Crazy Month!

November was crazy! We had two episodes of sickness, first ear infections and croup, and then the stomach flu a couple weeks later. Thankfully we were healthy when we needed to be. Our good friends from Illinois visited us this month. The boys had a blast playing with Tor, Bruce and Alice. We went to the Children's Museum, MOA, and of course had fun swimming at the hotel. I also enjoyed a visit from a friend who I haven't seen in 10 years. She lives in NC.....I'm trying to convince her that she should move to MN. She's turned off by the cold. Good thing she's not here today.....it's freezing!!!

I did some teaching at Crossroads Elementary School (a year-round school in St. Paul). I had a wonderful group of 3rd graders (only 17 of them!) for a week and a half during the school's Intercession. They have 3 of these during the year, and it's a perfect opportunity for me to keep my skills sharp doing something I love. The boys were troopers, being taken care of several people. Thanks to our amazing support system!

We spent Thanksgiving with my family in Rochester. There were 18 of us, and Lawrence did most of the cooking. He made a fabulous 25-pound turkey.....guess who'll never cook a Thanksgiving meal again? :-)

November also marked the first preview service for Living Stones Covenant Church! We're part of an exciting church plant in South Minneapolis (meeting at South High School). Check out the blog....next service is Dec. 16. http://www.livingstonescov.blogspot.com/

Happy Halloween!

The boys had fun trick-or-treating with their cousins. Mom and Dad are enjoying the stash of candy as much as the boys :-) (the benefit of having kids too young to know any better!)

Birthday Boy

Jordan turned 2 this week! We had a fun party with family over for dinner and cake. He had a lot of "help" opening gifts!

My birthday was spent at the cabin this year with friends Elisa and the Runions. We had a blast playing in the leaves, roasting marshmallows, and enjoying the gorgeous weather. Fall has always been my favorite season....weekends like this confirm that!

AJ is at the age now where he can help pick out birthday presents. When daddy brought him to the store to buy a present for me, he picked out matchbox cars. After showing me my "present" I asked him if I could play with the cars and he said, "No, they're just for little kids."

Living in the Moment

There are many days when I look around at the mess my house is in and then I stop and watch my boys playing. I love getting down on the floor with my kids. I’ve heard countless wisdom from other parents that tells me how fast kids grow up, and even though some days feel as if they'll never end, I trust that wisdom. So if anyone should decide to drop in unexpectedly, be prepared to trip over some toys! (And try to overlook the dust. :-)

Rub-A-Dub-Dub

Micah has recently mastered sitting by himself, so we decided he's ready to join his brothers during bathtime. He was actually a little fussy this evening but was happy as soon as he got in the tub with his brothers. AJ was very concerned about being careful not to splash him or scare him.

Apple Orchard

We went to Afton Apple Orchard yesterday to go apple picking. It was a little chilly, but the kids had a great time. They loved the bumpy hayride and AJ felt like a big boy carrying the bag of apples. This has become a tradition for our family!