Pictures from Columbus Day Weekend

The link below is some pics from Columbus Day. For some reason I can't get it to load on to the blog so this will have to do for now.
http://www.slide.com/r/ywefIK7E6z-6WN3QQ3QOkefcR54-l9r6?previous_view=mscd_embedded_url&view=original

Columbus Day 2010

I can't believe how quickly time is passing! I don't have my summer pictures posted and we're half way through fall! I have a good list of excuses going in case you were wondering but that is all they are...excuses, even if they are darn good ones.

For Columbus Day the kids had another three day weekend so we decided to head back east for some New England color. MY FAVORITE! I wish we could spend all of fall in Massachusetts! The girls and I flew out on Friday evening and Kermit picked us up in Boston (he was able to fly in earlier that day from NYC). We got in late but it was so worth it. Saturday we were up early and just enjoyed being away. Most of the day was spent wandering the property collecting all kinds of "treasures" (colorful leaves, acorns, rocks, bugs, etc.). Kermit spent time on his tractor of course giving the fields a final mow before winter. Saturday night Kermit's mom took care of the kids so that he and I could go out for dinner. We ended up at a place called Harrington Farm that was nearby. We have become quite the food critics. =) The appetizers were amazing ... but should have stopped there. Good time to just be together though.

On Sunday after church we took a hike at our favorite Wachusett Meadow. It was milkweed season! Love the pictures we got of the kids with all the fluffies in the air (pics coming soon)! The weather was perfect...like 65 degrees perfect! The whole weekend was just wonderful and so memorable. Today Adeline asked me when we could go back. Sadly...probably not until summer. Bummer.

To end the weekend we drove a few hours north with all the family up to Vermont. We LOVED the drive! We took as many scenic detours as we could. We drove through tiny towns that looked like they could have been frozen in time 150 years ago! A few were all decked out with festive Halloween decorations. The drive was beautiful! We had a reservation at a little B&B called the Inn Victoria. We had dinner at a "fancy restaurant" next door. Everyone did great and was well behaved with good manners and ate all of their food (very fancy pizza). The kids thought they were in heaven with all five of us in a huge King bed. The next day we headed to a little farm (like a REAL one) and picked apples and fed animals...then back to the airport and reality. Great memories though! Wish we didn't have to leave! I do love fall...it's my favorite and it's even better when we get to spend some of it in New England. Thank you Columbus for making this long weekend possible! =)

I love my brother Derek. His best pal, partner and K-9, Renzo passed away this week. You can read about it here http://www.ocregister.com/news/link-269718-renzo-work.html. This dog was like no other! Hang in there Derek. We love you!

Labor Day Weekend 2010

So this last Labor Day weekend we decided to take a road trip with the kids south. All the way down to Bella Vista, Arkansas, home to my grandparents. What a great weekend we had! We broke up the 10 hour drive by stopping in at the half way point both coming and going. I planned ahead and booked a hotel (woohoo for me...no sleeping on the side of the road in a car b/c every hotel along I-55 is full)! We were thrilled beyond thrilled to get a clean and comfy room to stay the night, a free hot breakfast in the morning and...a pool to play around in, all for about $99! We vacation in style! ;) (And did I mention I didn't have to sleep in a car with a wiggly four year old on my lap? Yay!) Truly though, it was a prefect weekend!

On our journey we stopped in St. Louis to show the girls THE arch and ended up randomly running into my old friend Terica and her family. That was so cool ! I love that girl and she has the cutest family ever. She and her family live there now and it had been awhile since I'd been in touch with her. We were both pregnant with our twins at the same time when they lived here in Chi-town. It was so fun to see her there! (Terica, can I get that picture you took so I can insert it here...until then imagine two hot momma's here.)

After our St. Louis adventure we pushed on to AR for the long awaited visit with my grandparents. We had hoped to go down for a visit this summer but Grandpa's health was too poor for us to make the trip. Finally he was feeling better and was up for some company so we jumped at the chance to visit. The girls had been praying all summer for their Great Grandpa W. to get better but they really didn't know who he was. The last time they had seen him they were babies! The girls were so excited to finally be able to see him and Anna. It was great. I was so happy to see him as well. It had been about four years since I last saw him. He hasn't changed a bit and I love it. He is older sure, but he is still Grandpa. When I called to tell him we were almost there I could tell he was just so happy and told me to get over there now. Our visit was short, just a few hours. We sat at his kitchen table and visited for awhile then the kids and Kermit went out back and played. Anna made a delicious lunch for us. We visited some more then we headed out. Short and sweet but oh so worth the effort to be there. I love my Grandpa and Anna. I was so glad I got to take my family to visit.

Farewell Logan Square Ward, *sniff*

After months of hearing that it would happen, it is finally official. Logan Square Ward has been split. Our family will now be part of the newly formed Lake Shore I Ward. We have been members of Logan Square for over 10 years and will miss it. It has been home to us.

We have met and loved so many families from all over the world in our Logan Square Ward. We have truly loved the experience. Some of my best friends I have made in this ward. We will especially miss the "old timers." Those are the families that are settled here in Chicago, those few families that are constants, that we've seen year after year. It's weird to feel like we are saying good-bye to these dear friends. Nobody has moved...we just won't see them every week like we have for years.

I know why the split needs to happen. The ward is enormous with over 800 members. Only half are active, but of that half, about a quarter have very unique and serious needs. Logan Square is also transient. Every 6 months, about 25 new couples move away and 25 new couples move in. It is constantly changing and difficult for one bishopric to keep track of so many new faces and take care of so many special needs.

With mixed emotions I turned in all my RS keys to Bishop Malli tonight. I also gave him a bunch of the manuals and other materials that I will no longer be using. Last Sunday they released everyone from their callings but asked us to keep doing them until the transition is complete? I am a bit sad. I have loved serving in Relief Society for the last year and a half. I am sad that I won't be able to have that calling that pushed me to grow daily. I had wonderful counselors who I will miss working with. It was great to be able to serve along side such awesome women. I do just love the sisters of the Logan Square RS! All of them! I also feel a little sad because I feel like I was just starting to get the hang of things. For me there was a high learning curve. Maybe I'll have the opportunity in my new ward to serve in RS again, maybe not, I don't know. I know that the callings we receive are inspired. I know that God knows what He is doing so I will trust in that either way. I also know that good things are in store either way.

So farewell my to my Logan Square Ward. We love you always!

Summer

I love summer almost as much as I love fall. One of the best things about summer is that we get to see our families. We traveled from coast to coast to see everyone and we just loved it. What is better than staying up late every night playing with cousins? It is so great to be able to relax and catch up with everyone. Before summer vacation comes to a close I hope to get some photos posted of what we have been up to these past few months.

This picture is from a hike we took at Wachusett Meadow in July. We love it there! It's just beautiful! Speaking of beautiful...Love those girls! Fun times were had this summer...come back soon for pictures galore of all our summer adventures.

It only takes a moment

Tonight I was watching all of our videos that Kermit has put together. I love this one and I don't think I've posted it here yet. He made it for me for Valentine's Day. Most of the footage is almost a year old now. Wow how my girls are growing! I almost get teary looking at their little baby faces. (I just wish that the video wasn't frozen on my face like that...why can't it be frozen on a cute picuture of my girls? Oh well.)