Friday, June 21, 2013

Foto Friday

Enjoying the summer life and being outside these past few weeks!

Dinner boat cruise on Lake Minnetonka with Kevin's work.  The twins both loved being on the boat!

Funny Face Selfies with my little man!

Daddy had to work late, so I took Kate and Matt out to McDonald's for a dinner date for the first time by myself.  Happy I survived and both Taters and Matty did great sitting and eating the whole time.  Such big kids now, plus they will do anything for nuggets and fries!

Play dates at the park with our friends.

Miss Diva could swing all day long!

lovin' her Minnie Mouse sunglasses




loved the crawl through the tunnel over and over again

Trip to the MN Zoo with our friends Julie and son Jay

playing in the splash pad

checking out the goats

tractor rides.  Matthew is having fun I promise.  Such a serious face here.

The twins got to have a giraffe eat right out of their hands. 

The 'zoo man' said the giraffe's tongue is roughly as long as Matt or Kate's arm.  Wowza!


{so cool}


Clapping- I am so excited for how brave he was going right up to the giraffe with no fear.  Matthew absolutely loved it!

Kate's turn

So happy she wasn't too scared and did it without too much hesitation!

I loved the day at the zoo with my kids and our friends.  Definitely one of my favorite days and reminded me I am blessed for this awesome opportunity of being able to stay at home with them!






Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Strawberry Fest, Big Kid Beds, and Father's Day!

We had such a nice weekend with Kevin's parents.  Kevin asked his Dad to play golf at a course here for Father's Day.

This past weekend was our town's Strawberry Fest Days.  There were so many fun activities planned for kids.  Grandma Joyce and I took the kids to the fun festivities on Saturday.  We started out watching the parade in the morning.  This was the twins' first time watching a parade and they loved it! Both caught on quickly and were out gathering candy and placing it in their bags.  I'm not sure who had more fun...grandma and mama or the twins?  Joyce and I had a blast watching Kate and Matt get so excited at all of the different floats.

Did I mention this parade was awesome?!  We got the most random/fun things tossed at us from the floats: a dish of frozen yogurt, band-aids, toothbrush and toothpaste, shampoo, a potty training DVD, Chap stick, blow up beach ball, chip clips, dish sponge, and so much more!  Parade Score!




Kate was so cute!  Every time she saw a new float coming she'd say, "Oh, Wow!  Look at that!"






getting candy

yummy, frozen yogurt!

After the parade, the four of us headed to the park where the Strawberry Fest events were being held.  We enjoyed some lunch, kids road on a train, and listened to the Teddy Bear Band.  Our day was then cut short because some storm clouds quickly blew in and it started raining pouring on us!  Our car was not close and by the time we walked to it, each holding a kid, we.were.soaked!  Looked like we all just got out of the shower.  Funny to laugh at now.

Miss Strawberry Fest :)


The highlight was seeing Kate and Matthew ride the trains.  Kate surprised me and was all about riding.  Matthew was a bit apprehensive at first, so I had to walk alongside his train car holding his hard for the first half.  Felt cool. Grandma wasn't about to trade places with me. ;)





Kate was yelling, "Hi, Grandma!" and waving the whole ride.


While the four of us were having fun at Strawberry Fest, the guys were suppose to be golfing.  Unfortunately, the rain ruined their plans as well.  They were able to schedule a tee time for Sunday instead.  So, Kevin and Grandpa Larry spent their Saturday afternoon putting together furniture for the twins' new big kid beds.  Matthew has been out of his crib now for close to 2 months.  We've been on the big boy bed hunt for him figuring out which option we wanted to get him.  This weekend we decided we would also get a bed for Kate, too.  She's been crying out a lot at night and throwing fits at bedtime.  I got to thinking maybe she was a bit confused while Matthew was free from a crib and in a bed and she remained 'stuck' in her crib.  I thought it might be easier to get them both in beds at once, and then we'd only have to make the transition once and re-sleep train them together.

As of right now, we decided to keep the twins in the same room.  They've been together since day one and I think like being together...or maybe I like it more?  We got a set of bunk beds that can be separated into two twin beds.  This way we have the option of having them share or we can also spit them into separate rooms if we need to.

Operation Big Kid Bed - helping Grandpa and Daddy



Is there anything cuter than this?   The little guy wanted to be a helper so badly.


men at work

So far, moving to a big kid bed has been a struggle.  We've had some rough nights with Matthew since he's made the switch.  Us traveling about every other weekend hasn't helped the situation.  I feel like we get into a routine and then take 10 steps backwards while we are gone.  I'm just trying to be patient and reminding myself this is a hard transition.  They are only 2 and are testing out all the new boundaries of being 'free' in a big bed.  Since being in their new beds, we have had to split them up each night.  Matt goes to the spare bed and sleeps.  They interrupt and feed off one another too much while crying/throwing tantrums.  We'll see if being separated needs to be a permanent thing or if it's just for now while they are learning how to go to bed in their big beds.  Time will tell.

Sunday the Dad's spent most of the day golfing.  I was happy Kevin got to spend some time playing a game he loves (and loves to hate) and doing it with his Dad.  

I couldn't ask for a better group of Dads in our lives!  




Happy Father's Day!  The kids and I love you so very much!

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Blast Ball, Baseball, and Baptism

We had such a FUN weekend back in Iowa with my sister and her family!  Kevin took Friday off so we could travel down that morning to have a lot of the day Friday to spend with them.  The cousins had a blast jumping on the trampoline, had their first shared bed sleepover, and played outside with sidewalk chalk and bicycles!

The attempt at a sleepover together in Allie's bed (converts to a king size) was a bit of a stretch to try with two 2 year olds and a 4 year old.  Matthew wanted to play more in Allie's room or not leave Mama's side than sleep.  But the girls, Allie and Kate, had fun (most of the time) falling asleep together.  Allie was definitely ready for Kate to stop making noise/talking so she could fall asleep.  She didn't quite understand Kate was little and didn't understand.  We heard lots of giggles before they crashed.  Makes me smile.  These two girls are going to have so much fun growing up together in the future!  Wished we lived closer so we could have sleepovers on a regular basis.

The kids and their personalized Disney blankets


Reading books together



For not being in a big girl bed of her own yet, Kate did a nice job, for the most part, of not getting out of bed during the night.  I think she really likes sleeping in a bed and might be ready for it sooner than I am. :)

Saturday morning we started our day early.  Allie had a blast ball game at 8:00 and then Andrew had his baseball game at 9:00.  My parents traveled to my sister's early Saturday morning to make it to both games.

Allie's Blast Ball Game - 4 year olds






Nice up's Allie!




After leaving her game, Allie says to us, "That was a good game!"  My favorite quote of the weekend!  It sure was an awesome game, girl!

Andrew's Baseball Game

(Andrew's on the left)


The Fans :)  The kids had a great time!







Matty caught on quickly how to ride the scooter.






Allie loves Uncle Kev!







Kevin thought he needed a turn being tossed into the air.  Silly Uncle Kevin!

That evening our niece Allie was baptized at the Lutheran Church of Hope.  Kevin and I were given the honor to be her sponsors.  It was a wonderful church service and we celebrated afterwards at the Okoboji Grill.



Allie and Uncle Mike

Great-Grandma Kerns

Uncle Mike, Aunt Melissa, Kaleb, and Evan

Grandma and Grandmpa Dufel 

Uncle Kevin and Aunt Laura

Uncle Kevin, Aunt Laura, Kate, and Matt

Three generations

The Breuner's



Child of God




Train up a child in the way he should go, 
And when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6