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I am working on updating the blog...design, colors, layout, gadgets and more. Please bear with me as I do this. Check often to see the updates! Thanks, Jen :)

Monday, August 31, 2009

What the heck?!?!

YIKES!!! It's August 31st...what the heck happened to the month. I have only one post for the month, so that means I have some catching up to do. So you may want to get comfy as this is gonna be LONG!

Guess the best place to start is where I left off at the last post...Sunday, August 2nd. We met Heather, Josh and their kids, Hunter and Jacy at a park in Beaver Dam. To tell you the truth I forgot about it that morning until Heather called to tell me they were running late...well we were running even more late. I don't know how I forgot especially since I told someone about our plans on Friday. Anyways we did finally make it to the park which was very nice. We said hi to the ducks on the pond first and then head to the playground. We played there for a bit then head to the picnic table for lunch. After lunch the ladies cleaned up while the daddies were in charge of the kids. The kids played for a short time on the slides and swings and then it was time to head home as all the kids were ready for their naps. We had a great time hanging out with their family. Here are some pictures from the time in the park.

Hunter showing the kids how to swing from the bar...

Liz at the wheel...

Zach at a different wheel...

Zach lovin riding the dinosaur on springs...

'Giddy up horsey' Liz yells...

Alex and Liz having a heart to heart on the turtle...

Zach being the monkey he is...with a little encouragement from Josh and Heather up he went...

Liz walking up the ladder...first time was slow, but after that it was up as fast as she could...

Alex posing nicely for daddy...

4 out of 5 monkeys goofying around...Liz, Zach, Hunter and Jacy...

The best picture I could get of the three of them in the choo choo...yes they are throwing sand out...

Don't fall in checking out the duckies...

Perfect number of slides for our family...Zach of course goes for the highest...

Alex and Liz using a different approach with the swings...pushing no one...

After nap the kids wanted to help daddy plant a tree...looks like daddy's job has turned to supervisor...

During the week we had a few visitors. My coworkers teenage twin girls came over and babysat the kids so I could get some housework done. The kids did well and we look forward to them being the kids' babysitters. Unfortunately school starts tomorrow...where did the summer go??? Even though they will not be able to babysit during the days we will continue to work towards having them babysit, so Jeremy and I can get away. The other visitors we had this week was my friend Carrie and her son Luke. He just turned one in July. We played in the playyard and then took a quick dip in the pool. We look forward to more playdates with them.

On Friday August 7th we left town and headed west to Montfort to visit Jeremy's family. On Saturday Jeremy and I got some free time as Nana and Papa took care of the kids. We went to the Potosi brewery. Took our time touring the beer museum and then ate lunch. It was a beautiful day, would have been wonderful to have the bike, but we were not planning on free time. We got home just as Jeanne and all the kids (her 3 girls, our 3 and 3 dogs) were headed to the park, so we tagged along. After the park, we all headed to meet Nana, Papa and Great Grandpa to eat supper. As we left the kids wanted to look at the windmills so we took our time and were able to wave goodbye to Great Grandpa as he drove past...the kids really enjoyed that. Sunday it was back on the road to come home. Here are some pictures from the visit. We all had a great time!

Mommy did not pack toys this time...first they found a balloon that they enjoyed a lot so Papa ran to the store to get more...they loved them! Then Nana brought out a bag of toys that they quickly dumped out. Here Liz and Zach are nicely decided who gets the purse...Alex playing with a little John Deere tractor...


Movie star...

Zach very happy to see Nana has the same truck we do...

The kids watching Papa and daddy inflate the air mattress that they will sleep on...only laste one night...even floor is much better...lol...

Trying to get a nice picture of them in the outfits Nana gave them...this is the best one we got...hopefully Nana got a better one...

As always the kids were helpers...everyone seemed to want to help walk the dogs...not sure if the dogs really like this...after getting home from the trip I submitted their photos to my employer as they could qualify for future employment...lol...my coworkers got a kick out of it...

Liz working hard walking both Roxy and Sadie...multitasking very important skill to have...

Zach and Sadie making their way across the patio...having to work around obstacles another important skill...

Alex giving Sadie plenty of time to smell the flowers...patience...we all need a little more of it...

The kids had a blast playing with the girls...they did great job watching them and keeping the kids entertained...



Plant it and it will grow...on a previous trip the kids brought a couple cobs of corn from the farm and ended up planting a couple kernels...low and behold one took...Nana has left it grow so we could see it. Again not the most cooperative kids for taking a nice picture but you get the idea...

Saturday afternoon Nana got a big delivery of toys from her friend whose grandkids no longer need them. Saturday night Nana cleaned them up...well it did not take the kids long on Sunday morning to sow how well they can make a mess...an actually this picture does not do it justice...

We always try to get a picture of all 6 Lenzendorf grandkids when we are there...aren't they all too cute? L to R: Maddie, Zach, Morgan, Liz, Alex, Mackenzie

Alex was first to wake from nap on Monday. Roxy was enjoying basking in the sun. Alex decided to give her some love. They just love Roxy and vice versa. Roxy puts up with a lot from the kids especially being a small dog they don't always look down...shocking! The kids are very good with all of our pets.

Brotherly love...they are actually not fighting over the inchworm...that does not happen often at this age!

Wednesday we celebrated Jeremy and my dad making it thru the layoffs at Harly Davidson. We did a little cookout with corn on the cob on the grill and brats...perfect summer meal! Weather was nice so we ate outside. Here are the kids at the "kiddie" table...the dog LOVE us eating outside...no shock there!

The kids got to play before and after...here they all are in the Gator...another great find on Craigslist (did I ever say ow much I love Craigslist...our kids have more than we would ever have if we had to buy it brand new). Can you see Liz's grin? It is because she does not watch where she is going or steer very well...and they let her drive!

Thursday wrestling match...Liz verses the boys...Liz is thinking who says you can't wrestle in a dress...

The weekend of the 15th & 16th was filled with mommy working. We also found some new used furniture to go in the living room aka the kids play room, so we picked that up as well as spent some time at grandma and grandpa's.

A couple things that the kids are really into now are...Thomas the Train...I have seen the beginning to one Thomas movie a gazillion times, but I have no clue how it ends...attention span is not long enough to et thru it all, The Wiggles...oh my...we request The Wiggles when we wake up, after lunch and supper...all day long, and puzzles...we do them in the morning...


...and at night.

Liz sporting a ponytail...

One of the reasons we love living where we live is nature. On Friday the 21st we had a visitor across the road. I spotted this deer, still sporting it's spots, as I was doing breakfast dishes. I was even able to get the kids away from watching the Wiggles for a few moments to see it. The rest of the day they kept looking for the little deer. I must say for having an average run of the mill camera, the zoom was able to capture some great pictures.

Sometimes the thins these kids do just cracks me up. They lined up the chairs and then all sat down.

The weekend of the 22nd was the first open weekend we have had since the 4th of July weekend. It is nice to have things to do, so I am not going to complain. We took this weekend to ourselves. The kids played outside and we got some things done as well. Along with finding the Gator on CL (Craigslist) I was also able to find a 4-wheeler...although it is not in perfect condition, the kids still love to ride it. And as with the Gator, we have many years to use these.
Here Liz is taking a spin...

The boys hauling the Craftsman lawnmower in the John Deere Gator...they loaded it this way...lol
Here is Zach working on a puzzle...safety first never know when a puzzle piece can fly...
This last Wednesday I met up with the girls, so that leaves daddy in charge of supper. He snap these pictures as he was cleaning up the dishes. The kids were being good...under the table folding up the rug...
they had pushed all the chairs into the kitchen area.
We call her Wanda sometimes...I just took out her ponytail and this is what she looked like...
Accessories are very important, even when waving goodbye to grandma...
So we end the month with fingerpainting...they did so much better than the last time they did it...and yes I admit it has been a long time...it is not the first activity I think of doing, but now that the mess was smaller we will be doing it more often. So what have I missed...
*Potty training is still going well...Liz is not longer in diapers and is fairly good about getting to the potty in time...we are still working on dry naptimes and bedtimes. Alex is hit and miss with wanting to go on the potty and Zach still has tings backwards. I am happy with our progress!
*Jeremy and I got to go on a bike (motorcycle) ride this last Saturday, in fact we were kidless for 24 hours thanks to grandma and grandpa. After the bike ride we ordered a pizza and had a drink while we waited for it and rented a movie. I cannot tell how LONG it has been since we saw a movie...rented or on the big screen. So it was a relaxing day and night, THEN we spent in until 9:30...I really cannot remember the last time we slept that long. The kids enjoyed their time with grandma and grandpa too...so we all win!
*We are entering the kids into preschool/daycare in a couple of weeks. It will be 2 1/2 hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We will all benefit from it! The kids will interact without me around and with others who are NOT family. I will get the break I so need. This age is tough! I would almost take three screaming infants over three tantrum throwing toddlers. I know it is just the age/stage they are at...testing boundaries daily, asserting their independence, learning new things and trying them out...all very good things to do but very wearing on a mommy (and daddy too)! I know I will bawl like a baby the first time I leave them there, but better to do it now rather than the 1st day of kindergarten, which is fast approaching...half way there as they are now 2 1/2 yrs old.
*Manners...our kids have them! They have quickly picked up the "magic" words and when to use them. We are very happy!
*Family vacation will be happening in September. It is actually a staycation. We will be doing things locally and some of the free things around this area. I am looking forward to the time together as a family.
*Personalities...the kids' personalities are continuing to develop. We are starting to see where they gravitate to like sports, activities, toys, etc.
*Helpers...the kids continue to want to help...with everything...they love harvesting veggies from the garden...they each get their own bucket...they will even help wash the veggies up...they are able to do a lot and sometimes it is hard to remember that...but they soon remind us...'mommy/daddy, I do!' is what we hear.
I cannot believe summer is ending soon...does not even seem like it was truly summer. We are looking forward to fall and the leaves falling as we have three additional rakers, but we are not ready for what cold weather brings...cabin fever...but we are not thinking about that now...we want to enjoy the warm weather while we have it. Hope you enjoyed the update. I am hoping I will be able to keep this up to date better during September.
Love, Jen
PS Here are the 3 wonderful smiles I get to see, thought I would share them.