Adventures with Momma

These past few weeks the boys and I have been feeling "pent-up", thanks to the summer heat, so we went on a couple new adventures!!!  Sorry, there are no pictures of our adventures, it was all I could do to keep track of the kids and their belongings!

We first visited Pump It Up.  This was the place to be, they were almost to capacity when we arrived.  There were kids (of all ages) and parents everywhere.  It's the kind of place where parents can "play" along side their kids, which is good because my little guys were a little clingy when we first got there.  We had lots of fun jumping and sliding but hopefully next time Brandon will be more adventurous.
 
The next week we went to The Splash Pad at Brandi Fenton Park with my cousin and her kids.  We went early to try to prevent heat stroke and to avoid the crowd.  This park is great, the pad is completely fenced, is non-skid and since there is no standing water, no place to drown!  Mason was definitely more adventurous than Brandon, especially when it comes to water activities.  He really clings to me in new situations....hopefully he'll out grow that.  We played for about an hour, had a snack under the ramada, and then let the kids burn some energy running around in the grass.  Best of all, it was free!  We will be returning to The Splash Pad! 

The boys had a blast on our new adventures....so now I'm on a mission to explore what else there is for us to do!

bike rides at sunset

Another great dessert sunset!

"Cheese!"

Mason loves the roam the front yard after our nightly bike rides

Kevin, the boys, and I have been getting lots of use of out of the bike trailer.  The boys love to "load up" and go for rides before bedtime, especially when we get to occasionally stop to visit family or go for a swim in Grandma-nama's new pool!!!  Brandon is usually so worn out from his day (since he refuses to nap for us) that he asleep by the time we return home.  Mason, on the other hand, is quite the night owl and loves his alone time with us.

Success with froggy potty, finally!!!!

Brandon is no longer asking for pull-ups when he has to poop.....he decided last week that he is ready for the froggy potty to do #2 and hasn't mentioned a pull-up since!!!!!!  He has successfully done his business on the froggy potty six days in a row, and hopefully he'll continue with this fabulous habit at daycare.....
Great job Mr B.!!! 
Now, hopefully little brother will learn by example and want to accomplish potty training soon than later. 

snuggle time!

Is there anything better than falling asleep in "Momma's" bed?

my boys....

The boys have both become quite fond of snuggling in our bed, but for especially Brandon as it has become a place of comfort and relaxation.  Yeah, it may be a bad habit in the making but I'll admit I absolutely love snuggling with them at the end of the day.

random pics

movin' in for the kiss

Kisses for Brandon



Goin' for a ride on big brown Jakey



Mason was having too much fun

Tractors, trucks, and mega blocks

"Can I drive this tractor from up here?"

This garabage truck is pretty comfy...he sat here for a while before moving on!

Mason spent the better part of this evening arranging and re-arranging his tractors, probably would have taken them to bed if we would have allowed it!

"Cheese"

Mason, unlike Brandon, is fascinated with tractors, trucks, cars, most anything with wheels that he can "drive".  He has also, more recently, taken an interest in his mega blocks.  I will often find him constructing towers in the family room, content to play by himself. 

Day in Frankenmuth

Our last day in Michigan was spent traveling to the most wonderful store I have been to in years.  We (Joe, Linda, Bill, Mom, and I) piled into the car for a two hour car-ride to Frankenmuth, MI., home of the world's largest Christmas store!!!!  It was a fun day spent with the family, but next time we'll leave the 'rents at home so us siblings can make a full day of it...

Bronner's in  Frankenmuth

Oh yes I did!  For those of you who know me, how could I pass up a trip to the worlds largest Christmas store....after all, can you ever really have enough Christmas "crap" (as my dad would refer to it)????  The store is so big that we actually spent several hours looking and shopping for that special something....they have ornaments for every everything!  I purchased an ornament for each of the kids, hoping that each year I can find a special ornament that I can eventually pass on to them when they are married.... 

I still love snowmen but have also started collecting reindeer's too!

We weren't able to spend much time sight seeing around the town of Frankenmuth but we did convince father to stop and set some salt water taffy! 

Day #3-Graduation day

Mom & Bill

Don, Nicole, & Linda

Josh, Linda, Nicole, Don

Joe, Nicole, and Tina

 Happy Graduation, Nicole! Nicole has earned such excellent grades (4th overall in her class, just under a hundred graduating seniors), that she has earned scholarships for college.  Now, no pressure, but Josh graduates in just two years....hopefully I'll be able to see his graduation also.

Josh, showing off his skills!

Josh, Joe, and I spent a few evening playing in the pool.  Joe and I even worked up the courage to "trampoline" ourselves into their pool, thanks to a little encouargement (or peer pressure) from Josh.  Josh is quite the dare devil, but I guess years of pactice helps! 

Day #2

Mom and I in Linda's front lawn!

Barns are every where in Michigan

Today was a beautiful day.  We relaxed in the morning and spent the afternoon at the town hall having a graduation party for Nicole (my niece).  We had great homemade food, spent a couple hours outside enjoying the grass and playing games, then wrapped it up with yummy homemade cake made by my sister (yes, the same sister who made my wedding cake!).

It has been a welcomed vacation, although it was different not having Kevin and he kids around.  Yes, for those of you wondering, this was my first time away since having kids.  It was hard on Brandon and I missed the boys like crazy but it was well worth it! 

Driving around the more rural areas of Michigan, like when we were visiting Joe's (my step-brother) grandma, made me want to have a barn and a farm house with a wrap around porch.  So, should I ever have the chance to move to Michigan, those are on my list of must haves.  It's still hard to get over how incredibly green and lush it is here.  They even have to mow the side of the road!  I will say this, I have found that I need the mountains....how else do you know which way you are going?

Michigan trip-day 1

My parents and I went back to Michigan (Delton) this summer to see family and soak in all the green.  And when I say green, I mean green everywhere!!!  While flying into Grand Rapids, I was shocked to see all the green grass, green trees, lakes, and beautiful barns. 

Lake Michigan



Mom, Bill, and Joe on the shore of Lake Michigan

a beautiful church right on the shore of Lake Michigan

We spend the morning at Lake Michigan, just taking in the beautiful town and spending a little time on the shore, letting the sand warm our feet! 

Swimming lessons

This month we have enrolled Brandon in swim lessons at the YMCA.  He is a "Pike", as he is a beginner swimmer and is surrounded by fearless girls his own age.  My poor little guy is quite fearful of the pool and has yet to participate with the other kids, not even getting into the water with the instructor!

He will humor us and play in the water at the zero-depth pool, which means he'll venture in up to his knees, if we are lucky.  But it is all on his terms, the one time I brought him all the way into the pool, he clung to me like a leach!  I know he would love to be in the water if he would just give it a chance, but I have a VERY strong-willed child, so who knows how these lessons will pan out!

Hopefully as the lessons progress, or as we spend more time playing in the kiddy pool, he will find confidence and learn to love playing in the water. 

Now, Mason on the other hand, loves the water.  He needs a little convincing at first but then he takes right to it!  Hopefully this early introduction to the pool for Mason will mean we won't have these issues when it's time for time to have swim lessons...maybe next summer???