Michigan Trip

We had another extremely busy weekend.  We left on Thursday morning and headed to Michigan for the weekend.  The boys had another weekend of constant activity.  They went fishing, bowling, swimming, slip and sliding, birthday celebrating and just all around fun.  We had so much fun seeing all the family from Canada and getting to celebrate Noah's first birthday.  Also, Samuel and Joseph had so much fun playing and hanging out with their cousin Jacob.

We had a house full of boy biblical names.  We had a Jacob, Samuel, Joseph and Noah.  I just thought that was kind of funny.

I think Dave and I are more worn out then then boys.  We need a few more days to recover.  I did about 7 loads of laundry yesterday and I have two more to do today.  That is always the worst about getting back from vacation.  

I hope everyone has a wonderful 4th of July.  

Here are some pictures from the wonderful weekend.

Boys getting ready to go fishing.  

Samuel catching his first fish

Aunt Melissa and Simone

Melissa and Jacob

Cousin time.  Eating lunch outside and checking out the aquarium with frogs.

Clearly laughing like crazy

Brotherly love

Painting the bird houses

Having fun painting

The boys with matching pajamas

Being funny boys

Oma and Opa with the grandkids

My handsome Samuel

All the ladies.  Kristen, Melissa, Oma, Simone, me and Aunt Irene

Celebrating little Noah's first birthday

Yummy cupcakes

Simone being happy as always while Uncle Joe is holding her

Joseph is posing for the camera

Another day of fishing 

Such a cute boys picture

Samuel caught another fish

Putting up the bird houses

Putting it on the tree

Lots of Pictures

We have been super busy.  Every year we spend one week during the summer in Tulsa.  Typically it is the first week, but since Samuel had camp the first two weeks of June we went the third week.  This was by far the busiest most fun we have had in Tulsa.  My parents took the entire week off and we didn't have one restful day.  We made plans everyday and stayed busy the entire time.  

Here is a list of things we did:

1. Swimming in the blowup pool.  

2. Sidewalk chalking and painting

3. Coloring and collaging

4. Playing with new friends and seeing old friends

5. Went to the aquarium

6. Went to the park

7. Fed the ducks

8. Went out to dinner

9. Had a BBQ

10.  Ate popsciles, ice cream and frozen yogurt

11.  Went to Woolaroc and saw lots of wild animals

12.  Met some Gypsy ponies

13.  Road a tractor

We covered many items on our Summer To-Do List.  The kids were so worn out everyday.  

Dave came in town on Friday and my mom got us a hotel room (thank you mom!) and Dave and I went out for a really nice dinner and spent the night out.  It was a nice break and wonderful after beikng away from each other for a week.  It was nice to have alone time.  

I can't believe how quickly June is flying by.  

Here are lots of pictures:

The kids are now able to take a bath together and Simone loves it.  

Got a really cute picture of Simone and her Uncle Jonathan.

Samuel participated in a swim show at camp.  They are trying to teach them how to swim.  Samuel is still afraid of putting his head completely under the water and will not jump off the diving board yet.  Hopefully soon.

More swimming

Kids playing the piano in Tulsa.

Simone and Papa on Father's Day

Father's Day picture

Joseph and Papa

Kids swimmng with Papa

Savta and Simone

Lots of ice cream eating

and popscile eating

An American Bison and Woolaroc

The boys checking out all the animals.

Petting the Gypsy Ponies

Two week old baby.

Playing with a catipillar

Tractor ride

Duck feeding

Nervous Stomach

A few weeks ago we took the boys bowling.  They both loved it.  We played two games which was a little too much for them.  Next time we will only play one.  Samuel has been asking everyday when we can go back.  It is so much fun to see them experience new things.

Speaking of new things...yesterday Samuel started his first day of camp at Burr-Oak.  It is a two week camp where they have swimming, art, play time, sports, etc.  Lots of stuff to do.  I was so nervous yesterday morning.  My stomach was killing me and my heart was literally racing all day.  We are supposed to drop off and pick up in the car pool line.  So we drive up in the morning, Counselors in Training open the door to the car, get the kids out and take them inside.  Then after camp they bring the kids out and put them in the car.  I was so nervous about just dropping him off and not walking him in. Samuel is normally a shy boy at first and doesn't talk much when he first meets people, so I was having a hard time seeing him leave to go up the stairs to the camp without me.  When I pulled away I had an overwhelming feeling to just start crying.  He ended up loving every minute of camp and couldn't wait to go back today.  He woke up this morning asking every five minutes when we were going to go.  I still felt extremely nervous when I dropped him off again today.  I just get so emotional when I think about how big he is getting.  

On a not so happy note, Stomach flu or something is going around our house.  Both Joseph and Samuel  have spent one night continuously vomiting.  Dave and I are really hoping that neither one of us gets it and especially not Simone.  My stomach has been hurting me for two days straight, but I am hoping that it is just my nerves about Samuel.  Only time will tell.

Lastly, Simone turned 8 months yesterday.  She is saying "Mama" all the time and actually calls me "Mama" and Dave "Dada".  She is waving to everyone, has one tooth on the bottom and the second is probably going to cut through today.  She is eating lots of different foods and just started eating puffs.  As we speak, she is eating pureed Kale, Apple and Mango.  The only thing she absolutely hates is peas.  It doesn't matter if we mix it with other stuff including fruit, she hates it.  She is working her way to normal crawling.  Right now she is pretty fast at military crawling.  She is so much fun.  I am so happy everyday that our "accident" has been the biggest joy.  

Here are some pictures:

Simone's 8 month picture!

Where has the month gone?

I can't believe we are at May 31st already.  This month has really flown by.  Today is Samuel's last day of school.  He is very excited because next Monday he starts camp.  We signed him up for a summer camp and I am also really excited about it too.  He gets swim lessons in the morning, then arts and crafts, sports and lots of other things in the afternoon.  It should be a really fun two weeks.

Simone is military crawling and rolling all over the place. She is really getting up on her hands and knees, but hasn't figured out exactly how to crawl yet.  She also pulled up in her crib half way yesterday.  She was on her tummy and pulled herself almost up to her knees.  It is a good thing Dave lowered her crib all the way to the bottom.  I have a feeling pulling up to standing is coming very soon.

She hasn't been much of a eater lately.  She really just wants to nurse and then snacks a little bit on food.  I think it is because teeth are finally making there way in.  She got her first bottom middle tooth yesterday and I felt her mouth again this morning and I think the other middle tooth is about to come in as well.  I wouldn't be surprised if more start popping up too.  She has been very cranky, chewing on her hands and drooling like crazy.  Teething is not fun at all around here.

Other then being extremely busy with the kids, I have managed to start reading and am almost finished with the Fifty Shades of Grey Trilogy.  I always get sucked into reading the popular books.  I just have to see what it is all about.  The books are not well written.  It annoys me when authors repeat the same descriptive words over and over.  I just don't like her writing style much.  There is a lot of sex in the books and I was truly shocked by some things.  Even though I want to hate the books completely, I can't stop reading them.  I am half way through the last book and it is better then the first by far.  If you want an easy entertaining read, then you should pick them up.  If only just to read what everyone is talking about.  After I finish this next book I will be starting Water for Elephants.  I have seen the movie, but I have heard the book is really good and we are reading it for book club.

Not much more exciting information here.  Have a wonderful summer!

Mother's Day

I had an absolutely wonderful Mother's Day.  Dave let me sleep in both days (getting up at 8 never felt so good) and we had a lot of family time.  It was really enjoyable.  On Sunday morning, we went across the street to our neighbors house for a huge brunch.  The kids played and got really worn out.  Then our babysitter came over to watch the kids for three hours.  Dave and I went to the driving range and did a little shopping (Dave got new golf shoes and a new driver, even though it was mother's day and I got some new golf clothes).  

I was pleasantly surprised at my golf skills.  I hadn't picked up a golf club or two years.  Right before I got pregnant with Joseph, I took a golf lesson (because the goal was to get better over the summer) and I was ready to play.  Then I got pregnant with Joseph and I had pretty severe side pains and my doctors told me "NO EXERCISE" of any kind in the first trimester.  Although golf isn't really a true form of exercise, they didn't want me to do any twisting.  (I had a very enlarged ovary because of taking Clomid to get pregnant and doing any exercise or twisting could have caused my ovary to twist around the fallopian tube and cause it to rupture.  Anyway, I bet you didn't know that could happen.  I sure didn't).  

Anyway, I stopped playing golf.  Then I got pregnant for Simone right when I wanted to start up again.  Now that we know no more kids are in our future, it was time to clean the cobwebs off (literally they were all over) and get back to hitting some balls.  I think my lesson actually helped.  I made contact and was hitting straight.  I am really excited to keep practicing and then one of these days get on the course and play with Dave.  

We finally got some pictures of me with the kids.  I barely have any pictures of me because I am the one always taking the pictures.  Some turned out pretty well.  Here you go: