The Final Field Trip...

April 3, 2009: This is our 3rd field trip this year for Allie's preschool class. The first one was to a Fire station, the 2nd one was to Udder Delights (an Ice Cream shop), and this was their last one - to Bounce U. They had been studying the body, body parts, healthy foods, and how to keep our bodies healthy with exercise. So, they ended their body unit with a fun day at Bounce U. Most of the kids had a blast. There were both of her morning and afternoon classes combined, so there were a lot of little kids running everywhere.

Within the first 10 minutes, Allie went down one of the large slides all by herself, but another kid ran over her finger with their mat and it jammed her ring finger on her left hand. She cried at first, but then she toughed it out. She continued to play, but would hold her injured hand up, so to not use it. Within about an hour, her finger was pretty swollen and red, but she didn't want to keep ice on it. She couldn't bend it or move it. It bruised up over the next few days. Dan was pretty proud at how brave she was with a jammed finger. She just avoided using it for about a week, until it was healed.... We really know she secretly loved it, b/c it was an excuse for us to be at her disposal and help her with small tasks she normally does by herself. She loves to be doted on... Our little princess!

Drew LOVES any type of interaction with Allie's preschool class. Every Tuesday and Thursday when I'd drop her off, he'd ask "Where Drew preschool?" He would grab his backpack as we'd head out the door, just like his big sister. He's definitely going to be ready for preschool when the time comes!

He held his own with all the bigger kids at Bounce U. He loved the obstacle course jumpy thing the best. He wanted me to help him do it over and over and over. After bouncing, we had pizza in their party room, and Drew hopped right up to the tables with the big kids and wanted his juice and pizza just like everyone else. Drew and Allie worked up an appetite jumping - they each ate 3 large slices of pizza! After lunch, the preschool kids had a song to sing for the parents that came to help out. It was pretty cute. Drew went right up there like he was suppose to and did his best to fit right in. He elbowed his way between two kids, and sang the song like he knew it. (I was pretty proud of how well he tried to sing and mimic the actions - it actually looks like he knows what to do :-))

Allie has grown so much this year at preschool - physically, emotionally, and mentally. (Although she still is the shortest one in her class!) Mrs. Kerri has been a wonderful preschool teacher - we will miss her dearly next year!

Sleeping Beauty Play at Hale Theatre

March 21, 2009: Allie and I went to see Sleeping Beauty at the Hale Theatre in Gilbert for her friend Breckon's bday. Allie was so excited and liked to watch the play. It was a little different than the Disney version, so she wasn't too sure about that, but it was fun to watch. She loved to dance on the stage during the breaks. They'd play music for the kids to come dance. It was also fun to meet the performers after the play. We didn't wait in line for all their signatures (it was just too long), so, we just got Sleeping Beauty's signature and picture.

Makutu's Island

March 19, 2009: On one of Dan's days off from work, we decided to go to Makutu's Island with our kids. They had a blast! Allie was so brave, and would just go off by herself in the tunnels and the slides. She was like the Energizer bunny so we would have to track her down every few minutes. Drew was still a little unsure about the dark tunnels.


I let Dan take the kids in the smaller tunnels and crawl spaces - b/c it was so hot in there and I HATE small confined spaces... The last time we came here was when I was pregnant with Drew, and Allie did not like to go on the rope bridges or climb in the higher tunnels at all - she was afraid of heights, but it didn't seem to phase her at all this time.

Somehow 500 Tickets= Pop Rocks and 2 Smarties

Seriously, I need to open a Peter Piper Pizza Pizza... they are practically printing money at that place! When you do the math I think my kids got about a dollar's worth of small toys and candy while we piled in about $20 bucks of tokens.

We celebrated Drew's bday at the PPP by our house. It was a small little party with mainly family and our friends the Engels. Drew loves Peter Piper Pizza. I think his favorite part is the cinnamon pizza and me giving him tokens to put in his pocket for the games. He will take one token out at a time and use it to play a game or ride the hot dog car. When he's all out, he'll come running back to me and ask for "more monies mom". I don't know what I was thinking, but I forgot my camera and I didn't take any pictures of his party. But a month later we celebrated my bday and my niece Lyndsey's bday with our family at Peter Piper Pizza(in March). But Drew helped me blow out my candles - so these pictures will have to do. Dan told me to tell him that this was his party so he doesn't think he has awful parents that skip birthdays...

When Things Go Bump in the Night...

The night of February 25th, we were all sleeping soundly in our house, and then Dan and I heard a loud thump right next to Dan's side of the bed and then instant screaming... Allie had come into our room in the middle of the night and ran right into the corner of Dan's nightstand. He immediately picked her up and held her to calm her down. She said my eye is getting bigger, so I turned on the light and it had instantly swelled up. We got some ice and iced it for 20 minutes. She was such a trooper about it. The swelling went down, but when she woke up the next morning she had a pretty good shiner! We were lucky that she hit it right below her eye - and not right in her eye. It took about 2 weeks for her bruise to completely go away. I was so proud of my little boxer!

Snow Trip

I am so behind on blogging... I keep thinking I'll find the time to go back and post all the things we've done over the last 6 months, but I may have to do a summary version of it to actually catch up.

Here are some pics of our trip to Flagstaff in January. Our kids had a blast in the snow. Allie literally lived outside the entire 3 days we were there. She would have me suit her up in the morning with all her snow gear and then she'd only come in for food and bathroom breaks.
We built a snow girl (named Crystal), and went sledding over and over. There are some really great hills here b/c it is a golf course, so we got some pretty good speed on some of them. Allie actually preferred to slide down right on her bum instead of the sled. It was hilarious!

Drew did better about the snow this time, but he still preferred to be on solid ground. The snow was powdery, so you'd sink down a foot or two when you would walk in it. It was quite an exercise just walking up the hills to sled. Allie was light enough that she would stay on the top, but me and Dan would sink down to our knees.

We also did a quick weekend trip up to the snow with my family too. It was fun to have everyone up there and the boys got a little wild and crazy in the snow. They decided to build a ramp at the end of a long, steep hill, right before the hill had an 8 ft drop off. They took turns going down on the sleds and snowboards. On one of Dan's runs, he got some serious air and landed smack on his back in a huge cloud of white powder snow. The guys egged each other on to do bigger and better tricks. It was fun to see them have a great time!

Our sweet boy…

Drew is such a happy, sweet little boy. He's changing from a toddler into a little boy each and every day. And he definitely is getting closer to being 2… Just in the last few weeks, his opinions, likes and dislikes have intensified immensely. If he does not want to eat something, he will assertively tell us "no" and clamp shut his mouth. There is no way in heck we can get him or force him to eat it. He'd rather starve.

He also started having a definite opinion on his wardrobe choices each morning. One morning he was throwing a small fit and crying as I was getting him dressed. He kept saying a word over and over, but I couldn't figure out what he was saying. He was pointing up to his shirts that were hanging in his closet so, I lifted him up and he chose a navy blue shirt that was in the middle. He knew it was his "baseball shirt" – his Boston Red Sox shirt. He was trying to tell me "baseball" but I didn't understand. As soon as he picked it out, he was so happy. The tears stopped and he wanted it on. He did not want to wear the shirt I chose for him. He wanted to wear his Red Sox shirt. So, for the next 3 mornings he would tell me "baseball". Luckily he had a couple Red Sox shirts, and then on the third day, we borrowed Allie's Red Sox shirt (don't worry – it looks just like Drew's just bigger – it's not pink!) so I could wash his other shirts.

He makes us laugh with his adorable looks and actions, his cute speech, and his love for singing. Even when he's doing something he shouldn't, it sure is hard to stay mad at him because he just melts us. A couple weeks ago, I had put Drew down for bed in his crib. He had only been in there for a couple minutes and then he started crying really hard, which is unusual. I didn't know if he got a body part stuck in his crib or what but he was obviously in distress. I went back into his room and as soon as I opened the door he said "help……. help". (He says this so cute). So I walk over to his crib and he holds up his right arm. I couldn't see his hand – he had just barely pulled it into his long sleeve pajama shirt. I lightly tugged his shirt down and his hand came out. He smiled and said "tank too" for thank you – and laid back down to go to sleep. Seriously – he totally could have fixed his sleeve himself. He just didn't want to. I couldn't get mad at him – it was just too cute.

I love having a little boy. They are so different from girls, but each is fun in their own unique way. I love being a mom and am SOOOO lucky to have such wonderful children and a wonderful husband that loves and supports me, is so helpful and is the best Dad to our 2 beautiful children. I truly enjoy being around them and hanging out with them al the time . Love ya guys…