Blueberry Picking Fun

We had a great time today at Tammen Treeberry Farm picking blueberries with our friends the Paynes. There were tons of berries and we picked almost 9lbs! Hooray for eating another pound right off the bushes. 😉

Northwoods Math

We were recently up in Wisconsin's Northwoods visiting Aunt Lois and Uncle Taf. We had a wonderful time. (Stories and pictures to come)

So, the trip made quite an impression and we are still talking about it almost daily. Today it was at breakfast and turned into a math lesson that I thought I'd share.

AJ said his mouth could fit a ton of orange juice because his cheeks are stretchy like a chipmunk’s. I asked him how many chipmunks it would take to fit 6 peanuts. “six!” he said. “You mean each chipmunk can only fit one peanut in its mouth?” I asked. He thought for a second and then said “Two chipmunks!” I was impressed!

He also told a lie this morning (which I know is a normal part of 4 year old development) that I thought was interesting enough to post.

AJ went to the bathroom and I heard the toilet flush but didn't hear the sink (not unusual). When AJ came out he announced proudly that he hadn't needed any help and wiped himself all by himself (which he's making great strides with lately, thank goodness!). I congratulated him and then asked if he'd remembered to wash his hands.

"Yes." he answered.

"Oh, I didn't hear the sink." I said.

His reply was almost immediate, "Well, that's because the door was closed."

LOL I thought that was pretty fast thinking for a 4 year old, but didn't believe I'd just missed the sink sounds so I asked if I could sniff his hands. He folded them up and held them against his body and shook his head.

"OK, go wash them then, and please just tell me the truth next time." I said, but I was still chuckling on the inside. ;-)

Biking With the Kids!

Today was so beautiful I knew we were headed for the park. AJ requested a park that's about a 20 walk for us if he rides his bike or scooter (meaning I can push Lizzy in the stroller at a fast-mom-walk pace) but sometimes after playing hard at the park he whines about the ride home. So since Andy readied my bike for the trailer a week or so ago, I decided to bite the bullet today and try it out.

Here's what it looks like except ours is blue. Both kids can fit in it plus the diaper bag or whatever else we need stows behind them. I'd never used it before other than taking it for a test spin in the hallway, so I was a little nervous, but it was so fun! AJ rode in back and Lizzy rode in our little green iBert seat (left) between my arms. AJ loved the ride so much that next time I think I'll try putting them both back there together! With the bike and trailer it only took us about 5 min to get to the park and getting them to leave for home was easier too since I could offer a fun ride instead of the "usual". Hooray for city biking!

Lizzy's belly flop 2010

Thought I'd include some shots and a video from a Fall park & lunch playdate with our old educational playdate group. We all met at Holstein Park for some fun and then the plan was to eat at Toast. But Toast was way too popular that day and with all the kids we had a big group...14 seems like so many more in a restaurant than at the park! So we went to Bucktown Beanery instead and as always had a great time with our friends.

Here's AJ trying out the rope structures. Pretending to be a bird or a spider?

Here's most of the group, all mixed up. Benjamin on Jack's bike, Jack with Lizzy in our stroller, AJ with Callie in Jack's stroller and Taylor in her stroller looking at her bro on the bike!

Got all that? There's a quiz later...

And here's a video of Lizzy belly flopping on the swing. She loved swinging like that! There were a few scrapes and bumps along the way, but she was a tough little cookie.

I'm totally looking forward to getting the younger ones together this Fall and Winter for playdates and "preschool"projects like we did with their big sibs. Since AJ will be in the morning program this coming school year, things like that are possible again.

My Little Housekeeper

Lizzy loves to help clean! This video is from last Fall, but the same still holds true. She likes the little kid broom, the shortened Swiffer, the vinegar spray with a rag and this stick vacuum that's the perfect size for a little helper. Now if only I could teach her how to be a bit more thorough...

Fall 2010

Continuing with the back-log, here are a bunch of pictures from last Fall...Sept and Oct mostly. Enjoy!

Had to put this precious picture of our friend and neighbor Norah being a big-girl friend to Lizzy last year. She loves to take care of Liz and "help" her all around the park.

Brookfield ZOO 2010

We got to the Zoo with our friends HT and Julia. Here are HT and AJ on the foot massage machines. I don't think they were working right that day. lol

AJ and HT painting their faces with some random little girl. This is the first time I can recall that AJ actually participated in the face-painting area at the Zoo. Great job little buddy!

Lizzy loved pretending to be a bird in the nest. And of course the purple egg was her fav!

Squirt, squirt! What a helper.

This is how I felt too, Mr. Polar Bear. I get it.

Lizzy got to see the zoo from her seat in the stroller. And this is back when I used to let her have her schnulli all the time...now it's only allowed in her crib. And I waffle back and forth now between letting her keep it for sleeping and making her "donate them to the babies" now that she's 2. Jury's still out on that one.

A visit to the GP Conservatory 2010

The Garfield Park Conservatory is still one of our favorite places to visit when the weather is cold. Or hot. Or rainy. Well, I guess we like to go anytime, really! Here is one time when I pulled the camera out to document the kids at one of our usual haunts.

Lizzy's still-pretty-bald head as we follow Mr. Lightning

through the Sugar From the Sun house.

AJ stopped at one of the "look-outs" to check out the waterfall.

And here he is on one of the "secret" pathways. He loves to walk through these flagstone paths and whenever we go with someone else, he makes sure to show them where they all are.

What a great place!

Halloween 2010

Before Halloween actually rolled around, I took the kids to a Halloween party sponsored by the Chicago Stay at Home Mom's group. It was fun to see the the little kiddos at the park in their costumes and gave us a chance to take ours for a test run.

Not surprisingly, AJ had his priorities straight from the get go.

A construction worker dancing with mini candybars? haha!

And our little candy corn had fun too! Where's your candy, little one?

Pumpkin Farm

The day we picked to go to the pumpkin farm was COLD. I mean SUPER COLD. I was fooled by the sun and should have dressed everyone in snowsuits. Luckily I am lazy and had some outerwear on the floor in the car...and no one actually froze or anything. ;)

Lizzy picking out the perfect pumpkin.

AJ running to the pumpkins. So happy!

Our cute little pumpkins!

AJ got to drive the wooden Fire Engine.

The kids with Dad and the pumpkin wagon.

Pumpkin Carving

AJ drew the face on his pumpkin all by himself and i cut it out as exact as I could. He didn't really like digging out all the guts, but the end product was worth it, he thought. I agree.

Mom's, AJ's, Dad and Lizzy's

They did look really cool all lit up at night, but where are those pictures? Beats me. Maybe I'll find them before next Halloween?

AH HA! Found it, and only a day later! Here's the Jack-o-Lanterns all lit up

Trick-or-Treating was so fun this year. It was not freezing cold (that I can remember anyway) and we met up with our friends and their kids Emilio and Baby Belen in their old neighborhood. All the houses get really into it and that makes it a lot of fun for everyone. As you can see in the pictures, AJ was a construction worker and Lizzy is a Candy Corn (thanks Kim, for the costume!). Afterward we all hooked up with our friends the Hrubec's and had a little party at their place until the sugar high wore off. ;)

Little Bit looking little and bitty.

"mmm! I think I've got some good candy in here!"

Our little trick-or-treaters making out like bandits.

AJ wasn't wasting any time. Lizzy did her best to keep up...

AJ and Emilio already look like old pros.

All done! By the end, Lizzy's bag was too heavy to carry!

Grandpa John and Sunsets

Grandpa John came in for a visit and AJ really enjoyed showing off his collection of construction books and magazines. Sweet moments.

And here is a beautiful sunset, one of many that we see from our west-facing balcony. Even though the colors look cool in these pictures, they really could not do it justice. God's paintings are always the most beautiful!

And End to the Hiatus!

Wow, so 4 months have gone by since my last post! If anyone is still checking this blog, you are in for a treat. I have a HUGE folder of pictures and movies ready to upload, so I'll try to get them all posted soon. If there were an "off" button for my kids I'd have a lot more time to blog. Unfortunately though, AJ only naps once or twice a week now so my "mommy time" is scarce and somehow blogging always takes a back seat to other things (like cleaning, emailing, reading or napping myself!). But I digress. Enough excuses!

There are a lot of events to cover - some very old, some very new - so here we go...

AJ's Early Drawings

First off are some drawings that AJ started doing last Fall. These are some of his first ever family portraits, animal drawings and his first machine drawing (of MANY). It's kind of fun to see these early pictures since now his drawings are so much more sophisticated! I should post a picture of the machine he drew yesterday as a comparison. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. It might take me a few more months to take a picture of that drawing, upload it and then finally add it to the blog! lol

AJ (bottom center) and Mom (top left). Don't you like my hairdo?

"an animal Elizabeth" hmmm?

AJ's first machine. An excavator. Oh, and he was also learning to write his name. In the very beginning he used to make his A with a curve at the top...a little while later it became a point.

And here is one of AJ's first family portraits on paper! He is the big face on the left. Then from bottom to top it's Mom, Dad and Lizzy. Notice how we were just heads with a single stick for a body! :)

Fall Leaves

On a visit to Kim's house, AJ and Lizzy had a great time jumping in the leaves she had raked up in the front yard. Kim and Brandon's new (well new last year) yard has a lot of trees so there was no shortage of leaves and rustling fun!

Lizzy can pick them up in both hands!

AJ loved when we tossed them in the air and it "rained leaves".

Robin and Renand's Wedding

At Aunt Robin's wedding, AJ had his first Ring Bearer experience! We are so happy to welcome Renand to the States and into our "family". He is a thoughtful, kind man and makes Robin so happy. The wedding was beautiful and Andy and I were honored that AJ could take part in it. Congrats, Robin and Renand!

AJ getting ready with Renand in the back room at Church.

Robin and Renand are pronounced man and wife!

Andy and I at the reception.

North Park Village Nature Center, Oct. 2010.

We love visiting NPVNC at all times of the year. This particular time we went with my friend Anika and her daughter Orla. It was a warm day in early fall and the weather made the trip even more enjoyable.

AJ checking out the sticks and rocks on the pond's shore. This image is extremely reminiscent of a picture Gooma Cheri painted of Andy and Melissa and has hanging in her home!

AJ is always running ahead on the path...

Unless he's running from behind to catch up!

Bucktown Apple Pie Festival 2010

Another unseasonably warm Fall day. The pie was all but sold out when we got there. There was face-painting, pony rides, a bounce house and ice cream and it was a MOB SCENE inside with people trying to get pie! I got one of the very last pieces...very lucky. This year we'll have to forego naps and get there when it starts!

Did Lizzy eat a lemon?

AJ climbing on the stroller.

AJ on the pony. This is his second time ever and in as many weeks!

I can wink!

Warm October at Omi and Pa's

It's always fun to hang out at the grandparents' houses, right? On this visit to my parent's place, my mom and I took the kids outside with the coupe and even got out the hammock. I think they were a bit young for the hammock but had a good time until they fell off. "It's only funny 'til someone gets hurt" right Kim? ;)

Brother and Sister fun in/on the coupe.

Pre-craziness on the hammock.

Pretty Lizzy driving the coupe! Beep beep!

OK, well there's lots more but I have to run to the store and get some buns for tonight's burgers. Hopefully I can get back on the computer after the kids are in bed and continue the massive game of blogging catch-up!