A Trip to the Bank

Lauren has had a piggy bank since she was born.  She got it for a gift from Aunt LouAnn.  Slowly and surely we have been filling it up since then.  Many a times have I found Lauren sitting with my wallet and putting all the coins in her bank.  Needless to say, it was finally full and VERY heavy...we had been trying to get this done all summer, but we have been so busy.

That's because there was a lot of monies in there...

We walked downtown to the bank (because we are getting a break from the 100 degree weather) and Mrs. Drzycimski helped with the machine to sort the money.

And then Lauren got her "money book" and, of course, a sucker.

I love being in this together with her.

A few weeks ago...

...Lauren was playing in the rain.  She loves, loves, loves to go out and fill in the mud puddles with the sand from her sand box.  It has been a really busy spring and we haven't posted much, but school gets over this week and then we will be turned loose on summer!  We have lots and lots of plans for summer and we will be sharing them with everyone.  But, for now...here is playing in the rain.

I am so glad that this girl and I are in it together!!!

A Beautiful Day

Thanksgiving is such a blessing in the fact that 60ish of our closest family members gather at my Aunt Retha's house for time together.  This year we were doubly blessed with the fact that it was PERFECTLY beautiful weather out.  The kids were outside all day playing without their coats on...not bad for Iowa in late November.  Mother Nature can keep this up for another month before she can give us a little bit of winter for a week or so. 

Lauren took advantage of the time to try her hand at rollerskating, which is one of my biggest memories of Thanksgiving at the Harrington's...either in the basement on Court Street or at the Skate Palace.  It is always amazing how these traditions carry on in different ways. 

As always, I am thankful that this little thing and I are in this together.

It's October...

It has been quite a while since we have gotten a post in and boy, oh, boy have we been busy.  Busy doing what you may ask?  I ask myself that same question almost daily.  It never feels like we get anything done, but yet everything that needs done seems to be getting done.  We all know that the stuff like dishes, laundry and cleaning can wait til later when you have a three year old because here are the things we are busy doing instead:
                  1) Enjoying this wonderful weather...seems like payback from the hot summer, although we can do without the little black bugs that have shown up.
                  2) For two days we had a blast at the Clay County Fair!  One days was with Aunt Juju and Cody and the other was with our friends The Peats.
                  3) Lauren spending time with her daddy.
                  4) I have gotten the school year of to a successful start.  I think, anyways.  Can't believe it is almost the end of the 1st quarter already.
                  5) Lauren has totally adjusted to her new daycare and has been talking a lot about Lucas. Our new daycare goddess, Josie, has been awesome.
                  6) Have I mentioned we have been enjoying the weather?
                  7) Lauren has started her first non-daycare learning activity...she is attending First Hour of Power at our church and is totally LOVING it!
                  8) And.......drumroll, please.....I would like that announce that we are fully potty trained in the #1 department and are becoming very successful in the #2 department.  This has been a long time coming and it just goes to show that slow and steady wins the race.

Here are some things we have to look forward to during October:
                  1) Halloween, of course.  You can expect the world's cutest monkey at a doorstep near you.
                  2) #2...you knew it was coming.
                  3) Harvest.  Although Hampa's beans have already been combined, we are going to try to get a ride somewhere else.
                  4) Hopefully enjoying some more wonderful weather through this month.

Whether it is all that has happened or all that will happen, Lauren and I are truly blessed.  We have great friends.  We have wonderful family.  Most of all...we have each other.