September... at least the first half

Our afternoon snuggle since Will refused his afternoon nap. Ainsley is missing because she was a good little lady and took her nap.

Wow how time is flying! It was summer one day, and fall the next. The kids were swimming in the pool one day and the next day it was COLD. It has never warmed back up. The pool was brittle from the cold and broke when I tried to drain it. I was not very happy. I am not ready for winter. Fall is almost tainted with the dread of winter. And I love fall!

So here is what has been happening here:


The girls pretending they are in bunk beds. It was really cute. Their real bunk beds are done. Well sort of. There is a top and a bottom and they sleep in them. There is no ladder and the rails didn't work either. We have learned a lot. The ladder didn't fit. It made for a very sad week. We are now back in the saddle (and speaking to each other) and have redesigned the ladder to fit what we want. The rails also weren't high enough so those have been redesigned. I hesitate to say it but I think we might feel a bit of excitement to finish this. We will see.


We made it to the State Fair. No big deal for most of the county but we live in Minnesota and it IS Minnesota. Marcus' company had a "fair day" so we went. We had a good time but the best part was Reagan riding the Ferris Wheel. She wanted to in Utah and I said no. I have regretted it ever since. She is constantly asking about riding one. Needless to say, she was thrilled. Well actually, both girls were thrilled.






I have also been organizing/cleaning out. The biggest project so far was the kid's stuff in the kitchen (ie coloring books, puzzles, games, paper, markers and on and on). The cabinet we were using has never worked well so I gave up my biggest cabinet (also the easiest to access) and it is world's better. The kids love it too.



This past month there has been a lot of energy spent on deciding what we want for our family this year. We are reaching the stage where you could easily fill up with many events each week. It is actually challenging to guard the time at home. But that is what we are doing. We decided not to put Reagan in preschool. This was a big decision. People just don't do this in Minnesota. I know it is what is best for us. So far, I think Ainsley is happiest about this. Mom is a close second though.


Reagan is super bright. She is learning how to read right now and is quick with math. It is fun to see her brain at work. She loves to draw, dance, pretend, and ride her bike. She has been lucky to have found a couple of really sweet friends this past year. An answer to prayers for her parents. Oh how I love this girl!


Ainsley is almost three. That about sums it up! But seriously. She is liking her momma more these days. She is still a cuddly little girl and looks like she is 4. She is very tall. A little embarrassing when she is throwing a fit. I wish she had a sign that said, "I am two." She is a couple of inches shorter than Reagan and they fight over clothes like crazy. Luckily, they are also super good to each other. I hope they will be able to rely on each other their entire lives.


Ains is also our teaser. It just intensifies with age. She has a little snicker now too. If she knows something will irritate someone, she is doing it. We call her our stinker. She is still as loud as ever. Will loves this quality. Her hair is beautiful. I get comments about her hair every week. Speaking of hair, she threw a huge fit today because I put her hair in a side ponytail instead of straight in the back. Lots of crying. It was very cute and I would have taken a picture if not for the fit/screaming (although that could have been a good picture too).

Will is the family favorite right now. I think if we had another kid it would be hard on Will because of the amount of love and attention he currently gets from the whole family. There are many hugs and kisses throughout the day and it is always a fight about who gets to be by Will. He is into everything as usual. His current obsession is the banister, or throwing things down the banister. There is a bookshelf right next to it and he takes the books one at a time and tosses them down. Awesome!


He can officially get to all of the table except the very center. He can also reach the counters. He is still pulling on the freezer but thankfully, it stays shut.



He pushes his highchair around everyday. He also loves the mini trampoline that we have and can officially get on the couches by himself. Another new passion is standing on the little rocking chair. It will be a miracle if he survives childhood.

Our little man at 14 months and in need of a haircut. He broke his first molar today.