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The girls at work were very sweet and threw a shower for Thomas.  We went to Las Margaritas in Woodbury.  There was lots of fun had by all and Thomas got lots of great clothing, diapers, and toys.  He’ll be all set if he ever decides to come out.  Peter also got some gifts.  He was so very excited to get a whole stack of Diego books.  Dustin may not be quite as excited after reading them, one after another, again and again.  Peter also got a fireman hat and coat.  He wasn’t sure at first and then figured out what they were and put them on, running around the house with the “really loud” siren.

This morning we woke up to a white outside.  Peter went to the window and yelled “SNOWIN!”  I wasn’t sure if he’d even remember what that white stuff was but he was excited.  We decided we should go outside and explore in said snow.  I showed Peter that you have to wear all the winter gear and he wasn’t too sure.  I put on my boots and pulled out my hat and mittens.  That helped but he was really mad when I tried to put his snow pants on.  He already had pants and I’m sure he thought I was crazy for giving him two at once.  We worked through though and got him all bundled.  The poor kid waddled to the door but was very ready to bust outside.  He ran, threw snowballs, was much to busy stomping to look at the camera, and even used his little slide.  Peter officially loves snow!

Oh, and still no baby yet… in case you were wondering

I am determined to squeak in before October ends!  It’s just been a tad bit more effort to do anything lately.

A little self portrait to start things off

We’ll get in the way back machine and there are some pictures from a cabin weekend.  I spent most of it either in the chair or in bed but everyone else had a great time.  Peter found a rake and decided to help.  I think he just moved dirt and dust around rather than any leaves but he had a fun.  That’s what matters.  He also had a few cars to play with and was very proud to show them off.  They were all lined up along the window sill.  The very favorite of the bunch was the fire engine.  It has a really loud siren when Peter drives it.  Lastly, there was a pontoon ride.  I heard that there was quite a bit of snacks eaten and some play in the water.

Next, Dustin and I went to Green Bay with Paul and Donna for a wedding.  While we were there, we had to go visit Lambeau Field.  We didn’t pay for the official tour but walking around the atrium was a sight in itself.  My ultimate favorite part was the fans already tailgating a day early in the K-Mart parking lot.  Nothing says class like campers in the parking lot across the street from the field.

Cassie and Pierce got married.  It was suppose to be outside in a park but it was way too windy and cold so it got moved in to the building.  It turned out beautiful even with the changes.

We held the annual tavern tour weekend.  It started Friday on the way up to the cabin with a stop in Balsam Lake and then up by the cabin at the Tap.  Saturday we split it into two chunks.  Late morning we headed out and stopped at a few places going north.  The plan was to then stop at a bridge and have sandwiches for lunch.  We stopped and got it all out but then there was some shooting going on in the woods.  I’m pretty sure they weren’t hunting for us but it made a few in the party a little nervous.  It was time to head back to the cabin anyway so we packed up and headed out.  We made a pit stop at the cabin, let the dog out, and picked up Karthik.  It was then off for more fun and festivities.  Everyone crashed early that night.

Today is Halloween.  Peter has been asking to go to the pumpkin store for weeks.  Every time we would drive by a house with a bunch outside, he would remind us that he wanted one.  We finally bought a big one.  He saw the baby pumpkins too so we had to get one of those too, of course.  He was a little excited when it came time to give our pumpkin a face.  He ended up in a box ready to ride.  Once we got everything set up and going, he came over.  He didn’t want to touch the goop at all.  It was “icky.”  He was good with a spoon to scoop though.  The funny part is that he went and got his baby pumpkin so Dustin could cut that one open next.  It’s hard to explain to a two year old that you can’t actually carve a tiny pumpkin.  Peter helped draw the face and wanted it to look spooky.  He was so proud to point out the different pieces of the face once it was all done.

Peter dressed up as Diego this year.  He made such a cute animal rescuer with his vest and back pack.  He says trick or treat so cute and had his pumpkin bucket ready to go but when we actually got to each house, he just pushed his bucket out.  I did at least get him to say thank you afterwards.  It was really hard to wait until we got home to eat the candy but we did.  The next big hurdle was the fact that you can’t in fact eat a bite out of every piece of candy.  It’s a learning process.

We went to the State Fair!  This is something I look forward to every year and Dustin is sweet and has gotten into it for me.   Peter doesn’t get a choice, at least for a few years, and gets to experience the fun too.  This year I was quite pathetic though.  I blame it on Thomas and it was hot.  We didn’t see or eat hardly anything on the list of usuals but we’ll try again next year.

After the marathon parking adventure and eating our breakfast burritos, we headed for the animal barns to get there before the sun completely baked the smell in.  Peter couldn’t have been more excited.  He found a little wagon pushed to the side that was full of baby chicks.  He got right in there and thought they were so fun until they kicked saw dust in his face.  We saw the big chickens too, for me of course.  Peter loved the bunnies.  Every one was more exciting then the next.  He got to pet the baby pig and the horses were GIANT!  

We did a few of the buildings.  In one, the lions were giving away sunglasses for little people.  Peter thought there were super cool.  Every time he puts them on he gets excited.  I’m not sure if it’s that he can still see things or that they look different.  He spends the whole time pointing things out.

We made sure to stay at the fair until the parade as it was fire safety day so there would be lots of fire trucks to see.  Both Peter and I were getting very tired so we found a spot in the shade to sit and wait for the parade to start.  The family that was right in front of us had one of those big buckets of cookies.  Peter thought they looked really good but they weren’t ours.  Some how he sweet talked his way into getting one of their cookies.  Nothing tastes better than a stolen Sweet Martha cookie.

Bethy and I took Peter to the zoo.  We were able to do the whole loop of outside animals and it was a lot of fun.  It was a nice warm day and apparently the a lot of the animals thought it was a perfect morning for a nap.  We did come across the bears right as a training session was about to begin.  It was neat to see the trainers work with the bears to do little tricks.  The bear at the gate didn’t want to stand though.  The funny part is that Peter had the most fun at the farm section.   We got to ride on a tractor ride to get there and then we got to see the animals up close and personal.  Overall, it was a fun day that we’ll have to repeat to see all the inside animals.

Finally, we spent the long Labor Day weekend at the cabin.  It was finally actually cool outside.  It was kind of fun to pull out the long sleeves and pants.  Jim and Sherry came up to play as well as Ashley and Eli.  It was a full house which made it lots of fun.  We didn’t take many pictures as everyone was busy having a good time but there were a few pictures of some boat work.  The carpet was more than a little tired so the goal was to replace it.  After pulling everything off, there was a realization that more work will need to be done later.  It was interesting to watch the process from the safety of inside.

And now it’s September and that means back to work and back to school.

We had a couple weekends of cabin adventures in May.

Paul got a new rider lawn mower for up at the cabin.  It has a trailer that is just Peter sized.  He loves to tell Paul to sit on the seat and ask for rides.

Peter discovered the joys of a sprinkler.  At first he just got his toes wet and that was really fun.  Then he moved closer and got his belly wet.  That was really fun.  After moving a little closer, the water went over his head.  That was awesome.  One more step and the water went right in his face.  That was not as fun.  He managed to put his suit on and play in the water more and realized that the sprinkler is still a fun thing.

Peter got a sweet new camo hat.  I know he’s hard to see in the picture but that is in fact Peter 🙂

The next weekend Zoey got a little brave in the morning so the rope got pulled out.  It’s kind of funny though because most of the time you don’t even need to tie the rope to anything.  She just knows she’s in trouble and behaves.  Peter thought it was a toy for him though.

Peter was a very busy boy that weekend.  It was extra special because not only were Donna and Pop Pop there but Grandma and YaYa too.  Oh, and Unkie and Uncle Drew too.  There were so many people to play with that he forgot to sleep!  He had a little bit of a crash on the boat but then the lure of water was too strong, for a little while.

The other guest at the cabin that weekend was a momma turtle.  She worked her way up the driveway and picked right in the middle to lay her eggs in the sand.  It took her a long while to lay them and then bury them.  She wasn’t a fan of everyone watching but she kept working hard to finish her task.  Then she quickly walked to the lake.  I was amazed at how big she was and how long her legs were.  Zoey was brave and even sniffed her butt once she was almost to the lake.  The one time Zoey actually acts like a dog and it’s with a turtle.  Go figure.

Very soon I will post some pictures from the big birthday party for my big 2 year old boy.  I can’t believe Peter is already 2!

So I’ve basically slept through April and well on my way through May.  It doesn’t bode well for posts and pictures, unfortunately.  I’ll try to do better.

Dustin and I went up to the cabin in early April.  It was COLD.  There was most certainly still giant ice flows on the lake but we got the boat launched and in the water.

Peter and I hung out one afternoon and had some fun.  He is such a ham and says cheese for the camera.  I did manage to get one picture that wasn’t so cheesy.  That day Zoey got her haircut.  She looked and smelled so nice.  She wasn’t as big of a fan of the bows though.  Dustin didn’t like them either.  I did and that’s what matters.

Bethy was an awesome friend and brought Peter and I to Under Water World at the Mall of America.  It was really cool to walk through the tube and see all of the giant things swimming all around us.  Of course, Peter was very serious for the whole trip.  He talked about sharks for a long time afterwards though so he must have liked it.  We made a stop to Lego Land afterwards.  On the way over we happened to pass Diego.  From afar Peter couldn’t be more excited.  He yelled Diego and was saying hello.  Once we got close it was a different story.  I guess this Diego was a little big.  Overall, it was a great day though.

This year we spent Easter with the Bjostad family.  It was a really nice afternoon spent with the family.  Peter got a new big truck and drove it all day.  He even tried to drive it in the tree.

Peter got to go to the cabin too.  He and Dustin went up, along with Zoey of course.  From the stories and the pictures, it was still cold but Peter doesn’t ever seem to mind.  His first weekend he seem to remember everything right away from last year, including playing on the boat.  He now has figured out the joys of the throttle and going fast.  Oh, and if you’ll notice he’s wearing his sweet new life jacket in the second picture.  Grandma Sherry picked that out for him so he doesn’t have to be squashed into the other one.  He hasn’t quite figured out the new balance though and was a little top heavy.  He’ll get it.

March has been a fun month so far.  We started with a party in our city!  Yo Gabba Gabba Live came to the Target Center and all three of us went.  When we got to our seats, Peter just thought that there were more friends than he’d ever seen before.  It wasn’t until the lights went out and DJ Lance Rock actually came out, that his heart started to race.  It was awesome to see the pure joy Peter had watching his gabba friends that have only been on the tv.

St. Patrick’s Day was this month.  We wore our green and went to Dee and Mel’s house for corned beef and cabbage.  Everyone but Peter thought it was wonderful.  He ate bread and then saw the bowl of peanut m&m’s.  He wasn’t expecting peanuts inside though.  He wasn’t so much a fan of the peanuts but got every bit of chocolate off before spitting them out.

March has brought some fabulous news.  Baby number two is due on Thanksgiving!  We couldn’t be more excited to have our family grow but of course it’s a little scary too.  This little baby reminds us that we really do have a whole lot in life to be thankful for.

Car troubles are another party of life.  The monte died a couple of months ago and has just been sitting next to our driveway.  Well the alero took a turn this past week.  A new fuel pump later, the alero is back in full force.  In the process, someone came over and wanted to know how much for the monte.  They actually bought a dead car.  Go figure!  So in honor of all the miles spent in the faithful old monte, one last picture before it goes.

We go to breakfast at the Car Bar pretty much every Sunday morning we’re in town.  Our morning ritual to get ready usually involves Dustin getting up and getting dressed, then Peter gets dressed, and finally it’s Annie.  Peter likes to hang out in the bedroom and watch some Imagination Movers while the process is going.  What more could you ask for?

Valentine’s Day was a good weekend at the Zastera household.  Dustin and Peter picked out beautiful red roses to come home to on Friday.  Then whole family, along with Jim and Sherry, went to the Camping Show and out to dinner.

Peter has become the pro dancer.  He has some really sweet moves and really likes going in circles.

Dustin was hard at “work”.

Karthik brought a little football with him when he visited a while ago.  He left it behind and Peter thinks it is beyond sweet.  Zoey has yet to be convinced.

And finally, Peter has found out that there really is no better way to watch tv than in his wagon up close and personal.

Bethy, Peter, and I went out to lunch and then to the Children’s Museum on Monday.  When we first got to the museum, Peter was very leery and shy.  He needed to check everything out and see what was going on.  Once he found some people his height running back and forth with foam blocks, he realized this was a fun place.

We learned about conveyor belts, water fun, block building, dinosaurs, ants, turtles, slides, rock videos, and directional skills.  It was all very fun!

Oh, and we had to adjust the straps on Peter’s new seat for my car.  Dustin thought it would be a good idea to test how secure it really is.  It’s safe.

I’m actually updating the blog with pictures!

We have a few from Thanksgiving.  We went to Mark and Lori’s for Thanksgiving Eve and Thanksgiving Day.  Everyone had a good time till it was time for the big meal.  Then a certain short person decided he was not ready to be awake and went back to bed.  Once he really woke up it went much better.

With playing hard, comes falling hard.  Usually Peter is pretty graceful at falling but this time he crashed right on his face.  He got a nice fat lip.  While sitting with dad, he held his ice and for some reason felt the glasses would help.

The family celebrated Thanksgiving part two with the Sackett side.  Peter was up, down, and everywhere the entire time.  I don’t think he even stopped to really eat.  He did stop to play a little dice with Leslie though.

And just for good measure, he decided to model his boots.

That brought us to December.  We went to visit Santa at the lodge.  Peter was good with him from afar but when it came time to actually sit on his lap, he wanted nothing to do with him.  He was too busy trying to get free rather than take a picture.  He did like the cookies though.

We tried to take some photos of the kid and the dog for our Christmas cards.  The plan went a lot smoother in my head but we managed to take a few fun shots.  Most of them were of one or both of them running away.

A separate day we had another photo shoot.  This one was for a calendar we made.  Each month Peter got a new outfit and new props appropriate to the month.  It took all day and three adults to get it done but it was fun.  One of the side shots was Peter and Dustin together.

After all that hard work, some people like to relax with a nice beverage.

With December came snow.  The whole family went out to shovel/play.

Christmas season came.  Along with it came parties.  We went to Paul and Donna’s for Christmas Eve, Santa came to our house in the morning, and we spent Christmas Day at Jim and Sherry’s house.  We also got to celebrate with the Sackett side.  He had a really good time with the new tee ball set and pointing.  We rounded out the festivities back and Paul and Donna’s house.

Finally, Peter spent some quality time New Year’s Eve with Jim.  As a result, he is now an avid piano player and came home with a keyboard.

Now we’re into January already!  Today Bethy, Peter, and I are going to go celebrate Martin Luther King Jr and my birthday by going to the children’s museum.  There might just be some pictures of that soon 🙂

So I know it’s been a very long time since we’ve posted and we’re sorry.  I have to admit that we didn’t take many pictures throughout November and then there was December.

We started the month passing what could only be the plague around the family.  When we started to regain something resembling health when the Monte Carlo took a turn to be sick.  I guess it didn’t get the memo that you’re suppose to get better and is now out to pasture next to the driveway.  Anyone want a sad broken car?  After borrowing a van, thank you very much Paul and Donna, Dustin now drives a pretty blue Mazda hatchback.  It’s very fun to drive.

Meanwhile, since we were sick and worried about cars, we didn’t notice until a Friday evening that the bill pay company nicely decided to pay a bill for us.  Unfortunately, we didn’t actually have a bill scheduled to go out at that point in time.  The gas company was now the proud owner of 800 of our hard earned dollars.  Of course there was no one around to help on a Friday.  The fabulous part is that no one really was any help for over a week.  Finally we found a few people that realized we needed help and the gas company electronically paid the money back.

Picture the scene from Willy Wonka where he makes the giant bar of chocolate travel through the air and reassemble in the tv.  Well our money is the bar of chocolate and it is still floating somewhere in the air.  It’s amazing how quickly they can take the money but giving it back is so much more difficult.  It’s been a three week battle and all I can say at this point is I love money and Kim from the bank.

Now we’re at the end of December and just about to the Christmas fun.  It’s a really good thing too because I think we could really use some extra Christmas cheer this year.

So with all of that, I promise that there will be lots of pictures including November and December coming real soon.  Thanks for being patient.