Happy Fall...

Fall in Montana can be a harrowing experience...last year it was SO cold and we had 6 inches of snow on Oct 6th! The trees hadn't even thought about changing colors yet, and the leaves just dropped...still green...on top of the snow...bummer! THIS year is a completely different story! What fabulous weather we are having, the trees are slowly changing colors and it is just the kind of fall that I live for! I LOVE this time of year (it definitely might be that redheads look the best in autumnal colors)! I was even able to take some fall pics!

I just couldn't resist this pic...blurry and everything...but it is super fun...

Today we are headed to the pumpkin patch...my absolute favorite! Apparently, my love of pumpkins is rubbing off on my kids...I told them where we were headed today...you would have thought they won the lottery! Excited doesn't even scrape the surface! I can't wait to find our pumpkin goodness and take about a million pictures! Yipee!

Well I hope you have a wonderful pumpkin-y day!

Ciao a tutti!

Happy October...

I love this time of year! Thought I would share a pic of my first pumpkin of the season...I do LOVE pumpkins!

Have a wonderful fall day!

Ciao a tutti

My new life...

I have found that I don't have as much time as I used to...that would be due to my new commute to Manhattan Elementary School. It is 12.5 miles, one way, from my house...yes, on one of my drives I clocked the mileage! So that means it is 24 miles each time I drive to Manhattan, which would be 2 times a day! Oh, and I have 2 little kids that still take naps! Let's not forget that...they certainly don't let me! So I thought I would share my drive...this is on the way TO Manhattan...

And this is the way FROM Manhattan...

By the way, I absolutely LOVE this school! It is so different from where I grew up. It is a seriously rural school...everyone seems to be a farmer! At least that is all I see on the way to and from school. It is a K-12 school, they don't even deliver mail in town...everyone just goes to the post office! It is hard to get involved in yet another community (we live close to Belgrade, go to church in Bozeman, and now the kids go to school in Manhattan) and meet a whole new group of people, but in the long run it will be alot of fun to get to know everyone (and I literally mean everyone!)

Well, if you might have guessed, I need to go pick up Case...and once more today, drive to Manhattan!

Have a wonderful day!

Ciao a tutti!

The 80's called...

...they want their hairband back! All kidding aside...I am so proud of myself for finding a new way to do Gwen's hair! Her hair has been growing by leaps and bounds but it is just a smidge too short and a bit too fine to do much with yet. Can you believe how big she is? She just turned 2! How did that happen?

I hope you all have a wonderful day.

Ciao a tutti!

Firewood...

Every fall, we Kruse's (the Tobin Kruse's and the Phil Kruse's) go out into the woods and cut down a bunch of trees and haul them away to our houses. Sounds pretty straight forward...one Saturday, two families, and 8 cords of wood...ALOT of work!!!

Here's the before pic of the crew...

You have to teach them early to work hard...

Teamwork is a must...

Lots of smiles and rest for the weary (and those with bad backs...I just take pictures!)...

A little danger makes it more fun...

And there you have it...8 cords of wood...and the 2 guys that did most of the work...

So we are set for this winter...yes, we actually burn 8 cords of wood each winter...we have a big house that is mostly heated by the fireplace. Now, we just have to cut it up, split it, and stack it...no worries!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Ciao a tutti!

New Stage in Life...

I know...I know...Did I fall off the earth or something? No...just trying to get back into life and it certainly didn't slow down just because we were gone for 3 months. Upon arriving in the States, we (and I say 'we' figuratively, as I am the one that was in charge of these things) had to unpack, find where I placed all of our stuff (we luckily had people staying in our house while we were away), find and buy all new clothes for the kids as they had outgrown ALL of the clothes in their dressers, Case had a birthday, Gwen was potty trained, our Sunday School class need some attention as promotion Sunday was rapidly approaching, and lastly...and most importantly...Case started school...whew...I am tired just writing all of that...or maybe it is just lack of exercise in my fingers from lack of blogging...

The big day is finally here...Case's first day of Kindergarten! I am so amazed! Case has been looking forward to this day, and frankly, driving us nuts with his constant asking how long until school starts...hopefully he can retain this excitement in years to come! We had fun shopping for all the school supplies (I had a hard time convincing him that he didn't need a calculator), school clothes, and visiting the teacher. I am not sure where he has gotten his ideas of school, but he is prepared and excited for all the 'homework' that he is going to be getting...I just couldn't burst his bubble...I will let the teacher take care of that. I can just see him raising his hand and asking where is his homework for today...man, I love that kid!

Yesterday, we had our meet and greet for kindergarten. We went to the school, found our classroom, met the teacher, dropped off our supplies, filled out paperwork, found his locker, and just had a fun afternoon.

The only thing that took me by surprise is Clayton's reaction. About an hour before we were to go (it was only a half hour appointment), Clayton just started sobbing...'I'll miss you Case'...so then Case started sobbing...'I'll miss you Clayton'! It was the cutest thing! I have been enjoying watching their relationship grow closer and this is just another example that they really do like each other and want to spend time together...makes this moms heart happy!

Today, was the BIG day! The first real day of kindergarten! Case was SO excited! Here are all the kids in front of the school...I thought it might be cool to take this picture every year and see how big they are getting!

And here is the BIG boy at his desk...

Clayton was sad, but we avoided the waterworks. I think he really liked seeing where Case was going. It made him feel better. Gwen was just a bit confused, but liked the trip to the little girls' room. Me, I was proud, excited, relieved, happy, tired, and grateful that he seemed to already had a friend (one of the kids that he met yesterday sat right down next to him). We got home, I put the kids to bed for their naps, and realized it was QUIET!!!! I chose to ignore that and put on the radio!

I hope that you are all having a wonderful day!

and for old times sake...

Ciao a tutti!

Cake Trama...

Today is my baby's 6th birthday! Boy, the time sure does fly! At least when you are looking backwards, when you are in the middle of it...sometimes it takes forever! This year he is going to kindergarten (August birthday and being a boy, we decided to wait a year to send him to school...good thing...Italy was waiting for us!)...the kid is so excited, he can barely stand it.

So, onto the day of birthday...of course, it had it's own drama. As well as having a 6 year old, I have a VERY 2 year old. This morning, trying to get a jump on the things to do today, I baked the cake while the kids were eating breakfast. I set them on the counter to let them cool and went to write a quick e-mail in the living room, while the kids were watching a cartoon. Too late to change the outcome, I realized that my lovely daughter was way TOO quiet. She had found the cake in the kitchen and decided to help herself...

Ugh! Didn't she know it was Case's birthday cake???? What was she thinking??? Not to worry, I managed to 'fix' the cake...at least it looked okay! Some folks were going to get a BUNCH of icing...

The birthday boy...

His daddy bought him his first bow! He already looks like a pro...

Six things wonderful things about Case:

One: For a boy, he is VERY tall for his age...towering over kids that he will be in kindergarten with...at least he enjoys new clothes!

Two: He is on the verge of learning how to read. He has been teaching himself to sound out the words in his books!

Three: He loves his dog and can usually be found outside having adventures with his best friend.

Four: He is a Lego maniac...at least once a day, he can be found hiding away (or keeping his little sister out) and playing with them.

Five: With no, or very little, instruction, he shows an aptitude for all things athletic. He just seems to 'know' how it is done.

Six: He misses his Italian adventures. His favorites included: tunnels, the Metro, the beach, and castles.

Here is to the most wonderful 6 year old.
Have a wonderful day!
Ciao a tutti!