Our 4 Day Weekend

Jason had to do a TON of work over last weekend, so he decided he'd turn this 3 day weekend everyone was getting into a four day. The only question was would he do his extra day off on Thursday or Monday? When we considered that he wanted to take Easton to keyboard class, we opted for Monday.

So, Friday we started with breakfast at IHOP. It is one of Jason's least favorite places in the world but when I said, "Where do you want to go?" and he said, "I don't know...where do you want to go?" I was honest and said IHOP and mentioned our BOGO. That sold him. He didn't love his breakfast, he never does, and so he could be found munching on the grapes I brought for the kids. :)

After breakfast we decided to stop by "the cool park" where we played for a little while and then the boys soaked themselves in the fountains yet again. It was a good time.

Later in the afternoon we headed out to the bunk bed store to make our decision. We were there a LONG time but we finally decided, we just couldn't bring it home with us in the Saturn...J was going to need to come back with his truck at some other point, but we'd made the purchase at least.

Saturday, the 4th, I made pancakes for breakfast and then we had fun one-on-one time plans with the boys.

First, Jason and Easton headed over to one of the Home Depot FREE kids workshops that Jessica told us about. They made an adorable little picnic caddy and Easton got a special "badge" to pin on his shirt seen here 'round the New England area:


Meanwhile, Dalton and I took his tricycle over to the little park:


How cute is my boy?

He discovered a baby swing is not so comfortable to him without a diaper (he was in underpants) so he moved over to the big boy swing:




We headed home and then disaster struck: I had put the camera in the back of the tricycle to bring home and Jason was being helpful and hung the trike back up in the garage...except I hadn't mentioned the camera and he forgot/didn't realize it was in there...so it fell on the floor of the garage and the screen went blank. :(

My camera broke.

But, Easton and I had plans together next. So we took a picture with my camera phone instead:

Instead of having him do quiet time, just my first born and I went to see "Up" together. The movie held his attention but I don't think he could grasp the whole story just yet. My favorite part was that after we finished our popocorn he sat on my lap and snuggled me for, like, an hour and a half straight. He was getting tired so I even carried him to the car where he fell asleep:

I was hoping to keep him asleep as the fireworks would mean a late night for him, but I think he just rested in his bed for a bit instead of falling back asleep.

I busied myself in the kitchen making homemade potato salad (for the first time, and it was DEEEElish!) and a pecan pie and some pico de gallo. Num num!

We also attempted a pipe cleaner firework craft we saw in the latest Parents magazine:

Soooooooooooooooo messy!

My mom and Lauren came over after awhile bringing brisket and we enjoyed a nice little dinner followed by some Wall-E while we waited on the fireworks. Dalton had been doing phenomenally with the potty training actually had two accidents while they were here. :( I think all the added excitement had him a little distracted. He's been back on track ever since, however...well, for pee anyway.

Anyhoo...

The fireworks started around 9:30 and we can see the show really well from our front yard so we piled onto the sidewalk in our camping chairs and watched the show. Easton was probably the least into it of everyone. Dalton, however, was constantly saying things like, "Yook, Mommy!" "It's you favorite color!" "Sparkly!" with each one. Pretty cute.

The boys were sooooooo cranky when they were over and I was glad to put them away in their beds. Easton slept till nearly 9:00 the next morning, Dalton, not so much. Oh well.

We had church and they were doing an all-church picnic, so they only had one service that day and boy was it crowded but it was nice. Everyone came in their casual clothes and I think it really loosened everyone up for worship.

We sent Dalton in a Pull-Up and apparently he'd pooped in them. :( I snuck out of the service to take him potty and that's when she told me she'd just changed a poop. But he peed for me when I took him...he must've saved that part. :)

After church was over we all headed outside for burgers and hot dogs and chips and snacks and fellowship. The people who had invited us to their small group asked us to come sit near them and the other "marriage group" folks so we did. The boys jumped in bounce house and ran around. Jason competed with E in a 3 legged race while holding D's hand too.

Jason banged on our broken camera a few times and got the screen to come back, with "Wonder Years vignette" lines all over it. However, the camera was in his pocket on Sunday so that explains why we don't have a single picture of any of that festiveness. He's not in the "must capture every moment" mindset I'm in. :) However, he should be since I'm the one with the great memory, not him. He'll need pictures to remind him.

On Sunday night my mom and Lauren came up again to babysit the boys so Jason and I could go on a date. We went to a place called Cinnebarre which is one of those movie theather/restaurants. We saw "My Sister's Keeper" and ate.

Monday was Jason's bonus day off. We started off with our usual doughnuts. The little guys and I went to get them while Jason ran to get gas for the lawn mower. We ate breakfast outside and then Jason got to work mowing the lawn. That's when Dalton pooped his drawers again. Oh well. I had a feeling he'd regress with the pooping. And he did. But for pee he's been 100% during his awake times.

After J mowed we buzzed his and Easton's heads and then rushed to get them showered and everyone dressed for our plans for the day. An old friend of Jason's was in town with her family and we were headed up to a town called Eldorado Springs to meet them at a state park. First we hung out by a the river/creek:




Apparently the water was freezing but the kids waded and dug in the mud and got themselves all kinds of wet and dirty. As we were setting up for lunch at a nearby picnic table Easton got into some tree sap which we could NOT get off even with 5 minutes of scrubbing in the bathroom and wet wipes and such. He was soooooooo mad about it and eventually J's pal was like, "hey doesn't peanut butter get all kinds of stuff off?" so we rubbed the leftovers of her daughter's sandwich on E's hands and it actually did pretty well. Enough to get him to stop screaming "I am SO MAAAAAAAAAAAAD!" and eat some lunch.

After lunch we went on a tiny hike. Very manageable for the kids and me. :) Here we are waiting on someone to run back to the cars for a special trail guide:


My favorite part about the picture is my cankles hanging over my socks (my swelling is not as manageable as of late) and the dimpled appearance of my tree trunk calves.

The dimpled part is not so normal for me (not in my calves, anyway)...there's quite a bit of fluid in there. :(

But I kept on truckin'!




After we finished our mini-hike we bid adieu to our pals and headed for home. Our frat-boy was exhausted:


When we got home, it was finally warm enough to set up the Slip and Slide for the first time! While we've had warmer days, Jason wanted to be sure he was part of the maiden SNS voyage so yesterday afternoon was the perfect time.










Our yard has zero slope to it and the little guys just can't run fast enough/don't weigh enough to make it all the way to the pool at the end. But Jason sure could. I was sad I had to miss out this year. :) The guys sure had fun, though and then we had to come in so Easton and Jason could head to piano. Dalton and I watched a little "McQueen" (Cars), folded laundry, and played in the basement. While Easton's been in a bit of a difficult phase lately, Dalton is totally enjoyable and I just have so much fun with him whatever we do.

An example of Easton's difficultness...this morning we were sitting down to some leftover doughnuts from yesterday. Each boy only had one. And Easton, still hungry, tried to steal Dalton's off his plate, I wouldn't let him, so he then started throwing a fit that he's way to old to be throwing and whipping his napkin in Dalton's face. I sent him away to calm the heck down. When he returned, my sweet sweet Diddles actually rewarded E's behavior by giving him his only doughnut! Awwwwwwww:


Eastie happily shared a few bites back:


Then he gave Dalton rides around the living room on our ride-on Thomas. Then he started being a punk again after awhile. Oh well.

Then Dalton, who is working towards a reward now, made his daily poo in the potty instead of his pants today. Yay!

The other news from today is that I'm now 7 months pregnant. Just 2 months till the due date. So I took a picture:


And that, my friends, wraps up this post. Whew. Till next time! Come back if you dare. ;)