Meendering's at the Museum

Dear. Jude,
I am laughing as sit to recap all that you took in the first time you went to the new children's museum in town.  You couldn't get enough of the farm. You and your trusty helper puppy picked every carrot and piece of corn you could get your hands on. You cried when we left the music section, but were quickly distracted with the water room and life sized light bright wall. Your sense of awe and excitement for each activity was contagious.  Can't wait to go back and see what else you choose to explore. 

Bark for Candy

Dear Jude,
You quickly learned the art of getting candy on halloween. Although you only went to 3 houses, you made out like a bandit.  You dad and I are still laughing that you picked up grammie and grampie's entire candy bowl and dumped it into your small basket.  You loved being Clifford the Big Red Dog and insisted on wearing your puppy ears during nearly all waking hours the week prior to and following halloween. 

Hard at Work

Dear Jude,
You adore the computer. Especially mommy's computer at work. I have been taking you to work with me on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and then walking you to your school on campus.  You love to sit at my desk and play "puter" and then go shoot baskets in the gym before we go to school.  This picture totally makes me laugh that you know how to hold one hand on the keyboard and one hand on the mouse! I adore my Tuesday and Thursday mornings with you. It is a great way to start my day. 

Anticipation

Dear Jude,
You had so much fun with your cousins Ava and Eden yesterday.  They came with Gma and Papa M and took you to the Childrens Museum of South Dakota.  When they left last night you kept saying "Ava and Eden come back".  We took out this picture from this summer of you and Eden giving kisses and you were so excited.  Your dad and I can't wait until tonight when you get to see everyone (Gma and Papa M, Aunt Sam and Uncle Nick, Ava and Eden, Aunt Julie and Uncle Joe, Harry, Sophie, Rita and George) that is coming for the weekend for Hobo Day at SDSU.  We are excited for everyone to get here! 

Fall Day

 

Hey Jude,

You had such fun playing the leaves in our backyard this weekend.  You were a big helper and loved scooping up the leaves and attempting to put them into the bag.  Halfway through our task you decided it was more fun to crawl into the bag and push all of the leaves out of the bag. I was not trilled with your discovery, but you were so excited that you had emptied the bag that your dad and I just had to laugh. 

First Day of School

Hey Jude,
You had your first day of preschool at SDSU in mid-September. There are 10 kids in your class and they are all between 16-24 months old.  You love to make new colors on the light table, send the scarves flying in the wind tunnel, cook vegetables in the kitchen, cover your smock in finger paints and play outside in the playhouses.  You come home talking about your friends Iassac, Carolyn, and Kyra and your teachers Amy and Sarah. You have been sad lately when we leave you, but we have been staying to watch you behind the one way research mirrors and you get over it as soon as we leave.  Are you testing us? 

Missing Gma and Papa

Hey Jude,
You spent Sunday night and Monday with Gma and Papa Meendering. When we asked you if you wanted to go for the night you said "Bye Bye" and waved to your dad and I as Gma and Papa drove away. You were happy to see us when you got home yesterday, but were devistated when Gma and Papa left to go home. You probably said Gma and Papa 50 times tonight between 6:00 and bedtime (8:00). I am wondering what you will say when you wake up?

Believe it or not.....

.....we are still here. I know, our blog postings have been slim to non-existent lately. I was bored with the blogging and other things took priority. However...I LOVE the idea of using this blog to keeping a journal of thoughts and pictures for Jude online. So, I am switching up the format a bit to be a journal of our life events for Jude, written from Jon and I to Jude. I know Jon and I will enjoy looking back on the journal and my hope is that someday Jude will at least find it mildly interesting to look back on. The few family and friends that check regularly - we hope we haven't lost you by taking such a long hiatus! 


Dear Jude,
You are 17 months old.  You are running, whining, talking a mile a minute, saying "Hi" to everyone you meet and continuing to say it until they acknowledge you.  You LOVE to play outside with sand and water and the neighborhood kids that you refer to as "guys".  Your favorite things are bubbles, CARS, your shoes, pears, bath time, daddy's tools, and mommy's jewelry. You are not sure you like mommy and daddy leaving at the beginning of school each day, but you dont' want to leave when we pick you up.  You are good friends with Grace, Maddy, Jack, and Brody.  You have been talking a lot and learning new words everyday.  We hear the following things most often: no, whoops-see-daisy, please, thank you, hungry, all done, and of course mommy and daddy.  You are so much fun!
Love,
Mom and Dad

 

I really need one of these...

Silhouette machines.  They are awesome and offer endless crafting possibilities! 

Crosgrain is giving one away and I have my fingers crossed that the winner just may be me!

If you want to enter just click the link and it will take you to her blog. 

Just know that if one of you win it - I am going to beg you to borrow it! 

Go check out the Silhouette page too.

I love looking at all of the possibilities this machine has to offer!

Dear Greta Rae...

  I had so much fun with you on vacation.  Thanks for sharing your fruit candy, teaching me your dance moves (they are killer), and for introducing me to Yo Gabba Gabba.  You are the coolest.
Love,
Jude

Frisco to Brekenridge

My favorite day in CO included a bike trip from Frisco to Breckenridge. Jude got to experience a bike helmet and bike trailer for the first time and all of us got to experience 10 miles of graduate uphill biking. We took a long pit stop in Breckenridge for lunch and some shopping and then enjoyed coasting 10 miles back to Frisco.

Jude is not sure about his bike helmet...

The whole group....

Lunch in Breckenridge.......

Greta and Jude played in this park just off main street in Breckenridge.  Check out that view......

Trains

 

I am guessing Jude would say his favorite Coloardo Vacation activity was riding the steam engine "TRAAAAAAIIIINNNNNNN" train from Silver Plume to Georgetown. He is like the train police these days - if there is a train in view, he wills spot it and keep repeating "TRRRAAAAIIIINNNN" until you acknowldege the train. 

Hiking in Colorado Day 2

Later in the week we checked out a trail about a half mile from our condo in Silverthorn called Lillypad trail. At the top there was a small lake filled will flowering lillypads.  The mommas had the kids on the way up and by the time we got to the lake they were both asleep.  Wish I could snap my fingers and transport us back to this trailhead tomorrow morning.  One can dream, right?

Hiking in Colorado

 

We spent two days hiking while we were in Colorado.  The scenery was fantastic and I loved the tranquility you feel out on a hiking trail. These picture pics are from our first day of hiking on Booth Lake Trail near Vail.  LOVED all of the aspen and birch trees. After our hike we drove into Vail for lunch and a little exploring. 

Can we rewind to vacation?

 

We are back from a glorious week in Colorado on family Vacation.  It was nice to leave everything behind and have a week to focus on family and dear friends. Jude did great on trip and allowed us to experience many parks between our destinations. Our car sick prone little boy only had one major throw up experience on the way.  It was not funny at the time - but in retrospect, two dry heaving parents, scooping puke out of the car, and washing Jude's car seat at a rest stop along I80 is pretty funny. Jude you definitely add an element of adventure!  Here are a few pictures from the drive to Colorado. More to come in the next few days from the rest of the trip...... 

Kitchen Remodel