Warm October Days...impossible!

This past weekend was BEAUTIFUL out and how can you resist not enjoying being outside. Jason and I actually had NOTHING on the calendar and enjoyed some home time. We took Jillian for a little bike ride on Saturday and had a picnic, it was a nice day. We packed up the bike trailer with a blanket and cooler full of picnic goodies. We all got on the bikes and headed out. Jason had spied a park off of Bluemound near Miller park so we headed that way. Jillian was thrilled to be at a park. She just loves the swings and now really enjoys the BIG slides! We played for a little bit then stopped for lunch.


She ate quickly and very little, she had to get back to the playground.

After the excitement of this new park wore off we jumped back on our bikes and headed towards Miller park (they have an awesome kiddie park near Healfer field, didn't know that).


Jillian really enjoyed the slides here!

It looks like daddy even had a good time!

What a great way to spend family time...outside!

Phillips, WI

Jason's family has a hunting cabin up north in Phillips, WI. He's been going there for years to hunt in November. A few years ago Jason took me up there to see the cabin in the winter and it was pretty cold! So we decided to go up there now to see the fall colors and be there before it was too cold for Jillian. It is a good 6 hour hike for us (mostly because you have to stop every few hours to let Jillian run around or you have to stop and buy a portable DVD player to entertain your daughter!). Jason took Friday off and we headed up there in the morning. Like I mentioned earlier, it took us all day to get up there but we finally made it! When we left Milwaukee the temperature was a comfortable 70 degrees and as we pulled onto the cabin drive it was a chilly 50 degrees (and that was the warmest temperature all weekend!)! Jillian was very interested in what was in the cabin and as you can imagine a men's hunting cabin is NOT baby proof! As Jillian roamed around the cabin (me following close behind) Jason did all the things he needed to do to get the cabin up and running (start the fire in the cabin, start the fire in sauna and many other things I have no idea about!).



So we finally got settled and started enjoying some family time in the warm cabin. We got Jillian ready for bed and put her down relatively easily. Jason and I finally got a chance to eat dinner, watch a movie and take a nice warm sauna! As we were settling into our sleeping bags (around 10:30 or so) Jillian awoke and not very happily! I planned on it being colder in the cabin and dressed her in a long sleeved onsie, socks, fleece jammies and her sleep sack. But Jason was doing a great job with fire it was pretty toasty in there! Needless to say, she was hot! We took off a few layers and calmed her down but it took a good 45 minutes before she was back to sleep. At that point I was ready to get back into the car and go home! But Jason talked me into sleeping on it! We woke up bright and early (to our human alarm clock, Jillian)which gave us time to go for a walk. Well Jason and Jillian went for a walk and I stayed back to make breakfast.


After they got back Jason and I sat down for breakfast (Jillian ate earlier). We hung out for a little while in the front porch of the cabin. Jillian was so tuckered out from her walk with daddy that she went down for a little nap (thankfully!) so Jason and I took advantage of some quiet time and curled up on the couch as well. When Jillian woke up we decided to go out for a little family walk. The colors are so beautiful up there this time of year! Jillian did a pretty good job walking on the gravel road. But we did have to pick her up and carry her, otherwise we would still be walking out there!


We decided to head back and have some lunch. After lunch we went for a drive to see more colors. Jason headed towards town and over to Solberg Lake. On the drive Jillian fell asleep, which was good so we could see more of the colors=) We headed back to the cabin after Jillian woke up (2 hours!)and fed Jillian some dinner. As we were hanging out a little doe found its way out of the woods. Jillian was not very interested but Jason and I watched the doe for awhile. She just stood there and munched on the grass. We watched a little tv (Baby Signing Times...over and over and over again!) and then put Jillian down. Jason had started a bonfire so we headed out there and roasted hot dogs and marshmallows over the fire. It was so clear and every star was shinning. It was an unbelievable sight! That night Jillian slept through the entire night (phew)! We got up, had breakfast and Jason took Jillian for another walk as I cleaned up. We finally hit the road just after lunch around noon. It was a great weekend and we all survived! Here are some random pictures from the weekend.

Cozy Nook

Last week Jillian, Cole and I visited the Cozy Nook Farm in Waukesha. We went to pick out a few pumpkins and see the animals on their farm. That morning they had two calves born and a big school group coming...so needless to say they had their hands full. Good thing we didn't need much and enjoyed just walking around. The weather was beautiful and the animals were active! Here are some pictures of our farm adventure:



Those were some big pumpkins!



Here little goat...I've got a leaf for you...yum!


A cow says "Moo"


Jillian had so much fun she just tuckered out on the way home!

Grandma and Grandpa...where are you?

This past weekend we headed down to Dekalb. I had my good friend, Anni's bridal shower on Sunday (so fun and cute by the way!), so we decided to make a weekend of it. We drove down Saturday, but...Grandma and Grandpa were not there! My parents had already made plans for the weekend when we decided to come down, but we came anyway. We got down to Dekalb late Saturday afternoon. Jillian and daddy hung out while I ran to the grocery store. Jillian just loved all the space at my parents house. With her new love of walking she made lap after lap around my parents house. After the first three or four laps Jason decided to sit down because she was going the same path every time. It was super cute! After she went to bed Jason and I enjoyed some R and R in the hot tub!

Sunday we got up and played with cousin Zach (they were at the Fire game with my dad Saturday night so Jillian didn't see them until Sunday morning)! Jillian kinda followed Zach around the house. Both kids are used to playing with themselves mostly so it was interesting when they wanted to play with the same toy. Zach is almost 3, so everything was "Mine"! Here are some pictures of these cute kids.


Here is Jillian following Zach around...


They stopped running around for a minute to pose on the steps!

While I was at the shower Jason, Jillian and Grandpa went for a little bike ride around Dekalb. Jillian did awesome (of course she did when I wasn't there, every time I take her she screams!). She really enjoyed the ride and even napped a little bit in the bike trailer. When they got back Grandma had gotten home and shortly after that I got home. We cooked a nice dinner for my mom to celebrate her upcoming birthday and then headed home.

It was a nice weekend, thanks for lending up your house Grandma and Grandpa!

Big girls feed themselves...sorta!

Tonight Jason is working, which leaves me to do the night time routine by myself and Jillian wasn't interested in eating dinner, which led to....

...feeding herself!

She did attempt to use her utensils...


"Feeding myself makes dinnertime much more fun!"
(so cute)

Go Pack Go!

Sunday the Packers were on and Jason was giving Jillian lunch...so we had to do a little moving of furniture so Jillian could eat and Jason could watch the game. I was busy running around the house finishing up chores without a little person following my every step. This is what I came upstairs to...

GO PACK GO!

Nolan

Today is the end of our first "full" week...and I am proud to say that Jillian and I both survived! This week on Monday we had Nolan (his second full day with us). Nolan is a very sweet baby. He is 7 1/2ish months old. He sits up on his own, rolls over from his back to his belly but not the other way just yet. He is a big boy, matching Jillian's weight right now. He always has a smile on his face and is very easy going when Jillian steals his toys (she is quickly learning the word "share"!). Nolan has two bottom teeth already, but drools a lot and it looks at though the top will pop through any minute! Nolan loves his bottles and is an eating machine at lunch time! It is fun to see the two play. Jillian stands over him and gibber jabbers like she is telling him a very interesting story. Nolan just looks up at her and smiles. I can tell that once he is on the move these two are going to be into some trouble! I may have my hands full then=)
Meet Nolan...



Here is Jillian showing Nolan that she is a big girl!


Having some lunch! (needless to say, I had to sneak in a lunch when they both were napping in the afternoon! I was lucky to get 30 minutes of them both sleeping at the same time!)


Then Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week we had our 4 year old friend, Cole, over to the house! It is definitely different when Cole is here versus Nolan...I have to get out different toys! Jillian is lucky to have two sweet boys to play with every week! She really enjoys when they are here and they seem to like playing with Jillian as well! I am sure I will have many more fun stories to share about Cole and Nolan...stay tuned!