Weekend Pictures

Not much to say except the kids and I had a great weekend.  Sure glad Daddy left the note about being good, Will seems to have taken it to heart. 

At Ryder's Pirate Bday. (Kristy I stole these pics from you, hope that's ok)

Pirate Madelyn

I am not sure what they were doing, I just know they were in on Will's bed playing and I was not allowed. Until Will comes running out saying "Mommy come quick Maddie bonked her head" I get there and she is sitting on the bed laughing....

Will decided to give monkey a piggy back

Poor monkey

Cookies and milk and strawberry snack

Yum!

Good down to the last drop.

Played firefighter and fire breathing dragon.

Fire fighter Will!

Playing with the rocks

And then we ended the weekend having meatballs for supper because that's what Daddy would be eating in Sweden and then going swimming, sorry no pictures there, trying to keep both kids above the water kept me busy enough.

Happy Birthday Grandpa

 

Madelyn singing Happy Birthday to Grandpa. 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Mv9v6aPgwA&feature=youtu.be

 

 

 

Six Night

Six nights, the number of nights Chris is gone to Sweden (well five more).  Six nights is a long time for kids.  Will understands is starting to understand the concept of time.  Madelyn not so much.

So what will keep us busy this weekend?

• We have a birthday party, which we have to buy the present for yet.
• I have tomatoes that need to be made into salsa.
• We have house cleaning to do.
• We have laundry to do.
• We have a thanksgiving craft to do, which is probably going to require a trip to the dollar store.
• Supposed to be beautiful out so probably a couple of trips to the park.
• Oh and of course grocery shopping.
• Maybe we will chill out one night have a movie night with popcorn, I can almost guarantee the movie will the The Lorax.

I think this should keep us busy which is good because busy is always good, keeps little kids from missing Daddy too much.

The Goose Egg

Scratches on cheek and under nose

Goose Egg

Yes she is okay!

How did it happen?
Will was riding the quad you sit on and push with feet, Madelyn was behind holding on/pushing, Will moved when she was not ready and let's just say cement and faces/heads do not get along.

Funny thing is Will cried longer because he hurt Madelyn, then she did because she was hurt. Nothing a shower, some Tylenol and chocolate pudding could not solve.

First big goose egg for Madelyn, thought it should probably be documented.

Fading Nap

Nap time is fading in our house, this has become apparent over the last month or so.  Most days we still get a nap but there is more and more protest to the concept of a nap, in fact many days at breakfast Will is explaining to us what he needs to do over nap time so he just cannot nap.

Is this partially our fault? Possibly, since he started to not to nap everyday we have taken that approach that some days it is just easier to not make nap time a priority, for example when we are at the farm, the guys are combining, why not let a little boy be out there farming. 

Should he still nap everyday? Probably, we can generally tell days when he has not napped as the evening can get a bit challenging.... I think this word better then others I could use.

But the bottom line is, you cannot force a child to sleep, only give them the opportunity.  We have mandatory nap/quiet time at home (different rules always apply at Grandma and Grandpas house).  Must go to room and be quiet until 2:00.  If Will is not sleeping by 2 then we have taken the stance a nap is not going to happen on said day and he gets to come out and play quietly or watch a show until Madelyn wakes up.  Until we consistently do not get nap or quiet time in the room turning into a monkey jumping on the bed we will continue with quiet time. 

I have to say I have mixed emotions about the loss of nap time.  In one way it will be nice to be able to do things over the afternoon with just Will, but on the other hand since Madelyn still definitely needs that nap it is so much easier if they both nap, especially since we have to be home for her nap. 

I think I will have to hit up the dollar store for some activity books which may become part of quiet time for Will in the upcoming months. 

As I type this is it 1:45 and I still hear thumping coming for the room, I am thinking today is one of those non-nap days. Hopefully we still have a cooperative little boy tonight!

Pumpin Hollow

Last year we went to Pumpkin Hollow and the kids had a blast, so we thought we had best check it out again this year and it did not disappoint.  Amazing what kids remember when we told Will we were going to go to the corn maze, he remembered all the other things that were there, from the large bouncy pillow, to the corn sand box, to pony rides and slides and of course the corn maze. 

I have to say for the kids the corn maze was probably the least favourite thing, in fact Will said can we go back to the corn maze, but we don't have to go through the maze we can just do the other things.  I think all the other things are just so much fun there!

It was great fun and will continue to be an annual event for our family!

Well we tried for a nice picture

Looking for trouble...

Bouncing!

Cow train.

"Corn" box

Ponies, were also goats, sheep, cow.

We survived the maze.  Kids were getting tired and both wanted Mommy!

Space foam pictures after tubbies.  I am always amazed on Madelyn's attention span for crafts and her dexterity.  She was peeling the stickers almost as good as Will!

Pony tail

My baby girl is no longer a baby, we can now put her hair in a big girl pony tail. Doesn't she look older?

I guess I am going to have to start practising doing hair duos.

The Blackie and The Cutie

New found trick on a big boy bike, the blackie!

Showing off his work

Checking out a blackie. Let's just say there are many of these per bike ride!

Showing off and biking standing up!

And now for the Cutie

Only a child's face can love a slide this much!

Running action shot! I don't think they come cuter, no bias here:)

Happy girl!

20 months and caterpillars

Madelyn is 20 months today, and I think we can say she is potty trained! Wow what a shock.  Yes she has the occasional accident but we travelled to the farm in big girl panties with no accidents.  I never in a million years thought I would have baby potty trained before two or more realistically two and a half.  So how did we potty train her you may ask? She initiated and started tell us when she had to go. Then about a month a go I had a Friday off so I put her in big girl panties for the weekend and here we are.  I have to say consistency and going straight to big girl panties has been successful.  Yes she still does where pull-up or diaper at nap and bedtime but I think she is doing great for her age!

What does potty trained mean:

• More frequent trips to the potty
• No more diapers in my purse
• Reunited myself with the location of every store restroom
• An additional 5 minutes before going anywhere
• No more diapers to change
• Half a closet full of diapers of wipes that I had stock piled
• No more gross disgusting washroom change tables

Due to the crazy wind tonight we decided to make caterpillars, fuzzy wuzzy caterpillars to be exact.  I have to say Madelyn has as much or more attention for crafts then Will does and she is two years younger.  Perhaps this is another one of those boys vs girls things.

Painting

Going in for more paint

Cutie

Cheese

Not looking overly impressed. He did not want his picture taken.

Best part, rinsing the brush off in the water.

Finished product

Together, now straight to the tub before you painty hands touch my walls!

Pumpkins

Our garden grew well this year. I have to say Will has loved checking out how things are growing, watering the garden was always a hit (who doesn't enjoy playing in the water), and most of all the pumpkins.

We had watermelon, cucumbers, pumpkins, carrots, peas, lettuce, beans, tomatoes and sunflowers in the garden this year. The kids both loved picking peas and eating them out of the garden. Madelyn was none too impressed when they dried up. We grew purple beans this year. They were cool but just to note when you cook them the color disappears and you are left with plain green beans, much to Will's disappointment. Cucumbers are a favorite for both kids. I grew tomatoes mainly because i want to try making some of my own salsa and maybe tomato sauce, you know in all my spare time. We actually got a couple of watermelons as well, we have not tried them yet, hopefully they are good!

Pumpkins are of course the main attraction.... I hope they fully turn orange before Halloween!

Pumpkin crop!

With the big ones!

Madelyn was into hugging her pumpkin:)

Combining Pics

enjoying the combine

lunch

Maddie enjoying the ride.

watching the swath

lunch in the field

driving

supper in field

pudding face

September long

It just would not be September long weekend unless we spent at least part of it at one of the farms combining. This year it was the Bettschen farm to combine canola or as Madelyn would say"grandpa's money".

Highlights include:

Will figuring out how the entire combine works.

Will's excitement over his big guy lunch kit just like Grandpa and Daddy. His conclusion on his cheese sandwich. "this is just like grilled cheese only not cooked"

Will's conversations with Chris in the combine. I am pretty sure he could write a novel but here is a personal favorite.

Will asks if the caterpillars that were in the field are getting sucked up into the combine. Of course Chris replies no. Then he asks about the lady bugs. Chris says no all the caterpillars and lady bugs are down by the dirt. Then Will asks if there are any crocodiles and begins watch attentively for crocodiles. Chris says I don't think so buddy. And Will replies I guess we will have to keep watching.

Will spent all day Sunday with the exception of about an hour, out in the field. At one point he came into go to the bathroom and I asked if he was going to help me in the house. He looked at me and said  " no Mommy I have to go back out with grandpa. The combine started making that thumping noise again and I just don't know if it is the same thing as yesterday (had a small break down late Saturday afternoon) or if it is something else." and he disappeared for another couple of hours.

Of course we forgot the camera at home, Chris took a couple pictures with his phone once I figure out how to upload those picture I will try to post some. If all goes as planned we will head to the other side of the province next week and try to help out. If that is possible with two kids in tow.