O! - Hio!

This past week we got to go to Ohio to see Auntie and Uncle T. We had so much fun!!! It was more like staying at Hotel Freeman than staying with family. Nate and I were spoiled by the cooking, dates, help with the boys, and movies in the media room. The boys were also spoiled with treats, toys, and some FUN outings!

On the way there we had a lay over in Charlotte where we got to see my sweet, wonderful friend, Abbey and her little man Allen! What a treat! It was so great to hug her neck!

The first day we took the boys swimming at the country club and later that night grilled out and played outside.

The next day Nate and I went on a date for lunch and a movie! WHOA! That night we took the boys to the cutest place I have ever been in my life. It was a local park where there were little rides. I wish I could replicate the atmosphere. There were people playing catch, swimming, grilling out, fishing...and in the middle of it all there was a little section of carnival rides you could go on for 75 cents! Plus it was almost all for toddlers! It.was.awesome!!!!!!!! They had a ride with cars. I think they rode it 5 times. They were so cute. They also got to ride a train. This is a new obsession...choochoo's! After we went to a little local place to eat ice cream out back on the picnic tables. I was in heaven...so were the boys!

The next day Nate and T played golf and Auntie and I took the boys on an Amish wagon pet feeding extravaganza! We fed all sorts of deer, cows, zebra, Brutus the Brahma and we saw a beefalo - part cow, part buffalo. It was an hour long and the boys even participated. BTW...I am very intrigued by Amish people!

That night Nate and I went on a surprise date planned for us by Jean and Tom. We went to a winery in the middle of no where...literally...where we got to sit outside and grill our own steaks. It was one of the most fun dinners I have ever had.

While we were there...the boys got to slip and slide! here are pictures from the next day reenactment!

There will be more pictures I am sure. We had the best time! now we are home gearing up for the big birthday weekend! 2 years old...here we come!

Let's hear it for the boys

Look at the boys and their sweet daddy. He's a good daddy. He really adores his boys!


So...I swear I didn't teach them any of these things.


I guess boys just know how to make fart noises...it's like they come out knowing that and how to wrestle!!!

Blog

Remember my friend with the twins you people are praying for?
If you look to the right there is a link to her blog about Kaylan and Dylan.
And here it is again: It is called Saving Grace...here is the link
http://kaylananddylan.blogspot.com/

Da Beach!

A week and a half ago the boys (including my big boy), and I headed to Galveston for the weekend. We got to use the home of some of our sweet Houston friends. They literally live one street off of the sea wall...which in Galveston is as beach front as you get! All we had to do was walk across the street.





We wore the boys out! It was awesome! A few hours in the morning and a few in the afternoon made for tired, sleepy babies. That meant Nate and I got to read and sleep ourselves! We had a great time.



I don't know what he is doing...but look at that cute face!!!












Best pic of the whole trip!






They really liked being covered in sand/mud.








Nate buried Blakers in the sand. HILARIOUS!




CHEESE!








And I am done!










Remember this pose? http://kimstroh.blogspot.com/2009/07/okayday-2.html


That was almost one year ago!
Here is this years version!

Prayer Update

A few weeks ago I asked you to pray for my friend, Jennifer and her twins. She was pregnant and on bed rest in the hospital due to growth restriction in her girl twin.
Many of you have asked and I keep forgetting to update. She had them last Friday. She was 29 weeks and 1 day.
The boy, Dylan Cash, was 3 lbs, 3 oz and 16 inches long.
The girl, Kaylan Grace was 1 lb exactly and 11 inches long.

The family has a long way to go before all are home. Please pray for Jennifer, her husband and their sweet twins!

The faces of trouble

So...we figured out how to climb out of our cribs, we being Blake and Owen. Danger is the only word that comes to mind. I am very stressed about this. It happened first on Sunday for nap. Sunday evening and Monday nap were good - no battle. Last night the battle ensued again. We had to put them back in bed 12 times. Then today at nap time, the battle last 1 hour and 15 minutes.


Here are a few problems.

1.) It started with them doing it together. The first few times they would only come out together. Which means we don't know who started it (I think Owen), but they wait on the other one to escape and strut, and yes I mean strut, out to us. I think they think their is safety in numbers.


2.) Now they don't even come out, they just stay in the room playing. So if I go check and they are laying down we start the process over, but if I don't check they can just be in their playing cars which is how I found them today.


3.) Owen can turn it off, Blake can't. He just can't seem to stay put. Owen gets out a few times, but he doesn't like to be in trouble. So I take away his lovie (Giraffe), and he gets the point. I have said this for a while, but NOTHING PHASES BLAKE! You can take things, spank him, put him time out...he doesn't care. As long as people are watching, he will take it!


4.) They can also get out of their pack n plays - I tried that today.


Today was SO long for me. I was really hoping they would be kind of tough for Nate tonight so he knew what I dealt with, but no...only Blake got out and he only did it once!!!!!!!!!! WHAT?!?!

Maybe sticking to my guns made it happen.
Nate says it is because they know he is the boss. HA!

Here are my little faces of trouble.






And this video makes me laugh. It's on the way home from MS. Owen is calling "Bubbles", Pops and Nini's dog. I know there is a long pause in the middle with nothingness...but I still think this video is really cute!!!!!!!! And the scab on his lip is a carpet burn he got in Chick-fil-a. It was there all week, I just edited it out of pictures, but you can't on a video!

Mississippi

So here are a few more pictures of our time in Mississippi.

The first few days I watched our friends, Lindsay and Hal's little boy, Drew. He is 4 months younger than B and O. They just moved to Brandon and so with the help of Nini, we corralled them for a few days.

The boys walked the dogs, Bubbles and Beamer

And this is how that turned out...lots of tangles!

Now they are trying to feed the dogs through the fence...with dirt and leaves.

Sitting with Pops!

Chuck E Cheese!

When we were in Mississippi we spent a whole day with Grammy! It was so fun. She took the boys to Chuck-e-Cheese. They were a little overwhelmed at first, but warmed up quickly. They had cars that you could ride in, tokens to carry around, and games that I "Blake-ified". That means, I took games for big people and let Blake do them. He played skeeball and basketball. Here he is playing skeeball.



Here are the boys in the riding cars. Owen and his buddy Stuart little, and Blake with Barney. Look in Blake's hand. He LOVED that I let him carry around the tokens. He also loved putting them in the coin slots.



Here is Owen eating yummy cheese pizza with Grammy.


Here is Peggy and me at my birthday party that she had for me Friday night. And next to us is the best cake I have ever had!!