Growing like weeds

Last night we had the boys weigh in. Connor was at 53lbs and Ryan 40lbs.

 Connor has golf camp this week, he is killing it! Chipped in a putt yesterday.

Who are these big kids? Connor was giving a little 2 inch sunflower on the last day of school, it is now taller than him. We are hoping it will bud to attract bees to the pumpkins to pollinate them.

Okoboji 2017

Another summer at the lake! This was my first time going in June. Honestly I was pretty worried that it was going to be horrible weather. We went so early as my Mom & Dad both had their 45th High School Class Reunions this month so they could go back and forth from the lake house to reunions.

The weather over all was good! It as nice not having to beg GLo to turn the AC on! Many first(s): first family golf trip in Okoboji (Connor did awesome), Connor was finally tall enough to ride "the legend" roller coaster at Arnolds Park. He loved it, did it 6 times that day. Ryan learned to ride his two wheeler. We all knew he could, he was just lacking confidence. The difference between C & R is that Ryan can't figure out how to slow down and STOP. So we have to run along side so that when he wants off we can rescue him. Oh goodness!

I'd say it was our best fishing year to day.

 Cousins are getting so big! Aiden, Connor, Logan, Ryan & Eli

Cynthia's baby bump popped out just in time for Boji

Celebrated 11 years married to this hunk!

Mom stayed in the boat, I'm not crazy

The house was in tip top shape and the flowers all looked marvelous

The Great Sand Dunes

We went camping this past weekend. It was 3.5 hours south of us in the Great Sand Dunes National Park. It was amazing. Picture middle of the desert meets Colorado. The camp site had pine trees and a stream. Then you would drive 1 mile from the camp site, get out of your car, carry your cooler (and dog) across the river and start hiking mountains that were 100% sand. It was a really cool experience.

Ryan found cactus and a Kangaroo Rat. The rat thing scarred me to death.
We are off to the lake for a few weeks.

Ryan John

School gets out June 2nd for Connor and Ryan just had his Pre-School Graduation. Why I really pulled up the blog was to quote Ryan so I can laugh at this years from now like I just did.

He wanted to wear a robe tonight after dinner, Connor was already wearing the one and only kids one so Ryan put mine on. He stuck his hands in the pockets and said "Look Mom, this one has cup holders". Lol, he thinks like his Dad.

My heart is in a constant state of melting as I soak in my last few weeks with my pre-schooler (So not ready for him to go to big kid school).

More Updates

They are never ending at this point!
Spray painted the door bell after I couldn't find one that was black.
The guest room was the last of the gold fixtures to go!

He has Risen

I was asking Ryan a few days ago what he wants the Easter Bunny to bring him. He said, "Mom it isn't about candy, it is about Jesus". You are so right Buddy!

Grandma Pat came in town to help celebrate the holiday.

Perfect weather meant; Ray mowed for the first time this year. We hiked the bluffs, soccer games, egg hunt outside.

 Connor

 Ryan

 Sunday Best

 Ryan & I went fishing while Ray & Connor took Grandma Pat to the airport

We live in a beautiful place

4 Columns

4 Little Columns in this house almost were the death of me. Good bye birch, see ya never!

 Bye Birch!

I love the top detail being white but doing that made so much extra tape necessary. I only have 3 of the 4 done, I need a break! This project was equally as bad as doing all the trim on the top floor with carpet.

Spring Break Vacation

Ray's Grandmother passed away this year and to remember her and her love of camping and family time we planned a vacation to remember. This was the boys first time out of the country. It was an awesome experience for them; hearing people speak a different language, different cultures, food. One day we took them into downtown Playa del Carmen and Connor said, "Gosh Mom all the guys want me to buy their stuff", it was so cute. We did pick up some soccer jerseys for them on that expedition (and $4 RayBans).

Grandma & Grandpa vacationed with us. The boys enjoyed 2 more sets of ears to listen to all their ideas.

Our kids look so much alike right now I can't even tell who this is. To me it looks like Ryan but those are Connors swim trunks so your guess is as good as mine. The beach was beautiful. Ocean full of fish to watch and beach full of shells for us to collect. 

Dinner outside one night. Perfect temperature each day, 85 day and 65 at night.

We had a 2 bedroom town house with an awesome roof top deck. The boys loved the hot tub. 

My favorite part of Mexico was that we kept our phones in the room all day. The minus of that is that we didn't get many pictures, this is as close as we got to a family picture. If you are reading this and have young children I can't express enough how important it is to pick a kid friendly resort with a kids club. When you are ready to relax on the beach off they go to Azulitos to play! Money well spent. Other high light was walking through the jungle and seeing spider monkey's a wild boar and Coaties (like a mix between a monkey and a raccoon?).

Hope your spring break was full of cool memories!

Landscaping

I told Ray one of our first house projects when we bought this house in 2014 was going to have to be the front landscaping. Welp, 3 years later and countless projects later we got to it.

 If looking at our house, the side left view. We had 3 Willow bushes there. Two were growing huge and always had to be cut down, and this front one was half dead. Sorry to our neighbor's Bill & Cindy  who had to look at those eye sores for years. 

Now 3 little boxes woods. The sidewalk was removed and readjusted to be more level then the wall was re-built.

Right out front we used to have 5 spirea which are pretty boring bushes. 

Now it is 3 globe spruce and 4 Hicks Yew. 

This big ugly Juniper was yanked out, it was growing into the fence.

Now a cute Bosnian Pine, Mint Truffle. Behind it 4 new red twigged dogwoods :)

February To Do's

Had a great Valentine's with my Valentine! Got the boys signed up for Spring Soccer, took a trip home to see my Dad's opening debut as the Devil in, "The Cotton Patch Gospil" and general odds and ends.

 Ryan did a great job waving his towel. Behind him is my Dad's good friend Dave, waving the big Nevada flag.

 "Alphie"

Grandma got Ryan his own Nevada shirt and he loved it! I should also note my Mom's amazing friend Henryka gave Ryan "rocks you can eat" and a box of them for Connor as well. :)

 Mom & I getting a pedicure in Reno

 I've basically become addicted to puzzles. This was a 1000 piece one Ray got me for V-Day.

 Date night for Valentine's

 Literacy night at Preschool

I finally bit the bullet and bought trimmers and clippers so I can cut the boys hair. I'm also addicted to this and have cut Ryan's hair every to every other day sense purchasing. Hard to keep that fresh buzz look unless you do it daily, am I right? It helps that it has been gorgeous weather so I can do this outside and let the hair just blow away.
Final note. The Real Estate market is INSANE here! Our neighbors house was listed Friday for $110,000 more than we bought ours for 2 years ago (same floorpan) and they had multiple full price offers on Saturday. Cray Cray. We feel blessed that we were able to get to this beautiful part of the country before we couldn't afford it.