Fly away butterfly, fly away

This summer our backyard was filled with butterflies. On some days we would see 10 butterflies. Jackson and Aubrin would always stop what they were doing to watch them flutter. If they landed the kids would tip toe up behind them to try and get a closer look. With all of the curiosity about butterflies, Jackson asked grandma and grandpa Olenech for a butterfly house for his birthday. We had to send away for the caterpillars and it took a couple of weeks for them to arrive. Every day Jackson would eagerly wait to see if they were in the mailbox. Finally they came. I think he was slightly disappointed when I told him that he could not play with the caterpillars, but I told him that they had to stay safe in their house. Once they inched their way to the top of the container and turned into chrysalis we could then put them in the butterfly house. They sat in Jackson's room on his dresser. The first thing he did every morning was check and see if they had turned into butterflies yet. One evening Jackson went upstairs and he was very surprised to see a butterfly fluttering around in the butterfly house. Jackson was very concerned that it didn't have anything to eat or drink. We had been talking about what butterflies eat and drink prior to the arrival of our new fluttering friend. Jackson knew that they liked sweet juices so he decided that we should put watermelon in the butterfly house. With help from daddy, Jackson carefully put the watermelon in the house. Right away the butterfly landed on it. Jackson and Aubrin just stared and thought it was great. Over the next couple of days the other three butterflies hatched.

Last weekend we decided we should let the butterflies go. Jackson was a bit sad, but we told him they would live in our flowers and we could visit with them again next summer. I didn't have the heart to tell him that butterflies life expectancy any is 4 weeks, but that's another lesson on another day. Jackson and Aubrin were able to hold a butterfly before they flew away. As they were flying away Aubrin was saying, "Fly away butterfly, fly away."

Fall fun has arrived

This weekend was the perfect weekend to be outside and enjoy the fall weather. On Saturday I took the kids to the Michigan State Tollgate fair. Once a year for one day they have a fair for families to come and enjoy different activities, see animal programs and snack on yummy treats. When we first got to the fair it was raining so we went to the barn to watch an animal program. The man doing the program was the same animal man that was at a birthday party Jackson want to a couple of weeks ago. The kids got to see many animals and even got to pet a few. After the presentation we went outside and it was blue skies!!!! We found a pond filled with tiny frogs. Aubrin wanted to dive right in and catch them, but Jackson warned her that there might be alligators in the water. That stopped her dead in her tracks. What a good big brother. The kids had a chance to do several crafts, pick a pumpkin and feed sheep. As the afternoon went on we stopped and had lunch and a few yummy snacks. I couldn't get over all of the things to do and it was all FREE!!!! As we were leaving there was a table filled with different things that they grow at the Tollgate center. As we were checking everything out I look over and Aubrin had taken a HOT pepper off the table and found a place on the ground to sit and have a little snack. So we purchased the pepper and Jackson also found a few things he thought we should buy and take home to daddy. It was a great day!


On Sunday we met my mom and dad at the apple orchard. We got there early enough that it was not crowed so we were able to snap some great pictures, visit with the animals and jump on the wagon ride without waiting in line. Jackson and Aubrin were both excited to spend the morning with Grandma and Grandpa Olenech. Jackson was busy filling my parents in on all of the facts he knows about the animals. Aubrin was running around trying to get the animals to eat grass. After visiting with the farm animals we went in for cider and donuts. Jackson was very interested in watching from the window how apple cider is made. My mom was explaining to him how it worked and he was just full of questions. When I walked up next to him he told me exactly how it was done and would look at my mom to make sure he was telling me the right steps. After we had a donut and cider we took a wagon ride around the orchard. Aubrin was very quiet during the ride. She was very busy eating a yummy apple. It was great trip to the apple orchard. Thanks for inviting us grandma and grandpa.




















On Sunday evening we went to Todd's parents to celebrate Kyle and Papa's birthday and also the engagement of Kyle and Colleen. I forgot my camera so I wasn't able to take any pictures:( The kids had a great time running around with their cousins and we got a chance to hear about all of the wedding plans. We are so excited to have Colleen be part of the family.

Our Little Guys Big Day

Last Monday morning at 7:15am I was sitting in our office working on the computer and all of the sudden I hear... thud, thud, thud. I go up in Jackson's room and he is jumping on his bed chanting, "Today I'm going to school, today I'm going to school." That's right, the first day of preschool. Jackson had been waiting for the first day of school since his last day last spring. The first thing Jackson said was,"What time is the bus coming?" Todd and I had been telling Jackson that he was not riding the bus this year, but next year he will when he goes to kindergarten. He was still pretty sure that it was coming for him. I had to break it to him, again, that it was not coming. As we were eating breakfast we heard the bus coming for the elementary school kids. I opened the front door to show him that it was going to drive past our house. As the bus drove by Jackson said, "Are you kidding me?" I think then he realized it really wasn't stopping for him. As Jackson was getting dressed and getting his bag together, Aubrin was doing the same. Aubrin wanted to go to school too! We went outside took a few pictures and then we were off to school. Shelia came to watch Aubrin for the morning. As we were driving to school Jackson was telling me how excited he was to see all of his friends and Mrs. Katie and Mrs. Debbie. When we got to school Jackson ran and gave Mrs. Katie a big hug.
Last year when we went to school on the first day Jackson was a bit shy and stayed close to me. This year Jackson was very independent and walked into the classroom with confidence. He said hello to his friends from last year and asked me who the new faces were. Mrs. Katie called all the kids over to the rug for circle time. It was so fun to see how all of the kids have matured over the summer. Mrs. Katie was handing out name tags and the kids had to say who they brought with them. Most kids would say I brought my mom and then the mom would introduce themselves. When Mrs. Katie got to Jackson he said, "I brought my Amy with me." That's my kid, always getting right to the point. Jackson had the chance to do a few activities, play with friends and had snack. As we left school he Jackson was already telling how excited he was to come back on Wednesday.

'Twas the night before school...

Todd and I both feel very lucky that we are able to spend the whole summer home. It has been a great summer of going different places and keeping busy around the house. When August comes around I always start to feel a bit stressed about leaving the kids. I see how much we do during the day and how much they make me laugh and then I get a little sad that I will be at work and miss out on all of those little moments. I thought as the years went by it would get easier to go back to work, but I am finding it to be the opposite. This year we have a little change in our child care. Kalynn was not able to schedule her classes around our family anymore and Michele was ready to pursue a few other avenues. We were so sad to see them go. This may have put me over the edge thinking I needed to find child care for the kids, but we have a WONDERFUL woman named Shelia watching the kids. Shelia watched Jackson for almost two years before Aubrin was born. She heard we were looking for someone and said she would love to come back to watch the kids. She put in her notice at work and then she was all ours! The kids absolutely adore Sheila. It has really put me at ease knowing that someone I already know so well and trust will be spending her days loving my babies.
We spent our last couple days of vacation as a family. We went out to our friends lake and hung out for a day and other than that we just stayed around the house. The evening before school started we made smores out on the deck. Jackson and Aubrin thought it was great to make dessert outside.
After we put the kids to bed, the getting ready for school sound was ringing in the house. Lunches were being made for the next day, the coffee pot timer was set, clothes were being ironed for the next morning and bags were getting packed. There was no denying it any longer, my alarm was going off at 5:20am the next morning. Todd was set for his first day and I was excited to meet all of my new little pals.
Although summer is over, we look forward to the weekends and all of the exciting things we do as a family during the fall.

Our Peaceful Sleeping Beauty

Aubrin has always been a great sleeper. Like Jackson, she has slept through the night since she was two months old and very rarely does she ever get up at night. However, over the past couple of months she has been waking up more and more in the middle of the night hysterical because she couldn't find her pacifiers in her crib. Aubrin has always had two pacifiers, one in her mouth and one in her hand. Although, she only kept the one in her mouth for only moments until she fell asleep and then it would fall out, but she would hold tight to the one in her hand all night- unless she let it go and she couldn't find it.
Since Aubrin turned 18 months I kept saying, "This is the month I will take her pacifiers away." I just never did it. Jackson never had a pacifier so I wasn't sure the right way to go about it and to be honest, I was selfishly scared that my great sleep would be no more. I would ask people their advice on how to take a pacifier and almost every person would say, "Aubrin has a pacifier?" The pacifier never left Aubrins crib- for the most part. She never walked around the house with it in her mouth and it NEVER left the house with us in her mouth.
One day I told Aubrin that the pacifier fairy was going to come visit her soon and was going to take her pacifiers. I just wanted to get her reaction. She said "No mommy", and left it at that. Later that day I went to change her diaper and guess what I found tucked into the front of her diaper? Yes, her pacifiers. That little stinker was hiding them just in case that tricky fairy decided to come to our house.
A couple weeks ago when Aubrin was napping, Todd and I decided it was time. So we decided that when she woke up from her nap we were going to turn her crib into a toddler bed and take the pacifiers. As Todd was taking the front off her crib, he turned and looked at me as I was crying. I always seem to have a good cry when our babies hit a milestone.
Aubrin was excited to see her new bed. Todd told her that when big girls sleep in big girl beds they don't use pacifiers any more. She just giggled and continued to love her bed.
That evening we went to the Wiggles. When we got home we changed into Pj's and Aubrin got cozy in her new bed. Not once did Aubrin ask for her pacifier and she slept beautifully in her new bed.
Aubrin still has not asked for her pacifiers. Also, she has not gotten out of bed. I was a bit concerned that she would get out of her bed in the middle of the night, but she stays in her bed like a big girl. We are so proud of her for giving up her crib and pacifiers with no problems.

The Wiggles

So here we are again, going to see our four favorite dancing and singing Australian men~The Wiggles. Todd and I knew that the Wiggles were coming in August, but we had decided not to go this year. We have taken Jackson the past two years, but over the past year the kids have not been too interested in the Wiggles. That was before we got a call from Jason, one of our friends in the neighborhood and asked if we wanted to go with his family
and another family to see the Wiggles. We love hanging out with our friends in the neighborhood and the kids always have a great time together.
When we told the kids that we were going they were really excited. I think Jackson was more excited that we were taking Aubrin this time. Last year when we went he had a great time, but was sad Aubrin didn't come.
When we got to the Palace all of the kids were so excited. This time we were in a suite to watch the show. It was perfect that we had our own bathroom and our food was delivered to us. There was plenty of room for the kids to dance and be silly while we waited for the show to start.
Once the show started Jackson and Aubrin had a ball dancing and singing along to the music. Jackson of course brought his Wiggles glow stick for when they played Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. They turn all the lights out and all of the kids hold their sticks up in the air. Jackson waited patiently for that part of the show. Jackson noticed that during the show one of the little girls we were with was sad she didn't have a Wiggle glow stick so he went over to Ella and said she could hold his during the song. It was really sweet. We were really proud of Jackson for noticing Ella was sad and doing something to make her feel better. Although he sat very close to her, I think to make sure he would get it back. After the show the kids were very interested in watching the crew clean up the set and pack up all of the equipment. It was amazing how fast they got everything torn down. We looked around and realized we were the only people left in the Palace. As we walked out, all of the kids were running and singing the famous Fruit Salad song. As we were driving home Jackson said, "Can we go again next year?" We said we would see, but I have a feeling we'll be back!

Zoo Trip

As our summer vacation is coming to an end we have been trying to make the most of the beautiful weather. Last week we took the kids to the zoo for the first time all summer. We have visited the farm many times, but just didn't get to the zoo as much as I would have liked.
We were at the zoo by 9:30am. We figured if we got there early we would beat the crowds and it would still be cool enough out so more of the animals would be a bit more active. Our day stared out great. The weather was perfect, we got the first parking spot in the parking structure and when we walked up to the gate a lady handed us two free passes for the kids. It was our lucky day.
When we got in the zoo Jackson wanted to head straight to the lions and Aubrin wanted to see the monkeys. The fountain in the middle of the zoo caught Jackson's eye as we were making our way back to the lions. Of course tons of people were taking pictures so we had to be patient for a few minutes. When it was our turn we snapped a quick picture and then gave each of the kids a coin to throw in and make a wish. Aubrin of course threw hers in quickly. Jackson closed his eyes, thought hard and then tossed his in. I loved the look of excitement on his face when he realized he thought of a good wish. The kids had a great time running around and seeing all the animals. Both loved the alligators, turtles and always a favorite, the polar bears. When we walked through the water tunnel the kids were amazed when they saw the polar bears and seals swimming over the tunnel. As we were walking out they both giggled a bit as they put their hands on the cold icy wall and made hand prints.
After a while it was time for lunch. We found a picnic table in the middle of the zoo across from the flamingos. We thought it would be a perfect spot to eat, but still be able to see a few animals. As soon as we sat down we had a few friends join us- geese. Todd got up and tried to chase them away, but they had no fear and were determined to get a little piece of our lunches. So we decided to move to the designated eating area in the zoo. We didn't have the great view of the animals, but we also didn't have geese trying to get a nibble.

After lunch we walked around a bit more, but by this time both Jackson and Aubrin climbed in the stroller. They were tired and ready to head home. On the way home Jackson and Aubrin were excited to talk about their favorite parts of the zoo.
I'm so happy that simple trips to the zoo make the kids so happy. It was a perfect family day!