Visiting Great Grandpa

Sitting in the fire truck at the Parking Lot Party. They had lots of big trucks and tractors.

We were pretty close to the dugout at the game.

View of downtown.

View from our seats (Joe Mauer warming up).

It seems like the weekends are already starting fill up! Last weekend I helped Sarah with her garage sale. Everyone was teasing me because I think I came home with more then I brought:) I did get the bunk beds from her that Abby and I used when we were kids. They were originally my dad's when he was a kid. They have gotten a bit worn over the years so I'd like to refinish or paint them and then move Gracie into one of them. She is excited to be getting Megan's old bed. I had a good mother's day. Nick got a me a wall hanging that matches some of the painting I did this past fall and winter. Then we dropped the kids off with my parents and headed up to the Twins game with Chuck and Jo Ann. We had great seats and it was a neat experience. Today we went to the Parking Lot Party for the Children's Museum of Southern MN. We also visited Great Grandpa and Grandma.

Spring Fun

Faith with her Easter basket at Grandpa and Grandma's house.

Gracie and her Easter basket at Grandpa and Grandma's house.

Easter family picture.

Nana and Faith.

Gracie searching for eggs at Nana and Papa's house.

We had to take Nick out to the field and Gracie had to wear her "farm hat".

Nick and Gracie taking the first kyak ride of the year (in our pond).

My smiley little girl.

While I was gone Sunday afternoon Nick built a fort for the girls. It was much better then anything I have ever built. He even moved furniture and got blankets from the closet!

Gracie trying to give Faith hugs.

I haven't been very good at keeping up to date with this lately. I guess we have been busy. So here is a little catch up:

For Easter we spent the day with my family. We went to church with my parents and were over at their house for dinner. Gracie had a blast playing with her cousins as usual. The next day we stopped over at Nick's parents to get Easter baskets for the girls and visit for a little.

Nick has started fieldwork and has all the corn in. He has a little break now until he starts the beans. So this weekend we got to spend some family time together. I have been working on my garden. I'm doubtful it will be great this year, but as long as I improve a little each year. Just so I can keep up with the weeding better then last year.

The girls have been changing so much lately and keeping me very busy.

Gracie is talking much more. She is starting to say sentences and I think some of her words are more clear. She has also turned a corner towards more independence. Her favorite things to say now are "no", "my do" and "all by myself". Lately her favorite game to play is to pretend she, and everyone else, are other people. Her favorite characters to play include a baby (my least favorite character:), Megan or "big Megan" (this goes along with independence and being older), a cat and a dog. Then she usually asigns me the role of Rahrah and Faith the role of Samo.

Faith is crawling, pulling up and trying to walk along the couch. She is getting more brave at letting go of objects, but her balance isn't good yet. She is still such a happy and smiley kid. I can't help but smile when she flashes her beautiful toothless grin (still no teeth yet). Her personality is coming out so much too. She is getting to be more determined and harder to redirect then Gracie was when she was this age!

Spring!!

Okay, this is NOT the order when I tried to upload these pictures. Oh well.

After the haircut. I debated if I should give her bangs, but decided not to.

The after shot.

Our little trouble maker. Since this picture the plant has been moved.

Gracie getting her haircut. She didn't get scared and was so excited after it was done.

It feels like Spring is finally here!!! What a difference it makes to be outside more. Both the girls love to go outside and play. Faith is interested in all the new noises, sights, and tastes (including some leaves and dirt) of spring. Gracie can keep busy by herself so well now. Some of her favorite outside activities include playing in the sandbox and moving small rocks around the yard. Nick had her outside some this weekend. I noticed today that she had hauled our landscaping rocks onto every step of our deck stairs. I am enjoying the weather too and making garden plans. I really enjoy gardening, but I'm not very good yet. Last year the weeds ended up taking over my vegetable garden after Faith was born. I'm hoping to do better this year. Can't wait to get out and get planting!

Weekend Update

We had another busy weekend. Nick was gone Saturday and Sunday at a basketball tournament. They did well, but lost in the championship game. While he was gone the girls and I tried to stay busy. We went over to my parent's house Saturday afternoon and spent some time with Nana. The girls love all the different toys at their house. I went through some of my old doll clothes and took some home for Gracie to play with. I was fun to find ones that I had forgotten about. Great memories! Sunday I had to help set up and take down communion at church so Jo Ann came with us. It was so great to have her there to help with the girls. After church she took us out for one of Gracie's favorite's....pancakes. Nick took today off from work (although of course had one meeting he had to go to. Seems like he seldom gets a complete day off:) We took Gracie in to get her first haircut today. I guess it's something we should have done awhile ago, but just never did. She did so good. I thought she might get scared and not want to do it, but she sat so well. Of course she had her usual reaction to a new situation...quiet with no smiles. She did answer one question that the stylist asked. When asked what her cat's name is she very quietly said "meow". I'll post pictures next time.

Celebrating Nick's birthday. He requested chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. Gracie helped put the candle in.

Grace helping to give Faith her bedtime bottle.

Future basketball players?????

Daddy and his girls.

Helping with the laundry.

Faith getting to be a hand full lately. She is now pulling up by herself. She loves to stand. She also likes to try pulling leaves off my plants. I'm trying to come up with some new places to move them to. Faith is also still struggling with sleeping. She is usually up 1 to 2 times a night and some days it takes awhile for her to get asleep at nap time. Although this week she has been doing great for naps!

Life is certainly more crazy lately. Faith is crawling all over now!!! It is exciting, but it is also much more difficult to get anything done during the day when she is awake. She is starting to get into everything. And of course, everything she finds has to go into her mouth. Yesterday she discovered the plants in the living room. I don't think they'll last much longer where they are, but I'm not sure where to move them.

Grace wanted to hold Faith. This has become more of a challenge lately since Faith doesn't hold still too long. We did get one decent picture quickly.

We had Megan and Samuel over for the afternoon last weekend. We made some heart shaped cookies for Valentines. Gracie was soooo excited to see her cousins. She slipped on the steps because she was trying to run downstairs to meet them at the door.

Story time before bed.

Gracie and Faith playing in the kitchen while I was cleaning.

Gracie went through the cupboard and rearranged everything. Faith was her sidekick.

We had lunch with Nick's Aunt Elizabeth the other week. She is such a great hostess. Gracie loves to spend time with her. She especially liked this bunny that was taller then her.

Faith exploring at Aunt E's house.

Gracie, Faith and Aunt Elizabeth

Recent pictures

Faith with her hair up.

Grace and Faith in the tent I made them.

Gracie looking so grown up.

I think they were trying to plan an escape.

Faith

Nick and I outside the Habberstad House in Lanesboro.

Faith and Grace crawling. Gracie thinks it's great to try doing whatever Faith is doing (crawling, sucking her fingers, etc.)