Chris and I have been committing to a weekly date night [in] for the last month or so. Instead of tv watching or laundry folding, we enjoy a board game and chat (often times a glass of wine is also consumed...and tonight Oreos joined the party!). It's been really lovely. I find myself looking forward to the special night of laughing with my husbanf and avoiding my to do list all day long.
Yesterday was laundry baskets. Today's favorite activity (and it's been going strong for a few days now): racing these Playmobil cars. The boys can't get enough of guessing who the winner is going to be, watching them crash, declaring rewards for each driver, and the winding them up and doing it all again. The big lesson learned, though, is pad your walls with something (we use couch cushions) or you're going to end up with lasting marks on the trim to go along with the lasting memories.
Who knew laundry baskets could be so much fun? Throughout the course of the afternoon, they were cars, movie theaters, jails, tipping boats, beds...you get the idea. All you need is a good friend, a laundry basket (or two), and your imagination.
Seriously, sleep regressions are no joke. Mary Catherine and I relive some of what our little ones went through and the offer tidbits of hope we gleaned along the way. Take a listen...
You know it was an exciting weekend when the Superhero Power Party recap gets pushed into Monday.
The Children's Museum of Eau Claire put on a great event and the whole family had a blast. Chris and Chase went last year but Robbe and I were newbies. Thank goodness we had our veterans there to show us around--there was just so much to see and do.
Some highlights included:
The Power Party was a complete hit (again!) for our super hero fans. We'll be on the lookout for next year's date!
My dad and Chris took the boys on a whirlwind 23-hour adventure to the hunting cabin yesterday. It's hard to say who was more excited: the boys or my dad. And, luckily, the cabin didn't disappoint. Here's how they spent their time:
You might be wondering how I spent this glorious 23-hours with nothing on my schedule (they didn't know they were going until last minute). Well, let me tell you:
Man, "glorious" days sound really lame when you're a parent. I'm ok with it, though. It's been a long time (maybe the first time since having a baby) that I was home for an extended period of time with nothing filling my time. Maybe it's lame, but there's something to be said for appreciating the down time.
My nieces rocked the stage tonight. The energy, enthusiasm, and grace they exuded during the performance was exactly what I would have expected from them. Glad I could be there! Congrats on a job well done, ladies.
Check out the concentration on these two. The masterpieces were quite impressive.
My mom dug this treasure out of the basement the other day and it was a huge hit. It was the longest game of battleship ever (I don't think Chase fully grasped the concept and Robbe enjoyed creative freedom when placing the pegs), but Chris and my dad were good sports so they managed to actually finish a game. It was impressive.
Not bad. Not bad at all. Â
**Side note: that's Robbe at 7:34am without any sugar.
I hope you all had as much fun on this Halloween night as our scientist and spider did! It was a bit cold here in Wisconsin (the coldest on record, as a matter of fact), but that didn't damper our spirits. The boys had a total blast visiting with neighbors, helping grandma hand out candy, and making the rounds in my hometown.
I'm fairly certain we have enough sweets to last until next Halloween. That's going to be a fun battle for the next week.
Enjoy a few extra photos for the special occasion:
it was a busy weekend but we managed to get our pumpkins carved...just in time. This year's requests: Chase wanted a mummy and Robbe asked for a vampire. My mom opted for a traditional pumpkin face. I think they all go well together.
For a Halloween throw-back, take a peek at our past masterpieces:
Last night was my 15 year class reunion. Seriously...how is that possible? Aside from a rough morning after, I'd say the evening was a big success. I only graduated with about 65 people (most of whom were in my class for all 14 years!) so we weren't expecting a huge crowd, but we had a decent turnout and a fun group.
And, because this is what I do...
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I was planning a really lovely fall-related post today and then this happened. Apparently we're moving onto the next season already. I'm not ready, for the record. Â
I've been talking a lot about my DC friends lately. I don't think I've given the appropriate shout outs to my new(ish) EC friends, though! Sorry, ladies. We've been here for just over a year and I couldn't be luckier to have found a bunch of funny, kind, generous ladies to lean on all the time.
I can't offer a fancy collage of these ladies (turns out you never take photos when you're not on vacation), but know that I'm beyond grateful for all of you.
Aren't these the cutest? The boys and I made them for the pot luck 4-H Halloween party and they were a big hit. I was really excited to involve them in the preparation of our contribution this time around. Aside from some spiders with all eight legs on one side, they were shockingly helpful.
**Side note: I saw these little guys online and the original "recipe" suggested using circle pretzels cut in half so the donuts were lifted off the table. I couldn't find round ones so I decided pretzel sticks were just fine. And I found the little candy eyes at a local grocery store (I was extremely surprised). Just a dot of frosting as glue for the eyes and you're all set!
I made it home last night around 11:15pm. I was exhausted but elated. My trip to DC was exactly as I hoped it would be: quality time with my dear friends. Nothing more, nothing less. I'm still digesting some of my feelings surrounding the trip. Stay tuned for that. :)
Thank you to everyone who rearranged their busy lives to make time for me. I appreciate your friendship more than I can say.
I'm taking a quick break from the blog as I head back to DC to meet two of the cutest little babies. In hopes of staying more present with them, I'll be living the blog-free life. A real vacation from all responsibilties...crazy!
In the meantime, take a few minutes to read my latest Visit Eau Claire blog post! Appropriately enough, it's titled, From DC to EC. I couldn't have planned this type of timing if I had tried!
Chase's kindergarten school photos came home in his folder today! It's funny how seeing that little envelope can still cause a rush of excitement. Chase is very happy with his school photo, so that makes me happy. Personally, I don't think his photo captures my little guy at all! I included a [real] smiling photo in the bottom-left so you can compare, but I'll keep my opinion to myself (and my favorite blog readers).
As a side note, school photo orders are SO much less expensive here. I remember being appalled when we got Chase's first picture order form in DC (I even documented it here). I think we ordered on 3x5 and one class photo. In case you don't want to do your own comparison between the link above and the this year's order form (pictured in the collage), let me tell you that the most expensive package in EC is $43. Still no joke, mind you, but when you compare it to the most expensive package in DC at $135 (!!!!), all of a sudden you can't really complain. Yes, the packages do contain slightly different prints, but they are completely comparable...the EC one evens includes a digital copy! Crazy, right?!?
As a side, side note, let me tell you that living in Wisconsin has not been the huge cost of living decline that we were hoping for. With all the extra family and friends in town and the ability to do more because we don't have to fight crowds + traffic, we find ourselves spending more money living here. I know...I'm annoyed, too. This photo order, though, reminded me that some things in WI are more affordable than DC. I'll just have to be on the hunt for more of these deals.
In case you want to see what Chase's photo looked like from that first photo order, here he is as a two year old. It was a really good photo, I'll give them that.
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Our garden is officially done for the season. My master gardeners were working hard this morning to clean up the remnants and plan for the spring (think tulips!).
As a note to my future self, here are a few things I learned from my garden this year:
As a further reminder,
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Robbe has requested that "the whole world" see his new tattoo (a bat). And specifically, Yaya, Zoe, and Nani.
I'm just doing my part to make his dreams come true.
The newest episode of Starr Struck radio is out! If you want to hear Mary Catherine and me complaining about how motherhood has wreaked havoc on our bodies, take a listen. It's entertaining, I swear!
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