Uncle John's

We hit Uncle John's Cider Mill again this week. So fun. We watched the big mill squish and squoosh the apples into cider, rode in the red tractor trailer, played on the hay bale maze, picked pumpkins in the pumpkin patch, and of course had donuts and cider. My favorite is still the cinnamon sugar donut while Dave's remains the cider donut. Noah's favorite is the one that is deep fried and has sugar. He could eat a dozen. And Gage, he's still a milkbreath.

Happy Fall!

The Sleepy Hollow Loop

I love to run. I'd forgotten this. In between prego bellies and newborn dazes I remember. I love to run. My favorite right now, the Sleepy Hollow Loop. It's a short run. Through Brattin Woods, down Lake Lansing Rd through the Sleepy Hollow neighborhood and back.


I didn't even want to go tonight. What I wanted to do was finish making dinner, get my kitchen in order and clean the whirlwind that is my living room at the end of the day. Just settle my house. Settle my day. Settle my mind.
But my sweet sweet David insisted. He took the measuring cup from my hand mid scoop and the baby from my hip mid wail and shooed me out the door. My husband is a stud. (...and in his head I know he's figuring out how this can be a one to one trade for fantasy football, intramural soccer and early morning basketball).
So I knotted up my asics and I was off. After two breaths of misty Michigan air and four tromps of sneaker on pavement I remembered. Again. I love to run. I love to be by myself for a minute. Hear my breath. I love to think about the day, the boys, the leaves. I love to not think. Let my head empty and slow down.
When I'm done I still need to settle my living room and kitchen but my mind and my day are settled.

What do you do to clear your head? snuggle you down? relax?

Last Lake Day

Our warm days are numbered. But yesterday was a nice 88 degrees with high humidity. Perfect for the lake. We packed up and met a few friends in Grand Haven. Noah loves Lake Michigan. On the drive over he said "I wish Grand Haven was closer" So do I Noah, So do I.
So we dug holes, chased the waves, ate grapes, ate some sand and enjoyed one of our last sunny days. Fall is coming...I can feel it.
Can you?

TIME OUT

Time Out started in Noah's chair.
Too many minutes of playing the game of down and up, up and down and too many giggles and squeals from Noah quickly stopped that version of Time Out.

Then we tried Time Out on the landing of the stairs.
He'd stay put, but started requesting to go to Time Out. "Mom, will you put me in Time Out?" Hmmm, not very effective.

So I started locking him in the bathroom. It's a half bath. No tub, no shower, not much in there really. This worked for awhile but when I had to spend a few minutes collecting all the soap, toilet paper, diapers before he spent his two minutes inside, I realized it wasn't working either.

Now I just distract, prevent and ignore.

I don't blame the dude for thinking Time Out is a fun game. I would LOVE to be locked in the bathroom, by myself. A minute for every year of age? Do you know what I could do in there for 26 minutes?! My hair could look amazing, my toenails could sparkle, my hands could be satin. Maybe a good book, or just sit there and be still.

What do you superparents do with an attention deprived two year old?

Baby Burrito

Cozy

Happy Anniversary

Dave and Jessie August 21, 2002

One of the first times I hung out with David T. Wagner was in a small apartment crowded with people. The apartment was inhabited by 6 college boys. So of course there was a pile of garbage in the kitchen next to the refrigerator, a pile of dishes in the sink, piles of textbooks, papers, cleats, socks, candy wrappers and basketballs throughout the living room. I’m not sure I want to try to remember more about WQ1. A big group of giddy, single undergrads were playing flirtatious games at the beginning of the semester. I noticed Dave. Of course I noticed Dave, how could you not notice Dave at a function like this? Later that night Jenn and I were recuperating and post-game talking in our upstairs nook of a bedroom at the Brick House.

She says, “There was definitely something between you and Dave Wagner.”

I sincerely respond, “No way! He is way too hyper!”

I must have been in denial, or maybe I was blind. Whatever it was Dave quickly chipped away at that idea until I was hopelessly in love. Now 6 years later we just celebrated our 5^th wedding anniversary. Six whole years since that silly night on 8^th North. We went to one of our favorite cozy little restaurants in small town Williamston and took a moment to ourselves. Just so you all know, he’s still hyper, and I’m still in love.

Happy Anniversary David.

SUPERDUDE