recap

We had an awesome trip to Delano!  Hayden, Braylee, and Audrey played great together. I would say they definitely enjoyed being together. Both Hayden and Braylee stayed home from daycare on Thursday and Friday to play with Audrey and me. We had loads of fun doing many things! We ran to the park, played in the rain, watched movies and ate popcorn, and just played. By Saturday Audrey was ready to have some of her own space, I think. She was becoming very short with Braylee (pulling her hair out and literally pushing her). Hayden is such a good cousin, well they both are. But with Hayden being older, he just helps so much with her. On Thursday I even got ALL three kids to take a nap in the same room, at the same time. On Friday, not so much. I let Hayden stay up a little later than the other two. Braylee and Audrey had "different" plans than taking a nap, they wanted to play together. :) After about an hour, I sent Braylee to a different room. I'm surprised the two little girls didn't get Audery out of her crib to play. Instead Braylee just put all of the toys in Audreys cri, totally cute. We left Delano Saturday night about 8pm and arrived at Grandma Marys at about 10pm. Audrey was literally sleeping while we were still in Delano, she continued to sleep the whole way. Once we arrived at grandmas, she kept sleeping for a while then woke up to sleep with me in a bed. It was a FIRST time, she rolled OUT of the bed. Whoops! One of the highlights of the Delano trip was watching Hayden at swimming lessons! I absolutely miss hanging out with the Rues on a regular basis....but absolutely love the life we are living.

Other updates--

I start Jr.High Track tomorrow.

Audrey had another first--run away. I didn't know where she went. Stopped to listen to her voice...sounded like she was outside...yep, she was.

Audrey drinks about 2 sippy cups before bed of milk...loves milk?

I'm really enjoying my job. Along with little brother/sister, I've also started teaching pre-school (headstart) half days, monday-thursday. I did apply for a couple jobs through the school. So we will see what works out.

delano

Trip to Delano

Our adventure started at 4pm on Tuesday afternoon. We stopped at the local coffee shop, Brenda’s, before leaving town. While Ken was waiting in the “minivan” with Audrey, my parents arrived in town and stopped by. They have been out of town for a week helping my sister move to Cleveland. So even if it was just for five minutes in the “minivan”, it was great to see them before we headed out of town.

As I’m typing this, we have been on the road for 2 ½ hours and Audrey has been awake the whole trip. She first looked at books before throwing them to the floor (which I refused to pick up as it was becoming a game). Then we had snacks, look at different books, and sang songs. Audrey asked to sing, “wheels on the bus” and head/shoulder/knees/toes.” We counted and sang our abc’s. Such fun things to do!

My favorite quote of the trip (Ken talking to Mitch on phone), I have not been to a Walmart since black Friday!

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We have a fabulous visit in Verndale with Grandma Mary, Grandpa Marvin, Jim, Nate, Kathy, Steve, and Preston. We arrived at the farm about 7:45, just in time for grandma's dinner! We finally got Audrey to bed at about 10pm, after playing with everyone. She warmed right up to everyone, except Jim. :) But by Wednesday morning, she was a fan of Jim. Audrey loved seeing the cows, baby baby calfs, chickens, and playing in the wagon. Audrey slept about 1 1/2 hours on the way to Delano.

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Today is Thursdays and I kept Hayden & Braylee home with Audrey and I. Ken is at the state basketball games. We've had such a fun day watching movies and cartoons on this rainy day! I normally would not allow them to watch this much tv, but with the rain...why not! We are planning on going outside after nap as the rain has stopped. Can you believe all three kids took a nap in the same room? I didn't even have to go into the room once, to remind them it's nap time. What a proud Auntie!!

Pictures when we return

wonderful weekend

I feel confident that spring has arrived in Northern Minnesota. On Friday it was 71, Saturday it was 72, and Today (Sunday) is suppose to be 74. On Saturday morning, our house was a zoo. We had a play date with some friends over here, and the children sure had fun! The kids were busy playing down stairs with the kitchen set, jumping on the air mattress, and who knows what else. Upstairs you could find them playing play-dough, playing with the toddler toys, or crying (Audrey). Audrey was not sure about sharing all of her toys, yet alone, letting her mom hold another baby. After everyone left about 12 oclock, Audrey and I literally ran ( 2miles) in the jogging stroller to the pharmacy to buy Kenneth some allergy meds. We returned home for a nap, then biked to the park by the pizza ranch (about 3 miles round trip). We were all exhausted by 8pm. Kenneth had spent the day INSIDE at the school, getting certified to become a lifeguard.

This morning, Audrey slept in until 9:30, which is like some type of record. We played outside, rode our bikes to a local cafe for brunch, came home, and played some playdough. The next thing I knew Audrey was laying on the floor ready for nap (about 11:45).

a friday night

Pretty good Friday night. Audrey & I went to the grocery store, ate dinner @ my parents, Audrey to bed, laundry, packed for the weekend, made cinnamon rolls & monkey bread (in freezer), listened to Kenneth's last basketball game of the season, and now off to work in my pre-school binders. :) Woot. Woot.

Here is a picture of Audrey whens she was 8 months old...

little girl big girl

Each day, Audrey, reminds me that my little girl is truly turning into a big girl. I've caught her on multiple occasions, saying Thank you or please without needing any reminders. Last night, half way through dinner she reminded us that we didn't pray before we ate. Therefore we had to stop dinner and pray.

language

Audrey amazes us and everyone around us each and everday with how much she can verbalize. My favorite part of it, she can tell somebody what happened. This last week, Audrey was in the tub and Ken noticed something on her arm. Ken asked her what happened and this was her response, "jack bite, christy no-no." Her in world, Jack bit her at daycare, and Christy told him No no. It was priceless. At a basketball game this week...Audrey had the wiggles pretty bad. I brought her out in the hallway and said, "Audrey you need to sit nice, all this moving around is not okay." As we headed back into the gym she wanted to sit with papa. The moment she sat with him, this came out of her mouth, "mommy said sit, no no moving." I gues she can comprehend :)

Audrey is about 20 1/2 months old. She loves puzzels, books, art projects, changing her baby's poop diaper, laying on the couch with dad before bed, shoveling outside, playing an aminal game on papa's ipad, sweeping the floor, her nuki, skyping with the rues, riding in grandmas car so she can watch a movie, playing with the bears at the lake, and dancing.

We did end up buying a new camera. :)