Center Creek Orchard Fall Festival

It’s officially Fall (even if the weather has yet to get the memo) so to celebrate we went to Center Creek Orchard for some Fall Festival fun. Center Creek Orchard is a nice little place, perfect of young kids. The orchard has Storytelling, a Corn Pile (aka sand box filled with corn!), Scarecrow building,  Miniature Golf, mazes, goats, a Barrel Ride, a hayride, Bounce houses, a Trike Track, a Haypile, a Super Slide, and Pumpkin Patch. We started our fall fun in the Corn Pile. 

Dumping out the corn was fun 

Filling the dumper

Avery had the greatest time playing with all the diggers, and dumpers and tractors. After we finally convinced Avery that there were more fun things to do besides to play with the diggers and dumpers, we headed to the Trike Track, where he did a few laps before the “Hay Wagon” (there was no Hay) showed up to take us for a ride. After our ride, we headed down to the pumpkin patch via the goats and super slide. 

Gotta stop and pet (kiss) the goats

Ready to go on the Super Slide!

Weee! Again...

Playing with Mommy

Avery loved every activity, it was hard to convince him that there were other fun things still left to do. While we were in the pumpkin patch Avery spotted a lawn mower pulling a train of barrels. The driver stopped so Avery could get in and away he went, round and round. 

Barrel Ride

Hold on Avery!

Ringing the bell! Way to go Avery!

It was a perfect day to be outside and have some fall fun (even if it was 80 out). I think we will have to visit the orchard again next year.

How tall this fall with Mommy 

How tall this fall with Daddy

Avery's New Ride

Back in March Avery started driving his Cozy Coupe Car. It was hard first he could make it go without siding off the seat and running himself over. I worried that he would not love the cute little foot powered car as much I did. But as his motor skills improved he was able to get the cozy coupe to go backwards, then forwards, and then there was no stopping him. The Cozy Coupe car became one of his favorite outside playthings. But as cute as the Cozy Coupe Car is and as much as he loves it, I knew there was something he would love even more, a Cozy Coupe Truck! 

Avery and his New Truck!

Trying out the tailgate

During the Mankato city wide garage sale this year Grandma scored, she found a Cozy Coupe Truck. A rare find indeed, I have only ever seen them in a catalog, never in a store or a driveway, or anywhere. This little Truck had Avery's name written all over it, I was so excited to show him his new truck. And as expected it was love at first sight. I think one of his favorite features of the truck is the additional cargo space in the bed of the truck!

Look I fit back here too!

So if you need some help moving or some building materials from Menards, you can call Avery, he's got a truck now!

Your need directions? The fun is thata way!

Tubes

Ready for surgery

Our day started a little earlier then normal this morning, scheduled for a 7:10 am surgery, to have tubes put in both ears, we had to be at the hospital at 6:00 am to check in so we up and out the door by 5:40 am. Like the trooper Avery is, the hour earlier wakeup didn’t phase him. We got to the hospital and checked and only had to wait a few minutes before we were taken back to get Avery ready for surgery.  Dressed in a gown Avery had a great time doing laps around the nurse’s station while we waited for the doctor, anesthesiologist and other nurses to stop in.

Enjoying his pre-surgery wagon ride

 At a little before 7:00 a nurse came and got Avery so he could be put under, having been given a small dose of a sedative Avery was very calm and relaxed (aka goofy drunk and a wet noodle). It was maybe 10-15 minutes after that his doctor returned to tell us that the surgery went well, and she was very glad we put tubes in because he had a lot of fluid in his ears and actually saw a recently healed rupture in his right ear. By 7:30 Avery was back with us, he shed a few quick tears and fell back to sleep. After waking up Avery had some apple juice, water, and a cherry popsicle before he was cleared to go home. To my surprise we were in the car headed home before 9:00.  Avery was a excellent patient, and everything went so well, by the afternoon you wouldn’t have know he had surgery that morning, except he was still wearing his hospital bracelet.

ENT Appointment

This is my double ear infection face :)

Avery had an appointment with an ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) Doctor this afternoon, where we found out that he currently has a double ear infection. Avery has had 3 prior ear infections and 2 ruptured ear drums so because of that Avery is scheduled for surgery tomorrow morning (to have tubes put in both ears). The surgery it’s self is quick, 5 minutes or so. He is the first one on the surgery schedule so we will arrive at the hospital at 6am, his surgery should be around 7am, then he will be in recovery for 2 hours, and if all goes well we will be home before long before lunch.

Mankato Mud Run 2012

Jess, Matt, Me & Nate before for the Mud Run

Yesterday I did my first Mud Run. Not familiar with what a mud run is? Well, basically its an obstacle course with mud and messy obstacles. The 2012 Mankato Mud Run had obstacles like logs, a creek run, tunnels crawl thru, a wall to climb over, a cargo net and 3 mud pits. 

Mankato Mud Run Course 2012

I have to admit I was a little nervous about the event, but not for the obstacles, I am not much of a run for fun type of person and was worried about how hard the running part was going to be, especially since there were two large hills in the course, but luckily I had some great friends to run with and we battled thru the course together.

Jess & I Running down Thompson Ravine....

At the end of the Creek Run, and no the water was not warm

Under, Over, Over, Under, Under, Over...

Made it thru the tires 

In the mud pit

Trying to get out of the mud pit 

Rope swing into the next mud pit. Opps i slipped...

Crawling out of the mud pit,
totally blind for all the mud in my eyes 

Still cant see, but  I am almost done!

Jess & Me After! 

We didn’t win any awards for our times, but we did come in faster then our goal, and that and having a good time was all we were really there for.  Over all it was a great day, it could have been a bit warmer, and less windy but other then that it was really fun. Cant wait for next years run, but I think I'll bring some swim goggles to keep the mud out of my eyes!

Cold Green Beans

Avery digging into the Green Beans

Cold Green Beans from the can just might be Avery’s favorite food. It is so funny, he eats fists full of cold green beans, practically straight from the can.  Not sure if his love for the green bean is because Green Beans were the purred first baby food flavor he had or what but, he loves green beans. I was reminded of his love for the canned veggie the other night when Avery helped make dinner. His (our) job was to empty the green beans from the can into the pan for Grandma to cook. We successfully got the beans from the can to the pan but before we got the pan to the stove Avery was helping himself. He is just too cute, and how can you say no to a toddler who wants to eat green beans? 

Terry B's Pizza

To some people, pizza is pizza... But the Barbeau men are not those people. Pizza is serious business, and once upon a time it was an actual business for Jon’s dad. Jon’s dad was the owner of Terry B’s Pizza in Mankato (over 20 years ago). Terry B’s recipes had been retired for a number of years when an offer to make me whatever I wanted for supper the night before I had oral surgery caused Terry to have to get them out. That was a few years ago now, but ever since, every once in awhile we get invited over for Terry B’s Pizza night. Pizza night is always special, there is a special table cloth for the occasion and the waitress (aka GG) even sings sometimes. This past Sunday was a Terry B’s Pizza night, the first one since Avery has been able to eat solid foods, so he finally got have his first ever Terry B’s Pizza, and of course he loved it (and I have to admit its a dang good pizza, its all about the sauce). 

Helping GT make pizza and giving the sauce a taste

I love Terry B's Pizza!

Making the night ever more special was that Avery’s cousins, Dylan and Freddie were able to get in on the pizza action too!

First Time Terry B's eaters

Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Kauffmann

This weekend a good friend of ours got married. This is the second wedding that Avery has been to, but this was the first one that he was fully mobile for, and boy oh boy did he have a blast! 

Avery & Mommy

Having a drink from a fancy glass 

Kissing the Bride 

Being silly will the Groom and Groomsmen 

Checking out the decorations 

Dancing with GG 

Doing the Hokey Pokey with Daddy

Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Kauffmann, thanks for the great party!

Grocery Store Gremlins

Last night I stopped at CUB on my way home to pick up a few things, cat food, kitty litter, Easy Mac, yogurt , string cheese, cereal, Kleenex,  just some odds and ends that we were out of. I strategically started on the paper goods/boxed product side of the store and progressed to dairy/fresh side, visiting only the aisles I needed something from in an effort to make my trip as short as possible. It was a good and successful plan. However, after I completed an efficient trip across the store, I realized I had forgot something I wanted, so rather then head to the registers as planned, I weaved my way back towards the aisle that contained the item I was after. It was on my to get that forgotten item when it got me, a Grocery Store Gremlin.  

What is a “Grocery Store Gremlin” you ask. It is simply a well placed product, that you really have no need for and in most cases will not be found on any grocery list, anywhere, it's an impulse item! They get me from time to time, it’s usually a treat by the register but this time it was display of cars at the end of the freezer section. I just couldn’t resist. So along with the cat food, yogurt, cereal, and Kleenex, I headed home with a Monster Truck School Bus, that I knew Avery would just love.

Avery's new Monster Truck School Bus!

Score one for product placement and the Grocery Store Gremlins! And I was right, he does love it, and it also turns out that this Monster Truck School Bus from the grocery store is actually the first toy I have personally bought for Avery.  

Homework

Some of Avery's Favorite Things

For the first time every Avery (I) had homework. Last week he was given a 8.5x11 piece of paper so I could make a collage on it, about the best topic in the world, Him!. The instructions taped to the sheet said to include pictures of family, friends, pets, or favorite things. Not a difficult assignment for most people, after all, Avery loves some many things... But I tend to over think simple art projects like this and make them more complicated then necessary...... (I know my artsy friends are nodding their heads right now because they do the same thing). Well I managed to come up with something I liked (after a few tries) and Avery confirmed that I did a good job by happily pointing out and naming all the things I included as his favorites. Sure there are more things that he likes then I got to show, but 8.5x11 is just such a small space when you love so many things! 

Twenty Months

Showing me the trick Uncle Lee taught him

20 Months! Holy Cow, the days, weeks and months have been flying by. Avery is still the greatest little boy on earth. He loves to play with his friends, and family. His favorite toys right now are Match Box cars, dump truck, buses, motorcycles, and the old school Fisher Price Barn, House and Parking ramp. He loves all animals but  puppies, kitties, neigh neighs, and kiwi are current at the top of the list. He loves to read books, Foot Book is one of his nightly favorites. He can be so silly some times, he always makes me smile. At 20 months very wears a size 4 diaper, 18month shorts/pants, 18mon-2T shirts, size 7 shoes. His tooth tally is up 1, because  the left upper K9 has made an appearance, for a total of 13 out of a total 20 baby teeth. I am such a lucky mom to have such a great little guy to love!

Back to School 2012!

Back to School 2012

Today, after a week of summer vacation, it’s back to school (daycare) for Avery. I know Avery had a great time on vacation (more to come on that) but I think he was also happy to get back to daycare, and see his friends. His friends were happy to see him too, because the second we walked into his room, one of his little friends got up from where he was playing to come see Avery, and another friend came over and gave Avery a big hug. It was hugs all around this morning at drop off. I am so happy that Avery has such a great place with such great friends, and staff to spend his days. Happy Back to school 2012!

Colorado Bound: Day 5 (Heading Home)

Day 5: After our customary breakfast in our hotel room of jelly toast, oatmeal and orange juice, we packed up the Jeep and headed down the mountain, to the Denver International Airport. My mom, Avery and I said goodbye to my brother and dad (who was staying a few more days to ride motorcycle with Lee) and headed into the airport to start our next adventure. 

Watching all the Planes

Avery was very excited to see all the planes, and people at the airport, sure he had been here before but he was only 3 months old so it was a totally different experience this time, for him and for me. This was Avery’s 3rd time on a plane, but it was his first time in first class, and boy was it was really nice having the extra room when you have a 1 1/2 traveling with you.

First Class travelers

Avery did really great on the plane, I was worried he might not be happy about being cooped up and not allowed to run, but he was fine with wrestling with me, reading books, playing trucks and having snacks.

We're Home!

To extend our vacation just a little bit we had plans to stay in a hotel  in the cities for a night with my cousin, Robin.  We went swimming and played in the hotel room and then it was bed time, the day, like the entire trip when by so fast because we were having so much fun.

Now you see me....

Now you don't....

 I can’t wait until Avery and I can make another trip to Colorado for some more fun.

The Bell Boy is here for the luggage

We had a great time but Avery was very happy to be home and play and see his Daddy!

Our silly boy was happy to be home and play

Kiwi loves to drive the Firetruck!