November- Sunshine, rides and Turkey!

 Boys conquering the park- the end of Nov and no jackets!

 Celebrating at the MOA!

Brothers sharing yogurt!

 

 

Well, here it is the day before Thanksgiving and it's 60 degrees here in MN. We were able to hit a park and run off some energy around the baseball field too. What a fantastic fall and start of winter we have had here. I know it will change quickly, so we are enjoying every minute of it! We are keeping as busy as ever! Braden is still doing pre-school one day a week, we also have a music class for all three of us on Mondays for an hour. Braden loves dancing, singing and playing the instruments. Liam likes to run around the room and play with the toys, not so much sit in the circle and when it's time to put the shakers away he throws tantrums as they are egg shape and look like "balls" - his favorite thing in the world. He doesn't want to give up his ball!

Early this month, we hit the MOA to celebrate Braden being potty-trained. It was a big day for him. We did unlimited rides, and he went on the rollercoaster about 3 times and a ton of other ones too. It was fun watching him get so excited and run from ride to ride.

Mid month, we had an unexpected trip to WI for Joe's aunt Connie's funeral- a very sad weekend for us and the rest of the family. It really forces you to appreciate the loved ones you have, and be thankful for each day here on earth. Things can change so fast, and we all need to slow down a bit in life and make sure we are happy, living life to the fullest and spending time with those we love. It was a flashback of what I experienced with my Mom when I was a young age of 20, losing her to cancer. I really can't describe in words how hard it is to go through that, but as the years have passed I realize how much I have learned. That experience has made me a stronger, more sensitive and compassionate person than I was before. Plus, I learned so much from her that really applies to my current stage in life, even though I still miss her everyday and wish that she was here.

Joe traveled to Miami for work over the weekend, so the boys and I did some fun things- movie night, hit the park and had Cherry Berry. Went to dinner, and they spent a day at my sister's house so I could run a bunch of errands (thank you, Shawn and Kurt) and have a little break from the fighting/whining that was wearing on me a bit after two weekends in a row and long weeks in between. :) I sure love these boys, but I need to make sure I give myself breaks here and there to be a better Mom and come back refreshed so I can tackle the next day again. At ages 3 and 1, it's a lot of work chasing, disciplining, feeding, dressing them and getting them to/from all these places on my own all day long. But, this time will go fast and I will be so thankful I had this time with them. I am already thankful. They change each and everyday.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. I truly am thankful for so many things this year: my wonderful husband and adorable two boys. Our health. Our home. My family and my in-laws. My friends- old and new. My job at the YMCA where I have met amazing people and have a community that welcomes me. I am thankful for the nice weather so we can get outside. I am thankful for the angel who is watching over me everyday (Mom)....and the list goes on. I hope everyone can take a moment and be thankful for the many blessings in your life, and if it's a hard year- may there be other blessings that can pull you through the tough times.