Category Archives: family

Corn Maze and Other Fall Fun!

I feel like we’ve been slacking this year when it comes to our typical traditions, but it is what it is. We never did get to a pumpkin patch, but Josh’s dad treated us to some fun at a local Corn Maze, which ironically we never even ended up doing, but there are lots of other things to keep kids busy.  Unfortunately, it was also really cold that day… much colder than the weather was supposed to be. So begins the season of bringing hats and gloves and coats everywhere we go because you just never know.

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Corn pits provide endless amounts of fun… who knew?!  It was thankfully a bit warmer under the tent which helped block some of the wind.

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The kids also got to play with their cousins, which was an added bonus.

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Oh glorious giant bouncy pillow.  The kids had a little trouble getting up at times, but they had such a blast. It’s the little things, you know?

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While the kids bounced, I found hot cider and stole Josh’s jacket because he’s a walking furnace on most days anyway.

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The kids did at least go through the mini hay bale maze.  It always amazes me how much the kids change from year to year.  They’re so independent now!

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And of course the big slide. Usually one of us always goes down with Enzo, but this time he was like, No thanks, I’ve got this.  He handed his money over to the person in charge, and carried his own sack up the steps with his aunt and cousin and grandpa and Phoebe.  We were worried at first how he’d do and he definitely got nervous, which is when he started going down crooked because he tried to slow down, but then he got brave and the look of joy on his face is priceless. Phoebe was terrified, but was thrilled when she got up. Ha!

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Oh, fall.  Never change. One day the kids will think these silly slides and things are just lame, and I do not look forward to that day.

Photo Dump… with Cats

I was originally going to just title this Cat Dump, but that obviously doesn’t sound like something anyone would want to click on.  I have a lot of cat photos, though, and not a lot of cat updates.  Ziggy is getting up there in years and we’ve got her taking a joint supplement. She’s only been on it for about a week, but hopefully we’ll see improvement in her mobility soon.  In the meantime, she can most often be found in the kid’s book corner when upstairs or on the couch… or really anywhere comfy for sleeping.

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Uzi is still active and shows no signs of aging, except perhaps for his grumpy old man routine where Vega is concerned and he gives me the evil eye if I give her too much attention.  He’s been fairly needy lately and I swear at times he and Vega are just jealous siblings both vying for my love and affection on a constant basis.

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It’s funny how different the relationship is between Vega and Ziggy vs. Vega and Uzi. Vega has slightly more respect for Ziggy (doesn’t pounce on her too often) and likes to snuggle her and give her a bath, whereas with Uzi, she just wants to play and fight and annoy him and has zero respect for him.

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Look at how cute and innocent I am!!

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Get off my lawn!  Hooligans!

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We have an absurd amount of blankets and places for cats and kids to snuggle, so you really always have to be careful when you pick a pile up because one or the other could be hiding.

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See?!  Sometimes everybody plays nice!  I love how much more the cats have grown to tolerate the kids. One night Both Ziggy and Uzi hopped up on Enzo’s bed when it was time to go to sleep. They still have a love/hate relationship with Vega though, since she’s ornery and they can’t tell when she’s actually going to attack them or not.

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Just a boy and a kitty hanging out.  I’m glad that Uzi has been such a good cat to have with the kids. He’s always gentle and so very patient with them, even when his ears and tail have been pulled.

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Cats are good for the soul.

Get Outside

The past week was a busy one, and the weekend ended up being no different.  The kids were up bright and early and were ready to GO.  Our original plans changed, so we pulled out Plan B – when in doubt, go to the zoo!  We invited Josh’s dad Mike to come along with us and away we went!  Despite it being overcast, the temps were surprisingly nice and it was the emptiest the zoo has ever been when we’ve visited.  It was AMAZING!

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Finding a table to eat at was a breeze and the kids were able to wiggle and move around as much as they wanted!

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I didn’t pet the sharks, but everyone else got to, which was awesome. It’s usually really hard to find a spot for the kids when we’re here so they were thrilled.

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It might seem weird to document your kids using a hand dryer, but this is the first time EVER that they have agreed to use one. They usually are afraid of the hand dryers.  More winning!

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Onward, ho!

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Also, my husband was winning because I was able to take a few photos with my big camera and I’m actually in more than 1 or 2 photos and don’t have totally weird face!

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It was so nice for the kids to be able to run around and actually get up close to see everything without any crowds.  We don’t often get to do that and it was especially exciting at Grizzly Coast (the boys were in the water up against the glass rough-housing) and it’s awesome to get to see the bears up close.

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You’re also more able to get away with putting your kids on the fence to give them a better look at critters. Don’t worry, the Takin’s looked fairly harmless. 😉

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She’s a tree in the wind. Seriously, though… no crowds!!  We even managed to walk past the carousel and the kids didn’t even argue when we said we weren’t going to ride it that day.  Say what?!?

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Telling Grandpa all of the things and enjoying the fall leaves on our walk.  We’re already at that point where so many more trees are beyond peek and heading into the dying yellow color than are at the glorious red and orange point.  Such is life.

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My favorite.  I love mountain lions so much… bobcats too.

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We headed home a little before 4:00 and Phoebe of course crashed on the way, which also meant she didn’t want to fall asleep at bedtime, but we could also hear someone with some thumping bass, so that didn’t help.  Sunday I woke up to this glorious tree outside our bedroom window:

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Then at some point I realized I need to go grab groceries, so I loaded up Phoebe and away we went!  She managed to pinch her finger in the shopping cart wheel when we got back to the car, and was quite upset the whole ride home and most of the afternoon.  I kind of wanted to punch the old man in the parking lot who looked over at me and shook his head in that way that clearly meant I was an awful parent.  She has a blood blister, but no long-lasting damage and I have a feeling she isn’t scarred for life.

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Happy Monday… oh… errr… Tuesday. How is it Tuesday?

 

Impromptu Apple Orchard Visit

After seeing the raptor release we weren’t sure what our plans were and figured we’d give the kids a few choices and let them decide.  While there was an apple orchard right next door, we decided to head home and go to the Luce Line Orchard since it’s so close and I knew it had a play area and lots of room for the kiddos, and you’ve gotta love small town fun. While we weren’t able to actually pick the apples off the trees it was still enjoyable.  First, though, we had a little picnic lunch before hitting the road.

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Phoebe was also obsessed with big smooches that day because she’s obsessed with makeup and was hoping that some of my lipstick would transfer to her lips if she kept kissing me. Haha!

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Once we arrived I was worried we’d never move from the stack of hay bales.  Really, kids?  All you want to do is climb hay?  There are apples and caramel and caramel covered apples even!  Come on!

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Eventually they moved on, once they saw the tractor ride, of course.  They were both very excited to get their own tickets and give them to the gal doing the driving. I was a little worried that Phoebe would freak out when she realized Mommy and Daddy weren’t coming and wouldn’t be nearby for a few minutes, but she had a blast!  They both did!

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I also forgot they have food there and it’s a great place to just hang out and spend an afternoon. Definitely have to go back and will probably get some pumpkins there too.  I think that’s where Phoebe and I got our pumpkins last year.  We’ll also have to be back every year, however, maybe next time Josh shouldn’t be trusted to take them all. :p

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Phoebe was struggling with the concept of standing like Enzo so we could get an accurate measurement of height.  Sometimes I feel like I’m speaking a foreign language when talking to toddlers… “Put your feet together” becomes “spread them out as far as humanly possible” and then she kept standing on her tippy toes. Haha.

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Goofballs. Phoebe and I rocked our matching leggings. I admit it, I get as excited as she does to match. Haha. I know there’s a limited time frame for how long we’ll be able to do so. I asked Enzo if he wanted to get matching leggings and he told me leggings were for girls. Stinker. :p

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We took a little stroll and then grabbed a bag of Sweet Tango apples and caramel for dipping and headed home.  I was counting on the kids crashing hard after all the running around they did and it was nice to just take it easy until bedtime.

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One last Enzo tidbit… as we were walking along, he held up his hand as though he were looking at a phone and kept saying, “According to my phone, we’re going the wrong way.”  I’m not sure if that’s a sign we’re on our phones too often or if it’s just a normal sign of the times and instead of pretending to read a paper map like when we were kids, he’s just doing the updated version. Either way, we got a good chuckle out of that.

Preserve your memories… they’re all that’s left you.

Bonus points to those who recognize the lyrics in my blog post.

Some days I feel glued to my phone and pulled in a thousand directions.  Some days life feels chaotic and stressful and I feel like if I stop to think about it all I might crumble and fall apart. Then there are days when I turn the sound off my phone and set it aside and just… am.  Sometimes that means sitting quietly somewhere without even a book to distract me.  It’s amazing how many sounds a house can make if you really sit and listen.  With two kids, I’m not often alone in the house, but every Monday I work from home and when I’m finished, I try to take at least 15-20 minutes to just BE while I wait for Josh and the kids to get home.  Some days this means sitting quietly on the couch with my feet up and listening to Ziggy sleep (she occasionally snores) and the sounds of construction happening across the street as well as the random sounds that a house makes while watching dust specks in a ray of sun.

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It’s easy to take these moments when I’m on my own, but I’m slowly getting better at remembering to put my phone aside and to shove unwanted thoughts away for a few moments at a time. The other night at dinner I couldn’t get over how grown up Enzo seemed. I don’t recall what exactly everyone was talking about, but I felt a tug at my heart as I watched him. Do you ever have those moments where you’re talking to someone and want to commit every little detail to memory?  It was one of those. I wanted to remember the exact color of his hair and how in the sunlight you can see bits of gold. I wanted to remember the exact blue of his eyes and the mischievous way they sparkle. I wanted to capture his dimple and his smile and for a moment I wanted to just freeze time because every day he gets bigger and bigger and it seems like more and more I forget the tiny little things and I don’t want to forget Enzo at 4 when he still retains just a hint of babyness.

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Thank goodness Phoebe is still very much a toddler in so many ways, despite being almost 3 and pretty much a preschooler.  She’s still terribly attached to her nukie and insists on snuggles morning noon and night. Enzo was never a big snuggler and has always been more independent and wanting to do his own thing.  I love their differences and am still in awe that we created these tiny people.

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Time is indeed fleeting.