Oktoberfest

Benjamin and me dancing to the polka like music.
The German Folk band.
St. Augustine's church, that still has a German mass every Sunday.
The crowds, apparently it gets even busier when they bring out all the beer later on in the evening!

Here we are ready to go in!
Ben playing at the kinderfest.
This is a woman's drindle. Ben wasn't a fan of leaving me just for a picture!
This gentleman is from Germany, he met his American wife in a US Bar ( go figure ) and they have lived in Germany. She is wearing a drindle, and he is wearing leiderhosen. One day we'll acquire these outfits as well, even if I have to modify the sleeves of the drindle a little bit!


This past weekend we headed up to Chicago. We met up with Jason and Sofia (We were sorry that Marcella and Nicho couldn't make it) and had a great time. Saturday morning Jeff and I were able to attend the 8 am Temple session. Then we took the train downtown to see the Oktober fest.....I was kind of disappointed for it being a German holiday, they didn't represent themselves well. Only two stands sold German like food, potato pancakes and brats. We saw 1 family in the leiderhosen and drindle...and that was it! There was a German folk band but they showed up late so we only heard about 30 seconds of their music by the time they set everything up. It was a fun adventure, and we can now check it off our "to do" list. But I don't think we'll return next year! We did hear that they have an amazing Christmas festival, so we will try and make it to that this Christmas season! Hey maybe my parents will be here for it!

Suprize Date......!

Jeff wrote in my calender 2 weeks ago, that we were to have a date together this past Thursday. There were strict instructions that it was going to be a surprise and that I was keep the evening free. He surprised me and even got a babysitter! We went to dinner at Panera Bread (ohhh we luuuuve their soup and baguettes) Then where did we go?

TO THE BRIAN REGAN SHOW ........LIVE!

It was So much fun. So here are the pics, talk about a wonderful evening with Jeff, full of laughs!

Stake Temple Day

Ben likes to read books in the rocking chair, its a favorite thing to do in the morning, when we aren't rushing to school.
Benjamin and Evan, were sooo Cute. Ehre had to go potty and they immediately ran over and tried to peak under the door....boys will be boys!
Jeff and I hanging out with a new baby, it was so much fun!

Jeff was sooo sweet, he read sooo many books that evening! The Library should hire him to do story time!

We decided not to go last weekend with the stake since we wanted to attend Octoberfest this weekend, so instead we watch 2 children for some friends. That was a lot of fun, 8 am -8pm we had a little boy Ben's age (they had a blast) and a little girl only 2 months old! It got even more interesting when we added 3 more at 4:00 pm. Our neighbors had been in Alaska and Grandma was babysitting, but when their return flight was delayed it messed up the exchange plans with everyone at the airport and grandma's flight home. So for a while there we had 5 extra kids. It was fun and everything went really really well...though it didn't change our minds we most likely will never have 7 kids!

More Friday Band Practice

Here are the other pictures that I mentioned, what will we do in the spring when the football season is over?!

SO LATE.....Happy Grandparents Day

These are the kids on "Grandparents Day" sorry it took me so long! We really do have such wonderful grandparents, even if they all live a few hundred miles away! The kids really were excited to take this picture for their grandparents, that's why they are squirming the whole time. Ben kept on wanting to look at every picture after it was taken, and Ehre was trying so hard to get him to sit still!

Early Mornings

We are surviving well..this is the kids, helping to pack our backpacks in the morning!

Band Practice Fridays

When there is a home football game the marching band practices near the day care. A few weeks ago we were driving by and noticed them and agreed to stop. When we were there the cheer leaders walked up to Ehre and let her shake their pom poms....oh boy! So since I had a cheer outfit at home, its become her favorite friday activity. We let her change, and then we go watch. Its a lot of fun!
I have some more pics that I need to download, but for now these will have to do....

Ben's Daycare and Ehre's Preschool

They take cute pictures and post them around the classroom.
This is the cook, she makes 2 hot meals and 2 snacks for each class (9 classes) / DAY!
She is amazing!
This is Ehre's little cot, she was sleeping when I came to pick her up, she's sooo cute!
I had to sneak around to take these pics, but here is more of Ehre's room and the different activity stations located in it.
Everyone has a cubby. This is where they hold all their finished art work, coats, pillows, blankets, shoes etc... (yes that's Ehre' sleeping in the middle)
The kitchen is a favorite place for all the kids. It is from Pottery Barn, so nice but expensive!

This is the typical Ben, when I come to get him he's happily playing with all the other kids. But, as soon as he sees me he drops whatever he is playing with, starts of walking, and then running with this excited laugh and comes to give me a BIG hug. He likes to be held for at least 2 minutes before he'll let go of me! :)

Jeff and I have to trade, who picks up which kid. Ehre doesn't want to leave ever so its a negotiation session to convince her to go home. Ben on the other hand makes you feel like you were truly missed! So we trade back and forth!
Ben's Playground. (rubber padded play area)
Ehre's playground on the other side of the fence.
They decorate it very personally for the kids in each room.
Ben reading books in the reading corner.
(sorry its tipped)

The Day Care Center!
Front desk where we sign in and out each day.
Middle playground for the rainy, wet, cold days!

The wood structure is a ready hut, with lots of books.

Ben's room.
Information boards with info on food allergies etc....

The black little board is a heat sensitive board, when you put your hand on it it changes colors based on the heat intensity. Cool!

shhhh don't tell Ehre that she is in Daycare, she'll get mad! Ehre is a firm believer that she is in preschool and Ben is in Daycare!

Ehre's art projects...

.....ok there are a bunch ... honest truth: I don't keep these works of art, I take a picture and then secretly Jeff and I throw them away after she goes to bed. Then we put them on the computer where we can all look at them, and they don't take up any space. Keep in mind these are only a FEW of her projects...she comes home with 3-4 every day!

Ehre's art projects

.....ok there are a bunch ... honest truth: I don't keep these works of art, I take a picture and then secretly Jeff and I throw them away after she goes to bed. Then we put them on the computer where we can all look at them, and they don't take up any space. Keep in mind these are only a FEW of her projects...she comes home with 3-4 every day!