Autumn

Don't you wish that playing in the leaves could erase the day like this?

The Zoo goes Boo!

Three is a great age for Halloween-- pumpkin painting and carving, costumes, and trick or treating.  The shortened toddler memories of the twins make all of these things just like new this year!  We've really loved taking advantage of all the harvest events this autumn with multiple pumpkin patch trips, but the kids really enjoyed going to the zoo Friday with Sammy.  They haven't stopped talking about it!  They previewed their cowboy/cowgirl costumes at "Zoo goes Boo" and even got to do a little trick or treating. Never has a little licorice been so loved!  This next week will be very busy, with 3 additional costume runs, but I don't think they'll get sick of playing this game as long as candy follows.  Easily swayed is the heart of a preschooler!

Just the Two of Us

Gary and I recently realized that we never spend any quality one on one time with either child. Part of this is that twin factor, and part of it is just leading very busy lives. While we both take the kids to do things, it's always with their sibling. And, somehow, any time we've taken them apart from each other, it's some sort of errand running task. While we've decided to do one-on-one night twice a month as well, this morning's plans falling through offered an immediate opportunity for some "quality time".

Katie and I have been trying to maintain some adult time to see each other at least once a month. However, as sometimes happens, child-free wasn't an option today. So, I suggested a local pumpkin patch/petting zoo/apple orchard/ doughnut spot. We arrived just as they opened, just Ben and me. What a perfect opportunity to see Ben on his own. After some time with Maeve, a doughnut with "sparkles" and a little cider, we left together. He was so anxious to get home to Mia and find out what she had done alone with Dad.

My caring little man is growing up so quickly! I cannot believe how big he's getting these days. His little babble melts my heart. It's the same little smile on his face as the goats lick his hand as every year, even though he's grown so. He's such a little boy now, which seems to be my orchard visiting theme. Though he's been insisting that he's not a baby every time to you try to help him lately, he hardly needs to vocalize it.

ETA: I had to come back and post this next photo.  After going back to last year's post about the orchard, I went back and found the fuzzy haired photo of B the first year we went out there.  I remember it well because they were truly toddling at that point.  It's amazing how fast they change!

New School Year's Resolutions...

Well, it's 5 weeks into school, and many of those big ideas I've had about the new year have passed by already!  One thing I've been trying to do is get out to Creswick a couple of times a month.  While I haven't gone every pay Friday (which was my plan), I have gone a few times!  Sammy dropped the kids off at school and we scooted out again tonight.

We were lucky that their middle school aged daughter was out this afternoon.  She helped Mia feed the baby cow and tried to catch a chicken for the kids to pet, which cause crazy, hysterical laughter!  There's so much to like about this family run, close knit feeling farm.  It makes me happy to go there. :)

up, Up, UP

All my kids (Gary included) headed out for a little bit of kite flying this weekend. They had so much fun. Shortly after this picture was taken, however, Mia let the kite go and it became entangled in the tree in the backyard. Like many things with our duo, it was fun while it lasted!

Team Up Thursday: Landscape

Okay, I know I need to branch out a little.  Too much time spent at school (or thinking about school) lately has left me with yet another school themed photo.  But, it's fall and I'll try to do better in October!  This week's theme was "landscape".  I thought about doing something obvious, like the landscaping at our house.  That would be a little too revealing though, like taking a picture of my underwear.   My intent was to go with the "blot on the landscape" in my classroom.  My eye is always drawn to that desk, with it's piles of papers to take care of, apples from a certain student, pencils and pens that didn't make it back into the holder, and pop cans that haven't yet made it to the recycling.  Each year I promise to do better and end up with the same landscape.

Ah, Theresa's photo reminds me of how I'd like to spend my weekend!  Orchards and harvest surround us all this time of year.  Which leads beautifully into next week's theme: fall.

How can it be?

Walking up to Evergreen Elementary

I'm sure every mother has her moments of complete and utter amazement at how old their children are becoming.  I know that M and B are only 3, but the milestones seem to be piling up quickly.  Today we hit another one.  You'll have to forgive the number of pictures; Sammy did a great job capturing their first day of preschool. What's even more amazing to me is that they were able to tell me all about it, right down to the silly faces on their animal crackers.

Of course, having never been left at daycare or school before, we were slightly worried about how the kids would react to Sammy walking away.  While Ben was evidently a little confused about why Mommy wasn't there ("Mommy's my teacher."), they jumped right in to the activities.  They're lucky though, they always have each other.  Plus, Mia was really fired up to play with the train set again after seeing it at the Open House last week!

Lots of new experiences today!  We had to figure out our lockers, unpack our bags, and learn the names of our new friends.  Only some of these were successful; evidently Ben played with a "blue boy" just like him.  I don't know if that's eye color or clothing! :)  Mia enjoyed playing with trains and boys (said with more sass than any mom wants to hear in her 3 year old's voice!).  

They also had to bring their favorite stuffed animal with them today.  Mia's bear was an obvious choice.  Ben's ostrich, not quite as obvious!  Evidently, he wanted to bring it because he thought it was funny that they stick their head in the dirt.


I can only hope that Mrs. Suits continues to hold their hearts and they love it every day as much as they did today!

Hot and Cold

I know I shouldn't expect them to be the same. I know that down to their DNA they're different. But, that whole born on the same day thing always gets me. The older they get, the more individual they become in every way. From their style in clothes (NO long pants for Ben) to their preference in vitamins (only purple for Mia, please), they're different little people these days. Yet, some unreasonable part of me expects them to react the same, to nurture and care the same, to play and enjoy the same.

We had a fuzzy little visitor to our backyard a little over a week ago which exemplified one of the recently appearing differences. We've noticed lately Mia's need to be in control of situations. Whether this is swimming at the beach or wrestling on the couch, when control is gone, Mia's done. While both are adventurous, only Ben could let go of the need to control what this little guy is going to do. Mia's fear of uncertainty pops up in so many places (think automatic toilets in public restrooms). Willing to give it a try, but unable to let the little guy crawl up her finger. Ben, on the other hand, would have allowed the caterpillar to crawl all over him for hours.

Two songs have been on repeat all summer. One (Werewolves of London) just cracks me up. The other makes me think a lot. Seeing Ben sing all the opposites in the rear view mirror makes me realize what little opposites they are. As much as I want to think of them as similar, they're hot and cold.

Team Up Thursday: Selective Focus

This time of year, it's hard to focus on anything in a real way. I'm torn between many different things: kids, books for pleasure, books for school, planning, and things online (to name only a few). I can't pick one and end up doing a little of everything. Maybe I'm just not selective enough. :) One of the things I love about this project is how differently Theresa and I think. It's probably why we work so well together! I was really puzzling over all the different ways you could take this week's theme, but I never even thought of anything as philosophical as Theresa's focus. What's your focus? Glass half empty? Glass half full?

Next week's theme should be a snap: work.

Team Up Thursday: Old

Do you know how hard it was to get an interesting picture of the oil painting from my grandmother? I loved that she left this fisherman painting to Gary because she didn't have the chance to know him all that well or long. The photographs just didn't do the worn edges and crackling paint justice, though I liked the bit of rusty nail sneaking through here.

I wasn't necessarily surprised to see Theresa's Jade in her photo. Their old pal has been the subject of many conversations in the last while. Having had an elderly dog with similar afflictions, I understand completely why Jade shows up in her photo of the week.

Next week's theme has almost too many options-- "selective focus".

Team Up Thursday: Big

I love a blogging challenge. I especially love a blogging challenge that stretches me creatively and asks my mind to think in different ways. I've picked up several of these challenges from various blogger friends over my blogging career (see here, here, and here). So stick, some change, some fade away. Each made me think differently about blogging, writing, and teaching.

As I've been stalking reading Amanda's blog, I've loved the perspective of her Team Up Thursday posts. Of course, like all good ideas, she borrowed it from Megan at Mental Inventory. Occasionally I've taken on the theme in my own way, quietly and in secret. :) In the rejuvenation that summer brings, it suddenly occurred to me that I could do my own team up. Of course I thought instantly of Theresa. She's one of those blogger (and real life) friends that challenges me to think my best.

So, here's what we do. Two blogger/photographers take the same simple theme and present it in their own ways. Then we'll present them side by side.

Can I say that I was SO excited to get Theresa's picture today? Seriously, I couldn't wait to see what she came up with. And, of course, I loved it. Such a different perspective than I was thinking for the theme of BIG.

I really wanted to capture dusk shadows of the twins, stretched to the peak. But, my kids don't stay up that late. And they were whiny to boot yesterday. I loved that I took so many different pictures trying for something that still struck me as BIG through the viewfinder.

I ended up with the spider because I liked the idea that something so small could still be so big.

My brain's already spinning with next week's theme: OLD.

A Trip to the Farm

A few years back, my mom and dad, in a search for hormone free meats, discovered a great little farm tucked on the border of Ottawa and Muskegon county. The first time we visited Creswick Farms, we needed winter coats to go into the freezer. They've moved to a more store like atmosphere that still has a country farm feel.

During the store's open hours Friday morning, we headed to the farm with Ben and Mia. They hypothesized that we might see lions or elephants at the farm, proving that this was a much needed trip.

It's almost a crime that we don't get out to this little gem of a farm more often. While I love that the chickens roam around, listening to Sammy Hagar on the radio (One shot! Hey! Mas tequila!), the most amazing thing is the other farm animals. Honestly, it's sch a contrast from the other farms you pass in the area with a hundred cows at feed troughs. At Creswick, you spy the animals roaming around in the woods. My new schools year's resolution is to try to get there at least once or twice a month.

Copper Country

There aren't many places that feel like home to me. You know, the kind of place where you immediately feel welcome. Where you know every nook and cranny, and the history of the people and places surrounding you. The result of constant moving as a child was that there was no place where everyone knew me, and I knew them. Of all the places I've called home, one place holds this kind of allure for me. I don't know the people or their histories anymore. The buildings look slightly changed, purposed. Yet it's the only place where I'm likely to run into someone in the general store who might have changed my diaper long ago.

The town is SO tiny that it's not an easy task to get lost. It's just a smattering of houses and businesses along a stretch of Lake Superior. It's about as far north as you can go in Michigan; we even saw a few rebel trees with their leaves changing already. The big news in town is where the bear was last sighted or where the berries are growing wildly. Having moved away from Copper Harbor at the age of two, and spent one summer there when I was ten, much has changed in the small village. Still, much is the same.


We had such a wonderful time exploring and running around the Harbor. From throwing rocks in Lake Superior to finding crayfish and frogs in Lake Manganese we really enjoyed all of the natural spaces and places in the Keweenaw. We honestly can't wait to return again some time soon.

PS- You can click on the collage to make it larger.

Par for the Course

Our kids wake up early. And, they've trained us like wise. There aren't many places it's acceptable to go at 8:00 am on a Saturday morning but Evergreen works just fine for us. I'm sure you're wondering how in the world we're able to go golfing with two preschoolers.

Have we given birth to two new Tigers, discovering hidden talent in our dynamic duo? Uh, no. But, Gary likes to golf and the kids like to run around the course. As long as we go early enough, nobody is likely to complain about the ruckus our little ones bring to the civilized game.


It's really quite nice. It's quiet, warm and usually sunny when we go. We're out just long enough for Gary to play 9 holes and let the kids run around. They've got their own clubs, which of course they fight over. Sometimes they ride in the cart with us, sometimes they run in front of it. We always search for bull frogs on the 5th hole, and sometimes we even find them. Maybe some day I'll even grab a club.

Silence is Golden (or is it?)

There are so many golden, melt-your-heart moments this summer that make me love the threes. I find the kids snuggling together in bed, or pretending to put the other to bed (I'm honestly not as mean at bedtime as they are while playing bedtime!), or even just reading together in their rooms. They're so able to occupy themselves now that it's easy to do the dishes or check facebook while they're playing together. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not leaving them unattended for large amounts of time (see this post). However, enough time to use the bathroom has been the blessing that this summer has over last. It's been a beautiful thing.

Yesterday morning caught me by surprise. First, let me say that I was in the same room with the children, and I was simply reading through some of the old emails from our internet-less time in Spain. I remember thinking, "Wow. They play so well together now." From the corner I my eye, I thought I spied B swatting M on the arm. Hopping up to hand out the well-deserved time out, I realized that I misunderstood the entire context of what was happening. They weren't, as I thought, playing with matchbox cars on their broken parking garage. B wasn't beating on his sister. Instead, they were dumping baby powder all over it and sliding their hands all through it.

I gasped. It reminded me of a story my mother tells about my cousin Jessica and me, a jar of Vaseline, a "nap" and a mess. It also made me thankful that it was only vacuumable baby powder!

Birthday

Stuck...

Memories exist from my childhood, warnings of dangers lurking in our basement. There were rules about hide and seek hiding places-- never in the old hutch or other scary places. These lessons were firmly planted in my little brain. Now that my children are old enough to play a little on their own, these memories are sneaking into my subconscious as I fold the laundry or do the dishes.

So, imagine my panic when Mia came running up the stairs the other day, yelling about Benjamin being stuck. Immediately, I started running through all the of the terrible scenarios of dangerous places where he could be stuck. How long had it been since she's decided to come and get me? I ran down the stairs only to spy Benjamin and run to get the camera. Really, how could I resist? I'm guessing that he was trying to wear his Easter bucket as a hat, but how priceless is that face?

Double Trouble

Meet the newest twins in our household: Stripes and Lola.

A Rose by Any Other Name...

I recently heard this report one the radio about how our perception of time actually changes from when we're young. Never has this seemed more true than the past few months. Busy with work and other challenges, this time has flown. I've scarcely realized how quickly it's passed. And then something like today happens. I can't believe how big these children are becoming!

Lately...

Lately, it has become very difficult to photograph these children. They understand what a camera does now and think they need to be up VERY close. They have the cheesy grins that small children often do and keep touching the lens!

Lately, there's great attention to detail around here. Heaven forbid you didn't color McQueen's tires hot pink. Honestly, the world might end, especially if it was because your sister had the hot pink maker. In all seriousness, it's neat to see how coloring has become less about scribbling and more about creating things. We get pictures of rhinos and snakes and dolphins as of late.


Lately, unusual items have become security items. For a few days, Mia had to have her monster hat. It went to bed with her one night and was the first thing she sought out some mornings. For a few days it was a little stuffed giraffe, while another time it was her finger puppet cat. Always, always, always she must have her little pink bunny. I find her loves so endearing.

Lately, we're ready to be able to go outside and play without having to bundle up for the cold. I think the kids are also ready to be able to walk in the yard again. Boots are not their friends.


Lately, they both wear underwear!! I can't believe the day has come where I have two (somewhat) reliably potty trained toddlers. Accidents still happen occasionally, and Mia is happy to tell us when Ben has erred, but I feel pretty confident that I could take them to someone's house without B peeing on their couch.


Lately, these babies look out for each other. We hear "Ben, 2 minutes" before sharing constantly. We hear them solve each other's problems. Just this evening, B was crying at bedtime. We went in to find Mia's second bunny (which was supposed to be a secret) on his floor; he desperately wanted her to have it.
Lately, I can't believe how lucky I feel to have these two little miracles. I'm constantly belly laughing over the things that come out of those little mouths. They're the sweetest little monsters to have walked the planet (and of course I'm not biased).