experimenting. . .

I had some time tonight to play with this photo. . .as you can tell, Grant LOVES to carry the dog around the house.

Merry Christmas!

We had some very shocked boys this morning after they saw that Santa brought them a new puppy named Wrigley! This picture of Cole captures just how thrilled they are!

gingerbread houses

The boys made their annual gingerbread houses with grandma and uncle brett.

All I Want for Christmas. . .

Pre-K Christmas Program

Grant had his Christmas Program at school today. He doesn't really like to be "in front of" people. Thankfully he got the part of "stable!" Here he is peeking out from behind the stable!

Happy Birthday, Luke!

Amazing that Luke is 7 already! We are so blessed to have him in our family. Luke is so responsible, sometimes I forget. . .He is only 7! I am thankful for his helpfulness, kind spirit and his deep desire to learn.

Luke got to celebrate his birthday on Wednesday night with his cousins at Cici's Pizza. . .his pick, of course.
Today we went to grandpa and grandma Waliczek's for dinner and we enjoyed a fish cake that mommy made.Two big surprises: Nintendo DS from mom and dad and a new bike from grandpa and grandma!

First Snow

We had our first snow. . .and our first school delay yesterday. The kids were thrilled and couldn't wait to get out to play! From the looks of it, they might get to enjoy another delay and another 3-4 inches tomorrow!

It's been too long. . .

So, yes, it has been quite a while since I have blogged. 'Tis the season. The season of Christmas cards. I have been busy creating many Christmas cards this season. It has been a lot of fun, but also a lot of late nights and neglect of many other things, including the blog. Now that there is not much card designing left to do, I will do my best to be back at it!

In case you're interested, here's a few of my favorite cards from this year:

Happy Thanksgiving

the laundry

I just finished my last load of laundry. Finally. I am ready to put it in the dryer and realize that I forgot to add the bleach! Do you ever do that? It feels like a wasted load. Of course I am not going to rewash it just for a cup of bleach, BUT there is that feeling that somehow the whites suffered just a little bit.

How to Make Your Little Brother Mad

A couple of weeks ago, Luke wrote this story about Cole . I thought before I put it in his scrapbox, I would share! Of course, this is first grade writing, so I will write the story out for you (in case you can't sound out what he wrote).

How to Make your Little Brother Mad
Author and Illustrated by Luke Moritz


















There are lots [of] ways to make your little brother mad like when your brother says something like "I like that."

(This is a picture of Cole [left] and Grant who says, "That's dumb." BTW. . .that's what Grant ALWAYS says when Cole says he likes something. . .it really ticks Cole off!)


















And a little brothers best defense is squeezing or hitting.

(Squeezing on the left, hitting on the right.)

















Make your brother whiny.

(This is a picture of Cole saying, "No." Which is usually followed by, "leave me alone!)

the combine

Grant got to go up north with his friend, Grant, today to combine with Grant's grandpa. These two look like they could join FFA! Who knows, maybe they'll farm together someday.

From the report we got when Grant got home, they had a lot of fun. . .but it does get "just a little boring!" The most exciting part of the day was when the rock got stuck in the combine.

Trick-or-Treating with cousins!

A trip to the Haunted House

the orchard

We ended our fall break with a trip to the apple orchard, joined by almost all of the kids in our small group, we had perfect weather and a really fun time!

isn't this what high schoolers do?

cincinnati

We did a quick getaway this past weekend to Cincinnati. The kids enjoyed swimming in the pool, relaxing, riding in the hotel elevator, warm weather and a trip to the Newport Aquarium.

The favorite part of the day was petting the sharks. . .really cool!

The kids wore costumes to the aquarium so they could trick-or-treat while they were there.

Guwant enjoying the snakes. . .

crusin' target

The boys LOVE to go through the Halloween aisles at Target.

our dog

For years I have seen little girls dressed up in the princess costumes at the grocery store, Target, the park. . .wherever. . .and every time I see it I think, "Oh, I am so glad I don't have girls!"

Well. . .I guess there is a boy version of this story. Cole wants to be Underdog for Halloween. We went to Laura's house (my old teaching partner. . .back from the working days!) to pick up the dog costume. Cole was so excited to get it! Next stop, Target. And then came the question, "Mommy, can I please wear the dog costume?" Right then and there I decided that it was not a battle I wanted to fight. On went the costume and into the store we went. He received lots of stares, had plenty of conversations with people and had the time of his life!

It's taken a few years. . .

. . .but these two have FINALLY figured out how to share the tractor!

Wiener Roast

We went to Illinois yesterday for the day to take part in the annual Bowald Wiener Roast. Terry's Aunt Lori and Uncle Vic hosted at their new home in Monticello. Their yard is a perfect place for boys to play! After we arrived, I don't think Grant and Luke ever went inside except to go to the bathroom!
The kids made tatoo pumpkins. . .easy and fun. I'll have to keep these in mind for the future.


So, of course we had some yummy food. We roasted hot dogs, had s'mores and made Dough Boys. Have you have heard of Dough Boys? Terry's Aunt Peg and Uncle Howard, who live up in northern Wisconsin, introduced these. You wrap Pilsbury bread dough around a dowel rod, cook until lightly brown, toss in a pan with butter and then dip in a ziploc bag filled with cinnamon sugar. WOW! everyone LOVED these.The Zimmerman boys got a 4-wheeler when they moved to the new house. All the kids enjoyed a ride through the corn fields. . .Our boys have been asking when we get to go back to Aunt Lori's house. . .what kid wouldn't love this day?

The advice of a 3 year old. . .

To help Luke out, we try to watch his fiber intake. . .so we talk about it a bit in our house. Here is the conversation Cole and I had yesterday.

cole: Mommy, last week on TV I saw a special drink. . and it had fiber in it.

me: Was it Metamucil?

cole: YEAH!! and it was orange, do you think Lukey would like that?

Grant's Field Trip to Stucky Farm

grant's nap

Interesting.

mom's gone fishin'

Yesterday Grant wanted to go fishing, so I said, "call grandpa." But, grandpa was out of town for the day. That was the end of the fishing bug until this morning when Grant asked to call grandpa. I knew that since my dad was out of town yesterday, he would probably be busy today trying to catch up on work. So, I said, "Grant, I'll take you!" Hmmm, after a bit of discussion, Grant finally decided that I would suffice!!

We get down to the pond, and the first fish we catch SWALLOWED the hook. Now what? I look down the fish's throat and I can't even see the hook, I have no scissors to cut the line and the boys are saying, "please, mommy, don't hurt it. OHhh, it's bleeding!! Don't hurt it!" So, I lay it on the ground, give myself a little line and rip the line apart. Poor fish, I had to throw it back into the pond with a hook in it's stomach and about a foot of fishing line hanging out it's mouth.

On to the next fish. We wait and wait. Grant has now moved on to throwing big rocks into the water. Cole sits by my side and holds the pole. We catch another fish. Grant comes to pet it and is back to rock throwing. Cole waits on another fish and after a while joins Grant.

"Ok, boys are we ready to go home for lunch?"

Grant: "No mom, you can catch more fish!"

I go back to fishing. By myself. The boys are now in the creek stomping through the water.

"Are we ready for lunch now boys?"

Grant: "No. Not until you get another fish."

I decide I have had enough. Next time grandpa can take them!

popeye

Grant: "Cole, do you want to be like Popeye?. . .I do. Wish we would've had spinach for dinner."

Grant's first CAREER touchdown!

Grant had his first flag football game today, he's been waiting all week for this. He and Luke have spent a lot of time practicing his "football throw" and doing lots of tackling (even though it is flag football and he won't get to do this in his game). Grant was pumped before the game and was just as pumped after the game; he kept asking to see the video of his first touchdown! So, here it is. He is the ball carrier. . .you will see the coach hand the ball off to him on the right side of the screen.

picture time

We had our family pictures taken by our friend Carrie (www.rhemaphoto.com) yesterday. Of course while you are taking them you wonder if there will be any good ones! She sent me just one picture for a preview, and of course i love it, how could you not??!!!?

"i hate babies"

This morning I told the boy that we were going to baby-sit our friend's little girl, Hollyn, after lunch. This was the conversation that Grant and I had about baby-sitting:

Grant: I hate babies!

Mom: Grant, we don't use the word hate in our house.

Grant: I don't like them at all!

Mom: Grant, you are always the one that likes to play with them, watch over them and ask mommy if we can just have one more baby in our house.

Grant: Well, I don't like them and I am not playing with Hollyn today.

So, after Hollyn arrived, guess who smothered and mothered all afternoon?

breakfast

The quietest meal in our house.