Fall Family Photos

A little over a week ago we met up with a good friend of mine, who runs a fabulous photography business.  He was so gracious to "trade" family photos with us.  He took some wonderful shots of my boys and I, and I took a few of him, his new fiancé and puppy.  Thank goodness for dogs by the way.  Aiden is usually SO serious at the exact moment my fingers are crossed for big smiles.  That little westie did wonders!  All photos courtesy of Eagle Vision Photography.

I had been holding my breath every time the wind picked up, hoping the color would remain just long enough for pictures.  The golden glow is truly majestic.  Apart from weather, the actual timing was just right.  We had just spent the first two nights in our new home, and with the exception of a brutal first night, we all had a decent nights rest.  It was also the day before the movers showed up, and that's when shit really hit the fan.  There's just no other explanation for it.  Every room was piled floor to mid wall with our belongings.

We've made amazing progress organizing the past couple days and you can see the floor again!  During an exceptional long nap time this week I even got the outside of the house painted!  And although the kitchen is in ruins at the moment it'll come together in the next few days.  We have been busy reworking our cabinets, putting up some new light fixtures and the new countertop/sink get installed tomorrow morning.  We have such big, and I really mean HUGE, plans for this home, but just as I unpack/organize One.Day.At.A.Time, each project will have to wait patiently in line.

Happy almost Halloween.

Trick or Treat

Yesterday was Trick or Treat in Keith's hometown.  We had a wicked rough day before making it to Grandmas, where we quickly got dressed and headed out for candy.  I forgot to color the tips of the boys nose black, or put on my red lipstick...and lost Aiden's black string to tie on his wings, but all went well and people loved my little bats.  The boys are officially obsessed with lollipops and if you say the word, you better have one up for grabs.  It was the cutest thing watching the boys share their suckers on their wagon ride back home.  I wonder how long it'll take for the kids to grow their fangs and become full fledged vampires.  They'll be TWO in 38 days.....so either they'll have them by then, or sometime in this next year.  Ha.

I need to start planning a party soon, or it may not happen.  The big move has been hectic and life is crazy disorganized at the moment.  It took an entire week for me to completely loose it.  A big thanks to my Mama for the amazing visit and hugs, without her I think I would have melted down rather quickly.  I really look forward to seeing this place come together.  One.Day.At.A.Time.  This needs to be my mantra.  I'll post some pictures of the house and some family visitors soon!

Today, on the way home the boys and I stopped at Kent State, my old stomping ground, to visit their OB between classes.  The campus has really evolved over the years and it's just as beautiful as can be.

Hope everyone is getting excited for Halloween.  Fingers crossed for all treats over here.  I'm exhausted from tricks.

Pittsburgh Play

Last weekend the boys and I went to play for a few days in Pittsburgh.  We just can't resist staying away for more than a couple weeks!  The beauty of Western PA, especially this time of year, is hypnotizing. 

My Aunt was so wonderful to clear her Saturday schedule to spend the morning with us at the pumpkin patch, and treated us to a delicious lunch at the French CAFE.  Thank you again!!  Soergel Orchards has changed so much since I was a little girl, walking around with my American Girl Doll.  It's grown so much and is PACKED with activities and visitors.  The boys saw goats, butterflies, a ginormous pig, some large horses and what I think was a cow...maybe?

We played in the leaves at my Dad's, and the boys helped pick a few more tomatoes from the garden.  Watched a Pens victory!!!  And before our ride back to Ohio we stopped by my very favorite park for a little gazebo dancing and walk in the woods.

Tomorrow we're spending the day at my Grandparents since my MOM is in town.  I'm so excited to see her!!!!!  Then we have our big move this weekend!

Happy Wednesday.

Crunch, Giggle, Crunch

The boys have fallen for Autumn just like their Mama!  We have spurts of ridiculously amazing sunshine-full days, where we spend morning and afternoons outside, and other chilly rain-shower days that keep us cozy inside watching Room on the Broom.  But, while the sun is out, so are we!!  The boys love to smash through a freshly raked pile of leaves (who doesn't?!) and love to lay down and watch the leaves fall from the trees above.

We went for a long walk a couple days ago and picked up a ton of leaves.  They are in the process of drying and we'll do some crafts with them next week for fun.

Our Sunday walk-in-the-park was right next to the river this past weekend.  The boys loved looking for turtles and watching Keith skip rocks across the stream.  Kaleb is obsessed with his new puff jacket.  It was a crazy good find at the Ohio multiples group sale.  $3 for baby-gap, yes please!

Tonight we are meeting with the title agency and officially closing on our new home!  I'm so excited I haven't slept in two days.  Moving day will be here before we know it.  YAY!!!

Patterson's Fruit Farm Part 1

A North East Ohio Fall staple is Patterson's Fruit Farm, and luckily we are only 25 minutes from it's main location.  It was such a fun place to visit on a gorgeous weekday.  The boys got to see some real apple trees up close, crawl over loads of pumpkins and look over the gorgeous hillsides.  We had a nice picnic lunch on the farm with my girlfriend Megan, and brought home apple fritters for Keith's birthday dessert.  They were SOOO good.

I've learned the second location has many more activities; apple picking, hay-rides, a corn maze and a jungle gym of hay barrels.  We'll be sure to visit that location soon!!  But, we'll need to drive-by the main location to pick up more apple fritters, and maybe a box of donuts!

We are only two short months away from the boys 2nd birthday.  It's WILD.  This second year has been so much more enjoyable, less emotional and didn't pass as quickly as the first, thank goodness!

We close on the new house this week, and moving in TWO weekends!!  After that we'll have to throw together a fun party for the boys and their friends!  I can't wait to have all our things back, it's been a long four months without my cake pans.

Happy Sunday everyone, and happy October!!  Enjoy this little video of the boys singing in the apple field.  This went on-and-on for about 3 minutes.  I think they were singing Johnny Appleseed :)

Fall, the most wonderful time of the year!

My favorite season is upon us, and I get to enjoy it for the first time in 7 long years!!!  Three years I spent clawing at the 1-2 week season in North Dakota, aka the frozen tundra, where darkness consumed our "day" falling at an abnormally early time and lasting long into the morning hours.  I love the winter, but not three out of four seasons.  We needed our mental and physical bodies to thaw, and so we journeyed to the south, and the Texas heat was brutal.  Autumn passed so swiftly in San Antonio, then it was back to air conditioning or laying poolside.

I'm going to gorge as much Fall as possible this year.  The smell of the air brings a sense of peace to my life, which seems hard to come by these days.  The boys and I have been picnic lunching almost every afternoon, the windows are open, we've pulled out our cool weather wardrobe and I even bought the boys snowsuits.  They cracked up when I dressed them head to toe to check sizing.  Stay puff marshmallow toddlers are hilarious!

We enjoyed a delicious Sunday walk in the park last weekend.  This is a favorite childhood memory for my siblings and I.  A special time for our family to connect with each other and nature.  I plan on continuing this tradition with Kaleb and Aiden hoping they'll love it as much as I still do!  Passing things down to your own children is truly a fine concept.  I dug around in our attic and came across the brio train set my sisters and I would spend countless hours creating.  We'd have long elaborate stories and tales of the passengers.  The set contains so much the boys aren't ready to play with yet, but they'll have a blast with the drawbridges, train stop benches and overpasses one day too.

Then, today the boys had their first Ohio zoo adventure.  Their reactions to the animals at this age, compared to our zoo visit in San Antonio 7 months ago, was impressive.  They were able to point and tell me what some animals were and cried leaving each exhibit.  We'll have to look into a season pass for next year!  Plus I want to keep my eye on those baby giraffes we saw today!

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend and happy Fall.

Weekend Adventures

I've been really behind uploading weekend adventure pictures, so tonight I'm playing catch-up.  Most weekends we bounce between Pittsburgh and Ohio visiting friends and family.  We've been having so much fun it's really hard to say what the boys favorite weekend activity has been!  Swimming always thrills Aiden and Aunt Nan taught him how to blow bubbles.  Kaleb is always so happy driving his truck around and gives pretty awesome smiles for the camera now!

We've been to Twinsburg for TwinFest2014, which was pretty surreal.  I'd like to take the boys back each year.  Eventually they'll be old enough to meet new twin friends and participate in the twin studies inside the research tents.  We got a bit more attention at the festival than I expected, since most of the visitors are twins themselves, but every comment was kind-hearted and polite, which was a wonderful experience for myself!

Earlier this summer Jammin and Aiden had a blast washing the car together and Keith and I took the boys to the Randolph Fair in Ohio.  The boys got a kick out of seeing all the animals.  We pet ducks, bunnies, horses, goats and sheep.  Everyone enjoyed a ride on the merry-go-round (probably the boys favorite part) and got to see some BIG tractors up-close!

My sister Rachael had us over for a pool/pizza party, the boys got musical on a piano and we had a nice picnic in the square where our favorite farmers market takes place.  The same square had a September 11 memorial set up with a large flag display.  Watching the boys squeal with happiness and burst with excitement fills my, and others hearts with pure joy, especially on a day full of such heartache.  It's pretty wonderful to experience life though a toddlers eyes!

This weekend Keith and I spent our first night together away from the babies.  This was my first night ever away from them, and it was surprisingly easy-peasy.  I put the kids to bed and was back the next morning after breakfast.  Big thanks to Mama Rickel for stepping in to babysit, and to Timmy who got us out for a fun bday celebration!  It's fun staying up till 3am when you aren't wrestling fussy/crying babies.  Last thanks to Meg for having us come by the Fall kick-off today!  Aiden was hilarious dive bombing that giant football and I can't stop laughing at Kaleb racing Megan!  Hope everyone is enjoying their September!