Christmas at the Penninsula

A dear friend invited the kids and I to the Penninsula in Chicago. They had lunch for the kids (champagne for the adults!), then story time and coloring with Mrs Claus and finally, cookie decorating! Santa came at the end and each child got to sit and talk to him. Isaac, of course, wanted a fire truck and Lo would not go anywhere near him. Mrs Claus held her pretty much the entire time. When Mrs Claus put her down (after seriously holding her for 20 minutes!) to pick up another child- she had a breakdown of disasterious proportions and we had to leave ASAP. It was very fun though (and very high class!).

Lo being held by Mrs Claus

Mrs Claus telling the kids a story

Isaac & Lo next to the lobby tree

Isaac & his girlfriend, Keelin.

The food the kids were served- I wanted to eat it- how cute!

Isaac & Santa

The kids making Christmas cookies- Lo is eating the candy that should be going on her cookie!

Decorating . . . .

The decorating table-

Stuck

So we put up our Christmas tree a few nights ago. We bought new ornaments since our other ones broke in the move to Munster. The new ornaments came in a plastic container & the kids thought it was funny to wear them on their heads. But what was funnier was when Isaac got one really stuck on his head! Check out the picture- they're hillarious!

Really, Dad, you can't get this thing off me?

Don't get to close to my ear, okay?


Pull, Dad! Pull!

Gymnastics!

The pike position . . . kind of . . .

Tada . . .

I know, I look so cute in my leotard!

What they call the "butterfly position".

Hiding from the "butterfly catcher" (aka stretching!)

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So- as you can see, the kids started gymnastics a few weeks ago. For the most part they really like it. There is not much that they do right- neither can jump very good, do a somersault, swing on the bars, etc- but they have fun and that's all that counts, right? :) It's quite a workout for me- keeping track of both of them and helping them do all the tricks. A better description would be me helping Isaac while Lo goes off to another class to see what they're doing; then me running to bring Lo back while Isaac goes off to another part of the gym to see what else he can try!

Great Grandma

My grandma came to visit this weekend with her daugthers (my aunts and mom). She's such a special lady and she has taught me so much. She knows what it means to "walk in the light" and I only hope that someday my grandkids can say the same about me. Thank you, Grandma, for being such a great witness. My kids loved spending time with her and so did I. I wish we lived closer but am thankful for every chance that I get to spend with her.

Halloween

The kids chowing down on candy after trick-or-treating.

Miss Lo the Ladybug!

Srgt. Isaac Sherwood- watch out- he's a tough one!

Aaww- they are too cute!

Nothing gets by this cop . . . . !

Fall Day

David & I took the kids to a place called Bengtson's Pumkin Farm in Homer Glen, IL. We had so much fun. We rode a hay ride (minus the hay) to a pumkin patch, watched a potbelly pig race, did a haunted barn (which the kids LOVED- we actually went in it 4 times and even I thought it was scary), rode a couple of kiddy rides, fed animals in the petting zoo, rode ponies, ate funnel cakes and took lots of pictures. It was a really great day as a family and we're blessed to have it as a memory. Enjoy the pictures!

Lo on her first pony ride - she was a natural.

Isaac rode solo and seemed to enjoy himself as well!

Feeding the goats carrot slices. Isaac wasn't afraid at all- he would have fed them his fingers!

Lo fed the goats about 3 carrots- then one licked her fingers and she was done!

Happy Halloween! (I had to put this one it- it's hillarious!)

The kids & I on a frog ride.

They love pumpkins!

Do his kids look like him? I still can't tell!

Lo holding on for dear life. She's not too sure of the animals that are bigger than her.

Isaac & Lo watching a dancing chicken show- how cute are they?

The Terrible Two . . . .

So I was putting the laundry away and the kids were playing upstairs in the loft. After a few minutes - it grew quiet so I went to check on them. I found them both in the guest room shower, fully clothed, with the water on- having the time of their lifes! My first instinct was to yell at them but then I just took a step back and laughed! It's only going to get better from here . . . . ha ha ha!

Colorado

Aunt Julie & Isaac on the shuttle bus to pick up the rental car.

Uncle Andrew & Isaac taking a walk in Fort Collins, CO.

Aunt Heather & Lo taking a walk too.

Eating fudge in Estes Park- can you tell who doesn't like it?

Watching the elk bugle in Rocky Mountain National Park. It was really cool. It's mating season so the males make these crazy bugling noses. Lo enjoyed it and kept calling them all babies- Isaac, well, he preferred to play with the rocks at the side of the road.

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The kids, myself and my sister Julie flew out to Colorado two weekends ago to visit my brother and sister-in-law. We had a great trip. The kids did wonderful on the plane and traveling in general. We took a Lincoln Town car (with a driver) to Midway, got on the plane, landed in Denver, took the tram to get our baggage, boarded a shuttle bus to the rental car and then drove an hour to my brother's house- and out of all of that, Isaac's favorite part was the shuttle bus! We don't have many pictures since I thought my camera was broken (but really it just needed to be charged) but we did get a couple. Thanks, Andrew & Heather for a really great time. We miss you already!

Baptism

Isaac & Lauren were baptized together on Sunday. It was a really special day for all of us. They did great- no crying, no trying to put their hands in the water, no telling the pastor "no"! My cousin sang a song called "Made to Praise" and it was beautiful. Praise be to God!

My fireman

We attended an open house at the fire station up the street. Isaac wore his firecoat there because - if we were going to a firestation- there could be a fire he might have to fight on the way. He got to go for a ride in the ladder company fire truck and he was so excited! He also got to spray a fire hose. Seriously, it might have been a better day than his "happy birthday"!