Tag: firsts

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Up North

We visited my extended family this weekend.  It is probably the last time we’ll get up their way until after the baby arrives.  The drive to get there is about my limit as far as the amount of time I can spend in a car at one time, at this point.

We got into town about 2pm and stopped at my Great Auntie Helen’s house (my grandma’s twin sister.)  It was really good to see her.  She hadn’t seen the boys in quite some time, so she was excited to have them visit.  She gave them animal crackers as we were leaving – they were thrilled!

Afterward, we went to my Uncle Ron & Aunt Judy’s house.  The boys were enthralled with the equipment my uncle has in his woodworking shop. They even lended a hand with cleaning up sawdust.  Give them a shovel and they’ll move just about anything for you!  Ron also took them outside in his yard to see his skid loader and they “played pool” in the basement.  It was nice to have them entertained while I chatted with my Aunt Judy and cousin, Jeana.

We went to mass at my Grandma Fran’s church and then went out to dinner with my Uncle Gene, Aunt Ann, and cousin, Amy.  After we ate, we all headed for the hotel pool.  Unfortunately it was freezing cold!  But Jake and Amy were brave enough to take the boys in.  I only set foot in the chilly water when Lincoln decided to slide off the edge into the shallow end without anyone there to catch him!  Talk about my heart skipping a beat!  For him though, it was all fun.  The experience didn’t frighten him in the least.  That kid is going to be put in swimming lessons as soon as we have him potty trained.  He has no fear of water, which is both good and bad.

Sunday morning we woke up and went to Ann & Gene’s house.  My parents arrived shortly before we left – they were part of a group of my Grandma & Great Aunt’s kids who were taking them out (in a limo) to celebrate their 93rd birthday.  (The limo was a surprise to them – I think they enjoyed themselves :))  Nolan wanted to check out the inside of the car, but Lincoln did not.

On our way out of town, we stopped at the Mineview to show the boys the biggest dump trucks they had ever seen.

We then loaded into our car and headed to Duluth for Jake’s cousin’s 30th birthday party.  When arrived at the party, the first thing the boys saw was the giant inflatable cake jumper in the backyard.  It was a definitely highlight of the party for the kids.  We spent a couple of hours at the celebration and then headed for home.  It was a quick trip up and back, but well worth it!

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Goalie

Just a couple of pics of Nolan playing goalie for his team.  Goalie is one of the favorite positions the kids play.  So much so, that they often ask Jake if they can be goalie when they first show up for the games 🙂

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New pool

The weather has been SO hot already this summer.  Today I reached a breaking point.  I loaded up the kids into the suburban and headed for Menards.  The boys love going to any of the big box hardware stores.  They actually know the difference too, which is hilarious to me.  When we drive by one, Nolan is usually quick to point out which one we are passing.  We have also taught him what Ace Hardware is as well, since it’s important for him to know Uncle Mark’s store 🙂

Anyway, I digress.  We picked up a cart and headed for the garden section.  The boys were given the choice between a purple or blue pool.  They chose purple.  We loaded it into the truck and headed right home.  They were uber excited to fill it and play.  Water temperature doesn’t phase them in the least.  Their lips could be blue and their skin have goosebumps and they’ll continue to play.  As for me, dipping my feet is enough!  I have a feeling the pool is going to be an important part of our outdoor play this summer.

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Taking the field

Let the fun begin!  Nolan and Jake headed to the soccer field tonight for Nolan’s 1st game 🙂  It was fun to watch the kids play.  You can definitely tell the difference between the 6 year olds (several who have played before) and the 4 year olds.  The older kids “get” the concept of trying to kick the ball toward the opposite goal, while the younger ones just like to watch the others play and cheer them on.  It’s really cute!  The kids play 5 minute periods and then switch positions.  The great thing about the league is that there aren’t any refs.  The coaches are on the field with the kids and coach them as they play.  I think it’s a great way for them to learn some of the fundamentals about the game while also having fun.  It’s totally a no-pressure game.

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1st camp out

For Father’s Day this year, Jake asked for a tent.  We picked one out as a family and he and the boys set it up in the backyard for the kids’ first camp out.  We put their sleeping bag cots on each end and Jake slept in between.  The boys got a good night’s sleep – I don’t think Jake really did.  Apparently they were woken up by the crows in the neighbor’s trees at about 5AM, but they were kind enough to let me sleep until about 7, when they came back into the house.

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What’s a cassette tape?

Note to self – my kids have no clue what VHS or cassette tapes are or how they work.  Therefore, these items should not be left out for little hands to attempt to “use”  unsupervised.

Today, I made the mistake of snoozing on the couch while I thought Nolan was playing in the toy room.  Apparently he was also doing some research into how to unravel a cassette.  Maybe he thought it was like scotch tape??  This is what I woke up to:

Unfortunately, the tape couldn’t be reeled back in – too much damage had been done.  🙁

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Paper mache

Today was a craft day for us.  I found simple instructions on how to make a small paper mache bowl using colored tissue paper, flour & water.  I set the boys up with their bowl molds, cookie sheets, flour water, brushes & tissue paper.  They had a blast sticking the paper onto the mold.  The final products turned out great!

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Shiner

Lincoln took a tumble down a portion of the basement steps and landed with quite a thud.  A nice goose egg developed on his head, which we tried to ice with the “boo boo buddy.”  Little did we know, he was also developing a nice shiner – his first.  Poor kid – his left eye became a tad swollen and then turned a wonderful array of colors.

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“Chaco milk”

One of the boys’ favorite things to drink is chocolate milk, or “chaco milk” as Lincoln calls it.  We were out of the “regular” stuff, so I pulled out two of my Tupperware shaker/mixer containers and added Hershey’s syrup to white milk.  The kids loved making their own chocolate milk.   Having their own personal containers to pour it from was just about as exciting as the milk itself.

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Dentist

Today was the day.  Nolan visited the dentist for the first time!  Well actually, we tried bringing him 6 months ago just to let him see the office and try riding in the chair, but he wanted no part of it.  What a difference half of a year makes.  He watched me go through my appointment (sitting on Daddy’s lap) and then when it was his turn, sat there like a pro!  He had me hold his hand, but other than that, he didn’t need any other support.  (The staff at the dental office are fantastic!)  He wore sunglasses to block the bright light from shining in his eyes and they even played a DVD for him to watch.  (Man, things have changed since I first went to the dentist!)  Afterward, he picked out his toothbrush and got his picture taken with Dr. Shamp.  Now whenever we drive by the dentist’s office, he tells me that he wants to go again.  How’s that for a great first experience?!