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Sunday, June 23, 2013

Summer FUN!

Summer is here and there is definitely no sitting still in our house... I am tired just thinking about what we do in a week to keep these two little boys busy!  As you know from the last post, we have taken away the Paci's (we gave them to the deer), and I would like you all to know what we have survived a long week.  Saturday night the boys were excited to be bog boys and help out the baby deer who needed their Paci's.  Sunday they didn't nap, Sunday night bedtime was horrible and on Monday - day number 2 with no nap - I made them "rest".  We built beds on the floor and watched a movie.  If they don't nap - they still needed to rest.  Mommy isn't ready to have two no nappers ;) 
 The "rest time" turned into this.  Whew.  Eventually later in the week, we have made it to napping back in their beds and NOT ASKING for their pacifiers.  Bed times are getting better too!
 Sharing and sitting with in arms reach is a major accomplishment in this house.  I take pictures of it when it happens.  Ashton shared his blanket with his brother AND Aiden let his brother sit by him. :)
 Monday morning the BIG TRUCKS came to take our yard back to grade... sort of.  The boys were excited and wanted to play in the dirt before we had to go in the house to safety.

 Before...
 The boys didn't know what window to go to!  We had cement trucks at the neighbors our front, the excavator in the back and a bob cat all over in the yard.
 They thought it was sooooo cool!  I thought it was too...  they were entertained and I could get some stuff done in the house!  No after picture of the yard.  Why you might ask?  It's not done!!!  Rain moved in and they pulled out all the equipment... now who knows when they will be back.  Maybe we'll get a little grass growing before fall.  I didn't even want the next thought to come out of my mouth - I kind of can't wait for winter so everything can be frozen and the D.I.R.T covered up with clean white stuff!
 I will try to remove the word dirt from my vocabulary... Because of our lack of grass, we have picnics at the park to play outside in green grass.  Yes, our version of a picnic is packing a cooler and also stopping by Arby's for sandwiches and curly fries.  A modern day picnic.

 Wakanda Park.  Ashton loves the slides... Aiden isn't sure about going down them all by himself.



Wednesday morning the boys went to visit their friends at Bonnie's so I could head to Madison for a conference on Thursday and Friday.  It was a great time with some friends and colleagues from work.  State Street and the Capitol area are BEAUTIFUL! 
 Friday night we played with Fin.  Fin is the little boys who is building a house right across the street.  Looking at these pictures, you could think they were triplets with all the blonde hair!  Fin is two months older than the boys and he gives Ashton and Aiden a run for their money with his energy.  It is going to be so much fun watching these boys grow together.  He will have a baby sister any day too!  Fin cries if they come to look at their house and Ashton and Aiden are not outside.  Too Cute.
 There are NO pictures of all three sitting still for a picture.
 deciding who was going to go get the ball in the mud
 Fin has no fear. 
 I cannot even imagine what these three boys are going to get into in the upcoming years.
 On Saturday, Gramma and Grampa came to visit.  I love this picture for two reasons... 1st is Gramma looks SO GREAT!  2nd is how happy and excited Aiden is to be going on a walk with everyone.  Looking at the sky in some of the pictures, we are lucky to have been able to go on a walk.

 With all the rain, of course there are plenty of puddles to throw rocks in...

 Aiden found a "Fishing Pole".  To quote him it is a "Sishing Pole."  The neighbor boy is also "Sin."  He isn't emphasizing his F's right now.

Aiden is pretty proud of finding sticks... The next is a picture that Adam sent to me during the week while I was in Madison.
 Look at Gramma keep up with the Little's!  I think she wanted to run!
 The walk took quite a while.  We would walk five steps and wait for the kids to catch up and to get them all moving the same direction was the key.  Elise was the easiest to control in the stroller.  I call taking care of her in Door County this year!  ;)

 Uncle Dave had all their attention when he was throwing rocks.  They thought it was PRETTY COOL that Uncle Dave could throw a rock from the road and make it to the pond! 

 Looking for sticks in the yard mud for a quick fire to make S'mores.

 All the kiddos LOVE their time with Grampa and Grampa.  Aiden getting some special time with one of his favorites...


 Today the weather cooperated so we could do the water park after nap.  We took Dad last Sunday for Father's Day and the boys have been asking to go back every day since.  They have also already asked if we can go back tomorrow, I guess we'll make use of the season pass we bought!
 These two water bugs still like their basketballs.


 "Swimming Mommy!"



 Playing together... makes my heart melt for a couple minutes.  *Then one splashes and they get mad at each other.
 We have nothing planned for this week or this weekend.  Ahhhhh. 
Take Care, Check back next week.
 
~The A Team

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Happy Father's Day 2013

Happy Father's Day! 
 Daddy and his two little boys... content as bugs next to the water.




 We were busy today celebrating Daddy.  We got up and took him out for breakfast.  daddy got to choose so we went to The Family Restaurant, and the boys were well behaved. *That is not a give in anymore.  We have a lot of talks about behaving and being big boys when out in public.  I think the terrible twos have hit us right in the face the last couple weeks.  ;)  We had a great day with breakfast, grilling out with Uncle Nate and Aunt Katie (and family) and we went to the water park for the first time this season (no pictures though).
 
Maybe we have seen a naughty side of the boys because they are tired!  I look back over the week and I cannot believe we do what we do and how busy we really are!
 
This past Wednesday was the last day at Bonnie's for the regular school year.  The boys made their friends some dirt cake.  Why dirt cake you might ask?!?!  Dirt rules our world right now at home AND they L.O.V.E digging in the sand box at Bonnie's.  She has a HUGE sandbox and the coolest trucks.
 If they could only take a treat everyday, they would be excited to get up, dressed and out of the house in no time!

 Wednesday night the boys were looking forward to go and watch Uncle Dave play Baseball... only for the game to get canceled because the filed was wet ;(  We went to Wakanda Park anyway to see the animals.  Aiden knew exactly what to do and where to go find them!



 Aiden is really starting to use his expressive language.  Multiple times this week he told me he "LOVED" things and they were his "FAVORITE".  He loved this pole, he loves ice-cream and he loves Baby Nora (Nora is our neighbors 2 month old baby).  Often times these declarations of love come out of the blue.  Many people this week were his favorite also... unfortunately I don't think I was ever his favorite.

 It amazes me how these  two little boys are not one ounce scared of the HUGE animals on the other side of the fence...


 Continuing to get our animal fix in we spent our first Thursday together (Adam is off Thursdays) at Irvine Park in Chippewa Falls.  Adam had never been there before and the boys loved showing them around.
 Aiden felt so comfortable, he wanted to chase the chickens like at Bonnie's.  Yep - that's him on the other side of the fence!
 Then he got mad that he couldn't go in with the donkeys and chase the chickens.
 Ashton was good staying on the right side of the fence.  He isn't crazy about the animals close to him, as this is the first time he didn't choose to just sit in the wagon. ;)
 That is one fuzzy donkey!
 The loved the bunnies.
 The tigers were sleeping...

 but the bears were active!
 The best  part about Irvine Park... The dump Truck in the parking lot!
 AND a SCHOOL BUS!
 After Irvine Park we visited Elle and Elise for some pool fun and lunch.


 One might think that we were all done with our Thursday... NOPE!  We napped and went to gymnastics.  This is a weekly event so I won't bore you with the same pictures... but we did get to try the rope this week!

 The kids ended with the parachute and playing a "Finding Nemo Game."  The parachute was the ocean and when a kid's name was called, they had to run to the middle and find Nemo.
 Aiden found him!
 Ashton too!
 After gymnastics we had a picnic lunch at the park.  After eating we walked down by the water and threw rocks.

 Brothers... sharing a tree stump... for a minute.  I snapped this picture right before Aiden pushed Ashton off.
 While at the park Jamie, our builder< called and said he dropped off some hats for the boys at the house.  They are a little bit big, but they love that they are from "Jamie and Tim"!  I think this next series of pictures is funny... first of all notice Ashton's "Smile Eyes" and Aiden's hands up his shorts...
 Aiden's hands...
 Hands...
 "Aiden get your hands out of your shorts!"  :)
 That was one busy Thursday!
 
Friday we went to watch Uncle Dave play.  Aiden would have followed Dave on the field if he could have.
 Elle sharing her Daddy with Aiden.
 See Uncle Dave in there?!?!  How can we fit Elise on?
 The best part of baseball games?  EATING THE ENTIRE TIME.  Even Elise was eating some crackers...
 Despite Saturday being cloudy... we joined Reese for some pool fun at her house.  It's nice to spend some time on grass and get out of our dirt piles.
 Summer is here and we are done procrastinating.  We figure that we are keeping the boys busy enough so they crash at night so GONE WITH THE PACI's.  Yes, I know - they are 2 1/2 and they still looked forward to the paci for bedtime and nap time only.  I think Adam and I looked forward to bedtime and nap time just as much as the boys and they layed down without a peep.  It was our savior after 14 months of not sleeping through the night at first and it was they boys' comfort.  We took them away on Saturday night at I am not going to lie, it has been rough.  They went down okay on Saturday night because they were all excited about being big boys...
 No more babies!
We left the paci's out for the deer.  The baby deer need them now.
 When they woke up this morning, they found the Mommy Deer gave them new race cars saying "Thank You for the Paci!"
This morning they were trying to give their blankets to the deer too (to get more cars)!  Well ------ the deer having their paci's at nap time today didn't go ever well, so after an hour of crying... THEY DIDN'T NAP.  Bedtime at 6:30 didn't go so well either, but we are not giving in.  I say that until nap time tomorrow and all summer long when I am home with the boys.  No seriously - I know it will get better.  Right!?!?
 
The last two years, I believe the Father's Day cards I picked out had something to do with beer and patience.  Not on purpose. 
Stay Calm and Carry On.
 
Pray for naps this week and happy/rested little boys.  :)
Stay Calm and Carry On...  Stay Calm and Carry On...