GWL 2015

Once again,

 Grandpa and Grandma Vander Vliet 

took the whole crew to 

Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City, MI

for a weekend of family fun. 

GWL is kid heaven, 

with so much to do

(and so many crazy kiddos to keep up with)

we never even left the hotel.

Two years ago Mila 

would only try the baby slides,

this year she zoomed down all but one!

Usually she wanted to race. 

It was a good strategy 

because someone was always there

 to talk her into going down the "big kid" slides.

It was also good that we were there when 

she announced she had to pee and couldn't hold it...

as we were next in line after a very long wait. 

The hot tub is always a hit 

with the kids and adults.

Willow had a blast too.

She ADORES hanging with her cousins.

Seeing both our girls with 

such big smiles on their faces

brings us a lot of joy.

It's really awesome 

to see these kids grow up together.

Willow has really taken 

to her cousin Henry

and he is so nice to her. 

The adults had a good time too.

Each night we stayed up late

talking, snacking and playing games.

For some extra fun,

cousin Abby treated Mila 

to a spa service at Scoops.

Mila and her cousin Johanna

each received a sash and crown.

The arcade was a fun break from the water.

I think Mommy enjoyed it just as much as Mila ;)

We also tried mini-bowling 

for the first time. 

Mila really got into it.

Another great trip to GWL!

Already dreaming of coming back...

Snow Fun

Chicago did not see a

 white Christmas this year. 

This mom is not complaining.

The kids did though...

so we HAD to bundle up 

and go play yesterday

when we finally got 

our winter wonderland.

We didn't venture far 

(especially since it takes a half hour

 just to get everyone 

dressed and out the door!)...

We just headed up to the roof deck. 

It was a little windy, 

but the snow was untouched 

and still falling. 

It felt like being in a snow globe,

we couldn't see the skyline at all. 

For extra fun, we filled squeeze bottles 

with water and food coloring 

to "paint" the snow.

Mila got a big kick out of 

making "confetti"

on the snow.

Okay, time for some hot chocolate.

Santa Photo Fail

Yesterday we took the girls

 to our old favorite,

 Kid City (on Grand Ave. in Chicago) 

to see Santa.

And..yeah. 

They appeared less than thrilled. 

One out of three actually looking at the camera, 

a typical ratio when dealing with kids 

and men with long white beards.

Mila dares to give him a glance.

Apparently her thumbs up was a

sign of approval.

The "can we be done already?" look.

Mila looks petrified to tell 

him what she wants for Christmas,

Willow is all, "Don't say a word, Sis, 

I don't trust this guy!"

The best of the lot.

Merry Christmas, Santa! 

These Two...

Last Friday night we made meatballs

(at Mila's request) 

and Pecorino mashed potatoes. 

We all watched a little 

Strawberry Shortcake on Netflix.

We laughed at the same lines from the

same Shel Silverstein poem we've been reading

Mila before bed for two weeks running

(also at her request). 

We were dead tired by 9pm, 

but we put away

 the brightly colored plastic dishes,

 and marveled at how we got here... 

full-blown, in the thick of it,

Parenthood. 

All I can say is I try to remember
a phrase I've heard from

so many parents:

The days are long,

 but the years are short.

These years ARE pretty awesome,

and so were those mashed potatoes.

Moving On

Our growing family needed more space,

so a few weeks ago,

we said goodbye to the beloved condo 

we bought in 2005.

I thought it would be really hard 

to let go of a place 

where we shared so many memories,

but when the time came, we were just 

super excited for the new place. 

It's a townhouse next to Smith Park,

just 3 blocks from our old home.

Thankfully Grandpa Bill & Grandma Rita

took the girls to Kuipers Family Farm 

for the day so we could 

work without them around. 

The townhouse was pretty move-in ready.

The following 4 pics of the main floor

 are from the listing, 

before we painted and finished many other projects 

that made the place feel more like "us":

These are "after" pictures from the same floor:

We settled in really quickly, 

it already feels like home

and we are so happy to be here. 

I'll share pictures of the other floors

(there are four! Our legs get a work out...)

soon. I hope. 

Go to Goebberts!

Since the pumpkin farms in the area

 can get a little crazy

on the weekends, 

Daddy took a weekday afternoon off

so we could make the most of our time 

at Goebbert's Pumpkin Farm this year.

We went two years ago...

...before we had any idea we'd be back 

with another sweet little girl in tow.

This time Mila was much more

into it than when she was just two.

There is TONS to do at Goebbert's.

Lots of animals and activities,

all in a picturesque setting.

The corn maze continued 

to be a fave for Mila.

Obligatory pose by the pumpkins!

Best pic we could get of this wiggle worm.

Forget about getting one of them together!

The corn box is new 

(or at least it was to us).

It was a HUGE hit.

Not sure how sanitary that thing is...

but it sure kept them entertained.

Mila fed the goats! 

She was too scared to do this before.

It won't be long till Willow dares too.

Maybe next year!

Beach Bums

Last weekend Mila was going 

a little stir crazy...

so we asked her what she'd like to do. 

Her answer--

The beach!

This girl LOVES to be sandy.

She's even been known to make

sand angels.

Willow enjoyed it too. 

There was a nice long sandbar

that stretched the shoreline

at Montrose Beach.

"Bury Me!"

"Don't even try to stop me

 from munching on this sand."

Mila made some buddies. 

I just love how her curls 

make this an action shot.

It may have been the last beach day

 of the summer,

but it sure was a good one.