05:00

Is it really August?? Yikes. I'm glad I took off a little extra time this fall- because school is really just around the corner.

Jesse, Sawyer and I moved into our new house last weekend.... we LOVE it. I have to admit, Jesse has been working really hard at getting things put away... and I've been slacking. :( Last Saturday my mom was here to watch Sawyer, while Erin, Dad, Uncle Pa and Jesse were all helping haul stuff. My goal is to get the house put "together" by next Friday. We'll see if I really follow through or not. Our new furniture arrives on Tuesday. YAY.

Let's see... it's been such a busy summer- though it doesn't feel like summer at all. This weather is ridiculous. The fact that I have only been in the lake ONE TIME this summer is mind boggling. It's just too chilly. I have also really missed going for boat rides. Hmm- maybe I will have to fix that this weekend.

The Stepecs were up for a visit, so it was great getting to spend some time with them. Of course a week always goes by wayyy too fast, so we didn't get to hang out as much as I would have wanted to. We did spend one evening dining at a cute little lodge in Orr- It gave Jesse a good idea of what it's like to be around Trisha, Amy and I all at the same time. :) We have our annual MEA weekend trip in the works.... can't wait. OH- and after dinner at the lodge, amy convinced everyone to start hauling boxes to the new house... so thanks for that!

Sawyer had some crazy nights for a couple of weeks- I THOUGHT he was colicky, but now I am not sure that was the case. We've had FIVE great days/nights with him.... I hope it stays like that. He doesn't like to sleep in his crib or bassinette, so that has been a bit difficult. We've resorted to a little baby rocking chair and putting him in his carseat.... whatever works. He also loves to just sleep on us, which isn't safe, I know.... I'm working at it. He is growing so fast- I love to just stare at him. He has started to smile and make these adorable noises.... it's fun. He loves when his aunties talk to him about trips to mexico, drinking corona, and looking at all the cute little ladies in their pink onesies. Maybe that's a little inappropriate.... but it sure makes him smile.

TOmorrow I get to go and meet my friend ANNIE, whom I haven't seen since our wedding... I can't wait to catch up with her over some tasty food. Then, Jesse and I have a Hawaiian-themed party to go to tomorrow night.... looking forward to a night out-- not looking forward to dressing up in something Hawaiian?? I am not good at that kind of thing. I am such a jeans and sweatshirt girl! OH- and it's a potluck. I'm thinking I will bring fruit pizza. Only because I am not a good cook, and that is one thing I can make.

Erin is coming in to help me clean out the farm today-- we've enlisted Bill to babysit for a couple of hours. I have such a great family. And yes, I am bragging.

Oh- and tonight we are having a fire outside and roasting hot dogs and marshmallows.... mmmm.

P.S. I can never get the pictures to go where i want them to, so I give up. :)

the past few weeks...

2009-07-21T13:56:00.000-05:00

I wish I had something to blog about..... but really, it's just baby news. The past (almost)4 weeks have been filled with baby time- although, Jesse and I did get some time out on the lake, and have been away for dinner twice.... a nice break from our little bundle. We've had lots of visitors and are working at getting a routine down. We know that Sawyer is the boss right now- so we are doing everything we can to make sure he's happy and content. He's a pretty good little one, despite some tummy issues. He had gained a pound and grew 2 inches at his 2 week appt.. Hard to believe he is almost a month old..... He (and his parents!) have been getting spoiled by aunties, uncles and great friends. (oh yes, and auntie erin loves playing photo-shoot with the babies.... isn't the above pic adorable?)

Looking ahead- I have an inservice day I realized that I need to go to in a week! I am not returning to school until November- but there are a few things that I want to do to have my classroom ready for my sub, as well as establishing a routine for my kids. I do LOVE my job. It's strange to think I won't be there to start the year with my little pumpkins. I did go to Orr last week to visit "aunt becky" and was able to see a couple of my students. The girls wanted to hold Sawyer- awfully sweet. He loved them. :)

We move into our house in a week.... busy busy. My sisters are already trying to talk me into having the big family Christmas there- we'll see if we have furniture by then. :) I am not looking forward to packing and unpacking, but it will be nice to settle in and get all of our stuff out of storage. Lots of our wedding gifts are packed away, so it will be like Christmas all over again!

Anyways- I hope everyone is enjoying summer- it looks like we are in for a week full of rain!

Happy Birthday Auntie Ersy!!

2009-07-10T11:04:00.000-05:00

We LOVE you!!

more pictures

2009-07-10T10:55:00.000-05:00

Sawyer and Kate's days of fun....
I just can't quit~