Halloween Potluck Saturday, Oct. 31st

For those of you who check the blog faithfully...

We're having our annual Halloween Potluck Costume Party at our house (516 S. Jackson St.) this Saturday, October 31st, from 8pm to midnight.

Since I'm only notifying people by electronic means (phone, e-mail, blog, Facebook), and there has been so much going on with our renovations, it'll be bring-your-own-beverages. Our friend Ben will be there to DJ and have karaoke (my favorite!), and you're welcome to sport whatever costume you want. Just come prepared to have a good time and to oogle our new kitchen!

If you'd be so kind, please let me or Joe know by Friday if you'll be joining us. You can call/text our cells (Val 819-7649 Joe 819-0170), e-mail us (Val grassizgreener@hotmail.com Joe gork3@hotmail.com) or facebook me.

We would like a good-sized turn-out despite the short notice...so costumes are optional. We just want to show off our new kitchen and share a good time with friends :)

Happy Halloween!

Val & Joe

OMG--The Kitchen's Almost Done!

On Saturday, October 10th, my good friend Jenny from work got married. Fischer had a ball playing with Holly & Maurice's son, Collin, during the dinner and reception. Here, Fischer's dancing :) He keeps his arms straight out to the sides and sways them from front to back--a tiny bit reminiscent of the Pee-Wee Herman dance...

Now that Fischer's getting a little older, and starting to be drawn to other kids more, he was Collin's shadow at the wedding. Collin is exactly 6 months older than Fischer.

Fischer took the time to appreciate the decorations...And managed to stick his fingers in the cake!!! Luckily, Jenny and Jacob had already gotten their photos taken with it, and the part he touched was mangled from them grabbing pieces to feed each other. Fischer's main comment about all of the decorations was "Wow!"

Here are the handsome guys (and their dad's, too). Joe with Fischer, and Maurice with Collin.

Now....our kitchen floor was redone on Thursday, October 8th. It looks like dynamite! It's hard to tell in the picture, because it was morning darkness when I took the pic, but it looks like bricks--looks spectacular next to the chimney! Also, notice the window is framed in (our cupboard guy did that). And there's crown molding up! My dad and I did that!

Here's a shot of the dining area where you can get another good look at the crown molding...and our spectacular newly re-finished diningroom floor! Yay! It was refinished on Thursday and Friday the 15th and 16th while we were at work/daycare and spent the night at Tundra Lodge. We had a good stay. It took Fischer about an hour to warm up to the waterpark part (very loud in there), but then he was saying "wow" about everything and almost didn't want to leave!

Here's the hi-light of the last 3 months....Our new heater! It fits under the new cupboard next to where the stove will be, and replaces the huge park bench sized one we kicked out to make room in the kitchen. With the installation of this baby, WE HAVE HEAT AGAIN!!!!!! This morning, before I left for work, I took pics of all of our cabinets waiting to be installed. As I type this, it's the end of my workday, and I should be getting home to a whole new kitchen!

Here's a shot of all of our stuff as seen from the livingroom. It feels like the anticipation on Christmas when you see all the wrapped gifts!

We are just giddy with excitement and relief that this huge project is coming to a close. Below you see the big tall cupboards that we'll hang our coats in.

Well, my next post may be this weekend, or early next week. I have a new kitchen to fill, and homework for my class to complete! If you don't want to be left hanging until a new post shows up...stop by and we'll show it off!!!!

Tepee Camping, More Kitchen Progress, etc.

The weekend of September 18-20, I joined some girlfriends for a girls-only camping weekend at Hartman Creek State Park (near Waupaca, WI) to camp in a tepee!
Kristy and Amy were there...

And so were Shana and Cheyenne (Amy's dog).
We had gorgeous weather, and the campsite was really nice. It was set back a little from the other sites, so we felt like we had enough privacy...however, with it being the only tepee around, we did get some uninvited visitors a couple of times. There was a trail right behind the tepee, and a couple of families went ahead and took a peek inside while we were by our fire or picnic table. Good thing no one was changing!
Here's the view from inside the tepee.
The tepee was up on a wooden platform that was on a little hill of gravel (to keep it dry). Good thing we brought things to sleep on so we wouldn't be on the hard wood. The nights were pretty chilly. The first night, we burned wood that we had gathered from around our site. It was mostly pretty rubbery pine. So the next night, we purchased firewood from the campground. That was the way to go! We didn't do a lot of cooking (it was our weekend off, after all!), but we had a camp stove to warm water for coffee and other odds and ends.
There were a number of lakes around us, and tons of cool trails to check out. On Saturday, we rented a canoe and a kayak and spent a few hours on one of the lakes just paddling around appreciating our surroundings. Later, we explored near a dam. Here are Shana, Amy, Cheyenne and me.
Here's Kristy exploring part of the dam and creek.
On Sunday, Kristy and I went for a little extra walk after we'd left camp (cuz we didn't have to be home quite yet!). This trail went all around the lake, and there was even another inner trail that was farther from the water and in the woods more.
The scenery was beautiful! We saw lots of cool plants and berries and other pretty nature things.
It was a fun girls' weekend.
When I had left for camping, Fischer was sick with a fever. Upon my return, we headed into one of the crummiest weeks we've had as a family. I'll spare the details, but we're just glad we're all healthy again, and will move forward.

The kitchen has been getting painted! I got an update from our cupboard guy yesterday, and he's on track for having them in our house sometime the week of October 12-16! The new kitchen floor and landing by the back door goes in on October 8th. We have new appliances waiting to go in (stove, hood, dishwasher, microwave, little fridge)...The end is truly in sight!!!

I think we'll be all set to host another Halloween party ON HALLOWEEN (10/31) this year. Hey...and I won't be pregnant or nursing this time! But we're not sending out invites just in case something doesn't come together with our project. So, don't give up other plans to attend our party...but if you don't have other plans, we're 90% sure you can spend Halloween with us :)

And...just because blog entries aren't the same without our little boy...here are some recent pics to satisfy!
We went for a walk with our neighbors Chris and Taylor the other evening, and ended up on a pier by the Fox River trail. Fischer and I had been there a few evenings before, but I didn't have my camera along.
Fischer enjoyed watching boats and geese through the railing. He kept saying "wow". It seemed like he enjoyed the breeze off the water, too.
To get this shot of him watching a flock of geese, I had to hold my camera up and over the railing!

Fischer continues to grow more independent every day. He gets frustrated easily (and lets you know with a ticked-off cry). He avoids a lot of frustration, though, because he communicates effectively with the signs and words he knows. There are still plenty of things to get upset about! Like not being able to use our cell phones or computers...so we try not to have those out around him. It's also frustrating for Fischer to be contained in the living room if we're in there, because he can't wander into the dining room/kitchen with wet paint, other building stuff, and an open stairway!

In the basement, Joe changed things around a bit near our current "kitchen". I had a corral set up with a play area for Fischer to be in while I made dinner. He'd cry every time I put him in it. Joe decided we can take the corral apart and use the pieces to block the basement steps and the doorway to the downstairs bathroom where the litter box is. After we close the doors to the two rooms downstairs, Fischer's got a pretty sizeable area to run around. We just have to remind him not to touch the knobs on the stove and water heater. This makes for a happier boy while he's waiting for meals to be made!

Fischer uses his version of the word "yellow" not only to describe the color or things that are yellow, but also to express happiness. When he sees, for example, that dinner's ready and coming his way, he'll say "lell-lell-lell-lell-Oh!" and clap his hands and sign "please". He's working on the sign for thank you, and is learning to nod and say yes (sounds more like "dets").

So, as things finally come together with our new kitchen, I'll be sure to take photos of the progress so they can go into a future blog entry. With the amount of time I've been averaging between entries, maybe the next one will be to report our project's completion...? Wish us luck!!!

15 Month Check-Up, ANOTHER tooth & Chuck E. Cheese

This entry begins with images of cicadas hatching on our tree in the front yard. Gross but cool!

I always think of them as 'heat bugs' because they're the ones that buzz their song when it's so hot out.

Ohhhh!

Uncle Nate was here the past two weekends plus a couple of weekdays to get our drywall hung and mudded and taped. He'll be back the last weekend of Sept. to finish the final coat of mud and hopefully have time, too, to sand it all smooth. He's a perfectionist with his work, so we'll have the best quality work hands down! Nate brought his big puppy Dozer along.

Dozer spent most of his time tied to a big tree in our yard or chillin' in Nate's big truck. He complained here and there with wimpers when he could see Nate, but otherwise you wouldn't know he was there. Also, other than getting a little excited now and then, he was really good around Fischer (though we NEVER left them unattended or too close!).

On Sept. 8, Fischer had his 15 month well-check with Dr. Hoyer.

We did what we could to pass the time until she came to examine him. When he was weighed this time, he didn't have to lay in the baby scale! He got to stand on a scale on the floor--what a big boy! He weighed 22 pounds 4 ounces, which is consistent with the percentiles he's had so far with weight.

He's 32 inches "long", which is also consistent with his previous pattern of growth. According to where he is on the charts, he's thin for his height, just like how his dad grew.

Fischer's head circumference was also consistent with his previous percentiles (though I don't have the figures in front of me). Dr. Hoyer was impressed to learn that Fischer's working on FIVE, yes 5 new teeth right now. You heard about the top eye-teeth and top two molars....well, the most recent discovery is his bottom left eye-tooth poking through the surface! He's had his fingers in his mouth like crazy, and is chewing on more things than he used to. Otherwise, he usually wakes once per night, but it's getting easier for him to soothe himself--he usually hits the button on his crib soother that has soft lights, cricket sounds, and night-time music.

On 9-9-09 we went to Chuck E. Cheese for the first time to celebrate Scott & Donna's granddaughter Lotus' 1st birthday. When we walked in, we paused for a moment to let Fischer take it all in--it's a busy place! He seemed a little overwhelmed at first, and didn't want Joe to put him down.

When we met everyone at the back of the place where the party was going on, we saw Lotus and got to say hi to everyone. It wasn't long before a big curtain opened and a robotically animated Chuck E. Cheese began singing and "dancing".

Fischer FREAKED OUT and grasped even tighter onto Papa!!! He wouldn't stop screaming and hanging on for dear life until we walked far away from the huge scary robotic mouse! I couldn't blame him :( Check out his grip on Joe's shirt (pretty sure he's got some of Joe's skin in there, too).

After he was more recovered from the terror of the mouse, Fischer got into the lights and sounds and sights of all of those arcade games. We had a handful of tokens, so we tried several different machines. Fischer wasn't particular, so we tried to show him ones that were on his level or had buttons or levers he could operate.

He had fun on a driving game with me, and seemed really into it. In fact, while I drove, he kept hitting the nitro-boost--he seemed to have a need for speed! But then when we crashed, he cried :(

Like a good helper, Fischer tried to put tokens into the machines.

Approaching time for the pizza dinner (I had packed some other Fischer-friendly foods for a healthy meal, as well), I thought poor Fischer wouldn't be able to eat if we were to see the big mouse again. So I asked the manager if she could keep the curtain closed on the stage for half an hour while we all ate. I explained that my son was terrified of the mouse, and that we were here with a birthday party (Lotus and her guests were the only party in the area at the time). I told her I felt Fischer was too young for the place, but we were only there to celebrate with Lotus and her family. The manager was stubborn and said, "You have to understand that people come to Chuck E. Cheese to see Chuck E." I told her that the people with Lotus' party were the only ones over there, and that I didn't think half an hour was an unreasonable request. I asked her if she had kids (yes) and what she would do in my shoes. She said, "I'd sit on the other side of the restaurant." I told her that we wouldn't even BE there if it weren't for this party. I was feeling very frustrated at this point and told her that I work in customer service, that I'm a manager myself, and that I felt that the customer service I was getting from her was poor.

In the meanwhile, Donna and Joe worked something out so that Fischer's highchair could be put on the end of a booth table with the gift table behind him so he wouldn't see the terrifying mouse. A little while before this solution was worked out, as I was sitting there with Fischer feeling conflicted (I wanted to leave because I didn't want Fischer to continue to be upset but I wanted us to celebrate with Lotus and her family...) the manager came back up to me and said, "Oh, I didn't know you were with this birthday party." I thought that this was the most ridiculous thing she could've said, considering I'd repeated that info over and over! I said (maybe a bit too loudly), "Yes! That's what I've been telling you from the beginning. You checked us in, and we told you we were with the party, and during our previous conversation I must've mentioned that at least twice!" She said she could shut the curtain, and that if it opened for some reason, she'd come over right away and shut it again. I said that that was all I was asking for from the beginning. She also said, "But you should know that the 'real' Chuck E. will be coming out to sing happy birthday."

Fischer was "dancing" in his highchair, with the gifts behind him blocking his view, and he didn't get upset when the dang curtain opened anyway and the stupid mouse was at it again. The manager did come over to close it, after a couple of minutes and with a roll of her eyes. Lotus didn't seem to mind Chuck E. Cheese when he came out and did his gig. She did start to get a little upset because she didn't want to wear her crown, though.

Fischer warmed up to the arcade part of the place and was excited and pumping his arms up and down and having fun seeing all of the games. Hmmm...I wonder if a piece of birthday cake and some Sprite had anything to do with that?

We got home late and he was in the bath at about 9:00 (usually his bath's at 7:30!). That's when I made a video of him saying "yellow" (l-l-l-low-low). Check it out on the Fisch Finder--super cute! Fischer has also begun saying "down" (when he used to use "up" to mean both up and down). It sounds like "duh" or with an emphasized "ow" sound in the middle "dOWn".

Since Fischer's been getting antsy in the cart when we grocery shop, but refuses to walk with me, yet, I tried one of these fun car carts when we went this weekend.

He had a good time with it, saying "beep" and pushing the squeaking horns in the middle of the steering wheels. He only started to get upset when we were wrapping up at the check-out. Good boy!

So cute! All the way through the store, too, or when we're walking around the neighborhood, he says "hi, hi, hi" to everyone we pass :)

Our kitchen project is getting ever-closer to completion. I mentioned where the drywall process is. We have officially decided on cupboards by Distinctive Cabinets, a dad from daycare builds and installs them. We feel we'll be MUCH happier with the quality compared to Home Depot, and the price was less! Brian also offered us even more creative and practical ideas to make the best of our space. It's going to be great! Flooring, counter top, and paint colors have been decided upon. Just have to pick out lighting, and I'm sure other details will crop up as well. We'll keep you posted!

N.E.W. Zoo Visit

On Wednesday, 8/26, Kristy, Flora and Leo met me and Fischer at the N.E.W. Zoo (North East WI). The first animals we passed were the lions. It was a warm and sunny day, so they were all being lazy.
When Fischer saw the lions, he said "RRRRaaar!"

Next we visited the platform in the giraffe area, where we bought 2 crackers (they were actually rye crisps!) for $1 to feed to the 2 giraffes. When Fischer saw the giraffes, he said "Jaff!"

Fischer and Flora enjoyed feeding the giraffes, but we could've gotten a little more mileage out of our crackers if we'd thought to break them into pieces. The giraffes have big long tongues, and ate the whole crackers in one lick!

Here is the pretty female, Zuri.

Her head came right up to the kids' level.

Then the male, Hoduri, came to get some snacks, and his head reached over the fence!

The zookeeper spoke very sweetly to the giraffes as Fischer watched closely.

Next we were off to see the goats. Fischer kept trying to say goat, but it sounded more like the "guh" sound.

The goat area was popular with the kids because the goats came right up to everyone, and their faces were level with the kids' view.

Fischer didn't waste any time feeding the goats grass once he saw an older girl grab some and feed it to the goats!

Ooooooooh! In the pic below, Fischer's got his harness on. We tried it out a bit because it was tough for me to take him in and out and in and out of the stroller, but he's not a big fan of staying close while walking or holding my hand. When he'd get upset, I'd pick him back up and we'd try again when he pushed to be let down. It'll take some practice!

We got a few goat food pellets to feed them, and Fischer laughed every time their tickly lips touched his hands.

We also saw a sheep in the goat pen, and when I pointed it out, Fischer shouted "BAAAA!"

After seeing and feeding all of those animals, we took a break for dinner, accompanied by lots of wasps and a few seagulls. When we returned to the zoo, we played in the playground for a bit. Here you can see Leo peeking through :)

It was a fun trip to the zoo. Tiring for us moms, but very fun for the kids. Fischer has a long way to go before he'll walk holding my hand. It's gonna take lots more fits and practice. He's such an independent curious guy!

Stay tuned for a kitchen update!