The two cutest kids around

Linnie and I took the kids to the zoo.  Oh, they had so much fun! Look how cute they are together!  I love it!  When we left, Ethan kept saying  "need Haywee, need Haywee!"  Adorable!!  Oh yeah, and Ethan's hand is huge compared to Haley's!  Wow!  

First Day as a SAHM (that's stay at home mom for those of you that don't know)

Well, we decided to go to the library.  We wanted to get a library card and I was hoping that Ethan could do the summer reading program.  Ethan tends to get stuck on a book that he loves, and I thought this way we could get all kinds of different books in our house.  We get there, and they don't open until 12pm!  What is up with that?  Last summer we went to baby bookworm at 9:30, so needless to say that didn't work out.  Well, Ethan was mad, b/c we got in the car and didn't end up doing anything.  So we decided to paint.  Well, lets just say that I'm glad I took off Ethan's new shirt.

We're back...did you miss us?

We went to the Smokey Mountains for a family vacation.  It was so much fun and nice to get away.  Dan's parents rented a cabin for us to stay in and the kids had a blast playing together for an entire long weekend.  The view was wonderful from the back deck and it was so nice to see so many stars out at night.   The four kids eating doughnuts on the back deck after dinner.  Perfect number of rocking chairs for the kids! We went to Gatlinburg, TN on Saturday.  We walked around and had fun looking at everything.  Dan was able to hold this parrot and Ethan loved the "bibo".   Stopping to smell the roses.  There were roses here of every color imaginable.  I wish that we had roses like this in our yard.  How pretty! Taking some down time from all the exploring.  We were reading stories before bed.  Clark and Ethan had a blast together.  They play like best friends and fight like brothers, it was fun to watch.  Ethan learned to say Clark's name really quickly and Clark was always looking for Ethan. We went on a hike and ended up at a waterfall.  Ethan was scared of the waterfall but loved this little pool of water between the rocks.  It was freezing cold though, and I had to hold him up so he wouldn't fall in. The family at the waterfall.  Ethan was great and stayed in his stroller the entire walk.  So I didn't have to have any panic attacks of him falling off a cliff. Eve and Ethan taking a snack break on our walk.  Eve was a great help with the little boys! The entire family.  Matt, Bianca, Opa, Clark, Dean (in stroller), Oma, Eve, Marla, Dan, and Ethan in the other stroller.   Going on our hike! Opa and Oma gave the grandkids trophies for being the best Grandkids out there.  They filled them with sour gummy worms and the kids loved them!  Thanks Oma and Opa! Dan saw this Dinosaur at the Disney Store.  He instantly had to have it! Then he showed it to Ethan and it was love at first sight!  Ethan loves this guy and keeps saying "big dinosaur".  

We had a great trip and it's so hard to believe that it went by so quickly.  Now, we are just waiting for July 8th for our Disney adventure and beach trip!  But, lets hope the summer doesn't go by that quickly.  I go back to work on Aug. 4th.  

*** oh and to see the pictures larger, all you have to do is click on a picture.  Just in case you didn't know that! 

What kind of plant is this?

Anyone know?  Ethan grew it at daycare and then gave it to me as a Mother's day gift.  So cute!  Anyway, my mom picked him up from daycare that day, and they didn't tell her what it was.  Of course I can never remember to actually ask when I'm there, so anyone know?  What kind of plant is this?  It's doing really well and growing like crazy.

Frogs

Yep, Dan and Ethan are frogs.  Watch the video and see!

Update on me

Well I've gotten several emails asking how I'm doing, so I thought I'd update here.

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I have been having a hard time breathing for those of you that don't know.  I've had several episodes that aren't fun, and usually last a day or so.  I finally took myself to the doctor and it turns out I have allergy induced asthma.

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I had a breathing treatment in the doctor's office and that really helped.  It brought my oxygen levels back up, and made my airways open back up.  I'm now on three different allergy meds and have an inhaler.  I've had to use the inhaler every day for the past several days.  More than I want to.

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The good news is that the doctor thinks this will go away when allergy season passes.  For me, that's usually right about now, so I'm not sure why I'm having such a hard time with this.  Hopefully, it will soon in time for our trip to the mountains with family!

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Thanks everyone for your thoughts and well wishes.  I'm doing okay, now that I know what's going on!

Look what a friend did to Ethan...

Yep that's a bite mark.  It was red yesterday, and today it's totally bruised.  The accident report from daycare said "a friend bit Ethan on the arm during circle time".  Ummm...I wouldn't call that a friend.  I can't get to upset, b/c Ethan was a biter.  Only he was one and had no teeth.  (well two teeth)  These kids are two and three years old, they should know better.  

When I asked Ethan about it, I said "Ethan where did a friend bite you today?"  He got a sad look on his little face and said "he mmmmm" and pointed to his arm.  That's Ethan talk for bite.  He says mmmm when he bites food, and when his dinosaurs bite each other! 

My birthday present

From Dan and Ethan.  Here it is.  Yes it's a clock.  When I told my friend Camille, she said "a clock, really?"  (but when she found out what type of clock she thought it was cool)  But, Dan actually did really really good.  I have wanted a clock that chimes for over a year now.  My MIL, Anita, has one and I love hers.  Seriously, every store we enter, I have to go look at the clocks.  So Dan did very well.  (oh and the hard part was finding a round clock that chimes)  Anyway, I really love it.  It makes me smile every hour when it chimes.  Thank you Dan for such a thoughtful birthday and mother's day gift.  

Just had to say....

Only 9 and a half more days.   

Finally, the video of Ethan's tantrum.  This was after we left the bounce house.  He didn't want to leave, then he was mad that I wouldn't let him see the camera.  He doesn't have a tantrum like this very often.  

Building houses

Building houses is fun.  I haven't introduced Ethan to the art of building houses with blankets, I have a feeling that's all I will do once he learns that adventure.  But, we have started building houses with his blocks.  Every kid needs to know how to build a little house, right?

Can you guess what this is a picture of?

If you guessed a dinosaur in time out, you would be right!  Ethan's dinosaur was very bad (doing what I don't know) but he put him in time out.  I thought this was so very funny!  He was shaking his finger at the dinosaur and saying "no" and a bunch of other stuff that I couldn't quite understand.