Branson Vacation!

Yesterday we returned home from a little 3 night getaway to Branson! We had a really fun time! As our first "vacation" with 2 kids, we learned that vacationing with kids is HARD work! But so, so worth it to see those smiles and create memories! I have so many happy memories of vacations with my family when I was a kid, and I'm looking forward to lots of fun trips with our little guys! We are currently in the process of planning a week at Disney World in April, I can't wait!! We are also waiting until right before we leave to tell Ayden so it can be a huge surprise for him :)

We stayed at a waterpark resort, and it was a blast! Friday we spent all day at Silver Dollar City, and started the day having breakfast and getting to meet Scooby Doo! It was the cutest breakfast- they had Scooby themed foods, cookies, and drinks for the kids. So cute!! Ayden was beside himself excited to meet one of his very favorite characters, and couldn't wait to show him his Scooby Doo crocs :) Saturday we stayed at the hotel and swam and played all morning, all took 2 hour naps, walked across the street for pizza, and then played and swam some more until bedtime! Needless to say, the boys were exhausted each night and slept great! The room had a "kid's nook" with bunk beds. At bedtime, we hung a sheet up to make it dark, turned on their fan for white noise, and had them both asleep by 7 every night! Then we got to have some grown up time with a movie and drinks in the room! It couldn't have worked out better! For the first time in forever, Ayden slept the entire night in his own bed (he usually comes to our bed around 3 am). The first morning he woke up, realized he had stayed in his own bed, and said, "did I sleep in my own bed all night?" we said, yes you did! He said, "yes!! I knew I could do it! I'm so proud of myself" LOL!

Here are some pics from our super fun and busy vacation! I'm blogging from the couch, with an ice pack and icy hot on my back, and pain pills, steroids, and muscle relaxers on board after a trip to the dr this morning. The vacation was fun, but was NOT kind to my wimpy back! :(

happy to be on the road!

Ethan....before he got car sick!

And after our pit stop to change his clothes and wipe the carseat with
baby wipes! I'm afraid he's gonna be our carsick kid! :(

supper at Garfields at the Landing!

7 pm and fast asleep!

Ayden's reaction when we told him he was about
to meet Scooby Doo!

being silly with daddy! it comes naturally for them both! :)

seeing Scooby!!

SO excited!!

kiddie coaster ride!

Riding Huck's raft and shooting onlookers with waterguns...
Ayden's favorite ride of the day!



Taking a break from the heat to watch an amazing circus show!

photo by Ayden! :)



Ethan was 36.25 inches tall--he met the requirement to ride all the rides except the huge coasters!
We stuck with the little ones for his first time though :)
He loved them all! Even the big swinging pirate ship
(I don't even like that one!)

ready to hit the waterpark!

The kiddie pool was FREEZING at 10 am!

Ayden's favorite slide! He rode it at least 20 times!

Chris and I rode it too!
No pic of me coming down the slide, thank goodness!

Tired boy!

Brotherly love!

Add caption

Everything else!

Ok, I have now blogged more in the last hour than I have in 2 months (or more). I still have tons of pics to share, but Ethan has since woke up from his nap and colored on the tile, unfolded an entire basket of laundry, and taken every cookbook off the shelf in the kitchen and spread them all over the house. Oh, and knocked over a lamp.Gee, why don't I blog more often I wonder??!! Anyway, the rest of the pics must be consolidated into one post! Someday when I print all my blog books I will remember why I had to smash so many together!

p.s. I don't know if I mentioned that a couple months ago I went over my "storage limit" for pictures on this blog, so I now have $2.99 a month drafted from my bank account for the ability to continue to upload pics. So by golly, I'm using it to the fullest potential! :)

Ayden's end of the season t-ball party!

His first medal! :)

His first time to jump off a diving board!

Cute. Just cute.



This is the screen door out to the garage. We were outside, apparently
Max wanted to come with us!

First fit of the morning!

Jenny's baby shower!

Ayden and Guice!

Ethan and Hollister!

Brave kitty

Ayden's favorite part of the library!

Guess who loves the cat?
(I was told I couldn't put this on facebook, but
he forgot about the blog) :-)

my sweetie!

watching fireworks!



4th of July 2012!

Our week with Pappaw!

Last week my dad came to NWA for his annual camping/golfing vacation on his favorite golf course. It was so nice to have him only 20 minutes away and we got to see him almost everyday! Even though we dearly missed having Memaw here too, the boys had a really fun time with their really fun Pappaw! He went with us on a walk to Crystal Bridges, to the splash park, bought us snowcones and Chick-fil-a for lunch,  and then too us to Chuck E Cheese that evening! We also watched fireworks at the campground where he stayed and went to a baseball game! He proved to have more than enough energy to keep up with us! And since I know he's one of my top blog readers, I will say it directly- Thanks so much for spending time with us, dad! We love you!!

Melissa and her girls!

Last month we were blessed to have 2 wonderful days with my best friend and her 2 precious girls! We hadn't seen each other since Ethan was a newborn, and it was so fun catching up and letting our kiddos play together (which they did very well!). Ayden cried and cried and cried when they left...and I'm not gonna lie, so did I! We had a big ole' sobfest when they drove away! I dream about a day when we live closer than 600 miles apart! Maybe someday! :) Here are some pics of our 2 days of fun!

Perfectly posed little smilers!
Future Mr. and Mrs.? :)

Our traditional PJ pic! We take one everytime we get together and then marvel (and cry) at how much they've
grown and changed each time!

these 2 go together like a wink and a smile ;)

picnic at the park!

I could cuddle this sweet girl forever! love her!

truly the definition of BFF's!!!

Family night at the creek!

Since I started working every weekend back in May, we set aside at least one weeknight where the boys get to stay up past their bedtime, the TV stays off, and we do something fun together as a family! Ayden loves this tradition and tells anyone and everyone all about our family nights! We are having a great time making happy memories! This week we went swimming in a creek that Chris discovered on one of the bike trails where he rides. Ayden had more fun than he's ever had in a pool, and decided he wanted to "move to the creek and live there forever" :)

Happiness!



My baby doesn't look like a baby anymore! ;(

serious about that splashin'!

This boy loves his daddy!

this one too!

stopping for a pic with mom!

22 months!!!

Our handsome, spirited, lovable, rotten little boy is 22 months old today! I normally don't like the cliche' "terrible two's", but it was certainly the passionate behaviors of children such as little E that coined the cliche' to begin with!! However, terrible is, well, a terrible word! There is nothing terrible about this child....he is precious and wonderful and everything that a toddler should be.... with a little extra oomph! lol!!

A few of Little E's favorite things:

-His binky! (he calls it his "Buhhh!!!!!!") I've decided to let him keep it until he's 2, although I am trying to keep it out of sight/out of mind as much as possible.
-Looking at books and pointing out pictures when we ask
-Watching Yo Gabba Gabba, and now, Barney!
-Dancing!
-Playing with the cat! He squeals when he sees Max, and chases him, saying "Keee Keee!!" He can also say Max!
-Playing with his bubba!
-Rocking and singing at bedtime. Melts my heart when his normally non-stop little self nestles his head onto my shoulder and hums with me while I sing to him.He loves for daddy to rock him too!
-Being silly with momma and laughing!
-Running! All the time and everywhere!

Everyone else in the family (including Chris) thinks Ethan is much more "spirited" than Ayden was at this age...but as the person who spends the vast majority of the time with them, I can assure you, Ayden was just like him! I occassionally see toddlers that sit quietly and play in a 2 foot radius of their parents...my boys have NEVER been like that! Ayden had to be kept in a stroller, on a kid leash, or within a fenced perimeter until he was at least 3! Always exploring, searching, and on the go, thats how both the boys have been! And...when you try to stop them (for their own safety!), they scream!! I think the difference in them is that E is a significantly LOUDER screamer than Ayden was! lol! I love my toddler tornado and wouldn't change a thing about him. This too shall pass! Until then, we stay home, A LOT :)

Happy 22 months Little E!

I miss my blog!!

I just logged on to write Ethan's 22 month post, and saw that my last post was his 21 month! Believe it or not, we do a few more things around here than just sit around waiting for Ethan's monthly updates, lol! Just a quick blip, I love my new job in the NICU, but between my Fri, Sat, and Sun nights there, and Mon-Fri days at home chasing the monkeys, I have very little free time these days! But thats ok! We're having a super fun summer and I have lots of pics to post...soon, very soon I promise!!