My mini pumpkins

One year I was in the vegetable barn at the state fair and thought I could do this. The next year I entered. I've entered 3 times and have taken home a 5th place, 1st place and this year a red 2nd place ribbon! Always so fun! Waking at the crack if dawn to bring them down the first day if the fair! Love it!! 

Thanks to Jen, the state fair fanatic I found out by noon I had the red ribbon! Thanks, Jen! 

So I'm a farming nerd. But I don't care. It's fun! Maybe I should try something new too! 

Our fall trip to Duluth in pictures!

Sept 19th -21st  2014

We had great weather. We did fun family things. So glad we did it. 

The pizza Luce hotel picnic

Early morning walk to the lake, skipping stones

Georgia fell in the lake, no big deal we camped out in the bathroom and dried her pants, shoes and socks. 

We also had breakfast at Amazing Grace, biked around canal park

We rode the train to Lester river 

We liked that! 

Then we headed to the hot air balloon festival at bayfront park where we saw the largest steamship on the Great Lakes the Paul at Tregurtha run aground right infront if the balloon festival! It made the news! So crazy!

We got up close but couldn't get a great picture! The kids flew kites from the Kiwanis club and did the big trampolines. 

Sunday we ventured out for a yummy breakfast up the shore a little bit in lakeside and then hiked at Lester River. 

Always so great to get away. Great trip even with 3 small kids and 2 old dogs in tow! Hope to see you again soon Duluth!

  

 

Our little gymnast.

Grace chose gymnastics. We were not surprised! She is a natural monkey!

I knew twin city twister was just down the road but knew it was a bit pricey. I'm so glad we tried it! Grace was one if 6 kids with 2 teachers. They have 2 preschool rooms to work in and then go into the big gyms for different things at the end. 

This was the last week. Grace has really liked it. One if her preschool friends was in the class, too. I think we will do an ice skating class this winter to get us out but maybe another class in the spring. I'm not ready for year round sports yet! ;-)

She can do monkey flips on the bar, hand stands against the wall! She was not the most graceful kid out there. And that's okay! She loved every minute of it! 

Our hockey player

So on a whim, we signed Max up for the 6 weeks of a 'free taste of hockey' that our local association does. I was super impressed with the coaches and how great they were with encouraging the kids and teaching them. Max was very green and cautious on skates. He used the walker the first several times but was very determined. He has impressed me with how fast he has picked up skating and the game. He's a natural defenseman. The practices are mostly drills and short scrimmages and playing minnows and guppies! You should see done if these cute little people whip around the rink! I was nervous about Max being behind at first but he's totally getting it figured out! Each time on the ice he's better. 

A very Star Wars halloween

Still on a Star Wars high after prepping and participating in the Westies big birthday bash the kids chose stars costumes. 

Introducing our clone trooper, Luke Skywalker (totally her choice :-)) and yoda! 

I was able to join Maxs class field trip on Oct 29th to Anoka county farms! It was so fun! 

We carved pumpkins from our garden at nana Mary's with Liss and Brandon! 

And Gia and I watched Graces Prek parade! She was princess Sofia at school because if the costume code of no superheroes. 

We trick or treated with the neighbor boys again! We all did our entire Parkside trail and then the big boys even went over to Lakeside trail for more! These kids got so much candy! I gave them free reign if it for Halloween night and the next day but then we sorted it and they had to pick 25 pieces. Then we donated the rest, a large shopping bag full, to the fairview clinics in exchange for a book! I think they send the candy to US troops over seas!  

It was a great Halloween season! 

Sweet sixteen

On the eve of Gia turning 17 months I wanted to squeak in a sweet sixteen post/update! She has definitely been smooched, by the way! 

This little lady is amazing. What she has been lacking in talking she makes up for in agility and daredevilness! During this 16th month she's definitely been trying to say more. She communicates well with nonverbal cues. She does some signing. But oh man, does she climb! She's figured out the "push the stool over to the counter and climb on the oven/counters and scare the crisp out of mom" trick! It's so funny how the little ones think they can do everything the big kids do! GG really understands so much! You can ask her domething and she will run off and grab what you are talking about or point to her head if you say something about a hat! It's amazing! 

She has developed the best cheesy grin! 

Gia is a great sleeper! She will at times even ask to go to sleep! She occasionally cries for a few minutes but otherwise will settle in on her own to sleep! Praise God! We got one right! We definitely had bad ways with the big two so it's wonderful to have one go to sleep on her own. Well after she does her bedtime routine and waves and smooches goodnight. Then it's a few minutes of cuddles and she will lay down! Wow! Why didn't we do that sooner? I give all credit to Robb. I think with getting all 3 to sleep when I work evenings she's had to cry it out a bit but it's worked out. She's sleeps about 11 hours at night and one nap in the afternoon. 

I stand by thinking she is the funny one. She has the best sense of humor and giggles do much! Her favorite thing is to tickle tickle people and belly laughs about it! Love her so much! 

Georgia is figuring out her will. Rarely defiant so far, but she tries it out. 

She's a great eater. Eats lots of fruits and veggies. If any of the kids become vegetarian my guess would be George. 

She still has many alias'. I wonder if that confuses her? Georgia, Gia,George, GG, jumbo, little G. And on and on. 

Cheers to 8 crazy years!

9-9-14

We tied the knot 8 years ago today and made it official! It's been a joy! We've had ups and downs. Really, we are blessed by more ups than downs thus far. Since I could gush about the connection God made between us, I'll stick to my top 8 things I hold dear about my husband. 

1. He is patient. 

2. He is hard working. 

3. He is a family man. Especially to us, but his parents are important to him and his siblings! 

4. He is multi-faceted. He can program a website, build a playhouse ( thats in mint condition 2 years out) he can clean a drain, he can get 3 kids to sleep all by himself. He cooks...the list goes on.

5. He is generous with his time, talent, money etc

6. He has vision. 

7. He has faith. 

8. He loves me for some unknown reason and I love that I've found him. He makes each day so much better. He is So many things I hoped for in a husband and so many things I didn't know we're important in a mate. 

Love you, robby! 

Gia Monster 13/14 months

These months seem to fly right by! Gia got that first tooth ampere few days shy of a year and then by 13 months had the top 2 and bottom 2! Loving her toothy grins! 

Lousy picture but cute pig tailed kid with some big top toothers! 

She is such a joy! She knows what she wants and expresses as best she can. Often leading us somewhere. She's getting better with sign language knowing: more, eat, all done and please! Her rebellious side takes her to the street giggling which is terrifying. She's pretty much got a second gear in speed walking. She's been a trooper this summer for numerous bike rides in the buggy with Gracie, Max's soccer games, camping for daddy's birthday, the state fair, hiking at minnehaha! I think she giggles the most. She can keep herself occupied like Max does and loves his Legos. She also is getting along so well with Gracie and loves her little toys and purses. She's climbing on everything. Up stools, up chairs and onto the table, up ladders. 

I think GG recently had a growth spurt. She seems so tall. Yet still so petite! Her hair has a ginger tone to it and I'm really hoping it sticks around. She stopped nursing on August 22nd her 14 month. She's done super well with the weaning which I'm glad about. Yet sad that my last baby is done. We are unbelievable blessed! 

Kindergarten week one

Week one is in the books! His first day went well! He was tired but happy and has lots of fun. Only half the class was there the first day, then he got a day off so the other half could have their day. Thursday and Friday they were all together. He remembered his 6 digit lunch pin that we practiced all labor cay weekend. He has his friend from preschool the last two years and a pal from soccer this summer in his class of 18. I was thrilled to hear that! Even better Adam his soccer pal lives on our same block! 

I tried to remember from last school year about what time he would get off the bus and we waited for him! I had chocolate chip cookie fresh out of the oven when he got home!

Good news is he liked it! Lunch and riding the bus the best! I did okay. I missed him. I teared up the second day, too. It's good just different! Very excited for all the new things we will learn having a child in school. 

First day of kindergarten

9-2-14

I worked evenings yesterday, Labor Day. So we talked through things, packed up Max's backpack, picked out a first day outfit (Star Wars shirt dad made) and sharpened 24 #2 pencils Labor Day morning!

 

Then I headed to work and Robb got the last of the "summer projects" completed amidst the trio of Akerson. He read a book our wonderful friends sent us " the night before Kindergarten" and made sure Max got a shower! 

Max was at 7 am today. His bus comes at 8:50 so he had plenty of time to let the nerves get the better if him! He got dressed, ate a small breakfast because he wanted something but he will get a free breakfast at school! Something new for a good start to this all day everyday kindergarten! Then it was only 8am! We got the girls ready. Robb came home from his dentist appt that still hadn't happened by 8:15! I was so thankful to have him there! Nothing major needed to happen but it was nice to have someone for the girls and someone to tend to Max's first day nerves. When Max started to get a little melty I took him down stairs to his room. He decided his jeans were cramping his style so we changed him to sweats and snuck a Legos husky dog in his back pocket to help keep him calm.

Then we got shoes on and headed out for pictures! 

After this shot he decided it was too hot already and that he should wear shorts! With 5 minutes until the bus comes I ran down got some shorts and meet him in the hall. We got him changed AGAIN! then headed to the bus stop at the end of our sidewalk out front! I walked him over there with middle sisters help and then realized he needed to be wearing his first few weeks if school lanyard to signal to the teachers and staff he is a kindergartener! So there was a mad dash in his backpack for that as the bus pulled up! But we got him zipped up and on the bus.

All the nerves must have gone away as the bus came because he got on without a problem, sat with a girl in the front seat and waved! That's when I teared up. I looked away but had to look back and wave! I'm so proud and nervous for him! What a big day! Now to make the Chocolate chip cookies per his request that I can trade him for first day stories! 

Minnehaha falls

Spur of the moment this morning we ( the kids and I) decided to go for an adventure hiking. I've been wanting to add more fun things to the summer as it dwindles away and my buddy will head to school. I thought minnehaha would be perfect and it was! We had so much fun! 

Of course, we didn't head out of the house until the crack of 11am. So we basically got there at lunch time. We had a potty break, decide to just eat lunch at sea salt, yummy but boy did it take forever! Surprise Max likes shrimp and Grace ate fish! Finally we headed out for some hiking! We had been there for pictures once and I'd been there with my cousin but I realized I'd never been past the 2nd bridge. The kids were up for it and Georgia, bless her, fell asleep in the hiking back back! So we ventured down the river after a bath in the creek at bridge 2, in our clothes! 

 They all did great with all the hiking and swimming! No complaining! We found sea glass down where the creek meets the Mississppi. It's so beautiful down there. Fun seeing the lock and Ford bridge. On a funny note, we got back to the car which was parked near the play ground. I was worried because I didn't realized we'd be there so long so I paid for 2 hours, 3.5 hrs later I was nervous to get back. We got there, the car was streaming hot so we opened the doors. I checked in with robb and he had a few errands to do so I said we could play at the park. It must be a new park and there is new sod surrounding it so they had sprinklers everywhere. All the kids wanted to do was run through them! So funny! I am so glad we have a dirty duds bag! The kids striped at the car quick and all rode home naked! They were worried people would see them!   

This just happened...

We discovered (tried to) that Gia's hair fits in pig trails! 

Also, Grace just asked what "in love" means. I said it's when you love someone/thing very much. She said " I'm in love my pants" and held up her new pajamas pants. 

Yep that just happened here

Camper cabin

The weekend of July 18-20th we went camping! Robb's birthday was on the 20th and that was what he wanted to do.  We just went to Elm Creek park reserve. It was an easy bike ride there. We also brought a car just in case. 

I'll admit I was nervous to bring the kids camping but this was a good compromise! Not in tents and not a long haul. But we really had fun! Plus we are getting the foundation set for future camping adventures. 

Friday we biked in and got our bearings. The cabin was great. It had a little deck and a screened in front porch then another door lead into the cabin. The cabin was simple but better than I expected. 2 Full size beds on the bottom bunks and twins on the top. And a nice picnic table all inside. Then the standard picnic table and fire ring outside. There was a latrine about a block away. But there was one! And on the way to the latrine there was a drinking fountain. Robb made sandwich pies and we tried to sleep.

 It was rough sleeping the first night. Really both nights. We just aren't used to all sleeping in the same room or in a strange place. The cabin was great through. 

Saturday we woke up, robb made breakfast and we went for a bike ride to the elm creek beach, the little man made lake in the park reserve. We swam and played n the sand. 

 By noon it started to get overcast. So we hopped on the bikes and headed to the nature center. Gia had a small nap while we ate our packed lunch. Then we looked around the nature center. 

Then we headed back to the cabin for some trail mix, duh we were camping!, and some soccer/softball. Robb made packs on the fire and we made hobo packs robb found on Pinterest. He also made bread in the Dutch oven! 

Oh! I almost forgot to mention outside the cabin the grounds were infiltrated with teeny tiny frogs. We had to walk gingerly and Gracie took one as a pet. For about an hour. Meet froggy akerson. There were multiple froggy Akerson's! She was very brave trying to hold them!

We hung out at the cabin living the sweet life until bedtime. We played some games we brought with and read some books then tried the whole sleeping thing again. I think the second night was better. 

Sunday morning

Robb was up early and walked the dogs, made oatmeal and we were packed up and home by 9am! We wasted no time! It was Robb's birthday and I wanted to make him a cake but he wasn't far behind us girls in the car. We got home all showered up and went to the new punch pizza in maple grove! A nap to follow all this excitement just made sense. Happy birthday, robby! We are excited to camp again. 

Champlin splash pad is now open!

The week of Gia and my birthday we drive past the site of Champlin splash pad and saw that it was officially open! So one day after VBS we got a picnic lunch and checked it out!!

We loved it and hope to go back many times! I love that it's free and so close we can bike to it! Yay! Happy summer!