Super Hero Dance Party

I'm sorry, but this video deserves its own post even if it IS terrible quality...

I laugh every time I watch it. It's hilarious to me that even Madelyn stops dancing when Patrick starts his crazy dancing. All the moves Patrick does in this video are entirely new to us and he hasn't done them since. He is apparently "in character" when dressed in the costume and that comes with a new set of shimmy shakes. And I love that Madelyn thinks laying on her back doing bicycle kicks is a dance move. She also holds onto her skirt pretty much every time she dances now and we have no idea how it started. Plus, they're dancing to "Must Be Santa" in the middle of October. Hard to beat that.

As a bonus, here is our sweet boy saying grace before dinner. He says it by himself almost every night now and I never get tired of hearing it. I'll try to get a better video where you can see Madelyn with her little hands folded under her chin, too. She gets so proud of herself for being able to participate.

40th Wedding Anniversary

Dear Patrick and Madelyn,

On October 16th your Meme and Papa will have been married forty years. 40 years!

Patch, your time now with Papa is typically spent outside playing chase or practicing how to square up to home plate. Madelyn, you have frequent tea parties and tickle matches with him. Patrick, you love to play games like The Good Night Moon matching game and sing the Indian song with your Meme. Madelyn, you love to show Meme your dance moves, read books and cuddle with her every chance you get. But there is so much more to these two incredible people that you love so dearly. Let's take a glimpse back in time to find out what they were like in the “olden days," shall we?

Your Papa was a cool cat, non-conformist in high school. When all of the other boys were part of the preppy or hood* crowds, your Papa wore Hawaiian shirts and Converse All Stars. He even rode his bike to school way before that was cool (if it ever was). He was an all around athlete, quick to laugh and always ready for a good time. He played on his high school’s football, basketball and track teams. He pretty much rocked the pole vault and even tried to teach your Mommy when she was old enough. Although, at the time, they didn't have girls’ pole vaulting at my high school (archaic, I know). He may be laid back but don’t ever think for a minute that you can get away with anything around him (I may be speaking from experience). He’s not only seen everything, but chances are he’s done it too.

Senior year he actually jumped onto his desk in protest of a homework assignment. A very stunned teacher, Sister Maxine, didn’t have time to react before he opened the huge old warehouse window (three stories high, by the way) and proclaimed, "Goodbye world! I can’t take it anymore. I need something more in life than homework!" before hurling himself out the window. Thankfully Milwaukee had gotten several feet of snow that winter so he landed at the bottom unscathed. He ran into a couple of his buddies and quickly told them what had happened. Naturally, they went back to his classroom, knocked on the door and told Sister Maxine they had found something that belonged to her. Then they carried Papa in the classroom and placed his still, lifeless body on her desk. She ran from the classroom screaming. Like I said, he has seen it all, done it all and probably wrote the book about it too.

Senior prom, they had started dating a few months prior to this.

Your Meme was a diligent student, captain of the cheerleading squad and started the first high school pom pom team in the United States. She single handedly lobbied to the administration of Messmer High School to grant permission to have the team, ran try-outs, chose the members and did all the choreography. When she took her teams to Stevens Point, WI for a National Cheerleading Association clinic she met Mr. Herkemer, the man who invented the pom pom and founded the NCA . He asked her to join the summer staff for college camps; a huge honor in the world of cheerleading. Kinda cool that your Meme learned to do a Herkie jump from Mr. Herkemer himself!

 She is one of the most creative people you'll ever meet and has the organization and planning skills to pull off any kind of project you can think of, a rare quality if you ask me. Usually, people are either extremely creative or extrememly organized but your Meme is both and the combination of the two make for some amazing results (i.e., Aunt Abbie and Uncle Matt's wedding). She has always had a gift for sewing and crafting beautiful things, something she got from her Mom, no doubt. She sewed her prom dress, her wedding dress and all seven of her bridesmaids' dresses, along with the two flower girls' dresses. She even made the priest's vestments to match because, well, that's your Meme, always going way above and beyond the norm to make even the smallest details perfect and memorable.

Together your grandparents are a true testimony to love. I've seen them go through a lot. Endure a lot. Change, absolutely. Through everything they've never stopped respecting each other, never stopped loving each other and on many occasions loving the family more than themselves. They have never stopped working to make their union and their family the most important thing and it is evident in the way their four children know undoubtedly that our parents love us to the ends of the earth and back. We are so lucky they are invested in our lives, children. Their love is unconditional and will follow you throughout your days and give you strength in the toughest of times. We are abundantly blessed to have them in our lives. You are the luckiest kids in the world to call them your Meme and Papa. And I am honored to call them Mom and Dad.

Love,
         Mommy


Happy 40th Anniversary Pam and Joey! I raise my glass to who you were then, who you are now, and everything in between. I am so thankful for your love for each other and for us. Cheers!

* I have no idea what that means, I am just reporting the facts.

Zoo Trip, Apple Picking and Camp-In

The cooler fall weather has been so refreshing! A couple weeks ago we made a family trip to the zoo. The kids had a blast and enjoyed the animals and train ride. It was great spending  time as a family making memories.

I caught this moment a millisecond too late. They were holding hands so sweetly!

Most of the extended family spent last weekend at the cabin in Blue Ridge. We did some Apple Picking at Mercier's (like last year), celebrated a few birthdays and had a camp out, or "camp-in", as we ended up sleeping in the camper with Patrick because the temperature was going to dip below freezing that night. It was wonderful having everyone together and watching the cousins play. They enjoyed the makeshift sandbox Papa made,  jumping around in the bounce house, throwing the ball for Bailey and roasting marshmallows on the campfire. We even had some time for a little baseball while the kids took their naps on Saturday afternoon.

Creighton is ready to pick some apples!

Carson taking a bite

Madelyn smiling and talking to her food (not unusual)

Which one should I eat first?

Carson can say so much with just one look ;) I don't blame her;
Madelyn's been known to steal  other people's food!

 Maddy and Daddy 

Brother and Sister

"Hmmm..."

"How do I make her laugh..."

"HOOGA BOOGA!"

"SUCCESS!"

 And, back at the cabin...

I love how you can see the tree we planted for Patrick when he was
 born  in the bottom right of the picture.



A very sleepy Carson snuggling with Uncle Toby



Creighton and Madelyn playing in the "sand bucket"

Uncle Jonathan always makes time for a little one on one with Patch.
 Rumor has it he even demoed a log roll down a grassy hill for P :)

Mandie and Abbie

Thanks to everyone that made it up to the cabin! Here are some more pictures from the couple weekends (full gallery here).

Car Ride Convo

The following is a conversation the kids and I had last week while we were driving to the park listening to Yo-Yo Ma (because I’m just that dorky awesome).

Patrick: “You play cello, Mommy.”

Me: “I do.”

Patrick: “Why is it just piano and cello now?”

Me: “That’s just what the musicians are playing right now. More instruments will join in soon.”

Patrick: “Maybe drums. BOOM BAP!"

Madelyn: shouts “Boom Bap!” then giggles at her brother.

Patrick: “Daddy plays drums!” he exclaims proudly.

Me “Yes, he does.”

Madelyn: about jumps out of her seat, “My Daddy!” and looks excitedly out the window, expecting to see him. Such a Daddy’s girl, that one :)

Patrick: “Why does Daddy play drums?”

Me “That’s the instrument he likes. If you could choose any instrument what would you play?”

Patrick: without hesitation, “Drums! Or bass GUITAR!” plays air guitar then throws his fist in the air, “ROCK!”

Madelyn: “ROCK!”

Patrick: “Can you say bass guitar, Mad? Say Bbbbbassss. Geee Tar.”

Madelyn: “basssguitara… ROCK!”

Giggles from the back seat.

Patrick: looking a little disappointed, “But, why you play the cello, mommy?”

Me: “I like the mellow sound it makes.”

Patrick: “Mellow and cello rhyme!”

Me: “They do!”

Madelyn: looks at Patrick, “Me maw!” wanting him to echo her. He remains silent, thinking. She tries again, “Me MAW!”

Patrick: gives a halfhearted, “Me maw,” furrows his brow while shaking his head in disbelief then mutters, “but why you play the cello?”

Me: “I just do, sweetie.”

Minutes go by and they are silent, dancing in their seats to the music, enjoying the breeze through the open car windows.

Patrick: suddenly sits up and exclaims loudly, “Daddy plays DRUMS!!!” like he's announcing the winner of a championship fight. “Boom Bap! Boom Bap!”

Madelyn: “My Daddy!!!”

Will I ever be as cool as their drum playing, piggy back giving, all knowing, dinosaur expert dad? Probably not and I’m OK with that :)

And, for a little after dinner entertainment...