Some of my latest favorites!

We recently purchased a couple things.

WE LOVE THEM.

I mean, we REALLY LOVE THEM!

We bought a lawn vac system.

I can't believe we no longer will have to rake our entire yard.

This fall is going to be amazing.

No more days & weeks spent raking our leaf ridden yard!

Our other fantastic purchase was this toilet seat.

If you are like us & have had a kid toilet topper seat for the last 4 years

then you'll understand why this is so wonderful! 

You see that?

a little kid seat topper built right into the lid.

This seat is heavy duty & perfect in every way!

Adler told me the other day,

"mom you know our new seat makes a really good back scratcher!"

(yuck..but anyway, he's a boy.) 

When you lift the lid the little seat stays with the lid

& you just pull it down (held up by a magnet) when the boys need the little seat. 

There is no longer a need for a potty hook & seat to hang from the toilet tank anymore.

Ohhh the joy!

But the BEST feature yet...it closes slowly!

You give it one little pull & let go.

It does the rest of the work for you & no more 

toilet slamming!

I am one proud momma.

Here's the toilet lid closing in action. 

Doesn't get ANY better than that folks!

Thank you Menards & rebate money

for making this toilet lid free.

Do yourself a favor if you have kids & buy this! 

p.s. the weather is getting cooler which means our deep jetted jacuzzi tub 

is being used just about every night.

If you don't have one of these you really should get one too.

We all use it all the time.

School.

This month has been a big transition for us,

especially me.

It's been good, but sad too.

Adler started kindergarten at Becker Primary School
(Tuesday's, Thursday's, every other Friday)

and Brock started preschool at Agape Christian Preschool (Tuesday's & Thursday's).

They were so excited to buy their school supplies,

get their backpacks ready,

& head off to school.

I was excited too, but I miss them.

I have been with them every day since we moved back to MN

& when they're not around, it can be pretty quiet.

It is nice for Vance & I to have time alone though too.

And lucky for me Adler only goes to school every other day,

same days at Brock,

so that works out good.

But next year he's gone every day.

I best get myself ready for that!

Until then I'm going to snuggle them & let them run wild in the yard on their days at home.

Dropping Adler off.

I was doing okay until Luke mumbled, "I can't believe we're dropping our little baby off at school"

I could have slapped him,

but instead I cried because I thought the same thing.

Then is was time to drop my little Brockie off at preschool.

Losing 2 kids in a day is exhausting!

Brock couldn't wait, he was so happy. 

Goodbye hugs for mom. 

After dropping them off, I was so emotionally drained that I just had to go sit on the couch.

Then I had to figure out how our daily schedule was going to go 

(meaning when would we take our naps?).

It's still a bit of a mess because I need to pick up Adler right in the middle of nap time,

but I've learned that every day might be a bit different 

(even though I don't like it that way).

House update.

Our house in almost done!

Luke has been working so hard on it since February

& it's almost done...

Thank you Jesus!

We have a new front picture window

that matches the rest of our new windows in the house.

Our junk pile kept getting bigger & bigger in the FRONT yard! 

(sorry neighbors)

All along the remodel process friends would come over & help out when needed.

It was greatly appreciated!

Here's a picture of our newly sided house.

It was so nice to get this part done,

but then we realized painting the whole house TWICE was the next step.

AHHHHH.

Our garage & front door before painting.

Vance has been busy keeping himself entertained 

with dirt, garden hoses, water, nails, tools, etc.

Everything you wish he would not play with is exactly what he played with!

This particular day I was watering the flowers & he took the water & got all wet,

then proceeded to play (& eat!) with the dirt in our yard & turn into a mud pie.

But a cute one at that!

Grandpa Wayne had about one day off this summer

& he came to our house while we were gone

& loaded up the horse trailer FULL of our construction debris!

It was the hottest day this summer & he slaved away to help us out.

Thanks a lot dad!

When Luke & I went to the State Fair we stopped at the FireBuggz booth.

This business is located in Becker & they sell great fire pits & accessories.

It was such a good deal that we bought one.

Luke & the boys had to get it put together right away of course.

Our new firepit with cooking grill. 

We have a vision for our house

& that includes cedar accents.

We researched the internet to find a vent, planter box, & corbels,

but they were so expensive.

So Luke figured he was just going to attempt to make them!

Gosh I love a handy husband...who's pretty good (I mean really good!) looking too! haha

(on a side note: Vance always had to be included.  He would never

(and I mean never) let Luke just try to get something done without some help!)

Thank goodness for dad's patience. 

Figuring out how to make the vent. 

Vance decided to leave dad alone for about 3 minutes 

& he went to stack the scrap wood on the table saw!

Thanks buddy.

Luke stained his masterpieces & he will be putting them on the house tonight! 

I can't wait to have a big window planter box.

Here's our house with paint on it! 

Our garage with cedar accents framing the garage doors & our lights & screen door

are back on the house!

Progress, progress, progress...

and pretty soon we'll have the vent, gables, & planter box on the house.

I love that it's all coming together,

it's been so darn long.

Next house update I have it will be the final product.

We're just about there...stay tuned!

So much going on.

Despite our long hours working on the house,

so much more happened in late summer.

Vance started walking at 14 1/2 months.

He had several days of just standing, walking 2 steps, then falling.

But he kept going & going until he got it.

Now at 15 months, he's walking all over.

Officially choosing walking over crawling.

And thank goodness, because he was putting holes in all of his pants.

Getting his balancing down.

Such big blue eyes.

Then these 2 decided that they needed the internet for the work their were doing.

So keyboards & baskets made that all happen for them.

They sure have some wild & funny imaginations!

Grandpa Wayne hauled sweet corn right in our backyard again this year

so the boys & I got to visit him & watch the BIG pickers!

Vance has been our one child who wants to climb on everything.

If the boys don't want Vance to play with something then they usually

play on the table.

Well the other day I found him like this!

Getting into ALL the playdough.

We all laughed at him & he knew he was a big boy now!

Church had their annual Rally Day.

We go every year & have so much fun!

This year there was Dean-o-mite entertainment,

along with minnow races, bingo, picture booth, giant dump truck slide

& great food.

(Brock's minnow won the overall championship race

& he got a big bag of swedish fish; what a hit!) 

Having fun on the slide. 

Just recently Brock decided he was going to ride his bike 

WITHOUT training wheels!

And the day he said he was going to do it, 

he did it.

Our kid who always wants to do what his older brother is doing.

This picture is typical Brock...trying to be funny on the night he learned to 2-wheel it!

Last weekend the weather was beautiful.

So we went to Russell's & enjoyed the outdoor patio with some friends

& the kids ran around the beach. 

After supper we went to jump in the big castle & have a bonfire.

Ahh the kids love Rob & Becky's house. 

Football.

Our boys have always been told that they can start 

playing sports when they are in kindergarten.

Brock would love to start now,

but he already has a busy enough schedule

with preschool & swimming.

Adler on the other hand didn't really want to start playing any sport.

BUT that is just how Adler is.

It's something new, so he'd just rather be at home with his brothers.

I had to tell him that he would get a jersey 

AND

that dad would be a coach!

He was SOLD.

So now every Tuesday & Thursday for the next several weeks

our family is enjoying flag football.

Coach Luke called some good plays! haha

It's pretty cute watching these little guys learn some football basics. 

This is what the other 2 boys & I are doing.

Relaxing on a blanket, eating snacks, & playing toys. 

Vance is following suit by trying to carry the heavy toy tote! 

Here's to many many many more flag football practices & games.

I figure with 3 boys I might as well live on the fields in a couple years!