Snow and Fun!

This past week, we've had a lot of snow, followed by a full weekend - Mackenzie's 6th birthday party and Disney Live with Ben and Aunt Lindsay! Our little girl was exhausted by the end of it all but had such a great time!

Emerson's 2nd Birthday

Emerson's 2nd birthday was full of fun! We went to the Magic House and had lunch with her cousins, took a shopping trip to Toys R Us, and ate pizza and dessert with Mommy and Daddy. In between it all, she found some time to play with her new dollhouse and all of her other new toys. She was still talking about seeing Monkey George (Curious George at the Magic House) when she fell asleep. I can't believe how quickly two years have gone and what a big girl we have now!

Weekend Fun

It was another busy weekend around our house! I was able to take Friday off and Emerson and I explored the new Y with Rebecca and Titus. Emerson and Titus enjoyed the playtime, and then we went swimming in the new pool. The indoor pool has a lazy river, slide and kids play area. The kids had a great time, and we're very excited for next summer when we can go to the outdoor pool!
Friday night, we went downtown to watch the annual tree lighting with Dadu and Papa. Afterwards, we followed Santa to Macy's and enjoyed hot chocolate, cookies and popcorn.
Em's grandparents came into town Friday night to celebrate Baby Jack's baptism, so our weekend fun continued hanging out with them and going to watch Daddy's basketball team - they got 3rd place in their first tournament!

Randomness over the last few weeks

We've managed to stay busy during the last few weeks. The beautiful weekends between the rain have allowed us a lot of outdoor fun. We went to the Botanical Gardens and have spent a lot of time at the park. Although she loves the park, my little girl is now asking to go shopping when I pick her up from daycare. I can't believe her daddy has brainwashed her like that :)

It's also been nice to have some time at home to relax. We don't have another free weekend until January but that is because our holidays are filled with family and friends. Can't wait!

Apple Picking

We spent Sunday afternoon at a local apple farm with Emerson's cousins. She had a great time at the play area with Ellie, Katie and Mackenzie before taking the wagon ride out to the orchard. Emmy helped us pick the sweetest apples, sampling them first to make sure they were good!

Helping Grandpa

Emerson discovered a tricycle at her grandparents' house that she had to try. However, she and her grandpa decided a few bolts needed to be tightened first. She was a great little helper and kept flipping it back over to fix it. Eventually she got everything in working order and was able to ride!

Pumpkin Picking

Emerson had a great time picking pumpkins and her grandma's cousin's farm. It was a beautiful day and she had plenty of perfect ones to choose from. Ending the day with her own ice cream made it a perfect afternoon!

A New Cousin!

Emerson couldn't have been more excited about the arrival of her newest cousin, Jack! She loved "holding" him and got mad if he was moved away from her, exclaiming, "My baby!". She even prepared the swing for him and offered to put him in it for his mommy. We all can't wait to see Baby Jack again soon!

Homestead Harvester Days

We spent Sunday afternoon out in Illinois at Homestead Harvester Days. Em was able to climb on tractors, watch wheat being thrashed, play in a sandbox of corn and explore what life was like before electricity and modern conveniences. But, her favorite part was definitely the wagon ride from the parking lot!

Sunday at the Winery

We had Sunday brunch at a winery near where Emerson's grandpa grew up. It was fun to see where my grandparents first farmed and how my dad was allowed to drive the farm truck to the elevator when he was just a little kid. The food was delicious, and it was nice to relax by the lake with a bottle of wine (and a loiipop!).