VBS/Zoo Week

Last week Fred and I sent the boys to Melrose to stay with his parents for a few nights. Jacob and Gavin got to go to VBS at St Paul's and Fred and I got to get some stuff done around the house and enjoy a date night (paddleboarding on Lake Minnetonka and supper at Maynards). Jacob and Gavin learned some great songs at 'Sky' VBS and had a great time. I got the toy room pared down, painted and reorganized - ahhhh. I headed back up to Melrose on Wednesday morning to resume my mothering duties. On Thursday we went to the Little Falls (Pine Grove) zoo with Grandma and Grandpa Jeske and the Rosenbergers.

The toy room with a spot for everything and everything in its spot.

Annual picture by the wolves - scary face version.

Jeske grandkids with Grandma and Grandpa.

Watching the bear cubs play.

Wyatt feeding a sheep.

Grandma and Wyatt.

Fred wanted to go to the Minnesota Zoo on Sunday, so we made the trek across and became zoo members. Looks like we'll be making regular trips over to watch the monkeys, penguins and bears - oh my!

Wyatt (with Fred) and Gavin point out fish.

Jacob hugs a goat.

Gavin brushing a goat.

Wyatt pulling Fred along.

Wyatt petting a goat.

The boys "pose" on the big pig.

A Week at Home

Back home in Chaska we got to catch up with friends and catch up on some sleep. Gavin finished out his t-ball season with some extra fans - Grandma and Grandpa Jeske and Auntie Drea all gathered to watch him and then celebrate Grandma's birthday. Then on Tuesday Jacob, Gavin and I joined the Silvestains for JDRF (juvenille diabetes) day at Valleyfair. The big kids got to ride some big rides, the little kids got to ride a lot of rides and when the moms were worn out we finally drug the kids home. Gavin and Avery talked non-stop all day and then on they way to the car (8 hours later), Avery says to Gavin "don't worry, we can talk more in the car on the way home" and they did.

Gavin completing his run around the bases.

Gavin and Avery manning the pitcher's position.

Avery giving Gavin some instructions.

On Thursday we headed to the Carver County Fair. Grandma and Grandpa Jeske met us there. Grandma and Wyatt can't get enough of wandering around the fair. Jacob can't ride enough rides. Gavin opted out of the ride wristband in order to play a midway game and try out a hamster-like water ride, to make it even he did end up with an Angry Birds hat too.

Gavin in his hamster ride on water.

Grandma and Wyatt wondering the fairgrounds.

Fun with jugglers, Gavin spins 3 balls.

It was a long day at the fair...

On Friday night, Fred took Jacob, Gavin and Grandpa Gene to a Twins game. The Twins "got their butts kicked", but there was a softball homerun derby after and fireworks afterwards and the boys loved that. A midnight bedtime was a rough start to the weekend though. The next afternoon we were up in Upsala for "Fam-boree 2012" at the Wenker residence. The kids love to run around with rarely seen friends and explore the creek in the backyard. We skipped the fireworks on this outing to get the kids sleeping a little earlier. Then on Sunday we had the Jeske family reunion in Woodbury. Then we sent the kids back to Melrose with my parents to start VBS and stay with Grandma and Grandpa Middendorf for a few days. Yeah!



Theater Week

The boys and I spent the week spanning July-August in Melrose so Jacob could attend theater camp. They worked an a 20 minute production of Snow White and the Thirteen Dwarfs (tho the camp wasn't full, so it did end up to be a more accurate 7 dwarf cast). Jacob was cast as the huntsperson - the guy the queen sends out to kill Snow White and true to Jacob's character, his character couldn't do the job. Grandma Nancy worked really hard with him on learning all his lines and he did a great job remembering them. He's quite soft spoken though and they perform without microphones and he was very hard to hear. We had worked on it with him, but I think the audience may have made him forget our advice. Isaac was cast as the tan dwarf and did a great job too.

Dwarf Isaac and Huntsmen Jacob.

Auntie Drea made it up for most of the show.

Grandma Mary Ann with her favorite actor.

Maddie was in the "Willy Wonka" cast in the afternoon cast. She's an Oompa-Loompa.

At then end of theater week, I got to go to Glamorama with Alyssa, Adrea and Adrea's friend, Joy. The event raises money for the Children's Cancer Research Fund. You get to go to a concert/fashion show at the Orpheum and then an after party at Macy's 8th floor - with all the food and drink included. Its fun to dress up and party for a good cause.

Glamming it up!

Water Pics

Fred got a water camera for Father's Day, since he spends so much time in the water/on the water with the boys. Here are some favorites that we've caught...

Me and the boys afloat in the middle of the lake.

Wyatt and Maddie in the Rosenbergers' pool.

Gavin and Jacob afloat.

Fred and the boys.

Fred and the boys on the raft.

Wyatt waiting to jump.

Wyatt flying high.

Gavin being tossed.

Pics and Peeks of July

We spent a lot of time away from home in July and spent lots of time at the lake. We all enjoyed our time on the boat, in the water, and with family, but Gavin is our home body and a week into vacation (with 3 nights to go in Melrose) Gavin had a small break down and asked "why is this vacation so long?" Here is a recap in pictures:

Over the week of the 4th,  Jacob lost his 2 front teeth.

Grandma Mary Ann retired and a portion of the family was there to surprise her as she walked out for the last time.

Maddie has become a great babysitter for Wyatt and he loves her too.

I got to spend a girly day with Maddie at the Mall of America. Above Maddie checks out the desserts at Afternoon Tea at the American Girl Store. We also hit a couple rides and Legoland.

Maddie and I with Ruthie and Kit and a bag of loot.

Jacob did a football camp in Chanhassen, here he is playing in the Super Bowl, which was kind of lopsided size wise and his team ended up on the losing end. 

We made it to a concert in the park in Chaska, Gavin and Wyatt showed their moves on the grassy dance floor.

We saw 'Seussical the Musical' with Grandma Nancy, Alyssa, Maddie and Isaac. Here the kids pose with The Cat in the Hat.

We hit 3 parades in July - Melrose, Sauk Centre and Freeport. The fire trucks and loud semis keep Wyatt scared enough to stay seated and close to an adult (usually Grandpa) throughout.

With a flower picked from Grandma Mary Ann's tucked behind his ear, isn't he pretty?

Gavin with Avery and their participation ribbons from t-ball. Go Red Bananas!

Wy-Wy's Words

Wyatt has been our slowest talker. In the last month or so, he's finally started to try to talk and will attempt to copy whatever you say. He now has a whole series of words he says including: puppy, bubble, mom, dad, jakey, joe-joe, hungry, boat, swim, swing, out, up, please, papa, nana,wa-wa (water), juice, jump, no (which has changed from the original 'mo', to a clear no), more, help, kitty, Top Cat, Elmo, shoe, movie, bye-bye, hello, hi, night-night, and (sadly) Spongebob (sounds like bob-bob).

This past weekend he saw lots pigs at the county fair, so he learned the word 'piggy'. But be careful not to talk about the pigs, or he'll get his shoes and think you're going to take him back to the fair to see them.