Oma's Visit

We had a wonderful time with Oma here. She was, as always, a great help. She made us lots of yummy food, changed lots of diapers, and even hired a cleaning service before Nolan's party so I wouldn't have to worry about it. The boys of course loved having her around as well. One day she took all three boys, along with Jessie and their kids, to the zoo so that I could have a morning at home with just Livi. She also bought Tyler and Carter a hermit crab with a spiderman shell, whom they call Hermie (after going through many other names - Bob, Tom, Sammer, Hermic, etc). Tyler was very excited that he was going to be able to tell his Kindergarten class that he now has two pets - a dog and a hermit crab! We all said goodbye to Oma after Nolan's party and started missing her right away. We can't wait til we get to see her again!

Great Trip!

We had a wonderful time with Oma and Opa and were sad to have to leave. Carter actually insisted that he wasn't going to leave. When we said we know you will miss Oma and Opa he answered " no I won't because I am staying here!". On Sunday morning the boys got to eat Opa's pancakes one more time and take Dickens on a final walk. They played outside some and we took some pictures before heading to the airport. Carter was having a stubborn moment so he isn't very happy in any of the pictures however. The boys once again did great on the flight, even though it was also completely full. They were very restless once we were off the plane however so once we got home we made them run some laps outside instead of doing their legos like Tyler wanted to do. We had a great time as usual with Oma and Opa and are already missing the, Thanks for a great visit Oma and Opa!

National's Game

On Saturday Opa, Justin, Tyler, Carter, and I went to the National's baseball game. We rode the Metro to the stadium, which the boys loved, and had great seats. The boys got to see the racing President's, Opa caught a free tee-shirt, and Tyler got on the big screen dancing. Of course they also got to eat hot dogs, crackerjacks, and cotton candy. After the 4th inning Justin took the boys to the playground for a little break and it started raining during the 5th inning but it didn't last long. The Nationals lost, but it worked out ok as it made a shorter game. Both boys fell asleep on the Metro on the way back. When we got back Oma told me she and Nolan had a great time playing all day and he took great naps for her. We went to Red Robin for dinner and the boys got to get some new lego's from Oma nad Opa for when we returned home. Both boys now say the baseball game was one of their favorite parts of our trip.

Night Out in Georgetown

On Thursday my parents were so wonderful and took all the boys so Justin and I could have an overnight in Georgetown. We left after lunch and got to the hotel where we took a nap and got ready for dinner. We walked along the canal to go to Filomena's, an Italian restaurant we saw on the travel channel where they have pasta mama's that make the pasta homemade right there in front of you. It was delicious food and we were both beyond stuffed. We went back to the hotel so it could cool down some and we could digest the food some. The plan was to go walk around Georgetown once the sun went down, but I feel asleep and woke up 12 hours later. I think my body needed some sleep! In the morning we got ready to leave and stopped at Ben's Chili Bowl on the way out of town. I didn't have any chili, but Justin says it was good. When we got back to Oma and Opa's we were told the boys behaved very well and went to bed for them just great. Nolan woke up in the middle of the night and they were worried he would wake Tyler and Carter so he slept in Oma and Opa's bed with him.  They say they didn't mind though. The boys played outside, went and fed the horses, had some chick fil a, and got to watch a new movie. They had a blast and didn't seem to miss us at all. However I did get the best reception ever from Nolan. He just kept giving me hugs and giggling for about 10 minutes. I loved it!  Justin and I took the boys to the mall that afternoon to let them play and give Oma and Opa a break. We picked up some pizzas on the way home and then took a nice walk that night before bed.  Thanks for the break Oma and Opa!

Philly Zoo!

On Wednesday we went to the Philadelphia Zoo to meet up with my friend Shannon who moved to New Jersey last year. It was great to see her and her kiddos and the boys of course loved the zoo! On the ride there we learned the boys were old enough to play the alphabet game, which was great because the traffic was pretty bad in Philly. But we finally all met up and off we were. The zoo of course had all their favorites, hippos, lions, tigers, etc. The kids also went on a train ride and splashed in some fountains.  They also had a lot of sculptures to climb on and a kids zoo with farm animals to look at. Shannon's daughter Abby gave Justin a look onto the future of what like will be like with a daughter and boy is he in trouble. She would ask him to hold her and he couldn't resist, carrying her around half the zoo. After the zoo the boys were asleep within minutes so Justin and I took the opportunity to grab from cheese steaks (we both decided we like Gino's better than Pat's) and then we headed back to Oma and Opa's. There the boys got to tell Oma and Opa all about it a take a bath in their big jacuzzi tub with the jets on and everything - talk about a fun day!

Boats

On Monday Justin and I took all the boys down to the Inner Harbor in Baltimore to check out some old boats. When we got there we had a quick lunch and then toured one of the boats. The boys enjoyed going up and down the ladders the most I think. We got to see everything from where they slept, to where they kept their food, and even the boats jail. After the boat tour we went on a submarine tour. The boys really liked that it was painted as a shark. They also seemed to really get how small it was in there and how cramped it must have been for everyone. It was very hot and humid that day so we were all ready to go back to Oma and Opa's house after the submarine tour. We came home, had a little quiet time and then went out for dinner.

On Tuesday all of us went down to Annapolis where we took a 40 minute ferry ride. The boys had so much fun. Carter got to be the life vest demonstrator and they had a little wheel at the front of the boat where both boys got to "captain" the boat. Carter also hung out with the Captain some and saw how everything worked. Nolan mostly stayed downstairs in the air condition with Oma, as he refuses to wear his hat and I didn't want him sunburned. We had some ice cream before we headed back to Oma and Opa's.  It was a very fun day.

More Oma and Opa Time!

On Friday we all got to spend more time with Oma and Opa. They came over in the morning and Oma, Nolan, and I went off to run some errands and do some more shopping - Thanks again Oma! The big boys got the special treat of spending the morning with Opa! They loved every minute of it and I am told they behaved very well. First they went to chick-fil-a for lunch were they ate everything and got a special treat of apple juice. The they got to play for a very long time and one of Carter's friends from school, Elenore, was there as well. The mom told me today that she loved playing with Tyler and Carter because they called her a Princess. I am sure they were playing Star Wars! After some playing Opa then got them ice cream! After that they went to the store where Opa bought them both Star Wars Legos - talk about fun! They came home and Oma and Opa left to pack up before they left the next day. The boys put their legos together and had some quiet time before Oma and Opa came back over so Justin and I could have a date night. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, and once again I am told all three boys behaved great. They ate some pizza and watched a movie and all went to bed without any issues. Thanks so much Oma and Opa, we all enjoyed our visit and can't wait til May when we get to see you again!

Oma and Opa Time!

Oma and Opa are in town for the week and everyone is so excited to see them! Because of plane delays, they got in late Saturday, but we still got to meet them for a quick dinner that night. On Sunday we headed over to Todd and Jessie's for dinner. The boys did great during dinner time, and then all the boy cousins seemed to really enjoy playing with each other.  On Tuesday I dropped the boys off at school and went and picked Oma up from the airport. Oma was then very generous with outfitting this little girl clothes and nursery wise. We picked up the boys a little early (and they were very excited to show off their classrooms) and had a nice lunch before heading up to Castle Rock. The boys, who usually love to play their leapsters while we shop one of the few time they can have them) decided it wold be nice to run around everywhere instead. However OMa still got everyone new shoes and some clothes - thank you Oma and Opa! After that we headed home and once daddy and Opa got there we had dinner. The boys are very excited for some Opa time on Friday!

Christmas at Home

We had  a quiet Christmas at home with the five of us before the chaos of company arriving and heading to Montrose. We opened all our gifts from each other, from Oma and Opa, and from their cousins from my side. The boys were very excited to give their gifts to each other. Tyler had picked out a Oso toy for Carter and Carter picked out a Monster truck for Tyler. They both gave Nolan some balls, which they loved opening for him and showing them to him.  We were all completely spoiled with gifts and the boys have been playing with them non stop since. After opening we skyped with Oma and Opa to thank them and the playing ensued. It was very nice just to have some time with just us, as that will be a rarity with all the cousins around in Montrose.

First Flight

Last Saturday we got news that my Uncle Steve had passed away. Thanks to Oma and Opa, Nolan and I were able to go out for the services.Nana came in on Tuesday night to help out with Tyler and Carter and on Wednesday Justin and I got up very early to make our 6 a.m. flight in Denver. Nolan did great on the flights! On both flights on the way there the planes were only half full so he was able to stay in his car seat. The first flight he slept the majority of the time and the second flight we was awake but happy. Once we got there we were picked up by Oma and Nolan was very happy to show off his smiles. From there we went to the dinner with my other uncles and then the visitation and rosary. Nolan was a little fussy but went to sleep while people talked about Uncle Steve, so at least he knew when to be good. Nolan slept well in the hotel room which I was very happy about. On Thursday morning Nolan and I both slept in a little and then went to the service. Once again Nolan did great and slept thru the entire thing not making a sound. He then got fussy at the luncheon, but after a nice nap in the hotel room he was his happy self again.

From there we went over to Flint to see Great Oma. Nolan once again showed off his smiles. We met up with My Aunt Janet, Uncle Amos and my mom's cousin Paula as well for dinner. It was great to catch up with everyone. On Friday we went over to my Aunt Paulette's house so we could spend more time with her and my cousins. Even though it was for a horrible reason I am so thankful Nolan and I got to go and spend time with my family during this time and remember my Uncle. Nolan did awesome once again on the flight home. He again had his own seat and slept the whole time despite it leaving an hour late. Justin picked us up at the airport and we came home where I was excited to see my big boys. I am told they did very well for Nana, who I am also thankful for her coming so Justin could still go to work while I was gone. They went to school as usual and did lots of puzzles and games. Tyler also showed off at wrestling for Nana. Always happy to hear that they behaved themselves!

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!

Oma and Opa!!

Oma came in last Sunday to help out with Nolan. She was a great help, getting up nice and early with the big boys every morning, watching Tyler and Carter while I took Nolan to his doctor appointments, feeding and changing Nolan, and running many errands with all of us. She also kept my house clean, fed us great meals, and did my laundry. Couldn't have asked for better help! Tyler and Carter loved having her here as well, although with the adjustment phase we are going through they weren't always on their best behavior. Oma didn't seem to mind though. On Friday Opa also came into town. One night Oma and Opa even kept the boys overnight in their hotel room so I could get up and out the door to Nolan's appointment without worrying about the other two - very nice! Of course the boys absolutely loved this as well, along with playing Lincoln logs, reading books, and building cities with Opa. Thanks for all your help Oma and Opa, this week would have been much harder without you here!!

Recap

Eek! Way to long since I have blogged. We had a wonderful time with Oma and Opa here. We got in one day of shopping (thanks Oma!) and then I got a day to go grocery shopping and running errands by myself while the boys played with Oma - always a special treat! That night Justin and I also got to go out, which of course is always needed and always very refreshing. Besides that we have been doing normal day to day things. Its crazy how busy our simple life can be!

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.

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.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was a hectic day, but fun nonetheless. The boys had a rough morning of disobedience and not listening, but they turned it around for a great afternoon. Oma and Opa joined us that evening and we all went to the Christmas Eve service. I asked the boys if they wanted to come to the service or go to the nursery and they both wanted to go play. However during the service I wished I had brought them in, as I think they would have really enjoyed it. After service we came home and had a few snacks. The the boys got to open one Christmas present. We let them each open their new ornament for the tree. Tyler got Snoopy dressed as a fireman and Carter got a bear coloring. We then went down and watched the Polar Express. The best part was when the kids were worried they were going to miss Santa. Carter calls out "Christmas is ruined!". Once it was established that all was well again Carter yells "Christmas is back on!". We put the boys to bed and Opa helped Justin out together one last gift. We said goodbye and went right to bed ourselves.

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!

Happy 4th of July!!

We got the boys up nice and early (5 am) to head to Denver for our flight to Maryland. The boys did great on the flight, but didn't nap at all. They were so excited to see Oma and Opa once we landed. They did fall asleep on the ride home but woke up as soon as we got to there house. After some lunch Toby woke up and the boys had a great time playing together. For fireworks we headed over to a hotel that overlooks a lake. We all had a nice dinner buffet there and settled down to watch the fireworks. It was a great show and Carter really enjoyed the, Tyler however thought they were a little loud and looked away for the majority of them. We all had a very long day, but the boys were loving every minute of it.

10 Weeks

Yesterday Oma came over and watched the boys while I went to my 10 week appointment. All is well the baby number 3, and I got to hear the nice little heartbeat. My morning sickness is still pretty bad, but I am hoping that within a couple weeks it will start to subside. The big ultrasound will be in 8 weeks and hopefully we will find out if I need to change the name of the blog or not.

The boys had a great time with Oma and then had a blast with Opa at the mall last night while my mom and I did some shopping. Carter has been a little out of sorts today. I am not sure if his teeth are hurting him (he is finally getting his 2 year molars in) or if he isn't feeling good, or just really tired. But at 10 a.m he was crying for a nap, after an hour of still crying I finally gave in and let him sleep without him even having lunch. He was asleep with 5 minutes. Hopefully after nap all will be well again. Justin and I are hoping for a much needed date night!

Bowling with Oma and Opa

Oma and Opa are in town this week. The boys love it when they visit and everyday until they came I was asked when they are coming. Now whenever they go back to their hotel I am asked when they are coming back. This afternoon Oma and Opa took the boys bowling. With Opa's help both boys learned how to roll the ball down. Carter seemed to think it was better to kick the ball down like a soccer ball. However this time, compared to last time, he was able to carry the ball all the way to the lane and get the ball to the pins without stopping. The boys had a lot of fun and can't wait to spend more time with Oma and Opa this week.