Weekend Update, FL edition.

So we had a really fun and busy weekend. I was able to go back to Daytona for a belated birthday weekend with a bunch of my girlfriends. It was really fun. So while I was there the boys got to spend some quality time with Daddy as well as with Nama and Pa.

I left on Thursday and met up with our friend Davina and two of her kids. We ate at Mimi's Cafe. It was the first time I'd ever eaten there and I believe I have fallen in love with their spice muffin. Then it was on to Daytona. My good friend Christine was kind enough to let me stay with her. She was such a good host and we had a really fun time. I went into my old work office and got to see a bunch of people that I had worked with so that was nice. I also got to go see my friend Diane and her little boys. Her oldest is just a few months older than Joel. He was a bit disappointed that I didn't bring Joel to play. The rest of the weekend was filled with good food, a horrible movie pick followed by an enjoyable movie pick, a really fun laugh packed girls night, some craft projects and a lot of relaxing. So ladies, thank you for such a fun weekend! (Especially you Christine!!!!)

So while I was gone the boys hung out with Daddy on Thursday and Friday morning. Then they got to go over to Nama's house. They got to go pick up Pa from the airport, eat MccyDonalds and probably stay up way past their bed times. Saturday included a trip to the store, a Madagascar marathon, bubbles, Jiffy Pop and swimming. Then they got to go to church with Nama and Pa. Of course these were just the highlights and you know what they say, "What happens at Nama's stays at Nama's." : )

Otherwise, things are good here. Tj stays busy with his church calling (he now serves as Young Men's president for our ward). He also goes in to work a few times a week to keep current on the airplane. We're hoping the flying picks up so he can have the opportunity to work more. But it will probably be feast or famine and in a few months I'll probably be wishing he were home more. So we're trying to appreciate the time we have now. Joel cracks us up. His imagination has completely taken off. He loves to tell us stories, sing songs, tell us about his day, and pretend. He is such a tender heart. He is always saying thank you and sorry and wants to make sure that he doesn't hurt people's feelings. He loves playing with Vance and they are getting into the whole wrestling thing. Vance is our over achiever. He turns 18 months next week and is already talking in sentences. He LOVES shoes! He also loves animals. Tonight on our walk around the block we saw a small frog. We were all bent down looking at it and Vance just reached down and grabbed it. He was quite surprised when it wiggled and probably the texture too. He quickly dropped it on the ground and ran the other direction. We all laughed at his reaction. And Manda? Well I'm just trying to keep up with everyone. Life is good.

Joel and Mommy


Pa and Vance; tired after a long weekend.


Vance's Obsession with shoes: Exhibit A


Vance's Obsession with shoes: Exhibit B


Joel is out laid back boy. This is him just relaxing while watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. This picture epitomizes our Joel.

The Miami Zoo

Tj's grandparents have been in town the last couple of weeks. This past week Tj's dad took vacation time. To cap off the week we went to the Miami Zoo. We had a really fun time! We took the tram around the zoo. Joel really enjoyed the tram ride. He would get so excited when we would see the animals. He'd wrap his arms around Tj and hug him super tight. He LOVED the zoo. Vance enjoyed the time outside and being around Daddy and Pa. But his short attention span kept him from enjoying the animals.

The Miami Zoo was amazing. If it hadn't been for the tram ride we wouldn't have been able to see half the zoo. We got to see two different kinds of elephants. We were also just in time to see the elephants be fed. They were getting a special treat of tomatoes. There was one elephant that was doing tricks. He would bow down, go backwards and "speak". Joel really enjoyed the show and thought it was really funny when the elephant was going backwards and stepped on a tomato. When the elephant found the squished tomato it picked it up and then tossed it. Later at dinner he was pretending to be the elephant and would pretend to pick up a tomato and then toss it. Vance loved the rhinos! He kept saying wrhino.

It was a really fun trip. We can't wait to go back!

What We've Been Up To

So we've been staying pretty busy. It's crazy how fast time goes. To think that we're almost in the middle of January is crazy! Life is going well for us here though. The boys are constantly entertaining us. So here's what we've been up to.

-Vance is officially talking up a storm. He's just about 17 months and already putting together 3-4 word sentences. Some of his favorites are "I want Pa," and "I done pleeesh." Of course we still have his stand by words "what?!" "no way," "apple," "banana," "treat," "up," and thanks to daddy today "Happy Birthday".

-Joel continues to be our sweetheart. He regularly walks up to me and will brush his hand down my face and tell me "I love you mommy." Of course that's all it takes to make me melt. He also loves to help Vance and give him hugs.

-Both boys are water babies. Tj's parents have a swimming pool in their backyard here and so we are over there several times a week. Joel is a little fish and is learning to balance himself in the water with the help of his floating suite. Vance likes swimming but is much more fond of the hot tub. He anxiously waits for someone to take him into the hot tub. He knows and uses the word "hot tub" often when we're over at Pa's house.

-We've really enjoyed having Tj's dad working in town recently. We took a trip down to the beach to watch the sunset, gone swimming, enjoyed a trip to McDonald's where we searched out a McDonald's that had a play place.

-As a family we're really trying to get healthy so trips to the gym have become a part of our daily routine 6 days a week. Joel now looks forward to going to the "gym"- Vance no longer completely freaks out when we go. It's progress.

-Joel's imagine has officially taken off. He is constantly making me laugh with the things he comes up with. He loves playing with his kitchen and making me and Tj dinner. Of course we think we might be raising a real chef, not so much because his kitchen creations but more so because he doesn't like for other people (aka Vance) to be in his kitchen when he's cooking. He also likes to wrestle around with his stuffed animals, daddy, Pa, Vance and well anyone who will play. He also likes to put the blanket over his head and pretend he's a monster. He still loves trains and thinks it's a riot when mommy, Vance and he line up and pretend to be a train. It's a fun age.

-Vance continues to be our dare devil. He has such an extroverted personality. He loves to climb and has just about no fear- unless he's being separated from mommy. He's going through a little bit of separation anxiety.

That's about it for us. Right now we're really feeling fortunate and blessed. We're missing our family and friends but starting to put down roots here.

Build a Bear

So for Christmas Auntie Dana gave the boys "Build-a-Bear" gift certificates. So we took a field trip to the Build-a-Bear workshop. The boys had a really fun time. Joel wanted a monkey and Vance picked out a koala bear. It was a really fun day.

Christmas Catch Up

So we've been pretty busy here, but really at this time of year who isn't, right?! Our Christmas started early when we got to visit family in Idaho. It was a really great time. Tj's family welcomed us with open arms (and homes). We all loved spending time with aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and even a few old friends.
Once we got home we got settled in our new home. We were anxious to get our Christmas tree and decorations up. We had a fun night decorating our tree with all our family ornaments. Unfortunately we weren't able to put up all our Christmas decorations but it was fun going through our Christmas storage box and seeing all our Christmas stuff. I think the boys' favorite Christmas decoration was the Little People Nativity Set. I think it will be sad when we have to pack it away again until next year.
Before we knew it Christmas Eve was here. I spent the morning baking my grandma's cinnamon bread and then in the afternoon we took some over to the guys Tj works with. Then it was home for naps and then Christmas dinner. Nama and Pa came over for the evenings festivities. We read the Nativity story and then opened our Christmas eve gifts. Then it was time for the boys to go to bed. Believe it or not the boys had a hard time going to sleep.
Christmas morning started about 7am. Joel was so excited that Santa brought him his train. Vance got an Elmo Live. Both toys were a hit with both boys. It was a fun morning. Joel had a blast opening the presents and Vance was absolutely tickled with the gifts that he AND Joel received. The rest of Christmas day was spent playing with toys and enjoying our time together as a family. Christmas evening we went to Nama and Pa's house for dinner. Then, believe it or not, we all went swimming- ON CHRISTMAS! I still can't get over the fact that it was about 80 degrees on Christmas. I suppose that's the appeal to most people to snowbird in FL.
We have really had a great Christmas season. We have enjoyed getting everyone's Christmas cards and photos. (Of course I'm slacker this year and haven't gotten ours sent out yet.) We have had so many experiences this season to remember the true meaning of the Christmas season. Hope you all have had a great Christmas season!

Fifty, Fifty!

Today is Dad Rosen/Pa's birthday. If you can believe it he's fifty. I have meant to do this post all day. I am really fortunate to have married into such an amazing family and I am so blessed to be able to call this man Dad. I know that this will be embarrassing to Dad because he is such a humble person. But I'm going to brag on him.

Dad is one of the most generous people I know. He does so much for so many people and most people (including those who are on the recipient end) will never know everything he's done for so many. Some of it's monetary and some of it's service. He is always thinking about other people. I can't even begin to list all the ways he's given to our family alone even just this year. But let me give just one example from this year alone. This spring the boys and I were going to go out to Arizona for my sisters graduation. However, after buying our house it wasn't going to happen. When dad found out that we were scrapping our trip he volunteered to send me and the boys out so that I could be there with my family. This meant more to me than words could describe.

Dad is one of the best fathers and grandfathers I know. Dad truly values his family. When we had Joel Dad decided it was important for our family to be together and so he and Mom moved across the country, left a stable job and joined us in Florida. He drops just about everything to see and spend time not only with the boys (Joel and Vance) but with Tj and me. Regardless of how busy life gets he will pick up the phone to listen to the jabber of the boys. He calls us to see how our day is and really goes out of his way to get together with us. The boys absolutely adore Pa. And Tj and I both love and respect Dad.

I am always amazed at how much dad cares about people. When he taught school he truly wanted his students to succeed. When the kids would make it to nationals he was sincerely proud of them and they could tell. He keeps in touch with many of his old coworkers and wants them to succeed. I love to hear the stories about the times when he used to bring homeless or random people home to shower or have dinner. You've got to admire this attribute.

Dad has an amazing sense of humor. He loves to tell funny stories about the crazy things he did growing up. He has fantastic timing and he loves to pass this sense of humor on to the younger generations. At age 2 Joel is already being introduced to the concept of a joke by Pa. Just tonight he told Nama while they were driving in the car "Nama, a mouse!" (Mind you she is terrified of mice!) So she turns around and asks, what? And he again says with a smile, "Nama, a mouse. It's a joke- ha ha ha." Dad has also introduced several of his nieces and nephews to the concept of sarcasm. But his humor is always good natured.

Dad, I hope you have had a great birthday. We love you! Thank you for all you do for us. So many of the things I love about Tj I know he's gotten from you and your example. Happy 50th!

Seven Year Itch

So I haven't posted in a little while. We're settling into our new home and FINALLY got Internet. If you want a good laugh you've got to read Tj's description here. But that's not why I'm posting today. Today is Tj and my anniversary.

We are celebrating seven (yes SEVEN!!!) years of being married. I know that's not really THAT long in the whole eternal perspective or even compared to Tj's parents who just celebrated 30 years this fall. But it's a pretty remarkable feat for us. So please forgive me while I get a little sentimental. In tribute to being married seven years here's 7 random facts or stories about the last seven years.

*I never expected to marry Tj. He was suppose to be a fun summer fling while I finished my education and attained a whole slew of goals I had set for myself. He was also so different from many of the people I had ever dated. But we spent a lot of time together that summer and by the end of the summer Tj had become one of my best friends. I know it's really corny but Tj is truly my best friend. He's still quite different from me and I still wonder sometimes how we ever managed to get together. But I can't imagine my life without him. I'm grateful that Heavenly Father surpassed my expectations and that we were both "ready" for our eternal family.

*Tj and I are about as opposite as two people can be. Where I'm a planner and an organizer Tj is really laid back. I came from a family of 9 with 6 other brothers and sisters, Tj is an only child. Tj is very logical and I'm a much more emotional personal. But in so many ways we complement each other. Sometime it's a struggle to compromise and appreciate our differences but so far we've managed to find a way.

*Originally we wanted to get married in the Las Vegas Temple. After discussing this plan with our parents though it was suggested that we chose a location where only one family had to travel. So since Tj's parents were doing our reception (see next point) we chose to get married in the Boise, ID Temple. We were really fortunate to have both sets of our parents, my grandma, all my siblings and their families, my good friend Denise, Tj's favorite mission companion and his wife- Nate and Marie, and his good friend from high school Rob along with many of Tj's extended family.

*Tj's mom planned our entire wedding reception. My parents always told us that as long as THEY didn't have to do our reception they would send us on a cruise or give us the money. So we took them up on the offer. But because Tj's an only child his parents really wanted to have a reception. So his mom asked if SHE (and of course his dad) could give us a reception. I told her that if she wanted to plan it I would be fine with it. So I gave her the colors and what I DIDN'T want (Christmas theme, huge bows everywhere, etc) and let her take it away. She did a really good job with it all.

*We have lived in two states and four cities. We've visited six states for vacation (we spend most of our vacations visiting family and friends back home). Tj's visited lots of states, countries and cities without me. He's the traveler out of us- I'm a homebody.

*We have had a regular date night since we got married. We are fortunate to have Tj's parents so close to help babysit the boys for us. It's something we look forward to. Even if it's just a movie after the kids have gone to bed or a trip to the ballet or a meal at a nice restaurant. I love our date nights.

*It may not have been love at first sight for Tj and I but we are still madly in love! There's nobody I can imagine moving across the United States, have two kids and go through everything we've experienced the last seven years with other than Tj.

Tj I love you!

Thanksgiving 2008: Christmas Lights Edition

We have been having a really good time here in Idaho. Last night we had a testosterone trip to see Christmas lights. It just so happened that we had an all boys trip to the south hills Christmas lights. Tj's aunts Beckie and Jenni, their husbands Steve and Jay along with their boys, Tj, me, Joel, Vance and Cindy all went up to see the lights. This family has been decorating their house for probably about 15 years. They have a circular drive and they decorate on both sides of the drive and the house. They convert their garage into a winter wonderland village display, pipe out Christmas music and they even bring in a camel that kids can feed baby carrots too. It's really an amazing display.

Tj took me to see the lights 7 years ago when we were first married. It was really fun to take the boys there this year. Joel was SO excited to see all the lights. He was a little weary of the camel but fed it a carrot which surprised me. Vance was pretty laid back about the whole thing and was pretty happy to be carted around while remaining toasty warm in his stroller. And of course having all their cousins around added to the fun and excitement. It was a really fun night!

Thanksgiving 2008: Idaho Edition

Tj's parents arranged for us to be able to come up to Idaho for Thanksgiving this year. It has been a lot of fun! The boys have been having so much fun with their cousins and Aunts and Uncles and of course Tj and I have enjoyed spending time with family that we haven't seen in a long time. We had dinner over at Tj's Uncle Steve and Aunt Becky's house with all the Aunts and Uncles and most of the cousins. It was really delicious and tons of fun! Anyhow, here's a sneak peak of our holiday dinner.

Thanksgiving 2008: Gratitude Reflections

So it's that time of year when I (along with the majority of the US population) sit and reflect on the blessings that fill the lives of myself and my family. This year I feel especially grateful for so many of our blessings.

I am so grateful for my husband and best friend, Tj. The longer we're married the more I see our differences but for these I am also grateful. Tj is so funny, smart, laid back and logical. He truly compliments me and my neurosis. Being apart for such an extended amount of time (at least for us) really makes me appreciate how much he does for our family. He's such a great father and husband.

I am also very thankful for my two sweet boys. Vance and Joel are constantly blessing my life. I know I am fortunate to have such good sons. They are such good friends and play so well together, they both are such good helpers, they're both just so happy and content.

Of course I am grateful for my extended family: my parents, my siblings and their spouses and children. This year we were able to spend some time with many of my brothers and sisters and their families as well as see my parents a few times. I am also grateful for my in-laws. My mother and father in-law are so great and I'm truly fortunate to be able to call them family. Not only do they do so much for us but also for so many other people. They are always thinking of others and are such amazing examples of service. I am also grateful for our other family: aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, ect. This year especially I feel such gratitude towards all our family and for the love and support they have shared with us this year. I have loved staying in touch with so many of our family through blogs.

I'm also grateful for our friends- many who have become a second family. We have been blessed with so many good people in our lives. From the missionaries who served with Tj in Ecuador, to my roommates at U of A, friends and coworkers from our jobs in Daytona and of course many ward members from church that we have gotten to know. While we are far away from many- if not most- of these friends I am grateful for the impact that they have made on me and my family.

I am thankful this year for the niceties that most of us take for granted here in the United States. I am grateful for our home, the food we have in our home, electricity, running water, flushing toilets and so forth. I am thankful for the luxuries that we take for granted: cable, internet, cars, and SO many other things that I could list. We are truly fortunate to live in the United States. When I sit and reflect on our blessings it is humbling and even a little overwhelming to reflect on how much we have. I am also grateful for the opportunities that we have to work and provide for our family. I am grateful for Tj and for his work ethic to provide for our family so that I can stay home with the boys.

I am so grateful this year for the opportunities that we have had this year. I'm grateful for the struggles we've had and for the growth I've had personally from these trials and for the growth we've had as a family. I am grateful for friends and family who have lent support, prayers and love to us throughout this year. Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving!

Could Life Get Any Crazier?!

So as I type this post I am anxiously waiting for time to pass so that I can go pick up Tj from the airport- in Boise, ID. Can I say that the last 3 weeks have been the longest and most action packed weeks for us in recent family history. It all started (well relatively speaking) after the boys and I dropped Tj off at the Orlando airport. He flew out to Dallas for a 3 week training course for his new job. Conveniently this was the start of the whirlwind packing and moving fest that would envelope our family.
The following week was my last week at work which was met with mixed emotions. There are a few people that I'm going to miss working with and the sense of accomplishment and recognition that I received while working there was nice. However, I am looking forward to being home with the boys full time and the new adventure that awaits me there. I am also extremely relieved to be done with the drama and politics that are involved in just about any work environment.
I barely had time to breath a sigh of relief after "retiring" before I was in full packing mode. I basically had a week and a half or so to pack our entire house, tie up loose ends on one side of the state and start new housekeeping on the other side all while entertaining and keeping tabs on the boys. I am so blessed that the boys are such good kids and that we had 24 hour a day Noggin (how I will miss Noggin and on-demand cable). Even though I tried to schedule the move as best I could it was still a mad dash at the end. Then it was off to establish our new home on the other side of the state.
Once we got there it seemed to be a series of unfortunate events. I won't go into it but I will say that if anyone ever relocates to the south western coast of Florida let me tell you what rental company NOT to use. So anyhow, we FINALLY started to get settled there and met some really great people at church. I am really excited to get to know these neat people better.
Anyhow, we then left for Boise for the Thanksgiving holiday. We're really excited to spend so much time with the Idaho family and friends. The boys have had a ball playing with their cousins and are doing SO well despite having daddy gone for so long, being dragged all over the country and dealing with the time difference. Anyhow, here are some of the latest pictures of the boys.




Joel visiting with his cousins at Chicago Connection.
(Chicago Connection is a pizza place in Boise that
has the BEST pizza ever, coming from a gal who
isn't that crazy about pizza to begin with.)

Vance likes Chicago Connection pizza too!

Mom and the boys in front of the train at the
Boise Depot. Joel was so mesmerized by the
this train!

Pa and the boys in front of the fireplace. The
boys are LOVING the cold weather. It must
be in their blood. :)

The boys trying on their winter attire in FL.

Happy Halloween

Wow, so I think the boys are finally in bed. Talk about Sugar Rush!!!! We had a great night. Our night started when our friends Matt and Diane came over with their boys to go Trick-or-Treating around our neighborhood. It was good and the boys had a fun time. We saw lots of other of our neighbors dressed up and Trick-or-Treating.

Joel was our "Bob the Builder". We didn't get the 'real'
costume so Nama and Pa helped us get Joel this tool belt
and overalls. He was so proud of himself and his tools-
not so fond of the hard hat.


Vance was our Little Monkey. Nama saw this
costume when we were at the store and we
decided Vance NEEDED it. Perfect costume for Vance.
He had such a fun time and loved saying,
"Twick a trwee". He is such a talker!!!

Then we went and saw Nama and Pa. Of course the boys were SO excited to see Pa since he had been gone all week. Nama and Pa then went with us as we went Trick-or-Treating to some of their neighbors. Of course all the neighbors thought the boys were super cute. It was such a fun night as a family. After the Trick-or-Treating festivities we came back to the house and had soup with Nama and Pa.

The boys with Pa.

The loot. Joel and Vance enjoying their candy.

I worked a half day today. We all got dressed up and our department had a lunch. While I am a bit stressed trying to wind down some of my projects before my final day next week- it was a fun day. It's not very often that I make an appearance on this blog but here's my friend Ingry and I dressed up at work.

Hubby Tag.

Where did you meet your husband?
I met Tj at church. He worked with my roommate. She asked me to feed him and his roommates. I agreed. After several random encounters we started dating.

2. How long did you date before you got married?
Well we met in May and got married in December so we call it about seven months.

3. How long have you been married? December will be 7 years.

4. What does he do that surprises you?
He constantly surprises me. Sometimes I'll come home and he'll have cleaned the house and have dinner ready. He surprises me a lot with his choice in gifts (for birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries, etc) but in a good way.

5. What is your favorite feature of his?
I'd say his eyes.

6. What is his best quality?
Wow, I don't think I could pick one. Really. He's really smart, he's able to keep his cool in stressful situations, he is unbelievably logical, he can make me laugh even when I don't want to, I could go on and on.

7. Does he have a nickname for you?
He doesn't really have one beyond the generic.

8. What is his favorite food?
Steak and Potatoes or beef stroganoff.

9. What is his favorite sport?
Uh, just about anything on ESPN.

10. When and where did you first kiss?
Summer 2001 in his roommate Rob's car.


11. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple?
Ummmm. : ) Just kidding. We like to go on road trips, date nights, camping and window shopping.

12. Do you have any children?
Two boys.

13. Does he have any hidden talents?
He really does. He's a really good artist (although he will deny this). He's really funny. He's really intelligent in that he will come up with a really good solution to a seemingly impossible situation. He is a good singer and also played the cello for awhile.


14. How old is he?
29

15. Who said 'I love you' first? He did, only because I knew better than to rush him. So while I knew I was in love first I waited for him to say it first.

16. What is his favorite music?
He likes a lot of different types of music. I think one of his favorite groups is Collective Soul. But he also like to "rock out" too.

17. What do you admire most about him?
Really?! There's way to many things I admire about him to choose one. I admire his intelligence, his humor, and the way that he makes me feel so safe.

18. What is his favorite color?
Dark blue.

19. Will he read this?
Probably.


20. Who do you tag?
I tag anyone who reads this.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Okay, so I just have to share. Now anyone who knows me knows that I am NOT a baker. But I found this recipe for Chocolate chip cookies. These are seriously THE BEST cookies- and SO easy. They're crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. So I'm sharing the recipe. Try it out and let me know if they're not delicious. (Plus they're so easy Joel LOVES to help make them with me.)

Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Cook Time
  15 min

• Level
  Easy

• Yield
  30 cookies

Close

Times:

Prep

20 min

Inactive Prep

30 min

Cook

15 min

Total:

1 hr 5 min

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 (12-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips, or chunks
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon fine salt

Directions

Evenly position 2 racks in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. (on convection setting if you have it.) Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone sheets. (If you only have 1 baking sheet, let it cool completely between batches.)

Put the butter in a microwave safe bowl, cover and microwave on medium power until melted. (Alternatively melt in a small saucepan.) Cool slightly. Whisk the sugars, eggs, butter and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth.

Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in another bowl. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a wooden spoon; take care not to over mix. Stir in the chocolate chips or chunks.

Scoop heaping tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared pans. Wet hands slightly and roll the dough into balls. Space the cookies about 2-inches apart on the pans. Bake, until golden, but still soft in the center, 12 to 16 minutes, depending on how chewy or crunchy you like your cookies. Transfer hot cookies with a spatula to a rack to cool. Serve.

Store cookies in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days.

Photo Tagged

So this tag is that you have to post the 5th folder, 5th picture on your computer and then blog about it. This picture was taken December 2006. In Florida we go camping in December because that's the only time it's bearable. Joel was about 6 1/2 months old. It was actually pretty cold that night. We had just gotten done having foil dinners- the best meal that I had eaten in weeks I remember thinking. (Only a few weeks later when the pregnancy test showed positive did I realize why the foil dinners and oatmeal the next morning tasted SO good. Am I the only one who thinks food never tastes as good or as bad as when you're pregnant?!) Anyhow, this was Joel's first camping trip. We had a great time!

I tag: Tj, Kimberlee N., Diane, Rachel, Ashley.

ETA: My Aunt Linda had already done it. Oops! So Ashley I'm tagging you!

Joel!!!!

So Joel is going through quite a phase lately. Mostly it's this whole switch thing. I swear it's going to drive me batty. He's obsessed with switching switches "on". Of course he's not tall enough to turn them off. So I'm constantly walking into empty rooms with lights, fans, and random switches (the ones that who knows what they actually "go" to but are there just the same) turned on. So I'm getting ready to go to bed and I go into check on the boys (sorry for the messy room shot) and the light is on bright as day and both boys are completely out! I don't know why I found this so funny (maybe I'm overtired?). But it was humorous to me just the same.

The other part of Joel's latest stage isn't so funny. Well I guess not to me- right now. He is SO freakin' bossy! The worst is that he's a back seat driver---- at TWO!!! Seriously, I'm driving around with him and Vance in their car seats and he starts telling me, "Mommy, no. Not this way. Stop mommy, not this way!" Who is this child?! I'm reminded of a magnet that my mom had for years on her fridge (it may still be there) that said something to the effect of, "Kids, are you tired of being harassed by your parents? Hurry move out now while you still know all the answers." I think I have a long parenting road ahead of me. lol

October?!

So while much of our family is celebrating fall with sweaters, mittens, changing fall leaves and even snow we have been celebrating much differently. More specifically the boys enjoyed a nice day at the beach---- in October! The boys went to play over at Nama and Pa's house on Wednesday while I was at work. Of course they had a blast! Here are a few pictures from their trip to the beach.

Joel loves the beach! He is going to be our little cliff jumper. He loves having the run of the beach. Nama and Pa love taking the boys to the beach (the beach bum is genetic from Nama and Daddy). Can you tell that Joel is having the time of his life?! Nothings better than a day at the beach for Joel- especially with Nama and Pa spoiling him the whole day. : )

Vance enjoys the beach too. He likes the beach but could live with or without it. I was told that he had fun, although you couldn't tell from this picture. lol

The boys continue to grow and do funny silly things all the time.

Vance is 14 months old. (It's crazy to think that when Joel was this age I was about ready to have Vance. Crazy what a year will do.) He is quite the talker. He has always wanted to communicate with us. His vocabulary seems to grow everyday. It includes: Dadda (of course), momma, up, down, more, please, hot dog, milk, drink, banana, cracker, and cookie. He is such a mischievous kid. When we feed him in his high chair if he likes it, he'll chow down. If he doesn't he hides it behind him in his seat- or throw it off his tray. Punk! lol He loves hotdogs, crackers, bananas and milk. That is all he would eat if we'd let him. He doesn't like cheese very well though. Anything else depends on his mood. He's now loving to climb right along side Joel. He loves to do whatever Joel is doing and loves his brother. He's getting so big- the other day he even tackled Joel to the floor. I guess turn about is fair game.

Speaking of Joel. He is such a character. He's loves to sing, his current favorite song is "How Much is that Doggie in the Window?" He is a little chatterbox. Anytime we're driving it's a non-stop commentary. He chatters and talks and asks questions. He is such a great boy. He is constantly saying thank you (even if we haven't done anything) and I love you. It's such a great feeling. I always tell him that he's a sweet boy. So now he says "Joel's a sweet boy and Mommy's a lady." Sometimes daddy is a shirt and sometimes he's a lady and sometimes (rarely!!!) he says, "Daddy's a man!" Joel is also quite mischievous. One afternoon Joel decided he wanted to take a nap with Vance in his crib. Silly mommy gave him the chance. Ever since Joel tries (and often succeeds) to climb across the dresser and jumps into Vance's crib. Unfortunately this means that Joel often keeps Vance awake and/or wakes him up. We've started moving Vance's crib away from the edge of the dresser. Needless to say we'll have a different furniture placement in the new house.

Shout Out.

Okay so this post has nothing to do with the boys. Sorry!
When I first got this blog up I think I had about 3 people reading it and 1 of them was Tj and 1 was his mom. Then a lot of my family and friends got blogs or I found out about their blogs and so that was fun. Now I just wanted to acknowledge all the new readers. I'd love to take credit for this but since Tj's gotten his blog up and running and found the blogs of some of his friends we've seen a lot of you coming to visit lil ol' me (okay I know that realistically most of you just want to see what cute/funny things the boys are saying or doing but let me have my delusions okay?! It is my blog after all- humor me lol). So I just wanted to say hi. Please leave a comment or two. And if you prefer to stalk that's okay too. (I'm a habitual blog stalker in my free time too!)
Oh, and don't forget to check out Tj's blog (just click on the "My hot hubby" link on the sidebar). He's a lot funnier than I am and more entertaining.

It's Official.

So I guess we've hit the point of no return. This last weekend we went to Naples with the boys and Tj's parents. We visited the area and found places for us to live. (Yes, Tj's *parents are moving to Naples "with" us.) It was a fun trip. The boys are really good travelers and of course it's always fun for them to spend so much time with Nama and Pa who spoil them rotten. : )

Here are pictures from our trip.

The trip down


Joel slept, Vance played.


Dinner at PF Changs.

The boys are big fans of Won Ton soup!


Friday Night Out

Tj's parents watched the boys and we went out with an old classmate of Tj's. It was nice night and a nice break (and of course the boys had a blast eating KFC and watching Wall-E with Nama and Pa).

At the Pier

Joel posing at the pier. The boys looking at the ocean.


Sharing ice cream with Nama.

Vance playing at the play area at the mall.

*My perfectionist husband thought that I should add the word parent to this sentence. I told him that I thought the intelligent readers of my blog would be able to assume that he would be going with us as would his parents. He insisted and so the post was edited. Just to clarify- both Tj AND his parents will be moving down to Naples with me and the boys in November.

Funnies.

So yet another reason we need to visit out West ASAP. Joel continues to crack us up with his words and sentences. This is the conversation we have on a regular basis:

As we're driving over an overpass-

Joel: Mommy, mountain!
Me: Where?
Joel: There
Me: The overpass?
Joel: Yes, mommy- mountain.

I don't even know where he got that. I really want him to see a REAL mountain- I want to see a real mountain!


The Three Pigs-

I was telling Joel the story of the three pigs before his nap. I got to the part where the wolf was at the last piggie's house.

Mommy: Little pig, little pig let me in. Joel, what do you think the piggies said?
Joel: oink oink oink.

I laughed so hard! Of course that's what they said.