Go, Go, Goers!

It was a big week for Butterfly. She was hand picked by Ava to make the long journey to school, to be a part of the second grade stuffed animal show this past Wednesday. Butterfly gets a LOT of love at home, and goes everywhere with Ava. This means that Butterfly needed to be spruced up a bit before being shown off. As Butterfly was getting a bath in the delicate cycle, I heard comments from Ava like, "This is so harsh!" and "I hope her eyes don't come off."  (For the record, her eyes are embroidered onto her face, so if they come off, I'm going to be concerned about how "harsh" are washer really is, especially the regular cycles!) At one point, I checked in on Butterfly, and pointed out that she was still smiling, even though she was floating upside down, trapped in a mesh bag, face completely submerged by soapy water. And in the end, the girl and her butterfly had an awesome day together. And Butterfly even won a blue ribbon for being the

I've learned everything I know about siblings from watching our two kids interact with each other over the last two years.  As an only child, I never had firsthand exposure to sibling relationships, and what they entailed.  This has been a unique learning experience for me, and I can only assume that it will continue to evolve and grow over time.  Ava is an amazing big sister, very rarely getting jealous, and always willing to lend a hand with G when asked.  Garrett is an observant little brother, and often mimics what Ava is doing...whether it's her crazy dance moves, or her funny sayings (hilarious to listen to in a toddler boy voice!)  They are so much alike, yet...so different. I hope these two continue to have a good relationship, well into adulthood!   Yesterday, we drove down to Cannon Falls to meet up with my parents, and my great-aunt Doris.  Doris and her friend came into town (from Kansas) to visit for the weekend, so although the visit was short, it was good

On September 24, Scott and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary...ten years, WOW!  It was a rainy day, just like it was ten years ago...and it brought me back to all of the fun that we had on that day in 2005, as well as the milestones that we've achieved together over the last ten years. A few years ago, I had hoped that we could have celebrated this tin/aluminum anniversary in Hawaii, but...two kids later, a bigger house, and well, life...we decided to keep it somewhat local, and headed to a B&B in Maiden Rock, Wisconsin.  Ava and Garrett spent the weekend with Grandma Deb and Grandpa Whitey, and Scott and I had two whole days, all to ourselves!  It was a gorgeous weekend, and we had fun spending time together.  We're both so busy with life that we don't often get the chance to spend 48 solid hours with just the two of us.  It was a much needed time away! This was the third B&B that we've gone to over the years, and was definitely the most intimate of