Ice Tubing!

We had great intentions of going sledding on Christmas Day, but ended up taking naps, reading, playing, watching movies, and having an ultra lazy day instead. We also got two awesome snow tubes as a Christmas gift from aunt Kathryn, so couldn't wait to try them out this weekend.

Saturday after nap, we bundled up and headed over to Creek Valley in Edina, which is the hill that Jon grew up sledding on. Despite the icy conditions....we had a BALL!! Again, I am not sure if the kids or Jon & I had more fun...until one of our tubes popped that is!! :)

Here is some fancy video footage that I just love.....
thanks to Jonathan, the camera stunt man~

Pre-Christmas Festivities........

The holidays are near judging by the view out my picture window, and by the crazy schedule we are trying to keep these days!! Our calender is full of festivities and here are just a few to share:

Hayden and Erica all dressed in red for their preschool Christmas party:

A little Santa action......

Erica sat on Santa's lap first, and was a little (ok, a lot) skiddish. He tried to get her to
talk about what she wanted, and to touch his beard, but she looked about like this (one step from tears) the whole time she was on his lap.

Hayden on the other hand.....had a list about a mile long for Santa!!
I think Santa had to cut him off half way through his requests!

A cute self portrait of Jon and Erica from the party...

Here is some footage of the kids singing Christmas carols in their elf hats:

And finally the kids and I this morning before leaving to go see Peef The Christmas
Bear at Stages Theater in Hopkins:

Well, that's all I've got for now--but definitely more to come on this subject!!!

A Very Belated Trick Or Treat!

Argh, I am finally getting around to posting these Halloween photos of the kids. They were saved as a draft from the day after Halloween, and then I forgot all about them. Oh well, better late than never, right?!

Here is Hayden the "Fruit Bat"
I brought the costume home for him, and after trying it on and flying around the house for a while...he let me know that he wasn't just any old bat, but a fruit bat. Apparently there is a huge difference, and he wanted to be clear about it! He is a very literal boy~

And Erica as a Monkey or "Curious George." You may recognize this costume, as Hayden wore it last year. Their mom is a cheapskate, so it only made sense to use get another wear out of this cute, little costume! She made the cutest little monkey noises to sound convincing, too!!

Here they are with their friends & neighbors, Kendall & Taylor. We trick or treated
around the neighborhood with them, and had a ball.......

......while Jon stayed home to hand out candy & scare our trick or treaters!
Our home all decked out for Halloween:

This was his remote controlled, pneumatic ghost in the bushes:

Look out trick-or-treaters next year, as he plans to "kick it up a notch" for the next spooky season! That's my inventor husband, gotta love him! :)

Leaf Pile = Kid Magnet

A few requisite photos of jumping and playing in the leaves before they get bagged up and hauled off by the garbage truck!! What is it about leaf piles that just BEG to be jumped in? I remember it as a kid, and our children are no different...as you can see, they are enjoying themselves thoroughly!

More Fall Fun

Hayden and Erica have been asking us for weeks now if we can have a camp fire, but it has been frigid, so we kept saying no. That is until Wednesday. It was a gorgeous fall day, and a very temperate evening, so we had a nice fire in the backyard. Just like all those good ol' summer nights....that I am missing already!

We were out of S'mores ingredients, but we improvised with homemade Chocolate cake that I had made earlier that day. Yummy!! We decided we never needed S'mores again if we had that as a substitution!

Here is Hayden acting like a "scary monster." Pretty scary, eh??

.....and Erica, looking like the Lady in Red (& Pink, but I didn't have the heart to tell her she was mis-accessorizing :))

Biking Excursions

One of the things we have most been looking forward to in our new neighborhood is getting out on our bikes and enjoying Hyland Park (which is just minutes from our home). Thanks to some beautiful fall evenings, and Hayden's new Trail-a-bike, we have been able to do just that.

Here we all are getting ready to head out on an adventure--looking like the nerdy, helmet-clad safety family. What can I say, we figured if we were going to make them wear helmets, we ought to set a good example, too.

Hayden LOVES his new trail-a-bike, and is actually a pretty strong little pedaler behind me. He thinks he's quite the big boy because this bike doesn't have training wheels.
Erica is happy in the Burley. She brings along a juice cup, a baby doll, and a few books--and just enjoys the scenery. Who wouldn't love that ride?

Hopefully we will get one more ride in before the snow flies?????

Oodles of Pumpkins, Apples & Fall Fun

This Saturday was our annual Apple Orchard get together with the Weiss and Ingvaldson crew. I can't even remember how many years this year made, but I do know that we started out with just one child per couple, and we are now officially out numbered by children, as the Ingvaldson's just welcomed their third baby girl in August. Our crew now consists of 6 adults, and 7 children. It can get a little chaotic at times, but is oh so much fun!!

A quick family photo in front of the pumpkins while everyone was still happy!!
(Don't be surprised if that ends up being our Christmas card pic this year :))

H checking out a prime pumpkin, and E posing in front of a random fall display. Gotta love that scrunched up nose smile!!

The highlight of the experience for the kids was probably the cow train ride. Hayden and Erica rode together, with Natalie ahead of them, and Paige and Breanna ahead of her. So cute!! I just LOVE this video & the photo that follows.

Here they are looking back at dad taking their photo as they zoom off into the field......smiling and having SO much fun!!



And finally a photo of our whole group. WOW, have we grown over the years! It is crazy to me to think that this friendship actually started as three young married couples getting together every summer to go on canoe trips in Wisconsin..... before even the thought of children!! Now here we are...years later, and more importantly 7 children later!!!! Oh, and I suppose we look a few years older, as well. :) The joy has been not only watching our friendships grow, but watching our children's friendships grow and blossom over the years-- they are fast friends every time see one another.

Top Row (L-R): Tammie, Jon, Breanna, Tammy, Jeff, Scott & Tanya (holding baby Addison)
Bottom Row (L-R): Hayden, half of Erica, Paige, Jocelyn & Natalie

After picking many pounds of apples & some raspberries, we all packed up and headed home--with very tired children, I might add! Such a fun fall outing with cherished friends.