South Haven (picture overload!)

We took a family trip to South Haven on Lake Michigan.  Since I grew up about an hour from South Haven and knew the area, we felt like this would be a great first family vacation.  My mom and her husband live only 30 minutes from the lake, so it was great to have them on vacation with us.  

Maya and I exploring the area.  She loved riding on my back.  I loved it too, having my hands free to help with the boys.  (I didn't like her pulling my hair though!)

Maya LOVED the sand and didn't even mind it in her mouth.

I tried to keep Maya on the blanket, but it was pointless.  She wanted to play and get dirty!

Adam, my little builder.  He loved to play and build in the sand.    

Jack LOVED the water.  He is fearless!  Thank goodness Grandpa Scott was there to watch him in the water.  The bigger the waves, the more fun Jack had.

The lake and the beach put our sandbox and kiddie pool to shame! 

The boys had a great time with Grandma Jenny.  I can't tell if she's dancing with them or trying to rally them up?!  Either way, the boys were having fun!

My first attempt of keeping Maya on a blanket.  Ha!  I should have known she had other plans!

Family photo!

 

Me reading to the boys on the front porch.  I loved having my first cup of coffee for the day and loved ending my day reading to the boys on the front porch.

Beautiful sunsets!

We loved walking on the pier and watching the boats come and go from the marina.

We did celebrate the boys' birthday again with cupcakes Grandma Jenny brought.  It was also Grandpa Scott's birthday, so we had lots of yummy treats!

Chad grilling!  I loved that the house we rented had a grill.  An oldschool grill, too!

Me and Maya relaxing!  Ahhh, that was the life!

Grandma Jenny and three of her biggest fans!  Mornings on the porch are priceless!

This was our walk to the beach.  We were 3 blocks from the lake.  

Kids Korner!  This is the most amazing kids play area I have ever seen.  Since it was only 2 blocks from our house, the boys got to play on it several times.

The kids with Great Grandma Harris.  This was the first time my 89 year old grandma got to meet Maya.  We drove to Kalamazoo, my hometown, to visit some family.

I was so excited that my cousin brought her boys to the beach.  Melanie lives about 30 minutes from the lake.  I haven't seen her in about 2 years, even though we talk on the phone about every day!  (Ok, Melanie, time to get a road map and visit me!)

My cousin's son, Benjamin, LOVED playing in the sand as much as Adam did!

Grandma Jenny and Maya!

Another family photo.

This was the boys first time seeing the beach, water and boats in action.  This trip gave us great memories and we look forward taking many more vacations!

Birthday pictures

Letting EVERYONE know it's the boys' birthday is so exciting.  Putting an announcement on the front door is a tradition I started last year.

Here is the party favor's table.  Lollipops, leis and sunglasses!  In the kitchen were snacks with drinks and the dining room had sugar cookies with frosting and sprinkles for the kids to decorate.

The calm before the storm...

  

The storm!!!

Tim was Maya's personal assistant for the party.  Thanks, Tim!  Maya had a great time and I appreciated having to not worry about her during the party.  

Meet Mackee!  He's a professional clown/balloon twister I had come to treat the kids to some balloon animals.  And boy, he was a hit!  

Adam and Jack had a great time with Mackee.  I thought hiring him might have been over the top, but I'm SO happy I did.  

I think Jack found his calling!  

Jack loved making his own cookie!  And, surprisingly, with Maya and Lola, I had little clean up on the floor!

The loot!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ADAM AND JACK!

Wow, I can't believe my boys are 3!  We had a great day today.  More details to come...

(we are going out of town tomorrow and I haven't even packed yet.  So, when we get back,  I'll post lots of pictures of the boy's party and our fun birthday weekend at Lake Michigan!)

Risky Business...Toddler Style!

Maya!

Maya has been trying her hardest to be "one of the boys" lately.  She loves their attention and always wants to know where they are and what they are doing.  When the boys are in the bath tub, she always crawls in there and tries to peek in the tub.  She's also has been wanting to "wrestle" with them.  Sometimes the boys laugh, sometimes they say "Maya, no!  Get off!".  I have a feeling when she's a little older she'll be able to hold her own with them.  

Hangin' out in our Tighty Whities!

What a week!

I've been meaning to write on my blog forever!  Where to start...

On Wednesday I get in my car and realize my wallet is missing.  I called the YMCA, thinking I just left it there the day before.  (We joined the Y so we could go to the pool.  They have this great outdoor pool area and have a kids are that is fenced in.  The kids pool is awesome!  The shallow end is 6 inches and the deep end is a foot and half deep.  The boys love it.  I usually put Maya in the childcare area, but not always.  She also loves the pool.)  Anyways, the Y said that they didn't have my wallet. 

Later that day, Chad and I were trying to get the kids ready for bed.  Maya went to sleep at her usual time and woke up at 7:30pm from puking and was covered from head to toe.  So, while I was trying to get Maya bathed and dressed, Chad was getting the boys ready for bed.  Chad told Jack to "go potty", and Jack went in the bathroom by himself.  The next thing we know, Jack is screaming and crying because his penis (yes, I said penis) was bleeding.  Somehow Jack cut his penis from climbing on the sink.  I went to get my next door neighbor who is an ER doctor.  She looked at Jack and suggested we take him to the ER.  So at 9:00pm, Jack and I headed to the ER.  It ended up being a minor cut and the doctors ended up putting skin glue on it.

Back to my wallet missing...When I went to get my neighbor to look at Jack,  a bunch of my other neighbors were in the street talking.  One of them said "hey, did you hear there were break in's on our block".  A light bulb went off and I figured out that my wallet wasn't missing, it was stolen!  Anyways, lucky me I actually found my wallet and purse in the bushes of a neighbors house.  I guess it was a bunch of kids looking for cash, which I don't ever carry.  They didn't take anything out of my wallet.  I already cancelled my debit card but at least I don't have to get a new drivers license.  The irritating part is that I left my car unlocked with my wallet in it.  I did learn my lesson.   (Go ahead, Lorraine, say it....."I told you so".  Note to self, always listen to my Mother-in-Law)

Other than the drama of my car getting broken into and Jack's penis, everything is good.  I'm getting ready for the boys' 3rd birthday party.  I'm having a bunch of their friends over on the day of their birthday and then Saturday, June 27th, we are going to Lake Michigan.  We rented a house on the Lake for a long weekend.  I can't wait for the kids to have wonderful memories of all the fun trips and things we do with them!

Say Cheese!

Yesterday our friend Patrick met us at the park to take pictures of the kids.  It was the perfect day outside and the kids did really well.  I've only seen a few out of the 570 photo's he took, and they look AMAZING!  You can check some of them out at www.patrickandrewphotogrphy.blogspot.com.  Thanks Patrick!

Nana and Papa!

Fishing!

The boys with Grandma and Grandpa Moorefield at the zoo!

Home Sweet Home

We just got back from our awesome trip to Kansas.  Surprisingly, the 14 hour drive down and back went really well.  The way there Maya fussed the last hour, arching her back wanting out.  The way home we had a few tears from the boys, but that was it.  I'm hoping we can do the trip again in the fall.

The boys had a great time at Nana and Papa's house.  They did all sorts of outside stuff.  They fished, played with worms and frogs, rode on Nana's Cricket (a golf cart looking ride),  and played in the blow up pool.  They also got to visit Grandma and Grandpa Moorefield, who bravely took them to the zoo!   Maya was wanting to be held a lot (as usual) and sort of afraid of everyone at first.  She quickly warmed up to Nana and demanded most of her attention!  Papa could barely look at Maya without her crying.  Right when we started to leave she finally warmed up.  (She doesn't really like men and usually cries if they look at her.)

Chad and I also had a great time on vacation.  Chad got to fish every day and I got to sleep in every day!  It was Heaven!  We both were spoiled with Lorraine taking care of us.  We were fed, had our laundry done, got a break from the kids, went out to eat, played cards and got to see friends and family.

Now we are back to our normal routine.  Chad's out of town and I'm counting down the minutes until bedtime.  I'll post pictures of our trip in the next couple days. 

Pictures now, update later...

My gorgeous nieces.  Erin is almost 4 and Mady is just a few weeks younger than Maya.  I love how Erin has blonde hair and Mady has dark hair.  My brother jokes that he has Tiger Wood's baby!  Even at the hospital they thought there was a mix up!  

Here's a picture of Papa John with the kids.  Too bad I had Maya dressed in her brother's hand-me-downs!  Had I known a picture was going to be taken I would have put her in something girly.  Next time...