Never A Dull Moment!

Magical Moments

2012-01-07T12:06:00.003-06:00

Jaime, Davon, Denise, Jason, Connie, Larry, Mason, Brady, Alex

Here we are at "The Kingdom" as Alex likes to call it. We had to bundle up, the highs for the day were only in the mid 40's. Thankfully the weather has warmed up since then. We have really enjoyed each park we've visited. Jason and I were here in 2004 but with 3 little ones, our interests have really changed. Mason and Alex are really into meeting the characters and getting their autographs. Brady has taken a lot of long naps in his stroller but he likes meeting them too when he's awake.

Alex, Jake the Pirate, Mason, Brady, Connie

This is Jake the Pirate. Mason & Alex knew who he was but the rest of us were clueless. The lines have been fairly short to meet the characters. We've walked right in to meet some and up to 30 minutes for others. I'd guess the average wait is about 15 minutes but it is so worth it. They really spend time with the boys, lots of hugs & high 5's. We never feel like they're rushing us.

We couldn't pass up the chance to go on the Aerosmith Rockin' Rollercoaster. It's by far Jason's favorite ride and he was super excited when we got to ride in the very front car! We got a fast pass so we didn't have to wait in line so long & then Jason & Davon went on it for a second time.

Let the Fun Begin!

2012-01-02T13:55:00.002-06:00

Just a quick post to let everyone know we arrived safely. Alex wasn"t feeling well last night on the plane ride. He slept the whole way and was looking a little green when we landed. I'm glad I grabed an airsick bag from the plane before we got off because he had to use it on the way to our house. He's back to normal now, coloring and giving Mason a hard time.

Speaking of our house, this place is GREAT!!! We love the extra room we have to spread out and the pool is wonderful. I figured when they said it was a heated pool that meant it was just above the air temp. Nope! It is like a warm bath, the thermometer said it was 90 degrees. We had a lot of fun splashing around in it after lunch and plan to be in there a lot. Brady is getting along like a little trooper. He's short on napping but he's having a good time and behaving so I can't complain. Mason is having a good time as well. He really enjoys the extra time he's getting to spend with cousin Davon.. Jason is wishing we had a pool like this one in our backyard.

The plans for today are to take it easy, check out the facilities at the clubhouse (playground, etc.) and get everything ready for the big day tomorrow. Look out, Magic Kingdom, here we come!!

The Cake

2011-12-20T20:53:00.004-06:00

I couldn't post about their birthday party without adding a picture of the cake. Mason & Alex's former & Brady's current babysitter made an awesome cake for them this year. It was a chocolate and white marble cake with delicious "grass" frosting. The boys were excited to see their cars used as cake toppers. We had some leftovers & it was still fresh 4 days later when we finished it off. (Jason was deer hunting over the weekend, otherwise it would never have lasted that long!) I told Stephanie to save a spot on her calendar for next year, this cake was fantastic. Plus, the "icing on the cake" is that we know this one was made with love. Thanks, Steph!!!

5th Birthday Party

2011-12-20T20:47:00.000-06:00

We had a great family party with a special guest, Santa! Mason & Alex were happily eating their birthday cake when in walked Santa! The just sat in their chairs and stared at him, then Mason covered up his face. I thought it was because he had been naughty & didn't want Santa to see him, but later he told us he had "stage fright". Geez, the things Mason comes up with!


Our Family - Jason, Denise, Brady, Mason & Alex

Nathan, Alex, Mason & Alex

Larry, Connie, Brady, Davon, Alex & Mason

Jim, Jason, Denise, Brady, Connie, Sharon, Alex, Mason & Great Grandma

Thank you to all of our friends and family who helped us celebrate Mason & Alex's special day. They loved every one of their gifts, but most of all they had a wonderful evening spending time with people they love.

A Sneak Peek

2011-12-11T11:10:00.001-06:00

I was going through some computer files to organize some of my pictures and came across a few in a Misc. file that really touched me. Seeing how far Mason & Alex have come in the last 5 years is amazing. I thank God for bringing them into our family and letting us be their parents. So for today's post I'm giving you a sneak peek of the joy they've brought to our hearts.

Alex - 1 month

Mason - 1 month

The first few months were rough. We had no idea how much work it would be to take care of a preemie baby. Preemie twins definitely made for two very exhausted parents! We were so thankful for all of the support from our families to help get us through the rough patches.

Alex & Mason - 1 yr

My what a difference a 11 months can make! Mason & Alex were delightful toddlers. They took great naps & slept through the night. Plus, you can't get much cuter than this!


Jason, Denise, Mason & Alex - Adoption Day!

This is without question one of the top 3 best days of my life. Right up there with marrying Jason & Brady's birth day. All the worries and fears that things may turn out the way we hoped were finally put to rest. But this day also opened up a new door, one where we were solely responsible for these two precious little boys. It was quite a transition for me, a slight sense of loss as the wonderful social workers & service providers we'd gotten to know over the last 11 months were phased out of our lives.

Mason - 2 yrs

Jason & Alex - 2 yrs

Terrible 2s? Not in this house! Mason & Alex were a blast to have in our home. Everything was exciting to them and they did everything at 100%. They were so snuggly and lovable. I miss my 2 year olds.

Alex - 3 yrs

Mason - 3 yrs

Now age 3 is quite a different story. They were still so snuggly and loving, but something had changed. Gone were the days of Mommy & Daddy knowing best. These two figured out how to team up against us and had minds all their own. They learned how to challenge us and really gave us hard time. I was assured that age 4 would be much better.

Mason - 4 yrs

Alex - 4 yrs

So we toughed it out & eventually they turned 4. The improvement I hoped would come overnight didn't happen! They're still naughty, but there was a little bit of maturity that came along too. They were an absolute joy to have individually. I realized I have got some of the neatest kids I've ever met. They can be little tyrants when they're together, teasing, arguing, fighting. But there's also a love, a bond that is very strong. They look out for eachother and if one is wronged, the other one has his back.

Alex - Almost 5 yrs!

Mason - Almost 5 yrs!

Here we are, at almost 5 years old. Their naughty streak has really gotten under control. They still like to torment each other, but what siblings don't? Mason and Alex have really blossomed at preschool and are learning new things all the time. They love their little brother and haven't given a thought at being jealous of the attention he gets.

Mason and Alex, I am so thankful and proud to be your mom.

5x7 Folded Card

2011-11-26T21:33:00.001-06:00

Bright Merry Cheer Christmas Card

This season, send Christmas cards personalized with family photos.

View the entire collection of cards.

First Pictures Under the Tree

2011-11-26T13:57:00.001-06:00

It's a family tradition to put the tree up on the day after Thanksgiving. Brady was all over the ornaments when Mason, Alex and I were going through the box but he could care less about the tree or what's on it.

We took time (48 seconds was all he could spare) for a quick photo shoot on Saturday and got a few good ones. Seriously, does this kid look 9 months old???

I LOVE BLACK FRIDAY!

2011-11-26T13:30:00.001-06:00

I absolutely love Black Friday. Apparently Brady wasn't very impressed with the sales at Norby's!

New towels...need I say more?

Our towels are 8+ years old & I've been thinking about replacing them for a while. Every time I'd shop at Kohl's I'd have to stop and touch a certain set. When I saw them on sale in the Black Friday ad, I couldn't resist. It looks like I'm not the only one who was thrilled by new towels! Alex helped me pull off all the tags and then he & Brady played in them for quite a while. When it was time for a nap, both Alex and Mason had to take a bath towel with them to bed. Too funny!

Riley had a great holiday as well!

First Friend Birthday Party!

2011-11-26T13:24:00.001-06:00

Mason and Alex were invited to their first friend's birthday party this month. They were so excited to go!! I bought some My Little Ponies for them to give as a gift. Mason told me he wanted me to get one of them for him for his birthday. We'll see if he forgets about that idea. They had a great time helping me wrap the presents and picked out all different colors of ribbon to put on top. They also made special printouts on the computer and colored and wrote on cards for the birthday girl. The party was held at an "inflatable park" (lots of bouncy castles). They had so much fun and were completely exhausted when it was time to go. Needless to say, they weren't the only ones dragging at preschool the next day!

Alex & Mason

Don't they look so grown up?

An Interview With Alex

2011-11-26T13:07:00.001-06:00

Alex is definitely a special kid. He always keeps me on my toes, I never know what's going to come out of his mouth. He loves playing the computer and he is definitely an artist. This summer he got1st place in a coloring contest and won a gift card to Target and a blue ribbon. He's really into spelling and writing out words right now. Sometimes I think he's too smart for his own good.

Who is your best friend? Aiden, Mason, Sophia, Olivia & Nicholas
What is your favorite color? Rainbow & Yellow (Jason was thrilled with that answer!)
What is your favorite restaurant? Burger King (Odd because he'd never been there before!!) & McDonalds
What do you want to do for a job when you grow up? Play music & hair stylist
Are you going to get married? Yeah, I'm gonna marry Grandma & Papa D.
How many kids do you think you'll have? Tons of 'em. (Oh my goodness!)
What's your favorite movie? The Wiggles Space Dancing
What is your favorite toy? My Wiggle dolls.
What is your favorite cartoon? The Wiggles
What do you love about Mom? Hugs & kisses, backfire at you!!! (We're not going there!)
What do you love about Dad? Play Transformers.
What do you love about Brady? Touching his hair.

Trick or Treat

2011-11-17T21:50:00.001-06:00

Happy Halloween!

Our church put on the 2nd annual Trunk or Treat and we had a blast!! Alex was Papa Smurf and he got a ton of compliments. The blue makeup came off his face pretty well, just a little bit of a blue hue after we washed it all off. Brady was The Incredible Hulk and he played the part very well. It's a little hard to tell in the picture but the thing he has on his head is supposed to be The Hulk's forhead & it has the cutest little green ears sticking out on the side. Mason was super excited to be Optimus Prime. The costume has a mask but it was a little big so he just carried it or went without for most of the afternoon.

We all had a wonderful afternoon and it the event was put on perfectly by our church. Plenty of "trunks" to visit, Mr. Nick the balloon guy made plenty of balloon animals, there was a firetruck & even a tow truck. Plus the weather was great. You can't complain when you can go without a jacket at Halloween! We are looking forward to the Trunk or Treat next year!

An Interview With Mason

2011-10-22T13:43:00.002-05:00

I thought it would be interesting to "interview" Mason & Alex as a way to catch a little of their interests and personalities for the blog. I couldn't believe some of the answers I got, they were hilarious! At the time of the interview Mason was 4 1/2 years old.

Best Friends at Daycare: Olivia, Sophia, Emily, Alex & Nicholas
Favorite Color: Red, Yellow, Purple (can't just pick one!)
Favorite Food: "I don't like sprouts." Where did that come from??? The rest of his answer is root beer and tootsie rolls.
Favorite Restaurant: Buffalo Wild Wings
Future Job: "Two things, I'm gonna scoop up dirt and be a police."
Are you going to get married?: "Yeah, I'm gonna marry you, Mommy." Aww, isn't he sweet?!?!
Are you going to have kids: 5
Favorite Movie: Cars 2 and Megamind
Favorite Toy: "All of them."
Favorite Cartoon: "Every one, Rescue Heroes."
Something about Mommy: Love, backfire (do not ask!), hugs & kisses.
Something about Brady: "I love him so much."
Something about Daddy: play super heroes "and all of that".

Talk about a personality! When Mason was little, he didn't talk nearly as much as Alex. I thought he was going to be the quiet one but boy was I wrong! He says the funniest things and often catches me completely off guard. I am definitely going to have to do another interview again, it was so much fun!

Mason milking a pretend cow at Hudson Days

Slumber Party

2011-10-02T14:27:00.003-05:00

Grandma & Papa D. bought Mason & Alex tents. Once in a while we'll get them out when the boys have had really good behavior. They were so excited to get to sleep in them. I think Brady is a little jealous but he was happy to pose for a picture too.

Getting a Little Big for the Swing

2011-10-02T14:13:00.002-05:00

I think Brady's just about done with his swing. He can only go in it if he's sleeping or else I worry he's going to tear it apart. Too bad he's only been able to use it 7 1/2 months.

Toot Toot Chugga Chugga

2011-07-31T08:01:00.005-05:00

The day of The Wiggles concert finally arrived! We stayed at Clayton Hills Campground in Garnavillo on Saturday night & we left bright & early on Sunday morning to go to The Wiggles concert in Wisconsin Dells. The van ride there was quite an adventure. We stopped at a garage sale twice, drove through Batman's (pretend) hometown of Gotham, got Happy Meals from McDonalds & then Alex got a little carsick, I think from all of the excitement.

Alex, Mason & Mommy standing outside the Crystal Grand Theater in Wisconsin Dells. Alex is holding a rose to give to Dorothy the Dinosaur (she eats roses).

All our Wiggles gear! I bought each of the boys a t-shirt and let them spend $50 of their own money. Alex picked out a Henry the Octopus leg costume, a book and a light up spinner. Mason picked out a plush guitar, a plush Big Red Car and a light up spinner. The $ ran out quick but they each knew exactly what they wanted and didn't mind when they hit their spending limit. The spinners were special, they were supposed to use them during the concert when The Wiggles sang Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.Mason, Grandma S. and Alex are waiting for the concert to begin! While we sat in our seats they had projectors running on the walls showing clips of The Wiggles. It was a great way to keep everyone's attention and to get us even more excited for the concert to start.

Finally, the moment we've been waiting for!!! The Wiggles put on a great show. They gave 110% the whole time and that was pretty impressive considering this concert was in celebration of their 20th "birthday". Unfortunately Jeff wasn't able to make it, he had surgery to put in a pacemaker. The Wiggles introduced Brad, who would be helping out in Jeff's place. I wasn't sure how that would go over but the boys loved him & talked about him quite a bit after the concert. They have plenty of room in their hearts to love all of The Wiggles, Greg, Murray, Anthony, Jeff, Sam & Brad, plus all of their supporting cast.

I finally understood why Alex was so adament that he had to have a rose for Dorothy. The Wiggles came around and collected roses from all of the kids. Anthony stopped by us and the boys got to talk to him for a quick minute. He asked their names and Mason reached out to touch his arm. It was one of the sweetest things I've ever seen!

You would think after all of that excitement that we would have had a quiet, peaceful carride home. Nope! We managed to turn a 3 1/2 hour trip into a 5 1/2 hour trip between stopping to eat, tour an old airplane (that will be a different post) and at least 5 bathroom breaks. Nobody even came close to taking a nap in the van. After such an exciting day, we were all glad to be home.

Homemade Sweet Peas

2011-07-17T14:49:00.003-05:00

My 1st attempt at making baby food was a success! I made 13 servings of sweet peas for $1.00, what a deal. After I steamed the peas, I pureed them in the food processor, then I separated the mixture into an ice cube tray to put in the freezer. After they're frozen they'll go into freezer bags. Then when Brady's ready for his next meal we'll just thaw a cube, add in some milk to get it to the right consistency & then "lunch is served"!

My happy boy likes peas!!! Brady was so happy to try something new, he enjoyed every bite!

An Exciting Update!

2011-07-13T20:35:00.004-05:00

Brady has been able to roll over from tummy to back for quite a while now. Last night (7/12/11) he rolled from back to tummy for the first time & the whole family was there to see it!

When Alex Offers to Help...

2011-07-04T14:00:00.000-05:00

Happy 4th of July!

After coming home from a long weekend of camping, Alex woke up from his nap and found me going through Brady's clothes to put away what he'd outgrown. He thought we needed to have a little dress up time. The outfit Brady is wearing is one that Mason and Alex wore when they were little, along with the super cool sunglasses. The Spider Man shoes are all Brady's. This is the first and last time he'll get to wear him. After squeezing his fat little feet into them, I decided they're just too small.

Of course we have two pairs of sunglasses!!! Alex was more than happy to pose for a silly picture with his baby brother.

The Littlest Fan

2011-06-21T13:52:00.002-05:00

Brady loves being outside. He had a great time at Mason & Alex's t-ball games this summer.

Look Out, Chuck E. Cheese, Here We Come!!

2011-06-19T14:31:00.002-05:00

As a reward, Jason & I took Mason & Alex to Chuck E. Cheese. Grandma S. & Davon came to help & Brady was just along for the ride. We had such a fun time together that I didn't even realize we stayed there until bedtime!

Mason, Davon w/ Brady & Alex

Brady is in the early stages of teething, so if he doesn't have his hands in his mouth he's sticking his tongue out! Grandma S. was a big help. She took care of Brady most of the time so I could play with Mason & Alex, something I've missed lately.

Brady, Denise, Mason, Alex & Davon playing a ball toss game. We decided teamwork would make this game more fun. Characters would pop up on the screen & we had to hit them with a ball for points.

Alex played his first game of Air Hockey with Davon.

I didn't think Brady would get much out of Chuck E. Cheese, boy was I wrong! He really enjoyed all of the lights and fun things to look at. He didn't make one fuss the whole time we were there. He had so much fun he wore himself out and fell asleep toward the end of the evening.

Game #2 - Getting Better

2011-06-19T13:59:00.002-05:00

Game #2 was quite an improvement over game #1. Nobody ran wildly through the outfield when they were supposed to be batting, nobody cried and nobody said they wanted to go home and never come back.

Mason acts shy sometimes and wants someone to go with him when he's supposed to go up to bat. Here Grandma S. stands behind Mason (in the red shorts) as he waits for his turn to bat. Mommy & Daddy worked with Mason & Alex the night before & their batting is getting batter.

Mason (left) & Alex (right) started to lose focus on the game so Grandpa S. went out in the field with them to help them pay attention to the ball. Home plate was a mud hole because of all the rain so they moved everything out toward the outfield.

I was so lucky to get this photo! Alex fielded a ball in the outfield. Mason was so happy for Alex that he gave him a huge hug! All of the parents thought it was sweet & I was pretty proud that even though Mason wanted to get the ball, he was just as happy when Alex got it.
At this age, everyone bats & everyone scores, there are no outs. Alex was the last batter so he got a "home run". Coach Chris ran along with him to all of the bases so he knew where to go.

This game was much more fun than the last one. We are all looking forward to seeing how next weeks games go.

Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls

2011-06-18T13:43:00.000-05:00

I found a new recipe I wanted to try and Alex is always the first one to run to the kitchen to be my helper. He helped me season the shredded chicken, he put a line of the ranch cream cheese on the egg roll, added the buffalo chicken and "painted" water in the edge. Then I rolled them up & into the oven they went...delicious food and great memories!

One of my favorite Brady pictures

2011-06-13T22:22:00.003-05:00

This is one of my favorite pictures of Brady. He's almost 4 months old now and has changed so much. No more skinny arms and legs, he's soft and squishy, just love those little rolls. He is developing a fun little personality that melts Mommy's heart. Brady is a great cuddler and loves to watch everything his big brothers do.

Brady has a rough day...

2011-06-13T22:14:00.003-05:00

Brady had a rough day at daycare today. His tummy wasn't feeling well and he cried for an hour & a half straight, poor little guy & poor babysitter! He went to Mason & Alex's t-ball game and slept almost the whole time there and for quite a while at home. He is also in the early stages of teething. No teeth showing yet but he's drooly & chews on his hands constantly. He sat with Daddy for a while after eating and spent some time working on a teething ring. Thank goodness Brady was feeling better at bedtime. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.

Our 1st T-Ball Game...Yikes!

2011-06-13T21:45:00.003-05:00

Play Ball (sort of)!

2011-05-31T21:52:00.003-05:00

Mason & Alex had their first T-ball practice tonight. It was...interesting. They really don't have any idea what they're supposed to be doing & I think the coaches were a bit overwhelmed, welcome to our world! They still need to learn how to hit, catch, throw, stop a ball & run the bases but we're going to work on it. They have 3 more practices before their first game so we'll see what we can do.

You never know what you'ree going to see at our house.

2011-05-31T21:38:00.005-05:00

Mason

Alex

Brady & Daddy

Getting So Big

2011-05-15T15:08:00.003-05:00

I thought I'd post a picture of each of the boys to show how big they're getting and give an update on their interests.

Mason is a sweetheart. He is always ready to give Brady a kiss & a hug. He loves playing with his toys and is especially interested in all kinds of super heroes. This is a picture of Mason when he was looking for a snack in the fridge and was more than happy to pose for me.

Alex is getting very independent. Once he makes up his mind it's hard to change. His interests right now are playing on the computer and doing art projects. He loves anything that has to do with "The Wiggles". In this picture he's going to climb up onto the top bunk at bedtime.

Brady is starting to interact with us a lot more. He is smiley and has laughed out loud twice (in his sleep, but it still counts!!!). He likes his big brothers and when they're around he's always watching to see what they're up to. This is a picture of him sitting in his high chair while I was getting lunch ready.

Who is this Character???

2011-05-15T14:54:00.002-05:00

May 8, 2011
Jason was supposed to be helping Mason & Alex get ready for bed. I walked into their bedroom to find Brady all dressed up!

Mother's Day 2011

2011-05-15T14:31:00.003-05:00

I had a great Mother's Day this year. I am so fortunate to be the mother of 3 wonderful (2 sometimes naughty) little boys. With all of the day to day challenges of being a mother, a wife & working full time, it can be easy to forget where we were just 5 years ago. I am extremely thankful for the life God has given me and I am challenging myself to end each day by remembering how blessed I am.

I was quite surprised to be the recipient of a Wii. Jason tells me it will be something we can do for fun "as a family". So far he's logged the most time, but we'll see where things go. Mason & Alex haven't quite mastered bowling yet but they're picking it up pretty quickly. I also received two beautiful homemade flowers (painted on paper with a cupcake liner for the flower) from Mason & Alex that are proudly displayed in our dining room. Brady didn't make me anything this year, but just being able to look at his peaceful face while he sleeps on my lap is enough.

We went to my parents house for lunch and I took the opportunity to get a photo of my mom with all 4 grandsons. It was amazing to be able to catch all 5 faces looking at the camera!

Happy 60th Birthday Aunt Sharon!

2011-05-11T20:40:00.000-05:00

We celebrated Sharon's 60th birthday with a surprise party at Jim & Connie's.

We ate a wonderful lunch and spent time catching up with family. Mason & Alex spent a lot of time coloring with Chuck, Diann, Ryan & Megan. Brady enjoyed being held by everyone.

Amy & Mason

Easter 2011

2011-05-11T20:03:00.000-05:00

Easter morning was a lot of fun this year. Mason and Alex enjoyed finding eggs and loved eating all their new candy.
Their big surprise was 2 shiny new John Deere bikes!!! They were really happy, even though the bikes are a little bit too big still.

Brady didn't hunt for eggs this year but the Easter Bunny brought him a set of John Deere dishes. Won't be long and he'll be using them!

Time Flies!

2011-05-11T20:00:00.000-05:00

I've decided to start blogging again, we'll see how it goes!

Time really does fly. As I'm typing, I'm holding my almost 3 month old. The last time I posted I didn't even know I was pregnant. Things have definitely changed around our house. 4 1/2 year old twins and an infant really keep us busy.

Happy 95th Birthday, Great Grandma!

2010-06-13T15:58:00.003-05:00

Today we celebrated Jason's grandma's 95th birthday (fivey-ninth according to Alex) at Jim and Connie's house. What a fun day. We got there early and even though it was raining we played in the garage and had a lot of fun seeing family we don't get to see as often as we would like.

Alex and Mason were excited to help Great Grandma open her birthday card.

Alex and Grandma coloring before lunch.

Mason really enjoys playing with daddy's old parking garage.
His favorite part is the elevator.

Papa Jim did a great job on the grill and our lunch was very good. They boys ate quite a bit but saved enough room for cake.

After lunch we sang Happy Birthday. Mason & Alex wanted to be right by Great Grandma (aka "Sharon's Mom") and Alex made me stand right there too. After singing we had cake and ice cream. We had such a nice time and can't wait to celebrate her 96th birthday!

Fun at Fontana Park

2010-06-05T17:01:00.005-05:00

We went to the Dunkerton city wide garage sales this morning and decided to take a drive through Fontana Park to see if we'd like to camp there some time. We didn't stay long but I got some nice pictures of the boys looking at the animals.

Alex, Jason & Mason

Mason

Alex

Mason & Alex

The only reason I'm sure who is who is becausethis picture was taken earlier this morning and I remember how they were kneeling down. They were trying to see where the skunk was sleeping.

New Kittens!!

2010-06-04T21:14:00.004-05:00

Today we went with Grandma & Papa Snyder to pick out two new kittens (to be kept outside at their house, of course). I pushed for three but Papa wasn't going for it. The boys were very calm and gentle with the kittens. We were very proud because this is the first time they've gotten to hold baby animals. Mason & Alex did so well that we let them hold the kittens on their laps on the way home.

Mason & Max

Alex & Ruby

We picked out the names Max & Ruby after one of the cartoons Mason & Alex like to watch. The names really fit the personalities of the kittens. Max is a yellow boy and he seems like he's going to be the adventurous one. Ruby is a very pretty calico girl and I think she's the quieter of the two.

Memorial Day Weekend 2010

2010-05-31T21:47:00.003-05:00

I'm a little behind on blogging but instead of stressing about trying to catch up I'm just going to try to keep up on our "current events".

We went camping this weekend at Clayton Hills Campground in Garnavillo. Below are pictures from our first family cooking experience in the camper. A delicious layered strawberry shortcake...it was delicious! Thank you to my good friend Kristy for sharing this recipe & to Jason for taking pictures so I could supervise our chefs.

Mason worked on "folding" the strawberries into the glaze.
Alex patiently waited for his turn...sort of!

The boys did a really nice job of taking turns for each layer. It was sloppy, but delicious. I had a hard time keeping their fingers out of the cream mixture.

How could you not love these two???

Our finished product.
I think we could have squeezed those last two strawberries on top,
but Mason & Alex thought it looked perfect without them.

Face Painting???

2010-02-04T21:19:00.008-06:00

I hardly know how to begin this post so I'll just start at the beginning...

Mason & Alex weren't going down for their nap on Saturday. They stayed in their room, but for 2 hours, they just wouldn't fall asleep. Finally, at 4:00 I figured enough was enough and they obviously weren't taking a nap. I walked in their room and this is what I saw...
Alex is on the left without a shirt & Mason is on the right. They were looking out the window when I opened the door. I ran for my camera and began snapping away. I noticed the clothes on all over the floor right away, but what I didn't notice...
was what they had all over their faces...BALMEX (butt paste)! You can see they smeared it right over their eyes and Mason had it all over in the front of his hair. As you can see, Alex did not want to give up that tube. So at 4:15 I had both boys in the tub trying to get Balmex out of their eyelashes, eyebrows, hair, etc. I washed Mason's hair 3 times, but the point of the cream is to be waterproof. After 3 washes, this is what it looked like...
Oh, I almost forgot to mention this was the night of the AECOM employee party at Galleria de Paco. Great-Aunt Sharon showed up to watch the boys & we had to call Mason's hair good enough. I had to get ready to go as quick as I could. We made it on time and while we were eating dinner, I got a text from my friend, Kristy, that said to use Dawn dish soap in his hair. So Sunday morning before church I had Mason stretched out on the kitchen counter over the sink & was scrubbing his hair with Dawn. Thank goodness it worked!!!

I spent the rest of the day, on and off, pulling stuffing from a dinosaur out of Mason's nose, but that's a whole separate story.

Chocolate Cake!

2010-01-25T18:37:00.003-06:00

Jason decided to make chocolate cake today. He made two round pans and then stacked them and covered them with chocolate frosting...LET THE FUN BEGIN! His favorite helpers loved decorating the cake with lots of sprinkles. The best part was eating their masterpiece. Yum!

Mason & Alex

Alex's Long Week

2010-01-09T11:05:00.004-06:00

Alex has had quite the week. Last Friday we took him to the doctors office because he had an ear infection in both ears. He had been running a fever, was very whiney and was sticking his fingers in his ears. We saw a different doctor and he asked us if we were aware Alex has a heart murmur. What??? Well it's what they call an "innocent murmur", which means it's very quiet and won't have any complications...very common in kids and nothing to worry about. We got a prescription for amoxicillin and were on our way.

On Thursday I noticed Alex was getting a mild rash on his legs & core, but it didn't look serious. After his bath it got worse & I called our doctor's office. When I described the rash she said it sounded like it was viral, probably linked to the ear infection.

On Friday, Alex had an accident at daycare. He hit his head on the table and split it open right on the inside of his eyebrow. Stephanie thought he might need stitches to I took him to see our doctor. He ended up getting 3 butterfly stitches (tape) and it should be healed in 5 days and there shouldn't be a scar. About the rash...it's not viral, it's an allergic reaction to the amoxicillin. He's taking Zyrtec now to help get rid of all the spots and can't have any medications with penicillin again.

2009-12-05T22:13:00.002-06:00

Where Are These Guys From??? 10/6

2009-10-07T21:24:00.003-05:00

I swear, they do not get their weirdness from me...well, maybe a little bit. I took this picture just before bedtime. They both wanted to wear their glasses (swimming goggles!) and read books on the couch. They're pretty cute with the goggles on their head but it's even funnier when they have them over their eyes. No matter what's going on, these two can always make me laugh.

Painting Pumpkins 10/3

2009-10-07T21:09:00.006-05:00

Great-Aunt Ginger came over on Saturday to help the boys paint pumpkins. Mason painted for about 20 minutes and then he was ready to be done. Alex, on the other hand, painted for over an hour and cried when it was time to stop. It's neat to see how different two little boys can be...same dna, same life experiences, very different personalities. I really love their differences.

Blueberry Applesauce...Thanks, Gloria!

2009-10-07T20:04:00.006-05:00

Jason's super nice co-worker, Gloria sent home a few treats for Mason & Alex. The blueberry applesauce was a big hit! I'm pretty impressed at how little the mess was. They're getting a lot better at getting food into their mouth with a spoon...when they want to.

A Trip to the Doctor's Office

2009-09-28T14:11:00.002-05:00

Mason and Alex got their vaccination against the flu today. Instead of a shot they got a squirt in the nose, which was no big deal since they're used to me squirting them with saline when they get a cold. The best part for them was that they each got a sucker. The best part for me was that they got weighed and measured!

Mason: 31 lbs / 50-75th % 34 1/2" / 5th %

Alex: 31 lbs / 50-75th % 35" / 5-10th %

I find it amazing how close they stay in height and weight.

Separate Rooms?

2009-09-03T21:46:00.005-05:00

A few people have asked me if I thought moving the boys into separate bedrooms would help at bedtime. Looking at this picture, how could anyone try to split these two up? My little partners in crime. I went in and checked on the boys at 8:30 and they had pulled a bunch of clothes out again. I made them pick everything up (yes, it's all stuffed into the bottom two drawers but at least it's off the floor for now) and then I put them back into bed. At 9:00 this is how I found them in Alex's bed. Mason is laying on the Pooh pillow and Alex has his Bobby Labonte pillow propped up on Mason's back. Cat is laying on top of Alex. I left them how they were because I don't think they'd been asleep long enough to move much but I'll have to get them situated in their own beds before I go to bed.

You Reap What You Sow

2009-09-03T21:27:00.004-05:00

I have often been reminded of the time I was little and pulled every piece of clothing I owned out of my dresser drawers...

Last night when I went to check on the boys, this is what I found. They had pulled everything out of the bottom two drawers and half of the clothes from the 2nd drawer. Keep in mind that the room is completely dark and the flash of my camera lights it up when I take a picture.

Alex & Mason

(Notice cat hasn't gone very far.)

As we were going to bed, I asked Jason, "Do you think God is laughing at us right now?"

Day Two in Our Big Boy Beds!

2009-08-31T20:16:00.003-05:00

Jason & I knew bedtime would be easier than naptime. Mason wanted to sleep on the floor so I got him all settled down there. Alex was happy to be tucked into his bed.

This is how I found them at 9:15 pm.

And this is how Jason found them at 6:00 am.

2009-08-31T20:01:00.002-05:00

We're big boys now! Mason & Alex have decided to start getting out of bed all by themselves. First they were going back and forth between cribs so I decided to let them try a nap together to see how they would do.

They started out in Alex's bed...

They completely emptied out Alex's crib and this is how I found them, in Mason's crib.

On Sunday we tried a new approach for naptime. While the boys and I were at church Jason took the railings off the cribs. Better for them to get out of bed easily than to get hurt climbing over. An hour & a half into naptime, this is how I found Mason. His feet were up on the wall and he had a little tin bucket tucked into the crook of his arm. Alex fell asleep against the door so I wasn't able to get his picture.

Future Scrapbookers!

2009-08-29T14:07:00.003-05:00

Alex found some of my stamps so we spent a little time stamping before lunch. Alex was really into inking the stamps & then stamping as hard as he could. Mason stamped a little bit but he really preferred to take the stamps off the plastic, line them up on his paper and then put them back on the plastic (on the right spot!). I realized afterward that while the ink wipes off hard surfaces easily, it didn't come off hands, legs or faces nearly as well.

Mason, Alex

Look at those hands!

The End of a Wonderful Weekend

2009-08-09T21:26:00.003-05:00

Mason playing with his truck & H2 at the table.
Alex using the potty with his Cookie Monster ABC book.

It's Been a Busy Month

2009-07-31T20:41:00.010-05:00

So much for keeping up on my blogging. As you can see from the pictures, we've had a very busy month.

Hudson Days - Mason and Alex enjoyed lunch at our church and then later in the day we met our new friend James who is just 10 days younger than them. These three are going to be trouble when they get older! 7/18

Mason loves his Liten Nakeen (Lightning McQueen) stickers. 7/26

We also went to The Falls but it was too cold so we cut our swimming short and had a picnic at the Cedar Valley Arboretum. It was so much fun I can't wait to go again. The boys really enjoyed playing in the huge dinosaur dig (sandbox) and the highlight of the day was feeding the goldfish in the pond. 7/30

I decided I'd give potty training a shot this weekend. 6 wet pairs of underpants in 25 minutes...we are definitely not ready! They went on the potty chair at least 3 times each in between wetting their big boy pants so I think we're going to wait another month and see how it goes. No rush. 7/31

Come on over to Adventureland...

2009-06-22T20:56:00.005-05:00

Alex Mason

Mason & Alex had a wonderful time at Adventureland on Saturday with me, Jason & my parents. Mason was a little concerned when we tried to put him on the carosel for the first time. But I held on tight and as soon as he figured out what was going on he had a lot of fun. We went on the tea cups, the train, the Infant Ocean, the hot air balloons, the lady bugs, the semis and the Tornado (just me & Jason). The weather was really hot and humid so we were glad the lines weren't too long.

We ate a nice picnic lunch in the shade and by 2:30 the boys had fallen asleep in the stroller so we decided at 3:00 that it was time to head home.

Mason was so glad to be home to play with his toys that he couldn't even wait to get his pajamas on after his bath to start playing.

Road Trip!

2009-06-16T19:45:00.004-05:00

Has it really been over a month since my last post??? I definitely need to do a better job of keeping this blog up to date.

On Saturday we went to Jackson, Sierra & Bonnie's birthday party at Clayton Hills Campground. It's just under a 2 hour drive so I packed plenty of movies and snacks for the trip. Mason, Alex and I went with Davon and Grandma S. We left at 11:00 so we stopped for lunch at McDonalds in Dyersville. Mason & Alex LOVE McDonalds. We had a lot of fun (wiggly and wild) at the birthday party and the potluck was great! If you ever get the chance to go to a Clayton Hills Campground potluck, don't pass it up.

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T14:37:00.006-05:00

What a great day so far...

We woke up a little before 7:00 and went out to eat for breakfast with my parents, Jaime and Davon at the Isle of Capri (thanks Jaime!!!!). The food was great and we had lots of fun. When we got home we went in the garage and I got my Mother's Day present, a Dappled Willow Tree! It's a decorative tree that will only get to be about 8 feet in height. It has beautiful pink flowers and the branches will turn red in the winter. I've read that you can do some pretty extensive pruning at the end of the season and I absolutely love trimming trees.

Then we went to the Western Home to visit with Grandma Ruth for a bit with my aunt Ginger and Uncle Gary. When it was time for her to go to lunch we stopped by to see if Grandma Meyer was around but she wasn't there. We left her Mother's Day gift on her bed and can't wait to hear how she likes it.

The boys are down for a nap right now, Jason just finished using the 4-wheeler and lawn sweeper and is playing a new video game. I've got just a little while to update this post before Jim and Connie come over to spend the rest of the afternoon and evening with us.

This is exactly how I want to spend my Mother's Day. Beautiful weather, no stress and lots of time with my family. I wouldn't change a thing.

Now this is what I call a BUBBLE BATH!!

2009-04-15T20:11:00.004-05:00

Happy Easter!

2009-04-15T20:00:00.003-05:00

We had a great Easter this year. Mason & Alex did an Easter egg hunt with Davon outside at our house after church. Mason would fill up his bucket with eggs, then tip it over and pick them all back up again. When we were all done we came in to open the eggs and they tried to eat all the candy as we went. I didn't realize how many gummy bears would actually fit inside Mason's mouth! The boys also enjoyed an Easter Egg hunt at Jim and Connie's later in the afternoon. These are the most spoiled little boys. Who knew you could get so many gifts at Easter!

Where do they put all that food??

2009-04-04T20:22:00.000-05:00

After letting me sleep in until 7:15, Mason, Alex and I headed to the casino with Jaime, Davon, my mom, Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Henry for breakfast. They have a really nice breakfast buffet and I can't believe how much food Mason and Alex can put away. Pancakes with strawberries, yogurt, chocolate milk, a cinnamon roll, a banana, bacon...you get the picture. Eating all that food really wore them out! Between the good food and peeking through the glass partition to the casino floor, I think Mason and Alex have a new favorite restaurant. We they had finished stuffing themselves, we came home and Sharon spent the afternoon with the boys while I scrapbooked with the crew and Jason cut wood with my dad. If anyone wants to join in on scrapbooking let me know because we have a great time! After scrapbooking I brought Jackson home with me to play with the boys. A little later my dad, my mom, Laurie and Sierra joined us for supper. It was a full day for us but one I wouldn't trade. We are so lucky to have such a wonderful family.

2009-04-01T20:37:00.004-05:00

It's amazing what marshmallows can do for pudding. Mason and Alex love pudding, but adding marshmallows made it even better. They started out using spoons but after a few bites, it wasn't going in fast enough and using fingers became a necessity. I brought out a hand held mirror and let the boys look at themselves in their high chairs and they thought they were so funny with chocolate all over their faces. Their love for chocolate definitely comes from me.

Mason Alex

Finally Getting A Blog...

2009-04-01T19:50:00.000-05:00

Well I've finally given in and am starting a blog. I hope it will be a fun way for our family to keep up with what we're up to. With 2 year old twins there is never a dull moment!