barefoot and beautiful

Happy Halloween!

The girls had a fun Halloween! Both girls wanted to be WonderWoman but since WonderWoman stuff is hard to come by we had to settle for "amazing girl" with WonderWoman hair clips. They were totally cool with that ;)

They had a party at school (even though it wasn't a day they normally go to school), we carved pumpkins together, ate a BIG healthy dinner and then headed out trick or treating when Royce got home from work. Adia got scared when it got dark out and decided she wasn't going to go but I talked her into it and two houses in was running down the street screaming, "THIS IS GREAT!!!!" They had a lot of fun and we let them go up to the houses themselves this year while we stood back and reminded them (over and over and over) to say thank you.

After getting their fill of candy they both agreed to trade their stash in for a barbie at the end of the night and that was that.

a day at the orchard

The girls week in prek is all about apples so I decided it would be an excellent day to take them to an apple orchard just south of us here. It was a beautiful day, sunny and almost 80! We really had a great time together.



Unfortunately our day was cut short when I received phone calls and text messages alerting me that my Mother-in-law, Debi, was diagnosed with cancer and hospitalized. We are just starting to find out whats going on with her but prayers and good thoughts are definitely appreciated.

coolest kids in school!

first day of pre-k Bright Prospects style :)

part of me wants to jump up and down and the other part of me thinks "did I seriously just ship my kids off into south minneapolis to fend for themselves!" ok that might be a little dramatic but it did cross my mind.

the girls woke up very excited to start at their new school. they're going to rock it!

and THIS is why I'm so in love with little houses!

Our first home wasn't big by any means but it was super tall and we were all spread out. The lofted area was where the girls playroom was while the kitchen, dinning room and living room where I worked were on the main level. The bedrooms were upstairs together but not facing each other so even though the girls were in the room next to us we were never connected.

The first thing I noticed after a week of being in this house was how connected my family felt. We have two levels again but the basement is the basement, mostly storage even though technically there's bedroom and bathroom down there, laundry too. We all spend all of our time upstairs and in the yard. The girls bedroom is right across the hall from us and when I finally go to bed I see them, sleeping in their beds. We have conversations with each other at night from our beds. It's amazing. When they play, they bring their toys from room to room but it's all cozy and connected. When I work (from my dinning room table) I'm right in the living room too, I can see the kitchen and hear the girls playing, even if they're a back room.

Something about little houses. Everything I always wanted in a small simple space. This is all I ever want.

urban camping!

happy 4th of july!!!!

We have had an awesome 4th of july! We went to Richfield's parade (seriously the girls first parade) and they LOVED it......filled backpacks with candy, I had no idea they gave out so much! It was hot but fun.


The girls and Royce and I played in the sprinkler and snugged inside the house. We had a busy 3rd of july!

Amy, Uncle Chad, Amelia, Haley and one of their friends came with us to the bloomington fireworks on the 3rd. We had a fire and bbq before hand. It was a blast!! We are all planning on a new tradition of this every year. Amy snapped a few pictures (below). Rasa thought the fireworks were "magic" and Adia loved Mimi's smore's snack mix and mini donuts and of course the show. The girls insisted on wearing their princess dresses and they danced in the park almost the entire time. It was SO.MUCH.FUN.