The Cathcarts

Maternity Pics

2012-02-16T11:47:00.000-08:00

On Sunday Jen took my maternity pictures for Baby C #2. We didn't do maternity pics with Brady and since this is our last little one, we decided we needed to. I love the way they turned out! She did a great job! I'm a very modest person so no belly shots here but just tasteful family pics! Here are just a few of my favorites...there were so many!

Our Valentine's Day

2012-02-16T06:13:00.000-08:00

Andy is always so thoughtful and sweet when it comes to Valentine's Day. I always tell him he really doesn't need to do anything but he always has something up his sleeve. He had given me a bouquet of tulips the weekend before and I told him that was enough, no more...well then when I got up early for work on Tuesday, there was another tulip bouquet waiting for me at the table with a sweet card. Tulips are my favorite flower! Later that night we exchanged some small gifts and he did a great job with new perfume, hair stuff that I wanted, an adorable picture frame with a picture of us and dark chocolate (my other fav). We had plans to go on a date tonight but Brady is sick and I'm home with him...so we'll have to reschedule.
Brady had a great Valentine's Day. He was SO excited for his daycare party, it was all he could talk about and then we had to go through all his valentines when he got home. Apparently I wasn't a very good planner as we used up all his valentines on daycare friends and he still has some he needs to give to our neighbor boys...gives me a job for today! We hope you all had a great V-day with your loved ones!

My beautiful tulips! Thanks honey!! I should have taken pics of the other ones too...oops!

Play Doh Fun

2012-02-15T04:00:00.000-08:00

Brady loves playing with Play Doh...we had fun on Sunday making some masterpieces!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T04:00:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to say Happy Valentine's Day to my Valentine...Love you honey!!!

And I can't forget my Little Valentine...Love you bunches Brady Joseph!

Weekend Fun

2012-02-13T04:00:00.000-08:00

We had a great weekend! On Saturday we headed to West Des Moines to hit up Costco and the mall to get a few things (mostly for the baby as we're getting down to just a few weeks!!). After our errands, we met up with Chris, JoAnna, Cadence and Nick at Monkey Joes. Brady and Cadence had so much fun playing on all the inflatables...they ran around like crazy, jumped like little jumping beans and also played a heated game of Air Hockey. After about an hour and a half it was time for lunch so we all headed to Red Lobster for lunch. It was kind of busy but we didn't have to wait too long, which was a good things because we had 2 hungry and tired kiddos. Cadence was wiped out and she fell asleep before we even left. I thought for sure Brady would sleep on the way home but we were able to keep him up and then put him down when we got home. We spent the rest of the day hanging out at home, doing some cleaning, laundry, etc. It was an early night for us as we were all wiped out!

Fun Pics

2012-02-09T09:36:00.000-08:00

Here are just a few fun pics from the past couple of weeks...we frequented the park when the weather was warmer and we've snuggled on the couch watching movies when it's been colder...all in all we've had a great winter!

Sticker Fun

2012-02-08T04:00:00.000-08:00

When Brady has stickers he likes to layer them all in the same spot on his face...I think he had aroun 15 stickers on his face...what a silly boy!

Mr. Clean

2012-02-07T04:00:00.000-08:00

On Saturday while we were doing our usual weekend cleaning, Brady decided he wanted to help. So he got to work on the floors with Dadddy.
On Saturday we hosted the Waters and Fuhrmans for a fun get together. Jen, Meggie and I decided that we'd have a little appetizer party and all had to try new recipes from Pinterest. What a great idea! All the food turned out great! We each made 3 or more appetizers/desserts and they all were a hit! I think we should definitely do that challenge again soon. What did we do before Pinterest??
After the kiddos went to bed the adults were able to catch up and had a great time! It was a great night!

SNOW!!!

2012-02-06T04:00:00.000-08:00

Brady was SO excited for the snow...all day on Saturday he kept saying "It's No-ing out (that's how he pronounces it). So on Sunday Andy and Brady made a snow man and also went sledding and had a snowball fight. They had so much fun! He loved it! I didn't mind the snow since we didn't have anything really going on this weekend. It was great to be snowed in a little and watch how excited he was to be out playing in it.

29 Weeks

2012-02-05T14:48:00.000-08:00

Thursday marked 29 weeks on this pregnancy...I'm super late getting this post up as I'll hit 30 weeks this week...that means only 9 weeks from Thursday we'll have our little baby!! Woo Hoo! Things are going pretty well for the most part. Just the usual pregnancy issues...sleep, uncomfortable, etc but it's all worth it! This baby is very active and growing every day! I'm so excited to be in the single digits for weeks left! April 12th will be here before we know it!

Worldess Wednesday

2012-02-01T04:00:00.000-08:00

He's just getting too big too fast...

Faker Faker

2012-01-31T04:00:00.000-08:00

Brady's new thing is to pretend that he's sleeping. He'll do this when we go in to get him in the morning or at nap time. We'll think he's asleep and then he'll jump up or yell out (usually when I'm picking something up in his room and he scares the you-know-what out of me). The other day in the car, he did the same thing...we thought for sure he was sound asleep in his car seat but low and behold, he was just faking...then he kept wanting me to take his picture of him fake-sleeping...what a little ham!

Keepin' Busy

2012-01-30T04:00:00.000-08:00

On Saturday we ran errands out west. We hit up Jordan Creek and Brady got to play at the play area. He had lots of fun and ran off some energy. Then it was our weekly trip to Costco. We just love that place! They have the best organic selections, fruits, veggies, etc...we just wish we lived a little closer!

Mr. On-the-Go!

Brady Update

2012-01-24T05:58:00.000-08:00

I really want to remember everything about this fun age with Brady. He says and does the funniest things! There are so many times I catch myself and wonder 'Did he really say that'? Because a) it's either hilarious or b)there's no way he can be old enough to know these things!
Right now his favorite toys are trains and his basketball hoop (we got him a NERF over-the-door hoop to go along with his standing hoop). He likes the challenge of it being up higher and when he misses, he'll say 'Oh, man, I missed but I keep trying'. He is still infatuated with both Chuggington and Thomas trains. He takes trains out to daycare every day and when I pick him up he always says he wants to play with his trains. He has so many trains from both shows but he definitely knows if he doesn't have one...he'll say 'I'll ask my Santa for Harrison, Mommy'. He is still fixated on Santa and if he sees a toy he wants he'll say that he'll have to ask 'HIS' Santa. Too funny!
His favorite color now is orange...which has changed from purple and green. He could still drink a gallon of milk each day if we let him (but we also don't allow juice or any other sugary drink). He isn't much of a meal eater, he's much more of a snacker. He is doing really well with potty training. One day he just said 'Mommy, I go to the bathroom' and that was it..he's been going many times during the day since. He doesn't like to go #2 on the potty yet but he'll get there.
He is also pretty enamoured with my growing belly. He's said many times, 'Mommy, you're belly is getting BIG' (with a look of shock on his face). But he really isn't showing much interest in the baby for the most part. His world is about to turn upside down and I'm preparing myself for the worst when it comes to his reaction to the baby. He LOVES the 2 babies out at daycare and will play with them and give them kisses but with him being such a mommy's boy, it could be a tough transition for him to have to share with the baby for my attention. Andy and I will be prepared and will do as much stuff one-on-one with him as we can to help him adjust.
Brady, you are such a fun-loving, caring little boy and although 3 can be tough sometimes, it is also so much fun! I love your little personality and can't wait to see what the next chapter of your life will be like!
We love you so much!!

Hiatus

2012-01-18T14:49:00.000-08:00

Okay so this week I will be taking a little blog hiatus...I have our annual wellness screenings at work and am at work by 5:30 a.m. every day this week (and sometimes 5 a.m.) and by the end of the day, blogging is the last thing on my mind. I'll be back to regular blogging next week!
We've been keeping pretty busy so I do have a few things to blog about but no desire to upload all the pictures, write about it and post it.
See you next week!

26 Weeks

2012-01-13T04:00:00.000-08:00

26 weeks already! I had an appointment on Tuesday and everything went really well. Baby is healthy, measuring on target, nice strong heart rate at 144. We were able to schedule my c-section for April 12th at 7:15 a.m. I am so excited! It will be here before we know it! In about 2 weeks I have my glucose test for getstational diabetes and then after that I'll be going every 2 weeks! Hard to believe we're already to that part! Been feeling pretty good so that's a huge bonus. I've had to cut back my workouts a little as I was getting terrible pulling and side aches but I've just tried to slow down a little and that seems to help!

Birthday Party!

2012-01-12T04:00:00.000-08:00

On Sunday we headed to Brad and Stephanie's for Holden's 2nd Birthday Party. Brady really loves Birthday parties and really loves singing 'Happy Birthday'. We had some pizza, watched Holden open presents and then had some cake and homemade ice cream! It was great seeing everyone and I can't believe Mr. Holden is 2 years old already!

What a Winter!

2012-01-11T04:00:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday I picked Brady up from daycare and we went to the park! We had so much fun playing, he really enjoyed it!
We've been doing some fun stuff with our little man the past couple of weeks. We want to do as much with him as we can before this baby rocks his world! On Saturday, he got to go with Bryce, Luke, Daddy and Milo (Bryce's dog) to some conservation land and the boys ran around, threw sticks and rocks into the water and played hard with Milo. Then they had lunch at McD's. Then after his nap we went to his very first movie...We saw the Chipmunks movie and he LOVED it! He was mezmerized the whole time and would shout things out. It was so fun to watch him get so excited! Then on Sunday we went to the mall to run some errands and he got to play in the play area...he played hard! We're trying to find things for him to do that burns off some major energy!! Luckily this weather has really cooperated!

Happy Birthday Andy!

2012-01-10T04:00:00.000-08:00

Today is Andy's big 32nd Birthday!! Brady and I just wanted to say 'Happy Birthday' and we love you so much! You are an amazing husband and such a loving father. We are so lucky to have you! We hope you have a great day and we look forward to some Jethro's BBQ tonight with the Cathcarts to celebrate!!
Happy Birthday Honey!!!

25 Weeks

2012-01-09T14:14:00.000-08:00

On Thursday I hit 25 weeks (I know I'm a little behind on this post). Feeling pretty good for the most part! I have my next appointment tomorrow (Tuesday) and we're supposed to schedule the c-section, which I'm excited about, and schedule my glucose test...that should be in 1-2 weeks and then I'll be going every 2 weeks to my appointments...that just seems unreal! It's really going fast! We're making lots of progress to get ready for this baby. The nursery is pretty much ready to go, just awaiting to find out what Baby C is! We've been stocking up on diapers, wipes, all natural baby wash, getting the bottles all ready to go, etc. We're getting very excited!!

Misc Pictures

2012-01-05T04:00:00.000-08:00

Here are the last of the pictures from our Cathcart Christmas...

Bird Watching

2012-01-04T04:00:00.000-08:00

Brady loves watching the birds in Kris and Steve's backyard. He also loves helping Papa put the food in the bird feeder. At one point, all 3 boys were fascinated with the birds and were trying to be really quiet so they didn't scare the birds away.

This is the most still all 3 were the entire time!

Dance Party

2012-01-03T04:00:00.000-08:00

All 3 boys had fun dancing throughout the weekend! They sure do have some good moves! It was Cathcart Dance Party time!

Cathcart Christmas

2012-01-02T14:34:00.000-08:00

On Friday, we headed up to Gowrie for the Cathcart Christmas. We got up there around noon, ate lunch and Brady took a nap. We just relaxed and watched some football. Brady played, colored, watched the birds at the bird feeders in the backyard and listened for the trains (there is a train track not too far from Steve and Kris's). Andy enjoyed some relaxing time in the hot tub! Then on Saturday morning Brad, Steph and the boys came up and we opened presents. It's just so fun to watch how excited Brady got. We all were super spoiled! Then we spent the afternoon getting ready for the big dinner that evening. Karl and Lisa came over and we had a wonderful prime rib dinner with all the fixings and plenty of desserts. We definitely weren't shorted on the food over the weekend! Then on Sunday we got up, ate some breakfast, visited some more and headed home to get ready for the week. It was a great weekend!

24 Weeks

2011-12-30T07:17:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I hit the 24 week mark! The past week has been pretty good. Sleep is still a little harder to come by but that's to be expected. We've gotten a lot of things done in the baby's room over the past week. Andy painted the room (a very pale gray which will go with both the girl or boy bedding I've found at Pottery Barn). We moved the guest bed out, set up the crib, put in the glider/ottoman, nightstand and yesterday we picked up the dresser/changer at Suite Dreams. I also found lots of things I want to get there to accessorize the baby's room! Andy also found something he couldn't pass up...a UNI sleeper and hat for the baby while we're in the hospital (I have a feeling we'll be using that for newborn pics too!). UNI stuff is hard to come by! But so far we're just chugging right along here, getting excited for this baby!!!

I couldn't find a 24 week photo with Brady so here's the best comparison I have!

Backyard Adventures!

2011-12-29T04:00:00.000-08:00

On Monday Andy and I were working on our storage closets (I'm on a mission: super organization!) and Brad texted Andy to see if we wanted to meet up with them at Backyard Adventures so the boys could run off some energy. Brady definitely needed it and he had a blast! He just ran and ran and ran...he shot some hoops, went down the slides and played hard with Jaxson and Holden. We'll be going back soon!!! Great way for him to get in some running during the cold winter months!

He loved the slides!

He got a boost from daddy

Working on his shot

Christmas!

2011-12-28T04:00:00.000-08:00

Christmas morning was so fun! Brady actually slept in until 7:20 (which is late for him!). I got up and put the cream cheese french toast suffle I made the night before and some bacon in the oven for our Christmas breakfast. Then we got all the Christmas lights on, got some Christmas music going and then brought Brady downstairs. He was SO excited to see that Santa came and that he ate his cookies and drank his milk (he talked about that all day long!). Then it was time for him to rip into his gifts! Santa was good to him...he got a kitchen like he wanted, a golf set, soccer ball, big truck set, more Chuggington trains, some Thomas trains, movies, clothes and even more jammies and slippers. He wanted to play with everything right away! Andy and I did stockings and I got a prenatal massage, mani/pedi, scarf and hat set, nail polish and some new earrings (he did a great job!). I got Andy an Abercrombie shirt, new tie clip, UNI shirt, new scarf, running socks and some goodies. It was a great day! We just relaxed and had some great family time. Then that evening we had a big Christmas dinner. Steve came over for dinner as he was in town and Kris was working. We made our first ever prime rib and then I made loaded mashed potatoes, stuffed mushrooms, fresh green beans with mushrooms and garlic bread. It was yummy and a learning process with the prime rib! But all was good!
Looking forward to many more years like this!

All ready for Brady!

The french toast Andy insisted I take a picture of...what did I do before Pinterest? SO many great ideas!!

Ripping in to his kitchen!

Working on his golf game!

Christmas Eve

2011-12-27T14:28:00.000-08:00

This year we were home for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We were so excited to start our own traditions with Brady since he 'gets' Christmas a little more now. So on Christmas Eve we got ready and went to church. The service was great and Brady did pretty good for the most part. Then we got home, ate some soup I had made and then Brady opened his new pajamas (a tradition we started last year). We then all got in our jammies and drove around looking at Christmas lights. I wish I would have brought my camera as we saw some crazy displays! When we got home Brady picked out cookies for Santa and we left him some milk too. It was a great night and we look forward to many more years like this!

In his new jammies

Picking the perfect cookies

These are for Santa!

Cookies for Santa

2011-12-25T04:00:00.000-08:00

On Saturday we made some sugar cookies and decorated them so we could leave some out for Santa. Brady was on 'sprinkle' duty and had a lot of fun! He did a great job and only made a minimal mess...ha ha!

Christmas with Friends

2011-12-24T10:10:00.000-08:00

Last night we got together with the Waters and the Fuhrmans for a little Christmas celebration! We had lots of different appetizers (my favorite!), the kids played, exchanged gifts and we all got to catch up after a busy fall. It was great getting everyone together and hopefully we can do it again soon!

It's unwrapping time!

Brady with his new train

Brady and Luke posing for the camera

Bryce is under there somewhere...they all wanted on his lap...just like Santa!

All 6 Kiddos!

23 Weeks

2011-12-24T10:01:00.000-08:00

On Thursday I hit the 23-week mark. In the past couple of weeks, I've really 'popped' out! Holy moly! Oh well! Guess it's getting to that point where it's time to really show! This week I've felt pretty good! Good sleep is getting a little harder to come by but that's to be expected. We're really trying to work on Brady not being so reliant on mommy as his world is about to be turned upside down in April! He is definitely a mama' boy! A couple of weeks ago I had an OB appointment and the baby is doing great! Measuring right on target (I measured ahead the entire pregnancy with Brady) and baby's heartbeat was a strong 158 bpm. I have another appointment in 2 weeks...and we'll schedule the c-section date! Woo Hoo!

Just reading the paper

2011-12-22T04:00:00.000-08:00

Brady and Cadence liked looking at the ads in the paper on Sunday...especially with JoAnna! They really liked pointing out which toys they wanted. :-)

Semi-Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-21T04:00:00.000-08:00

These two were inseperable all weekend. They followed each other around, chased each other, copied each other and played all weekend long!

Family Christmas

2011-12-20T04:00:00.000-08:00

On Saturday we headed to my aunt Jana's for the Petersen Family Christmas. It was great to see everyone. We had lots of yummy soups, sandwiches, salad and lots of treats! We always have a fun grab bag/white elephant and we always sing Christmas songs and finish with Happy Birthday for Jesus. Brady really loved the singing this year. He didn't really know the words to Silent Night or any of the other songs but that didn't stop him from singing...he had lots of fun running around and playing with all the kiddos. We also had a photographer come and take a huge group shot (over 50 of us) and then each family had their picture taken, etc. Can't wait to get them back!
Then on Sunday we had some breakfast and opened gifts. We all got super spoiled and Brady really enjoyed opening all of his gifts. He got a new bike, lots of Chuggington things, a Chuggington backpack, some clothes, a remote controlled car, and tons of other little goodies! Andy got lots of Abercrombie clothes (shirts, cologne) and some nice Express dress shirts...I got 2 new pairs of running shoes, some Under Armor sweats and some money to do some shopping! Spoiled indeed!

Brady and Thomas at the Petersen Christmas

Cadence got a vacuum!

Brady's new bike!

Cadence and her Dora kitchen

New Bike!!

Showing off his new Chuggington Backpack

Stocking Time

Table for 2

2011-12-19T14:09:00.000-08:00

Grandma and Grandpa got the two little ones a Thomas table to sit at while they're at their house. They loved it and would eat and play at it non-stop. These two played so well together and had so much fun together. They're at such a fun age and continued to crack us all up!

Cadence had some crazy bed head on this morning!

Happy Birthday Grandpa

2011-12-19T14:03:00.000-08:00

On Friday we headed back to my parents. Friday was my dad's birthday and we were having our Petersen family Christmases. As is usual, my dad had a basketball game but luckily it was a home game. We were able to go up to the girls game and stayed for most of the boys game. Brady loved watching the games. Lately he's been asking to watch basketball every night! He loves to watch teams shoot...he'll yell 'Shoot, shoot' and when they miss, he'll say 'shoot again' or 'Oh man'...everytime a shot was made (it didn't matter the team), he'd stand up and clap and cheer. Luckily for him grandpa took him up to the gym on Saturday morning to run around and to shoot some hoops. All he could talk about when he got back was that he got to 'shoot'...we may have a little baller on our hands!

Happy Birthday Grandpa (or as Brady calls him 'Pa')

Singing Happy Birthday

Helping 'Pa' open his gifts

Play Doh Fun

2011-12-13T04:00:00.000-08:00

Brady has had lots of fun playing with his Play-Doh set he got for his birthday...he's been busy making lots of creations!

Christmas is in the Air!

2011-12-12T04:00:00.000-08:00

This weekend was a great family-fun weekend. On Saturday night we ran some errands, got some hot chocolate from Starbucks and headed to Jolly Holiday Lights. It seems as though everyone else in the DSM area thought of this idea on Saturday too! It took quite a while to get in to see all the wonderful lights but it was definitely worth it. Brady is fascinated with Christmas lights. He LOVED seeing all the light displays! He would get so excited, it was so fun to watch him.
Then on Sunday we went to Bass Pro Shop to see Santa. Brady has been saying how much he wants to see Santa. Well last year was a complete disaster...he cried and screamed and wanted nothing to do with him. I thought maybe the same would happen this year when he actually got up there to see him. He surprised Andy and I so much. He walked right up, said 'Hi Santa', he gold Santa he wanted choo choo trains, smiled for his pictures, waved to Santa when he was done and said 'Thank You Santa'. He did such a great job!!! After sitting on Santa's lap, we went over to the coloring section, looked at some race cars and the choo choo trains and then headed home. He had lots of fun and keeps looking at his picture from Bass Pro. We might just have to go see Santa again! What a difference a year makes!

Getting ready to see Santa...he was so excited!

Telling Santa what he wants for Christmas

'Cheese'

Playing with the remote control cars

Coloring his choo choo train

How Time Flies

2011-12-07T04:00:00.000-08:00

3 years ago, our lives were completely turned upside down...in the best way possible. Brady Joseph came in to our lives. The love and joy he's brought to our lives is indescribable. Everyday with him is just amazing. It's hard to believe it's been 3 years since we were in the hospital wondering what we were going to do with this brand new baby once we got home...I guess we've figured a few things out! I can't wait to see what the next 3 years will bring.
We love you to pieces Brady!!!

3 Years Old!!

2011-12-06T04:00:00.000-08:00

On Sunday we celebrated Brady's 3rd Birthday! To say he was excited for his party is a HUGE understatement! He kept saying 'my friends coming'. We had lots of family and friends over for his big day. We ate lunch, then Brady opened his gifts (which he got lots of great stuff), then it was time for cake and ice cream. He loves the 'Happy Birthday' song (he has us sing that before bed every night) and so he proceeded to sing Happy Birthday to himself at the party. Too funny! Once everyone left, he got to play with all of his toys and then took a nice long nap. I can't believe our little boy is 3 years old today...Happy Birthday Brady...We Love You!

Sound the Alarm!!

2011-12-05T07:10:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Brady's 3rd Birthday Party! I'll post more and put up some pictures tomorrow! He is 3 years old tomorrow...I can hardly believe it!!!

Over Half-way!

2011-12-01T04:00:00.001-08:00

Crazy to think that we're over half-way done with this pregnancy. Since I'll be having a c-section around 39 weeks, I'm in the teens for weeks left of this pregnancy. Woo Hoo! We are so excited to meet Baby C #2! On Wednesday we had our ultrasound. Everything looked great. Baby looks healthy and right on target. Even on target for weight. Here's to hoping this baby isn't as big as Brady (our little monster was 9lbs 1oz...wowzer!) and you could tell I had a big baby in there! Ha ha! Overall, I'm really feeling pretty good. Just your usual pregnancy issues, tiredness and an occasional headache. This baby is moving around like crazy...but that is definitely the best part of pregnancy...feeling the baby move all around! Here are some pics!

Profile of Baby C

Mr. Hat Man

2011-12-01T04:00:00.000-08:00

He really likes hats (for a short amount of time). He prefers other people's hats to hats of his own. He especially likes Grandpa's and Papa's hats the most!

I turn my back for one second...

2011-11-30T04:00:00.000-08:00

...and this is what I find...someone had fun with his stickers. And by the way, he wore his 'sticker pants' (his pants were COVERED with stickers) back to my parents...it was quite the fashion statement!

New Wheels

2011-11-29T04:00:00.000-08:00

Well this is the only picture we've taken so far of Andy's new wheels...He really likes it and it has made traveling so much better. More room in the backseat and it has a lot of truck space. He made a great choice!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-28T13:29:00.000-08:00

We had a great Thanksgiving! On Wednesday after Andy got off work, we headed back to Kimballton to my parents. We got to visit and see some old friends that we haven't seen for a while. Most of the 'crew' went downtown to the bar but this pregnant lady stayed home and went to bed...On Thursday we headed up to my Grandma's for the Parker Thanksgiving. We had a yummy fried turkey and tons of sides and desserts. We definitely got our fill! Brady and Cadence got to play together for a couple of days and had so much fun! Then that night I headed to Atlantic with my parents for a little black Friday, Walmart style. Ha ha! Got a few things but I'm not a crazy Black Friday shopper but for some reason I just love going! My parents got a few things for the grandkiddos so it was a well worth-it trip!
After Brady got up from his nap we headed up to Gowrie. We had a nice time visiting and relaxing. On Saturday Brad, Steph, Jaxson and Holden arrived and Brady was excited to see them and to play. There was a lot of coloring, playing with cars, playing with a ball, running around and book reading. I know Brady had fun and they all played together really well. On Saturday evening we had our Thanksgiving dinner. We had a yummy traditional feast and no one left the table hungry that's for sure. Then we headed back home on Sunday after a long time away from home. It's always so nice to spend time with family but it's also great to get home, get back into a routine and sleep in our own beds. We have so much to be thankful for and had a wonderful holiday!
For some reason I didn't get any pics taken at my parents...I'll have to make up for that at Christmas!

Productive Weekend

2011-11-21T06:46:00.000-08:00

We had one crazy, productive weekend!
On Friday, I met my mom and dropped Mr. Brady off with her for them to take him for the weekend so Andy and I could get some stuff done. It's so much easier without a very curious (almost 3 year old) around. After meeting my mom, Andy met me in West Des Moines and we did some shopping, ordered Brady's birthday cake and then decided to go out for dinner at one of our favorites...Chicago Speakeasy. Yummo! It was soo good. Then we called it a night.
Our adventures on Saturday started at 6 a.m. We headed up to Mankato, MN to look at a car for Andy. He's been researching cars for so long and knew exactly what he wanted. And luckily the car we went to look at was just what he wanted! He got a 2011 Toyota Camry SE. He loves it! What wasn't great was how long the whole process took. Bless his heart but Andy is a bit of a perfectionist so he had them touch up a couple things on the car and it took longer than expected. So while he was dealing with that, I went and did a little more Christmas shopping (happy to report that we're more than 75% done already!). Then we headed home around 3 p.m. Well Minnesota got some nasty weather starting at noon that day so our drive was a little slow but we made it home around 6 p.m. We were both exhausted and went to bed somewhat early. Andy is very happy with our purchase...I'll post pics soon!
Then yesterday I did a little more shopping and then went back to my parents to get Brady and have lunch. Then he and I headed home (Andy stayed home to work on some things that needed done...i.e. his car and to hang Christmas lights). Once we were home, then it was time to get the Christmas stuff out. This is the only time we have until Christmas basically! So we have all of our decorations up and the tree. And Brady LOVES it! Every time he walks in to a room with a lighted tree (and we have several) he just points to it and says 'Look mommy, pretty tree'. I just love his enthusiasm over the holidays! This will be one fun Christmas this year! But first we have to get everything ready for his big 3rd Birthday party in less than 2 weeks!!! Yikes! Pics to come soon!

18 Weeks

2011-11-18T03:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I hit the 18 week mark. Last Friday I had an appointment and all looked great! Baby's heart beat was a little hard to keep track of because the little peanut wouldn't stop moving for the nurse to get it...but it was a strong 160 bpm. We set up the ultrasound for November 30th, we're both really excited to see the baby and that will also mean that I'm halfway through! Woo Hoo!

3 Year Pics

2011-11-16T05:58:00.000-08:00

Check out Jennifer Waters Photography Blog (on my side bar). She has a preview up of Brady's 3 year pics...they are so good!

Farewell

2011-11-15T04:00:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, after eating lunch in Gowrie, Andy and I drove up to Clear Lake and sold Andy's 2nd child...his car. It was a little bittersweet for him as he was pretty attached to it and took care of it like it was a child of his. We decided to sell it and get a different car for when this 2nd baby comes. The Grand Prix was a great car for him but not the best 'family' car. The backseat isn't very big and having 2 car seats in there just wasn't going to work for us. We sold the car faster than we expected to so in the meantime we are using one of Steve's mail cars until Andy finds the car he wants (Thanks Steve!). Here's one last pic of Andy's baby...

Busy Weekend

2011-11-14T04:00:00.000-08:00

We had a very busy weekend! Andy had Friday off and then on Saturday we headed up to Gowrie for the day. Brady had lots of fun playing and baking cookies with Nana. He loves to 'help' these days with every task we do so he enjoyed baking with Nana. We had a very nice visit (Andy and I did some driving but I'll post more on that later). After dinner we headed back home. On Sunday we had family pics and Brady's 3 year old pics taken...can't wait to get them back! Jen always does such a great job!

Looking at the birds at the bird feeders

He loves playing Horsey..lucky Papa!

17 Weeks

2011-11-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

17 weeks along...I had a rough week last week with getting a mild sinus infection that is now more of a cold. I did have to take a day off work to try to get some sleep as for the past couple of weeks, sleep hasn't been easy. Not sure what the deal is but I keep waking up! Aghh! But I'm feeling the baby move more and more so that is exciting!

It's Party Time!

2011-11-10T05:14:00.000-08:00

On Saturday Brady headed over to Luke's house for his 4th birthday party! Bryce and Meggie had a fun kid-only party for the neighbor boys. They all had so much fun! The party is all Brady has talked about for days! Happy Birthday Luke!

Ready for the party!

I stole this great pic from Meggie's Facebook! :-) Love it!

16 Weeks

2011-11-04T04:00:00.000-07:00

I am now 16 weeks along! I'm feeling okay for the most part. I'm just waiting for that 'feeling really good second trimester' to kick in! Hopefully soon! I've started to feel Baby C #2 flutter around and it's such an amazing feeling. Definitely makes any sickness worth it! I go in for another check-up next Friday!

Trick-or-Treat Time

2011-11-02T14:39:00.001-07:00

On Sunday we took Brady trick-or-treating. We met up with the Waters and Fuhrmans and all 4 boys went together. They had a ton of fun. Brady loved running from house to house and did a pretty good job of saying Trick-or-Treat and Thank you to everyone. He got a ton of candy! And every night since he has said he wants to go 'Trip-a-Treat' again..so a couple of times we've let him knock on the door and get a treat. This age is so fun!

We went to go see Travis and Nicole before we hit the neighborhood

The boys in action

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-02T04:00:00.000-07:00

Is there a weight limit on these things??

Fun at the Park

2011-11-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we took Brady to the park to run off some of his energy. We had a pretty productive yet laid back day. We did LOTS of organizing and got rid of a lot of stuff. Then we relaxed and decided it was time to go to the park. Brady had lots of fun and we went for ice cream afterwards. All in all, a great afternoon!

Carving Time

2011-10-31T04:00:00.000-07:00

We finally carved a pumpkin for Brady yesterday. Andy did something simple as we both knew Brady would lose interest pretty quickly...which he did. He didn't want to touch the 'guts' of the pumpkin and of course wanted to use the knife the whole time which made for some interesting moments. Anyway, I think he had fun and the pumpkin turned out pretty good.

Family Fun Day

2011-10-29T04:00:00.000-07:00

I forgot to blog about last Sunday. We headed back to my parents for a yummy lunch and go to see my parents, Chris, JoAnna and Cadence and also my cousin Josh and meet his girlfriend Jess for the first time. It was great seeing everyone and the cousins played so well together. Brady was really tuckered out from playing so hard, he fell asleep in the car soon after we left!

Brady's off to college...to Trick or Treat!

2011-10-28T05:32:00.000-07:00

Last night we took Brady to Grand View for the Safe Night Out Trick-or-Treating. What they do is that the students hand out candy in their dorm rooms (and suites and apartments) and most of them dress up too! Brady had SO much fun! He had no problem knocking on their doors and saying Trip-a-Treat' (his version of Trick-or-Treat). They even had pumpkin painting for the kids to do. We will definitely do it again next year...even more reason I love working for this university!
Brady is Wilson from Chuggington (a train show he likes). He picked his costume out himself...gone are the days of dressing him up as some cute animal...sigh...

This is where he said 'Follow me guys' like he knew his way around campus!

Some of the girls took pictures of him...too cute!

He was very proud of his painted pumpkin!

15 Weeks

2011-10-28T05:29:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe I'm already 15 weeks. In just a few weeks we'll be half-way through which is very exciting! I'm starting to feel a little better, which is nice but still have my days where I'm not doing too hot but I'm sure it will all pass very soon! I'm already in nesting mode which will spell out a lot of fun for us in the upcoming weekends...can you say Organization time? Ha ha!

Unfortunate News...

2011-10-26T06:34:00.000-07:00

Guess which (annoying) show is back in our house with a vengeance...yes, Caillou...Aghh! Now it's all he wants to watch. He took a little break from it and was in to Mickey Mouse, Special Agent Oso and Chuggington but he's circled right back to Caillou... He will even cry in the middle of the night that he wants to watch Caillou.
Here's to hoping he finds a different 'favorite' show very soon!

I'll hopefully be able to update the blog with our happenings today or tomorrow...it's been a crazy week!

So Long 1st Trimester!

2011-10-20T04:00:00.000-07:00

Woo Hoo! Today I am officially in my 2nd Trimester...here's to hoping I start to feel better soon. :-) Luckily I don't have 'all-day' sickness like I did with Brady. It hits more around 4:00 p.m. each day. Oh well, we're excited so I try not to think too much about feeling sick. Here are baby bump shots of week 14. Of course Brady had to get in on the fun too!

It's so crazy how much faster I'm showing with Baby C #2...holy smokes! :-) Oh well, it makes it feel more 'real' I guess!

Orchard fun with Nana

2011-10-19T05:30:00.000-07:00

On Saturday Kris came down so we could go to the Orchard. She wanted to see Brady in action and the fun he has at the Orchard. He had lots of fun showing Nana around, going down the Super Slide, Jumping Pillow, Corn Pool and the ducky races. I'm sure we'll be going back again this weekend...it's become a regular weekend thing and he just loves it!

Such a good helper!

2011-10-14T04:00:00.000-07:00

Brady loves helping Daddy outside with different projects...here they are changing out flowers for Fall. I know Daddy sure appreciates all of Brady's help!

Sunday Funday

2011-10-13T04:00:00.000-07:00

On Sunday we went back to the Center Grove Orchard (buying their season pass was the best idea ever!). Brady had so much fun and even went down the 'Super Slide' all by himself...it's all he's been talking about...we love going out there and will do so again very soon!

Wedding Palooza Comes to an End

2011-10-12T04:00:00.000-07:00

Our Spring/Summer/Fall of weddings has come to an end. We had our 8th wedding to go to on Saturday for our friends Ben and Tina. They had a beautiful day for their outside ceremony at the perfect place, TCI in Polk City. The decorations were beautiful, everyone looked great and we had fun. Brady was a little restless so we couldn't stay too long but we were glad we were able to see their special day.

Brady liked looking out on the golf course

Exciting News!

2011-10-11T04:00:00.000-07:00

Brady has some exciting news to share...he is going to be a BIG BROTHER!!! We are beyond excited to be adding to our family. Baby C #2 is due April 19th. I will be having another c-section, which will be nice for planning purposes. Our doctor said I could try a v-back but knowing that Brady was 9+ lbs, was sideways and I have a tilted pelvis, she thought it would probably end in a c-section anyway. And I did get to experience 12 hours of labor (with my epidural NOT working), so I think I'm good on the whole 'experience' of labor. I will most likely go a week early as they don't want you to go too far past 39 weeks if you've already had a c-section. We won't be finding out what Baby C #2 is...we love the surprise that comes with it and since we know this will be our last, we want one last big surprise! We think Brady is excited (as much as he understands) and if we ask him if he wants a baby brother or baby sister, he ALWAYS says 'baby sister' and if anyone tries to say 'no, baby brother'...he will correct them and say NO! Baby sister! It's amazing how much faster you show with baby #2...with Brady I didn't show for almost 20 weeks and I'm barely 13 and already have a little pouch...yikes!

Here are my 12 week photos. (right now I'm more like 13 weeks but I'll update those photos later this week!

Anniversay Get-a-way

2011-10-10T04:00:00.000-07:00

Our big 5 year Wedding Anniversary was on September 30th. Andy and I took off work on that day and headed east to Galena, IL. We made a pit stop in Williamsburg for a little shopping, then made our way to Dubuque, checked in to our hotel and then went to Galena for a little shopping, etc. What a cute little town! Lots of cute shops, scenic walk-ways, neat architecture and fun eating spots. On Friday night we ate a yummy dinner after a long day and just relaxed. Then on Saturday we had a full day of more shopping, sight-seeing and a great dinner at L.May in Dubuque...highly recommended!! Then Andy had a surprise for me and we rode this cable car-type thing up this super steep hill...I'm not too fond of heights but it was pretty neat and had excellent views at the top. All in all it was a great trip away, we had so much fun and it was much needed. Brady spent the weekend with Nana and Papa and got to go to the zoo in Omaha...he had a blast!

Some fun shops in downtown Galena

This is what we rode up...yikes!

There was a chili cook-off going on in downtown Dubuque which was fun to see

Overlooking the river from the top of the hill

At the top of the cable-car ride

Catching Up

2011-10-07T08:55:00.001-07:00

So I know I've been a bad blogger this week. We've had lots of things going on that I definitely will post more in length about later. Last Friday was our 5 year Wedding Anniversary and Andy and I took a trip to Galena, IL. We had a great time and Brady had fun with Nana and Papa. He even got to go to the zoo in Omaha. Then this week I was gone for 2 1/2 days for a conference in Omaha and am just now getting caught back up. So I will post about all this fun very soon! Today Andy is off with Bryce and Jon to head down to southern Iowa for a 'guys night' at Bryce's family's land. They always have a good time and I'm sure this time will be no exception. Brady and I are going to hang out and do a little date night just the two of us. Then tomorrow ends our spring/summer/fall wedding extravaganza! Wedding #8 will be here and we're looking forward to that. So here's to a fun, busy weekend...stay tuned for some exciting announcements in the upcoming days too! :-)

PGA, Here I Come!

2011-09-30T04:00:00.000-07:00

Brady loves golfing, unfortunately he likes doing it in the house. He can let the ball fly and plays and plays and plays. Sometimes you have to duck when you see him swing because he has been known to get some air under the ball and hit a few people.

Last of our Orchard Fun

2011-09-29T04:00:00.000-07:00

Here are a few last pics of our Orchard Fun! You can see the happiness on Brady's face. He had so much fun...good thing we got a season pass so we can go back again and again.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-28T04:00:00.000-07:00

Brady loved the 'Tow' (how he says Cow) at the Orchard.

Super Slide!

2011-09-27T04:00:00.000-07:00

Brady's favorite part of the Orchard...the Super Slide. He wanted to keep going down and had to pull him away! We can't wait to take him back again!

Fun Family Weekend

2011-09-26T06:11:00.000-07:00

We had a great weekend and enjoyed the weather! On Friday we headed back to my parent's and had a great dinner at the Danish Inn on Friday night. Then on Saturday, Exira had their Fall Festival. We headed over there and Brady got to do lots of fun stuff. He got to ride the train, go on a hay rack ride, jump in the bouncy houses, eat some yummy snacks and see some fun craft vendors. He even got a wooden tractor and trailer. Then on Sunday we went back to the Center Grove Orchard and this time the weather was perfect and Brady had so much fun. We went on the hay rack ride and what a difference a year makes. Last year Brady was scared and this year he loved it! He also went down the Super Slide a ton of times and still is talking about it. He went on the Jump Pillow, played in the Corn Pool, saw the animals, ate some lunch and rode the train. We had such a great family weekend. On Sunday Kris and Steve also stopped by and it was nice to see them and eat dinner. I forgot my camera on Saturday but got tons of pics on Sunday...so you'll get to see lots of pics from our fun on Sunday all week!

Our little Acrobat

Yummy Grilled Cheese

Look Mommy, Apple Trees

A to Z of Me

2011-09-23T05:44:00.001-07:00

I saw this idea on another blog and thought it was cute and a great way to get to know me and other bloggers out there...so my fellow bloggers, feel free to do this too!

A. Age: 32

B. Bed Size: We have a Queen

C. Chore I hate: Cleaning bathrooms...makes me gag every time!

D. Dogs: Much to Andy's disappointment, we do not have a dog right now...maybe in our next home.

E. Essential Start to My Day: Wake up, brush teeth, workout, shower

F. Favorite Color: Sounds boring but right now, Gray

G. Gold or Silver: Silver

H. Height: A mighty 5'4" (although my college basketball coach would put my height as 5'7" in the roster...ha ha!)

I. Instruments you play: I played a killer sax in junior high!

J. Job Title: Wellness Director. Love my job at Grand View!

K. Kids: Our silly little boy Brady (who is almost 3!!)

L. Live: Good ole Ankeny, Iowa

M. Mother's Name: Roxanne (also the name of my first roommate in college)

N. Nicknames: Min, Pete (college nickname) and Dink (nickname when I was little)

O. Overnight Hospital Stays: Only once...for my C-section with Brady

P. Pet Peeves: When people are late...I'm usually early or right on time and it bugs me when others are late (could be my OCD kicking in!)

Q. Quote from a movie: "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get" (Forrest Gump)

R. Right or Left-Handed: I'm a Righty

S. Siblings: Chris (30) who lives in Carroll and Nick (28) who lives in Johnston

T. Things that Drive me Crazy: Tube socks!! I can't stand them, especially when worn with shorts...aghh!

U. Underwear: Um, yes??

V. Vegetable I hate: Cauliflower

W. What makes you run late: Sorry honey, but usually it's my husband...

X. X-rays I've had: When I broke my thumb in college (basketball injury) and I think that's it

Y. Yummy food I make: I love to bake...so maybe cupcakes??

Z. Zoo Animal: Giraffes...their height is amazing!

Horsey!

2011-09-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

Brady got lots of Horsey rides over the weekend...he kept wanting more...and of course if he got a ride, then Monkey had to have a ride too! He was very good about taking turns with Monkey. Too funny!

Who needs pants?

2011-09-21T04:00:00.000-07:00

When you're shootin' hoops??

What a snack!

2011-09-20T04:00:00.000-07:00

Lately one of Brady's favorite snacks is a plain piece of whole wheat bread...what a goof! He doesn't want anything on it and will eat the whole piece! At least it's healthy!

Notice the Monkey jammies...we took lots of pics on Saturday...so get ready for more monkey jammies in pics this week!

Our Little Monkey

2011-09-19T05:22:00.000-07:00

I just love Brady's new jammies...Monkeys--his favorite and how fitting, he is such a silly monkey! On Saturday he was in his jammies until noon! We had a very laid back weekend and got to spend lots of family time together!

Fun Foto Friday

2011-09-16T04:00:00.000-07:00

This is how Brady loves watching Mickey Mouse, Oso and Caillou!

Mommy's Little Helper

2011-09-15T04:00:00.000-07:00

Brady helped me make cookies last weekend. I think his favorite part was taste-testing though!

Mr. Baller

2011-09-14T04:00:00.000-07:00

Brady loves to play with any sports balls he can find. Lately he's been working on his shot for basketball (which of course makes me one proud mama!). He is also loving playing catch with his ball and glove, kicking his soccer ball, hitting his ball off the tee and catching and kicking his football...He is pretty determined and keeps shooting until he makes it!

Fun at the Zoo

2011-09-13T04:00:00.000-07:00

Over Labor Day weekend Andy took Brady to the zoo (my allergies were in high gear so there was no way I could go outside). He had a great time and still hasn't stopped talking about the 'dinosaurs', which were on exhibit. He loves animals of any kind so he was in heaven with daddy...oh and riding the train was one of his favorite parts!

Iowa vs Iowa State

2011-09-12T04:00:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we headed back to my Aunt and Uncle's house in Exira to watch the game with a bunch of family. It was great getting together and seeing everyone but what wasn't great was the turnout of the game. It was a great game to watch but most of our crew are Iowa fans...oh well! Brady had a great time playing with Taryn and Cadence...they were triple trouble!

Fun Foto Friday

2011-09-02T04:00:00.000-07:00

These 2 were so on-the-move that this was the only pic I got of them last Sunday.

The Final Product

2011-09-01T02:00:00.000-07:00

All of Andy's hard work paid off. He did such a great job and now we have a space we'll use for many years! Great job honey! We found some patio furniture and are looking forward to entertaining and enjoying the space! I look forward to adding a table and chairs next year and also have this 'lounge' space that we have...

Great Weekend

2011-08-29T06:39:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was great...even though I am now 32...Aghh! Brady went and stayed all weekend with Grandma and Grandpa Petersen. He had so much fun and was wiped out when it was nap time on Sunday (slept for 3 hours...so not like him!).
On Friday night we met Steve, Kris, Brad and the boys at Granite City for dinner. It was so yummy! It was a fun pre-birthday celebration.
Then on Saturday Meggie and I headed to Williamsburg for some outlet shopping. It was so much fun and we got some great deals on clothes for the boys. I got a few things for myself as well for work (think workout clothes).
That evening Andy and I had a date night. We did some shopping, ate at Johnny's Steakhouse which was amazing and then did a little more shopping before coming home. Then on Sunday my parents brought Brady home and Chris, Jo & Cadence all came over. We went for a great lunch at Sports Page and then came to our house so the kiddos could play together and then had some cupcakes and ice cream. It was a wonderful birthday weekend! Thanks so much to everyone for making it so great!

Birthday Party

2011-08-25T04:00:00.000-07:00

On Sunday we headed to West Des Moines to celebrate Jaxson's 5th Birthday. It was nice to see everyone. We had some good food and Brady had fun playing...I just wish my allergies would cooperate a little better...it's tough being outside for longer than a couple minutes. Aghh! And so it begins...another allergy season!

House Project

2011-08-24T04:00:00.000-07:00

Well we had originally planned on putting in a ground-level deck off of our existing deck but the city regulations didn't allow it to be what we wanted...so we decided to go ahead with a patio. Andy has been working so hard on it...with the help of our neighbors!! It's not totally done yet but wanted to share the progress so far. I know we're going to get many years of enjoyment out of it! We have gotten patio furniture and I'll have to share the totally finished product once it's all complete! Great job honey, your hard work is paying off!

Getting started

Daddy had quite the 'helper'

Almost done!!!

New Venture

2011-08-19T08:20:00.000-07:00

Okay so I know I mentioned a while ago that I had a new venture I'm partaking on. Well this new venture is being a consultant for Thirty One Gifts. I am just doing this very lightly on the side for fun and for a good discount! :-) They have wonderful products, are a christian-based company and what woman doesn't love bags, purses and organizational items?
I'm working on booking my first few parties but if you're intersted in hosting a party, ordering any of their products or learning more about the company, just let me know!

You can visit my webpage by clicking HERE

I will put a permanent link on the side of the blog soon so you can check it out any time!

Semi-Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-17T04:00:00.000-07:00

Double Trouble in a Double Stroller...this was from when we went to the Farmer's Market a couple weeks ago.

Opinions...

2011-08-16T04:00:00.000-07:00

Brady is really starting to express his preference for things and his opinions. He now has to pick out his clothes every day and it's getting challenging because he only wants to wear purple or green. These are his favorite colors right now...so he rotates purple and green shirts every.single.day! Aghh! Anyway, he loves this hat of daddy's because it has purple in it...

State Fair Fun

2011-08-15T04:00:00.000-07:00

On Saturday morning we headed to the State Fair. The weather was perfect and we went early enough that it wasn't super crazy busy yet. We had a lot of fun walking around and Brady loved all of the animals. One highlight was when we were in the Pig barn there was a pig getting corraled and it started running towards us. It was a tad scary at first but pretty funny after it was over. Here are some pics from our adventures!

I love this face! Pure excitement!

I think this was the highlight for Brady...he loved petting the 'baby cow'

He kept waving to the baby ducks

He loved the cows!

Hangin with Clifford

Brady loved his rice krispie treat on a stick

Daddy loved this police car!

Potty Training Time!

2011-08-09T11:16:00.000-07:00

Well starting yesterday our daycare provider was going to focus her efforts on getting Brady potty-trained. 6 of her usual kids are gone all week on vacation so it's just Brady, Cale and Riley. She thought this would be a great opportunity to try it out on him and she thinks he's ready. Now, you might think it's ridiculous that our daycare lady is taking the lead on this...if you know our son, you'd know he obeys and listens to others more than Andy and myself (which is good and bad). For instance, Lori can trim his finger and toe nails but won't let Andy or I come even close to him with a clipper...Anyway, I'm so proud to report that he is doing awesome! He's gone on the potty multiple times today and has only had one accident! Woo Hoo! Lori also said that he is VERY proud of himself and is beaming ear to ear. What a ham! Let's hope he does as good of a job with mommy and daddy tonight. I can't believe my baby is already getting potty trained. Makes me a little sad!!!

Semi-Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

He loves his 'Choo Choo' and Cars...he has to have them at all times!

Fun with Family

2011-08-02T15:15:00.000-07:00

On Sunday Andy's Uncle Joe, Aunt Marilyn (from Springfield, MO) cousin Val and her boyfriend Mike (from Austin, TX), Aunt Lisa and Uncle Karl, Steve, Kris, Brad, Steph, Jaxson and Holden all came over to our house for a get-together. It was great to see everyone since it had been a while! We were able to chat, eat some food, spend some time outside and watch the boys play. We got out the little pool and did the usual water slide treatment and the boys had fun! The time went way too fast and before we knew it, it was time for everyone to leave. We hope we can see them all again sooner rather than later!

Update

2011-07-29T08:17:00.000-07:00

I thought today would be a great day to do a little update on what's going on with us.

Andy
Andy pretty much loves the summer weather. He is like a lizzard and prefers to be outside even when it's miserable out. He even runs outside over his lunch hour (yuk!). He works out at Gym FX downtown which has really worked for him since it's close to work. He can workout over his lunch as before work and after work doesn't work for our schedule. He takes Brady to daycare every day...for multiple reasons. I work earlier and Brady has a meltdown when I drop him off. Andy has been busy doing projects around the house. So far this summer he has put up Brady's swingset, done lots of landscaping outside, put up a new ceiling fan, painted our master bathroom vanity and his next project is a deck expansion...more on that later!

Mindy
I have still been doing Farrells. I usually go before work (5:15 class but this morning I did the 4:20 a.m. class...a little too early for me!) and I still love the kickboxing days...I'm finally getting back to going on the resistance days. I really love my job! Grand View is an awesome place to work. I get a good mix of both adults and students. It's like a little family here and I love it, plus I love the flexibility I have. I have really gotten into baking (even more than before). I have a soft spot for cupcakes and have made lots of them lately. I bought some equipment for decorating and have lots of new recipes I want to try. I'm also going to go to a cake decorating class to learn a few new things. I'm exited about that. Is it a contradiction to work in the fitness world and bake cupcakes? Ha ha! I also have a new venture that I'll post more on later!

Brady
Brady loves being outside just as much (if not more) than his daddy. He would be out there all night if we let him. He is really talking more and more and we're actually able to understand him. He is counting to 15 and is infatuated with colors right now. He points and says the color of everything. Just this morning I was dressing him and he said 'No Ma, Purple shirt' and went over to his closet and wanted his purple UNI shirt...of course this made Andy's day! He is loving cars right now and has a few favorite Matchbox cars (his favorite is his Cadillac...although he says it more like 'Cad.e.yak'), he loves the 'Cars' movie and refers to pretty much all cars as 'Police cars' still. He still loves playing ball of any kind. He can kick for hours. He is loving sweet corn and strawberries. He is just growing so fast!

Future Soccer Player???

2011-07-27T04:00:00.000-07:00

Just maybe...he got lots of kicking practice with Grandpa the last time we were back...he could do that all day long, he just loves it!

This Weather!!!

2011-07-26T04:00:00.000-07:00

We had big plan for Saturday...a Family Fun Day! But then mother nature had other plans. We were going to head to Polk City for their 4 Seasons Festival and parade...well it poured during the parade (while we sat in our vehicle somewhat watching the parade) but once the parade was over it cleared a little. So we walked around town a bit but Brady fell and got all muddy so our fun was over. We were also going to go to the pool but the on/off showers didn't cooperate. Oh well! We were able to get lots of stuff done around home so it wasn't a total bust!