Baby and Zoo Fun

Sunday was SO fun.....but I haven't had time to blog about it until now. First stop was seeing our friends, Matt and Heather, with their new baby Adelaide who is two weeks old today! She is SO precious!

Maybe this picture will be in their wedding video someday? :)

The proud fathers

And then we headed to the Minnesota Zoo to spend the day with my family.
Family pic by the tiger!

Monica and Baby A! Can't wait for my niece to come in December!

All smiles....even when he skipped most of his naps that day

Looking at some of the great shots my brother got of the animals!

Oh so fun :) And we're almost to September...I cannot believe it! This week is already flying which I'm SO excited about....I have a ridiculously amazing Labor Day weekend to look forward! Spending time with my grandparents, parents, and cousins on Friday and Saturday and then Sunday and Monday it will be time with the Willey side and spending time with a dear friend of mine. I can hardly contain my excitement for this weekend....it is going to be so great :)

Happy Tuesday all!

*Yawn*

Yep, that's how I feel too, Tristen. Boring week....can it be done already??
Can we just get to tomorrow (my brother's 30th birthday!) and Sunday's FUN day at the zoo??

No Wonder

With a pile of textbooks like the ones above, it's no wonder I haven't seen much of my husband all week. And, it's only the first week of school. December 2013, can you come soon....please?? *sigh*

I'm feeling just a tad bit lonely these days. Unfortunately all the friends, family, and children in the world cannot replace the relationship of a husband. While those relationships have definitely helped distract me from my alone times, I felt a little overwhelmed today to think that this will be the new normal for the next 2 1/2 years. Sometimes I just want to fast forward and be done with this chapter but I know that God has us in this particular season in life for a reason. Waiting, persevering, relying on Him for our future, trusting that He will provide, having our security come from Him.....all GOOD things but sometimes a little overwhelming.

If I can just get through this week, I think it will start going fast. Why is the first week always the slowest? Well, off to find something to do until the hubby gets home from work.....*sigh*

Apples Anyone?

We have three cute apple trees in our yard. Today we just couldn't resist the apples any longer. I mean, look at them!! Yummy!

Finding an apple picker that the previous owners had left, Aaron began picking the most delicious looking ones....of course they are always the highest on the tree and the hardest to get :)

After careful inspection (and a good washing), they are good enough to eat....AND make into applesauce, apple crisp, apple pie....am I making you hungry for apples yet?? :)

And So the Year Begins.....

Aaron has his first unofficial day of college (3 hours of orientation) today and starts classes on Tuesday. He has been ready since.....June? We're ready for the intense semester to begin. And now it has begun.

Although it will be a little different around here (not having Aaron around during the day), I'm already thinking of all the things I want to do to occupy my time. Last night my mind was racing with projects I haven't picked up since March. There are books to be read, clothes to be sewn, yarn projects to be knit, and a plethora of other projects in my head. I'm excited to start/finish projects and I'm VERY excited for fall to start. Have I mentioned yet that fall is my favorite time of year? :) Hahaha....I know, I mention it every year :)

So, that's our life lately. We're diving headfirst into a crazy first semester and excited to see what this year will hold!

If The Camera Battery Didn't Die....

I would have captured our most recent adventure to Ames/Des Moines......

I would have taken pictures of us.....

*Walking downtown Ames and seeing Iowans voting in the Straw Poll (ummm, yeah, probably didn't pick the BEST weekend to visit Aaron's brother in Ames....it was just a LITTLE busy. Oh well, totally worth it!)

*Walking along the beach at the Saylorville Lake and SINKING into the sand! It felt like quick sand! We got pretty dirty and our shoes took quite the beating. Again, totally worth it!

*Watching House Hunters until all hours of the night.....seriously, I never get sick of that show.

*Sitting in the pew at Valley Church on Sunday morning, listening to my friend Sarah sing beautifully!

*Laughing pretty much non-stop for 3-4 hours, catching up with friends and family members.

My heart is full and happy from a weekend away and pictures can't capture that :) But, I'm still pretty bummed that my camera was dead when we got there and no way to charge it up. But, because posts are more fun with pictures, I'll put another one up from LAST weekend when I took Tristen on his first "camping" trip....A night in a motor home with my parents counts as camping, right? :)
Happy Monday all!!

Sappy Romantical Day

I'm feeling incredibly sappy these days. I'm usually a pretty romantic-minded person but have become all too practical in the last few years. But, this week I want to be romantical (a word my husband tried to convince me was a word and I wouldn't believe him....I looked it up and it is a word) I want to:

1) Watch chick flicks that have a SWEET love story....hard to come by these days so I'll settle for my oldies but goodies.

2) Watch the sunrise and the sunset.....maybe on the same day?

3) Have a picnic in the park

4) Walk along the beach....as the sun is setting of course :)

5) Stargaze

7) Go berry picking

8) Make cookies

9) Pick flowers from my garden

10) Sit on a dock and look out at a lake.....as the sun is setting again

11) Swing on a tire swing

12) Listen to really sad piano music....wait, I'm doing that right now

13) Go on an old-fashioned train

14) Go on a horse-drawn carriage ride...over a bridge....might as well make it at sunset again. Everything is better at sunset :)

What are "romantical" things you like to do?

Random Facts of the Day

*Tristen has two teeth with another one trying to make its appearance.....Can you slightly see them in this pic?

*I'm officially resigning from my position of being a baby gender guesser. Last year around this time, I bragged about how good I was at guessing the gender of people's babies. I think I've guessed one-two right since. Oy.....I guess pride goes before the fall. But, I'm very okay with being wrong and excited for all the babies being born in the near'ish future :) So, if you want to know what you're having, ask me and then guess the opposite of what I tell you.....I guarantee it works!

*This past month, I decided that I need to reach out to others more. Yes, I'm a mother and my main responsibility is my son right now, but I'm praying about some opportunities in the fall and trying to decide in what area I should serve. I don't want to stretch myself too thin again (I learned my lesson in college) but I would like to get out and serve in my church/community again.

*The Vikings are in Mankato for training camp.....I guess that's a cool thing, right? Maybe tomorrow I will take drive-by pictures....or maybe not because I don't really care about the Vikings all that much. But, maybe they'll be good and then I'll become a fan again...Ha!

*I've been having a whole lot of fun taking pics of my little boy.....I didn't get 6 month pics in for him but 7 month ones make up for it I suppose. 7 months is SUCH a fun age and I just want to capture every little thing/facial expression that he does! Getting sick of pics of Tristen? Then click out of my blog right now....I warned you :) Here's a few cute ones.....

Back from the Cabin

Here are a few pics from our cabin getaway in Northern Minnesota this past week. Although I only took a couple pics, I guess they show what we did....hung out with Aaron's family on the lake, took the boat out, snorkeled, got sunburned, and watched the babies. Tristen's hair is growing and his bedhead/bathhead is getting hilarious :) It was a fun, relaxing week!

I feel this summer is coming to an end quickly. I like summer....but I like fall and the start of "school" once again. August 22nd (the day Aaron starts college again) will come soon....I'm sure of it. Until then, we are soaking up every bit of summer we still can and loving the time we can spend with our families.

Well, off to wash clothes, put away suitcases, and put everything back in its place. Happy Wednesday all!