Flight Museum

As I was looking through some pictures I realized that I never posted our little trip to the flight museum here in Santa Rosa a couple weeks ago.  They had a special "top gun" day with some of the real planes from the movie.  Needless to say the boys loved every second of walking around those huge planes and probably would have stayed the entire day if we would have let them!

sitting where Tom Cruise actually sat :)

please ignore my crazy wind blown curly hair- blah (chopped it all off the next day!)

African Cats

Mark and I took Jake to see disney's African Cats the other night.  We all loved it!  It was about 20 minutes too long for Jake but other than that, he sat very still switching off between our laps (because he didn't weigh enough to hold the seat down!)  :)

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Jake had spring break last week- not that that really means anything when you only go to preschool 2 mornings a week :)  I have wanted to visit the aquarium down in Monterey for the longest time and thought it would be a perfect place to spend a couple of days during our "break."  So we packed up and headed south right at nap time and timed it perfectly because the boys woke up with only about an hour to go and then I just shoved all kinds of snacks in their mouths the rest of the way- ha!

We met up with the Leffew's (our greatest friends in Healdsburg) who had spent the week down in Santa Barbara and decided to stay in Monterey and do the aquarium with us on their way home.  The hotel had a fun pool which was heated so we all swam until we were shriveled up and then headed to CPK for dinner.  Sorry, but no pictures from the pool or dinner :(

It was the first time all 4 of us had stayed in a hotel and while bedtime and waking up time proved to be a little bit difficult we all managed just fine but next time we will plan a little better and maybe get a second room.

The next morning, we drove into Carmel and had a very yummy breakfast at Katy's.  If you are ever in the area- go there!  It was delicious!

Next stop- Monterey Bay Aquarium!  I think I was just as excited as Jake was :)  We got there right at 10 when it opened... along with HUNDREDS of other people!  I'm not kidding.  The place was packed with people.  Maybe coming the Friday of spring break and just 2 days before Easter wasn't such a good idea after all...

BUT the boys LOVED all of it!  Pierce was WIDE EYED and Jake couldn't get enough of it.  Pierce rode on Mark's shoulders most of the time and Sara and I were just trying to keep up with the other 3 kids.  There was a huge area for all the kids to touch all different kinds of things- seaweed, starfish, STINGRAYS, and basically like huge water tables complete with mini waves, boats, toy water animals, etc... and I'm sure we didn't even get to 3/4 of the whole area... because of ALL the kids... did I already mention that it was CRAZY busy?!?

I did good to get the very few pictures I did.  I was afraid that every time I put my camera to my face, A, someone would walk right in front of it and B, that I would lose sight of my kids.  So sadly, I barely took any pictures and the pictures that I did manage to snap show the backs of their heads :)

We were all done around noon so we headed up the street for lunch at... Ghirardelli!  Why not, right?!  The kids shoved down the yummiest chocolate ice cream cones and then as everyone was starting to fall apart we headed to the car to head back north.  Once again, timing it perfectly with naps and we were all back in Healdsburg by dinnertime.

It was a very short trip but loved it all! 

So cute!  :)

if you look closely at that leafy thing you will see that it's really a seahorse!!  it's called a leafy dragon.  makes you love God's creativity doesn't it?!?  :)

the jellyfish were pretty incredible to look at- of course the pic doesn't do this tank justice...

sweet Ruby and her friend the penguin

fun at Ghirardelli :)

Unbelievable

I find it pretty unbelievable that:

a. I have an eighteen (and a half) month old

b. I haven't done an update on just him since he turned ONE... yall, that was 6 months ago

c. My sweet little second born has been showing signs of a monster lately... Cue the "terrible twos."

Here are some things I want to remember about where he is right now.

*We were at the pediatrician this last week and he weighs 26.3 pounds (50%) and is 34.25 inches long (about 90%).  Pediatrician discovered 2 pretty infected ears so we are on some antibiotics currently... which actually could explain some of his little "fits" which is probably more better of a word than "monster" :)

*He can be the absolute SWEETEST little person most of the time but when you do something to make him mad, his world totally and completely FALLS APART!  And he will let you know it- believe me.  It's seriously like he is another person.  He is 100% royally P.I.S.S.E.D.  He will hit you if you go to pick him up and even worse, he has been known to bite if he's mad enough.  I've learned to just walk out of the room during these times.  I will normally go back in the room after he's been screaming for about 10 minutes and when I pick him up he immediately stops crying and all he wants to do is snuggle- sweet guy.  Then it's another 10 minutes before he's ready to be put down.  Really it's frustrating, exhausting and heart melting (the snuggle time) all at the same time.  But it has brought me to my knees begging for more patience from the Lord!  My mom shared with me this verse this week while she was here.  It's Colossians 4:6

"Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."

Lord, I pray that my words to Pierce, and really to Jake as well, be full of grace and love and that I know how to handle each and every situation that is thrown in my direction.

* We have a major ball player on our hands!  Pierce loves loves loves ALL things ball.  He is always throwing a ball, kicking a ball, shooting a ball.

* And speaking of sports... I think we will have a left hander too!  Woo Hoo!  Just like his momma :)  He does everything with just his left hand right now.

* Loves giving kisses to us all and will always to get/give a kiss to Jake when it comes time for bed.

* HATES taking medicine.  HATES having his teeth brushed.

* Little stinker still isn't really talking.  He has about 4 or 5 words.  He says "ba" for 'ball'- shocker that that would be his first word!  If you give him a phone, he will put it to his ear and say "oh" for 'hello'.  The cutest thing he does is say (or really sound out) "ah ba" for 'all aboard'- he makes the sounds that you would say when you say it.  And he will say "waaaaak", almost a combination of 'wow' and 'look' when he sees a trash truck or a firetruck or another big cool vehicle.  But no mama or dada yet... sigh!  And he will say "uh oh".  He points to everything and wants you to tell him what it is- it's like a high pitched "this this this" and he will repeat it and get louder until you answer him :)

* He's mastered the shaking head no part- he's good at that :)

* When he's not playing with a ball he wants me to read to him.  Loves books!

* He idolizes his big brother!  Wants to be with him all the time.  Wants to do everything Jake is doing.  Wants to follow him everywhere.  I LOVE the sound of both of the laughing!

* When Jake isn't around, Pierce does such a great job at playing by himself.  He will sit and play with one car/truck/train for 20 minutes and making all the appropriate noises and sounds :)

* Wears size 5 diapers during the day and size 6 at night.  Takes one afternoon nap- usually between 2-3 hours.  Goes to sleep around 7 and will sleep until 6:45 or 7.  Sleeps with 2 blankets and loves playing with the little taggies on one of them while he is taking his milk at naptime and bedtime.

he's so cute sometimes i just can't stand it!

this child fears nothing when it comes to the playground.  he will do things that even Jake won't try.  i'm afraid he will be my first child to the ER.

 if you are going to eat pizza, why not SHOVE it in your mouth, right???

* I can't pinpoint exactly what it is but this little person tugs at my heart in an oh so special way.  I love him so much that sometimes it hurts.  I absolutely ADORE him and am so honored to be his mommy!

Easter decor and my 2nd craft

Remember when I made my Valentine's wreath?  Well, I found my second project to copy (ha!) and I am just as proud of this one as well.  Just in time for spring and Easter too!

I got my idea from here and off I went to Michael's, the paint store and Arista for a piece of wood.  The lady at Michael's was so helpful.  I basically showed her a picture and she pointed me to the wreath and the flowers and showed me how to "stick" them in.  I made my own stencil from stencil paper (since I don't have the $250 machine that the real crafty person used).  I think everything turned out really cute.  The only thing that didn't work is hanging the block from my wreath because it was too heavy so I have it sitting next to my Easter egg wreath on my front porch which I think is just as cute.

(there will be some hydrangeas sitting here too hopefully tomorrow!)

and I'm also having this little thing printed and put in a 16x20 frame (like I did with my Valentine's one) but I'm not sure where it will go just quite yet.  I found it here.

And I feel like I will be making a summer, fall, and winter block in the future :)

HAPPY SPRING Y'ALL!

My 'Perfect Moment'

I got my first rose bush and I can't wait until I can start cutting these flowers to have in my house!

my little helper giving it a good drink of water

what my roses will look like!  won't they be pretty?!

oh, and case you were wondering... the rose is called "perfect moment"  :)

Our Backyard

We finally have a "real" backyard!  Our other house had one but we hardly ever played there since we had a huge area out front to play in.  It was also impossible for me to supervise (much less even SEE) the boys back there while I while I was in the house.  All that to say that I am LOVING our backyard NOW!  There is tons of room for the boys to play, a huge deck for us to entertain and plenty of fun things to do/add to over the next few years.  The previous owners left us the cushions and pillows for the bench which I love as well.

Here she is!

this is what you walk out to from our family room.  we will eventually add some kind of awning for shade and a bigger table

our backyard includes also some of my favorites...

 a lemon tree

 a little "cutie" tree

 gorgeous camillias

lots of ferns... reminds me of the south!  ;)

a japanese maple

 a magnolia tree... can't wait for some of those flowers!

if i could do anything to the backyard i would tear this all out and add grass.  mark doesn't want to tear out the sidewalk so we may mulch it and put a playset but we are not sure...

but one thing we know for sure that we all LOVE our backyard and are so thankful and know that many fun memories will be made back here!

and I, personally LOVE saying, "kids, go play in the backyard!"

(note- i'm waiting till my mom gets here next week to take pictures of the upstairs because i am needing lots of her help/expertise!  so stay tuned...)