Home Sweet Home

It's tough to keep the kids inside lately ;). They're faster getting their shoes than they are shoving in their food and THAT's already fast ;). They're really enjoying our home sweet home. Above Zoe with her snail she found and below we have Zoe who didn't want to go in her room during nap time and decided to sleep in my office would be a better option... hey, if she sleeps and it's quiet for me, I'll take it ;)

Yesterday we went to a 'first' birthday party for Adam. It was a great and fun time and it's soooo nice that I can just sit down and the kids enjoy playing at the playground and I know they're doing ok and I don't have to check on them every minute that nobody falls off the structure. I think the other parents were a little shocked that I wasn't always going with them holding their hands but they're both so great and know what they can do, are cautious and know how far they can go. I think part of that is how we raised them so far ;).

End of party and my two munchkins got their balloon and their gift bag :)... too cute

Then we went to the mall and checked out the newly renovated play area the kids can play in. AWESOME... I love these areas since they're free and when you have to get shopping done you know there is always a free treat and 'wearing them out' factor included so you're totally fine going shopping with them anytime :)

Of course our cookie treat break. Zoe talked me into getting her this minnie shirt! That's one negative point now that they're growing up... they see something and can talk... and she really wanted to have this shirt... it was really cute though and since it was 25% off I got it for her as a little treat.

Matching to her minnie shirt she took her Minnie to bed with her again. Funny how un-interesting things are for the kids and then all of a sudden they're interesting again ;)

My two goofballs! They're having a lot of fun together... running, chasing, fighting (of course), playing, laughing or in this case eating bread and occasionally throwing bread at each other! *omg*... but it was fun watching them cracking up about it :)

Cabbage Rolls... this time I ran out of cabbage. I really had to get creative and create little tiny rolls *lol*... that never happened before... oh well... it's ok. We'll survive :).

Camp Week

What a week :)... Zoe was in a 4 day / 2 hrs a day camp this week while Henry and I were hanging out in the play area right outside her room she was in. Three days out of the four the 'drop off' was horrible and finally on the last day she just went in and no tears, no screaming, all good :). She knew it was the last day though... I guess that gave her some sort of relief. Henry was so jealous she was able to play all with these cool 'balls' but Henry had a great time playing at the play area as well and let her have her 'class'. It was great BUT I'm glad we're back to our normal schedule next week :). After two hours Henry was pooped and ready for his nap while Zoe came out and wanted to start playing ;).

Playing with camp materials

After class they're happy they could play together, I think they really missed each other ;)

Lunch... Subway on the side of a parking lot *lol*... they were too tired to eat a whole sandwich inside and too messy too so I just chose the simple way out and it worked just fine.

The week was exhausting for all of us... cuddling

Last day of camp, Ice Cream for all :)

Today we met with Janos, Emma and Laura. We were planning on the splash park but when we arrived it was already purring down so we ended up in the library next door :)

Emma

Two Days that turned out totally different

So... I was supposed to have our sitter for THU and FR so I could go into the office so I had nothing planned but being in the office. Unfortunately our sitter canceled because her kids were both sick. So off we went and I really wore the kids out *lol*.

THU morning Treehouse:

THU afternoon playground:

Henry was already so pooped that he just wanted to sit with me and chill out...

FR another fun day... Henry decided he wanted to switch the lights on and off and he just grabbed a chair and on... off... on... off... smarty pants

Shopping... boah, that was a rough one... but we got it accomplished and went home exhausted

While I'm unloading the cart the kids loved sharing their M&M's next to the car...

and FR afternoon we baked :). Here we have Apple Streusel and Cookie & Cream Cupcakes, YUM, they were both very very delicious.

FR Night we had a Ladies Night with the Neighborhood Ladies in one of our neighbors finished basement incl. movie theatre. We had such a great time :).

SAT we had our Annual BBQ Cookout and it was so much fun. About 50 friends (adults and kids - about 50/50) showed up and we had so much fun. We've met so many great people here in Michigan, we're living such an amazing life :). 

Today we just took a chilled out day and I took the kids incl. Zoe's best buddy Janos to the Splash park to cool down. It's soooo hot outside and humid... the only things you do is either sitting inside in the cool house or go where there is water ;).

Delicious Week

Yum, we have another delicious week behind us... (still going strong). On Sunday I made this delicious 'breakfast bake' it was YUM YUM YUM. Still can't wrap my head around why they have recipes for the slow cooker for breakfast!!! Who wants to get up in the middle of the night and prepare the food for the slow cooker to be ready at breakfast? *lol*... since our neighbors came over at 11AM I finally had the chance to make this dish and it was *yum*

Another over the top work of mine: Lentil Soup... oh man, this time I really overdid all  my previous lentil soups. I'm getting a lot more comfortable with the spices and just find myself throwing in herbs left and right without measures just what feels right... Damn I'm getting good :)

Monday Morning meeting with the Germans... We needed some cooling off with the 30Degrees C :)

Monday Night... YEAH... Date Night with our Neighbors on the Harleys... so much fun. We took a nice hour ride, had dinner and called it a night. It was the perfect night out

TUE I headed to the Toledo Zoo with the kids and friends. It was the absolute perfect weather for it. We had about 26Degrees C by the time we left and it had a crisp breeze, it was absolutely best zoo day ever

This morning (WED) we baked some cookies, Zoe wanted to do sprinkles cookies. She's so into forms, it's so cute.... and as soon as they cooled down... they were tasting them of course

Our Play date with the neighbors turned out smaller than originally planned. We had a great and fun time with delicious lunch (a new recipe I can't believe I haven't done yet). Zoe and Henry on the bikes, they LOVE the outdoors and their bikes...

After Henry finished his lunch totally messy I had to take off all his clothes... Henry (tired) threw a fit and didn't like it at all. He wanted to have his clothes back on. Zoe thought it was fun so she took off all her clothes as well (to match him) and they both started running around screaming "Nackedeis" :) hahaha... so cute... so then Henry enjoyed his fun without clothes on as well... they were just running and screaming and laughing, they're having so much fun.

In the Afternoon we went to the mall to get Zoe some more underpants... YES, she's dry! She's doing so crazy well it's unbelievable. This girl decided on THU she wants to wear underpants!!! And no, you don't ask her if she wants to go potty... she just goes all by herself to the bathroom, does her thing and calls you when she's ready. THEN she has to call either Grandma or Daddy to tell them :) so cute... or our friends who're over have to come and see it *lol*. She had a couple of accidents on FR when the sitter was here but since then she had no accidents! It's just unbelievable and all I can say: When they're ready, they're ready! My little big girl... it's actually totally awesome without diapers. Now I have the little potty with me all the time so I'm prepared when we're out and about and she needs to go. She's doing so great. I'm soooo proud of her. But man is she picky with her underwear! It has to be the purple on with the bow... or the one with the hearts and cupcakes and stars. Her favorites are pokedots, stars and hearts. Right now the stars are no. 1! So I had to go through a couple of stores until she finally agreed on some underwear *lol*... oh well... she knows what she wants, that's a good thing later in life and I didn't mind at all to go 'shopping' with her.

This picture was the cutest... in her cute little girl voice she saw these shoes with the stars and said:  "mom, they're so pretty. Let me try them on... Hhmm, i think they're too big! But they're so perfect mom!!!"
It was the cutest thing ever... I really had to take this moment in and enjoy it to the fullest...