Easter eggs

Yesterday we did a little "science experiment" in the kitchen with eggs. OK, we dyed Easter eggs! I wanted to sound all educational!

Casey enjoyed stirring the eggs and mixing the colors to make new colors (sounds experimental). Caleb enjoyed poking the eggs and creating cracks (cause and effect).

Tonight I spent some time reading the Easter story to Casey. I picked it up at the Christian bookstore on clearance this weekend. I didn't read it before I read it to him...it was a bit graphic. We spent awhile after the book talking about how mean the people were to Jesus and what he had to go through to save us from our sins. His response was "God forgives me when I push my brother off the boxes?" "Yes Casey...God forgives you". I love how the four-year old mind thinks.

Thomas the Tank Engine Pajamas

Caleb is just starting to take an interest in what is actually on the clothes that he and his brother are wearing. If Casey has on a shirt with a train or ball, Caleb wants one too. So tonight they both were very excited about wearing Thomas the Tank Engine pajamas!

"Please tell me this is the last picture mom!"

"You can take more of me mom, I'm so proud of my new pj's!"

"cho-cho....I could say this all day"

3 weeks to go!

Accepted offer- check
Find new house- check

Pass home inspection- check (phew)

Pass appraisal- check

start packing-check

Three weeks until we pack up and say goodbye to our little home on 88th Street. Here are the things I will miss most:

1. Kops Park

2. Walking to Sentry to get the things I forgot to get at Pick N Save

3. My neighbor Heidi

4. Being able to hear my children wherever they are in the house (never needed a baby monitor)

5. cleaning a small house

These are some things I am most looking forward to about our new house:

1. Being close to most of my family (I'm closer to you to dad!)

2. Being close to any and every store (this could be dangerous)

3. Having more space to play and live

4. Making new friends in the neighborhood

5. Feeling safe

Yeah God! How he continues to bless our family.

nice weather

It has been absolutley beautiful this week! We spent as much time outside as possible riding bikes, taking walks, playing in the backyard and at our neighborhood park.

This is the first time Caleb has been to a park since last fall. You wouldn't know it. He climbs and goes down the slides like a pro.

We are going to have a blast this summer!

Tubes

On Thursday morning we dropped Casey off with Ms. Amy and Isaac and headed to the Children's surgicenter for Caleb to get tubes in his ears. The purpose of placing the tubes in Caleb's ears would be so the fluid would be able to drain so he could hear better and that bacteria wouldn't grow in his ears and cause so many infections.

When we arrived we had to wait in the waiting area for awhile. Caleb kept himself entertained by playing with puzzles and some other little ones who were waiting for their procedures. He was in really good spirits considering he was not able to have any food or drink that morning.

After being put in our little waiting room we dressed Caleb in his cute purple gown. I think he liked it!

We had brief conversations with Dr. Martin as well as the anaesthesiologist. Then the nurse brought a little cup of silly juice for Caleb to drink. It was tylenol mixed with another type of drug that made him well...high. The point was so that he wouldn't remember being taken away from us. He was a totally different child. You can see the progression of stages below...

The surgery itself only took 5-10 minutes. The doctor came to talk to us right away. He shared that there was a glue like substance around his eardrums so he probably wasn't hearing very well. It reassured us that we made the right decision to have the tubes put in. We were in and out in under 2 hours.

Since Thursday Caleb has been so happy and has really started to speak more. Today he called me ma ma instead of da da for the first time! Yeah for tubes!

First haircut

Caleb finally got enough hair for a cut (at almost 20 months old). So I busted out the clippers and snapped on the 1 inch comb. I could tell he was very unsure of the whole thing, but he stood still and brave. Much different from his brother's first (or tenth) hair cut!





He sure looks handsome!

Fun with frieds

Last week Wednesday we had three showings on our home. To make it easy on me I thought I would just stay away the whole day instead of having to clean up after the boys. We spent the morning at the YMCA doing our usual swimming and playing. We stopped at our favorite restaurant for lunch, MacDonald's, and then headed to my friend Gretchen's for the afternoon. The plan was that Caleb would nap there. Things never go as planned...so we just played. After emptying a tote full of trains and tracks the kids decided to take a "boat ride". I also enjoyed when Casey gave Lilly's princess dolls a ride on his flying car. It is so funny to watch little boys and girls play together.


On Saturday Casey and I met Luke and his mommy Alyssa at The Children's Play Gallary. It was Casey's birthday present (great idea). The boys enjoyed painting, climbing on a ship, digging in moon sand and of course playing with trains. When we were finished playing we went to a cute coffee shop for lunch. Thanks Alyssa and Luke, we had a ton of fun!

Congrats Nikki and RJ!

What a beautiful wedding! I had never been to a destination wedding before, it was very romantic. There were somewhere between 50-60 people who flew out to Mexico for the big day which was on Thursday, February 25th.

After a beautiful morning spent sun bathing on the beach we came in to get ready to ensure we wouldn't miss the 1:50pm shuttle to the wedding. We met in the lobby and I snapped a shot of Matt and his soon to be brother-in-law RJ.

After a short bus ride to the marina where the wedding would be held we waited for the event to begin. Matt had the pleasure of escorting his mother and myself down the isle before the wedding party.

The ceremony was beautiful as well as the bride! The day was a perfect day for a wedding on a beach. We were so excited to be able to be there to share in such a beautiful day.





Following the ceremony their was cake and champaign to celebrate. Not to mention the pictures...what's a wedding without lots of pictures!






Once the photographer was done we all climbed aboard a catamaran for a sunset cruise! What a beautiful sunset that evening.


We returned to shore for a candlelit dinner on the beach. I can't believe I didn't take any pictures of this! It was out of a fairytale! Just imagine, white linen table clothes, the ocean waves, delicious food and a saxophone player serenading us. It was amazing.

Congrats to Nikki and RJ on your new marriage! We love you!

Hola from Dreams Riviera Cancun!

Matt and I had a WONDERFUL time on our trip to Mexico. We made memories that we will treasure for a lifetime!

Here is a link to the photo gallery from the Dreams resort.
http://www.dreamsresorts.com/drerc/photo-gallery.html

Our top ten memories from the trip:

1. Dinner at Himatsu (Asian food) with Matt's family the first night we got there. Matt's cousin Tom was the "head of the table". He would ask a question and we would all have to answer it. There was a lot of laughter and even a few tears shed.
   
2. "Buntrock Boot camp" on the beach (almost every morning). Matt and I would power walk, jog and sprint between two piers. At each pier we would do things like push-ups, planks, dips, lunges, etc. Only a couple of brave souls joined us for the fun.
   
3. Relaxing on the beach listening to the waves of the ocean.
4. Eating breakfast at the Seaside Grill. As we ate we had a view of the beautiful pool and ocean side. It was awesome.
5. Our walk down the beach with Matt's folks to a small village called Porto Marino (I think).
6. Date night at El Patio an authentic Mexican restaurant.
7. Matt really enjoyed sailing with his cousin Tom (even though they tipped the boat).
   
8. Laying on the "ploppa beds" (we called them this because you just plopped right on them) in the afternoon taking a siesta (nap)
9. My Spa Pedicure and Manicure were such a treat. Rosie even gave me a neck massage while the parrifin wax was drying on my hands. She got a nice tip!
10. The reason we went...RJ and Nikki's Wedding. It was such a big event I decided to have a separate post just for the occasion!