The adventure in mom travels.

I've learned a few things after my travel adventures this fall. 

1.  It's not as glamorous traveling for work.  You never really explore the city to the fullest potential.  I traveled for work to NYC, Coeur'd'alene, New Orleabs and Chicago this fall.  Not one trip went as planned and really it's quite funny; between sleeping overnight in an airport, to 5 hour delays, I now consider myself an airport expert.   

2. You miss your family when away and amazingly you don't sleep as well.  One would think uninterrupted sleep would be glorious, but my body is programmed to be woken up on a regular basis so it doesn't correlate to beauty rest 

3. Young kids are convinced you are stuck in the phone during face time and get mad that you can't get out.  Ok, this one is just funny 

That's all.  Just a few reflection points 

Oh yes, the best line after arriving home from a trip...."I know the house looks a little crazy, but it didn't burn down."   True, true.   Honestly, I can't complain when I have a husband that supports my career and holds down the fort when I have to travel 

...and then it was Nov

Where did the fall go? Truly, I was just sending Maddie off to school and now it's November! Wow, the saying, "don't blink" is so true. Updates that are fun and report worthy. It has been a beautiful fall (although I'm writing that as I now has snow in the forecast this week). But it was a great fall. We spent every minute outside soaking up the warmer-than-average weather. We offered to close down Jeremy's family cabin, so everyone could avoid a lengthy trip. I must admit, we did fail on our first attempt. We arrived up north with the best of intentions, but then realized the mosquitos were gone, the fishing was great and the weather was amazing! We played all weekend and agreed we'd return a few weeks later. It is still a questionable decision, because when we returned a few weeks later it was COLD...literally 33 degrees, 30+ mph winds, and we had the close it all down before the pipes froze. If you ask the kids about the highlights from the trip, they would tell you casting off the dock of course was the best. We worked hard, the kids helped and we got it done. It really is beautiful up north at that time of year, so well worth the trips. Amy turned 1! Yes, our little one is a running everywhere. She started moving and grooving around 9 or 10 months and has never looked back. She is such a fun little spirit and keeps us all on our toes. If you expect her to stay in one spot with a toy, you are sorely wrong. She tries to keep up with her brother and sister....who still absolutely adore her and truly are her guardians. Maddie had the opportunity to take a girl's trip with me. We made a quick trip to CO to visit a friend who lost her father after a battle with cancer. We had a great weekend reconnecting and she sure loved hiking the mountains. She reported to Jeremy and I that when she grows up she isn't going to live in MN, we can, but she's going to live in CO. (kid, there is no way Jeremy and I will live in the tropical tundra of MN in retirement - HA) Luke is all boy and we honestly love it. He looks out for his sisters and knows how to "push their buttons" as well. But honestly, he is the gentleman at a young age. He would live outside if we let him and LOVES baseball. I don't want to guess how many pitches he hit this summer. I have no doubt when snow melts the training wheels will be off his bike. Bailey....well, she's our 4-legged friend and travels everywhere with us, so she's spoiled. Isn't that how it's supposed to be?! Jeremy and I....we prep coffee each night to keep us with the crew and are loving life. Yes, a random update and I'm sure there is more, but time to catch a flight home from a conference. Julie

And she's off...

....gosh, kindergarten arrived sooner than expected. Well, I knew it would start this year for Madeline, but golly, I don't think I ever thought it would really start. She's my little girl. It seems like yesterday I welcomed her into this crazy world. I swear she just learned to walk, talk, giggle.....well, maybe it's been a few days. Anyway, she's off and loving it. Honestly, it wasn't a big deal at all. Having gone to preschool for a few years and being the older kid in the class, she was beyond ready. She asked me to take her on the first day to "kidzone," the before school care. I wasn't sure if she would get nervous as we arrived or what. Truly, we walked in, completed the sign-in process and she basically gave me the "peace out mom" hint and I walked out. No hug...no kiss...no tears....just a BIG SMILE on a very excited girl's face. I couldn't be more proud of her. I have no doubt she will move mountains in life. She would like to be a teacher when she grows up. She has a strong work ethic and compassion for others. She also is coordinated, which makes it fun playing sports together. Thus far, we participate in activities for fun. No crazy competition yet. She's young and we just want her to be well-rounded, and have an appreciation for differences in life. She turned 6 a week after school started and we kept it simple, camping. How could I say no to a request to camp?! We had a great time and made a campfire for the kids. It was a perfect family outing.

She floats!

Highlights from summer.  We took a trip to the cabin we ended up bringing a 1960s boat home. It was Jeremy's grandfathers and hadn't been used in more than 20 years.  Took a bit of work to get the engine up and running and some arm work cleaning it up, but she runs like a champ.  Jeremy and I took her out for a test run and the smile on his face says it all.  I am sure it brings back some fond memories for him.  The kids are excited to give it a whirl now.  

Jellystone!!!!

Annual camping trip to Jellystone.  Maddie loved Yogi and Ciny.  Luke wasn't letting go of dad.  Amy, yea she just stared at them baffled by the creatures.   

I get around

Little Adventures

We took a little adventure to CO a few weeks ago and enjoyed the break from reality of work, alarm clocks and the overall hustle of life. We camped at Chatfield state park for the week and really enjoyed it. The trip was a bit of a surprise. With the real estate bubble happening in Denver, now was the perfect time to sell Jeremy's condo which we had been renting since getting married. For once, we were not going to pay someone to buy it. Truly, the market had beyond recovered. Anyway, we used the condo sale as a good excuse to visit Colorado. The kids had a blast. We went to the zoo and stayed longer than ever. They were in awe of the animals. Yes, MN has a zoo and it's really pathetic in comparison. Seeing elephants, giraffes, hippos, etc... it was better than they imagined. We hiked 3 times while there and the little legs kept up great. Amy loves her hiking pack, so that was a win as well. Really, we used the time to just relax and let the kids dig in the dirt, go for runs, eat at places we've loved before and get ice cream. I know, not an intense schedule at all. We didn't see many people during the time, but plan to return in August for a week around peach season. We are all very excited and have confirmed camping at Chatfield again. Jeremy and I truly enjoyed the views. Nothing beat the sun setting over the mountains. We know the kids will go anywhere and in time will learn to appreciate the scenery more and more. For now, they thought hiking was "awesome" and the mountains were "huge". It was funny, because we only took them to the foothills. I can imagine in August going into the mountains further will really trigger some smiles. Funny story upon returning home one evening between Madeline and I. Madeline: We'll live here forever mom. Me: What? What makes you say that? Madeline: Well, you and dad will live here forever. I might live in Colorado when I grow up, but you guys can stay here. Me: (laughing) Doubtful kiddo. *Jeremy and I have absolutely no plans on living in MN forever. Too cold and snows 9 months out of the year. That would be a serious sales pitch with major incentives to convince us to stay forever.

All boy

I have a feeling this guy is going to keep me on my toes in the future....he certainly does now. All boy!

Chompers....

..that's right. Chompers, not chomper. Not just one pearly white appeared in Amy's mouth last week, but TWO (2)!!!!!!!!! That may explain the lack of sleep for all member so the family. In addition, Maddie lost another tooth. So, Amy now has 2 and Maddie lost 2. I guess it's a fair swap.

Good Times Roll.

Maddie and Luke here. We just got back from a weekend in Iowa visiting family. Gosh it was fun, but we decided mom and dad are holding out on us. Really, I think they are trying to raise us in a bubble....but, we caught on. You see, they took us to Uncle Tom and Aunt Mary's house. Our cousins have the coolest toys! We learned to drive while there. That's right, we always thought we'd start with something simple, like a golf cart, but nope, we started with a riding toy called the "Gator." Now that we had a taste of the good life, there is no turning back. In fact, we just might keep asking for one of these until mom and dad crack. What do you think? We didn't hit anyone....except the 4-wheeler. We think if we position the need as something to assist Dad with yard work he might buy into the idea....although we have a lot of work to do, because right now he says, "No." Perhaps we should keep sweet talking mom. I guess we could position this as something to tote Amy around in as well. Perhaps it could be a infant transportation option...thoughts?

Maddie and Luke PS. Amy was a really bad traveler on the way home....a 5.5 hour drive took 9 hours...it was not fun for anyone involved. Ugh. PSS. On the plus side, we did get to stop at Hickory Park in Ames, IA to eat. We love that place!

Pearly whites....

That's right folks.  The little lady got her first chomper. Thankfully too.  I had resorted to the fact she would learn to sleep when she went to college and not a moment too soon.  It's safe to say lately she has slept horrible.  On that note, I love my Keurig coffee maker. We're you aware the morning news starts at 4:30 am on week days?  Yes, we are all about late nights and early mornings around here. It's a lively place.  

March...

...March. I guess that's a thing of the past. Really the past 10 weeks have been interesting. It's been one illness for the kids after another. Jeremy and I realized we haven't had 1 normal week of work in 10 weeks...that just seems wrong, don't you think? Ear infections, RSV, asthma, flu....oh the flu (less than fun). But thankfully, we were able to escape MN for a quick trip to FL, in hopes it would rid us of all the germs. FLORIDA Yes, a quick trip to FL occurred last week. Traveling as a family of 5 is no small adventure really. Especially when one of the members is 6 months old and more dependent on us all the time versus the older ones. The trip was great. We visited grandma and grandpa Kiefer, went swimming, spent a day at the beach, visited alligator alley, went fishing and just played outside. It was great! The kids said they want to live there because there wasn't any snow....apparently winter has worn on them as well. The only hiccup of the trip was Maddie and Luke both getting ear infections. Thankfully, they had a few days of swimming in prior, so they were content playing outside, going to the beach and just having fun. Speaking of swimming, Maddie swam from one end of the pool to the other on her own. We were all very proud since she's been working hard on this skill for some time. Luke floated on his back all by himself for 20 seconds. They are both coming along and doing great. 6 Months Yes, our little lady is 6 months old as of yesterday and doing great. She is enjoying the exploration into "real" food and thus far loves squash, sweet potatoes and green beans. She's a good little eater. All smiles, all the time. I don't care if it's 3a.m., a smile from her lights up my world. Dislikes? apparently she is not a big fan of stroller rides. This started in FL and still happens at home some. I attribute this to her not being in a stroller outside over the winter, so she's uncertain what's going on now. Adventures Luke and Maddie are back in gymnastics to help burn off their energy from winter in MN and hibernation mode. They are loving it. This is Luke's first experience in a class free of parents and he feels like such a big kid. It's been great.