Day 12 & 13

Day 12: Good friends (old and new).  I love my friends, whether from high school, college or recent friendships.  They have been great ears, lots of laughs, and the best friends I could as for!

Day 13: Warm house.  I love that I can come home at night to a warm place to sleep (especially with this cold weather...brr)!  We all take it for granted!

Thankful!

I may be a few days behind but wanted to share my thanks this month.  I promise to do better!  I have so much to be thankful for and never take enough time to reflect on it so here it goes...

Day 1: Lincoln.  He is a ball of fire, always keeping us on our toes with his sense of humor and witty little personality!  We are always amazed at the the little man he's becoming the new things he's learning.  We are never quite sure what's going to come out of his mouth but can guarantee it will usually make us laugh.  I will never hear enough of his sweet "love you mom".

Day 2: Troy.  He is a great husband and father to Lincoln.  He's patient, hard-working, helpful, and has a sense of humor that always can make me smile!

Day 3: School.  Although I sometimes I complain, I'm so thankful for the opportunity to go back to school.  I couldn't be more excited to finish up and start in a career I have such a passion for!

Day 4: Family.  I have been blessed with a great family and in-laws.  I love how close we are to every one of them.  We love spending time with our families and all the help they've been to us!

Day 5: Daycare.  Past and present, our daycare providers have a big place in Lincoln's heart.  He looks forward to going everyday, which has made it much easier for me leaving him.  They have loved him as their own!

Day 6: Frozen meals.  They're easy and fast and one less thing to worry about after a busy day.  I love getting them from my mom or taking the time with my in-laws to make weeks worth.  If you haven't done it before, there are blogs and blogs full of great recipes.

Day 7: Notecards.  I probably have gone through a dozen packs of notecards throughout the last year and a half of school but they're the best way for me to study.  We all joke we'll need to have a burn party after boards! :)

Day 8: Lazy nights.  We don't seem to have many of them lately, but a night at home with nothing to do but relax and play is the best!  Our activities, work, and homework have began to consume way too much time! I look forward to the study-free nights ahead!

Day 9: Clinical assignments.  This fall we did a 10-week clinical experience, and this spring is all clinical affiliation.  I am BEYOND excited and thankful for them all to be within 10 minutes of driving distance.  This means no more trips to Sioux City, less time on the road, and more time with my baby! 

Day 10: Sunshine.  It can make the coolest of days seem a little bit warmer!

Day 11: Out veterans.  I am thankful for my brother-in-law and all others past and present who have so unselfishly served our country!

Apple Pickers

This weekend we got to celebrate my mom's birthday at the Country Apple Orchard near Sioux Falls (or Harrisburg...I'm not really sure).  We met up with my sister and her little family and spent the day doing all things apple..and then some.  We weren't even in the parking lot and Lincoln's attention was stolen by the endless inflatables, train rides, pony rides, and farm animals that awaited him.  Little did he know we also got to go on a hay ride to pick apples and climb trees.  It was hot, windy, and packed with people but nevertheless fun!  We enjoyed delicious apple snacks after picking our own apples in the orchard. 

Others that day would disagree...as we left we met several ambulances coming into the orchard.  We were definitely lucky! 

Check out that scary story here: http://www.keloland.com/newsdetail.cfm/runaway-horses-at-apple-orchard/?id=137277

 Riding the pony...he loved it!

 Talking to the sheep

 Checking out the train

 Patiently waiting for his turn with Aunt Amber

 The "mower ride" in Lincoln's words...can't trick him!

 Going to find some apples!

 Such a good helper!

 Walking with Granpda Schut in the orchard.

 Climbing the tree...right before fear set in (a first I think)! :)

 Grandma ,on the other hand, did not have fear.

 Fun day with my boy!

 Apples, carmel, and a Mt. Dew...mmm :)

Lincoln and his cousin Braxxton at Red Mango for birthday dessert later that night.  Lincoln bouncing off the walls and Braxxton sleeping so nice...hmm.

August Recap

All (as in 3) my posts this summer seem to have been "recaps" but this is my last one...promise.  Summer got away from me too quickly and we have been super busy.  Hopefully with school starting things will slow down a bit and I will try REAL hard to update more often :)

August consisted mostly of the Iowa State Fair and enjoying the last bits of summer!  We had a great few days at the fair again this year, and enjoyed much milder temps than last year!  Lincoln stayed busy the whole time and crashed each day on the way back to the hotel.  His favorite by far was the birthing barn and the big slide he got to ride with daddy.  In the birthing barn Lincoln made many animal friends and even saw a new litter of pigs being born!

August also marked the beginning of school for me...my FINAL YEAR!!  The first entire week of class we did a one week clincial to brushen up before jumping back into classes.  I got to do mine at Orange City Area Hospital PT department.  I LOVED it!  They have such an awesome facility and great staff.  I learned so much and hope to get back there for one of my "long-term" clinicals in the spring.  Soon after that, classes started and I am trying to get back into the swing of things.  It will be another busy semester, but my final one of classroom classes...thank goodness!

Here is our month in pictures (mostly of the fair):

 One exhausted little guy

 Coloring in the birthing barn

 Brand new litter of pigs

 We spent a LOT of time with this calf

 Picking out an animal with Katie after climbing the rope ladder

 Lincoln and 2nd cousin Katie

 Getting bigger!

"Riding" his horse :)

 The big slide...he was already saying "again" before he was done

 Clifford was a hit!

 "Bahh..."

 Checking out Jacob's pig

 Hanging out in the pig barn

Biggest pumpkin!

 I loved my free days to go up and see Amber and Braxxton!  I love being an aunt!

 Lincoln finally had the patience and desire to hold his "friend" Braxxton :)  Here he's showing Braxxton how to buzz his lips.

 Getting ready for Lincoln's first real tube ride at the lake...enjoying our last weekend there for the summer!

He was not scared at all, in fact Aunt Andee was the one who had to slow down :)

July Recap

It's hard to believe another month has gone by, and tomorrow begins August.  August means the end of summer and back to school (ahh!).  As usual, July flew by as we kept busy about every week and weekend.  We took our vacation the week of the 4th and spent most of it at the lake with gorgeous weather.  We spent a lot of time on the boat, in the pool, eating frozen yogurt, and even got to watch Jungle Book at the Children's theatre.  Lincoln loved it all!

Soon after vacation, brought our first nephew...Braxxton! 

We also spent a majority of the next week at the Sioux County Fair.  Lincoln could never get sick of looking at all the animals, even if it was near 100 degrees.  Troy also had several cousins showing in the pig show, which we got to watch again this year.

Soon after the fair, Ragbrai came to town and brought nearly 25,000 extra bodies.  It was hot, like most of July, but seemed to go over well.  Living only a block from all the action, we definitely saw the overflow of so many extra people (and traffic!).  Lincoln was mesmerized by the hundreds of tents and bikes.

Lincoln got his "big boy" bed.  He doesn't stay in it all night yet, then again he didn't sleep all night in his crib either...it's hard to tell if the transition is a success.  At least he loves playing in it..

Here is our July in pictures:

 Lincoln and daddy in the pool over vacation.

 Big throw!

Swimming with mom..

 Ready...jump!  We did this, alot!

 At Treasure Village after the play.

 Catching some sun!

 Jumping...again.  He's too brave!

 Relaxing with my sister-in-law, Andrea.

 Troy's Uncle Greg took the boys out to go on a turtle hunt.

 On the boat for fireworks.

Happy 4th of July!

 Our little family :)

Lincoln made friends at the zoo in Sioux Falls.

Another favorite.

Lincoln and Aunt Courtney playing.

Lincoln vs. the goat at the County Fair

Monkey Tail!

Delicious!

"Cleaning" the pig, this is only the beginning of many years in show pigs I'm afraid!

My favorite little piggy!