Wednesday, July 31, 2013

When Daddy's Away...

Eric went out of town for business on Sunday, so it's been me and the superheroes this week.  Sadly, I have tired mom-brain right now, and can't even remember what we did Monday (yes... 2 days ago Monday), but yesterday we were go, go, go.

We meet the brousins and Aunt Erika for breakfast at Chick-Fil-a.  We got there at 9:45, and coincidently, our library was going to be there from 10:30-11:00 for a story time, and finished up with a free ice cream dream for the kids, a canvas coloring bag, huge box of crayons, and a sticker map of the United States (which Colton loves learning about).  Our crew is a little wild, and by the end of the story time, the other kids there had merged together away from our kids, but they controlled themselves well enough not to get thrown out  (hey...  they're boys, and that's my excuse for them being a little crazy!)



Keilan, Colton, Blake and Tyson

Later, we met Uncle Ira before he headed back home today to the Dominican Republic.  And of course, we had to stop at Costco!


Last night, the kids played in the same cul-de-sac my sister and I played in, and also learned how to ride bikes on.  Colton rode around the circle on his bike, while chasing Blake.


Today we are are off to our old neighbor's house to hang out with her boys, and tomorrow I am going to meet our kitchen designer with my kitchen plans, and dinner at Colton and Blake's "old" 8 year-old cousin's on Friday.

Then..  Daddy comes home, so we are looking forward to some quality time and fun family activities this weekend.



What summer activities have you done this summer?

Monday, July 29, 2013

Moving on... (literally)

About 4 months ago, we decided we wanted to move.  And today, we are officially out of our house, living with my parents, and waiting to break ground on our new home.  My husband and I don't play around when we get our minds set on something to say the least!

In March, Eric and I went to look at some land about 15 minutes away from our home.  Since we remodeled our kitchen last year, we had no intentions on moving, but we have always talked about building a home together.  Plus, being an Interior Designer and working on projects since 1990, I have always dreamed about building my own house.  After we went away on vacation during Spring Break, we decided "why not?" and wrote up a contract.  We settled on our land last month, and put our house on the market 2 weeks later when we were in Florida.  Four days later we had 6 offers (5 over list price), and took the highest offer.  And...  three weeks later...  well, look what was in our driveway to move our stuff out. (Thanks Angie's List for the recommendation!!)



In less than 7 hours, our beautiful home now looks like this...

This is a video of the boy's rooms when they are hiding in their closets.

Living Room and Kitchen (and hunk in background!)

Part of our Master Bedroom



Guest Room/Grandma and Pop Pop's Room/my uncomfortable pregnancy sleeping Room

When the fam went back to the house yesterday to get a few more things we had left there, Eric said he was sad to say goodbye to it.  This is the only house Eric and I know together, and both of the superheroes know as well.  It also housed my smelly, shedding, annoying cat, Mercedes, and our dog, Rusty.  But...  I for some reason am not sad at all.  I do have many great memories there (tons of parties, play dates, hot tubbing, sledding, running around the neighborhood), but I have always wanted lots of land, and this house didn't fit that bill.

Since the house sold so quickly, we moved into my parent's home in the meanwhile.  It's kinda crazy, because this is the house I grew up in, with the same neighbors!  I realize I will never give my children a chance to come back to their original home, but I know they will love the new home (they already love the woods and creek that will be part of our 3 1/2 acres).

In the next few months, I will have lots of updates on our home.  We will be breaking ground in the next few weeks.  As Heather from the RHOOC said last Monday, (oh yes I am quoting her!), "Life is an adventure."  Then she went on to say that moving from their 15,000 square foot home that they just built to building a 17,000 square foot house will be part of taking a risk and having their family experience new things.  I'm with her (we are just a little less than 17,000 lol) with keeping the memories, and growing and creating new memories from life's experiences.

Now, I am off to a needed nap in the basement, while the superheroes take their naps in me and my sister's childhood bedrooms.

Friday, July 19, 2013

Mid Summer Post

The superheroes and I have been getting into lots of trouble fun things along with daddy this summer.  I can't believe it's already half way over!  (Wahhhh!!)  Ok.. get it together.

We have been to the pool numerous times, and Colton has been continuing his lessons.  He cannot swim the length of a pool yet, but he has been doing very well, and has no fear of the water.  Today he learned how to do flips in the pool, so he has been super-excited all day.  Two weeks ago we went down to Florida to meet our dear friends, the Aycocks (read post here) and stayed at Grandma and Pop Pop's house near New Symerna Beach.  We also hooked up with the superheroes' cousins (Tyson and Keilan) and Aunt Erika and Uncle Nick too!

Last month we went to Hersheypark!  Be warned when you look at the pictures of Colton's "enthusiasm".  I took pictures of him and Blake on the baby rides, but he actually rode the Comet and Sooperdooperlooper with Eric.  (Click here)

Hmmmmm..what else?!?  Eric and Colton saw Monsters University and we sold our house (I'll give further details in another post).  Tomorrow is the superheroes birthday party.  I can't believe it's been a year!

Well...  here are some pictures from the past month of our summer fun!

Blake dancing under the water misters at the National Zoo.


 The next few pictures are from Florida!!
Phoebe and Schuyler

Colton and Tripp with their Ninja face painting and Bumblebee balloons

Ainsley, Isabelle, Blake and Schuyler

Phoebe, Tripp, Colton and Sebastian
Daddy and his superheroes

The party raft!  Steve helping the pirates float on the lazy river

Colton and Blake at Universal Studios


Hiking at the Robinson Nature Center