In Loving Memory

Wanda M Hasler

1/21/21 - 10/27/09

Today I said good bye to my Grandma Hasler. It was a hard, sad day. But I can take comfort knowing that she lived a long and full life (with 3 children, 6 grandchildren and 12 great grandchilden) and now there is no more pain. I have also been reminding myself that she is finally back with Grandpa after missing him dearly for the past 12 years.

The drive to and from Indiana gave me time to reflect and so many memories from my childhood keep coming to mind. I want to bottle them all up and never forget... Growing up, my sister and I used to go visit Grandma and Grandpa every summer. We'd spend a week or two "helping out" around the farm and playing with our cousins. Some of the things I remember most - Grandma's sense of humor and teasing - she used to always pinch my thighs and ask why I was wearing such thick jeans. And there was a time when my cousin Brad and I were being ornery, so she waited at the screen door and surprised us with a cold glass of water! And then there was the big blue and white chair in the front room where us kids would sit with Grandpa and he'd read story after story. That was the same chair that Grandma would sometimes fall asleep in while reading her afternoon paper. Grandma's house was also the place to be for good meals. She was such a great cook and if you wanted to show your appreciation for a meal, you had better say "yes" when 2nd helpings were offered. :) Even better, she bought the sugary cereals that Mom never let us have at home (Count Chocula and Boo Berry - yum!), no meal was complete without dessert - even breakfast (my favorite - Swan's ice cream and her molasses cookies) and oh yeah, you are never too old for chocolate milk (she made Grandpa a glass everyday for as long as I can remember). Grandma's is also where I learned that lunch is really "dinner" and dinner is really "supper". Yeah, I loved it all. Lassie and the barn cats, the tire swing, riding with Grandpa in the red pick-up truck, the smell of bacon early in the morning, catching fireflies, playing with Lincoln Logs in the basement... I could go on and on but it's getting too hard. I guess it's really all the little things that end up rolled into one great big wonderful memory.

So Grandma, I hope you know just how much you mean to me and how much I loved those weeks I spent with you and Grandpa every summer. I love you both. ~April Suzanne

Halloween Preview

Just a quick peek at Penelope and Amelia in their costumes (Brooke - you were right!!). This isn't the best picture as it is from the phone and neither girl looks real excited about the whole thing. But we took lots more pictures with our camera and I hope to have a few of the favorites posted by the weekend. We managed to get a few grins out of Penelope, but I don't think the binky ever left Amelia's mouth (I tried to take it away once and she started crying - loudly). We plan to take more on Halloween night since you can't see all the details when they are in the stroller. Anyway, Boo at the Zoo was lots of fun and we got several "oh how cute" comments. Paul did a great job finding these costumes!

Breathing a Sigh of Relief

Last week I was completely obsessed with finding some costumes. This week I am breathing easy and turning my attention towards making the birthday party invitations. Thank goodness! I went to two different Once upon a child stores on Sunday and came away empty handed (well, at least in terms of costumes as I did find some great dresses CHEAP that I couldn't pass up). The costume selection was the same as the twin sale - cute stuff, but nothing in their size that would work as a pair. On Tuesday, I went shopping after work and looked at Joann's, Old Navy and Target and struck out again. Ugh... I had also spent most of Monday evening and Tuesday evening (after babies went to bed) searching the internet. I was super frustrated with the whole silly holiday at that point and just about ready to call it quits, dress them in orange and call them pumpkins! That's when Paul (master internet searcher / finder) stepped in. ;) He was able to devote some time on Wednesday searching the internet and found 2 great costumes from an Ebay store. We probably paid more than we originally planned (plus shipping/handling - boo!) but the customes have already arrived, are in fact brand new and look SO cute. Now that I think about it - what we bought is only a little bit cheaper than what I found at Old Navy, but I can confidently say that we probably won't see any other babies out trick or treating wearing the same thing as our girls. On the other hand, I bet we'll see lots of ON bears, dogs, bunnies, etc - not that there is anything wrong with those costumes... :) I really can't wait to dress Amelia and Penelope in their costumes! Of course, I was out and about at lunch today and saw several 50% off costume racks, but considering how much I love what Paul found, I am letting go of the money factor... Maybe we'll be able to list them on Ebay next fall and get a little cash back. Anyway, I don't want to just tell what they are until I have some pictures of them in the costumes to post here so in the mean time, I'll give some clues.

#1 - they are not identical
#2 - they are animals
#3 - the only place you'll see these two animals in the US is at a zoo (which is quite fitting since our house sounds like a zoo at times!)

Any guesses? I have more hints but Paul told me they will give it away so those will have to wait until we get closer to Halloween.

And now, on to the birthday party plans and invites. :D

And the search continues...

I went to my first Twin Sale last night. What a scene! The shopping on Friday night is for twin moms only - no kids, husbands, grandmas, etc - and it was crazy. I cannot even imagine what it is like when the public comes in to shop on Saturday morning. I was pretty much overwhelmed with just how much stuff there was. We only had 2 hours to shop so I didn't even get to see everything. I had a list of the things I wanted to look for and did my best to stick to those areas. I pretty much skipped books, stuffed animals, shoes, furniture, equipment (like car seats and swings), outdoor toys / ride-on stuff and strollers. From that list, you're probably wondering what's left?? I stuck to the small toys and clothes and managed to get a few things I was looking for. Unfortunately I didn't find any Halloween costumes and that was #1 on my list. :( They had a few cute costumes in the right size, but nothing that really "went together" like I want. Of course, by the time I found where the costumes were at, I have a feeling they were a little picked over. Oh well... I did find some absolutely adorable red velvet dresses for Christmas that will be great for going to Church on Christmas Eve. They are awfully "dressy" and not very practical for our family gatherings but at only $6 each, I couldn't resist. I also found a few small toys and the travel highchairs I was looking for (all for $5 or less). The rest of my money was spent on size 12-18 month clothes for this winter. I got about 20 or so items and didn't pay more than $5 for a single thing. (20 sure sounds like a lot but when you consider there are 2 babies to dress, that's really only about 10 outfits. :D) Oh, I also found two super cute lightweight jackets in a 2T and I'm really hoping we'll be able to get those out next fall. They were brand new for $10 each. A few of the things I found even still had tags on them! Actually, I'm pretty proud of how much I did get but am still thinking about a few of the items I passed over and wish I hadn't....Like the more casual holiday outfits, the 4in1 gymboree winter coats, the activity center toys... Guess that's just a lesson for the next sale in the spring - take everything in consideration with you to the line and review everything as you wait to pay. I got in line at 9:15 and didn't get out the door until after 10! I was exhausted by the time I got home. The other lesson learned - use something better than an old gym bag to carry around my finds, preferably something with wheels! Now, I must give BIG props to Paul for doing the sale by himself last year. It's a wonder he didn't turn around and come right back home when he saw 3 gymnasiums packed full of stuff! I didn't make him shop for clothes though and that has got to be the hardest part. They hang a few things but most of it is just stacked on tables (by size and tops or bottoms) at least a couple feet high. Like I said, it's a little overwhelming... :)

So I guess I'm on to Plan B for the Halloween costumes. Tomorrow I will check out the local Once Upon a Child stores and hope for the best. The 2 stores I called said they had a good number of costumes so keep your fingers crossed for me. If I strike out there, then it's time search the internet and Ebay. My last resort is buying new from a discount store like Target, Walmart or Old Navy - or maybe waiting for the last minute sale at Babies R Us. Of course, doing that is risky since I have to find 2 of something that goes together and in the same size. Seriously though, considering that they are going to wear these for a max of 2 hours, I HATE the idea of paying full price. It just seems like a waste of money.

Today is the Amelia and Penelope's 11 month birthday. In honor of that and the MSU victory on the football field, I've attached a picture from today's morning playtime. Check out those shirts! Our girls may live in Ohio, but they will come to love Michigan State just like Mommy. :D

The two toys they are playing with are from the sale. You can't really see the one next to Penelope, but I think it's their favorite of what I brought home. It only cost $2 so of course it's bound to be the best one. :) Amelia is already showing signs of claiming it and not wanting to share. Too bad there wasn't 2 of them! The bigger toy looks like it could be fun for them (playing music and animal sounds), but when Paul went to put new batteries in it, he found the old ones corroded in there. Boo.... He thinks he can clean it up and get it working though.

Oh, before I completely forget - Amelia officially WALKED last night! And not just a couple steps, but really walking with her arms out for balance. I was on my way out the door for the sale and Paul called for me to come back quick. He said Amelia walked from her jumperoo across the room to the couch. I didn't really see it that time, but she repeated the performance a few more times this afternoon. So while the first steps for both girls were about a month ago, we marked yesterday as THE DAY for our little miss Amelia. It's so neat to see her put it all together and actually walk. Of course, my heart skipped a beat or two when she ventured on to the hard, slippery kitchen floor and that's when I realized that walking is great for them, but SCARY for Mom and Dad. LOL! I'm sure Penelope's big moment will be soon and we can't wait. What a great way to remember their 11 month birthday!

Happy Eleven Months A and P!! We love you lots!