Peter, Kristin, Sam & Charlie

A Sneak Peek

2012-01-29T21:22:00.000-06:00

As mentioned in an early post, we will soon be moving! Though we knew that we would start looking after the holidays, things came together much quicker than expected. The house we found was a model home in a new neighborhood in a city south of where we are now. Peter and I are excited to have some more space and a yard for our two growing boys (and our dog) to run around and play! I am incredibly excited for my new kitchen....

....and the vaulted ceiling in our new master bedroom!

We'll definitely be all moved in before Sam starts kindergarten, which was one of my goals. We will be living in the same district that I teach in, which was another goal. We will find out in a few weeks if Sam got into the school where I teach. If not, he will go to our neighborhood school. Both are great choices, so we'll be happy with however it works out! We will have to find a new daycare for Charlie, which makes me sad because we love our current daycare provider, but we will make it work. We have just started sorting through things and doing some preliminary packing of some infrequently used things. Sam is a bit concerned about whether or not his toys will be at the new house. He is also concerned because I told him we were not taking our refrigerator. He must think he won't get to play or eat at the new house! Lots of changes are ahead for our family in the next few months:)

Letter Writing: A Lost Art

2012-01-29T20:58:00.000-06:00

Sam loves to give us letters that he has written for us. He only knows how to write a handful of words, so they don't say much, but they mean a whole lot to us!

Christmas 2011

2012-01-29T20:53:00.001-06:00

At ages four and almost two, Christmas was a wonderfully magic holiday this year.

tree decorating, cookie baking, candycane eating, wish list making, gift buying, gift wrapping, Santa visiting, paper chain counting, Christmas caroling, elf on the shelf searching, holiday partying, Christmas book reading, true meaning of Christmas teaching, happy birthday to Jesus singing

The anticipation of this special day is just as fun as the day itself!

Trying out Juliet's new tricycle!

Movie watching with cousins

Will, Sam and Wyatt

Ready for presents!

At least Santa gave a toothbrush along with the Pez!

Sam with his Millenium Falcon spaceship:)

Charlie, Sam and Josie

Charlie kept saying he wanted "bacon" for Christmas. He was very happy that we figured out that "bacon" actually meant "penguin"!

Merry Christmas!

Home, Sweet Home

2012-01-22T15:24:00.001-06:00

On February 29th, this will be our new official home!

Grandpa's 90th Birthday

2012-01-16T21:15:00.000-06:00

Last July, I made a Strawberry Shortcake cake for my niece. My grandpa asked me that day if I would make a special cake for his 90th birthday. My answer was, of course, yes! A cake filled with edible nails and a hammer was perfect for a life-long carpenter. I think Grandpa was pretty happy with the way it turned out, and I felt honored to present it to such a wonderful, talented, and humble man. I love you, Grandpa!

He said it was the best nail he ever tasted!

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-12-21T21:20:00.001-06:00

We were blessed with a beautiful, warm, and sunny fall day this Thanksgiving. It was a much smaller crew then most years - just the four of us, my parents, and my brother. While the big boys watched football on tv, my mom and I engaged the little boys in a game of football outside:)

We had many photos like this...

...before we got one like this!

Halloween 2011

2011-12-21T21:13:00.000-06:00

Great Wolf Lodge

2011-12-21T21:01:00.001-06:00

Over the MEA break in October, we took a little trip to the Great Wolf Lodge in Wisconsin Dells. It was four days filled with lots of fun family time. Both boys had a wonderful time, though Charlie was a little afraid of anything that sprayed or dumped water on him. To be expected for a 21 month old. We enjoyed the waterpark, playing MagiQuest, doing arts and crafts in the Cub Club, eating out, watching movies, trick or treating in the lodge, story time followed by a dance party in the lobby, bowling, and family nap time! Sam still mentions Great Wolf Lodge from time to time and can't wait to go back some day:)

Howling like a wolf

SamTalk

2011-11-27T21:51:00.000-06:00

Below is our conversation tonight as we were playing with Sam and his toy cash register money. I was explaining that a $20 bill is worth a lot more than a $1 bill.

Me: So, it would be a lot more fun to find a $20 bill in a parking lot because it would be like finding 20 one dollar bills.

Peter: But, of course, no matter how much we find, we'd turn it into the police department because that's the right thing to do.

Sam: No, I would keep it because I'm a pirate.

Wolfy

2011-11-06T21:28:00.000-06:00

Sam accidently left his favorite "cuddle" at Grandma Kim and Grandpa Roy's house today. He was very upset. He got "Wolfy" on our trip to the Great Wolf Lodge a few weeks back, and they have been inseparable. Luckily, Grandma and Grandpa have been taking good care of him. Wolfy sent this email (and attached pictures) to Sam this evening:

Dear Sam,

I am at Grandpa Roy's and Grandma Kim's house. I miss you but I am having a good time. Grandma made chocolate chip cookies for us. I saved one for Charlie and you. I had mine with milk. It was good. Then Grandma read me a story. I had to take a nap and grandma put a diaper on me. I got to sleep in the porch just like you and Charlie did last night. Grandma said I will be able to see you soon. I didn't cry. When I woke up Grandpa took me for a ride on the tractor. It was fun. Then we played hide and seek. Grandpa had a hard time finding me. I am sending you pictures of me so you won't miss me too much. I love you.

Wolfy

Fall Fun

2011-10-30T21:03:00.001-05:00

On a leaf hunt!

Gertens Fall Festival

Enjoying Pumpkin Pancakes

In the time it took to get the camera and take a picture of Sam, Charlie had eaten all of the chocolate chips and the stem with green sugar sprinkles:)

Stitches

2011-09-18T21:23:00.001-05:00

Well, with two small boys in our house, it was bound to happen. We had our first experience with stitches. Sam was in bed. I had just changed Charlie, and I set him on the floor and told him to go give Sam a hug good night. I went to wash my hands, and I even paused in the doorway to admire the sweet hug that was taking place between them. Then seconds after I left the room, I heard a loud thump followed by intense tears. According to Sam, he was hugging Charlie, Charlie let go, tripped, and fell, hitting the side of his head on the bookshelf. Hmm. His ear took the hit. It actually looked like someone took a scissors and snipped the edge of his ear. Ouch!

A big thank you goes to my husband for being the rational one that evening. I cried. I cuddled my baby. I told Peter it looked like he needed stitches. Peter took action, called the nurse line, and took him in.The little guy had to get sedated for the procedure. They were gone for four hours, and my dear husband missed the first night of Sunday night football without complaint:) Charlie had to wear a hand bandage all week so he wouldn't pick at the stitches. Today, one week later, the stitches have been removed. I'm pretty sure it will leave a scar. I'm sure it won't be the first.

Cousin Fun

2011-09-12T14:18:00.000-05:00

We had the chance to celebrate cousin Will's SIXTH birthday on Saturday. Sam enjoyed playing with Will and Wyatt and in the bounce house. Charlie had a good time running a juice box stand with Juliet.

State Fair 2011

2011-09-05T20:10:00.000-05:00

Funnel Cake for Breakfast

Where's my food?

Sam: (before) I'm scared to go on that.
Sam: (after) That was really fun!

Yum!

Little Farm Hands - The Highlight of the Day!

He got a little upset when it was time to get off the tractor.

Doing Chores around the Farm

Milking a Cow

Exhausted on the Bus Ride Home

First Day of School

2011-09-02T20:13:00.001-05:00

The boys had their first day of school/daycare last Monday. Sam was ecstatic to see his friends again. Charlie cried during drop-off for the first two days. I shed some tears too but only a few. I know they are in good hands at Miss Lisa's house.

Airplanes

2011-09-02T20:02:00.001-05:00

Airplanes are a pretty big deal around our house these days. Both boys love to play with them. Sam loves to read about them. Charlie loves to announce "airpane" whenever he sees or hears one go over our house. Sam and I enjoyed putting together a lego airplane during Charlie's naptime last week (too many little pieces for Char-Bar to handle). He got a lego firetruck and a lego airplane from Grandpa and Grandma last Christmas, and we put the firetruck together right away. I saved this one for another special day:) By the way, both of these lego toys are SO cool. Each individual window on the plane is a lego piece that clicks into place. It also comes with a passenger that carries the smallest briefcase I have ever seen (and it even opens!). The plane can actually hold seven lego passengers. I secretly hope (okay, so not so secretly since this is on the internet) that both boys continue to want lego toys because I enjoy putting them together and playing with them too!

Since I helped, Sam wanted to take my picture too.

Blogging Lag

2011-08-08T22:57:00.002-05:00

I have been a terrible blogger in the past six months. I thought it would be better once summer started, but I'm in the midst of writing my capstone research paper to finish up my master's degree. And...raising two active little boys keeps Peter and me extremely busy. So, blogging often gets pushed on the backburner. Anyway, for those who are interested, there are FIVE new blog posts below. Now that I feel a little more caught up, maybe I can update more regularly again. Enjoy:)

First Haircut

2011-08-08T22:40:00.000-05:00

Thanks to my sister, Candace, for giving Charlie his first haircut tonight! He looks so cute!

BEFORE

AFTER

Sam loves his new haircut too!

Summer Fun

2011-08-08T22:34:00.000-05:00

For the boys, summer has been filled with trips to the Minnesota Zoo (and Zoo Camp for Sam), Cascade Bay Waterpark, walks around the neighborhood, playing in the park, and backyard fun. We have also squeezed in playdates with friends and cousins, days at the beach, and a couple trips up north. Unfortunately, I haven't gotten the camera out much this summer. I did find a few pictures to share though!

Four!

2011-08-08T22:22:00.001-05:00

I can't believe that Sam is four. Except, of course, when he asks me questions that I don't even know the answer to. Just sitting and chatting - that's my favorite thing to do with this little boy (excuse me, big boy, he doesn't liked to be called a little boy). He is so curious, thoughtful, sweet, and smart. I just love him to pieces.

Of course, at four, he is also very good at testing his limits. We have lots of conversations about what it means to be a good listener. He makes up for it though. The other day he picked up one of those dandelions that just has the seeds. He said, "Mama, I love these. They are for wishes." Then he said, "I wish for lots of joys for my mama, like that I'm a good listener." Then he blew all the seeds away. I'm a lucky mom!

Here are a few pictures from Sam's fourth birthday. Can you guess his favorite superhero?

Duluth

2011-08-08T22:04:00.000-05:00

Peter and I celebrated FIVE years of marriage on June 3rd. For our anniversary weekend, we took a trip up to Duluth. It was great to walk the North Shore, eat several meals out, and just relax. For our big anniversary dinner, we went out for sushi. I hate to admit it, but this was my very first time having sushi, and I was actually a little terrified. I ate it though! It made my husband proud, AND it was delicious. I didn't know what I was missing!

18 Months

2011-08-08T21:46:00.002-05:00

At 18 months, Charlie:
*loves to follow around and mimic everything his big brother does (big brother is not always fond of this).

*prefers to play with cars, Batman's bat cave, any type of ball, or any type of "guy" (lego guy, playmobil guy, etc.).

*climbs up the playground and goes down the slide all by himself.

*is becoming more interested in books, though he is very particular about them and only will listen to a select few.

*enjoys coloring with crayons.

*loves to scream. Mom does not love this. Especially in the car or out in public.

*is completely attached to a yellow stuffed duck. He will not go to bed without duck. This is new to us...Sam never got attached to an object in this way. It's pretty cute, but if duck ever gets lost, it will cease to be cute.

*hates sand but will FINALLY walk around in grass without crying.

*loves to splash in any kind of water - pools, lakes, bathtubs.

*does not like to have his food touch each other - no hotdish for this kid!

*is often up before 6:00 am. Mommy is tired.

*is a definite cuddle bug. This comes in handy during those early mornings.

*is exploding with language. Here is a list of his current words, though I'm surely forgetting a few: hi, mama, dada, brabro (brother), baba, hot, duck, bubble, ball, more, car, cracker, ca-ca (color crayon), auntie, book, blueberry, water, guy, please, yes, no, baby, Ah-koo (Oscar) and bat cave, I kid you not, he says bat cave. Okay, so it sounds more like baa-kay, but he is referring to the Batman bat cave.

*understands SO much of what we say to him and is very good at following directions. This impresses me every day. Kids are amazing.

WE LOVE YOU, CHARLIE!

May 2011

2011-07-15T08:05:00.000-05:00

Sam had his first swimming class without Mom or Dad in the water with him. The first night, it took 25 minutes for the teacher to even get him in the water. The second night, 15 minutes, the third night, 3 minutes. Finally, he was good to go from that point forward. He passed on to the next level and was very proud of himself! We are looking forward to a lot more swimming this summer.

We had our first sleepover with little cousin Josie! She and the boys had a lot of fun playing together!
A little living room picnic!

Easter 2011

2011-07-15T08:04:00.000-05:00

Charlie wasn't quite old enough to understand what an Easter egg hunt was, but Sam LOVED searching for the eggs and baskets. Charlie did, of course, enjoy the puffs and yogurt melts the Easter bunny brought for him. They also both enjoyed getting some new Twins gear. After church, we had a wonderful meal and afternoon of kite-flying at Grandpa Roy and Grandma Kim's house.

Vegetarian?

2011-06-05T22:32:00.006-05:00

Charlie frequently tries to convince us he's a vegetarian by refusing to eat meat. Last week we let him try bbq pork ribs. Let's just say he is definitely NOT a vegetarian.
Sam was a big fan too!

Bath time

2011-06-03T12:36:00.000-05:00

Charlie getting a bath in Grandma's sink!

Sunday School Concert

2011-04-23T09:49:00.002-05:00

Sam has completed his first year of Sunday school and with that came his first group performance. The entire concert was only about 7 minutes long, but we were sure filled with pride! We didn't have the best camera angle, but you can still see him there in the front row:)

1 2 3 4

2011-04-18T20:53:00.002-05:00

Here's what it looks like when a one-year-old, two-year-old, three-year-old, and a four-year-old get together for a playdate! They have so much fun together!

15 Months

2011-04-18T20:29:00.005-05:00

Sam is following Charlie and pretending he is learning how to walk too...

At fifteen months, Charlie:

*LOVES to eat, though he has now realized that some foods taste better than others and is starting to be a little picky. Bananas are a definite favorite.

*likes to climb up the stairs until we tell him to stop. Then he turns, looks at you, smiles, and tries to go up further.

*officially says the words hi, dada (no mama yet), ball, baba (sippy cup), eargo (for "here you go" as he hands you something).

*likes to bring you a book to read. Then he'll start to return the book, change his mind, and bring it back for a second reading.

*takes 10-12 steps unassisted.

*loves to play peekaboo and expects to do this before bedtime.

*doesn't mind bedtime but HATES naptime.

*understands what we are saying and acts accordingly when you tell him to comb his hair, give you his foot (for a sock or shoe), put his arms through (to get dressed), go get a ball, stick out his tongue, clap his hands, or give a hug.

*points to his temple when you tell him to point to his nose. We laugh so much when he does this, that I don't know if he'll ever make the correction.

*wants to cuddle when he wakes up.

*likes to wrestle with his brother.

T-ball

2011-03-21T14:33:00.002-05:00

Sam and Peter started parent/child t-ball last Thursday. They just learn the basics of how the game is played. Next spring, he will be old enough to actually join a team that plays games. He was so excited and loved being there. When we left, he said, "Daddy, I think we winned!" Charlie and I had a good time as spectators, especially since the window was the perfect height for him to look through!

Beauty and the Beast

2011-03-19T21:12:00.003-05:00

Sam loves to belt out the lyrics to this song while listening to this cd in the car. It's a long one, but worth it:)

Sam and Mommy Day

2011-03-01T19:40:00.003-06:00

I highly regret not having my camera with me today. I think it was one of my favorite days as a mother to-date. I took a personal day from work because Sam had his early childhood screening. He was so excited to go to "school" to see a teacher (who is actually a nurse, but I didn't tell him that). Before the screening, we read children's bible stories for about 40 minutes. His age combined with starting Sunday school last fall has caused him to ask more questions about Jesus and God. He wanted to know why and how Jesus died. He was sad when I was reading to him about this today, but he seemed relieved that Jesus came back to life. We'll just leave it at that for now:)

His screening went really well. An hour is allotted, but Sam was done with everything within 20 minutes. She was very impressed with his speech and language skills and with his ability to pay attention and follow directions. If only it were always that good at home!

After the screening, Sam and I went out for lunch. He ordered macaroni and cheese and chocolate milk...and chocolate cake and ice cream for dessert. I think he was in heaven. It was fun to do a sit-down restaurant alone with him because I didn't have a million things to distract me, and I could tell he just loved all the one-on-one attention. After lunch, we went to Target to do nothing more than walk the toy aisles and push buttons on toys. We also stopped by the sunglasses on the way out since Sam was in need of a new pair. I'm not one to really like licensed characters on clothing or accessories, but Sam apparently is a fan. As I tried to show him really cool black or red sunglasses, he ignored me and squealed with delight as he saw Lightning McQueen, Batman, Diego, Dora, Spiderman, and SpongeBob sunglasses. Oh, the decisions. I quickly realized Sam was in charge of this one. After narrowing it down to two, he decided he liked Batman "faster" than Diego. He wore those Batman shades all the way to the check-out counter, while holding my hand because the cardboard was still on them, so he couldn't even see as he walked.

We then went to see the movie Gnomeo and Juliet - super cute by the way. Sam insisted on popcorn and an icee (which he calls a smoovie), and hey, I insist on the same thing when I go to a movie, so we enjoyed it together. We then picked Charlie up from daycare. On the way home, he was talking about how fun our Sam and Mommy day was. I asked him what his favorite part was, and he said "picking up Charlie" because he missed him. This melts my heart because though I know he enjoyed every part of this special day, I'm also touched to know how much he loves his baby brother.

The rest of the evening...well, it was a little rough. Sam had melt-down after melt-down. A result, I'm sure, of too much sugar and fun and a lack of a nap. But I'll take it. Those melt-down moments are part of being a Mommy too, and they make the other wonderfully special moments even better. I love that kid.

Sneak Peek

2011-02-15T22:08:00.006-06:00

On Sunday, we had a photographer come out to our house and spend about an hour with us to get Charlie's one year photos done and some family shots. We haven't seen all the photos yet, but here are a couple that she posted on facebook.
Photos courtesy of Lightning Bug Photography.

Falling for Toys

2011-02-13T19:50:00.002-06:00

Charlie loves getting toys out of this little ottoman in our living room. Unfortunately for him, he occasionally reaches for something at the very bottom, resulting in his feet lifting straight up into the air and his head going into the toy box. This, of course, makes him cry. I would be a mean mom if I tried to take a picture of that rather than rescue him, so I'll leave it to your imagination:)

SuperBowl XLV

2011-02-06T20:27:00.002-06:00

Watching the big game tonight was pretty fun. Sam was actually interested in watching and was asking Peter all sorts of football questions. He and Daddy decided they were cheering for the Steelers, while Mommy and Charlie were going to cheer for the Packers. After the Pack scored two touchdowns, Sam decided he no longer wanted to be a Steelers fan and moved to my side of the room. As he did this, he said to Peter, "you are the loser, Dad." The game is still on as I type this, so we'll see....!

Sam danced during the ENTIRE half-time show. Watch him below!

Yum!

2011-02-06T20:23:00.001-06:00

Oscar doesn't get enough attention here on the blog, which is probably how he feels in general at home too! I have to post this picture - caught just as he was licking his lips taking a break from his chew stick.

Let Me Hold You Longer

2011-02-06T20:02:00.005-06:00

My sister gave Sam a book when he was a baby called Let Me Hold You Longer. This books makes me cry because it is all about a baby boy growing up and going off to college and how, as parents, we document all of their "firsts" (first smile, first step, first day of school, etc.), but we rarely document their "lasts," (the last time rocked to sleep, last time cuddling with a book, you get the picture) and then, too quickly, they are all grown up. I think Sam thinks I'm a little weird when I cry as I read him this book. I don't care though:)

Because of this book, I try to pay attention to these little things, specifically when I know they are the "lasts". Charlie is now one year old. He no longer takes a nuk when he goes down to sleep, he no longer holds still while getting his diaper changed (ahh, such a hassle!), he no longer drinks a bottle. It's all sippy cup for this little guy. I cuddled and held him tight last week as I fed him his very last bottle. Though he didn't think much of it, it was very bittersweet for me as my little baby took a big step towards toddlerhood. My little boys make me very emotional. Peter can vouch for that:)

Making Cookies

2011-02-06T19:54:00.006-06:00

Sam and I spent yesterday morning making some Valentine's day cookies. Or as Sam says, "Balentime's" day cookies. At one point, I left the kitchen for a minute and told him not to eat any cookie dough. When I came back, he was licking his fingers. When he noticed me, he said, "my hand accidently fell in the bowl". Riiight. Can you tell which cookies he decorated?!

February Already

2011-02-03T20:20:00.003-06:00

Charlie's third tooth FINALLY broke through today! This is a very good thing because he's had a lot of trouble with this tooth. He's been very clingy, sad, and in pain. The top gums were so red and swollen, and it was affecting his sleep. The last day or so he's been very, very happy, so it looks like we have our smiley little Charlie back. He doesn't show much interest in walking quite yet, but he's getting better at standing unassisted (by getting better, I mean he's done it for 3-4 seconds a handful of times!). We don't think he officially has any words yet, but he randomly says something that sounds like "hi, Dad" all the time. It's pretty funny, and we like to pretend he knows what he is saying. Just this week, he started playing with Oscar by throwing a ball for him. Oscar will actually bring it back for him to throw again...I definitely have to catch that on video.

Whenever we give attention to Charlie, Sam must get a little jealous because he says "how about you saw another baby that......" and fills in that sentence with whatever Charlie is doing. Sam then does the same thing, looking for the same attention. Below, it was Charlie crawling through the kitchen, and Sam showing that he can do that too.

On the way home from daycare today...
Sam: Jesse and I got to sit at the green table today.
Me: How does Miss Lisa decide who gets to sit at the green table?
Sam: With her brain.

Tonight Sam mentioned (again) that he will marry Bella when he grows up. Then this was the conversation:

Me: How many kids are you going to have?
Sam: Five.
Me: What are you going to name them?
Sam: (with no hesitation) Sam, John, Grandma Carlie, and Maxine.
Peter: That's only four. What about the fifth one?
Sam: (again, no hesitation) Cha-Chi.

Seriously, kids are just too funny!

SamTalk

2011-01-27T20:49:00.005-06:00

Sam (at 4:00 am): "Mommy. I had a bad dream about a talking balloon."
Peter: "What did the balloon say?"
Sam: "It said, no you can't have any movies, you just had a Diego!"

At dinner one night, Sam said: "Ow. Part of my head hurts. Maybe a crab is trying to pinch it."

At breakfast one morning, while eating strawberries:
Sam: "Mom, I'm going to pretend these strawberries are people. Hi, do you want to go in my stomach? Yes, yes I do." Sam eats the strawberry. "Mommy, I really wish that strawberry would come back up."
Me: "Why?"
Sam:"So then I can eat it again."

Sam has become a little more challenging in the area of listening to mom and dad lately. When I asked him why this was, he choked up and said through his tears, "I don't know what is happening with me. My heart is telling me to be naughty." My heart broke...

On any cloudy Sunday, Sam announces: "I can't go to Sunday school today. It's not sunny."

Early Literacy Skills!

2011-01-27T20:46:00.002-06:00

Sam is doing great with learning his letters and sounds. He can even write a few very special words!

Sam

Mom

Dad

Happy First Birthday, Charlie!

2011-01-18T07:11:00.000-06:00

The Hungry Little Caterpilllar's Birthday Party

2011-01-16T21:07:00.007-06:00

Since Charlie seems to be a bottom-less pit when it comes to eating, it was very fitting to have a Hungry Little Caterpillar themed birthday. Though I cannot take credit for the idea (I found it online), I had SO much fun making his cake (and Sam helped by eating LOTS of green frosting). At age one, Charlie didn't really know what was going on, but I think he still had a great day. He got lots of cuddle time with both grandmas and both grandpas, he got to play with the bows on his presents (and got a whole new wardrobe!), and thoroughly enjoyed his first taste of sugar...and he doesn't actually turn one for two more days! I LOVE how sweet he looks in this picture. It was an hour past nap time at this point, and he was SO tired but also happily content with his cupcake.

If Charlie could talk...

2011-01-13T21:30:00.003-06:00

...he would say...

"Black beans are my new favorite thing to eat!"

"Mommy, do you know where my last yogurt melt went?"

Forward-Facing

2011-01-13T21:27:00.002-06:00

We now have TWO forward-facing backseat passengers. Charlie is much more comfortable in his bigger carseat, and Sam LOVES his new booster carseat. In his words, "This is so cool!"

Walking Practice

2011-01-03T19:33:00.002-06:00

So Big!

2010-12-30T21:30:00.003-06:00

Charlie loves to do "So Big" now, as well as clap his hands, walk behind his little walking toy, and climb the stairs - boy he's keeping us busy!

See below for several new posts now that we were able to upload pictures again. Happy New Year!

Christmas 2010

2010-12-30T20:52:00.005-06:00

Sam was incredibly excited to ask Santa for a space ship - until it was our turn (after waiting in line for an hour and a half). Then he decided he didn't want to talk to Santa. He did at least pose for a family picture - Charlie was less than enthused.

Below are pictures from FIVE different Christmas parties we went to in the last few weeks and also Christmas morning at our house - and yes, the boys are wearing the same matching sweaters at all of the parties. We definitely got our money's worth out of those!

The boys with Great-Grandma Helen and Great-Grandpa Kenny

What a smile:)

Christmas Eve - We hosted at our house for the first time for my parents and my brother. My sisters were both out of town with their husbands - and they were all incredibly missed. Sam chose three Russian teacakes for Santa, two candy cane cookies for the reindeer, and an M&M monster cookie for Santa Mouse. He was very particular about this.

Oscar must have helped Santa put gifts under the tree.

We woke up at our own house on Christmas morning for the very first time, which was wonderful! Sam had a difficult time waiting until the end for his big present (space ships, complete with astronauts and aliens, from Santa). It was definitely a lesson in patience. Charlie was pretty happy-go-lucky for his first Christmas - though I think we could have just given him boxes and wrapping paper, and he would have been just as content.

Santa gave Sam a toy shaving set in his stocking. He now feels his face every morning and announces that he "needs to shave". The boys with their cousins on Peter's side - Will, Wyatt, and Juliet

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

Thanksgiving

2010-12-30T20:43:00.002-06:00

We had two Thanksgiving celebrations this year. The first was at our house with Peter's parents and our niece, Juliet. Our first turkey was a success (we think?!). We also celebrated at my parents' house too. Charlie loves to eat - and he indulged in both Thanksgiving dinners and ate more than Sam each time.

Grandma Kim with Josie and Charlie

Charlie - enjoying his very first Thanksgiving!

Josie trying pears for the first time!

Sam enjoying a visit with Grandma Peach, Juliet, and Grandpa Gary.

This and That

2010-12-30T20:30:00.003-06:00

I think it's for you!

He finally got those two teeth in that we've been waiting for - you can see them below - so cute:)

Sam and Mommy's Gingerbread Train

Charlie crawls on all fours now, except in the kitchen. I think it hurts his knees because he cries and does this...

Snow

2010-12-30T20:27:00.002-06:00

Sam enjoying the first snowfall of the season - now the snow keeps coming and coming - and we have lots of winter to go yet!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-26T16:39:00.002-06:00

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! A BIG thank you goes to my husband for spending countless hours (including 35 minutes on hold with Toshiba today) trying to fix our computer so I can upload pictures again. More pictures and posts to come!!!

We're still here...

2010-12-22T21:00:00.003-06:00

...after almost a week with no internet access, we finally got it back up and running (by we, I mean my husband). Unfortunately, "we" are still working on fixing the USB port so that we can download pics once again. Instead, I thought I'd pull out a picture of Sam's first Christmas - one of my all time favorites.Sam is SO excited for Christmas. Though we waited in line for an hour and a half to have Charlie start screaming and Sam decide NOT to talk to Santa, he still tells everyone that he asked Santa for a black space ship. He also wants Santa to bring Charlie a "small cuddle dinosaur". Hopefully Santa delivers:) He also likes to say that Christmas is "Jeezeeus" birthday.

Though Charlie doesn't quite understand Christmas yet, he DOES understand that pulling ornaments off the tree is a lot of fun and gets a rise out of Mom. Several times I have found him crawling across the floor, with a big grin on his face, and an ornament in each hand. He is 11 months old now, and he is crawling on all fours, walks forward if you hold both of his hands, eats everything you put in front of him, pulls himself up to everything, and wrestles with his big brother. I kid you not. They wrestle - and giggle - and truly enjoy each other. Once the camera is working again, I'll put a video up!

We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas holiday!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T21:17:00.004-06:00

As the pies bake in the oven, I thought I'd take a couple minutes to update the blog. First of all, I'm not able to download any recent pictures from my camera. Canon seems to think it is a computer software problem, so now I need to find the time to actually call them, sit on hold, and then have them navigate me through a bunch of stuff that totally confuses me -- so, I put a couple pics up from a few weeks ago until I can get something figured out.

Charlie is now TEN months old! Though he is still sick and suffering from yet another cold and ear infection, he's still our smiley little boy - though these days he prefers to flash those smiles while being held. He pulls himself up to everything now and has even managed to figure out how to get back down. His gums are swollen and those two bottom pearly whites are just waiting to burst through - though I've been saying that for two months. He tries all kinds of table food now, which he LOVES! Some days I think he eats more than Sam. He now takes a bath in the big tub as you will see below, and he has finally starting listening to stories rather than eating the books.

Sam will be three and a half tomorrow! He's such a fun little guy to have around. He loves to talk and asks questions constantly as he tries to soak in everything around him. As any parent knows, this sometimes gets overwhelming. For example, I once overheard Sam ask my dad question after question when finally my dad responded with, "Because Sam. Because is the answer." His favorite things to play with independently are his tools (just like Grandpa Roy) and his flashcards. When we are playing with him, he prefers wrestling, playing bears (one of us is the mommy bear and one is the baby bear - we hibernate and wait for spring to come - and then celebrate when it finally arrives - over and over again - it's really fun - you should try it!), playing school (he likes to be the teacher and quiz us on our letters), and playing memory. He also recently grasped the concepts of addition and subtraction! We are very proud of our little boy:)

As you can see, Charlie definitely gets enough to eat.

Sam was watching Cars. I think that a) Charlie is getting too big for his swing and b) Charlie needs to be placed in a position where he cannot see the tv. Have a wonderful, safe, and relaxing Thanksgiving!

SamTalk

2010-11-08T20:16:00.006-06:00

From the kitchen the other day, I told Sam that it was time for him to go upstairs to go potty. He said, "when I'm done, can I come back downstairs and be a turtle again?" I came out into the livingroom to find him like this...

I was playing Super Mario Bros on Wii the other day with Sam. He likes to be Luigi, who he calls "the green guy". By "be Luigi" I mean he randomly pushes buttons on his remote control until Luigi goes to take a nap (i.e. Luigi dies). I was playing rather poorly, and Peter was making fun of me for it. When Mario "went to take a nap," Sam said, "Mommy, you're special. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, and it's okay." -- Thanks Yo Gabba Gabba for teaching this very important lesson to our son.

Embarassed by Mom already....

The other morning I was sitting with Sam as he was eating his breakfast, and he informed me that my hair was sticking up. I explained that I hadn't showered or gotten ready for the day yet. A couple minutes later I asked Sam if he wanted to go to Target with me. He said, "Are you going to fix your hair first?"

A New Milestone

2010-11-08T20:12:00.002-06:00

Just tonight, Charlie pulled himself to a standing position at the coffee table, completely unassisted! He was so happy, and we were so proud:)

Poor Charlie

2010-11-03T10:43:00.005-05:00

Even though he has a cough, cold, an ear infection, pink eye (including some disgusting eye boogers), and his first tooth coming in - he is still smiling. He's SUCH a good baby:) Hopefully he is on the mend again soon.

Meanwhile, an unexpected day at home gave me some time to get some blogging done - scroll down for six more new posts!

A Frog and a Dalmatian Puppy

2010-11-03T10:11:00.004-05:00

Auntie Candy with her niece and two nephews

Josie"bee" and her Mommy

My sweet little puppy and my silly frog

We went to a Halloween party on Friday night. Peter won the award for worst costume. The two Charlies playing ball together.

I think our little Charlie is a bit of a ball hog.

Sever's Corn Maze

2010-11-03T09:59:00.003-05:00

We headed to Shakopee to meet my whole family at the Sever's corn maze. It was chilly, but we still had a lot of fun!

I am STILL finding kernels of this corn around my house!

Sam enjoying the giant slide with Uncle Jeremy!

The pig races!

32

2010-11-03T09:53:00.002-05:00

Yep. That's my age. Only eight years away from 40! My younger sibs like to make fun of me for being "old". Don't worry - you all aren't that far behind! My birthday celebration was great. Peter and I took Sam to his first play - Charlotte's Web. He was completely enthralled, but he was a little confused about why there weren't "real" animals. Then we went home and picked up Charlie (thanks for watching him, Candy!), and we went out for Vietnamese food for dinner, followed by a trip to Byerly's to pick out a birthday dessert. I should say though, that Sam picked it out - a grasshopper pie. Good choice, Sam!

Peter's Parents' New House

2010-11-03T09:43:00.003-05:00

While up north, we also got to see Gary and Peach's new, beautiful home on Whitefish! Thanks for having us for a visit - the boys will have so much fun in the bunk bed room as they grow bigger:)

Dad's Work

2010-11-03T09:33:00.001-05:00

My dad has been remodeling my aunt and uncle's cabin up north for some time now. It started with just the studs up for the walls - now it looks just beautiful! I'm glad I finally got the chance to get up there to see it. Nice work, Dad!

Gertens Fall Festival

2010-11-03T09:27:00.001-05:00

This is an annual fall family tradition for us, and this year was even more fun because Sam was old enough to enjoy so many of the activities - painting pumpkins, pumpkin bowling, straw maze, haunted house (don't worry, not actually scary), and more!

Stale Library Bread

2010-10-19T22:14:00.002-05:00

A few little tidbits...

We are in the process of teaching Sam the Lord's Prayer and recently discovered something precious. Instead of saying "give us this day our daily bread," he says, "give us the stale library bread."

Sam has been doing really great with SOME aspects of potty training. The issue is going #2. He flat out refuses to do it and waits until bedtime when he has a diaper on. Last night, in a very stern and loud voice, he said to me, "MOMMY. I. HATE. POOPING." Ahh, three year olds.

Our little guy is often called "Charlie Barley". That has also led to Peter calling him "The Barls." Tonight, I called him by his actual name, Charles Kenneth. Sam said, "No, Mommy. His name is Charlie Barls."

A while back, we saw a dead mouse on our walking trail. The next day, on the same part of the trail, Sam asked where the mouse was, and I told him it wasn't there anymore. He said, "Maybe he went home for lunch and then will come back and be dead again later."

Our daycare provider, Lisa, has a son in middle school. He read the book The Outsiders, and then wanted to rent the movie with his friends. Lisa told him that she had to talk to the other parents first because there are drugs and alcohol in the movie. Sam overheard this and chimed in with, "My mom and dad drink alcohol. They keep it in the fridge."

Oh...the things kids say...

Charlie and Josie

2010-10-03T21:45:00.003-05:00

I just HAVE to put up this series of pictures because they are just too funny. It looks like Josie either A) doesn't like to get her picture taken or B) is a little frightened by her goofy cousin, Charlie. Here is our attempt at getting a picture of them together.

Finally!

This and That

2010-10-03T21:39:00.002-05:00

Josephine - almost three months old! Silly boys...
Beautiful fall walk with they boys and cousin Josie.

Me and my boys:)

Experimenting with New Foods

2010-10-03T21:30:00.003-05:00

In addition to his baby food, Charlie is starting to try bits of table food (bananas, bread, chicken), and has also tried some teething biscuits and cheerios. So far, he LOVES to eat anything, with the sole exception of the homemade green beans and corn I made for him.

Here he is before his first teething biscuit. I love this picture because it looks as if he is saying "don't even think about taking this from me!"

Here he is afterwards - a very content baby boy!

Fire Station Tour

2010-10-03T21:14:00.006-05:00

Sam is a pretty big fan of firetrucks and firefighters (he wants to be one when he grows up), so we had to take advantage of the fire station tour through our local ECFE. He was a little overwhelmed at first but definitely warmed up. The camera was being a little funky that night, so some of the pics aren't that clear, but in my opinion, the boys are cute enough that they are still worth posting:)

Grandparent Visit

2010-09-26T15:40:00.002-05:00

Grandpa Roy and Grandma Kim came over for dinner the same night we babysat Josie. It was a full-house!

Friends

2010-09-26T15:37:00.000-05:00

Sam and Charlie with their friends, Henry, Jackson, and Grace.

Roll the Ball

2010-09-22T19:25:00.002-05:00

Twins and Target Field

2010-09-21T20:46:00.002-05:00

We (finally) made it to our first game at the new Target Field! Sam loved every minute of the entire experience: riding a bus there, seeing the field, watching the game, eating the food, having a big kid day with Mom and Dad (Charlie stayed at my cousin's house - thanks, Ashley!), hanging out with aunties, uncles, and grandparents, singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game", and riding the train home. He now loves to play baseball in our living room by wearing his Twins hat and his baseball glove and pretending to dive into the ground to catch imaginary balls. All in all - a great time. We can't wait to go back next year with BOTH boys!

Eight Months

2010-09-19T08:45:00.004-05:00

Charlie is now eight months old! He still scoots around like crazy, but crawling is just around the corner - probably this week! He gets up on his hands and knees (see below) all the time now, so he just needs to figure out how to move forward in this position. He has recently discovered how cool it is to scoot all the way over to the sliding door to see outside.

Firetruck on the First Day of School

2010-09-12T20:52:00.003-05:00

This is a firetruck from our local fire department. It is in front of our house at 4:00 in the morning on the first day of school.
The night before, I got everything ready for the morning and got everyone in bed early (including myself) so we were well-rested for the next day. At 3:30 in the morning, a piercing sound woke up me and Peter. It was our carbon monoxide detector. Our immediate response was that it must be a malfunction or a low battery, but then I got a little nervous because what if it WAS the real deal. So, I pulled out my manual, and read the following: If you hear one beep every thirty seconds, then replace the battery. If you hear four quick beeps every few seconds, immediately leave your home and call 911. Well, we heard four quick beeps every few seconds. We still contemplated for a few minutes about whether to take this seriously, but then I read that children are the first to be affected, and with high levels of carbon monoxide, adults would be so disoriented, they wouldn't even be able to call for help. Peter heard the concern in my voice, and called 911. They told us the same thing as the manual - get out of the house. So, we loaded both boys and the dog into the car and parked across the street as a police officer arrived followed by two firemen in a firetruck. Sam was more than impressed. He wanted to get out and see the firetruck and meet the firemen. Of course, at 4:00 in the morning, I told him this wasn't an option. So he instead asked if he could have breakfast and go to Miss Lisa's house (daycare).

After what seemed like forever, they told us that there was no carbon monoxide detected in our home. This was, of course, a relief, but seriously, I think I need to write a letter to our carbon monoxide detector company. We were given the okay to back inside at 5:00 am, and of course, both kiddos were wide awake. We finally got them to go back to sleep at 5:45, only to wake them up at 6:15. So much for being well-rested for the first day of school! If anyone has a recommendation for a good carbon monoxide detector, do let me know:)

Our Little Vikings Fans

2010-09-09T07:11:00.002-05:00

Back to Reality

2010-08-30T20:02:00.005-05:00

Today was my first day back at school, so the boys are back in daycare. Sam has been very excited to go, and when I picked him up this afternoon, he said he was sad to leave his friends. When I told him he was going back tomorrow, he cheered:) It was Charlie's first day at a formal daycare, and I think he was pretty exhausted by the change of routine and a new environment. He was asleep by 7:45 tonight. He usually doesn't get tired enough for bed until 8:30-9, well after Sam is asleep. For me and Peter, it was our first attempt at getting ourselves, a preschooler, and a baby (and a dog) ready for the day and out the door by 6:45 a.m. I fully realize lots of people do this sort of thing every morning, but it was a first for us, and I'm pleased to say it went off without a hitch! We'll see how long it takes before we get lazy and don't get a lot of the prep work done the night before (making lunches, setting the coffee pot, getting clothes ready, writing out daycare checks, having bottles ready, etc.). That would make for a much more stressful morning! Here's a pic of the boys before their first day of "school".

On a side note, the boys are actually starting to play together now, which is so sweet and melts my heart. That being said, this has also been the beginning of Sam getting upset because Charlie is taking "HIS" toys and "getting them wet" (i.e. putting them in his mouth and drooling on them). Overall, though, it is really fun to watch, and I hope they continue to enjoy playing with each other.

When I saw Charlie before taking this picture, I asked Sam if he put the little rattles on Charlie's ankles. He said "No, Mommy. Those are band-aids. I put band-aids on him." Maybe we have a future little doctor on our hands!

Seven Months

2010-08-19T07:52:00.002-05:00

Babysitting!

2010-08-19T07:29:00.003-05:00

I had the chance to babysit my sweet little niece for the first time this week while Amy attended a workshop. Sam loved having another baby in the house. He actually told me that he wanted to have a girl baby come and live at our house sometime. Peter was not amused.

Feeding his little cousin

Sam asked me if he could give Josie a toy to play with - I think she'll keep busy for awhile!

Josephine's Baptism

2010-08-19T07:22:00.003-05:00

On her baptismal day, Josephine wore the same gown that her mommy wore at her baptism (and her Auntie Kristin and Auntie Candy)!

We had a wonderful time celebrating this special day with Josie and her mom and dad. We did, however, have to deny Sam's request to "dip Josie in the water".

Sweet Boys

2010-08-12T15:33:00.003-05:00

Wedding Bells

2010-08-11T21:15:00.002-05:00

We had a wonderful time celebrating Sarah and Abhinav's wedding this past Friday night! It was a beautiful celebration, and it gave us a chance to catch up with a lot of friends. Congratulations!

Laura's Baby Shower

2010-08-11T21:11:00.001-05:00

Laura will be joining the ranks of motherhood in just under a month! We celebrated with a little baby shower on Saturday. We can wait to meet the little one!

Lisa and Karine are expecting too!

Videos!

2010-08-09T14:44:00.003-05:00

Play Date!

2010-08-05T15:51:00.002-05:00

What do you get when you combine six moms, three toddlers, two six month olds, and four newborns? A whole lot of play date! Six of the nine girls in my book club had babies in 2010, and we got them all together for the first time yesterday. It was so much fun! We'll need to get a bigger house in order to host such an event when all those babies start crawling!

The Charlies - just four days apart

Lunch at the kid table

Summer Fun

2010-08-05T15:26:00.006-05:00

You'd think I'd have more time for blogging during the summer when I'm not working, but nope, apparently not! Here are a bunch of summer time pics to enjoy!

Cousins - Josie and Charlie

Sam and Charlie with Cousin Will
Sam, now at age three, refuses a nap most days. I still make him have some quiet time up in his room, and this is how I found him one day.
Charlie's favorite place to be is on the floor where he can kick and squirm.

I wanted to get a pic of Peter and me at the park. Nice to see he cooperated:)

I guess Oscar wouldn't cooperate either.

At least Sam did!

Sam wants to be outside every day...

"Hmm. How do I get my head off the ground to do this crawling thing?"

Charlie loves his exersaucer (aka command post) as much as Sam did.

Up north visiting Great-Grandma Betty

Horseback riding with Grandma Peach and her horse, Adobe Joe Only three and a half weeks left of summer before I go back to work. I'll be working full-time this year, and with two little ones, life is just getting busier and busier. And we love every second of it!

Sam's First Camping Trip

2010-08-05T14:54:00.005-05:00

A couple weeks back, Peter and I took Sam camping while Charlie spent a couple nights with Grandpa Roy and Grandma Kim. Sam LOVED every part of the camping trip - setting up and sleeping in a tent, roasting hot dogs and marshmallows over the fire, playing at the playground, swimming at the beach, kayaking, hiking, more swimming at the beach, playing lots of catch, and telling "scary" stories around the campfire. We can't wait for Charlie to be old enough to do some camping with us too. Sam was very excited that only he got to go since Charlie "is just a baby" and he "is a big boy".

Supervising Daddy putting up the tent

His first s'more - the second night he just opted to eat plain marshmallows. Being goofy in the tent

Waiting around for the big storm, it did hit, but luckily we just had lots of rain, thunder, and lightning - nothing too scary.

Throwing rocks in the lake during our hike

Mommy and Sam at the beach
Daddy and Sam going for a swim

Throwback

2010-08-05T14:52:00.001-05:00

Did I get suckered into purchasing this at the checkout counter merely because of the throwback design? Yep. I sure did.

Salt

2010-07-25T09:24:00.004-05:00

No, this is not a post about the new Angelina Jolie movie. But it is indeed about salt. Sam was helping me make scrambled eggs for breakfast this morning. It was his job to stir up the egg mixture as I added things to it. After chopping up some fresh herbs, I turned around to see him adding salt to the eggs. I told him that was enough, and we finished preparing the eggs. We sat down to eat, and after one bite we threw all the eggs away. I looked at the salt shaker (see below). Notice it is empty. It was, I believe, about 1/3 full before the egg incident. I guess I need to do a better job of supervising my 3-year old in the kitchen:)

Concert

2010-07-23T18:43:00.002-05:00

I walked downstairs to find this - too bad I only caught the tail end of it.

Six Months Old

2010-07-20T21:06:00.004-05:00

At six months, Charlie likes to:
- smile, smile, and smile some more
- eat rice cereal and oatmeal
- get up on his knees and scoot around (with the top half of his body still on the floor)
- roll both ways, all over the floor
- sit unsupported for up to 30 seconds
- play with his feet
- laugh at his brother
- chew on books and toys, or anything else he can find to put in his mouth
- stare at his puppy-dog
- make baby sounds (or if you ask Sam, he "says funny words")
- be outside
- cuddle with Mommy and Daddy

At six months, Charlie does NOT like to:
- eat vegetables
- take naps during the day (big brother won't do this either - making one tired mommy)
- play by himself
- be in hot weather

Don't let this picture fool you. Charlie tried his first vegetable - carrots. After a few bites, he made a "this is disgusting" face and spit everything out. Then he refused to open his mouth again. Looks like we have yet another veggie-hater on our hands!

Welcome Josephine Melissa

2010-07-10T17:39:00.004-05:00

Congratulations to Amy and Luke on the arrival of Josephine Melissa! She was born at 8:54 am this morning weighing in at 8 lbs. 9 oz. and 20 inches long. We enjoyed meeting little sweet Josie today, and we are glad everyone is healthy and doing well!

Grandma Kim and JosieGrandpa Roy and his Grand-daughterUncle PeterJosie with her Mommy and AuntiesSam and Charlie with their new cousin. Charlie is upset that his reign as the baby of the family is now over.

Josephine with Auntie Kristin

Auntie Candy and her new nieceThe Happy New Family

Summer

2010-07-09T19:26:00.003-05:00

The summer is just flying by so far. Since we got back from our trip, we've been busy going to the water park, the zoo, some playdates, and visits with family and friends. We are also anxiously awaiting the arrival of Amy and Luke's baby, which will be the first cousin on my side for Sam and Charlie. Sam predicts the baby will be a girl, and he thinks they should name her "Auntie Robin". She must hold a special place in his heart:) Here are a cute pics of our little one, who we affectionately call "Charlie Barley".

He loves sticking out his tongue all the time. Here I actually caught it on camera in the middle of a spoonful of cereal.

Charlie - Future Boy Band Member

He's always full of smiles...

Sam wanted to do a little singing for the blog, so here you go!

4th of July

2010-07-09T18:55:00.002-05:00

We attempted a 4th of July parade, but it was MUCH too hot for little Charlie, who just didn't understand why it was fun to endure such heat when there is air conditioning or shade to sit in. So Peter headed back to Amy and Luke's house while I stayed to finish the parade out with Sam, who enjoyed the fire engines, clowns, marching bands, and candy. We then went to my parents' house for a little pool party fun. It was Charlie's first swimming experience. He seemed a little less than impressed. Sam loved the water, of course, and he also enjoyed his first 4th of July sparkler!

July 6th

2010-07-06T08:33:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday Candace!!!

Las Vegas

2010-07-06T07:36:00.006-05:00

As a wedding gift, my grandparents gave us a week of their timeshare. Four years and two kids later, we finally found the time to use it! We decided to head to Las Vegas since neither one of us had ever been there before, and everyone always seems to have a good time in the city that never sleeps. The accommodations were top notch! We highly recommend the Grandview Las Vegas. It's about three to four miles south of The Strip, but shuttles are available, and South Point Casino is across the street from Grandview and also has restaurants, bowling, and a movie theatre.

While we there we checked out most of the hotels, saw two shows (Cirque Du Soleil Mystere and Blue Man Group) and two movies. We spent some time by the pool, went out to dinner every night, took a day trip to Hoover Dam, and explored M&M World - a highlight of the trip as we got souvenirs for our little guys who were back home in Minnesota (we missed them a lot!). We aren't much for gamblers, but we had to try a few video machines since after all, we were in Vegas. I believe we spent a total of $25, and we won....well, nothing. We lost it all. But hey, $25 for a couple of hours of entertainment wasn't too bad.

Excalibur - With its castle-like appearance, we are pretty sure this would have been Sam's favorite hotel.

The Bellagio - Definitely our Fave - Fountain light show, great gelato, fancy people, unique decor

Skylight in the Bellagio

Coolest chocolate fountatin ever (at the Bellagio, of course)

At night

The Venetian - It looks like Italy inside - that sky is painted on the ceiling!

Pirate Ship outside of Treasure Island

The Fremont Street Experience (Old Vegas)

Hoover Dam - After a really long road trip with insane traffic, the Hoover Dam didn't quite impress us. It was the hottest day of our trip - 106 degrees + being surrounded by concrete = yuck. Right when we got there, we went into the cafe to grab some lunch, but the electricity had just gone out so they weren't selling anything because their cash registers were down. This also means they weren't selling tour tickets and the visitor center was closed. We roamed around for 20 minutes, then headed back home, but at least we can say we saw the largest dam in the world!

Ceiling in the lobby of the Bellagio

Lion Habitat in MGM Grand

Blue Man Group = Awesome
See it. Seriously.

Paris (this Eiffel Tower replica is half the size of the real one)

Hanging out after some gelato at the Bellagio

The Volcano at the Mirage

The Light Show at the Bellagio

Rice Cereal

2010-07-05T08:58:00.002-05:00

Charlie and his Nuk

2010-06-30T08:00:00.003-05:00

Thank you, Grandma Peach!

2010-06-12T18:48:00.002-05:00

We want to say a BIG THANK YOU to Peter's mom for taking care of baby Charlie the past 10 weeks while I finished out the school year. Charlie and Sam had a lot of fun having Grandma around, and Peter and I really appreciated all of the help!

The Dinosaur Party

2010-06-08T21:02:00.011-05:00

Sam picked the theme (dinosaurs) and the menu (pepperoni and olive pizza, chocolate cake, and strawberry ice cream) for his party this year. It makes it a lot of fun when he actually has an opinion about it! We headed up to Peter's parents' house up north for the festivities this year.

Sam's dinosaur cake - and I made it myself:)
The three boys having a balloon fight with 93 year-old Great-Grandma Carlie! Excited to open gifts! Sam with his cousins, Wyatt and Will

Playing a little "pin the skull on the dinosaur skeleton". It was the only dinosaur themed game we could find:)

It was a great party. When asked what the best part was, Sam says "the dinosaur balloon and my cake." And now, our adventure of parenting a three year old has begun!

Sam's Third Birthday

2010-06-08T20:31:00.004-05:00

On May 25th we celebrated our little guy's third birthday. But don't tell him he's a little guy. He will correct you and say he is a "big guy". At age three, he's all about doing EVERYTHING himself. For months, he has wanted to brush his teeth all by himself, and Peter kept telling him that he could when he was three. The morning of his birthday he ran into the bathroom and said he could brush his own teeth because he is three now. Kids remember everything you say, huh! Since he requested pizza and cake for his birthday party, which was the following weekend, on his actual day, we asked him if he wanted something else. He asked for "Sandwich eat fresh" (Subway) and M&M ice cream. So, Subway and DQ we went!

Excited about his new Twins hat and baseball glove!Auntie Amy and Uncle Luke couldn't make it to the birthday party, so they joined us for sandwiches and ice cream!