Late Summer Delights

Today we took a trip to our favorite apple orchard, I was taking in the beauty of this summery sunflower and remembering a few of my favorite late summer treasures.

We had the whole orchard to ourselves and the kids behaved very well. Claudia carried two bags of apples down the hill and Eloise was careful to hold Julianne's hand the whole way.

Our garden vegetables, crunchy orange carrots and green beans

An ice cream treat at the local Flapdoodles, and someone willing to share.

A big juicy apple

A sneaky leopard frog who hopped into our yard late one night. I had to catch him to show the girls who were already nestled in their beds. Matt was completely correct to warn me that this frog could jump.

Vincent sharing one of his wet kisses.

Next up: Back to school

Visitors

Nothing like a summertime visit to Minnesota! We love to have visitors and August came with a few. First, Great Uncle Bob traveled over from Wisconsin.

He read about two hundred stories while he was here. The kids loved every minute of it, even while snoozing!

Up from the great state of Iowa came the McClimons. The kids had a ball playing together and Matt loved connecting to a colleague.

Finally from Nebraska, came Lia. Lia is close to my heart because we have been friends since the girls' age. It is such a treat to share my family with her, including Vincent's wet kisses.

You are all welcome back anytime, we miss you already!

The good life in Nebraska

Beautiful sunset in Nebraska

Picnic in the Pawnee Park

Swimming at the Plunge

Sliding at the Plunge

Just knew those dance costumes would come in handy someday

One of three dogs that put up with the kids attention

Henry Doorly Zoo with college roomie and her family

Randa and her family hosting us over smores

Adorable Isaac meeting the family

Precious smiles

Four full days of family and friends, thanks for sharing the good life with us.

Grease..

Tonight I found myself sitting on the hardwood floor next to Matt thinking this is not how I envisioned marriage. We were both covered in black grease from transferring parts from one gait trainer to another bigger one. Maybe ten years ago, my head was filled with dreams of a husband who is always romantic, who holds my hand as we travel the world, smiling as we hold fancy parties together, and enjoying a big healthy family with kids that never whine, all under forever sunshiny days.

Truth be told I'm lucky to be sitting next to a partner that works with me side by side with grease on our hands for a little girl that WE love so dearly. He is the only one that loves and understands our family the way I do. And that ladies and gentlemen is what marriage is really all about, finding that person who you want to be with through the good and the greasy. Someone who goes through bed rest with you shaving your legs, gets up in the middle of the night to feed twin infants, takes out the trash without complaint, and when something scary happens like you hear your child might have CP he doesn't leave your side. I don't know how I would do this alone and I'm very grateful tonight for Matt.