showers and bikes

We went to Morehead this weekend to attend bridal showers for Cassie. We had a great time visiting and sharing this special time in her life. At the first shower she received so many kitchen gifts, and seemed so excited to cook for and set the table for her future husband. I recall having the same feelings at my showers, and now instead of excitement I say, "Really, I have to cook again? I have to set the table again? Didn't I just do that?" Haha. Oh how 5 years can change things. I know that 5 years isn't a lifetime, but you do loose that newlywed excitement. Don't feel sorry for me or Pete- we are still rocking it. Maybe cooking isn't my favorite thing every night, but I am glad every night that Pete is my husband and the father of my children. I would say that over the past 5 years we have fallen more and more in love. Ok-- time for the collective-- awww!!!!!

The second shower was a lingerie shower. This is something I can get behind. We were also we supposed to give advice to the bride to be. What advice am I supposed to give? Hmm... Well, I thought long and hard--- and I decided that the one thing that is very important to marriage is sex. I mean it seems like the most appropriate advice to give at a lingerie shower--right? The exact advice---that is a secret. Doesn't really matter because I am not worried about their future since I have seen them together and well, they have a great love and a great faith to get them through.

While in Morehead we saw these signs popping up around town--

Then when we got home we had a fun afternoon outside and here are a couple videos that you can watch-- if you have the time.

bye-bye summer /hello baby Luke

Oh man, I felt that breeze this morning and can tell fall is well on its way. I know that it is supposed to be 87 this afternoon, which does not indicate fall, but early in the morning there is a crispness in the air that wasn't there last week. Plus, drive around and you will see leaves on the ground! What?! Balderdash I say. Time it suck it up and realize that summer does not last forever. I like autumn, it is my second favorite season ,but it gets a bad rap since it follows my absolute favorite season.

Enough about the seasons-- baby Luke is 6 months old. So some stats and updates on the big guy. He is in the 25th percentile for weight and height. I always think of him as huge because Jack was in the 5th percentile, but really he is still below the 50th percentile so he isn't as big as I imagine him to be. His head is getting bigger- he is up to like the 75-90th percentile now. He's got smarts. He isn't overly interested in learning how to do the whole tripod sitting thing so it is still a work in progress. Not to give the kid a bad rap he is getting better at it, but he learned how to army crawl and that is just so much cooler. He has two teeth on the bottom and the good doctor said that the top two will be coming in very soon. He is always hungry and if you stop feeding him before he is done then it will be the only time you see him get mad-- and he gets very mad! Normally he is such a happy happy baby, content, laid back, and just amazing. He has the best smile and the cutest laugh. We are going to have to move him out of our room in the next month, after we get our drop-side crib fixed since they recalled all those, and let him start crying it out. He has a habit of waking up at 12ish and 3ish so those have to stop. I am trying to mentally prepare myself for it. I know it won't be as bad as Jack. That was gut-wrenching. The books all say they only cry for 45 mins. max-- LIES!!! Jack cried non-stop for 4 hours and then on and off crying for the next 2 and this lasted about 4 or 5 days. I will say after that Jack slept better than anyone (until he was 2.5 yrs).

Jack is doing well too and is starting to do more interactive play with other children, and I believe other kids are now fighting dragons too. He is telling everyone he meets that he is 3 and rarely tells them his name. We are reading everything we can about dinosaurs- he loves to have us read facts. How long was the dinosaur? How many years ago did it live? What did it eat? We even read the glossary, and if you try to skip it he opens the book back up. He is starting to venture into the world of veggies- asparagus and green beans- because we told him that asparagus makes your pee stink. This led to him eating a few bites and then jumping up and peeing right away-- Pete smelled it and passed out only to be revived by a dinosaur. It was quite the scene. This worked so well we told him green beans make your pee smell too-- so the whole smelling of the pee and passing out happened again. At least he is trying vegetables which he 100% refused until now.

I take the boys out front a couple times a week to play under our big tree so here are a couple pictures.

Having Fun in the Sun

What is summer without a good tan? If you can't get it in the midwest then it is time to head down south, which is exactly what we did. We spent a week in FL with family and it was a lot of fun. We flew with the boys, and I think that we have learned that flying with the boys is a piece of cake, but flying with Becky is not as much fun. Upon arriving at the airport I was ordered, by my husband, to give them all a break and buy a large glass of wine before we went through security. Which, by the way, really does relax you. We would like to take time now to brag about our children and say that on the way there and back we received many comments from other passengers about how well-behaved our children were. I can only say: yes, of course, they act that way all the time- don't your kids?

In FL we spent our time doing a lot of nothing and it was fabulous. Jack built a lot of castles, forts, and mountains. Slowly he built up courage to go in the ocean and let the waves splash him. He would even let Pete hold him and take him out as far as I go, which isn't far because the last thing I need is a shark biting at my leg. He developed major swimming skills while wearing floaties. He could kick his legs, move his arms, go from one side of the pool to the other by himself, and had no problem being thrown from dad -to uncle-to uncle-to pappy. He developed a fear of jellyfish though, and by the end of our trip thought everything on the beach was a jellyfish. In trying to make light of the whole jellyfish phobia I told him that once I got stung by a jellyfish and daddy had to pee on my leg, true story and probably TMI, but I thought Jack would appreciate it.

Luke was super excited about the pool and loved every single minute of it. Smiling, kicking, splashing, and just living the life of being held in the water. He got to sit by the ocean and feel the sand move under his feet- he loved it all. We got to show everyone what a hunka munka he is. I don't think people really believe me when I tell them how much he eats because he isn't a chubby baby, but now I have people who will back me up.

Pete built a lot of castles, forts, and mountains, made up wonderful pool games with Jack like: dragon throws, turbo kicks, dolphin rides, pushing people in the pool, and more games than I could keep up with. He was able to go out in the ocean with his brothers, watch movies with them, and have 'conversations' with his dad.

I mostly read, held baby Luke in the pool, tried to work on my tan (instead of bronze I turned a real nice red), and was able see my cousin and her two boys. I also tried to give my mother-in-law a heart attack by spilling red wine on the carpet. I guess I should have told everyone I am a huge klutz. I always spill something, but it usually lands on me.We played min-golf one night, and it was Jack's very first time. While he doesn't have it down pat, he was actually really good. I see a bright future of holes in one. I couldn't tell which way he held the club because he had his own special way of holding it, but Pete swears he golfed left-handed- this is news because he writes right-handed.
We got to spend the week with Poppa (Pete's grandpa) and it was great to see him and Jack get to know each other a bit better.
So there you have it- a week in FL did us all good. P.S. Cassie we left you and Sean a note. :)

Hey Shawty -it's your birthday(and other awesomeness)

I have twisted the words of this song around a bit, but you'll the point-- Hey shawty it's your birthday and we're going to party like it's your birthday. We don't even care if it is your birthday. So the words aren't spot on, but I sing this the week leading up to my birthday. And this week I turned.........29! Sorry KY friends- I know you all are turning 30 soon, don't worry it will all be ok.

Friday night, spur of the moment, we went to Adelino's because we had a coupon. They serve food tapas style and it was so good. We had pitas and hummus, goat cheese on toasted bread, cherry peppers stuffed with provolone and wrapped in prosciutto, rabbit wrapped in cabbage, lamb, asparagus, and I tried the wine flight which included chianti, lambrusco, and a third I can't remember. It was so so good! (Jack really liked the goat cheese on toasted bread).

Then Sunday we had a family fun outing to the student union where we went bowling, played arcade games, and walked to the fountains on campus. Pete made dinner and it was also delicious - Filet for me, Strip for him, asparagus with hollandaise sauce, french bread with dipping oil, and cabernet. Then there was triple berry cheesecake made by Pete himself-- it is to die for. So so good. (Man, I love good food!)



Last week we received a washer-- thank you!!!!! It is awesome. We got the dryer to work by flipping the breaker, so we didn't have to get a dryer too. I just had to take a picture of it.



Our couch cushions looked disgusting and we thought they were beyond repair, but guess what? Just stick them in the washer and they look brand new! I love having a washer. Thank you! thank you!

Then this was our big news of the day. I told you all that Jack participated in the library reading program, and at the end he got to enter his name in a few prize drawings--- well-------HE WON!!!! He got the Lightning McQueen Scooter!!!!! I think Pete and I were happier than he was-- well at first. Once we picked it up from the library he started jumping up and down and said- Wow, this is impressive! haha - He is too funny! So of course here are a couple pictures.





Overall this has been an awesome week!! Yay!