Halloween

Ryan helped the kids carve pumpkins this year. I was feeling a bit large... especially since I went into labor the next morning. He always does such a great job anyways. 

 Zola didn't like getting dirty at all!

 Dennis cleaned out his own pumpkin this year! And he did a pretty good job at it too.

 Dennis was a glow in the dark skeleton! He loved it.

 And Zola was "woman woman" (wonder woman). Aren't they the cutest ever?

This is Zola just a couple of hours before trick or treating.. She was pretty sick. But, when I asked here there was no doubt that she wanted to go out. And, while we were out, I asked her if she wanted to go home- because it was really cold. She said no. That she wanted to stay outside.

Dennis was so excited he ran from house to house leaving Zola and I way behind in his dust.

fall- out of order

We are so proud of Dennis and his hard work in learning to read. The summer reading program at our public library gave prizes for reading 10 books for Dennis' age group. He finished that in a couple of days. We then started making our own goals. He started the summer with the goal of reading 50 books and got a couple of super soakers mid July for his reward. Then for the next 50 books he read he got to go to a mega playground called shoots and ladders with his cousin James. 

 Last winter Dennis didn't like skating at all. He was mad the whole time we were on the ice. But something happened and at preschool graduation he said that he wanted to be a hockey player when he grew up. And when hockey season came around he was so excited to get started.

it was so fun to watch him skate and have fun with it. He is really getting the hang of it and keeping his knees bent and getting some speed. I love everything about it. The smell of the rink really makes me feel at home. I seriously spend a lot of my life at the rink- either doing what Zola is doing or learning to skate myself. 

 Kristen was able to come and visit us! It was so much fun. We went to the apple orchard and road on a hay ride and found a ton of delicious apples.

 Zola got so spoiled with Kristen here. She would ask Kristen to hold her even just around the house. She got carried everywhere.

 more adventures with Kristen later....l

"baby in there?"

My cute kids in their car that they made with Grandma.

... and back to Kristen's visit. We went to the zoo.. and fed the goats. It was cold but so fun.

The goats only liked the green leaves that were soft. They weren't interested in the brown ones at all.

Dylan and Stephanie's wedding

We went up to the Itasca state park for my second cousin's wedding. It was beautiful and a little chilly. The trip was a little hard because Ryan couldn't come with us. He was in San Francisco at a conference... the poor guy. ;)

 The wedding was held on a boat on lake Itasca. So much fun. They had fun packs for the kids since there wouldn't be much for them to do. They had these wax sticks that my mom formed into some stylish glasses for the kids.

 Dylan and Stephanie lighting their candle. Dylan is my Dad's cousin David's son.

 These two are the best of friends... and they are super cool dudes. Yes, Dennis is wearing flip flops on a day where everyone is wearing their coat.

 We had our own dance party up on the top deck. What can I say? If there is music, we like to move our hips!

 Thankfully we had a tarp to block the wind... but Owen and Zola peaked under to feel the breeze. It was cold!

We shared a cabin with Randy and his family- surprisingly cheaper than a hotel. It was so beautiful and fun (minus the poopy pants without running water to clean up). The kids got to sleep on two pull out couches in the living room... well that's where they started but of course ended up in bed with me.  I LOVE northern Minnesota.

 Then we went to the head of the Mississippi river. It was my first time there.

 The gang of besties. Zola has a wild imagination. She was talking about catching a birdie that was going to fall from the tree the whole way down to the headwaters. It was very exciting for her.

 ... and ta-da! There is where the Mississippi starts. Right out of Lake Itasca.

It is so fun to watch Owen and Zola run around together. They play so well and understand each other more than we do. It is pretty funny how that works.

"The Mississippi's mighty and it starts in Minnesota, at a place that you can walk across with 5 steps down." - Indigo Girls