Full speed ahead!

Today I brought out these cars and the kids where having "races" and when they where all done Walter said "everybody was looking at my car and I got a trophy." I said what place did you take and he said "thirteen hundred and I got train snacks too." Then he said "Rose E got seventy and one half place and she also got a trophy." He is still talking a lot about the car show that he went to with Daddy and keeps asking to go to another one and oh he has also been holding train shows in our living room! I just love to see too that he is getting more and more into playing with his sister and helping her with things.
Rose E's new word yesterday was "happy." When she woke-up in the morning and I picked-her up out of her crib she said "happy" then I washed her hands after lunch and when we where all done she said it again. She has been all into throwing toys in play so today I brought out a container of balls and she loved it she carried the bucket full all over the house.
I am so pumped because we had the kids pictures professionally taken yesterday and they turned out so beautiful. We had them taken at the museum in Lake Linden. What is cool too is that she is going to have the ones for our house done for us tomorrow so we can hang them for our home tour. We are still working like mad here to get ready for this tour and it will be a relief when we are completely done! We ordered some flowers for it too and I am excited to see how they look. Jeff is getting better but is still pretty exhausted from his illness.

Happy Birthday Kirsten!

Tonight we celebrated Kirsten's Birthday at the camp (cabin). The kids sure did have a good time playing in that Lake Superior sand and playing with a boy who was visiting next door (Von). I included a picture of Kirsten with her mermaid cake, the kids having fun in the sand, Rose E with Oma(Jeff's Grandma) and lastly one cool cat (Jeff's brother Matt).

On another note: this morning when I was getting Rose E ready for church she was playing with a shoe, of course, and driving it around like a car while saying vroom. It's amazing to watch at such a young age the imagination running wild already. Her new word of the day was "ten" for tent (Walter has a pop-up tent on his bed right now. Walter's big accomplishment today was counting to 14 (before it was 9 or 10) while pointing to things (he was right on the money most of the time, we counted things at church and at the camp).

One Mama for sale!

I had to laugh at my girly girl tomboy today as I snapped this picture. She still has that shoe fetish going on. In fact today I tried on Walter's first pair of Nike's on her for her to play in and they where a little big but she protested big time when I tried to take them off so she went outside wearing them and carrying a pair of dress shoes to boot. She did a balancing act as she pushed this tractor and a train around carrying one to two shoes in her hands. Oh and today when I was going through the shoes she said "Nike, see that." Her words are just amazing me! At breakfast this morning she was making me laugh too because she was setting her cup on her tray and saying "sit down" then she would pick it up and start it all over again. She also has been covering her eyes like she is going to play peek a boo and saying "see ya." Little goof just like her brother. The kids have been playing a lot with a wooden road toy set too. Anyway, Walter noticed that one of the road signs where the same colors as the Walmart sign and said "does this say Walmart?" I said no and read it to him then he set it on my lap and said "mama for sale!" I said "how much do I cost?" He said "fifty three six four" I said "Uh oh that's a lot of money I don't think Daddy can afford to buy me" he said "Daddy can just go to one of those money machines." Speaking of Jeff, he is starting to get a little better, still pretty worn out but has started to eat a little bit today. I gotta settle this boy down because he is having a hard time taking it easy though between work and our home tour coming-up next week. Well, I suppose I better sign off and get some work done myself. Any spare time I have lately I have been cleaning to get ready for the house tour. I decided to do one room at a time and have been washing everything from windows to walls to woodwork and everything else in between.

Road to recovery

Jeff is back home from the hospital, thank goodness and seems to be getting a little better, all though still pretty tired and not eating much yet( his doctor wanted him to stay another night but he wanted to come home so he agreed to let him). After all of the test results they still are uncertain what really happened, it was some kind of bacteria causing an infection but from where they don't know. They did however, find some gallbladder stones and he has set-up an appointment to look at that further. I am just so glad to see him improving and to have him home and hope that this is the end of whatever it was. He is taking two antibiotics so hopefully it will take care of everything. The kids are happy to have him home too. Rose E I think is teething right now and woke-up from her nap screaming and all she wanted to do was to be in Daddy's arms and Walter asked if he could snuggle with Daddy instead of going to sleep in his bed tonight. Last night Rose E was calling "daddy?" and Walter said "Rose E daddy is at the doctor's getting fixed he'll be coming back soon."

Thrown a curve ball

Phew it has been quite the day! Jeff is in the hospital right now, yes you read that right he is spending the night there. He woke-up this morning at about 5:00 a.m with some stomach pain and as the day progressed it got worse and worse. He went to work and by 3:00 this afternoon he couldn't even move he had so much pain everywhere with a fever. So I took him in, they have run all kinds of test; blood, urine, and have even done a cat scan and are not sure what is causing the problems. Right now they are leaning towards Colitis (inflammation of the intestines which didn't show up on the cat scan), gallbladder problems (the are doing in ultra sound in the morning) or a sensitivity to food bacterias that most people can tolerate. They have him on I.v's and are administering an antibiotic, a nausea medicine and a pain killer but he is just wiped and soar. I feel so bad for him and so helpless. Talk about scary, you just never know from day to day what life is going to throw you!

Congratulations Peter

Yesterday we went to Jeff's grandma's house and celebrated his cousin Peter's high school graduation, he is the one in the front in their family picture (Jeff's Aunt Mary, Uncle Dave, and cousins Jake, Tim, Joey, and John are also in the picture). They are visiting from Wisconsin. It was a nice evening, the kids enjoyed playing with toys and balloons as well as a game of duck, duck goose. The next picture is of Kirsten chasing Walter. Rose E I could tell was wishing she could get in on all the action as she was trying to say
duck duck goose too. I posted a picture of her too. Her cousin Brady was falling asleep in his stroller and she loaded hers with toys and pushed it around. A little mommy already!
Then today Walter had his first official dental appointment. It went well and he let the dentist dig around his mouth. He said his teeth look healthy and to come back in a month for a cleaning. Walter was excited because after his appointment I let him pick out some new Geo Trax train track at the store. This evening we had another home tour meeting so it kept him entertained with the babysitter (they set-up a big layout in our living room). The meeting went well, we where introduced to the red hat society ladies who will be assisting us with the tour and discussed a few other details. Jeff and I also

snuck in another date and ate at Quincy's so that was nice and after the tour a boa

rd member gave us a tour of his historic home (it is still a work in progress so it isn't on the home tour) and that was very inspirational too see. The past few days the kids have said a couple

of cute things too. Today Walter walked in some grass and noticed that he was stepping on a weed flower and said "oh I sorry pretty flower for stepping on you." Then an ambulance went by and Rose E said "hear a whee ooo whee ooo." She has been waking-up in the morning and saying "hi" to us all too, it is so cute.

Walter's first field trip!

Tonight after the story through the summer literacy program, the kids went for a field trip to a dairy farm. Walter loved it because he got to pet some cows and cats and got to ride in a hay wagon behind a tractor too(I posted a picture of Walter and I on the wagon along with his Auntie Emily and cousin Kirsten below). It was neat because a calf had been born only a couple of hours before we arrived and it learned how to stand-up for the first time while we where watching it. Talk about hard work being a farmer too! Nonstop from sun-up at 4:30 a.m until evening every day, I don't know how they do it! Not only did Walter learn quite a bit, but so did I. Walter couldn't wait to come home and tell Daddy that he went on his first field trip. He is getting so much more detailed in what he has to tell us now. This morning he woke-up at 5:30 a.m and called me into his bedroom to tell me in great detail all about his dream about going out to eat with Grandma. He's a story teller! Rose E's new phrase today was "give it" when Walter had something she wanted(I guess she has heard a few times me say give it back to your sister). She has also been into hauling her clothes around and she slept cuddling with a pair of shorts today, I know it sounds odd but whatever keeps her happy I guess. Anyway, she woke-up and said "see" as she showed me how she could put her arm in and out of the leg part. It's those simple things that seem to entertain the most!

Coming home with the gold!

This weekend Jeff and his Dad entered their 67 Camaro in their first car show in Ahmeek and came back with a first in the road street car category, which was pretty impressive since the entire park was jammed packed with beautiful cars. Walter was Jeff's little sidekick for a good part of it and was upset that there was no car show today. Both kids keep looking at the trophy and Walter likes that it has a cup on it.
Walter has been into telling really long stories lately and I mean really long! Anyway, I had to smile yesterday at one of his because we all took a train trip but our pets had to ride in the cattle car because the are after all animals. This kid sure does have an imagination!
Miss Rose E here isn't missing a beat either! Today Walter said "Mama Rose E learning how to talk today?" Boy is she ever, I can't believe the things that are coming out of her mouth. After church we ate out at Hardees and when she wanted more fries she signed more and then said "please." Then we got home and as I set my keys on the counter (she loves keys) she said "keys down" and tonight on our walk she was just talking away, everything was "see" or "see that." It was cute too because whenever she saw anybody she would say "hi, see ya." I had to laugh because as we approached a group of guys she said "men hi" clear as day, now where in the world did she get that from? She also said "sky" and "sun" and learned how to sign motorcycle.

Buddies!

Today we had Walter's friend Matthew and his sister Emily over (I used to babysit for Matthew before the girls where born ). They had a good time playing with cars, trucks and trains. When they left Walter said "I had fun playing with Matthew." In the picture with Emily and Rose E, Rose E is looking down saying "no, no" anytime I would bring out the camera before, she would smile and say "cheese" but not lately, little stinker!
The past couple of days have brought a lot of smiles to my face! Yesterday, I had my annual doctors check-up and the kids went to Jeff's grandparents house, anyway, Walter knows that he usually gets a treat when he is there, so when I told him in the morning that he would be going to there house in the afternoon he said "I think I gonna be hungry when I go there." Of course he had just had lunch when he arrived, but that was all he could think about. Yesterday, Rose E wore a dress with flowers on it and I caught Walter sprinkling water from her sippy cup all over it, when I asked him what he was doing he said "she has a garden on her and I watering it." Goof! Speaking of flowers, he has been trying to pick my flowers to bring them inside, anyway, today he picked one and said "can I pick another one" and I said no lets leave them outside for everybody to enjoy and he said "but this one needs a friend." Oh and the picture below is of his "river in our driveway with leaf fish in it," every time I stepped over the wet spots he reminded me to step onto the make-believe bridges. He cracks me up sometimes. Tonight the kids where playing in his bedroom and Rose E walked onto his rug with roads and train tracks and he said "Rose E you giant, get off the car road."
Speaking of cracking up too, Rose E is now laughing at funny things which makes us giggle even more. If Walter is acting goofy or the dog is rolling around she just burst out laughing now, it is so cute. She just loves containers now and is constantly putting toys in and out of them. She is now starting to answer us sometimes too, yesterday I said are you all done and she said "yes" and last night I said say good night to Daddy and she said "good night."

Hungry eyes, nose and toes

Today Walter paid his first visit to a dentist office. I had my teeth cleaned and he sat with Jeff and watched. Next week it will be his turn, well see how that goes! Ever since we started to use toothpaste he is sensitive about brushings teeth (afraid he is going to gag) and signs stop about 10 times in a one minute brushing session when it is my turn to brush his teeth. He was good in the dentist office but I had to laugh to myself because anytime the dentist or hygienist talked to him he would either cover his eyes with his hands or his mouth with his hands our both.
He also said a few cute expressions today. First of all, he wanted a snack so he said "mama my eyes, and my nose and my toes say I hungry." Speaking of eating, tonight while I was making supper he was really tired (this boy doesn't sleep enough, he often struggles with falling asleep (playing, reading and asking to get a drink and use his potty before going to bed) and no matter what time he falls asleep he is up at the same time every morning) so as a special treat and some wind down time I let him put a movie on. Anyway, he was waiting for all of the advertisement to be done and he said "come on t.v you can do it." Sometimes his way of wording things just makes me smile. After his bath tonight too he noticed his hair was wet and said "mama I have water on my head!"
Rose E was cute tonight too as Jeff was talking to his brother on the phone she picked up her toy telephone and walked around with it pushed up to her ear saying "daddy." Her new words today where "oh no," "yes" and "gate." She also learned how to sign washing hands and had fun playing at Great Grandma's house today while we where at the dentist appointment.

See?

Yesterday Walter and his cousins Kirsten and Cale went to this summer literacy program and they had lots of fun listening to a story,singing songs, making strawberry shortcake, painting bear prints, playing with playdoh and playing with toys. In the picture they where all wearing disguise glasses that tied in with the story they heard. Kirsten, Cale and Walter are sitting in the back row. Then tonight we had story hour and on our way there Walter saw that big tall chimney at the school and again said "mama I doing mine eye thing because I don't want the smokestack to look at me" so I said "Walter it doesn't have any eyes and it can't hurt you" so then on the way out he played it cool and waved to it as we where leaving. What a goof. He has also been telling any kid who will listen to him all about mining buildings too (they must not be so scary anymore). This morning when Jeff was ready to leave for work Walter got really sad and said I want to go with you, so he was Daddy's little helper all day long. It was cute though because when he came home he said "mama I missed you all day long." Of course Daddy spoiled him too as for he came home with all kinds of goodies they found at the hardware store.
Rose E has been a little hoot! As you can see in the picture she has found a new friend. She was carrying it all over the place. She would even hug it and pat it on the back. Today she was touching her toes and she said "feet" then she touched her eyes and said "see?" She also tried to sing "twinkle, twinkle little star" and was excited to sign to daddy this evening that she just had a bath. Oh and her new signs have been elephant and stop. She learned how to sign stop when she is all done swinging on her swing. I get a kick out of her in her swing too because I have been teaching Walter to pump his legs while swinging and now sometimes she will do it too! She has also learned how to climb up the steps and go down the slide which of course is a huge thrill for her!

Lost in a sea of clothes!

This evening I worked on our endless pile of laundry. These kids can find amusement in just about anything! Walter made a laundry basket into a ship and Rose E had fun putting her toys into them and of course taking off with the clothes while trying to wear them, don't you just love the new look for her p.j's? What a little ham! She also enjoyed her first music lesson today on the pump organ with Daddy, once she started to play she didn't want to stop. Speaking of firsts, today after church we ate at K.F.C and since I forgot to bring her sippy cup she learned how to use a straw too, she got a sip of juice and that was it, I didn't think she was going to come up for a breath of air! Her new words today where "put it on" as she was holding her shoe, "walter sit," "outside" and "moo." Oh and she made-up her own little sing language motion for "hair" too.
Walter also had fun this afternoon putzing around the yard with me. He carried his little water can around and gave the grass, trees, and flowers "drinks". Then he would carry off weeds via his dump truck to our weed pile. He is definately an outdoors little boy and inquisitive about everything! We had to stand in the driveway for awhile as he used his magnifying glass to spy on the ants too.

Boys just wanna have fun!

The past couple of days have been a dream come true for Walter! First Jeff worked on the train layout in the attic of our garage (our garage used to be a livery for horses and the attic was storage for hay). The train layout was passed down from Jeff's cousin, Michael and Walter was in his glory as Jeff putzed around with it. He was talking so fast he reminded me of an auctioneer and asking a million questions while of course jumping. If you click on this picture you can see that Walter is actually winking! He has discovered that Daddy has another whole array of trains and has been digging them! This morning he told me "Mama can I please touch it, I will be fragile with it?" It has been cute listening to him tell Rose E about them too. Then they got the Ranger back from the Polaris shop with a new windshield on it so they took it for a long ride last night too. Walter came back so excited to tell me about everything he saw and then he said "Mama I am a train boy and a ranger boy now."
I also had to laugh because he told me yesterday that he is afraid of dinosaurs (he has been into dinosaurs lately) and when I said why he said because they eat people. Then I told him that dinosaurs are extinct and that means that they don't live anymore. Then he said do you mean that they live somewhere else in the world? I said "no they are no longer living anywhere in the world" then he said "mama I want the world to give back the dinosaurs."
Rose E and I have had some girl time too. We have gone walking and shopping (I was excited to find a few more treasures today for our house, I found an old bib for our antique high chair and some old magazines; one we will have on our parlor table for the home tour and one is a musical one from the 1920's for our organ). She is pointing out and noticing so much now it is so much fun. Oh and her new words have been "Jesus" and "sheep" (we put an antique picture of Jesus with sheep in her bedroom and she talks about it everyday). It was also cute because yesterday she was carrying around two books and Walter said "look Rose E you have 1,2 books" she turned to him and said "1,2,3" and speaking of books, last night after I put her pajamas on she said "read?" She is getting to know the routine and understanding so much. Tonight I got out two snacks and I said one is for you and one is for Walter, then she went up to Walter and handed him his.
I took this picture of her this evening sitting next to some Roses in our yard, I am yet to get the two of them smiling at the same time in that spot (there are so many distractions outside) I guess I will have to try for round three tomorrow(I took one of them in the same spot last year and would like to get a picture there every year but we'll see I guess).
Well, I suppose I better sign off, I have to go get things ready for church tomorrow. Oh and that reminds me Jeff and I had instructions from Walter to wake him up at "2 and 14 in the morning." Gotta love it!

A mining building fit for a King (and a Queen)!

Walter's been having fun with these big castle blocks lately, of course they have been turned into everything from trains to a mining building. This was a mining building (not a scary one of course) it was cute because he got really creative, thinking about where the miners went into the ground, where the train could pick-up copper and where the airplane could land to pick-up copper too (you can tell we live in the U.P). Then his train worked really hard and needed a rest so he gave it pretend snacks to refuel it up. I have had fun playing with him lately, now all of his toys talk to each other and boy do they ever go on the adventures! He has been really into board games lately too, just about everyday lately we have been playing a couple games outside on the picnic table when Rose E takes her nap (she is down to one afternoon nap now but sleeps for 3-4 hours usually, so it gives Walter and I a lot of one on one time and he has loved being my little helper too during that time). Oh and another thing I had to laugh at today, as some of you know, one of his most priced possesions are his railroad magazines, anyway today Rose E put her hands on one of them and Walter said "no no Rose E that very old and that could break very easily" I guess he's heard that expression a few times in his lifetime.
Our little Rose E is getting too big too fast. I snapped a picture of her using a fork today, she is loving it. I have been helping her stab the food and then she puts it into her mouth and speaking of "fork" that was one of her new words today along with "sock." Everything is "see" and "this" now, she is mimicking so much too. Today I was driving cars and trains with her and she mimicked me saying "vroom" and "choo." Sometimes too when the phone rings she will sign phone and say "hello." Oh and another cute thing she did the other day, when we where in the car she was singing songs to us and when she was done with a song she would say "the end."

Mama's little helpers!

Today I brought some of the kids toys outside and let them wash them-up in soapy water. Walter excitedly said "we helping Mama." He just loves to be our little helper. Then some water dripped down the driveway and he said "look a river in our driveway." When he was all done cleaning his toys he said "lets clean the driveway now" and had fun dumping it out. After that the kids each picked out a few toys they washed and played with them for the rest of the day. Walter has been all into his fourth of July candy and is considering it a big treat since he has only been getting a few a day, anyway it was funny because the other day he was eating a piece and said "I pinching the candy with mine teeth." Little character! Oh and lately when he goes on the Ranger he will want to see mining buildings but then when he sees them he says he does a "funny eye thing" (he looks down) so when I asked him why he said "I scared" I said what are you scared of he said "they looking at me." We keep explaining to him that they aren't alive but he is convinced that they can see him and now tonight when we walked to storyhour their is a big chimney type smokestack and he said the same thing. Little goof. We have noticed that sometimes in public too if he doesn't feel like talking to someone he will just close his eyes. Rose E is really picking-up on the signs lately. Yesterday during our walk when we got to the park she asked if she could go on the swing. Then today Jeff gave her her first little Ranger ride (he went really slow and just went for a short distance) anyway at one point we went over some bumpy rocks and she made-up a sign for bumpy. Then this evening she kept signing it, she must have really gotten a kick out of it.

Joys of summer

We've had a nice couple of summer days here and every time Rose E goes outside lately she signs "HOT." We have been enjoying the weather, yesterday we walked and went for a cruise in the camaro and today after church we went out to the camp. Walter was in his glory because he and Daddy arrived in style on the Ranger four wheeler. While out there his cousins Kirsten and Cale got to go for a ride too, Cale is sitting next to Walter and Jeff in the picture. After rides Walter was cute as for he told me in great detail everything he saw including stop signs. Rose E was cute at the camp too, she is now walking everywhere and boy is she ever quick! I had to laugh because she spotted her baby cousin Brady's car seat and said "baby" and rocked it even though it was empty. Pat and Wally where still out there and it was a nice visit.
Last of all, I couldn't resist posting a picture of this thank you card Walter made yesterday, I think it is so exciting that he is now copying letters.

Happy Fourth of July!

Yeah, according to Walter July came! The kids have had a good couple of days. Yesterday we went to the park to watch the fireworks, they where in awe. At first Rose E was scared but then liked them. Every time we watch them I think of Walter's second (he was 1and a half) 3rd of July when he was fascinated by them and made-up his own sign for firework, I reminsced with Walter about it and we taught Rose E his sign.
The kids where of course in the glory today too. They loved watching the parade, getting candy and of course being with their cousins along with other family. (I included a picure of the kids with their cousins, all wearing matching shirts for the 4th, courtsey of Jeff's parents). Even though our road is still under construction we where glad that the parade went on as usual as for we have a prime spot here! After the parade and lunch at our house we all went out to the camp for a beautiful evening, it was fun and Jeff's Grandpa's brother's son, Wally and his wife Pat, where up for a visit.
Oh and I had to laugh about Walter and his bug bites, so dramatic! This morning he woke-up and said "mama I have terrible bug bites" then this evening he said "the bugs bit me on my scales (I thought what in the world is he talking about and he showed me a scab ) then he said "the mosquitoes said mmm Walter taste delicious." What a goof! Rose E also had a fly buzzing around her and signed is that a bird?

A bug whose looking for a home.

Phew, we are almost done with our outdoor painting projects! We have painted until we have run out of paint, there isn't too much left so tomorrow I will take a jaunt to Sherwin-Williams so we can officially be done and just in time for the 4Th too. The kids have been spending a lot of time outside and Walter has found great entertainment in watching the construction trucks and other vehicles go by. This afternoon he said "mama where all those people hiding in their cars going too?" Yesterday then after story hour as we where walking back he saw a backhoe on a trailer, the backhoe had dirt hanging off of it and he said "mama that backhoe saying I had a hard day today." Speaking of story hour, Rose E was funny to watch this week as Cyrus's mother brought in Cyrus's baby brother she looked at me and looked at him and said "see" excitedly, she also said "hi" to him. Her latest phrase has been "all done." If she is eating and runs out of food she will anxiously say "all done" asking for more (she knows how to sign more too and often times signs that when she is hungry).
Yesterday Walter was on the prowl for bugs. He carried his little magnifying glass around the yard and his bug house, such a little scientist. Then we went into the house and we had a fly buzzing around and he said "mama that bug saying I looking for a home to live in." Oh and today he was given a snow globe with a train inside of it that Jeff's parents got on their Amtrack trip to Montana. Anyway, we had to laugh because it went everwhere with him (even to bed) and when anybody would walk past our house he would grab it and show it to them. What a character!