by Heather | 0 comments
Apparently it’s winter! We have 2-3″ of snow and are expecting another 5-10″ tonight! I’m so far behind on photos though, that I’m just getting to some from over summer vacation. We met my mom at a playground/splash pad for a picnic in August :)
by Heather | 2 Comments
The kids started school the day after Labor Day! Cassidy is in K and Ben is in 2nd, so both kiddos are in full time school this year! It has been a weird (and I’ll admit wonderful) two weeks from my end :) I’m working MWF and have Tues/Thurs to volunteer, do errands, get chores done and tackle “the list.” I even signed up for an online ecology course offered through Cornell! I wasn’t planning on adding more to my plate but it sounded so interesting and right up my alley, I couldn’t resist.
I did have a moment while grocery shopping, when I saw the cute chubby toddlers and tiny little babies with their mama’s. Deep sigh. And then the moment passed. Haha, seriously though a lot of reflection and figuring out what this next chapter looks like. It’s good!
I don’t even know where she learned to pose like that!
It’s’ too much! Too much sweetness.
Smiley and ready for 2nd grade.
Ready to rock Kindergarten!
With all her confidence and spunk I sometimes forget she is just a little kindergartener.
Waiting for the bus. I was so excited this year that the kids don’t have to cross the road to get picked up! We never had any issues, but it still made me nervous especially when the weather was crummy.
Butts!
Andy had just finished fixing our mailbox (it was barely in the ground and leaning way over). So he waited for the bus with us too and stuck number stickers on the kids before they left for school…
The bus, the bus! The kids did great the first week of school. Once Monday of the second week rolled around I don’t know if Cassidy was just exhausted, but she had a few grumpy days of refusing to get on the bus. I had to carry her on, plop her in her seat, give her a hug and tell her I’d see her after school. I think we’ve recovered, but we’ll see how this Monday goes. Mondays are hard!
After school we headed to The Creamery for an ice cream dinner! Ben picked mint chocolate chip and Cassidy went with cotton candy. Andy had a milk shake and I had a “dirt cup” with gummy worms :)
They had a pair of ride on horses the kids loved!
Happy September!
by Heather | 0 comments
We’re enjoying every last bit of summer so the kids and I visited the Cumming Nature Center in Naples. It’s 25 minutes south of us but feels like another world entirely (the lack of cell service being proof). I think the best way to describe it is simply, magical.
We enjoyed some of the inside exhibits and play areas first.
The kids loved these bins, full of different hands on learning pieces. Their particular favorite was the rubberized scat samples that varied from animal to animal. I’m so proud.
Next we headed to the outside play area. I was really impressed with all the different open play structures…teepees, bridges, logs and stumps to climb on. So fun! Cassidy wiped out a couple of times (the logs were still pretty wet) but managed to get right back up and keep going.
Afterwards we headed out on a trail to explore.
Ben spotted a chipmunk! Where’s Waldo?
He was enamored with this little one :)
We also almost walked face first into this guy!
It was like the blind leading the blind! Kidding :) Ben took the initiative to lead and did end up taking us the wrong way, but with a little help he realized what he’d done and we headed the correct direction to the beaver pond.
Cassidy found some acorns along the way.
And then decided she was done. She grumpily proclaimed “I’m tired. My legs are broken. I don’t want to walk anymore.” I was able to get her going again with a bit of cajoling and a lovely rendition of The Ants Go Marching. I’m sure the entire woods appreciated our singing.
We made it to the pond!
No beavers to be found, but Ben spotted a little dam off in the distance.
The kids refused to get in a picture with me, but hey, I’m in a picture! Bonus points for always behind the camera mom.
We met a little friend along the way, Ivy from Texas! Hope you and your mom are enjoying your time up here! Ben called this one the portal.
We adventured for around 4 hours, had a picnic lunch and played some more. I feel like we barely scratched the surface of all the center has to offer though, there are so many more trails and things to see. I’d especially love to come back during different seasons to see how the landscape changes! Magic indeed!
by Heather | 0 comments
I have so many pictures to get through from the past few weeks, but in the mean time, we enjoyed popsicles on the porch.
Things went downhill quickly :)
by Heather | 0 comments
Today we met my mom, Paul, Kate, Brielle and Elloree at Kelkenberg Farm in Clarence. I was doing updates on their website and saw they hosted a Mother’s Day event. I told Andy *that’s* what I wanted to do for Mother’s Day :)
We met Charlene the owner for the first time too (we had never met her in person before).
Our first activity was the wagon hay ride.
We rode around the farm, through the woods and even past a cemetery. It was here Cassidy exclaimed “That’s where zombies live!”
Handsome fellas!
Next, the kids picked their favorite colors and got to make jump ropes.
Ben took his job very seriously.
Then there were the ducky races!
The gentlemen (minus Justin who had to work).
Brielle and Nonna watched the kids make their jump ropes.
Elloree snuggled with Kate for a bit.
Cutest matching ladies!
We headed into the barn to meet some of the animals. Kelkenberg farm makes their own honey and these were some of their bees. I’m so fascinated by the intricacies of bees, but it’s definitely too time consuming a hobby for me right now.
Bunnies!
Cute little baby.
Fuzzy poof.
Baby whose mama is a dairy cow on the farm.
These two farm dogs were the sweetest. The white one had flopped over to get belly rubs from kids and the black one trotted over to say hello too.
Surprise, Ben found a cat…
Love my little beasties :)
We saw some turkeys in the next barn.
The tom enjoyed strutting about.
Elloree kept saying “Turkey!” It was really cute.
There was a huge sandbox the kids could play in too.
And then they each got a pony ride.
Ben was a little unsure (his equine interactions can be counted on one hand).
Thanks for the photo, Paul!
We had a delicious picnic lunch including “Kelkenburgers” made from their own angus beef.
Kids exploring the cracked corn after lunch.
And then lawn games before we headed home.
Fun with Poppy.
I’m so glad Paul got this photo too, I didn’t get any others with myself and the kids. It was such a fun morning spent with my people, I’m so happy it worked out!
Happy Mother’s Day. Humbled I get to be called “mama” by Ben and Cassidy. Thankful I could share the day with my mom! Missing my step mom Leslie and mother in law Judy this year. Overall it was such a lovely day :)
by Heather | 0 comments
Spring break is best spent coloring in your PJs, on the train you made from dining room chairs!
