Two of a Kind

Here's a girly picture update...

They like to play together. Julia has started to interact with her hanging toys. Its fun to see her developing new skills.


Kate daily asks to hold and read to Julia. I have many pictures of the two of them (a sampling to follow) as she also asks for their picture taken as she holds her little sis. Kate is also able to recite most of this 40 page book of nursery rhymes. It is a-dorable especially when she reads it to Julia.


Baby holding- and that all elusive Julia smile! We were singing "Rock-a My Soul" which always exudes some laughs especially when we sing it FAST!

John Deere girls!

And perhaps the funniest- I found some red shoes (not these) for Kate to wear with her Christmas dress and mentioned it upon purchasing them (50 cents). So when we got home she was ready to see that dress. Later we pulled it out from the basement to show friends and she tried it on. This morning it was worn again and she twirled for me, too. Perhaps we're turning a new page in the anti-dress stage. ;-)

More later from this busy home...

Living the Good Life, Again.

Just two weekends ago now we headed to Nebraska to visit the Caseys (click here to see our last visit) and help them with some major home remodeling. It was a wonderful visit and the girls were really great travelers. We left Kieler Thursday night and I drove the late leg in our 6 hour journey while the rest of the fam slept. Friday morning we enjoyed Sticky Buns and Fran and I took the kids to first Friday Mass a block from their current home. We also hit the church garage sale after Mass for some deals. Fran is a former barista and I must say our whole trip I was never wanting for a good cup of coffee or an icy mocha!

Kurt and Jon headed out to the new house Friday afternoon to work on various projects (electrical and framing walls mainly). The mom's and kids 'napped' as well as we could with 5 kids in one house. That evening we took pizza out to the boys. And after dark enjoyed watching America's Test Kitchen off Kurt's laptop and chit chatting.

Saturday, we went to first Saturday Mass and then went to Kimmel Orchard. Enjoyed a free tractor/wagon ride out in the orchard, wine tasting and lots of other tasty goodies.

Max, Kate and Gabe waiting for the tractor to return.


Max and Gabe riding through the orchard.

Lilia just being cute!
Kurt with all the kids!
The crew (minus Jon) on the wagon ride.

After the orchard, Fran and I got to go for a walk and thrift shop while the kids napped with the guys at home. It was great to catch up though the Nebraska heat was turned up. After that we were too tired for much of anything exciting. I did get a chance to look at the school curriculum that she's planning to use this fall. The kids played in the pool and ate popsicles. The guys once again worked at the house for the remainder of the day light hours. And surprisingly we turned in early.

Sunday we went to Mass and then had a wonderful brunch and great visit with all of us around the table. It was a really fitting end to our time in Nebraska. Thanks Caseys for having us!

Snapping Beans

We've already processed most of the beans for the year. Washing, snapping, blanching and freezing them. We've got enough to have 1-2 bags a week with meals. Kate has been taking it all in and helping on occasion with the work.

The other morning, I was preparing for company in the girls room and basement. Julia was sleeping in the swing and Kate playing on her own. Katie came in and said to me, "Mom, I snapping beans!" Imagine my thrill in thinking, my little one is really getting good at using that imagination! "Good!" I replied. About 10 minutes later I took a load of clothes to the laundry room and on the way back checked on Kate. She once again proclaimed, "Mom, I snapping beans!" This is what I saw.



She didn't miss a "bean". They were pretty much all snapped. And organized in containers to be 'processed' I guess. I am still laughing at the sight.

Katie (before I forget!)

We've been busy battling illness here so the posts I have in the wings will be waiting, hopefully only till the weekend (there are some good ones!). But, before I forgot I wanted to post a few Katie-isms. She's always been vocal and clever but those cute toddler mix-ups ought to be remembered.

She seems to pick up on root words but then switch things around.

With a headband in her hair- "Mom, look at my band-aid!"

Shooing those house flies- "I need the ice water!" (fly swatter!)

While drawing on a notebook- "I write on my breast pad." Glad that one was just the two of us at home.

Ok, that's it for now more soon from Kieler, with pictures, too!

The Girls Hit the Road

This past Monday the girls and some of our girl friends headed out on a roadtrip to Medford. My friend Rachael and her girls, Miriam and Lucy along with Kate and Julia and I packed the minivan to enjoy some time away at the lake. Perhaps we're half crazy with four girls under 4. We enjoyed ourselves so much that both of us neglected to take many pictures of the week. But here's a recap. After a LONG day in the car on Monday we made it to the lake for supper and a swim. Tuesday was our rainy day. We were at the library by 8:30 a.m. and hit St. Vinnie's for some thrift shopping after that. Had lunch with the crew at Tom and Trina's and then back to the lake for naps. That evening we had pizza with extended family at Mondeax Dam. It was DELICIOUS!

Wednesday was No Carseat Day. Walked to the Red Rock in the morning. We spent the rest of the day on the beach and enjoyed some visitors. The cousins were out most of the day and night. Topped off the evening with grilled chicken, swimming and smores! Initially we planned to head home on Thursday but after talking with the husbands (they had made plans for the Tractor Pull Thursday night in DBQ) we opted to spend one more day.

Thursday was our Splash Pad adventure. Drove to Wausau's Marathon Park for a picnic and took the kids to the Splash Pad, which is this place with cool sprinklers where they can play and get wet. It was a deal 'cause kiddos were free and adults just $0.50. Couldn't beat it on our hottest day up north.
Here's some of the crew. Kate, Julia and I in the background. Trevor, Heidi, Kaylee and Miri posing after some time in the water. That evening we went out to High View with my folks and My aunt Mag and Uncle Steve visiting from CA. Went for a swim that evening and a pontoon ride, too.
Julia really enjoyed that day. She was such a good kiddo the whole trip. Definitely another Gramma's girl.

Oh, and the girls got a bath (amidst all the time in the water).

Friday morning we went to Mass with Mom and Grandma Helen. Stopped at the Uncommon Ground for coffee and treats and hit the road. The trip home seemed to go faster than the one north. We listened to "Ernie Get's Lost" at least a half dozen times. At one point all the girls slept- a minor miracle. All in all a great trip! So glad to have the company on the journey and the hospitality of family.

Windows

I've been meaning to get some picture of the new window treatments we put up in our home this summer. You may recall that we got the bay and rear patio windows replaced in May last summer. I loved (and still do) the window trimming and hated to cover it with curtains shades and the like. However, recently there was a series of events that convinced me that it must be done (its quite humorous but don't know if I can blog it as Kieler is a small town and everybody knows everybody, if that's not a teaser!). If we lived in the country with no front yard and backyard neighbors I could continue enjoying my view with out curtains and wouldn't have to worry about others getting the reverse view but alas, such is not the case at the moment.

So without further ado- my not the greatest pictures of the curtains/windows.

This is the pick for the patio door/window. It has a bit more of a finished look with a valance and fancy rod. I think the style is called opera stripe or something like that. The colors are a gray/brown that matches our window and they're striped with a cream color that goes with the walls. I really like the look of the valances especially since I couldn't get around covering the wide wood trim.

A second shot of the same window treatments from a bit further back.

Then in the living room (I know the pictures are poor) we jerry-rigged a cafe rod to fit our extra long window and put up a satin like goldish/cream curtain. I've got to shorten these yet so that they hang by the sill instead of to the floor. Otherwise, though not as fancy as the dining room curtains, I am still pleased to be looking at my wide wood trim.

As I sit and nurse looking mainly out that bay window, like this, numerous times a day. Kurt took this shot while playing with the camera. I am pleased with the result.

On the same topic of windows, I hope you like the new look on the blog. I'm quite pleased. I received notification that The Cutest Blog on the Block was changing their location (or something) so I would have to reload my background. Lazy and efficient as I am ;-) I opted to check out Blogger's new options. And was pleased to find this "looking out my window" effect. I think it really brightens things up AND it does remind me of the view as you drive into Kieler from the south.

Tractor Riding

Spent some time yesterday evening bringing in hay at a friend's farm. Kurt was out there driving tractor well into the evening. The girls and I were there for an hour or so and Katie got her tractor driving fix. I might have ridden too if there'd been room...she was having so much fun.

Backing up the wagon.

Look at that grin.
She won't admit she's Daddy's girl but regardless, she's got him wrapped around her little finger.

Mom! Mom! I'm riding here!

A sunset shot of the tractor and skidsteer in the field as we headed home.