Family Vacation - Part 2 (the Beach)

Tuesday afternoon, we arrived in Orange Beach for the remainder of our family vacation. We kicked it off right...after making arrangements while on the road, we arrived just in time for the 2pm Dolphin Cruise departure. That was a beautiful, relaxing cruise and we were able to see several dolphins along the way.

We then proceeded to an awesome condo, Escapes! the Shores...1700 sq ft., directly on the beach with a balcony overlooking the beach/pool, and 2 bedrooms so the boys could have their own room for the remainder of the vacation. The boys were excited about that, as well as the big screen TV in their bedroom. I could totally live here!

After expecting a dreary forecast, we ended up with 100% beautiful, sunny days! Considering we only had 3 1/2 days in Orange Beach, we made the most of it. Following are the fun things we did....

• Played on the beach for hours in the mornings...catching waves and digging in the sand
• Splashed around the kiddie pool and the big pool at the Condo
• Played on the beach in the evenings...flying a kite, throwing Frisbees, searching for seashells, and catching some more waves
• Visited the "Little Zoo that Could", Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo and saw a Bengal Tiger Show as well as got to pet some 2 month old Bengal tigers.
• Took a day trip to the Naval Aviation Museum to see some older and modern war planes and jets. We saw some Blue Angel planes, but unfortunately did not get to see their practice.
• Went to the Wharf to see and ride the largest Ferris Wheel in the Southeast as well as grab some dinner at Johnny Rockets.
• Upon departure from Orange Beach, we stopped at an Alligator Farm, Alligator Alley. It was really neat to see the owner with his alligators (170+ of them). We also met Captain Crunch....a LARGE alligator.

Friday afternoon, we started our departure from Orange Beach. We were originally supposed to stop 1/2 way and stay/visit with a friend, but the boys requested that we drive straight home. They were anxious to get back to their own beds and toys. It took us 10 1/2 hours to get home after making necessary stops...the boys were on their best behavior the majority of the drive home. Apparently, we didn't give them enough credit about making that long of a trip.

Family vacation comes to an end...but we have lots of new memories and hopefully a new tradition. The boys really enjoyed the beach, so we will be repeating this vacation again.

Family Vacation - Part I

As soon as we learned that Connor's school would be closed for Memorial week, we decided that would be a good time to take a family vacation. The longest vacation we had taken as a family was 4 days within 3 hours from home (in case of quick escape back), so this would be a new experience for us. After reconnecting with my friends from Alabama earlier this year, we decided to plan our vacation through Alabama so that it would include a reunion with my friends. We planned a 2 part vacation that would extend from Friday night until the following Saturday....8 days!

I won't sugarcoat....a vacation with toddlers is tough. There are fun times and good times. There are quiet times and lots of loud, rowdy, and whiny times. Lots of time spent in the car traveling. They are out of their comfort zone and their routines, so you have to be prepared for it all. The one-room hotels were a new playground for the boys...so sorry to our neighboring rooms. There were times when we wanted to throw the kids back in the car and head home. It didn't help that we had some rotten weather from time to time. However, we have also had a good time seeing new things and making new memories.

We left for vacation Friday evening and arrived in Huntsville around 8:30 that evening. The car ride went okay as the boys have new DVD players to keep them entertained (and as we learned, to keep them awake and alert). We have not stressed about when we finally get moving in the mornings, so there have been some later morning sleep-ins (very nice). On Saturday, we spent a few hours at the US Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, AL. The boys were too young for a lot of it, but they loved seeing the different rockets and watching the movie "Fly me to the Moon". That afternoon we went to Sci-Quest, a hands-on interactive science museum. There were over 100 exhibits that the boys enjoyed playing with even if they didn't get the science behind it. That evening, we drove around for awhile to let the boys nap before grabbing some dinner. The boys were exhausted from a full day, so we settled in early.

The next day, we drove to Harmony Park Animal Refuge where you drove through 2 miles of free-roaming animals. The animals - Ostriches, Bisons, Buffalo, Antelopes, Horses, Rams, and Llamas - would walk right up to your window and follow your vehicle. You could buy some feed for them, but due to the rain and fear that my boys would freak out, we passed on that option. We also saw Alligators and Zebras, but they were behind cages. It was really neat to see!

After a leisurely drive around Northern Alabama in off-and-on storms, we finally ended up in the old town that I lived in for 4 years. It was shocking to see that places that closed down 19 years ago when I lived here were still closed down. I drove the family through town pointing out things I remembered, places I frequented, and things that were new. That took about 20 minutes (very small town)! We then arrived at Tanya's house for a cookout and visit with my girlfriends. The boys quickly got over their fear of cats, dogs, and frogs and enjoyed an evening of trampoline and sandbox fun. Chris was a great sport in letting me spend the evening visiting with a group of people he didn't know. We shared pictures and briefly talked about what everyone was up to these days. One of my friends is getting married in 2 weeks, so I will be returning for some more girl time and visiting then.

Monday morning, we decided to check out of the Huntsville hotel early and start our drive south. We ended up at the Birmingham Zoo and ended up with a beautiful day of fun! The weather was great, the boys were very well-behaved and this Zoo was a great zoo to visit (Sea Lion shows, Rhino Encounters, Carousel, train rides). We decided that we could just make a vacation out of zoo trips if it would guarantee well-behaved boys. After the zoo, we drove to Montgomery to stay for the night. We had a nice dinner out and then played in the pool a little (not much, it was too cold).

Tomorrow we continue our drive South to Orange Beach to spend a few more days....

End of the "school" year for Connor...

This week marked the end of the Montessori school year for Connor before he starts the Montessori summer program. I would say that we are very happy with our decision to move Connor to this new school and he has done very well.

The last week of school includes parent-teacher conferences where we get updated on his academic progress and his behavioral/work habits. We weren't sure what to expect considering we started out the beginning of the week with Connor finishing out a 2-day timeout at recess. We met with Ms. Beth and learned that Connor has done very well in specific areas of academics and has started to focus on one area over another (in November, he was well-rounded with focus in all areas). He has moved away from science and the arts and moved towards math and language. We have definitely seen progress in this area as he loves to count, organize objects, and write names (his, Brady's and mommy's). He has a signature style to his name by filling in the O's (see below). As far as behavior, he can be a well-mannered and behaved child when he WANTS to. If he starts getting bored or distracted (which happens easily and yes, he gets that from me), he starts acting "wiggly" and "impulsive". The teacher said she gives my child a stress ball to distract him...oh no! I think it is normal behavior, but will obviously start monitoring my child more closely.

Unfortunately for Connor, the last week of school was also marked by Bronchitis and a little touch of flu perhaps. Since he ended up sick on Thursday, he did not get to attend the Preschool field trip to Chuck E Cheese. I felt so bad for him...he came into our bedroom Friday morning announcing that he was all better and could still go. Sorry buddy...we'll have to make it up to you and what better way to make it up to him than leave for VACATION!

On June 1st, after vacation, Connor will get to start the summer program where he will get a new teacher for the summer and experience new things while mastering things he learned over the last year. He will also get to go on weekly field trips and swimming trips at the YMCA. In August, he will be returning to Ms. Beth's class and continue his progress.

Me and my boys!

Brady's Big Boy Bed

A few weeks ago, Brady's big boy bed finally arrived that we had ordered in January! We had it delivered on Friday afternoon and would assemble it that evening. Well, things didn't go as planned as some of the pieces were damaged. Finally, we just grabbed the mattress and set the boys up to go to bed. They had a slumber party in Brady's room on a new mattress, but no big boy bed. They did this for a few nights.

While waiting for the replacement pieces, we decided to change the plans. We had concerns that the new bed was going to be too high for Brady and it wasn't going to fit nicely in a corner where he would be limited to one side of falling off. So, instead we convinced Connor that the new bed was a "Big Boy Bed" for him and that it was time to pass the Loft bed to Brady (poor Brady - another hand-me down). Surprising to Chris (not to me since I know how to sell this stuff), the boys were in complete agreement that this was the plan. The final setup has worked out nicely and the boys adjusted perfectly.

However, Brady has definitely picked up on the freedom he has to get out of bed as we have found him in the hallway a few times. That's fine Brady...if it was to actually get up and use the potty (which is another story).

Brady's Bed

Connor's Bed

Can we fix it, Yes we can!

On Monday evening, the boys got the opportunity to take a field trip to Papa's work after dinner. They got to check out all the cool equipment you can find at a construction site. Chris said they were a little timid, but I know they were really excited also. The next morning, Connor asked me "Did you know that Papa knows how to work construction equipment?".

Here is a slide show of pictures Mimi took of the visit....

Mother's Day

My Mother's Day kind of started on Friday evening when the boys were picked up from school, as they both had made something that they were very anxious to give me. Connor made a mini birdhouse that was decorated with decoupage. It was very cute! Brady made me a "Mommy and Me Care Package" of juice boxes, popcorn, and napkins for clean-up.

On Mother's Day, the start of my day couldn't have been better. The boys were so EXHAUSTED from the day before of all day bike riding that they SLEPT in! They never ever sleep in! I actually had already pre-arranged to go to Hot Yoga (my favorite form of me time) that morning. I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye, so I woke Connor up at 8:30. He was super excited that I woke him up and immediately remembered it was Mother's Day. I left and apparently Brady slept until 9:30. The boys went to the grocery store while I was at Yoga and we were all together again around noon.

That afternoon, we went to my mom's house to hangout with my mom, my grandmother, and all the siblings and cousins. The boys had a blast riding bikes all afternoon and I had fun relaxing and visiting. That evening, we decided to make the popcorn from Brady's care package which we all enjoyed except Brady. Apparently, he doesn't like popcorn and was a-okay with that.

It was a great Mother's Day! Happy Mother's Day to all the important women in my life!

Saturday Fun

After the boys were done trying out the new bikes, I convinced them to load the wagon in the car and leave for the day. We needed to run a couple errands and then we had promised them a fun afternoon (their choice). They picked the zoo...of course! It was a beautiful day for the zoo and we were going to take our time (the good thing about our zoo is that it can be seen in an hour or a leisurely 2 1/2 hours). When we arrived, we also learned that it was City Employee day at the zoo so it was crowded also. The boys had a lot of fun with intense interest in Donna the Hippo and the River Otters. Connor also was fascinated with discussing the deceased Rhino which I unfortunately made the mistake of telling him that he died because he was sick. Please have a replacement Rhino for next time, so I don't have to go down that path again!

That evening, we went to Mimi's for a bonfire and Mother's Day celebration. The boys, of course, had to take their new bikes to show off their new rides. They rode with their cousins for a little bit, before we all gathered around the firepit for hotdogs and smores. We all had a really good day of family fun!

Unfortunately I have no pictures to post of all the fun we had unless I get pictures later from family...Boo!

No Fear..Boys on Bikes

After the continued interest we have seen in wanting to ride their bikes EVERY night after dinner, we decided it was time to check out bigger bikes for the boys. For Brady's birthday, we have talked about getting him a 12" (upgrade from the tricycle) that he could grow into over the summer. For Connor, he has been REALLY rough on his bike and either needed new training wheels or a new bike.

We ended up at Toys R Us Friday night...they had a blast trying out bikes and we learned they were both ready for bigger bikes NOW. Brady got a Lighting McQueen 12" bike and coordinating helmet while Connor upgraded to a 16" bike (with dual shocks for his rough riding).

They rode those bikes ALL weekend...at home in the garage/patio area, on our front street, at Mimi's house, at Gma Darla's house. If they had been given the choice, they would have taken them to the zoo with us (can you imagine with those hills). At our house, they like to ride on the front street that dead ends to a cul-de-sac. There is just enough of an incline that they get a couple houses down, turn around, and they can coast back down. No fear - Brady even lets go with his feet to get the full impact of coasting. At Gma Darla's, they were out riding their bikes with the cousins all afternoon and as expected, there were a few crashes (especially since Ethan just learned how to ride without training wheels). Cousin Tyler, who is only 1, even wanted to join in the action. Here is a cute video of them trying out the new bikes on Saturday morning with crashes included...

The Parents by: Connor

Now, why did he make Daddy the skinny one? I look like Mr. Potato head on stilts!

Grandparents Weekend

This weekend turned out to be another grandparents weekend...the boys have a blast with their grandparents, mommy and daddy get a nice break to catch up on other things, and the grandparents get to reinforce the fact that we can never move out of Eville.

They started out the weekend at Gma Darla's for a sleepover with their cousin, Ethan, while mommy and daddy got a date night out with friends. They had a blast playing a race car game and staying up late until Gma finally said lights out. Then they decided to get up early and start the day off right. We picked them up later that morning and ended up at Mimi and Papa's house.

Quick stop at Mimi's ended up being an offer to take the kids for the afternoon. Mimi needed Connor's help picking out some new flowers, so they headed out to the nursery. They came home that afternoon and crashed until Daddy carted them off for an evening with Papa. They were having a boys night while mommy had a girls night with some friends.

The boys were very excited to see ALL of their grandparents again this weekend, but I think they were also a little homesick too. Sunday was a day at home playing in the backyard.

Brady…Sick and Hallucinating

My poor baby woke up in the middle of the night the other night several times. He first woke up to his shivering and was very upset about it. He didn’t have a fever…so I got him warmed up, calmed down, and back to bed. He woke up again several times thru the night (this time with a fever) and each time was comical in nature and required reassurance, a drink and tucking him back in. Once, I found him in the hallway shutting his bedroom door claiming there was someone in his room. He then opened the door to show me all the animals in his room. We got some juice, shooed the animals away, and back to sleep he went. Again, he yelled for me and I found him in the living room commenting on all the animals running across the room and telling me that a Pig was in his bed again. Another time, he commented about the bubbles floating around his room.

After a few times, I relinquished all future wakings to hubby! Chris said that he commented on the animals again, but pointed out that they were all gone. We took him to the doctor sure that he had an ear infection...nope, Brady has strep throat. There goes our "free" pass back to daycare. He spent the rest of the day playing with Chris and not really sure why Chris was trying to be protective of him, because he was FINE. I wish I felt that good when I am sick...instead I get to suffer from the seasonal crud and get harrassed about swine flu!

After 24 hours on antibiotics, Brady is feeling great and no more hallucinations!