Sesame Street.

Yesterday we took the boys to Sesame Street Live - Elmo Makes Music!

They loved it.

And we all ate massive quantities of sugary food
like it was the last thing to eat on earth!

We played in the 'Play Zone' for awhile

& had the chance to meet the characters up close.

The boys couldn't believe it!

We had great seats too.

We scarfed down the LARGEST size popcorn,

a BUCKET of mini donuts,

& a BOX of skittles!

Needless to say, we did NOT feel good on the way home.

As a parent it is always more fun to see your kids having fun

than it is to have your own fun (did that make sense?! haha),

which is why the Target Center was packed with

moms & dads & TONS of little kids!

I think it was an experience they'll never forget!

And well worth the money.

They are SO into watching Sesame Street right now

(which will probably not be the case in a couple years)

so it was the perfect age to go.

We probably won't do it again,

but I'm glad we did it at least once.

Playdate.

One of the fun advantages of

being at home with your kids all the time

 is that you get the chance

to meet with girlfriends during the week

& talk, share lunch, & let the kids play.

Not the mention we got to see the 2 latest arrivals

& talk about our pregnancies!

(I'm sure our husbands are grateful we have girlfriends to talk to

about all that 'stuff'!)

Here's sweet little Ruthie (3 weeks old).

Cute little Norah.

The girls were just lovin' on Norah...no relaxing for her!

My boys tend to be very shy whenever we have a playdate

& just when it's about time to leave they start playing

& having a good time.

Too bad I didn't get a picture of Kelly & I.

We are a week apart on our pregnancies!

Should be pretty fun this summer with babies all over again.

80.

80!

WOW. 

Grandma Elois turned 80

 so we took her out on the town.

I always wanted to go to the 400 Club

& grandma & grandpa used to go there

so what better time to make a reservation,

bake a cake

& find some sort of new card game for her to master.

I Love You Grandma!

All the great grandsons had to help her blow out the candles!

We can't wait to celebrate many more birthdays with you!

Last weekend.

Last weekend we went to Litchfield

so I could get a eye exam from the BEST eye Dr.

from non-other than Ms. Tancabel!

I highly recommend her.

They have the coolest glasses,

the best technology to check your eyes,

& you get to step back in time

by going to the 'old' library

& reminisce of all the storytimes

you probably went to as a kid in the basement! haha

While we were home, Brock also stopped by

to see his godparents.

Em & I also got to compare bellies!

(I was 17 weeks & Em was 27 weeks.)

The Geers tried to entertain our kids by bringing out the tote of barbies!

Brock decided he would just eat his chocolate marshmellow.

Not for long & their house will be full of 'boy' toys!

For some odd reason Brock would choose to wear 'nice' clothes

everyday if he could.

So it was pretty funny when they gave him a dress shirt.

He loves it & wanted to wear it the next day!

After a visit to the Geers & my eye exam

we went out to eat at Parkview.

I desperately needed some crispy fries & a 10 cent hamburger w/cheese.

BUT I have to say.....

it was the worst service I've ever had.

It was so bad we all thought it was getting quite comical!

We all had something wrong with our meal,

let alone the waitress thought my turtle malt

was supposed to have mint in it!

hahaha

Sick.

Here's what we've been up to lately...

Trying to feel better!

Another antibiotic run tonight with red ears & fevers.

Ohhh the joys of the season.



Christmas

We had our family Christmas on Friday night

because Saturday & Sunday we were headed for 

the grandparents'.

This is what our Christmas looked like at our house!

Adler finally got his John Deere cap

just like his brother's.

And Brock got some John Deere slippers.

They were so excited to wear them together!

On Saturday we spent the day with the Johnson's

& had lots of fun playing games, opening Grandma Elois' gifts

(which are always a big surprise....one year we all got ugly sweaters, last year

Luke got a used grilling chef hat, and so on....use your imagination

and you'll probably end up opening what you least expect!)

On Sunday we spent the day with the Herdina's.

It was loud & crazy as usual!

And I got to hold sweet little Amelia for hours.

Sunday night we were back at home

& the boys felt like they needed to play with everything!

p.s. notice the hair clips?!

It was my only attempt at having some girls in this house by doing their hair! 

'Tool Time'

We got the boys real tools that were for kids

& they have played with them everyday

pounding their real hammers on my wood work!!!!

They also love the goggle & suspender accessories that came with the sets.

Caught them in the act of pounding on the wood!!!

(p.s. look at the beautiful lamps I got from Luke for Christmas) 

I got some donated fabric from grandma awhile back

& most of it I probably cannot use due to a major lack of style(!)

but I did put some to good use & made the boys blankets for their babies.

They loved it.

Now they can be real daddy's with their cabbage patch babies!

This is quite random, but pretty funny!

Luke having Livy sit upright.

We laughed pretty hard at her!

What a dog.

Merry Christmas!

Fun time.

We love finding free activities

to do with our kids,

which is why we visit the

Children's Museum on the 3rd Sunday of the month,

because it's FREE!

How could you not pass up that deal?

We never spent time in the discovery center area

& this time we did & the boys loved it.

They played with fake snow, painted, looked for mice,

went ice fishing & anything else they had to offer!

Brock was not feeling the best

so the day was cut short.....

when we got home this is how I found him!



Backsplash.

Since the winter months are now here

it's time to get a few minor

'home improvements'

done.

We've waited 2 years to finally be at the point

where there's not much else to do

but spruce a couple areas up with

backsplash!

So that's what Luke did a couple weeks ago

& we LOVE it.

It's like I have a new kitchen!

Now it's onto the bathroom backsplash & framing the bathroom mirror!

(hopefully that will get done before Spring! haha)