Mom: 18 year anniversary

August 3, 2014

Dear Mom,

It’s crazy to think that it has now been 18 years that I have not been able to see your smiling face. I have been writing these yearly letters for 8 years now. Each year, there are so many more new things to tell you. I know that you are very involved in my daily life and are watching above. But, I still like to write these to help me feel closer to you. It helps me to keep your spirit alive and keep you close to my heart.

The past year has been a whirlwind. Last summer I started my job as a Personal Trainer. It has been an amazing year working with clients one-on-one to help achieve their fitness goals. I get a ton of gratification helping to educate people on their bodies and how to be healthier. I am hoping that if I just inspire at least one person to be healthier (and hopefully prolong their quality of life), then I am doing my job right. I think that you are one of the big reasons why Fitness has become such a big passion for me. I want to be the healthiest version of me. I want to help others be the healthiest versions of themselves. I want myself and others to be around for their families, and know they tried everything they could do avoid certain controllable diseases. Of course there are other diseases that are uncontrollable, but if we are our healthiest versions of ourselves then it’s in God’s hands and not our own. When cancer took you, I was mad at cancer! I knew you did everything you could to be around for your family. Plus, with your love of running I too inherited that love for putting on my shoes and hitting the pavement. I have learned it's a healthy outlet for myself and  time to just breathe, think and clear my mind.

Just recently I also decided to start a sales job that I can do from home. The sales thing is a bit scary for me but because you were such a great sales person, I think I was able to jump in right away (you always made it seem easy). From you, I learned that it’s mostly about relationships, trust and credibility. I have learned so much from you in my short 21 years it’s crazy. I can’t imagine how much more I would have learned in my adult years, but I am blessed to have had you as an amazing mother and role model for the 21 years – not everyone gets that.

My kids are growing by leaps and bounds and are so much fun. I have learned from you to enjoy time with them and not let everyday tasks always get in the way. I dedicate one day a week to taking them somewhere fun where we can build memories and I can see big smiles on their faces. Joe and I try to create lots of family memories too- taking day trips or venturing somewhere new. I look back on our excursions so fondly and want that for my family too. On days when it’s hard to be a Mom of two young boys, I wonder how you did it with four. When I lose my patience, I think about how patient you were with us and how you never yelled. You always trusted me, and if I didn't do anything to lose that trust you gave me the space and independence to grow. I hope to raise my boys the same way. I never rebelled or pushed the limits because I didn't want to lose that trust. What an amazing mother you were and are!

As I get closer to the next decade in age, ha, I appreciate even more the confidence and independence that you taught me as a young girl. I am not scared of getting older, I am embracing it. I am doing what I can to be my best at the age that I am. Even though I am raising boys, I still hope to take your lead and show them confidence and independence will help them in their future (more than they may think). Because of the confidence and independence you taught me, I look at all the things I was able to do as a young adult in the 20s: be on my own for 10 years, travel alone, meet so many new and amazing people, to then in my 30s raise a family, work a few different jobs, and mostly just be confident with who I am and what I stand for. I can’t thank you enough for paving the path for who I am today. There’s no way I would be close to the same person without having you as a role model. I am blessed at the life I have been given- I have had hard times, but so many good times that if I didn’t have the confidence or independence I would not have done the things that I did. I had to go through some lows to get to the highs. Thanks for also showing me unconditional love and teaching me to always go after my goals. You set your goals high and went after them. I hope to continue to do the same and help my boys also follow those footsteps. You showed me to believe in who I am and to not let anything ever stop my dreams or aspirations.

It is scary to think that in a few years I will have been missing you the same amount of years that you were in my life. I hope you know how much I continue to miss you and cherish you. I know you are close by- every cardinal or butterfly that I see- I know it’s you dropping in to say hi. When the boys do something that reminds me of you I laugh. Braden this past year said “That’s Nana Judy” out of the blue when we were in a parking lot and I did a double take. My jaw dropped open. He has never met you, but he claimed you just walked by our car. Wow! I know you like to “pop” in and out. I ask that you keep doing that so I know you are OK and that you are here with us. Oh how I wish I could have one of your big hugs, but I know you are wrapping your arms around us all daily. 

Love,

Your Pina Colada

Braden John: 4 years + 10 months

Braden is less than two months from turning FIVE. With his late September birthday, he missed the Kindergarten cut off and will go next year instead. So, one more year of preschool for Braden. He will attend three days a week starting this Fall which will be a good challenge for him.

Speaking of challenge, Braden is a guy who loves a challenge. He likes things that make him think. He loves games, seek and find books, yo-yo's (trying to figure out how to do it), Rubix Cubes and the list goes on. Braden also loves sports. He played Soccer and T-ball this year. He said he just wants to do T-ball going forward (and swimming lessons) so we will see, minds get changed a lot around our house.  He didn't like soccer as much because he doesn't like to play defense he told me. After watching him at T-ball this summer, I'd have to say he gets the "hard-worker" and "hustler" award. He is very serious when it's T-ball time. He runs over for a drink between innings and runs right back to his spot in the field or bench. He is very focused. I can assume his Dad was just like this in sports at a young age. It will be really fun to watch Braden over the years. I would guess that baseball is in his future, but again we will see.

Braden is a sweet and caring boy. If Liam wants a certain thing and they are fighting over it, he is the first one to give in saying "fine you can have it" when Liam cries. He loves being around people, Braden is never one to play by himself. He always asks if there is a friend around to play with. If he sees kids outside he jumps right in and plays with them. Braden is shy, he won't go up to new people or he sometimes is hesitant to make eye contact with a new person. He takes some warming up, again like his Dad.

It's so fun to watch Braden grow and get more mature, more social, more into sports and it's fun to have conversations with him. He is already stumping me at age almost 5! I am in big trouble.....he will keep me on my toes.

Liam Jude: 2 years + 11 months

It has been a very long time since I have done a monthly update on the boys. So, here's Mr. Liam Stiam's update!

Liam is ALMOST three. This is crazy. We were at the Wash. Co. Fair this weekend and memories came fleeing back of three years ago when I was just about due with Liam and I thought I was going into labor there. It was hot, and I was having some pains. I had to sit down. Well, a couple of weeks later I did go into labor, so Liam will be THREE shortly. Crazy.

What is Liam up to these days? He is hilarious. He is always RUNNING and fast I may say for being a small person. He loves memories- he is always saying, "remember when we had Momma and Liam day and we went to the park and then got a donut." He is always copying his big Brother. Liam loves dogs, jumping, playing in the water, making us laugh and being silly.

Liam has a ton of energy. He is still our emotional man in the sense that he can be happy and laughing one minute, and crying the next minute because something doesn't go his way. He is our thrill-seeker, no fear guy. He is a joy to have in our family and Joe and I constantly are looking at eachother for the funny things Liam says and does.

Anniversary 6.0

Still a bit behind in blogging. :) Trying to pick up the pace a little here, but social media makes it a bit difficult as I feel like I am repeating myself with some pictures or posts. Oh well, blogging gives the more in-depth details for family or friends who live far away who want to keep up with us.

Back in May, we had our 6-year anniversary. It's our tradition to head up to GrandView Lodge for a weekend of fun. We now include the boys in this tradition as they love going there and talk all year long about it. Their favorites are the waterslide, the game room, the candy store and sleeping together in the same bed (this was a first-- and there definitely was not much sleeping thanks to Liam the chatterbug!) :)

We usually get a special Spring rate which includes a cabin by the lake and all your food/drinks for the weekend. It's an awesome family weekend to look forward to each year. The boys are to the age where they remember every little detail about it and get extremely excited- from the "are we there yet"( in the car) to the "can we go to the waterslide again?" (at 7am of course). It is a tradition I hope we continue to keep.

Here are some pictures of our fun weekend. Of course we never took a family picture, but I think you can tell the boys had just a wee-bit of fun (and so did we, just seeing their excitement makes the weekend even better!)

Surviving SPRINter

I am finally back to blogging as I figured out how to load pictures, which wasn't working for a few months! Now, where to I begin. It's been a while!

Well, we are surviving SPRINter in Minnesota! SPRINter is new term they are using to describe what normally is Spring but yes, this year it feels more like winter in April. We had a couple of really  nice days and people instantly came out of the woodwork to take walks or ride bikes. It's amazing how long we go without seeing people out and about and the first nice days, everyone comes out of hiding. I am sure we have plenty of chilly days to come this month so I won't get excited. It is only April, which means up and down weather of course. 

We have been keeping busy the past few months. The boys are growing by leaps and bounds. I don't even know where to begin. I took them to Disney On Ice one night which they loved. It was fun to watch them sprint through the sky-ways just getting to the Target Center. :) We also had a fun time celebrating St. Patrick's Day- the boys woke up to green pee in the toilet and the same little leprechaun made a mess all over the kitchen. What a crazy guy that leprechaun. The boys also helped me hand out candy at the senior party that morning at the YMCA which they loved. They got to wear their fun St. Pat's outfits. Joe and I went out that weekend and didn't quite have green beer, but stopped at an Irish Pub for some drinks and live music with friends.  

This season in particular it seems as if the boys are growing up faster than ever. Liam is a big boy bed, cruises along on his bike and is potty-trained (for the most part). Woo-hoo! Braden can write his name, and just earned his "blue" wristband at the Y so he can swim in the kid-pool up to his chest without us right next to him. This is huge because if I ever take them swimming by myself there's no way I can stay with both of them as they are crazy in the pool and try to swim off.

This summer will be loads of fun watching these two run around. On the two couple of nice days they barely came in for lunch and were outside biking, collecting bugs, playing baseball, golf, frisbee, football and the list goes on. Braden will play soccer and T-ball this summer. Liam is only a couple months short of being able to play the littlest sports league, so we will have to wait until next year. He reminds me daily that he is "two-and-a-half" though and is a big boy! They are playing soccer on Friday mornings at the Y while I work and soon basketball starts. They are getting plenty of running around time on colder days and of course outside on  the nice days.

I am keeping very busy at the Y both with classes and gaining a lot of new clients. It's an exciting and fun time. Joe is also busy at work with some travel in there too. We are making time for our annual trip up north for our anniversary soon as a family and the boys cannot wait. Each year of travel and outings gets a bit easier and more fun. They keep us on our toes and constantly are in amazement at the things they say and do! Easter is upon us, they are pumped for the Easter bunny. I am running a 10k over the weekend and hope to break  some new records of my own- ha, not really. I have been training all winter, so it will just be nice to get outside and let the shoes cruise around the lakes instead of the treadmill.

Disney On Ice

My Little Leprachauns

Warm Day Outside= happy boys!

Puddle jumping!

Holiday Fun!

 The tree is up!

 Downtown at Macy's display

 

Liam loving the giant Target dog at Dad's work

 Date night:  Cross Country Skiing

Mom and Braden date: Giant pizza and Disney on Ice

 

Christmas Eve 2013

 

We sure kept busy this month, packing in all the holiday festivities and activities we could. We got the tree up right after Thanksgiving and set up all the holiday décor. I took the boys downtown Minneapolis to see the Macy's Christmas display and visit Joe at work. Braden and I got to see Disney on Ice one Sunday afternoon. We had the Johnson cousins over for a sleepover. We got in the van one night in our PJs and had hot cocoa and popcorn and drove around to see Christmas lights. We snowmobiled in the field behind our house. We went sledding. Joe and I dropped the boys off at the YMCA for Parent's Night Out and we went Cross Country Skiing in the woods on the lit up trails during a nice snowfall. (Next time, we will remember to wax the skis that have been sitting around for 20 years.) We spent Christmas Eve with the Sullivans and had a quiet day home on Christmas Day. We went to the movie Frozen on Christmas night and out to dinner (breaking out of the traditional Christmas norm). Post Christmas, Joe had a sleepover with the boys in the living room and took them to SkyZone for some jumping during his time off. Phew, did all that really happen in just one month? That wasn't even the normal day-to-day stuff like work, preschool, etc.. :)

Now we  are getting ready for a smaller Hammond celebration this weekend and then New Year's with some friends next week. What a busy and fun month! I have taught a bunch of classes to keep people moving all through the month. Joe has logged in lots of hours in his new job, in hopes that he is getting the hang of his new gig now. We are super blessed to be surrounded by good health, love, family, friends and happiness this holiday season. We also made new memories and kept old traditions going. This holiday season is a memorable one for us. The boys are a little bit older and can appreciate all the excitement and magic of Christmas. We have enjoyed watching them get involved in decorating, and just showing excitement for each and every holiday outing or activity.

We hope all of you had a Merry Christmas and that your New Year is filled with happiness, good health, and so many blessings for you and your families.

Circus Circus

A couple of weeks ago, the Personal Trainers at the Woodbury YMCA had our Holiday outing. Once I heard "Trapeze" as the theme of the outing, I knew I had to attend. I looked at the website that was sent to us and quickly glanced over the details. It sounded fun, adventurous and something I probably wouldn't do on my own (without a little nudging anyway).

Little did I know that I would be coached into a series of trapeze swings that would end with this as my grand finale! And boy, was it up a lot higher than I thought it would be. :) I accomplished some fears that night for sure! It was scary at first, but amazingly awesome and fun. What an adrenaline rush! This place is right in St. Paul if you want to try it out! It's called Twin Cities Trapeze.

 

 

Here's a picture of the stairs to get up to the "small" platform. :)

 

A picture of my entire Trapeze team that night.

 

Braden John: 4 years + 1 month & 4 years + 2 months

Braden is just a bit over four, but somedays I think he is about 10. He catches things that I miss, he remembers names really well (unlike me) and he also corrects me if I get a minor detail wrong. Sounds just like someone else in our household, hmmmm. :)

The best things about Braden (if I had to narrow it down) are the following: He has a pretty laid-back demeanor but likes to stay busy, he is always up for anything, he is easily excited about little things (I hope this lasts a bit longer), he listens fairly well, he doesn't typically put up a fight if he is mad about something (less tantrums for me and just a "oh man" instead). I also like that he likes to be challenged, choosing the seek-n-find books everynight for his bedtime book. I also love how he gets a big smile on his face when he is proud of himself - like when he writes his name right.

Even though Braden and Liam are now into a lot of the same things, Braden is a good big brother showing his little brother how to do things or helping him (and me) out. Of course there is plenty of fighting, but I am sure it's hard to have someone smaller taking all of your stuff. I laugh when I find "secret" stashes of toys around the house. The big milestone as of late, is Braden moved into n official big boy bed- a step up from his "little boy bed" (crib with the rails off). He now sleeps in a twin bed and looks like a tiny little boy. I prefer him this way than hanging off the crib size mattress! :)

Braden attends pre-school two days a week and loves it. He will have one more year of pre-school since he has a fall birthday and has to wait another year for Kindegarten. I hope to keep him challenged and busy that last year! Right now it's a bit hard when we have to be home for Liam's naps. I can't blame him as I like to be out and running around a lot too. Hopefully this winter I can keep him moving and busy despite the cold! (May not be a problem as you can see in the shoveling pic above).

We are super excited for Christmas this year. Braden is already picking out things he wants and he actually listens to me when I tell him that Santa is watching so we must be good! We love watching Braden grow and learn each month, he is slowly becoming a little man - one that makes us so proud to call our own.

Liam Jude: 2 years + 2 months & 2 years + 3 months

So I am a little behind in my monthly updates on the boys. I am not sure where the time has gone. Work has gotten a bit busier for me, Joe has been extremely busy with a new job and travels, and the boys are keeping active as ever. I am not sure how I keep up!

Little Liam is growing into his two's! He is funny, smart, full of energy, has full conversations and can be loving one minute and throwing a tantrum the other minute :) Liam is doing whatever he can to do exactly what his big brother does. He has started potty training somewhat. He speaks in 6 or 7 word sentences telling me "Mom, I am done sleeping now can I get up?" as an example. He  loves to go places, but after some time will say "Can we go home now please?" He is my little homebody. He is also obsessed with puppies and Lightening McQueen. He asks for the Cars movie everyday. He wants to wear his big brother's Car slippers. He jumps up and down when he sees Mater or Lightening McQueen toys at Target. His obsession with puppies has grown greater and greater each day. Liam wants to wear his puppy shirt everyday, sleep with his puppy costume in his crib every night and he has a stuffed puppy that he sleeps with as well. It takes some wrestling and a few tantrums just to get the puppy shirt in the washer. :) I think he is a man of comfort, opinions and security.

Liam will also be the kid that screams at Target at the top of his lungs or takes off running and doesn't come back. He is a bit of a rebel, does quite a few time outs a week, but at the same time will give me lots of hugs daily, holds doors open for strangers and says please and thank- you often. He is quite the character. It is so fun to watch Liam grow and grow. His personality is spunky and funny. He likes to trick me by hiding behind the curtain or putting something on his head and trying to balance. He knows how to play games on the Iphone (yikes) and will ask me, "Mom do you have class tonight?" and say "oh, ok!" when I respond. He just gets everything now. He cracks us up daily and we cannot wait to watch this two-year-old grow and grow as we are sure there will NEVER be a dull moment.

Halloween 2013

Our little guys had quite the Halloween this year filled with candy, costumes, running from house to house, and playing with neighbors. We had a Batman and a Puppy. Liam was supposed to be Spiderman, but he fell in love with this Puppy costume he found at my sister's over a week ago. He has barely taken the thing off. Here it is two days post-Halloween and he is still wearing it. I managed to sneak in a wash, but the thing comes to bed with him so he can hug it. Man, he loves his puppies. I hope you all had a happy and safe Halloween. For us, it gets a little more fun each year. Braden did pretty well and Liam got a little chilly and only wanted to go to a dozen houses or so which was perfect for him. We didn't manage to capture a family photo, but the little ones are the only ones anyone wants to see anyway!

 

 

Braden also had a preschool program that day, so we got to go see him and his classmates sing in their costumes. Boy are they cute!

 

Also, earlier in the week Bapa Sullivan had a pumpkin carving  and spaghetti party. All 10 cousins were there for the fun. It's always awesome to see them together as they range from 20 to 2. We had a super fun Halloween week. I also dressed up about four times at the Y for our big Jillian Michael's BodySHRED launch and I always like to dress up the week of Halloween to make class festive along with Halloween songs. I think we will all sleep good this weekend now that the festivities have calmed down. On to November now- can't believe Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away. This year is flying by!



Fall Fun

Fall is absolutely gorgeous in MN. Although I am a Summer gal, it's impossible NOT to love fall with the awesome things that come along with it like: colorful mums, apples from the orchard, red and orange leaves, boots & jean jackets, pumpkin flavor anything (chai tea or coffee), pumpkins and the cool running weather. I had to take a picture of all my favorite fall things on display.

As for activities this Fall, we have been keeping busy. I took the boys to an apple orchard, we had a family wedding, Joe took the boys hiking, we took a train ride on the Osceola Railway, we have spent many afternoons at parks with the 70 degree fall weather, we have visited the Humane Society a couple of times to play with the animals and the list goes on. It has been an adventurous fall as the boys get older and more and more fun. I am keeping us all very busy in fear of what is to come this winter when we are a little more cooped up. For now, I'm hanging on to fall for dear life.

 Jess & Adam's wedding

 Osceola Great Norther Railway

Fun at Afton Apple

The chillier weather is starting to set in now. I am relishing the colorful trees while they are here. I hope everyone is having an amazing fall just as we are!

Liam: 2 years + 1 month

I'm a little late on Liam's monthly update. It happened to fall on the same day Braden turned four. Better late than never, so here it goes:

Liam Jude cracks us up. What is he up to this month? He is pretty hilarious, as you can tell by some of these pictures he is quite a ham. As I type this he looked over and said, "Hi Mom". He can speak like crazy now- using huge words like "awesome" understands everything. He often asks me what things are or what is that kid doing? Lots of questions! I love how the number of verbs he can use has multiplied by hundreds in the last month. During meal time he will say, "my toys stay right here, Ok brother?" Clearly, he is worried his brother will take his toys. The toy stealing happens a ton in this household by both boys!

 Liam is the guy that can play toys on his own, but if I leave the room he will come and find me within five minutes. He does do some independent play, but doesn't like to be left out of sight. He has been trying to learn how to bike, getting a little better each week. It's still slow, but he can reach the pedals and turn and go for a minute and then hits the breaks to stop. That's about as far as we have gotten, but Mom has been trying to be patient and we just need to practice, practice, practice.

Liam is our good eater. When Braden leaves food on his plate, Liam will ask if he can have the leftovers. :) Liam is somewhat of a brute - even by looks he is shorter and stalkier. He is constantly dancing around, jumping off things and talks to himself. I would say he is quite jovial. The Irish temper has decreased slightly. He seems to shake things off a bit more, but saves the crying for when he's really mad now. I do hear "Braden hit me" quite a few times a day though. He also is a very stubborn and take-your-time kinda guy, perhaps like his Dad a bit in that. Ha.

Every Tuesday, Liam and I have the day to ourselves when Braden is at school. We go to parks, run a couple of errands sometimes, or just play. It's really fun to watch him on his own when his big bro isn't influencing what he does. When big brother is around he just wants to do everything he is doing. When by himself, he could stay at the park all day going down the slide, or watching the ducks on the pond and enjoying nature. He always makes me laugh, especially with his silly faces or silly dances.

Liam is really into books lately. He opens them and talks about what is on each page. He is also our guy who could stay in the bath all night long if we let him. Liam is growing and growing. He is a blast to be around, that devious little laugh gets us all the time! Can't wait to see his new tricks in the next few months. Two is a ton of fun!

Braden is FOUR!

 

 

Low and behold, our oldest guy turned four on Sunday, the 22nd. I can't believe that
just over four years ago we had no idea if we were having a boy or girl, or what parenthood would have in store for us. It has been an amazing journey. One that I can't even explain in words. I have learned more in my job of "Mom" than in any job I have ever had. I would like to write Braden a note, so he can someday read this and see what life was like at four through my eyes.

Sept. 22, 2013

Dear Braden,
  Today you are four, which means that four years ago today you entered this world and into our family.  What an amazing day that was, a day that we will never forget. Our family of two became three. You entered this world pretty gracefully and I would say you are still just as graceful. You catch on to things so quickly- both physically (the way you can throw or hit a baseball) and mentally (with the way you can recite a lyric or the Brewers line-up after hearing it only once). Before you entered the world, you did flips in my tummy at bedtime and bounced around when you heard loud music. I laugh because this still holds true at age four- you bounce around when you hear music and at bedtime you are running around asking for more books or jumping on the bed. :) You are full of life and energy! You don't miss a beat with all of your questions and eagerness. I admire that.

You have been in our lives for only four years now but it also seems like forever you have been with us. I cannot imagine life without you. I look forward to your "hey Mom" every morning when you run into my room. I adore your smile and laugh. I am so proud of the little man you are becoming- the way you say please and thank you, the way you hold the door open for people when we are out and about, and how you greet people with a big "Hi"- ok, well this is usually people that you know but I can respect that you don't like to talk to strangers. :) Although you are at the stage in life where you still need my help, I try to give you independence to learn and grow on your own. I love how you like to be around people and you don't want to miss out on the fun. You are always up for any adventure I throw your way and you always show your excitement.

I can't explain in words how proud I am to be your Mom. I don't probably tell you enough how proud of you I am, often I stand back and watch you with a big smile (you have no idea I do this). I am not one to brag about my kids out loud, so I will do it in writing. I love how when we go to parties that you immediately blend in and only come to me when you need something. It doesn't matter if you are hanging out with a 10 year old or a 2 year old, you just blend right in. You are so easy to be around. I love your laid-back manner, although sometimes I hurry you through breakfast when we are running late, I still appreciate that you take time to play and that you are enjoying life. I wish I could protect you from all that is bad in the world, but I know that no Mom can do this. I wish for you to stay strong and true to yourself. To be kind to others always, to follow Dad's advice on being a leader and not a follower and to respect people. I want you to have your own opinions and make decisions, but not to affect other people's opinions or decisions. I hope you stick to your passions and are always confident in who you are and how much you are loved. You are an amazing, special boy and we are so glad to have you as ours!

You are our first born, our oldest "little" dude. I love how you show your little brother how to do things and help him. When you ask him to come with you to go get your toothbrush (or whatever else), it shows me that you always like company and you like being connected. I know it's easy to fight with your brother, especially when he takes toys or he has something you want, but he's your only brother. I want you to always remember that family is your rock and your foundation. We are always here for you. Life will have it's ups and downs, but family will support you through it all. I want us always to be grounded and focus on what is important in this world. I can speak from experience that life can change in an instant. I don't want us to have any regrets- I enjoy all our memories and look forward to making them more and more with you each day!

Summer RECAP!

We had a fabulous summer. I can't believe how fast it went. Of course, the weather wasn't officially "summer" like weather until the end of June here in MN, so no wonder why it felt so short. Anyway, I wanted to recap some of the highlights:

• T-ball and Soccer (Braden)
• Outdoor Bootcamp classes (Mom)
• Summer Fun Days or what I call "camp" (Braden)
• Trip to Chicago (Mom)
• Fishing and Golf outings (Joe)
• Como Zoo (animals and rides) for Liam's Birthday
• New Job (Mom)
• Endless hours of swimming at the pool
• Squirt guns and water table fun
• Birthday Biking Happy Hour (Mom)
• A few days at the lake for fishing and boating (Sullivan family) 
• 20th Reunion (Mom)
• Family Vacation to the North woods of WI (Hammonds)
• Boys' first Drive-In to see Monsters U (for Dad's Bday) 
• Parks, parks and more parks!
• Teddy Bear Park and Nelson's Ice Cream
• Playing tennis
• Afton Summer Festival

The list goes on. I am sure I forgot a handful of things, but these were some that came to the top of my mind. We had an awesome summer. We ate plenty of popsicles and ice cream. We took spontaneous adventures. We stayed close to home some days and just went exploring to throw rocks in ponds or look for ducks. The boys were super fun and adventurous. I am holding on to this stange in their lives where they appreciate the small things and are easily entertained. Now fall is here and we are relishing all the sunny days to play outside.