October

Another month has flown by full of outdoor adventures and indoor fun.  The weather has been perfect and we've been taking advantage of it.  We also like to start some days with a little Facetime chat with Grandma and Grumps.  Here the girls are "sitting" next to them while we talk. Leonie on the left.

 

Once outside we spend lots of time on the slides and swings and then we usually head over to the driveway to play in the sand.  One or two kitties often hang out with us too.  Elsie in pink.

 

 

The girls have started requesting cart rides with Peanut.  I enjoy all of the rides too! Leonie on the left

 

One day they did request to ride Peanut so we brought out the new bridle and reins for riding.  They also insisted on wearing their cowgirl boots this day.  Here's Leonie.

 

 

And Elsie.

 

 

This "big stick" makes a great place to take a rest.  Elsie on the left.

 

Now that we're going to tumbling class on Tuesday nights we've switched to going to the library on Thursday.  One week they had these new ribbon toys and the girls had a great time.  Here's Elsie.

 

 

And Leonie.

 

 

Elsie enjoying shaker time with jingle bells everywhere.

 

The girls love their stools from Grandpa Gunzburger too.  Most of the time they enjoy watching/helping me prepare food or doing art activities on the counter but the steps also make a great seat and table when they are "making" breakfast!  Leonie is offering me some coffee here.

 

 

Matthew and I have also had a chance to catch up on a few projects around the house.  We installed a Hi Tie that I bought earlier this year for my horse trailer.  This four foot arm allows me to tie Mow to the trailer safely and with more room to move.  It is also a legal horse containment style for both of the types of competitions I enjoy so it should get lots of use.  Here Mow is trying it out at home before our ride next month.

 

 

The fan in the girls room quit working earlier this month but Matthew had lots of help fixing it!  It's working great now - just in time for the cooler weather.

 

Grandma & Grumps Visit

Last week my mom flew down to help with the girls while Matthew went to a work conference in Chicago.  Then my dad drove down to help my mom with the girls while I flew to Cleveland to meet Matthew and attend a college friend's wedding for our first weekend together without the girls!  It was quite a week and it started off with a trip to the beach.  The day after my mom arrived (Friday) was beautiful so we went out to breakfast on our way out to the beach.  Here's Grandma with her girls.  Elsie in pink.

 

No fear of water for these girls!

 

Leonie playing in the sand.

 

It was the perfect temperature to sit in the waves.

 

 

And build a sand castle.

 

 

Grandma and the girls in front of the Tybee Island lighthouse. Elsie on the left.

 

After we got home from the beach I left Grandma with the girls and picked up Matthew from work to head to Elizabeth's for our anniversary dinner.  It was a busy day but definitely worth it!

 

The next day was Saturday and Matthew stayed home with the girls (he flew out on Sunday) while mom and I went to a horse show with Mow in South Carolina.  Luckily I got both of my rides in before the rain.  Later that evening, after the girls went to bed, Matthew and I had a second date night and went out ballroom dancing.  We have to take advantage of babysitters while they're around!

 

The fun continued with a cart ride with Peanut on Monday morning.  Elsie on the left.

 

 

Then cooking with Grandma while mommy worked Monday afternoon. Elsie on the left.

 

Tuesday morning I had to run to the feed store so Grandma stayed with the girls at the park.  We had some more great weather! Leonie on the left.

 

 

Elsie on the slide.

 

 

Leonie.

 

 

Tuesday evening we went to tumbling class again and had a bouncing good time!

 

Elsie worked on the balance beam too.

 

 

Then we went out to dinner at an Italian restaurant.  I'm not sure which the girls liked more - the food or the view of trucks going by on the road!  Leonie on the left.

 

 

On Wednesday I rode Mow in the morning while Grandma played with the girls outside and Grumps drove down from Tennessee.  The girls love giving the horses treats and Mow is especially gentle. Leonie on the left.

 

 

Thursday midday I flew to Cleveland just in time to attend the bachelorette party that evening.  Then I spent Friday helping decorate for the wedding and assisted Sam's mom Kathy with all of the wedding flowers.  They turned out great!

 

Late Friday night I picked up Matthew from his flight from Chicago and we stayed at Sam's parents' house.  We had a relaxing morning Saturday while the rest of the wedding crew rushed around.  It was a lovely ceremony and reception and we really enjoyed some time with friends.  The photographer got this shot of us dancing.

 

 

The bride (Jen) is a friend of mine from college so there were a lot of alumni there.  Many older family members of the bride as well as Sam's parents are also alumni so it was great to get this photo of all of the Ohio Wesleyan University graduates.

 

 

Finally, on Sunday morning we made our way back home.  Everyone survived the weekend (grandparents AND kids) but it was good to be home.  Here the girls give daddy a nice welcome.   Elsie on the left.  The next morning Matthew returned to work and my parents drove home, leaving us back to our normal schedule.

 
Finally, a short video of Grandma feeding her "babies"

 

September

The weather cooled off a little bit this month and we spent plenty of time outside.  The girls are starting to enjoy little "hikes" around our woods and other places.  One Monday we joined a Free Forest School that recently started near here on a hike at a little nearby preserve.  They start with snack time, hike for about 20 minutes, then stop for stories and exploration before heading back. The girls had fun but we ended up with a lot of mosquito bites so we'll probably wait to go again until the bugs are gone! Leonie leading the way.

 

Here we are taking a hike around the horses' pasture.  Leonie in the front.

 

Sometimes the kitties join us for our hikes.  Here's Leonie and Zia.

 

We've still been getting a few goodies from the garden too.  Elsie picked a little watermelon and Leonie is holding the first sweet potato we dug.

 

The cozy coupes are still a huge hit as well and the girls ride in them almost daily.  Here Leonie is giving Elsie a ride.

 

Shoulder rides on mommy and daddy!  Leonie on the left.

Always helpful - watering some new flowers!  Elsie in blue.

 

 

Some days our outdoor adventures lead to very dirty girls!  Leonie is covered from head to toe in dirt here.

 

 

The girls helped me clean up after hay delivery one day.  I think more hay ended up in their hair and clothes than in the wheelbarrow, haha.

 

Almost a year ago we planted a live oak tree on Spice's grave and it was barely taller than the girls.  It sure has grown a lot since then!

 

Daddy still takes the girls to dance every Saturday and they always have a blast.  I went with them one time and took this photo of them bouncing during one of the songs. Elsie in pink.

 

One week at dance the girls got to sit in a fire truck after the fireman finished their breakfast at the diner next door.  Do you think they liked it?

We try to go to the library whenever possible as well.  One week we went for story time and they had a craft afterwards.  This was the girls first time trying scissors.  Leonie will get it eventually!

 

 

Elsie cutting.  They didn't do any of the other parts of the craft!

 

 

As a late birthday gift from Nanny and Pop, we finally found the girls a tumbling class.  They absolutely love it and talk about it almost daily!

Matthew's childhood bears have become a hit for indoor playtime.  Leonie filled her backpack with them one day.

 

 

And so did Elsie, of course!

 

 

The girls play together very well and have recently started this "game" where one of them pretends to be a baby and the other will take care of her.  Here Elsie tucks in Leonie.

 

 

Here Leonie feeds Elsie a bottle of milk.

 

 

We've been visiting our chiropractor almost weekly since the girls were born so they really know the routine.  They've started "adjusting" each other in the room while we're waiting for the doctor!  Here's Dr. Elsie and her patient.

 

 

Dr. Leonie's turn.

 

 

Early one Sunday morning this month I finally went stand up paddleboarding.  I've been wanting to do this for years and I finally got around to it!  The weather forecast called for some high winds so the rest of the tour clients, except my friend Lauren and I, cancelled.  Neither of us had done this before but we had a great time.

 

 

Finally, a few videos from this month.

The girls being silly outside, Elsie in yellow.

Elsie jumping off the slide.

Leonie jumping off the slide.