Christmas Season

A little snow fell the other day so Jay and Jenny braved the elements to build a snowman together. It turned out well, and Jenny is pretty excited every time we pull into our driveway. Jenny also had her preschool Christmas program last week and we enjoyed watching her sing. Jenny and Andrew are enjoying the Christmas tree and the presents underneath. Thus far all presents have remained wrapped.

Thanksgiving

We had a nice Thanksgiving with Steve and Alyona. We were served a delicious turkey with wild rice, beet salad, pasta salad, a potato dish, as well as sliced tomatoes and a hot mushroom appetizer. Alyona did a lot of work to prepare the meal and we enjoyed our time with them. When we finished dessert our family headed to an indoor water park to spend the remainder of the weekend with Jay's family. The kids had a good time hanging out with their cousins and Jay and his nieces braved the crowds early, early Friday morning in search of good deals. Jenny enjoyed the water slides when she was brave enough to go on them, and we all enjoyed hanging out, eating good food, and playing games and going in the water.

Fall Fun

We've enjoyed the Fall season so far (with the exception of raking the leaves.) Jay and Jenny carved a pumpkin together and we spent an enjoyable weekend in WI with Jay's family. The cousins had a good time trick-or-treating together. The adults had a good time playing cards after the kids went to bed. Jenny was a poodle and Andrew dressed as a pumpkin, although it was really too cold for him to be outside.

Jenny continues to enjoy preschool. Andrew is dealing with his first ear infection, although he seems to be doing better. Other than that, there is not much else to report. We're looking forward to seeing Steve and Alyona over Thanksgiving and then going to an indoor water park with Jay's family.

Fall Days

It figures that the week after Steve and Alyona get married the weather turns nice. It's been in the high 60's and sunny so the kids and I have taken full advantage of the warmer temperatures. It's been good to be outside again. Hopefully we get some more nice days before we are stuck inside until April.

Unfortunately, I failed to take my camera to Steve and Alyona's wedding, so I have no pictures to share. Despite the frigid temperatures it was still a beautiful ceremony and a very entertaining reception.

Weather permitting, we are hoping to go to a pumpkin patch and a corn maze this weekend. We've heard it is a good time and we're anxious to check it out.

Labor Day Weekend

We had planned on spending Labor Day weekend in WI, but our departure was pushed back a day as our family battled the flu last week. Fortunately Andrew stayed healthy and on Sunday morning we loaded up the minivan and headed to WI for church to witness the baptism of Jay's niece. Sunday afternoon found us lounging by the lake while the cousins went swimming and Jay did some tubing. On Monday morning Jay got up at the crack of dawn to go skiing with a friend and a brother-in-law. He was quite pleased that after a five year hiatus he can still bare-foot water ski. When he returned we headed to the local fair where we spent the day eating, watching a demolition derby, and watching Jenny and her cousin Camron go on the rides together. Usually the fair is a good excuse to eat all sorts of unhealthy food, however as we drove home I decided the bratwurst and ice cream I consumed did not do the fair justice. I'll have to try to eat some more deep-fat-fried items next year. Andrew didn't seem to care about the fair, but he did take an excellent nap in his stroller as we walked around.

On Tuesday morning Jenny started preschool and seemed to have a good time. She enjoyed playing dress up with the other girls and eating the crackers and apples. Those two things seemed to be the highlights of her day.

I am adjusting to not working every day. It was a little weird when the school year started and I did not head back to work. But I am enjoying spending the day with Jenny and Andrew and going about our business without keeping an eye on the clock. Jay continues to be busy with work.

We're looking forward to the "wedding season" coming up and seeing everyone often!

Travels

Thanks to everyone for a great time in CA. We had a wonderful time relaxing by the pool, hanging out, and seeing some of the sights. I told Jay I don't know if I've ever had such a relaxing time in CA. It was wonderful not to worry about volleyball issues this year. I have to admit I don't miss coaching at all. We also enjoyed watching Jenny learn how to swim (Thanks Aunt Joni!). Unfortunately, our weather here has been very cool, and we have not been able to go to the pool to continue practicing. Hopefully we get a few warm days yet.

Our flight back was uneventful, which is just the way we like it. Upon our return I was able to get Jenny registered for a nearby preschool, and she will start the day after Labor Day. I think she is excited.

We were also excited to have Kenny and Erin visit us. They arrived Thursday afternoon and left Saturday morning. We enjoyed some Chicago style pizza, and a visit to the Classic Car Show with them. Kenny and Erin also enjoyed a Cubs game together. (You'll have to ask Kenny about the ticket scalpers.)

We're looking forward to a trip to WI this weekend and spending some time with Jay's family.

Northern Wisconsin

We left for Wisconsin late Thursday afternoon. Six hours later we turned onto a gravel road, and then we turned onto another gravel road and arrived at our destination - a cabin in the woods of northern Wisconsin. The cabin was quite nice and there was plenty of room for the Lumkes family. We discovered a few mice were living with us as well. We spent our days eating good food, playing cards (I lost...a lot), fishing, riding 4-wheelers, and sitting by a campfire. Jenny had a great time playing with her cousins. On Friday afternoon we went to a nearby lake and enjoyed the scenery, the kids and men swam, but the women stayed in the boat (it was not warm). On Saturday we hung out at the cabin and the kids played outside. There were a lot of wild berries around so we spent some time picking berries. There are a lot of trails for snowmobiles and 4-wheelers in northern WI so Jay and I took advantage of them on Sunday afternoon. Riding through the mud in a forest was dirty, but a lot of fun. Jay's siblings left on Sunday so nightfall found Jay and his dad taking on me and Jay's mom in a card game called Pitch. Jay's mom and I lost 4 games in a row. We finally conceded defeat and went to bed. We returned home Monday evening after a good weekend.




Jenny went 4-wheeling with Jay.


Eating marshmellows around the campfire



Picking out a flavor of ice cream

Jenny settled on chocolate

Beautiful scenery around Spirit Lake

Swimming

Last summer Jenny was pretty content to run around the pool, and very rarely went in the pool. On a VERY warm and humid day this summer she was forced to actually play in the pool and within 15 minutes she realized it is fun to swim. She prefers to wear her floaties and swim in a ring at the same time. Hopefully she'll have a lot of fun swimming with her cousins in Grandma's pool in a few weeks!
This weekend we are spending a long weekend in northern WI with Jay's family. Jay's folks have rented a large cabin so we can all stay together. We're looking forward to a fun weekend and a lot of card playing!

Thumb suckers

It looks like Andrew is going to take after his big sister Jenny. He is beginning to suck his thumb too. We're hoping this will make him less crabby.

We took the train to Chicago on July 3. Jenny loved it!

Dancing Jenny

We have been fortunate to receive many, many hand-me-downs for Jenny from Jay's niece. She has been in a dance class for a few years and has passed down her leotards to Jenny. Jenny loves to show us her dancing moves.

Andrew is growing fast. He is starting to get little rolls on his thighs. He continues to sleep well, but he seems to be getting crabbier. He likes to be held a lot, he also cries a lot. Jenny tolerates his crying very well, even offering him her most prized possession - her yellow blankie.

Jenny and Andrew

Andrew is growing fast. Jay was gone for a couple of days this past week and he commented that Andrew had changed while he was gone. He is doing better at nights, usually sleeping for a 5 hour stretch. This morning he woke around 4am and was sleeping again by 5am. Jenny is doing well. She is very nice to Andrew, but if he is being held then she must be held as well. The most important thing to Jenny continues to be the ability to wear a "pretty dress" every day.

We are making our first road trip this weekend. We are celebrating Jay's niece's high school graduation so we are heading to WI on Saturday.

We're looking forward to our trip to CA this summer. Jenny is especially anxious to see Grandma again.

Adjusting

Andrew is one week old and we are adjusting to having a newborn in the house. He seems to be a good baby so far, only crying when he is wet or hungry. He sleeps for long stretches at a time (4-5 hours), but it is usually from 7am-noon. We need to get him to sleep from 1am-6am. Unfortunately, his "awake" time is usually 1-4am. I had forgotten how much laundry a new baby generates, and I have been surprised at how ineffective diapers are at containing little boys.

Jenny is adjusting. She misses Grandma. When Andrew was crying yesterday she said "Maybe he wants Grandma to come back." I think Jenny wants Grandma to come back - Mommy isn't as much fun. She has begun to ask that I put Andrew down on the floor so I can play, and she wants to sit on my tummy "just like Andrew". She went to her cousin's house today, and she was adamant that Andrew "stay home". But she also likes to watch him take a bath, and get his diaper changed. Last night she wanted to read him a book. She'll adjust.

Jay is back at work, spending last night in MI. He was given a brief hiatus in his travels, but he is back at it. We're hoping he is sent someplace fun this summer so the kids and I can tag along.

I am doing well, but I am looking forward to exercising again. The weather has been great, and I would love to get outside for a good walk or jog.

I apologize for not having more pictures. I need to get on that! The picture of Jenny was taken at an Arboretum shortly before Andrew was born.

Andrew Jay

Andrew Jay arrived yesterday at 1:35pm. He was 8 lbs and 6oz, 21 inches long. He has recovered nicely from being born and he is looking pretty good today, even his head seems to be shaped pretty good (yesterday we weren't so sure). Jay claims Andrew's stunning good looks may come from him. Jenny seems to think he is okay, although she has been enjoying the fact that Grandma has been her own personal play partner. We are looking forward to going home tomorrow and introducing Andrew to Uncle Danny and Auntie Kristi.

Nothing new

I had hoped my next post would be about the new baby, but he/she doesn't seem to want to come early. It might be a good thing since Jenny's been sick all week and I think she's passed it along to Jay and I.


We've had a good week of weather so we've been outside a little bit. It's time to get outside and start planting flowers.


Here are a couple of pictures of Jenny. She is sitting on the bike, although she can't actually ride it very well yet.

Finishing the school year

A couple more pictures from vacation...


Jenny and Jay swimming


Playing in the sand


I am winding down the school year. After this week I only have 5 more teaching days. My sub stopped by school today to pick up all the materials he will need while I am gone. As of right now it does not look like I will be teaching next year so I need to start saving all of my files on a drive I can take with me. Right now all of my notes/tests/assignments are saved on the TC servers. I think it will be quite the process. Not hard, just time consuming.

We are finally starting to see the signs of spring around here. Flowers are starting to bloom, and leaves are appearing on the trees. We have not been able to be outside much so we are looking forward to playing outside. Tonight we all took a walk to the local Dairy Queen and enjoyed some ice cream.

Jay continues to travel a lot for work. Next week he heads to Minneapolis. After next week, though, he should be home. Hopefully the baby does not come too early!