Fall is here!

So today was the first day that it actually felt like fall...crisp air, breezy winds and a chill in the house...no longer will we be using the air conditioner. The heater actually "kicked in" this afternoon. Ahhh this feels good. So Randy has been anxiously waiting to make his first batch of chili and today was perfect for that. Lauren has never had anything soupy like that so I thought that she was going to make a huge mess of it. And as you will be surprised she did wonderfully at feeding herself what is most likely a mess for me to eat...I am a clutz in every way including when I eat.

With the cooler temperatures in the air I have felt a need to make Lauren a blanket/quilt of some kind. So I have finally gotten around to that too! Actually I whiped it up last friday. How cozy it is...although I am thinking that I will need to make another one for winter time. She loves to snuggle with it and she is always wrapped up like a bundled burrito when she is sleeping...so sweet! Looks like there will be lots of sewing in the coming months. I am thinking of going all "handmade" for all of our presents. Have to do some research as to what the boys will like. However, I have too many things that I want to make for all of the girls that I really have to pick just 2 or 3 things. So much fun ahead.

Raining Babies

So it has been a month of or should I say a couple of weeks of showering some preggo moms with best wishes and presents. Two weekends ago my mom, sister and I hosted a shower for my sister Allison. She is due with her first in the beginning of November---or hopefully due before Halloween! We practically made everything down to the favors--hand dipped prezels with a flowered broach. And what fun we had preparing for it. I love crafting and baking as many of you know and this was a party that we definitely had fun doing just that!

Lots of sweet treats and goodies.

So much fun it was to decorate!Award for prettiest present goes to Wendy Schmidt!

Most talked about present award goes to Aunt Paula---a great gift--something every little girl shoud have! Santa may just drop one off for Lauren this Christmas! A special hand-made present for to mom-to-be--look familiar?

-------------------------------------More Baby Stuff-------------------------------------------
Then about a week and a couple of days later all of us hosted another grand shower. We showered my sister-in-law Wendy and my brother Chris with lots of love and presents. I love anything to do with babies. And this shower was great because it turned out that we could do a bird theme (the theme for the baby girls nursery)...which is a hot thing right now! I had so much fun baking bird cookies and cupcakes I was sad when there were no more to decorate:(...they turned out so cute! In addition, I was also able to put together a special something that I found on the internet. We had a great time and surprisingly for a Tuesday night shower a great turn out too!

This is a popular gift.

Little Sadie and Andrea having fun!!! you go girls!

Whew what a long post again :(

Welcome!

So for about the whole summer Lauren has played outside with her three essential outside toys. A ball, bubbles, and her little car. Simple I know...but she has gotten bored with them. But now she will be able to entertain herself as well as us too! This weekend Randy and Carson (our brother-in-law) picked up a little playhouse. Then on Saturday and Sunday we assembled it. Didn't take very long at all and was pretty painless considering all of the pieces. So now Randy and I can say we built a house! I know that she will spend hours in there. She already loves to play peek-a-boo through the windows and front door. So cute!

Now we just need a couple of trees and other landscape in our yard as it looks like Santa just dropped a house in the middle of our back yard. Bare slate. Hopefully in the spring we can do that.

An August Review in September

Our August has gone by and now it is already September. Wow...fall is here! Our favorite time of year. August was so much fun. We spent alot of time with family and friends. Lauren has changed so much. Her hair has seemed to have grown about an inch in a month...sorta like her daddy's (which needs some cutting right now!) Her vocabulary has grown a little...she has kind of mastered saying banana. She has also been attempting to say please and as of yesterday in church she now says peace...everyone thought that was so cute! She continues to surprise us each day. She is really catching onto things quickly. She can watch you do something once and she will try her hardest to imitate you. Randy was amazed that she knew how to unlatch the window and then continued to crank it open. She really is a smart little one!

As for us I have been busy (with the help from my mom) at planning two baby showers. Babies babies everywhere. So much fun! Can't really talk about them now, but after this weekend I will have pictures to show from my sister's shower of all the things we did. And then at the end of the month we are showering my sister-in-law with gifts and best wishes too! Can't wait!

Randy has been busy in the kitchen as usual...pictures to follow from a really great meal...for those of you looking that were invited last minuted, but could not make it, you should see what you missed! And there has been a week of canning tomatoes for fall and winter (craving chili right now) along with canning salsa! Thanks to Randy our home is always filled with a yummy aroma.

A Few videos

Giving baby stroller rides

Craft project #4 for this month. A baby gift for my friend Anne who is expecting their first born in October. An assortment of baby essentials. How fun it was to make all of this! I wish I thought of these to make when Lauren was small! Now I want another one...hmmmm

Chillin' on the front porch sipping my water.

Experimenting with Pig tails...sort of.

When Randy is in the kitchen great things are made.mmmm

Prep work

mmmm creamy shrimp risotto with (home made)roasted red pepper sauce. Excellent!

even more mmmmm Apple cheesecake with caramel sauce

I *heart* my daddy's meals

Girls Only Trip to Milwaukee for a short visit to Auntie Allison
- Playdate with Avery-Talking to Daddy

Friendly Play
Shopping time

Should I get this one?...

or this one?...why not both?

Getting to meet Baby Diltz on the big screen...ba bee.