My kids loving riding on the grocery cart.
Bedtime Story
Our blogs are as much for me as they are for you. I love recording the moments in our life that make me smile. I frequently go back and review it all. My kids love looking at pictures of when they were in my tummy and when they were babies. The blogs are my photo albums of our lives. And so, they will often include the pictures that make up the miracles of ordinary days, including trips to the grocery store and bedtime stories.
My wonderful husband volunteered with Delta to build a Habitat for Humanity house this week.
My handsome hubby
Fall officially hit our house while we were in Washington last weekend. This is how our yard looked when we got home – completely covered in leaves.
We moved the trampoline inside for the winter. The kids are loving it! Nothing like being able to jump in your jammies!
We raked up the leaves in the yard and took some fall pictures of the kids.
We made some homemade chocolate chip cookies! Yummy!
Cale sneaking chocolate chips
Today we took a road trip to Stillwater, MN and then crossed over into Wisconsin. It was a beautiful drive!
We drove up to see Afton Alps – the area ski resort.
The St. Croix River – in Minnesota looking over the river at Wisconsin
The weather is changing here very quickly. This highs this week are in the low 40s and upper 30s. Fall is fading quickly, and winter is beginning to sneak in. Loving this sweater weather!
(and a couple of uncles as well!)
Last weekend we flew to Washington to spend some time with family. It was a very fast trip for us. We flew in Friday night after Steve got off of work and flew out Sunday around lunchtime. Due to the short time frame of our visit, we didn’t get to see everyone this time. But we had a great visit while we were there.
The Dolans are moving to Haiti to be the Directors of Widow and Orphan Care in Fond Des Negres, Haiti. (You can find out more on their blog.) The family had a going-away party for them (which was the primary reason for our visit).
Claire and Cale (along with Valerie Bunny and Roar) on the flight to PDX
The Osterholm Family
Aunt Nicole, Grandpa, Uncle Tom, Aunt Emily, Aunt Tamara, Grandma, Tyger, Aunt Kalei, Uncle John (Osterholm), Grandpa O, Grandma O, Daddy, Cale, Claire, Mommy, Addison, Aunt Jill, Lucas, Keegan, Katie, Caleb, Sarah and Ellie (You can barely see the back of Ellie’s pink shirt.) Kalei’s boyfriend, Aaron, took the picture.
Aunt Emily, Claire, Ellie and Lucas
Sarah and Cale
Aunt Nicole and Aunt Kalei
Lucas and Claire – Lucas spent a lot of time teaching Claire how to use his Nintendo DS.
Back at Granny’s house…
Cale showing Aunt Lori his phone
Aunt Lori brought supplies to make cards. Claire and her Aunt Kasey and Aunt Dawn spent a few hours making cards.
Cale fell in love with Gramps’ camera.
Gramps took us out to breakfast and bought Aunt Kasey and Claire hot chocolate. Yummy!
After breakfast, we stopped by Gramps’ house, and Claire got to climb up into Gramps’ truck.
We told her to climb up and pull the string. She was surprised at what happened!
Cale and Aunt Kasey
Claire and Grandpa
Claire and Granny
Cale and Grandpa
Flying home
Back home in Minneapolis
It was a fast trip, but it was so much fun!
September was Steve’s birthday month. It involved quite a bit of celebrating. So much fun!
There were also a lot of fun ordinary days.
Claire spent some time looking through my bridal magazines that I kept from when Steve and I got married. I knew that someday I would share them with my daughter. I had no idea that she’d be the ripe old age of four when I did.
She has picked out her dream wedding dress. My girl has ESQUISITE taste! (She loves the dress on the right. GORGEOUS!)
MiMi and PopPop came to visit and stayed for week! It was so much fun!
We took PopPop and MiMi to the Chutes and Ladders park to play.
Cale taking PopPop up the ladder to slide down the huge slide
Cale loves slides!
Claire has learned to climb rock walls – and in flip-flops no less!
Then we went out to dinner at Chevy’s. Yummy!
We took MiMi and PopPop to Minnehaha Falls.
We celebrated Steve’s 34th birthday!
Claire and Cale made their daddy birthday cards.
Claire helped me make Daddy’s birthday cake – chocolate and peanut butter – YUMMY!!!
Cale loves birthday cake!
And so does Claire!
My kids love playing “choo-choo,” especially with PopPop!
MiMi and PopPop also helped us celebrate an early birthday for Cale during their visit. We started with a trip to Mall of America to ride some rides. Such fun!
Birthday Boys
My Girl
And the funniest ride of the night
We thought this kiddie ride just went around in a circle. Turns out it whips around the corners. What a funny surprise!
And, of course, we rode the carousel.
Back at home, Cale got to open presents, with the help of his sister, of course!
“Flying” his new airplane
Thank you, PopPop!
Claire got a few prizes from MiMi and PopPop too!
Reading with PopPop
Playing with his new airplane
Cheese!
Reading with MiMi
Giggling with MiMi
Ready for church
Claire wearing the nails MiMi gave her
And the “jigsore” that MiMi gave to Claire (I have no idea why she calls it a “jigsore.” She can say jigsaw, but chooses not to. My girl cracks me up!)
We also visited the Basilica of Saint Mary. It is gorgeous!!
We had a marvelous time with MiMi and PopPop! Happy 34th Birthday, Steven Lee Norton! What a great month we had in September!
