What's up?

Not much really. Work, Work, WORK!! Yes, it is currently busy season. Each year seems like it is busier than the previous for Travis. This year is no exception. He has been traveling for the past 4 weeks. Will spend 2 weeks in the office and then gone for another week. We are counting down the days to April 15th, but have a ways to go. As always we get through the months with help from my parents and always say that it is better to have Travis' overly busy compared with the alternative.

As though we did not have enough on our plate, we are now partners with Kevin & Rita in the Orange Leaf in Hudson and Eau Claire. It is a great opportunity for Travis and myself and we are both super excited working together and having a common goal.

Bennett is having a good year in Kindergarten. It is still a bit of a transition with school times and his sleeping. 5 full days of kindergarten is a lot and he is exhausted at the end of the week. He has made friends, has grown as a student by leaps and bounds and of course enjoys the old favorites - phy ed and recess!

Bennett competed in his first official snowboard competition with the USASA this past weekend at Afton. It was a great experience for him. He was in the boardercross and while that is not a discipline that he would normally participate in, he did a great job. He has also started private lessons at Trollhaugen and is looking forward to working with a Terrain park instructor. I can't wait to see what Bennett has in store for the future. I know he is going to do great things.

Sophia is still along for the ride at the moment. Enjoying being at home with Nana and living the good life. We are thrilled to have my mom watching her during the day now that she is in retirement. Though she was very worried about life after school, it has continued on and if I dare say, she is enjoying loving it. I know that soon enough Sophia is going to have her own events that she will be participating in. So I am relishing in the fact that we are only driving one kiddo to practice, games, events, concerts. Bennett will have his turn soon enough to sit and watch Sophia practice and participate.

We are taking it one day at a time and count each day as a blessing with all that we have been given.

20 in the books

Yes, you read that right. We have 20 months in the books and are creeping in on the 2 year mark. Hard to believe that our little baby girl is now a toddler. She is such a fun loving little doll who has a mind of her own. She knows what she wants, and she knows how to get it. 

She enjoys…

Eating

Following Bennett around

Playing with Oliver

Yelling "Mom" at everyone and everything

She dislikes…

Having her pants changed

Bedtime

Sleeping through the night

Her looks…

Fine hair that is starting to fill in

Petite compared to Bennett, but filling out and growing up

Gives you the big toothy smile whenever she is doing something she shouldn't

Her words… 

MOM! MOM! MOM! MOM! MOM!

Oh yes, a few others. Go, Bye, Hi, MOM! Dada, Did I mention MOM?!?

Her fashion… 

Considering most days it is below zero she likes to stay inside and sport her pjs. Nice and comfy!

I feel so blessed to be able to call this little babe my girl! 

5k

Well, tomorrow is the big day. I have been running for about a month and a half and tomorrow is my 5k running through the UW-RF campus. I am looking forward to it and hoping to have a great report with pictures to prove it! 

The FIRST field trip

Bennett had his first field trip of kindergarten at the end of September. I was lucky enough to be able to chaperone... the perks of being your own boss and working in town! Loading up the bus, sitting three to a seat... it all brought back memories of my own field trips! It was so fun to be able to be with Bennett, meet some of his friends and see him interact with his friends and Mrs. Vanasse. All four classes went, so over 80 kindergartners swarmed the orchard, picnic tables and playground. I felt so bad for a few mom's that had brought kiddos to the orchard for the morning. The "big kids" were going crazy on the playground! But everyone had a blast and came home with a few apples. I followed up  my field trip to helping with the apple party later in the week. We made applesauce, checked to see if they would sink or float, measured our apples and colored pictures of them. 

Love

We had our family pictures taken a couple of weeks ago. This one sure did capture my heart. It has less to do with the background or the picture, but more to do with how you can see the bond and love between Bennett and Sophia. 

Before Sophia was born, so many people warned me of the jealousy, fighting, yelling... everything they say that goes along with siblings. I had braced myself expecting that these two would be no different. Luckily, I was so wrong. Truly the only fault Bennett has is that he loves his sister too much! He always wants to be with her, hugging her, loving her, holding her. Up to the point where she lets out a big scream as if to say give me my space. 

I can not wait to see their relationship develop as the years go by. 

Halloween 2013

This year we had Chef Bennett and Lobster Sophia. Though they did not win a prize at the Rotary parade, we still got lots of compliments on how cute they were! Sophia sat happily in her pot, posing just like a good little lobster! Then that evening, Zander, Zoe and Ryder came over to head out trick or treating! The boys ran from house to house and filled almost two buckets of candy. It was madness! We had well over 200 trick or treaters at our house, too! 

Kindergarten

Throughout the week several mama friends of mine have sent their own littles on the big yellow bus to kindergarten for the first day. I have talked with some and watched others with pictures from afar. Listening to the stories and experiences, I feel like I have a bit of an advantage in sending Bennett tomorrow. But still, when Bennett woke up this am I knew today was different. It was the end of the life that we have come to know over the past 5 years. 5 years...

How is it that in what seems like a blink of an eye we bring this little guy home from the hospital. A new baby, enjoying the scents, the smirks, noises and taking in every moment as a new mommy and daddy. 

We start the journey of raising him to be a fun loving, caring little guy who then takes off on his first adventures without us. Still in the comforts of a wonderful, loving home with Heather. This becomes a second family - friends still to this day. 

Then the time comes to open his wings a little more and we move on to preschool for a couple of half days a week. A new adventure that Bennett welcomed with open arms. I was a Children's Farm alumni and knew what an awesome time he was going to have at Farm School. He grew, gained independence, taught us a lot about the outdoors and showed us how adventurous and flexible he was. 

After that follows a year of 2 full days of preschool a week. Again in a small, loving, caring environment at Bethel Highlands Preschool. What a great start to traditional schooling - where all the teachers and students know your name and a little about you. He is preparing to leave the nest and the comforts of the known. But really we know that the preparation is more for us then him. He is ready! 

Walking in to greet Miss Cindy on the first day of class. Never even looked back to mommy or daddy! This boy is ready for his new adventures. 

And now here we sit on the eve of his first day of kindergarten. How can it be our baby is off to school? It is a big world out there and I know that Bennett has so much to offer. I know the he has all the tools and skills he needs to be successful - tomorrow he will spread his wings on his own and fly!