Bubble Baths

Last week just flew by, and this week has been a little bit tougher.  It was great last week with birthdays and friends, those weeks seem to go too quickly.  This week we are in preparation for a trip to Disney World.  I have the mental lists going on what to pack and what we need, but have I packed anything yet?  No.  When will we pack?  Probably Saturday night.  A lot of good things have happened this week with Kevin and a potential government job, Rachel is on whole milk now, and Daniel is just being Daniel, and talking a lot more than he used to.  Kevin also is doing the compressed work schedule, so he will have every other Friday off (yeah) so I can put up with the slightly longer days, which may just mean some afternoon outings for sanity sake.  

Today has been a little harder day with the kids, but looking at pictures of the kids reminds you of all the good times, and it is ok.  It is especially better after nap time.

Kevin calls these the sumo pictures, they just love the Bubble Baths!
And they still love taking baths together.  Daniel is still so much bigger than her.  
 

So I hope these pictures put smiles on your face, and I will be back in a little over a week to post about our family vacation!

Birthday week

I love birthdays, well I guess I love my birthday.  I don't know when you will get old enough to not want to shout to the world the day you were born, but I am not there yet.  I turned 28 on Wednesday, and it has been a good birthday week.  Yes week, we don't just celebrate the day here.  I have been warning Kevin for the past few months that my birthday was coming up.  Not that I don't trust him, but I still can't quite forget that infamous camping trip 3 years ago...on my birthday.  He seemed pretty confidant that I was going enjoy my week, so I tried not to get too excited wondering what he had planned.  So on Monday he told me to be home around noon.  I kept looking around to see if there was a big package being delivered, the mail had come and gone and nothing at my door, so I was getting skeptical.  Kevin called telling me to go to a place in the house where I couldn't see him coming in, and voila, he shows up around 12 and rings the door bell.  I open my door an to my surprise, it is my very good friend Mary who flew in from Hawaii that day! I was astonished for a few moments, wiped the tears away and Kevin was standing there with a pretty big smile knowing he had done well. 

So we have been hanging out with Mary and her beautiful 5 month old son Jesse, going jogging, went apple picking and out to dinner.  Kevin got me some nice things, and I have been receiving lovely cards and well wishes from friends and family.  Thanks to you all!  Daniel loves to open up presents now, and he know what a birthday cake is for and what to sing when you see one.  He also blows out candles very well now.  Rachel just enjoys the cake. So enjoy some of these pictures, and hope you all had just as good a week as I did!

Here is Rachel getting to know a goat.  She seems pretty excited to see animals in general and grunts and points to them.  

I am so happy my kids love apples.  And my favorite type, Cortland's, too!
Daniel was proud to have an apple in two hands most of the time.  I don't think he was able to finish one of them, but he was happy picking them.  
Here are Kevin and Rachel playing in the hay.   Daniel loved to run around the top of the hay, and I held my breath and thanked God that he didn't fall off.  
That is me also standing on top of the hay looking down at Kevin.  It is a different perspective since he usually looks down on me.  

Rachel and Walking

Rachel turned 11 months this week, and she wore her first Hokie outfit and walked for the first time. I had the hardest time getting her to stay still for the photo.  She is taking a few steps at a time, and will be walking all over soon enough.  So here are some pictures of Rachel and a video of her walking.  Kevin is scolding Daniel in the background, but we are working on him with sharing and not pushing his sister.  

The Perfect Storm

     May I share a mortifying moment as a mother?  It is Friday, and usually on Friday's I feel free to do new things and just go out and have fun with the kids.  I took them to a family farm, we saw goats, played in hay, and bought some apples and home made donuts.  On our way to the farm I drove past a cute little bakery, and I love cute little bakeries.  I have driven by it a few times before, but because it was Friday I decided to drop in and see what they had.  I even saved some money and calories for the stop.  

   Well the kids were a little tired, so I had Rachel in my arms and tried to keep Daniel by my side.  It was a small bakery and I watched the bake take some freshly made pastries out of the oven while I looked around.  Daniel's nose was in the display case as we looked at what cookie to buy, fingerprints all over the glass.  I decided on two cookies when the kids acted up.  

Daniel ran behind the counter towards the oven, and I quickly grabbed him.  I mumbled my apologies and asked for an oatmeal and sugar cookie.  I went to grab the money from my pocket and it fell out onto the ground.  I got Daniel to sit in a chair in front of the display window, and tried to set Rachel down to pick up the money.  Rachel was in on it, and she arched her back and wouldn't let me put her down.  The baker came around to help me pick up the money when we heard a loud crash.  Daniel had dropped a glass dish at the display and it shattered all over the ground.  I offered to pay for it, but at that time I think the lady just wanted me out of the store.  We left eating our cookies and I am wondering if I should ever really go back to that store again.  I will check that thought to be bold and try something new on a Friday in the future.  

In the mean time Rachel took her first few steps yesterday, and I am very excited, or should I be a little bit scared?  I will get it on video and post it soon.  Now it is time for me to nap, or at least try to get the kids to nap.  

Firsts of Fall

Ok, I had my first pumpkins spice latte this week (although I can only drink decaf lately) and have been dreaming about some large, juicy Cortland apples.  I actually did a lot of errands with the kids this week, and yes it is getting easier taking them out to multiple places, for that I am very thankful.  Our weekend was open so we went to IKEA yesterday just to walk around, and it was quite overwhelming with all the stuff.  We were looking for a certain bed for Daniel for a little later in life, but going there was fun in itself.  It has been a little harder for me lately not to want to be at the next place in life, dreaming of what it is like to have kids fully potty trained, having our own home to decorate and settle into, maybe even getting a bigger car for the kids, and was wondering, what do we do in the mean time?  What do we do when we know we aren't exactly where we will end up, but don't know what to do while we are here.  God has been ministering to me in that area lately, because everything around me is saying, enjoy where you are at.  At church today we talked about Jeremiah 29 and dealing with the Israelites in captivity, telling them to be fruitful and work with what you are given (Morgan paraphrase).  So I shall.  The kids are still so cute and growing more everyday.  It is football season, so that is a sign of the fall, and we have a lot going on this fall, so I shall enjoy it.  

On another note, I am now a huge fan of Jane Austen.  This past summer I read Pride and Prejudice twice, Mansfield Park, Persuasion, just finished Northanger Abbey, and will follow it up with Sense and Sensibility and Emma.  I even have a link about Austen and check it often.  I know life wasn't all easy during that time period, but to go to balls and get dressed for dinners, and to be an accomplished lady is fun to think about.  

When we went to IKEA we bought a little fold up tent for the kids, and they loved crawling into it from the little tunnel. Both Daniel and Rachel laughed hysterically chasing after each other.  

And as I mentioned before welcome football season.  I know Brady was injured today during the game, but the guys look pretty good in their jerseys!

New Layout

So as you can see, I have changed the background of my blog and have made life difficult for me.  I should be resting while the kids are sleeping, or reading, or doing anything else than playing around with this, but I got caught.  So hope you enjoy it, I like it, I just wish I paid a little better attention when writing code in college, it would make figuring out what exactly I want on my blog better.

Labor Day weekend 2008

Hello September!  It is one of my favorite months.  Kevin has had the past four days off, and we have had a great time with my sister Beau and her son Michael. They got a chance to go to the beach, went on a trolley ride in Lowell, play all over the place and have a good time.  It was funny in the evenings because Daniel would jump into bed with Michael after we turned off the light and put them down, and all we could hear is them laughing and chatting.  Here are the boys playing in the sand. 

She is standing more and more, and is almost 11 months!
I think I only got one picture of all of them sitting down together, we were waiting to say hi to the trash man and see the big truck.  
Hope you all had a good weekend, without too much labor!