Uncle BJ and Cousins

BJ and his family are in town for Abbi's dad memorial service. To give the kids a break and so that they could meet Olivia, BJ, Toby, and Norah came down on Sunday. We had a nice day together, with lots of jumping and talking Star Wars. Like always the boys had a blast playing with Toby. Norah was very cute holding her newest cousin and I was glad that BJ got to meet his newest niece.

Cousins!

BJ, Abbi, Toby, and Norah are in Colorado for a while so we have had lots of fun with the cousins. One night we went over to Todd and Jessie's for dinner. The kids had a wonderful time playing in the yard, riding bikes, throwing the football, and just being with each other. We also had BJ, Abbi and some friends over here one night. BJ and Abbi got everyone pizza and all the kids jumped there hearts away on the trampoline, playing games downstairs, kicking the soccer ball around, talking Star Wars. We are very excited to see BJ and Abbi and the kids later this week. Always a lot of fun to make memories with the cousins.

Phoebe Joy

Todd and Jessie had Phoebe Joy on February 1st. The boy and very excited for their newest cousin (as are we for our newest niece)! Last weekend we went over to their house to meet her, and she is just precious. We also got to celebrate Asher's 2nd birthday and the boys got to run around with Josiah - always fun! Congrats Todd and Jess!

Christmas in Montrose

Sorry it has taken me so long to update this! On Wednesday night the Chicago Pedersons came into town. It was nice to hang out with them some before we all headed to Montrose on Thursday when Justin got off of work. We were worried that the mountain passes would be bad, but they weren't too bad and we still made decent time. We didn't even stop until he hit Gunnison where we met with the Gunnison Pedersons and Nana and Bapa. We had dinner there and then us, Nana, Aunt Dana, and Zac headed to Montrose while everyone else stayed back to ski on Friday.
The boys had a blast playing with their cousins. We went on nice long walks, watched movies, played games, and just hung out. On Christmas morning the boys were so excited to see what Santa brought. However they waited patiently for everyone to make it downstairs before tearing into their stockings.  The rest of Christmas day was just hanging out, lots of lego building for  Tyler, and puzzles for Carter, and a very yummy Christmas dinner.  All the grandchildren took family pictures with Nana and Bapa one day and we went back to Ouray's hot springs, which once again the boys loved. We ended up leaving on Tuesday afternoon because of a snow storm that was headed into town. Once again all the kids did great on the ride home and we made good time missing the storm. The Chicago Pedersons stayed one more night at our house before we said by to them the next morning. It was really great seeing everyone and letting all the cousins play together, just wish it could happen more often.

Pumpkin Patch

We had a great time as always at the pumpkin patch. Tyler and Carter ran from pumpkin to pumpkin to find their perfect one, which they found pretty quickly. It was fun with Noah there as well, as he would find one, but then find another one he wanted instead. Finally they had all decided on a pumpkin and one for Nolan too. Of course their favorite part were the tractor rides to the patch and back. Always a fun time!!

Nana, Bapa, Noah, and Croup

This weekend Nana and Bapa came up to visit and brought Noah with them. The boys were so excited to see "their friend Noah"! When they got here we got a bite to eat before heading out to the pumpkin patch (more about that in another post). As we were leaving Carter's voice sounded funny like there was a frog in it. When we got to the pumpkin patch he was having a full on coughing attack. Once it was over however he seemed fine and we had a great time there. From there we headed back to Nana and Bapa's hotel where Nana watched Nolan and the rest of us swam. Tyler was pretty nervous in the water at first, but after a few minutes he was splashing all over. Carter had a blast jumping in and riding on Justin and Bapa's backs. They were both dead asleep when we got home.

In the middle of the night however Carter woke up to another coughing fit and with this one I knew he had croup . So in the morning we headed to the doctor. Luckily his oxygen levels were fine and he didn't have a fever at all. They gave him a prescription for some steroids and gave us the ok to have breakfast with Nana , Bapa, and Noah before they headed home and we said our goodbyes. Carter is already feeling better today, with no coughing last night at all. Even though Carter was sick, we still had a lot of fun with Nana, Bapa, and Noah!

Cousins!

Last week Uncle Boyd, Aunt Sharalee, Griffin, Noah, and Faith came by for a quick visit. They also brought dinner for us. The boys had a blast playing with their cousins and spent most of the time either playing hide and seek or running around outside. It was great to see them and we can't wait for Christmas when all the Pedersons will be together.

Cousins!!

Another highlight of having Oma and Opa here was that they boys got to spend more time with their cousins - something they always love to do. One night Todd and Jessie had us all over for dinner. The kids had a blast running around their yard and playing with all the toys. On Monday Oma, Opa, and I took Tyler, Carter, Nolan, Acacia, Shiloh, and Josiah to Garden of the Gods. Tyler was upset that we couldn't climb on more rocks when it was time to leave, but they all had a blast. Here are some pictures. Nolan is doing what he did the entire time - sleep!

Memorial Weekend

We were in Montrose for Memorial Weekends. After my massage on Friday (very nice) I picked up Justin from work and we headed off. It was a very nice drive and surprisingly didn't hit to much traffic. We had a very nice weekend. Justin got to golf twice and the Gunnison Pedersons came down so all the cousins got to play together all weekend. We also got in a fun baseball game with all the cousins. While the boys were golfing we went to a couple parks, feed some ducks, went on some walks, and just enjoyed our time together. On Sunday night we went up to Ouray to their hot springs. It was the perfect temperature for the kids (and me!) and the perfect height. There were only a couple spots that Carter couldn't walk around on his own. The boys had a blast and were worn out when we were done. We left Sunday morning and once again we had a nice drive home. The boys did very well in the car and then we had a relaxing rest of the afternoon. It was a wonderful weekend.

Oma and Opa Visit!

Oma and Opa are here for a week! The boys were so excited for them to come. They both made "gifts" for them. They drew pictures and Tyler also created something from his work bench just for them. On Saturday night we all met at Todd and Jessie's new house so we could see it. They boys loved running around the house with their cousins and playing with the laughing monkeys Oma and Opa want. Our family and Oma and Opa then went to Old Chicago's. Even though it was way past their bedtimes they boys behaved very well and it was nice to sit down and chat with them.

On Sunday we met Oma and Opa at their hotel and headed off to the zoo! As we were leaving the hotel we noticed a racing club had set up a track and cars were racing around. The boys lobed watching the cars go "super fast!". We had a great time at the zoo. The boys showed Oma and Opa how to feed the giraffes on the birds. They also got to ride on the train and the carousel and give kisses to the orangutans. It was a great trip. After the zoo we headed over to Todd and Jessie's old house for dinner. Once again the cousins loved playing together. We had a great meal thanks to Jessie and a great time together.

Valentine's Weekend

Nana and Bapa came up this weekend and brought cousin Noah with them! All the boys had a lot of fun playing together. We also watched the beginning of the Olympics and the boys cheered "Go USA!" as loud as last time. Tyler however was hoping to see some swimming or running. He decided speed skating was pretty cool too though. The boys also had fun going to Costco with Nana and Bapa and playing with puppy Max. On Sunday Nana and Bapa watched all three boys, and braved taking them out to dinner, so that Justin and I could go out. It was a very nice time. On Monday they left in the morning, which I think the boys were ready for based on the number of tantrums. Of course Carter cried when they left and Tyler refused to say goodbye. Justin had the day off so we then took the boys to the park. Tyler was so independent and just ran around, without a care of where Justin and I were. He did listen every time we called him back however. Carter climbed every possible like usual. We had a quiet night and a great family weekend!

Christmas with the Cousins

On Saturday we all headed over to Todd and Jessie's to have Christmas with everyone else. The boys were once again so excited to go play with everyone and of course all of their toys. They all did very well taking turns and opening presents without to much chaos. I mean for 8 kids 7 years old and under it was pretty tame. Tyler loves his new camera from Oma and Opa and Carter loves his new legos blocks. They both love their new playmobile toys. While all the kids played downstairs nicely all the adults got to have a nice game of password. We then had a great dinner and we all played some more before heading home. The boys were so exhausted they fell asleep around 6:15 on the ride home and went straight to bed once we got there. Carter didn't eve want to take his jeans off he was so tired. It was a fun time and so great to be surrounded by the family.

On Sunday we meet up with everyone for lunch before the boys had to say bye to Oma and Opa. They took it pretty well when they found out Toby was going to come over still and spend the night again. That night my parents took the adults only to a very nice dinner. Leah, Heather, and Seth come over and watched Tyler,Carter,Toby and Norah for us. We were told they behaved great and went right to bed. We had a wonderful dinner and it was very nice just to be with my brothers, sister in laws, and parents. At the restaurant we said goodbye to Oma and Opa. We are very excited that they will be back in April! It was a great week with them.

Oma and Opa are here!

On Sunday night Oma and Opa, along with Dickens, arrived. We headed over to Todd and Jessie's Monday morning to see them. They boys love playing with all their cousins and all their toys! That night everyone (Oma, Opa, Todd and Jessie's family, and Bj and Abbi's family) came over for a pizza dinner. Once again the cousins had a blast. They then got to all watch The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, which is always a treat. That night they also got to have a sleepover with Toby in their room. However around 9:30 when the boys were still awake we moved Toby out of the room so everyone could get a little sleep. For the rest of the week the boys had fun with their cousins and Oma and Opa. Oma and Opa were a great help watching Carter while I went to PT with Tyler (which we decided we would stop going and do exercises from home for now) and watching both boys while I had a few appointments. Always wonderful when family is in town!

Bapa, Nana, and Aunt Dawn!

On Wednesday afternoon, Nana, Bapa, and Aunt Dawn came to visit. They also brought Griffin and Noah along with them. I woke Tyler and Carter from their naps which was probably a mistake. For the first five minutes or so the boys didn't want to do anything but cuddle with me. Once Aunt Dawn brought out puzzles life was fine again. Carter had a blast playing cars with Noah and Tyler loved learning how to play Go Fish with Griffin. Soon after Uncle Boyd, Aunt Sharalee, and Faith arrive. We all played some more before the Gunnison Pedersons headed up to Denver. Once Justin got home we all went to Red Robin for Bapa's birthday. Once again the boys favorite part was watching them sing happy birthday to Bapa. When we came home we got the turkey ready, put the boys to bed, and then Nana, Aunt Dawn, Justin and I played some fun card games. The boys always love it when Aunt Dawn, Nana, and Bapa visit!

Parent Teacher Conferences and Fun with Cousins

Tyler had his first ever Parent/Teacher conferences today. Since I am used to doing this on the teacher side of things I was a little anxious of how it would go. Tyler is doing great in school however. I have some things we need to work on, such as cutting, but for the most part he is progressing in all the skills, just as he should be in the beginning of the year. Tyler is the youngest in his class, by 9 months to some of his classmates. It was a big decision for us if we should put him in the four year old class where his is and the youngest, or put him in a three year old class where he would have been the oldest. My biggest concern was that we put him in the wrong class. His teacher told me that the only area she can tell he is the youngest is sometimes socially. He doesn't engage the other kids and more parallel plays than interacts. However she is sure as he matures this will come to. She said she absolutely thinks he is in the right class, as the younger class probably would have not been challenging enough. Good to hear for sure.

Today after naps we headed up to Uncle Todd and Aunt Jessie's house. Now that they live so close to us its fun to get to see them so often. The kids played for a while and then decorated cookies that Aunt Jessie made. The boys then played some before before daddy got there and we ate some dinner. They didn't have the best table manners and wanted to eat the cookies more than anything else, but we still had fun. The best part for the boys was getting to wrestle with Josiah. Having another boy to play with is always a good time. It was a great day.

Cousins!

On Sunday we headed over to Todd and Jessie's house for some playtime for all the cousins. They were having so much fun playing that my boys didn't even want to stop to eat. It was somewhat chilly as it had rained in the morning but all the kids still wanted to play in the pool. Carter only lasted a few minutes before he was to cold but Tyler kept going no matter how much he shivered. Once we finally convinced them to come inside they ate some dessert and played some more. It was so much fun seeing them all play together and to finally meet baby Asher.

On Monday,Acacia and Shiloh were so sad that everyone had to leave, so Jessie brought them all up to ply at Oma and Opa's. Again the kids had a blast. They played on the swing set, played baseball, ate popsicles in the grass, and just had a great time. Oma, Jessie and I took all the cousins to Chick-fil-a for dinner and then said goodbye to Jessie's gang. When we got back we had Tyler,Carter, and Toby watch a movie together so that all the adults could have one nice meal made by B.J. The boys did well watching the movie and we had a great dinner.

Weekend Wrap-up

We had a pretty busy, but fun weekend. On Friday, Tyler had his last swim lesson. While he did great at almost all the skills they test him on he still didn't pass. He won't put his ears in the water when he floats on his back or his nose in when he floats on his tummy. These have always been issues for Tyler so we weren't surprised and Tyler is just as excited to take the class again anyway. We are thinking we will put both the boys in together in the fall ans practice lots until then.

When we got back from swimming it was time for Uncle BJ, Aunt Abbi, Toby, and Norah to come over along with a bunch of other friends. We had a big bbq and all the kids got to play outside. They played well for the most part, but for the part of the time it seemed like at least one kid was constantly crying. Once that half hour or so was done all the kids started playing nice again.

On Saturday I had Melissa's baby shower so the boys went and helped Steve start moving things to their garage (they are moving to Denver). Tyler was a big help, but Carter did his usual "that's to heavy for me, I am too little" act. Once I got there we grabbed some dinner and headed home. That night we had more people over for games. The boys were very well behaved considering they didn't have naps all day.

On Sunday morning we got a call from the Stillmans letting us know Steve's grandpa had died so they needed to move that day. Once again the boys did a great job. They stayed out of everyone's way by cleaning our van (or the school bus as the boys would tell you) up with baby wipes or eating snacks with Melissa. They spent their naps in the car as well as we were unloading. It was a very busy weekend but I couldn't have asked for better behavior from my boys.

Party Time

On Friday the boys, Heather, and I headed up to Denver for Toby's 4th birthday party. Justin meet us there soon after and the boys had a ball playing with their cousins. They all did pretty well taking turns playing baseball and Carter even opened his gift for Toby. Heather and I left to go to Lindsay's bachelorette party but Justin tells me they continued playing well and even having mini wrestling matches. They enjoyed hot dogs, juice boxes (usually unheard of) and yummy cookie monster cupcakes as well. Unfortunately I once again forgot my camera. We are very excited to play with Toby and Norah again next week! Happy Birthday Toby!

St Louis Day Four

Monday morning the Gunisson Pedersons, Nana, and us went to the St Louis Science Center. The boys once again had a blast building structures up, watching construction vehicles drive past from the windows in the hallways, and seeing dinosaur bones. From there we headed to a quick lunch and said good bye and went back to the hotel where Carter and I napped. Then it was onto the airport. Once again the boys did great on the place, although no one slept. Once off the plane we did everything to keep the boys awake until we had some dinner and then it was off to dream world for them as soon as we hit the car. All in all it was a great trip and we had a great time seeing everyone!

St Louis Day Three

The boys were awake by 6 am this morning so we let them watch t.v. and had a lazy morning in the hotel room. Around noon everyone met up again and we decided to go to The Magi House, otherwise known as the Children's Museum. Because of a marathon that was running right in front of the hotel it took us an hour just to get onto the highway. However this was perfect as it allowed the boys to nap.

The Children's Museum is awesome. They have things for kids of all ages. The boys had an absolute blast. Carter loved to play in the water works, where they have a bunch of water tables set up. Tyler loved the car that he was allowed to "fix" They had wheels you could put on, you checked under the hood, checked all the filters, etc. Both of the boys also liked getting to "fish". They have magnetic fish that you catch and then release in another part of the building, You get to watch your fish swim back down stream to the pond. Their favorite part however had to be the construction site. They had a site where a house was being built. The boys got to lay tile, put pipes together for a bathroom, sit in a loader, wear hard hats, and move around rock gravel in wheel barrows. Can't get better than that for our boys! At the museum we said good bye to the Minnesota gang and also The Chicago Pedersons.

For dinner that night the rest of us walked to a pizza joint. This was the one time in the whole trip we had issues with Tyler. However after a time out he shaped up pretty quick. Nana and the Gunison Pedersons were going up to Chicago the next day so we made plans for the morning and made it to bed at bedtime for once.