Eat. Sleep. Breathe. Repeat.

Whew!  I really wish someone had told me that being a full-time working mom was going to be hectic. One or two people may have mentioned it, but I thought, "How much different could a .8 job be from a 1.0.   Holy Buckets!  The title of my post really isn't too far off the mark.  I see the kids from 4-7pm, during which time I go to the YMCA to work out, come home make dinner, sometimes give the kids a bath (baths every day are over-rated), and share bedtime duty with Kyle.  Bye kids, see you tomorrow to do this routine all over again.  It's a good thing that I enjoy my job, and I'm so busy there that I barely get time to eat a salad for lunch, so that's just a bonus in the weight-loss department. :)  The only thing that has really suffered are my Facebook and Blog posts.  Something had to go, and social connections were it.  Can't wait for next weekend to see Kali and Reese, then Las Vegas at the end of Oct with our friends Krista and Eric!!!

FAIRly Entertaining

We concluded our summer with the MN State Fair and the Burnsville Fire Muster.  Aidan loved all the kiddie rides he could get on now that he is tall enough.  He literally ran from one ride to the next, perhaps not fully enjoying the ride he was on, because he was thinking of what he was going to do next.  Aubrey was not as amused since she was not big enough to get on any rides other than the merry-go-round.  Apparently watching your big brother have fun while you sit in the stroller is not her idea of a good time.

Loving the firetrucks, even if their faces don't show it

Just one of many rides Aidan took on the kiddie roller-coasters

Getting ready for the community parade with our neighbor, Lucas

Making a break for it, trying to run away with the cheerleaders

Pretty proud of herself that she caught some candy. Daddy was happy, too, since he got to eat it

Tractors and Corn Dogs, can't ask for much more from the State Fair!

Wedding Bells

My high school friends...some of them since preschool!!!

Kung-foo dance moves

Aubrey, aka Dancing Queen

Bustin' a move with Weston and Parker

Cheese

Dancing with the flower girl

So happy

The kids all thought it was cool to do "the worm"

Wedding season 2011 is complete.  Kyle, Courtney, and Aubrey: 2 weddings.  Aidan: 0 weddings.  Thank you Grandpa Finn for watching Aidan while the rest of us celebrated with Mark and Alana in August, and Jason and Jessica this past weekend.  Aidan is just a little too much work right now to sit quietly through a wedding, eat dinner, and then stay up past bedtime without major meltdowns.  Aubrey handled the trip down to Cedar Falls, IA this past weekend like a champ and was asleep within 5 minutes on the ride home.

Aidan would have loved the dancing and running around at Jason and Jessica's wedding, but not as much as he enjoyed having his first sleepover at Grandpa's house.  That's right, he's a big boy now and can sleep in Uncle BJ's old bunk bed.  Grandpa said all went well and Aidan slept through the night.

What's that smell?

After enjoying KidStuff at the YMCA last week and reading a story called "What's that smell?", Aidan showed me the picture of a pig that he colored/painted.  He told me it was a "dirty pig".  When I asked why it was dirty...(with a look on his face that said I might just be the stupidest person in the world) "Uh, because I painted all over it."  Yep, that's my literal 3-year-old.  Fifty or more times a day now he is asking me "what's that smell?"  Thank you, YMCA, for tuning Aidan in to his sense of smell.  Let's work on a new skill now.

Another funny example of his super-literal mind...
We visited the zoo this week with our friends Stephanie, Addie, and Kate.  Aidan and Addie sat together to watch the bird show in the outdoor amphitheater.  When the trainer told everyone to "be on their toes, and on the lookout for flying birds" Aidan stood up and SHOUTED (in the silent amphitheater) "Addie, STAND UP, he said we need to be on our toes!" He proceeded to stand on his tiptoes and look around for flying birds.  Thankfully the people around us thought he was amusing; I was slightly embarrassed.

A Wee Bit 'O the Irish

We headed out to Harriett Island (in the Mississippi River, by St Paul) on Sunday to the largest gathering of pasty white people that you're ever likely to see.  Yep, the Irish Festival. We supported our Irish heritage by eating chocolate ice cream, drinking mango smoothies, and playing miniature golf.  Very Irish of us.  :)

1st time playing miniature golf

So excited!

Yep, she drank that whole mango smoothie all by herself

If it doesn't go in the first 7 times, just pick it up and drop it in

Camping Trip 2011

Kyle took a deep breath, packed some bags (with my help, of course) and took the plunge.  Aidan and Kyle went on their first annual camping trip last weekend, and it was so uneventful that Kyle has agreed to do it again.  Whew!  No one was eaten by a bear or fell in the campfire, and there were very few bug bites in need of After Bite.

If it's Noon on a Friday, and you drive a Dukes of Hazzard car, clearly the bar is the only place to be.

Ben, Wendy, and Aidan

Kyle using Aidan as a billboard to remind his friends that the Gophers beat the Hawkeyes last season

This is why Aidan doesn't have a squirt gun at our house

On the boat Saturday a.m. Disregard the feminine Dora the Explorer life vest.  Beggars can't be choosers.

Aidan hangin' with the big boys

Thirty?

Can it be true?  Am I really 30?  My birthday came and went and I don't feel any different than I have the past three years, so I guess being 30 isn't a big deal.  I don't think being a certain age changes you, it's the other things going on in your life (namely, children) that make you act more mature and drive the decisions you make. 
Besides, Aidan can't count to 30 yet, so technically it doesn't exist, right? (he can count to 29) Let's just say I'm 29 + 1.

Photo Recap

Enjoying the nice (hot) weather

Wagon rides with Weston (1.5) and Eli (almost 4)

Driving the antique fire truck in Krape Park

Kid's Castle with Poppa

1st time on a merry-go-round

The fam

Reese is 1!

We spent last week/weekend in IL and Madison visiting Nana and Poppa and celebrating Reese's 1st birthday.  With 160 pictures taken, finding just a few to share was a tough job!  The kids enjoyed swimming, playing with Eli and Weston, riding the merry-go-round, and seeing Kali, Kyle, and Reese!

Next Step

I took a giant leap of faith on Friday morning (as we were stuck inside AGAIN by the rain) and converted Aidan's crib into a toddler bed.  After setting the rule, (don't get out unless mommy or daddy gets you out) Aidan took a test run during nap time and did great.  So far, so good.  Three days in and no problems.  Aidan has stayed in bed, and he knows that if he wakes up before anyone else that he can read or play with toys in bed.  I think Aidan's favorite part is that I can sit next to him and tell him stories before he goes to bed. He's even asked for breakfast and snacks in bed! I nixed those ideas. : )

Mini-Vacation

We took a weekend trip Up North to Lac Courte Oreilles Lake (pronounced Lacooteray) over the 4th of July weekend, then Nana and Poppa came for a visit last week.  A whole week with extra hands to help with the kids was the best part of my summer vacation so far!  Quick recap of the past week and a half...Kyle and I celebrated our 6th anniversary, we boated/golfed/swam/had lots of fun at the lake, Aidan and I watched fireworks, Nana and Poppa completely re-landscaped half of our backyard, we took Nana to Rockin' Lunch Hour, we went to the zoo, and we watched a parade of vintage cars.  Yes, we've been busy!

Tim and Aidan on the first of many rides in the golf cart

 Braving the chilly water

 Queen Bee

 Another botched attempt at a cute brother-sister picture

 Helping Aunt Marsha husk the corn

 Driving the boat!

 This little boy LOVES to go boating

 Swimming in the lake with Grandpa and Uncle BJ

 More toys to play with!

  

A very tired little girl by the end of the trip

 

 The newly landscaped half of our backyard

Thanks Nana and Poppa!!!

 

 Cooling off after a hard day's work.

  I don't recommend trying this at your house.

Slip 'n Slide + 3 year old + almost 30 year old = bruised shins for everyone