Luedtke Land: October 2009

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Stitches to Sew

My newest Etsy purchase for an adorable hat to someday make. As if I don't have enough projects! But I have never seen this pattern on a hat and I liked the details! I'm just a-waiting to get the pattern!

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Walkin' in the Woods

We spent a recent Sunday afternoon walking in York Woods, one of the many forest preserves in DuPage County. We were members at the Morton Arboretum (yes, as in Morton salt), which is a fantastic place. My favorite thing to do there was to just wander along on a path through the woods looking at the trees and any thing that passed our fancy. For one, the kids could run and there was no need to search for their heads in the crowd or remember what color they were wearing because, well, we were usually alone. On a path. In the woods. Lovely. We played in the children's garden, but that experience was not as peaceful as a leisurely stroll. I was constantly looking for where one or more wandered and who was about to step in water or . . . or . . .

So, why pay the membership fees when we can explore numerous forest preserves - for free! Granted they may not have paths that are miles long, but at this point in our adventures, our little legs handle a 1 mile-ish path just fine!

So here are more pictures taken from a lovely stroll in the woods during the grandest time of year! (Norah's girl-ification pictures were taken on this same day.)

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Girl-ification

I have been crocheting Norah a sunflower sweater for quite some time now. I am sooooo very close to completing it, just have to sew up the side and arm seams! When I first started the sweater, I wasn't sure what size to make it, very difficult to judge ahead. I did not want to put in all this effort if it was too small for Norah when it was done. So I made the middle size. Now either I crochet larger, the sizing is goofy, or I predicted wrong - but the sweater is quite large. Norah may enjoy wearing the sweater for 2-3 years!

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Once I knew the sweater may be too large for this year, I used the sunflower granny square pattern and created this most adorable hat. Then I realized that she had pink and purple coats to wear with it. Not such a great color combination! I did not want to buy a brown or tan coat for just a few fall months. I was digging in my storage bins and came across a coat bin of Simon's old coats. I totally saw potential in his 2T green/khaki barn coat. (At least this coat reminds me of a barn coat.) I added sunflower granny square patches on the front pockets, then on the back. Then I just kept adding a crochet trim on all the edges until there was nothing left to add. Of course there is always more to add, but that would border on gaudy!

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I am incredibly happy to repurpose Simon's old coat for his sister! How many brothers have handed down to their sisters - and the item is girly? And he happily says "I used to wear that when I was itty-bitty."

Pumpkin Patch

We had fun at the Dollinger Pumpkin Farm! Where we drove an hour and did not pay an arm AND a leg to participate in some fall farm fun! Seriously, around here a trip to the pumpkin patch can be ridiculously expensive! We paid for Simon and Daddy to ride the steam engine train, where the engineer scooped coal. Halfway through our farm time, we enjoyed our own snacks with a shared $1.00 hot chocolate in a warm shed! Yum!!!! We picked out and brought home some little pumpkins for the house! A chilly but wonderful afternoon. Note that Norah is debuting her sunflower hat, created by me! (Next blog entry will give more detail.)

Jumping and playing in the hay bales!

Many wooden creations were fun to explore. There was a little house, church and schoolhouse to walk inside and play! Very fun when child-sized.

Simon and Eric are the first passengers in the blue car! A very cool steam-engine train. Norah jumped whenever the whistle blew!

How tall this fall?

We spent a lot of time at the petting zoo. Here Simon said, "Hello little cow. Can you say moo?" Norah's job was to give every itty-bitty pebble to the animals.

Bunny free for all! The bunnies were in a sandbox like area where kids could just step in and pick up any bunny. I think the bunnies were changed every so often, but seriously, these poor bunnies could easily have some sort of trauma from too many little hands!!!!

Our lil' pumpkin! (Yes, he is still so little!)

So fall-licious!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Surprised the Socks Off

Awhile ago in September, we surprised the socks off of my family! Well, all except Christina. My Mom was home from the hospital for 2 1/2 weeks before her transplant, my sister was visiting from Japan, and it was my Dad's birthday. Eric called on a Wednesday and found there was a small birthday barbeque planned for my Dad for that Friday. I contemplated going by myself but knew that my hubby and kiddos would be missed. Seriously, I would be shot if I showed up without the grandkids! So, we connived with Christina and she graciously offered to let our family of 4 sleep in her studio/efficiency apartment and not tell a soul that we were on our way. We decided on that Thursday morning to leave the next day by noon-ish. Really?!?! Pack 4 people, sleeping bags, car snacks, car toys, and venture on a 7-hour car ride with 28 hours notice. Well, we did! Because it is not that often that my entire immediate family is together. And we were the only ones missing.

So we drove and drove and drove. And the kids were so good and slept! We pulled up in the alley, honked, and Simon and I crawled under the garage door, into the back yard, and surprised the socks off of everybody! The visit was very short but incredibly sweet and so very important!

So incredibly great to see Aunt Debbie from so far away!

Sleeping arrangements included Aunt Christina in her bed; Norah in the pack-and-play in the walk in closet; Simon, Eric and I lined up like sardines on the floor. We pretended that Simon slept in the office, Eric slept in the living room, and I slept in the dining room! The highlights were walking a few blocks to get to her apartment, riding the elevator up to her floor, watching the squirrels build a nest on another building, eating in the same room as sleeping, seeing her bike in her apartment and calling that part of the wall her garage, and having her pantry/sneezer girl so accessible for little hands! Nightime and morning time were busy so no pictures to capture the moments :(

Saturday morning we drove through the U of MN during pre-game mania to get to my parents house. Now my parents live near this awesome path that connects the state fair grounds to the U of MN campus for campus busses and bikes. Quite important as Mom is at the U of MN Medical Center. So Dad, Simon and I biked to the stadium to be a part of the hoopla before game time. Soooo much fun to see the new stadium during the first season! We could not believe the sea of maroon and yellow pouring into the stadium. Simon was broken-hearted that we did not have tickets to go watch the football game. He sort of accepted going home to watch it on t.v. with Grandma. And proceeded to fall asleep in Grandpa's bike trailer.

Mom, Debbie, and I snuck out for some mom-daughter time and went to a very nice re-sale shop. I picked up some very nice items that Eric later wrapped up for my birthday in October! Everything was to my liking and fit! Mom just sat in her chair, approved the items I should try on, and watched the fashion show! So much fun, but I think Mom was tired.

Later that afternoon, Norah experienced her first bike-ride with Grandpa! He took her to the state fair grounds to look at horses that were there for the 4H horse show. She had no problem going by herself and Grandpa thoroughly enjoyed her excitement! I think that Grandpa loved his play time with both Simon and Norah probably more than we realize!