Last Race

Last night we headed down to Park Point to participate in the summer's last Wednesday Night At The Races. The kids got really frustrated, because we got stopped by the lift bridge going up twice, but we eventually made it.

Isaac did another great job and loved the medal he got:


Piper was NOT interested in running, even with the incentive of getting a medal like her brother. She did take a picture with me as Eddy and Isaac took their turn getting their free picnic dinner:


We planned ahead and brought a blanket to sit on this year:





The kids also got a tshirt for participating. I was able to get one for Piper, but she wasn't interested in getting her picture taken.


Sometimes it has been a hassle getting to the races and the crowds can be overwhelming, but Eddy and I really like how these races encourage our kids to be physically active.

The Past Week

Piper has been very interested in glasses. Here she is in Eddy's reading glasses:


She also has been playing with her play phones a lot lately. She's been "talking" with my friend's baby on the phone (who lives in Ireland and she's never met). Most of the time she tells me that the baby is crying or whining!


Last weekend my sister came for the weekend. Here's my happy face at work, excited she was coming:


After spending three hours at Target on Saturday to start her registry, we went to the mall so she could try on some maternity clothes. She looks amazing!


She also helped me look for new eye glasses. We're going to pass on these, though!


While we were out, Eddy cleaned out the garage, scraped old paint off the floor, and reprinted. Sunday afternoon we organized, threw stuff out and put the rest away. I don't think it's ever looked so good!


Monday and Tuesday I watched my niece and nephew. Isaac and Piper were very excited to have their cousins over.

Another Birthday Gathering

Because Eddy got home just after Isaac's birthday (and Isaac being in Iowa for his birthday), we decided to have his birthday party after his actual day. August 20th was a little later than I had planned, but it's the day that worked out best. Isaac was really excited to have his friends, Papa & Grandma, cousins, aunt & uncle, and several neighbors come.

Luckily the weather was great and we were able to be outside.


We had a dolphin/train theme. Isaac thought the cake I made was great!


And who could forget presents! Papa and Grandma Judi got him a tunnel that goes over his train tracks.





After the hype of opening, the kids had fun playing with his new toys.


It was a fun evening!

Piper's First Dentist Visit

Well, actually it was her first preventative visit. I rushed her in a little over a year ago after she fell off an ottoman and chipped one tooth and another was loose.
The visit didn't start well. She sat on my lap, but kept saying "I want to go home". We took a little break and then she decided she wanted to sit in Isaac's lap. Here she is showing the hygienist how she brushes her teeth.




Dr. Whitney is showing Piper the special mirror.




An it went downhill from there. She did NOT want to open her mouth. I ended up trying to tip her back, so her head would rest in the dentist's lap. After several blood-curdling screams, we stopped. She got a toothbrush, but I wouldn't let her pick out a prize. Screaming continued. Then I took her outside, where the screaming continued, but this time it was because I wouldn't pick her up.


The fit ended forty minutes later. Oh, my strong-willed daughter, I will always win. I'm hoping the next visit isn't as eventful!

Tischer side

We went down to the cabin for the day on Sunday, as my Grandma Marie had turned 90 the week before. While there, we took a few pictures.

My mom, sister and I



My grandparents, the kids, and the newest great grandchild, Emelia.


Piper wanted to have her picture taken with Great Grandma and Millie!

Nine Years!

This picture is in our bedroom. I laugh almost every time I look at it. This was the one and only picture the photographer got before Eddy dropped me. Through Eddy's smile he's saying, "hurry up and take the picture".

Nine years ago today that picture was taken. How has it been nine years?! Since that day, we've owned two houses. Eddy's had two jobs, and I have had five. We've both finished our Master's degrees. We've flown to several fun destinations. But most importantly, we have brought two amazing children into this world. Nothing we have done, or ever will do, will compare to the days when our children were born.


These nine years have been quite the journey...and I'm sure there are more fun times yet to come!

More Birthday & Races

Yesterday and today Isaac opened his birthday presents from us. He wanted to open the biggest present first. He was very excited...


He got the backpack with dolphins on it that he saw in the Lands End catalog (and later opened the matching lunch box).


And he got a remote control helicopter. It says ages 8+ on it, so that's going to be a "Daddy and Isaac toy".


After presents, it was time to head to another week of Wednesday Night At The Races. We convinced Piper to participate, but this wasn't exactly what we had in mind...


Eddy did convince her to walk at the finish line.


Isaac does great!


A fun family night!

Yay!!

Ok, so we didn't take this picture on Monday (when Eddy got home), but I wanted to take a picture of the sign we made to welcome Eddy home. He was home when the kids woke up Monday morning.

Daddy's Almost Home!

Last evening the kids and I were hanging out at the house. On a whim I decided to order a pizza for take out, loaded up the kids and picnic supplies and headed out. After picking up the pizza, we went down to the Lakewalk for a pizza supper by the lake. We had a great time! After eating we spent time climbing on the rocks. The kids got excited when I told them it was less than 48 hours until Daddy would be home!




The kids told me that they were trying to sneak up on the sea gulls that were on the rocks!












He was pretty proud of himself for climbing up on the rocks!




When did she start looking so old?!












We had a great night! Once we got back in the car, both kids told me how much fun they had. It was a lesson for me to be more spontaneous!

Parenthood

Six years ago yesterday, this little boy made us parents. Of course out journey started way back with a positive pregnancy test.

But this wasn't our first pregnancy. We miscarried at 7 weeks. We didn't talk about it much to other people, and if we did, it was only with close friends and family. We were devastated. But God had a plan for us. We quickly got pregnant again. When we finally started to share our news around the 12 week mark, people would comment that it was perfect timing, as I was finishing graduate school in May and baby was due in August. I was resentful--I was supposed to have a baby in June. However, looking back, trying to study for my national certification exam would have been very difficult with a newborn. Eddy was offered a job the end of July and was to start in early August (his first day ended up being the day Isaac was born!). Going through interviews and negotiations would have been very difficult as well. God knew we were suppose to have Isaac.

Having a child is such a rush of emotions. "I never knew I could love someone so much so quickly" is a little dramatic, but it's true. Our world changed forever when he was born. My purpose in life changed. My priorities changed. I finally felt how my parents love me, because I now had a child of my own to love. I cried today when I found out one of my best friends had her baby today. I think any mother who learns of a baby's
birth, instantly goes back to her birth experiences. So emotional. I hope she had all those wonderful feelings that I had.

Isaac is an amazing kid. He is so polite. He is very kind and caring. He cries easily, but I love that he feels things deeply. He likes to color and "do projects". He is starting to understand that if you want to be good at something, you have to practice. He still loves trains. And since watching Dolphin Tale months ago, he is obsessed with dolphins! He will be going to kindergarten in a few weeks. We've been taking about it a lot, to prepare him for the change in routine. But I think I talk about it to prepare me, just as much as him! Because we "redshirted him" I had an extra year with him. I thought that would help me be prepared. But it hasn't.

I wasn't with him on his actual birthday. It killed me, but he was having a blast playing with his cousins in Iowa. So here's a picture of my 6 year old a couple of weeks ago, after eating ice cream cake with green frosting at the cabin!

"Pretend Birthday" & More Cabin Time

With my parents, sister and hubby, and other family up at the cabin, we had a "pretend birthday" as Isaac calls it, for him. He was very patient, waiting for the party to occur!









And what fun would it be without trick candles?!


Later that night we went out for a pontoon ride. The kids each got a turn driving the boat.





What a good lookin' couple!


Monday brought another beautiful day and great beach time.








After dinner we headed over to my aunt an uncle's place for s'mores. Isaac was sweet and gave his sister a lift!


He got ANOTHER birthday present...


Piper wasn't left out either. She was given a sheet of those puffy stick-on earrings. She looks too grown up!


My cousin's baby was a little fussy, so Lindsey thought she'd take a stab at calming her down. Didn't work so well!


The kids love their second cousin!