A NEW ADVENTURE! MINNEAPOLIS BOUND!

 

So if you are wondering why I haven't given the blog much attention, this is why. We have been busy planning for the next phase of our lives. We close on our new home in South Minneapolis on Dec 17th - probably in the midst of a major snow storm;) Every day Adele comes downstairs, looks at the boxes and asks, "Where we all going? Minnesota?" Then she does roll call to make sure we are ALL going to Minnesota. "I go Minnesota? Veda go? Winston too? Mommy and Daddy? Baby Hudson?" No Baby Hudson. "Oh."

We have to be out of our house in Ohio on Dec 1 so we will be wearing out our welcome in Iowa City, Clear Lake and Madison for most of the month.

Adele's Pet

I think I stared at Adele in disbelief for a good 15 seconds. I kept trying to process what she was SQUEEZING in her hands. "Look Mom. It a birdy!" I screamed and she threw it on the kitchen floor. After disinfecting the premises I began my lecture on avoiding dead animals. "Please do not ever touch dead animals". Veda chimes in, "like a dead moose?" "Yes Veda, we do not touch dead moose."

Soldier Sweaters

"Look dad. Soldier sweaters. You put those on, then you go fight and beat people up...or you wear them when you go kill deer." ~ Veda @ Walmart


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Overheard

Haley, our babysitter, took the kids to the park this morning. On their return Veda ran into the house dangling part of an old earring she found at the park. "Mom! I found the Key of Legends. This will be great in my diorama!"

Overheard

I was working in my office this morning and Veda walks in as I'm inserting a USB memory stick. She grabs it out of my hands with excitement and says (wide-eyed),

"Mom! Is this the kill code"?
"The what?" I ask.
"Ya know, the kill code to keep the giant meatballs from falling from the sky."
"Yep Veda, that's exactly what it is."

Overheard

Papi and Didi were in town this week and helped us move a couch from the basement. We found some huge spiders hiding underneath... thankfully dead. Veda got so excited that she ran to find her bug box. When she couldn't find it she returned with her sparkly purple purse and carefully placed the dead spiders inside. I left the room because I couldn't handle it - I do NOT like spiders - dead or alive. Later I went downstairs and found one of the spiders on the staircase.

"Veda - why is this sitting here?"
"Well - he was my favorite but then all his legs fell off."

Negative

I took Adele to an allergist at the recommendation of our pediatrician. She has been having some skin issues and stomach discomfort. In order to test for all allergies including Celiac disease we had to have blood drawn. NO FUN. Five vials of blood and lots of tears and all she wanted afterwards was to be held and to ride up and down repeatedly in the glass elevator. She kept saying "higher" "higher" like I was pushing her on the swing.

We got the call yesterday that everything came back normal - she isn't allergic to ANYTHING. Surprised but relieved. No crazy diets in our house.

Ice Cream Social at School

The Parents Committee held an Ice Cream social and committee sign-up. Against my better judgement I signed up to help with Teacher Appreciation. Hopefully I can find time in my sleep to help out;)

School Fun

Field Trip to Young Chefs Academy

Taste testing frosting flavors for their cupcakes

School Fun

 Cool tractor art

 Singing "Wheels on the Bus" while driving the "bus"

 

Adele throws a fit just about every morning I take her to school. Here's my proof that she's having fun after I leave. I love that she is always singing new songs that I haven't taught her and that she can count to 10 in Spanish!

No Underwood Farms

So I was a little down on our Pumkin Patch experience this weekend with our friends, Steve and Jennifer and kids. Only because I miss our outings to Underwood Farms in Moorpark, CA sooooooo much. To top it off, my friend Christina called from Underwood on Monday to tell me she was in line for the tractor ride with Halle Berry and her daughter Nala. Blooms and Berries outside of Cincinnati is a fine experience with lots of fun free activities for the kids but Underwood - it is not.

Piano Lessons

Veda's school offers one-on-one piano lessons during class hours. Have I mentioned that I LOVE our school?! She's pretty into it - let's hope it stays that way. I hated lessons when I was little but I will always remember the reward at the end. After every lesson Mom and I would have Salami, Ham and Provolone Sandwiches with Lettuce, Tomatoes, Oil and Vinegar at Bushnell's Turtle (now Martini's in downtown IC). I've ordered my sandwiches the same way ever since but don't think I've ever had one as good as the ones BT made.

Good Times with Nana

Mom has been here since last Thursday helping with the kids. They have had more books read to them in the past week than their entire lives;) Pretty sure they are a notch smarter than they were before she came too. Veda has had one-on-one help with her letters and spelling which I love. Winston has a new best buddy and smiles every time she comes into the room. She leaves tomorrow and we (I) am sure going to miss my help.

Happy Birthday Littler Brother

Ry is living in Japan these days so it is officially his birthday THERE today. We will celebrate here tomorrow. Miss you Bro - have fun!

2.5 yr check-up

Adele weighed in at a whopping 26lbs - down .5 from her last appointment several months ago. That's 18% and her height put her in the 16%. She is a munchkin but at least she's proportional. We are celebrating her 2.5 yr mark in potty training hell. I decided it was time the week before last and every since she's been marking her territory all over the house. She goes on command - no problem - but I just can't get her to make it to the potty on her own and she could care less. She'll run around in sopping wet pants all day.

Racecar Hotdogs

Todd showed the girls how to play with their food. Veda said. "Dad, remember that time I stuck a macaroni up my nose? Can you imagine what would happen if I stuck a racecar hotdog up my nose?"

Welcome to team Ehlers Hudson

No Fear

 

As soon as she hit the pavement she would run to the diving board and start heading to the water before Todd could barely swim back in time to catch her.

The joys of driving

We had to pull off the road to attend to a major barf attack on our way to Madison. Strip the car and the kid. We got to enjoy this fun little stop in Prairie du Chien, WI where we picked up some ceremonial cheese curds on our way into the State.

Evoke!

We got to visit Auntie Kel's Evoke Brand Strategies office while we were in Madison. Take notice of this super cool desk. This is the old door from Grandma Uthof's house where Diane grew up. She had tinted glass cut and the even made a hole for the door knob. LOVE!

Oh no you didn't... Yes, yes I did!

From Journey concert a few weeks ago at the Iowa State Fair. After hours concessions - deep fried snickers! Totally NOT worth it;(

Milestones

We discovered Winston's first tooth this past weekend and he now pulls himself up on EVERYTHING... including the stairs. Time for baby gates downstairs. Boo.

Friends and Fireworks

Our friends from California just moved back. Here are some pictures of JB's visit when house hunting. We also had the entire family over this weekend for a little reunion. Great to have them in Cincy! We broke out the sparklers - I never thought I would give Adele fire. Thanks to my buddy Nicole and her pinterest find this was a safe activity - sort of - Dad stepped on a live ash - party foul.

Feeding Ducks, Helping Dad and Hanging Outside

Happy Belated Birthday Dad

Todd didn't get a birthday post. In fact, he didn't get much of a birthday. He got a couple of sweet tshirts, some very nice and appreciated checks from the 'rents and an ice-cream cake from Chris and Kel AND a 5 hour roadtrip with small children;) I guess I have some planning to do for next year.