Easter 2011

Celebrating different holidays is getting more and more fun as the kids get bigger and more aware of what's going on! I'm still not sure the spiritual meaning of each holiday is really registering yet, but we're gettin' there!

Bennett loved his little Easter basket and carried it around all day...make that all week! The boys played with them constantly until I finally decided to pack them away again.

This was the first year we colored eggs with the boys and they really loved it! Naturally we had a few messes to clean up and clothes were thought to have been ruined (stain remover is SO much better than it used to be!), but overall we had a great time!...even if the dye doesn't quit look the same on brown eggs...hey if I have to eat them, then I'm using good eggs!!! ;)

I learned to count all the eggs right before "hiding" them; that's a lesson my Mom taught me when my siblings and I spent one Easter searching the entire house for what felt like hours trying to find that one last egg only to have my Mom suddenly remember she had eaten an egg the night before...

happy birthday to me

In the middle of all the vomiting and diarrhea, I had a birthday. My awesome hubby had flowers delivered (apparently the colors are wrong - he wanted white lilies and red or orange roses -oh well!) and got one of my favs for dinner - chinese take out! He had already surprised me a few days earlier with my present from him and my in-laws, by taking me to get new athletic gear! Now that might be offensive to some women, but its just what I wanted! My work-out shes were shot and I desperately wanted new ones! I enjoy the gym - thanks largely to my sis! and I will take new running shoes and work-out clothes over a coach bag any day! ;)

My hubby really tried to make my birthday happy - despite the sick kids and super early mornings (seriously hated getting up at 4:30 with a wide awake kid!). I really appreciate hime and love my family so much! No matter how old I may get...he will always be older! ;)

poor little guy

This poor little guy had a rough couple weeks! He got some kind of stomach virus and couldn't keep anything down, after a couple days I took him to the doctor and a blood test came back with unexpected results, requiring us to take him to the hospital for an IV.

Its really heart-breaking to see your baby in the hospital with a tube in his arm - I can't imagine what some parents must have to go through with much more difficult circumstances.

He did great while we were there (still vomiting, but didn't make a big fuss about having to stay in a little room) and we were able to take him home that night to sleep in his own bed (much better for all of us!). He continued to vomit for another 4-5 days, and it took even longer for him to really get back to being himself again. As a result of his little traumatic experience he refuses to go to nursery at church or even be left at the kids club at the gym. He has total separation issues! Can't say I really blame him...but its sure making getting back to our routine more difficult!

After leaving the hospital with B., we went to pick up his big brother at Grandma and Grandpapa's house. And what would make my day more complete? But to have big brother start throwing up not minutes after walking through the door! He threw up 4-5 times through that evening & night, but bounced right back and didn't have nearly the same situation as little bro, thank goodness! 'Cause I got sick shortly after that too!

So glad to have this all behind us now!!!

wanna get away?!

We took a vacation to sunny Arizona and absolutely loved taking time away as a family!

We made sure to take the kids to the Phoenix Children's Museum and it was so much fun! There was so much to do and not enough time between meals and naps to do it! ;) We adults enjoyed ourselves too! ;)

All 3 boys had a blast playing in the maze room; there were dozens of different sized balls you could put into different mazes and watch them roll around the entire room! Almost everything was made from household recycled items, it was pretty cool!

My sis-in-law got a great tip about this train park in Scottsdale and since both the boys are obsessed with trains, we had to go check it out. There was this huge train that you could tour and the boys got so excited when they got to see a real train close up! They also loved the little train ride around the park!

There was a whole collection of old railroad and train related artifacts and Chase loved everything about it!

The rooms were so small! How awkward would it be to be the person going to bathroom while everyone else is sitting at the table talking?! ;)

We love visiting our old "stomping grounds" and sharing that with our boys! It brings back a lot of fun memories and we love being able to visit our family and enjoy the warm sunshine!

Next time I hope to go when we can make it to the waterparks - absolutely LOVE those!