sweet surprises

A couple months ago, a friend from Clarksville posted this on her Facebook page. Ryan and I completely teared up watching it. It's pretty awesome. The little doll, with whom the video opens, is also from Clarksville. Her elementary footage was shot at a school just down the street from my old apartment. :-)



Yesterday at the park, Teddy and I hung out with another mama about my age and her two-year old lad. After visiting for some time, I learned her husband has been deployed for the last seven months and will be gone at least another six. I can't even imagine. I struggle when Ry's out of town for a few days. Our military families are SUPERHEROS, no doubt about it.

tis the season

Nelson's corn maze and pumpkin patch. Emerado, ND. Sept 10'

Yesterday:

* Slept in. Until 9am! Virtually unheard of.

* Created huge train track through the living room. Thomas, James, and Percy loved it.

* Went to first pumpkin patch/corn maze.

* Discovered Theodore is terrified of black cats. Like really, really scared. Absolutely no idea why.

* Without naming names, one family member folded and put away an entire pile of dirt laundry.

Opps.

*Teddy announced at lunch that "Mama's soup looks just like a beach ball." Umm, okay.

* Went on a long, family bike ride in the evening. Happily discovered balancing my baby belly was no problem.

* Stopped for pizza along the route. +'s included patio seating and an awesome thin crust. -'s, a disgusting sauce on the BBQ chicken pizza.

* Declaration at bedtime that the two-year old "Wants to wear his zookeeper jammies." Zookeeper jammies? Again, umm okay....let me just pull those out.

South Dakota

Father and son. Uncle Bob's farm. Sept. 2010

Last weekend the Alcott trio (+ bebé en útero) drove to Sioux Falls, South Dakota for a celebration in honor of Ryan's maternal grandparents 60th wedding anniversary. It was truly a blessed event! How incredible is a 60th wedding anniversary!?! The best part is his grandparents are such lovebirds. They have the sort of partnership every marriage aims to create. We are lucky to have their beautiful example in our family. I wish I'd taken a photo of the honorary couple, but alas it slipped by too fast with few photos captured.

I did manage to get a couple photos from our first morning there with a quick visit to Uncle Bob's farm. Ryan has three uncles with working farms in the area, so naturally these visits were a highlight of the trip for Teddy. When Ry and I were in high school, talking about careers and the paths we hoped to take through college, I half-jokingly half-seriously suggested a number of times that we move to South Dakota and become farmers. Obviously the logistics and financial reality of entering the farm industry from scratch in today's age would be VERY difficult, but my goodness...it may have been the perfect fit for our family. The best part, Ryan would never have to travel for work again. We'd always have him with us. And we really, really like him with us.

It's raining here today, so Ry is home. They don't work in the rain. Perfect. Hope you are spending the day with your lovies as well. Muah!

bedrooms

Lately I've been dreaming of bedrooms. I'm not sure if it's the return of pregnancy fatigue with the third trimester or if it's the cold, windy autumn weather. Either way, I find myself imagining beautiful, simple, sleepy sanctuaries. A place to lay my head each night. To read and cuddle with my lambs during the day. A cove to sneak away to with my love when the opportunities arise (will those moments still happen with two boys?) A room for my Grandmother's cedar chest, recently handed down. A place to exhale.

With that said, I had to share this recent post on one of my favorite decorating blogs, Decor 8. Photos came from a "favorite blogger bedroom" contest held at Norske Interior.

How all encompassingly yummy are each of these rooms?!? Click here for designer credits.

As long as I can remember, I've dreamed of a white bedroom, with wood floors, open windows, and flowers on the nightstand. These are all right up my alley, although I've a special fondness for the lace coverlet in photo two and the closet drape in photo four. Each is most certainly a place to exhale.

so long sweet summer...

....we will miss you.

joy

Alissa and Jake. Bennington, Vermont. Autumn 2009

Forever meant to walk together.

The most wonderful news was delivered to our family this past weekend! My dear sister-in-law, Ryan's youngest sister is getting married! We are thrilled! Truly, truly joyous for the beautiful couple! Their radiating elation penetrated deep into the whole family, as we all walked around with perma-grins for the remainder of the weekend. Lots of spontaneous giggles, happy tears, and memories filled our hearts. May the next nine months be a blessed and treasured time as they prepare for the BIG day!

Congratulations, Alissa and Jake! We love you!

"You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field will clap their hands."
~Isaiah 55:12

I've got friends with tractors

A couple weekends ago, Teddy and I went to the Nowthen Threshing Show with G & G Alcott. Ryan was en route back to Minnesota from Michigan and missed all the merry, but not to worry, I'm positive it will become an annual family event. It was just THAT much FUN!

Rows upon rows of tractors. All of Theodore's favorites were there, JDs, Fords, Allis Chalmers', Minneapolis Molines, the list goes on. Personally I favored the Demonstrator Farmalls. I wish I'd taken a long shot photo of the display area. It was impressive. Teddy could have spent hours looking at the big machines. Lucky for him, we entered a raffle to win a Moline. I'm positive we'll be receiving a call to come pick it up around the end of the month. ;-) What else is there to to do with our tractor lovin' boy except let him putt putt away...

A look at two of T's favorite songs. We watch these homemade videos many a morning over a bowl of cereal.

Cutting for Stone

This is FAB.U.LOUS.

Do read.