Double Scholarship

We are all battling colds at our house these days. It doesn't seem to stop us, just is a bother. Despite the runny noses we are managing to keep up with our busy schedules. Adam has spent the past 2 days fixing our 'sick' computer - it had a virus. Thanks to a friend who gave him guidance it didn't take a ton of time to fix. I was able to get a quick run in before dinner with Gerrit along for the ride. I started training for a 1/2 marathon (no time for a full one) which is in Phoenix in Jan. - hoping to visit Uncle Travis and Great Uncle Bryan for a long weekend. Gerrit kept busy doing his own thing as well.

He spent quite a bit of time looking at his book on trucks. It was fun to watch him sit amongst his toys paging through the book. For some reason he managed to move to the stairs and sat there to read it too.

Adam is hopeful for a double scholarship based on these two photos...

Gerrit has both brains and game!
(A little bit of mom and dad!)

Pumpkin

One of my favorite veggies to grow is pumpkins. I don't do much other than plant the seeds and let nature take its course. This year I planted seeds from Gerrit's pumpkin from last year as well as new seeds (in case the old ones didn't take). Well, I am proud to say I have 7 pumpkins growing and a few are turning orange.

I had heard that if you carve a name in the pumpkin while it is still young, the name will grow as the pumpkin grows. So, on one of the pumpkins growning from Gerrit's pumpkin seeds from last year I decided to try it. Hopefully I didn't wait too late and this pumpkin will still grow a bit larger before turning orange. We shall see; I'll keep you posted.

Football

Yesterday we went to Paul's first 6th grade football game. It was a beautiful Sat. morning so we went to check out the game. They play on the big high school field which makes it more exciting for a bunch of 6th grade boys. Here are a few pictures from our time at the game. We didn't win but its early in the season...

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Busy Morning

I'm still working on getting a routine down in the mornings. I realize that sleeping until Gerrit wakes up isn't going to work well. I am hoping to get up early enough to work out (hoping is the key) and then get ready before Gerrit wakes up. The days I tried to get ready when Gerrit was up were disastrous! I made it to school on time, but had to listen to a whiny, crying child while I got ready; not how I had hoped we would spend our extra time together. When I did get up earlier and at least had my shower in before Gerrit woke was a much happier time-for both of us.

Today was one of those happier times. I was able to clean up the kitchen because Gerrit made his way down stairs and started playing in the dark. When I went to check on him (and turn the lights on), he was busy stacking - his latest obsession:

When he wasn't stacking, he was practicing his bike mechanic skills in the kitchen (where Dad left the pump):

He 'pumped' nothing for quite a while this morning too. His papa would be proud! (As I write this, the boys are on their way to Rochester via bike.)

Side note: when I got Gerrit out of his crib today he was able to get his crock on - he was wearing a fleece sleeper! It didn't fit real well but I give him credit for getting it on - standing up! It was fun to watch him catch himself before he fell over from loosing his balance!

Rite of Passage and Smart Dr.

Gerrit joined the many other toddlers today - he fell down a few stairs. He usually goes down the stairs just fine so I didn't think much of it when I heard him coming. Adam was in the office and I was in the living room. Next thing I hear is a thud, thud, I turn around and see Gerrit sliding down the last few stairs. Don't worry, he didn't fall down many, and they are carpeted. With a few hugs/kisses all was well again. We did give him some yummy medicine in case he had a headache.

During bedtime Gerrit is starting to sit through reading a book - he must be like his mother who didn't like to read when she was young! Anyways, tonight I realized while reading a Dr. Suess book, that they make sense read forward AND backwards! Gerrit liked to back up pages that were already read and the storyline still made sense. That Dr. was really thinking when he wrote some of those books....

Dumpster Diver

My schedule this year allows me to be home with Gerrit in the morning. I don't teach 1st period so I don't have to leave real early and Gerrit can wake up on his own (which is earlier than I'd like!). Anyways, we have breakfast together and then get ready for our day casually. Today I was taking care of things in the kitchen and when I am in the kitchen, Gerrit usually is too. He likes to open the garbage can and see what he can reach and throw back out on the ground. Then we tell him to get out and pick up after him and he walks away from it for a few minutes and then he's back at it again. A nice little pattern that gets old real fast especially when he pulls something out that makes a huge mess!

I guess he was still hungry after eating a whole package of instant oatmeal and some melon. What he found in the garbage was his leftovers from dinner Sunday night (which he had some on Mon. for lunch). He found a french fry and started eating it! Nothing like a rubbery, cold, 2 day old french fry to finish your breakfast! It must have tasted good because he ate the whole thing!

Last Day of Summer

We've had quite a Labor Day! Adam golfed with a few biker guys and I played tennis with one of the biker guys who doesn't golf. (Gerrit went to Dahlen's for a bit during this time). After lunch we regrouped and headed to Lake City. What better way to end summer than swimming at the Lodge. The heater is still on in the pool so its perfect for little limbs.

Gerrit was in the pool a very long time. I was in the pool with him while Adam biked to the gathering w/ a few of the guys. Gerrit spent a lot of time putting his face in the water and even blowing bubbles (and drinking a bit as well). Here he is putting his face in the water after dinner when dad arrived to take over.

Where's Gerrit?

Here he is!

Its always fun at the pool because we tend to be the only ones that use it! Even though its a community pool for those that have condos there, we rarely see anyone else by the pool. Such a shame, but great for us. The kids love to raid the pool room and get all the fun toys out (look at the left corner of the picture) - Adam and Gerrit had fun with the blue whale for a while.

Following swimming and dinner, Gerrit got a quick wash in the tub.

Ya, Abby joined him. (I figured I'd get a picture of them in the tub to use at their high school graduations! Abby is a year older than Gerrit and has a sister now, so Gerrit will have his pick of the Rockne girls for prom!) We later thought we 'lost' the 2 of them as we couldn't find them for a few seconds, only to find them in a bedroom, with the door closed, hiding in the closet! We said we wouldn't worry about what went on in there until they are older!

We had a nice weekend, didn't get any 'work' done but we celebrated the end of summer in style! Its back to reality - at least for me as kiddies come tomorrow. How many days till June?