Enjoy the Holidays

Until next time, everyone stay warm and cozy during this holiday season..... enjoy some yummy hot cocoa for us!!!!!


~Olive and Family

Johansen Farms Visit

We got a groupon to the Johansen Farm in October and decided to go.  Thankfully, there was one beautiful day near the end of the month that was supposed to be in the 70s.  Don't you just love Midwest weather???  So, I packed the kids up and away we went!  I could not believe that it was in the middle of town.  I mean, right on a busy road.... that was something else considering I came from a farm.  This was not a farm.  However, there were plenty of different kinds of animals the kids got to feed which had Audrey screeching in delight and Emmett being very brave all things considering.  We went on a small train ride and a 'hay ride' at which point Emmett pointed to some houses from the nearby subdivision and said 'house ma'.  Yes Emmett, we could see all the houses.  so funny.  They had blowup bouncy houses and slides for little kids and that was relatively empty so Emmett had a blast playing on those for awhile.  We did end up getting some pumpkins and bringing them home to paint to make the day last a little longer.  The kids had fun and it was a welcome break from a typical day.  Just glad my kiddos know what a REAL farm is though!!!!

Johansen Farm photo

Feeding the goats

Trying to drive the tractor right but its stuck!!!

Sweet little foreign lady tries to take our family photo on the hayride.

Audrey chilling out during lunch.  She just needed to kick her feet up for awhile.

Checking out the pumpkins

Choosing pumpkins to bring home with us.

Emmett painting his pumpkin.  He had red paint in his hair for weeks afterwards!!

Audrey holding the paint.

Audrey's pumpkin.... She got to rub all the blue paint on in the background with some help from Mommy.

Wedding and Extended Visit

Rachel with Crazy Character at Cantigny

Getting ready for a walk.

Boiler Up!!!

Joel, Lydia, Rachel, and Hannah

Emmett on the cool tank!!

Throwing rocks into the water on our walk.

Trying to keep warm in Downtown Naperville.  What a fun visit!!!

For a little girl with no teeth, candy is just as good in the bag as out....

The family got to stay a few extra weeks after the wedding of Popeye's brother, Jacob to Miss Rachel (whom he met while working EMT :)  So we were so excited when they came up.  The wedding was a very nice event and everyone looked smashing in their wedding attire.  The kids did an admirable job of behaving at the rehearsel dinner and stayed pretty clean eating their spaghetti!  The kids pushed through the day of the wedding, finally crashing in their carseats on the way to the reception.  Popeye was part of the wedding party so I stayed out in the car while he went in.  I wasn't alone though.  My wonderful sister-in-laws either came to sit with me or brought me yummy food to help me pass the time.  When the kids finally woke up they were ready to go again for the reception and enjoyed chasing balloons, eating candy, and getting cup after cup to fill up with water to drink (thankfully it was a VERY kid friendly reception). 
The day after the wedding we had a surprise birthday party for my mother-in-law.  We thought for sure someone would accidentally give away the surprise since over 70 people were invited but she was no wiser until she walked through that door!!!  We got her good and were so thankful for a good turn out and those that came to support mom.  It was a nice afternoon with yummy food and desserts. 
After the wedding we got the joy of having them up for a few days.  It's never enough time when we get to be with them but we make the most of it that we can!!!  The weather wasn't cooperating with a trip to Chi-Town so we headed to Downtown Naperville to enjoy the small shops and yummy goodies there.  We also were able to take a day and go to Cantigny, a free war park/ museum with just about the coolest museum I've seen.  It's amazing with the real life scenes and real memorabilia along with way.  Popeye even got to go with us to that one and I'm glad he did.  He knew so much about the tanks that were sitting, decommissioned, that the kids were allowed to PLAY ON!!!!  In the evenings, we enjoyed spending time at Mark and Laura's house, eating and hanging out. 

Audrey in her wedding outfit and bow.

Joel and Emmett ready to have their picture taken.

Rachel and Jacob

Mom and Simon

Whole Family Photo at Mom's Surprise Birthday Party

Aunt Regenna brought a super fun train to the party for the kids!!!

Mom being surprised at her party.

Rachel and Emmett showing off their fancy feet at the wedding reception.

Indiana Trip

Mom called and asked if we wanted to go the the Covered Bridge Festival the next day so we quick packed up and headed to Indiana for a fun-filled couple of days.  We went to the festival (which was a longer trip than I had remembered but still fun!)  and enjoyed some of the tasty treats the festival had to offer.  We walked the stands, getting a few fun finds such as hairbows, fun flavored popcorn, Wisconsin summer sausage, and more.  It was fun spending time with my mom too.  Drives always give time for good chats and its always an adventure taking the kids out and about for a full day!!

Then, we of course have to let Emmett go in tractor and combine rides.  It is harvest and we try to specifically come down during planting and harvest for him to be able to spend an afternoon with PaPaw in the farm machinery.  He has a great time and Shane taught him how to honk the horn.  He even figured out how to put it in gear (with the engine off).  He's ready to be full out help for next year!!!

Yummy!!!  Trying to get the sweet lemonade from the cup at the Covered Bridge Festival.

Getting tired of sitting.

Having fun at the festival!! :)

Emmett and Shane taking a work break  in the tractor tire.

Getting into the tractor for a ride.

Shane was a great uncle!!!  Emmett loved driving the tractor :)

 

 

 

 

Hard Workers getting down.

Sibling Play Time

Playing with chalk on the sidewalk we made sure Daddy knew where to park when he got home from work. 

There's Audrey but where's Emmett????

My poor mums!!!  I was actually keeping them alive but apparently Emmett saw a bug on them because I came out of the garage to see him beating them with the fly swatter.  They really didn't make it after that but I'm hoping he got that bug!

Time to read books!!

Sometimes we try new fruit; that night was star fruit.  Emmett and Matthew weren't fans, Audrey made these sort of faces, and I thought they were pretty yummy.

Golfing in the front yard.

Emmett's excellent Caddy

Sleeping on the couch.... he loves to snuggle up with a blanket.

We've really gotten into Home Depot Kid Workshop days.  This is his second one we attended.

Getting to use the tools

The final creation..... fire engine!!!!

Emmett loves Legos.  Audrey loves them to, however it usually means her pulling down what he just built (which Emmett is rarely happy about)

Emmett's creation of the day!!!

When Audrey was learning to pull herself up on things she got stuck allllll the time.  See above stuck photo.

HATS!!!!

HATS!!!!!

Working on standing up by the couch.  She works so hard at it!!!

Emmett helped Audrey with her fashion statement (her hat) and her toy supply (see tray).  What a big boy brother!!!!

The neighbors invited him over to play in the leaves.  He could not have been happier and didn't even look back taking their hand to cross the street to their house. :)

Playing in the curtains.  They were both laughing and giggling so loud about this sort of fun stuff!!!!