School wanderings

With the weather staying nice so late into the year, we had many opportunities for walking to and from.   Only in Wisconsin, will our walk home from school take us past a christmas tree decked with PBR cans! 

And what kid wouldn't want to stop and climb the caboose? (Located at the end of our street) 

And we attended another family night at school for the Junior Kindergarten families.  Cookie decorating and bead stringing! 

Grandparents were invited as well, and I was impressed that almost all the kids there seemed to have at least one grandparent with them! 

Arjen showing us his tree outside his classroom

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Without vaulted ceilings and Apple Hill with it's U-cut christmas tree farms, our tree shopping experience this year looked a little different…

We found pre-cut trees at Menards (a local/regional version of a Home Depot).  Sadly, I don't even remember the name of the tree we found (Balsam Fir maybe?), as they were all different varieties than I am used to! The boys still got excited to find the perfect tree, and were happy to help throughout the process.

Yes, our tree fit on a normal sized shopping cart

 It is our first tree that could possibly be called "cute."

Gus helping "hold the tree up" while Andrew secured it in the tree base

Aotis supervised getting the lights on while having some dinner

Stringing Popcorn!

The finished product.  It's amazing how you can decorate a tree with almost anything!  This will likely go down in history as one of my favorite trees.  Homemade tree topper angel (a la Shannon and Casey - see blog post from December 1, 2013), cranberry string, popcorn string, candy canes, and some folded paper ornaments that the boys came up with all on their own.  (Later we did also add some homemade applesauce and cinnamon ornaments that the boys helped make.)

Winter Wonderland

Seeing as how we have absolutely zero snow here, and it's only slightly colder than a winter back home in CA, it's high time I finally get these pics from our ONE snow "storm" back in November uploaded.  Maybe it'll even bring good weather luck our way to give us a white Christmas.  

Gus came in to wake us up and announce that there was white stuff on the leaves outside his window!  

He then proceeded to get dressed faster than any morning I have ever witnessed, all so he could go outside to play in the snow.  He did this so fast mind you, that I had to throw my jacket and boots on over my pajamas just to catch up with him!

Snow!

Catching snowflakes on his tongue, of course

Had to capture the pumpkins in the snow (yes, our pumpkins failed to develop into Jack-O-Lanterns this year).  But this California girl has NEVER had a pumpkin with snow on it before.

Big bro finally came down to join us

And then the wee one.  Mean parents we are, poor kid got stuffed in the walker instead of let loose on the ground.  

Decided to take my coffee home instead of enjoying it on the patio at the coffee shop.  Paused briefly to at least enjoy the white view. 

We didn't quite get an inch this storm.  But it was at least enough to get excited about, and enjoy for a day.  And enough to build a tiny snowman! And snow angels!

Thanksgiving in Wisconsin

We spent our first ever (well mine and the kids' first) Thanksgiving in Wisconsin this year.  Other than the people, and the time of day, not a whole lot was different from our usual tradition of Thanksgiving in CA!  We went to Leonard and Diane's (Andrew's Aunt and Uncle) home in Howards Grove.  There was a long table surrounded by family, plenty of delicious food, and good fun of course!  The biggest difference was eating while it was still light out.  That, and going shopping on Thanksgiving to capitalize on black friday deals.  Yes.  We did.  I'm still in a little bit of denial, but everyone else was doing it, so when in Rome! (Or Wisconsin?)

Getting Aotis and myself in on the action

Chillin' with GGma Darlene

Then with Grandpa Wayne

Later in the holiday weekend, we spent a day with cousins.  Awesome Aunt Tracy was all prepared for the kids with graham cracker house decorating fun.  Somehow I failed to get any of the finished product pictures...

She also was more than happy to let Gus get in on the fun of helping peel apples for homemade applesauce.  He's not usually the one asking to help, so I was happy to see him interested in this job!  

I don't think I'll ever tire of these shots.  Love seeing the kids being read to by their cousin Adalin.  

And Aotis reading to Aunt Tracy…  ;) 

Then there's this.  Arjen has been getting more and more interested in playing video games with Andrew.  And Andrew is more than happy to have a partner in crime.  Like father, like son, eh?

Aotis' baptism

We had Aotis baptized in Wisconsin, at "Grandma Cherie's church."  Despite being in two different states, all three boys were baptized at a Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.  Arjen and Gus in Livermore, CA, and Aotis in Plymouth, WI.  This is the church that Andrew and his brother's all grew up going to, where Adam and Shannon were married, and with the Pastor the family has known for years.  It was nice getting to share this experience with our Wisconsin family.

Getting these three to all smile and look at the camera at the same time is proving to be a very challenging task.  

With Pastor Heup, and Aotis' godparents, Tracy and Arden

Aotis and his Godparents

A day in the Woods

While the weather was still nice for being outside, we took advantage of being outside as much as possible!  The boys spent many an afternoon "helping" Andrew organize and sort through all of our stuff being stored in the woods on the back of Wayne and Cherie's property.  

Including a few motorcycles...

Andrew and Arjen.  Reliving his Glory days of riding with his own dad

Arjen taking a load from one place to another (while supporting John Deere apparently)

Birthday walk in the woods with my babies.  Badgers game day - we were all doing our part to wear red.

Happy birthdays!

November saw Aotis turn 9 months old, and yours truly, 37.  I was fortunate to get multiple bday celebrations - breakfast with the whole Anderson clan, ladies night out with Tracy and her sister Tonya, then this one at a Sushi/Hibachi restaurant with the five of us for bday dinner, which was the only one I managed to find a picture from.  Aotis and Arjen were pretty entranced with the fire display, although after I look closer at this pic, I don't think Arjen was a fan of the loud birthday song they were playing.  Gus (in the background behind my left shoulder) was less than thrilled with the fire!  He'd step away quickly from the table every time they got it going, even this sparkler bday candle!  Sushi hit the spot, followed by ice cream cake and cards in Fond du Lac with Wayne, Cherie, and Tracy and Arden's crew.  Thanks to all who helped celebrate! 

Now on to more exciting talk of getting older, and a much cuter subject!  

This guy continues to be a light in this family, getting more and more aware of who we all are, and showing more of his own personality.  Crawling like a tasmanian devil everywhere, and cruising along anything and everything he can get a hand on.  Still no teeth, and still no attempts at walking unsupported.  But the curls remain, as do the smiles!  

Super curls after bath time 

Mr. Music Man - He loves to gently bang on the piano and strum the guitar! He's also figured out waving Hi and Bye!  He likes to wave for recognition when he's spotted doing something he thinks is exciting. 

Oh, and this.  His newest fave thing is to open all the cupboards and get as far in as he possibly can.  

Not sure where or why this expression showed up, but he's taken to grasping the sides of his head in an "Oh My!" type of expression.  

Chillin' in the cart with his bros.  (Never thought I'd be using this cart again after the older two realized they'd rather walk, but oddly enough, it was their idea to start using it again!  Makes for a much faster trip through Target!)

Enjoying a fall day outside, and of course getting his hands on whatever big bro toy is available and unattended.

Aotis was enjoying being part of the pile with his bros…right up until I took a picture that is.

Again with the cupboards

Getting harder for this guy to sit still!