Grandmas are the best :)

Last Friday, Grandma Carol came over to play with the kids for a few hours. I came home from errands to find them ALL playing on the top level in the new playset :). They were having a great time.

We then got the kids ready to go meet friends at Happy Joe's and to go to a Halloween Parade. She helped me load Brielle & John in the car and I was ready to pull out of the garage, when I saw her waiting to close the garage door behind us. I asked if she was leaving at the same time as me because, if so, I should be the one closing the garage after she leaves. She told me to go on ahead. I left and she stayed. I had a feeling she was up to something :).

Later that night when we got home from the parade, we found this staring at us from our front window! AHHHH!

When we showed the kids, they were really quiet & not sure what to think. I asked Brielle if she liked the new Halloween decoration and she said slowly said, "...no...". I asked why not and she said, "Because his face is missing above his nose." haha! However, they have grown to like him, and Tim has named this creature "Mr. Green." It really is eerie how this face glows as the light passes through.

The surprises weren't over yet. Both kids' rooms, which earlier looked like a storm had blown through, were perfectly clean. I took some pictures of Brielle's room because it was so cute how Grandma Carol arranged everything.

This bed usually gets made only once per week... or when guests are coming over.

Brielle's "Ariel sisters" had their own special place on her bed...

One of her baby dolls was nicely tucked in to her stroller...

Toys & books were all lined up...

And everything was in its place. Thanks, Grandma!

And, by the way, Happy Birthday! We love you!

Our little helpers

Last Sunday, Tim & I decided to start a project together: a backyard playset for the kids. John & Brielle went to Grandma Carol's & Grandpa Ted's house for the afternoon (thank you!), and we had 5 solid hours to devote to the assembly. We worked very well together: I was in charge of reading the directions (of course, since I like to follow all the rules & details) and Tim did all the cutting, drilling, hammering, etc (thanks to Terry for the chop saw & drill). By sunset we had most of the framework done for the tower & the swingset.


Once the work week started, however, we only had about 1 hour each night that we could work before it got too dark. On these nights, we had 2 more helpers :). And THEY wanted to be sure to be helping with every step that they could!


Brielle & John decided to pick up this piece of wood on their own, carry it to the playset, and lay it somewhere where they thought it should go.




Look below to see where they put that long board: leaning on the left side...



John wanted to have a "tool" in his hand at all times. For awhile it was the tape measure he wouldn't put down. And we only have ONE tape measure. (Tim said he will probably need to put "tape measure" on his Christmas list this year, so he & John can each have their own.)

John was also using the hammer every chance he had.

Brielle decided to arrange the extra pieces of wood in this fashion:



Of course, as any 2 & 3 year-olds would be, John & Brielle were so proud that they were able to help out. As the week went on, we added 2 swings, rings, a slide, a ladder, a climbing wall, a telescope, a steering wheel, a fence for the upper level, and closed the lower level in so that it is more like a house. And thanks to this nice October weather, John & Brielle have been able to enjoy it before it gets too cold.

Decoration Modification

Brielle & her cousin Josie thought thought that our Halloween decorations outside needed a little accessorizing. They said this particular one --on the right-- was a girl, and they needed to fix up her hair. :)

Goldilocks & Baby Bear :)

Milk + Straw + 2-year-old =

Growing up

Morning conversation with Brielle during breakfast.

B: "Where's daddy?"

Me: "In Chicago for a meeting."

B: "Oh... did Alexia live there one time?"

Me: "Yes."

B: "Oh... and now where does she live?"

Me: "Iowa City."

B: "Why?"

Me: "She's going to dental school."

B: "Why?"

Me: "Because she's going to be a dentist."

B: "Why?"

Me: "Because when you grow up, you have to work."

B: "But Alexia didn't grow up yet..." :)

John keeping watch over his mom's cake :)

Our favorite apples come from Czipar's

John was really loving this tractor too...

he probably sat on it for 20 minutes :)

Big Hill= Fun

John & Brielle went to their cousins' football games last weekend. The highlight of this outing was playing on this great HILL :)

Harvest Days

We took the kids to Sherrill this past weekend for Harvest Days. There were a lot of fun activities for the kids... and no admission fee!

Right when we got there, John was already asking to go for a ride on "the train."

We chose the John Deere one to ride in :)


Brielle wasn't quite ready for a ride because she was too interested in admiring the goats. :)

And next was the see-saw.

John & Brielle are pretty evenly balanced on the see-saw. Tim was there for support... and in case one of them decided to jump off too soon.

There was a one-room school house to explore.

They both took turns pumping some water.

And of course, we picked out a few pumpkins.

It was a lot warmer 2 weeks ago

...when the kids played in the River...

...and enjoyed a snack sitting on the front of Grandpa's new boat.

A New House

Brielle & John have been enjoying this "new house." Our wicker porch furniture came in this box. We've had it for one year and they have played in it a lot, but only recently did Tim make the roof & door. So it's like a brand new toy again:).

As you'll see below, John brought most of his bedding in! Brielle & John even talked about taking their naps there. We were all for it... but unfortunately it didn't happen. They were having too much fun:).

Lunch Date with the Kids

Just a few snapshots from a lunch outing we had back in August. The kids think it's a big deal when they get to eat in a restaurant :). They enjoyed it... and so did we.

An "Eskimo kiss"

Brielle is sitting by me as I type this entry. Here's the conversation we just had:

Me: "Brielle why do you like going to restaurants?"

B: "Because they have food."

Me: "Do you remember what you had to eat?"

B: "ummmm.... maybe a girl cheese?" (translation: grilled cheese)

Me: "And what did John have?"

B: "Maybe a cheeseburger, or a girl cheese... or a boy cheese."

Cheap Labor :)

A month ago, Brielle & Pierce got to help paint Becky's new bathroom downstairs as part of the basement remodel. Becky decked them out in their paint shirts and they helped Grandma B for about an hour, I think.

Check out how little Brielle's paintbrush is here... haha:)

Brielle was pretty excited to tell us all about how she painted the WALLS. It's not everyday that a 3 year old is told to paint on the walls:).