Hayward Cabin & other fun

Warning: Long post with lots of pictures!

We spent last week in Hayward, Wisconsin with Jeff's brother Steve and his family. We had a really fun time and stayed in a beautiful cabin the Totagatic Lodge, which we rented from a family who happen to live about a mile and a half from us. It was quite large and could easily fit my whole side of the family which now numbers 20. It faces westward, so we saw beautiful sunsets every evening. We also enjoyed daily campfires thanks to my nephew Jonathan, did some fishing, went boating and swam at an island called Sand Island (which you will see from the photos is aptly named). We went into Hayward a couple of days and ate lunch, shopped and went mini-golfing. It was a perfect 2 hour and 10 min drive for us, but a bit longer for Steve & Angie who came up to our house first from Chicago. It is definitely a place I would consider renting again, especially if there were more people to share the cost with.

The Totagatic Lodge

Angie & Steve enjoying the sunset

The great kitchen (and better yet, Jeff cooking!)

living room

Connor (note his favorite pose in all photos!)

Jonathan & Allie on the water trampoline

Beautiful sunsets

Jeff & Connor on Sand Island

Jonathan & Allison on Sand Island

Porter & Jeff snuggling by the campfire

Ghost stories about Jim O'Shea (inside joke)

Jeff & his handicap

Family photo

Connor sinking a putt

Jeff in Porter's glasses

Allie at the wheel

Other things we have been doing lately:

We went to the Minnesota State Fair last Friday after we returned from Hayward. I love going to the fair which I believe is the largest State Fair in the country. It's really the same thing year after year, but I just love the tradition of it. We didn't stay as long as I would have liked (darn those kids messing up my life!! :)) but it was still fun! We also checked out Woodbury Days on Sunday and had quite a fun time there too.

Too much walking

Mmmm ice cream

Connor loved the ride but said it hurt his crotch!

We are getting ready for Connor to start kindergarten next week! We had an Open House at school tonight and found out who his teacher is and who will be in his class. He was hoping that his friend Nick from hockey and his girlfriend Emma from preschool would be in his class, but they got in the other kindergarten teacher's class. Our neighbor and good friend Olivia is in his class though, and also a friend Noah who he met at a Lifetime Fitness camp the last couple of summers. It so happens that Noah's parents went to Creighton University with me and his dad graduated the same year! Crazy. There will be a kindergarten family picnic tomorrow, so we will get a chance to know some of the families and teachers a bit better. I'm sure that will make us all feel a bit more comfortable about Connor's first days at kindergarten, though the open house tonight helped to answer some of my questions and allay some fears.



Porter has started clapping and waving hi and bye bye and it is just so cute. I think he is cutting his 8th tooth too, so he's been a bit clingy and grumpy the past couple of days. He's very active and busy and is crawling everywhere very quickly. His new nickname is Mr. Speedy. He often is getting into Connor's Legos which need to be moved to higher ground!

Making out with Glow baby

Porter and his brother (who we found at the concentration camp)

Whew! Thanks for scrolling all the way through. I gotta go to bed now!

Porter is 10 months old!

Porter is 10 months old now! He's pulling up and cruising around everything, which also means getting into his brother's Legos! He had his 9 month check-up and weighed 21 lbs 10.5 oz which is between the 75th and 90th percentile. He's had two new teeth come in, so now has 6 total, 3 on the top and 3 on the bottom. He loves to eat all kinds of finger food, and is figuring out how to drink from a cup and use a fork. This morning he woke up and was crying, and then said "Mama, Dada"! He's been saying both of those a lot on & off, but I'm sure he said them with purpose today, and it was really cool. I'm trying to figure out if he has a word for Connor, and he does say Nana sometimes, but I'm not sure if that's what he means. It will be fun having him start saying words more now. He still takes 2 naps a day in the morning and afternoon, for about 1 1/2 hours each, and is still nursing about 4-5 times a day, but also takes formula and juice.





We spent last weekend up at our friends the Freelands' cabin near Fergus Falls. They have a gorgeous cabin and we had a great weekend. Connor went tubing for the first time (NOT a big hit) and also ride a 4-wheeler (big hit). Porter loved the water and we had fun swinging in the hammock.









When Connor was 10 months old I took a photo of him standing by the tub with his cute little buns showing, so I had to take one of Porter also. The first one is Connor and the second Porter. Sometimes people say they look alike, but I still think they don't. Still, it's fun to compare them at the same age.





So, we have a busy August ahead of us. We are renting a cabin in Hayward, Wisconsin next week with Jeff's brother Steve and his family. I am taking vacation the next week, which is the week before school starts for Connor, and also the week of the Minnesota State Fair. I'm sure we will go to the Fair at least once. It will be Porter's first time going. We got all of Connor's school supplies yesterday, but still need to get him his school uniforms. I can't believe he will be starting kindergarten in a couple of weeks!

Porter's Room

I think I finally have Porter's room done! Well, we still need to get the computer out of there, but that may take a while since Jeff was gone this last weekend, and I will be working all of next weekend. At any rate, I'm really pleased with how it has turned out. I think Jeff thinks it is a little psychadelic with all the circles, but Porter seems to like them. I still have some rearranging to do to make it just how I want it though.

So, tomorrow is my last birthday in my 30s!! I can't believe that I will be 40 in one year. It's a little crazy. I guess I don't really mind it too much, except for the fact that if I want to have a 3rd child, the clock is ticking very loudly. I think it's probably pretty unlikely considering my history, but part of me would secretly love to have a surprise pregnancy (one that didn't require months of ultrasounds, injections, doctor's appointments, timing and emotional rollercoasters). If it doesn't happen of course I'm thrilled to death with my 2 wonderful, healthy boys! As for celebrating, Jeff and I and the boys went to Stone's in Stillwater for a very nice dinner on their patio last night. Tomorrow my friend Teresa will be in town for business and is going to stay overnight with us. I think I will request Jeff's delicious flank steak sandwiches for dinner. Tonight I am supposed to get together with Derham Hall friends for a drink.

Porter has his 9 month appointment with his pediatrician today. I don't recall if he has to get shots today or not. Hopefully he will do just fine, and I will post stats later.

Look out folks, we have a crawler!

A Day at Lake Elmo Park:

Porter started crawling last weekend! Now he's a little speed demon. I had to run around finding all of the outlet covers, and telling Connor we have to be extra careful now about little lego pieces and magnetix. Luckily now that Connor's room is redone we have a place for all his little toys.

Jeff & I have been busy getting Porter's room painted, and my mom came over to hang valances in each of the boys' rooms. They are finally starting to come together. Porter's room is green now with a green gingham valance. My next project will be to paint some tan circles and stencil his name on some of them. I will post a photo of the finished product, and hopefully it will turn out well.

Porter's new valance:

Goofy Connor:

Some of Porter's new tricks:

Note the nuk on the floor:

Connor got his hair cut today and the boy next to him got a faux-hawk painted blue. Connor thought it was cool, so of course wanted his own painted Vikings purple. The hairdresser thought Porter should have one too, so his is green. Porter's nickname for some time besides Bubba, Tex and Chief, has been Baby Hulkie. When he is frustrated, he balls up his fists, turns beet red and hollers. He looks like a mini Incredible Hulk, and that's what we are thinking of dressing him as for Halloween. The green faux-hawk just gave me some more ideas for his costume. I think he looks so darn cute!

Connor's faux-hawk:

Baby Hulkie:

Faux-hawk boys:

Blowing raspberries:

So big:

Little crawler:

Happy 4th/Porter is 9 months old!

Porter had his first haircut, a whole year and four months before his brother had to have his first haircut! I figured it was time when a woman at the grocery store said "Your little girl is so cute!" He just got a little trim at Kids Hair. He does look a lot more little boyish now!

Before:

During:

After:

Hmm, I think I'll just eat this sticker:

What do you do with this thing?

Oh, I'll just eat it:

We celebrated the 4th of July by going over to our neighbors to swim, and then a barbeque at my parents' house. We just watched fireworks from our windows at home. Oh, and Porter was 9 months old on the 4th. He's almost crawling and starting to do lots of fun tricks like shaking his head "No, no, no", blowing, doing Wild Indian noises with his mouth, and doing "So Big". He is still a crazy man in the tub and I feel like I need a wet suit to bathe him. He splashes all over and just loves the water. He has had fun in the pool too. As you can see he is quite actively teething as well. He wants to chomp on anything that he can get remotely close to his mouth.

Connor flying off the slide:

Porter splashing:

The boys with Daddy in the hot tub:

Boys with Papa Dan:

I'm going to eat the edge of the tub too:

wrecking Mom's display:

Almost crawling:

Trying to pull up on the table, but mostly trying to eat it:

Jeff worked hard all weekend getting Connor's room painted. He rearranged the furniture last weekend. We still need to add a few finishing touches like a valance and some wall art, but I think it looks great. He did a great job and Connor really likes his "new room". At least we finally got rid of the pink wall in his room!


Our next big project is to get Porter's room finished. We still have the computer in there and are planning on painting it green with tan circles. I will post an after picture when we are done.

Before Porter's room redo:

And finally, a funny Connor story. He was driving me nuts the other day, and I said "You're going to give me a nervous breakdown. He said "what's a breakdown?" I said "I would need to go to a mental hospital for some peace and quiet". He said "Could we visit you there?". Gotta love that kid. He keeps me entertained that's for sure!