Vacation at Home...

So, this past week we were on vacation. Due to lack of money, we decided just to stay home this week and find things to do in the area. Because Isaac had preschool Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we really only had Tuesday and Thursday to do things. On Tuesday, we took the kids to the mall. We don't get there very often because it's about 40 minutes away and we usually do most of our shopping at Walmart or Target anyway. This was a big treat for the kids. We just window shopped, but had a fun time. Isaac and Grace were also able to ride on the carousel that was there... another reason they love going to the mall!

On Thursday we headed to our local children's museum. We haven't been in a very long time. I took Isaac with friends last fall... but Grace and Francis hadn't been since Grace was a baby. We got there around 10:30 and enjoyed a very fun (though long and tiring) day! We aren't members so we wanted to make the most of the time we had there. There was just so much to do and see. The kids were troopers... especially Grace who missed her nap entirely. We definately want to get a membership so that next time we don't feel like we have to do everything in one day. We didn't end up leaving until after 5pm!

This may seem like a lot of pictures... but we took over 300 :)

So, that was the extent of our vacation at home. We have decided not to take another one here though. Most of the week we were left alone, but there were a few things that happened that required Francis to interrupt our vacation and tend to church matters. Thankfully we didn't lose as much time together as we could have. Next year we'll just try and plan our time better and spend it out of town instead! :)

A Cool, Crisp Fall Day...

Last Saturday we took the kids out for a day of fall fun. We started the day at our local apple orchard. We have been a few times already, but had never gone through their big "Apple Core Maze". It's like a smaller version of a corn maze. We had to search for answers to questions as we wandered around trying to find our way out.

We had a good time, though by the end we were still missing one of the answers and the kids had had enough of the maze! :) Francis ended up going back in while I waited and thankfully someone else was able to tell him where the answer was. Come to find out, Grace had actually found it early. It was underneath a platform and as we walked by she pointed and said "there it is"... but I thought she was looking at the apple windsock that was above it. So, we spent a lot of time we didn't need to... next time we'll have to listen to her! :)

After a quick lunch, we headed to the pumpkin patch. Grace fell asleep on the way there and took about a 5 minute nap.

Thankfully, she perked right back up when we got outside and she saw all of the pumpkins. We spent a lot of time, each of us trying to pick our perfect pumpkin.

Grace is the only one holding the pumpkin she actually brought home! We tried to convince her to get a bigger one, or a different shaped one... but she kept going back to the first one saying "my baby pumpkin" :)

We had a couple of laughs while out in the patch. As Francis was trying to take my picture, he stepped backwards and fell over a pumpkin that was behind him. I wish I had thought to grab the camera back from him and take HIS picture! Later, as we were walking around, Grace wasn't watching where she was going and stepped right into a very soft pumpkin. She soaked her shoes, socks, and bottom of her pants! She wasn't too happy about it either :)

Isaac's 1st Field Trip...

Isaac had his 1st field trip this past week. On Wednesday, his preschool class went to our local Apple Orchard for the morning.

I took Isaac while Francis and Grace had some special daddy/daughter time :) The first thing we did was a wagon ride up to the orchard to pick apples. The kids were each able to pick 3, not a lot, but they had fun finding just the right one.

Then we continued on the wagon ride through the orchard and we saw the pumpkin patches too.
After, the kids spent time painting pumpkins. Isaac managed to stay paint free until the end, when he went to put his paintbrush in the water he slipped on the bench and ended up with paint from his pumpkin on his shirt and paint from his friend Thomas' pumpkin on his face!!! :)

Then the kids had a snack of donuts, apples, and apple cider! The morning ended with a ride on the Cider Barrell Express and many trips through the hay bale maze.
The weather was perfect and the kids all had a fun time! I'm so glad I was able to go with him and see exactly what he did. It was also nice to see his teacher "in action" and to see how Isaac interacts with her. I'm looking forward to being the parent helper one of these days and actually seeing what it is like in his classroom :)

Grace's 1st Haircut

Wow... 2 posts in one day. But you can see by the title of this blog it is a momentous occasion. My baby girl had her 1st haircut today. We've been swaying back and forth when we were going to do it. Her hair in the back had 2 very distinct layers so we really wanted to even it off. We hesitated for a while now because we really didn't want to lose her beautiful curls. But, today after an early bath we decided it was time. She sat like a big girl and just let me cut away until it was done. I think it turned out pretty well... and she still has a few curls left!!! :)

Apple Picking

Today we took the kids apple picking for the first time. A friend of mine from MOPS has an apple farm and they were having their annual Family Fun Day. Isaac and Grace sampled tiny "baby" apples even before we went up to pick them.










We saw animals that the 4-H group had brought for a mini petting zoo.










Then we met up with our friends to pick the apples. We took a wagon ride through the orchard where they brought us to the area where we could pick from.









When we got there they had an apple crate maze for the kids to run through and also a real tractor that they could play on.









The weather was just beautiful... which made the day even more enjoyable. Isaac and Grace loved being able to just go up to the tree and pick which ever apple they wanted.










Grace ate her 2nd apple of the day right off of the tree... she was thrilled! It was a fun morning together. Now I have to figure out what to do with all the apples we brought home! :)

Fall is in the air...

Well... I finally have my laptop back. We had to send it back to the company for the 2nd time in 6 weeks. It's hard not having internet access as readily available... I am limited in the time I can use the computer upstairs since Francis works from home. It's nice to have mine back :) So... it's been a few more weeks since we lost our little one. We are doing well... the bad moments are getting less and less. I've been able to rejoice in the announcements of recent pregnancies (some more special then others!). Yes, there is a little twinge of sadness... but how can you not be happy when someone is going to be a mommy.

Anyway... we are moving on and enjoying Isaac and Grace and the joy and laughter they bring to us. Grace has started saying "nummy" (her version of yummy) whenever she is eating or drinking something she particularly likes. Monday night was Grace's first night in a "big girl bed". We set up her toddler bed while Isaac was at preschool... and she just loved it. We were afraid she would be roaming all over her room... but so far she has stayed in bed for every nap and all night. Even when she wakes up in the morning she calls for me and I will find her still laying in her bed waiting. It's hard to believe she is big enough to have moved into her own bed. Wow! :) Gracie has also found a love for the song "God is so Good" and sings it quite often. She reminds me of how good God is too us even in the midst of our trials and sadness. I don't think the timing of her picking up that song is coincidence! :)

Isaac is in the full swing of preschool and is just blossuming. He is just absorbing everything that he is learning and even is able to carry somethings back home. He taught us how to play "Farmer Farmer Where is Your Apple?" one night... and was so proud that he could do it. This week is Fire Prevention Week... right up his alley as he loves fire engines almost as much as trains right now. Today was learning about Stop Drop and Roll... they just seem too little!!! :) Isaac has also learned his first Knock Knock joke. I happened to tell him one in bed on Monday and he thought it was the funniest thing. He just laughs and laughs when ever he tells it or if you tell it back to him... even the 100th time. I just can't help but laugh right along with him because of the fun he is having with it. I'm not sure how it will be a week or a month from now... but maybe by then I'll have taught him a new one.

So, it has been a busy few weeks for us. We've enjoyed many walks around town in the evenings trying to hang onto whatever nice weather and daylight we have. The mornings have been quite nippy, but the days have warmed up and allowed us to enjoy all the fun of fall. I took the kids to our local orchard on Saturday. They have a bunch of kids activities the run on the weekends and they just had a great time. They had fun painting pumpkins, riding the "Cider Barrel Express" and going through the hay bale maze. We've also have had fun playdates with friends from MOPS and I've even enjoyed some wonderful mommy time with my dear friends as well. It's been a difficult month, but God has been good to remind us of His many blessings and the joy of our children. :)

Roller Coaster Ride...

.... of emotions. That's how I would describe this last week or two. We went from the elation that comes with the anticipation of another baby to the other side of losing that precious little life. There were ups and downs all last week as I went to appointments and had blood work done... all they did was give me hope only to have it ripped from me within hours. Thankfully, each day gets a little easier. There are still moments when I will remember and the tears will overcome me. But those times aren't as frequent. I went to my MOPS meeting yesterday. It was my first opportunity to be around more then 1 or 2 people who knew what has happened. It was overwhelming at times... but it was comforting to be surrounded by other moms, my friends... some of whom knew what I was going through, because they have been there... and others who could empathize because they have little ones too and can't imagine what it would be like to go through a loss like this. The question to me every time was "how are you?" and my response always was (and still is) "better then last week"... and I think that's how it will continue to be. Each week, each day even, it will get a little better. I am so thankful for all of the notes of encouragement and for the prayers being said on our behalf. We have felt them and I know that I couldn't be going through this without that support and my faith in Jesus. I know that my little baby is safely in His arms, though I think my Nana is holding her great grandchild in HER arms most of the time. :)