playing around

We finally started getting some nice, warm weather so we made sure to spend time outside to enjoy it! Chase was excited to have his picture taken and kept asking for more, while Bennett on the other hand, kept hiding from the camera...

He even ran behind a tree and would peek around to see if I was still watching; which I was!

As soon as we got the little pool filled with water both boys really had a great time! Chase loves to jump in and Bennett is quit entertained by his older brother, but content just playing on the side...who knows what Chase is going to do next!

silly boys

Poor Shasta; we love our dog...sometimes maybe just a little too much!

A rare occasion in which they played nicely together...for a little bit anyway!

pump it up!

We were tired of the rain and being stuck inside so much, so I decided to take the kids to the Pump it Up Park! It was B's first time and I'm sure his big brother doesn't even remember the last time he went, so I was eager to see how they did...

They absolutely loved it and didn't want to leave (would you?!). We've got plans to go back soon! One of the best parts of Pump it Up...parents get to play too! ;)

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!

32!

Happy birthday to my favorite husband ever!
I wanted to surprise him with a night away and it took a lot of "little white lies" to make it work, but I managed to pull it off! When he got home from work on the Friday before his birthday he was welcomed by a beautiful wife all ready to go out for a date! He went to change while I snuck away to get the babysitter. I didn't tell him where we were going until we got there (dinner at Claim Jumper) then surprised him again by arranging to have our good friends meet us there for dinner!
But I wasn't done...the last surprise was that we weren't going home! I booked a hotel and we got to enjoy a night away from kids and early morning wake-ups!
The next day we made a trip to Trader Joe's (love that place!) and it was fantastic not to have two little toddlers running around pulling everything off the shelves! We finished our "weekend away" with lunch at an Indian food restaurant that he loves and then it was back to reality!

In true family tradition his birthday was spread out over a week and we enjoyed ribs for his birthday dinner! I'm not sure who was more excited about the vintage Superman lunch box, daddy or Chase!

He wanted one of his favorites for dessert instead of birthday cake - Lemon Cream Cheese Pie, and since it's his birthday that's what we had!

Love you babe and I hope you had a great birthday ya' old man!

much better this trip

We made the 12 hour drive to visit my family and the boys did much better this time! They still don't sleep well in the car but the new dual-screen portable dvd player made the trip bearable! The boys thought it was so great they each got their own screen to watch and kept sneeking glances at each others to see if they were watching something different. I almost missed this sign (again - I try to remember to get a picture every time we drive by) but I think it's hilarious and had to get a shot (as bad as the picture is)! We went to the mall one afternoon and the kids got the play; such a natural!

We took the boys and a cousin on the train for their first time and they loved it! It would've been perfect if it wasn't for the 45 minute wait to come back...not enough time to go anywhere and too much time for the boys to sit and wait patiently! They ended up running around the train until one of the workers let them push the button for the horn! (he said, just DON'T push the yellow button...now I'm REALLY curious what that button does!!!)

watching everything rush by the train

They both love trains and thought this was so fun!

It was Valentine's weekend, hence the hearts on the windows.

It was a quick trip, but we wanted to be their for our nephew's baby blessing! We loved seeing the family and how all the nephews and neice have grown up so much, we love you guys!

2 cuties

This guy has become quit obsessed with stickers. It started because every time we go to the gym they get a sticker on their back with a number to help keep track of each kid and who they belong to. Now, he figured out that when we go to the bank they have stickers to hand out also, and makes sure to ask for one.
One day he found a bunch of little stickers and thought it was funny to put them all over his face...but he was stubborn about taking a picture! (wonder where he gets that...) He's also recently discovered the iPod and loves to watch Mater cartoons on youtube with it.

The little guy likes to wear daddy's hat and shoes all the time and see how far he can make it around the house.

He also LOVES to play the piano. He will go play all on his own throughout the day.

But then big brother comes along and tries to take over most times.

These two are definitely busy and keeping us on our toes!

what a mess!

As it usually is, the pictures don't do this mess justice. In record time both the boys managed to cover the pantry, the house, and themselves in cornstarch and, I think, pancake mix. They had pulled food off the shelves and everything was covered! Where was I, you ask?....I may have fallen asleep about 10 feet away. But trust me, it only took about 10 minutes for this mess to happen.

After I saw what they had done they started running around the house...creating a cornstarch cloud that now has my vacuum looking white. I was still cleaning when bruce got home from work, and the smart man that he is, took both the kids with him as he went to go pick up dinner for us - just assuming that I was in no mood to cook!

They thought they were pretty funny. Me...not so much.