First Day of First Grade

Today was Jackson's first day of first grade! I really can't believe it. It seems like yesterday that Brian and I were working and living in Wisconsin and expecting our first son. Six years later we now have Charlie and are expecting Henry.

We tried to make last night special and relaxing. We had a sit down dinner complete with candles. Brian started to object to the candles when I reminded him that we had to have candles for Jackson's first grade dinner! Jackson's face lit up when he realized that he was the source of all the pomp and circumstance.

After a nice steak dinner, Brian took Jackson to the grocery store to pick out a treat -- Milk duds for Jackson and mommy! After a quick call to Grandma, Jackson was off to bed!

This morning was a little rough. Jackson came downstairs clearly stressed out. Everything was wrong from the food to his socks, shoes, belt and shirt. I kept thinking: "For goodness sake! You wear a uniform!" However, I could see that this was simply nerves and Brian and I tried to console and reassure Jackson the best we could.

At one point, Jackson tried telling me he couldn't go to school because he wouldn't see Charlie "ALL day!" I reminded him that the first day was only a 1/2 day and that Charlie would be more than ready for him to play when we picked him up.




We all took him to school together as a family -- even Charlie. His friends all greeted him hello and he still looked so small sitting behind his desk with all his new supplies ready to go -- glue, scissors, pencils...fun! I took a mental picture of him sitting there. Still small, still innocent, still eager and willing to learn, still loving and still a child. Everyone says that time flies...so I intend not to waste a minute of it. I'll cherish my memories of today and look back on them fondly.




I hope Jackson feels how much we love him and how proud we are of him!

Happy first day of first grade!

Seattle Rock and Roll Marathon and 4th of July Fun

We decided to head out to Washington State over the 4th of July weekend this year instead of our annual early August trip. We oacked up the car and drove up to Chicago to spend the night before flying out the next day. Once we arrived in Chicago, Brian discovered that he had left his wallet in Peoria. Dropping me off with the kids, Brian drove all the way back to Peoria, got his wallet and then drove back to Chicago. Seems funny now...but at the time...well, not a great way to start the trip.

Normally the weather in the Seattle area is rainy towards the end of June. Growing up, we spent all too many 4th of Julys indoors. This year, however, we were blessed with amazing weather for our entire trip.

Our trip started with Brian running the Seattle Rock and Roll Marathon. While my parents took Jackson and Charlie down to the lakehouse in Olympia, Brian and I headed up to Jeanette and Kurt's home the night before the big race. Brian ran the full marathon, while Jeanette and Kurt ran the 1/2. I made my way to the I-90 bridge in the morning to greet and cheer Brian on around 10 miles. It was a gorgeous day -- Mt. Rainier was out and I had some kid-free time to soak in all the wonderful sights and smells of the PNW.

While waiting for Brian to finish his 4+ hours of running, Jeanette and sunned ourselves in her backyard and got caught up. When Brian returned, we drove down south to Olympia where my Great Aunt and Uncle on my dad's side of the family were celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary. We made the tail-end of the party and relieved my parents of the kids. It was nice to pop into the party, as we will be missing the annual family reunion (a.k.a. the "Marshall Open") this year.

The following day, we had a "June birthday party" for Charlie, Jackson, Great Grandma et. al. at the lake house. We enjoyed seeing extended family on both my mom and dad's side of the family. The kids/cousins all enjoyed boat rides and playing in the lake and finding trouble.

The next few days were spent back up in the Seattle area. I got a bit of shopping time in with my mom and sisters, and a much-needed girl-only dinner at the Roanoke Tavern on Mercer Island(fondly nicknamed "The Rowy").

Before we knew it, we were headed back down to the lake to get a jump start on 4th of July fireworks. Now that most of the kids are a bit older, fireworks are huge -- and my dad and Brian literally bought into their childhood fantasies. The stash of pyromaniacal madness was just that -- madness. Every evening for 4 days the kids gathered 'round and got to light off fireworks before bedtime.

Daytime rituals did not deviate much. It was the same fun day after day -- fun in the sun, on the boat, and playing with the cousins. The adults had their own little ritual. After the fireworks everynight, we brought out a new game introduced by my mom: Mexican Train dice! Put a bunch of attorneys in a room together and the competitive juices get flowing. I think we played until almost 1:00 a.m. one night! Unfortunately, we chose the wrong night to stay up late. Some type of flu bug hit us all and we were all down for the count the following day (or so).

On the 4th of July we were sad to have to say goodbye to Stephanie, Matt, Joe, Sam and Lauren. They all had to head back to Bend, OR before Matt's Boy Scout Camp. We lingered around the lake for most of the day. Brian and I took a boat ride around the lake, looking at homes and soaking up the remaining views of the PNW before our trip came to an end.














That evening we drove up to Tacoma, WA to my Aunt and Uncle's home. They live on a cliff overlooking Puget Sound. They have a pool, little golf course, gardens, and built in outdoor fireplace. While the kids frolicked in the pool and on the golf course, we enjoyed the beautiful views of the Sound and the gourmet spread set out. Just before the s'more dessert...tragedy struck. The kids had been running around all evening and Brandon accidentally ran into a pipe and cut open his face. Poor little kid was so upset that he was going to miss the fireworks because he had to go to the ER. Jackson was devastated for him and kept saying: "Poor Brandon" on the ride back to the lake.






We topped off our trip with Brian's firework finale at the lake. Clear skies graced the night and we enjoyed the firework displays from neighboring families from across the lake. It was a gorgeous night. Jackson sat on the grass snuggling with Grandma and whispered: "This is the best 4th of July ever." I can't imagine more gratification or thanks than having a grandchild say that!

All good things must come to an end...and the next day we were off to SeaTac bright and early to head back to Peoria. Jackson and I flew separately from Charlie and Brian. I have to admit that after all my single travels flying with the boys, flying with just Jackson was a treat. Entirely exhausted after all our fun we both slept a majority of the flight. Luckily Brian and Charlie caught a direct flight to O'Hare and we were able to meet up on time for our three hour drive down to Peoria.

Summer Days and Swim-in Movie Pool Nights

Summer is in full swing! Since joining Mt. Hawley, going to the pool is an easy, stress-free event. Since we walk to and from the pool, I'm not as worried about forgetting something or popping back home for a bit of a break.

Tuesday night we had our first swim meet at Mt. Hawley. Jackson is doing well. His strokes are great, but he still jumps instead of dives off the blocks and normally stops a few feet short of the wall to check out who is cheering him on. We'll work on that.

Last night Mt. Hawley had a "swim-in movie pool night". The kids were allowed to bring floaties and rafts and watch the movie from the pool. They had pizza and ice cream and played before the movie started. With the weather getting warmer and warmer...this was perfect evening activity. Brian stayed with Jackson after Charlie decided he had enough and was ready for bed.

Mornings are great during the summer as well! Jackson is working on a workbook "Wake Up Brain". He's asked to do 5 pages a day to earn a star. Once he reaches 30 stars, he can pick out a new DS or Wii game.

Tonight we are actually double booked with a swim meet and a t-ball game! Since thunderstorms are predicted...we may not be attending either.

Grandma's Vist, Oral Surgery and Mt. Hawley

Grandma came out to visit just in time to see Jackson's last front baby tooth. Jackson had to have oral surgery last week to remove to extra upper teeth. He did fantastic. He slept through the entire thing. When he came to, he was a bit upset about the numbness and his big lip...but all in all he was a trooper!

As a parent, however, I found it very difficult to see my little boy with a fat lip and bloody mouth. I had to walk away for a minute to regain my composure. I truly believe that when kids get hurt, the parents feel more pain than their kids.

While Jackson was recuperating, we got ready for Charlie's first birthday! He had a great day and went to town demolishing the cupcakes we enjoyed on his special day.

As the weekend approached, Brian and I decided to bite the bullet and join Mt. Hawley Country Club. The club is in walking distance (1 min. 6 sec), has 3 brand-new pools, and an outstanding swim team! What more could we ask for! We enjoyed Friday and Sunday lounging by the pool. We are hoping that the weather improves so we can enjoy the new facility more often!



Brian enjoyed himself in the sunken benches near the bridge and the diving pool. He also had his share of turns on the diving board and slide (a.k.a. "rocket").



I spent more of my time down by the baby pool, which is a zero gravity pool. It has fun bubblers and fountains for the kids and is also next to the snack bar, which makes it so the moms and toddlers aren't so isolated.



The lap pool has a little basketball hoop for the boys to play with. Brian and Jackson had a blast -- in fact I'm not sure if Brian didn't enjoy himself more than Jackson!



Grandma got into the fun as well. She blasted Jackson with the water gun numerous times and watched him play on the bouncy toys and train rides.



All in all...the pool area is fantastic and we look forward to spending many fun days poolside at Mt. Hawley.

Last night, we all headed off to Jackson's t-ball game at the Peoria Christian Center. Jackson did very well and Brian helped out with the coaching.



All the kids enjoyed practicing their "sliding" skills -- whether it was to home base or first. They slid into every base!




After the game we enjoyed some KFC on the picnic table (yes...pregnancy craving) and watched Jackson play on the toys. The kids were also allowed to bowl that night at the Christian Center. That was a nice surprise! What was even more surprising, however, was how well Grandma bowled! She kicked every one's butt! She got a strike almost every time! We saw her competitive side last night! Go Grandma!



Grandma won with dad in close second and mommy and Jackson tied for third place. We had fun smack-talking and trying to beat one another.



Today is Grandma's last day and we are sad. We went to Mt. Hawley for swim practice and then are heading off to lunch before dropping her off at the airport. We will miss her...but look forward to our trip to Washington at the end of the month!

Cheers!

June Angels

Brian and I were blessed to have both of our boys born in June. My mom use to tell Jackson that he was her "June Angel", so now that Charlie also shares a June birthday, Jackson informs everyone that he and Charlie are BOTH June Angels.

Jackson loves to chat, and if given the opportunity, he'll talk for hours and hours. Flights are especially good times for Jackson as he normally has a captive audience. No where to run as I like to say. By the end of the flight, the poor soul seated next to us will have all sorts of information about our family -- our dog names, the kids' birthdays, his school, his friends, his grandma...you name it and he'll talk about it!

On one recent flight, Jackson discovered that the little "friend" seated behind us also had a June birthday. He promptly declared that this little girl was also a "June Angel". So sweet.

June is a special time for us all. Brian and I are celebrating seven years of marriage this year! My parents, still setting the bar high, are celebrating 41 years (we share the same anniversary).

We are thrilled that my mom is coming to visit us tomorrow! She will be here for Jackson's oral surgery and Charlie's first birthday. Jackson is beyond thrilled and asked me today if grandma "could stay like for 5 weeks!". His eyes lit up yesterday when we told him that Grandma's going to share his room with him. He said: "Yeah...I'm going to be a snuggle bunny with her. I'm going to sneak down to her bed, wrap my arms around her. Then she's going to say 'can you move over a bit honey?'...I just love that!".

Charlie will no doubt love the visit too. Like Jackson, Charlie is a people person and hasn't met a stranger. He smiles at everyone and is just now starting to wave. He's been "walking" since about 10 1/2 months, but in the past few days he's really taken off. He walks everywhere, which means he's into everything.







With so much going on, we are looking forward to celebrating all the blessings we have in our lives this month.




Cheers!

Substitute Teachers and Other Miscellaneous Stories

Jackson and Brian have been spending some great time outside playing t-ball! Jackson loves to play with Brian and it is wonderful to have that special one-on-one time. We also got to see Jackson perform at his Joy Notes recital! The kids sang, danced, and played their songs on the piano. What a treat! Jackson played "Fog" and did a wonderful job. He even took a bow at the end of his performance. Ms. Diane has such a wonderful program and Charlie is already on the wait list for the 2011 class.





Speaking of Charlie...he is growing like a weed! He's standing by himself and taking a few steps here and there, but then decides it would be faster to crawl. The kid is fast! He has a ton of hair and most people think he's two, rather than almost one! Here are a couple of before and after hair cut pictures:





School is coming to an end soon. The other day, Jackson informed me that he's had a substitute teacher the past few days. I said: "really?" (Not really caring much). He said: "yeah...she's really catholic too". I asked what he meant by "really catholic" -- thinking she prayed more than Mrs. Carlson, but instead he said: "she'll send you right down to the office--without even turning your number over!".

Good to know that even at age 5 almost 6, Jackson is equating strictness with being Catholic.

Along the lines of being Catholic, Jackson has informed me he wants us to have 4 boys and 2 girls. Today...he added onto that number and said he wants us to have 10 kids. At that point, I told him that we're most likley going to be satisfied with three, but that when he finds nice girl to marry, he and his wife can have 10 children if they wish. I'm not sure he grasped that concept...but that's okay by me. He has plenty of time to worry about getting married and having children.

is the last full day of school. The children have mass tomorrow and then are dismissed for the summer. Thankfully, the weather is reporting a sunny and 80 degree day tomorrow, so I'm packing up the car in the morning and taking the kids to the pool after school gets out.

June will be a busy month for us. Brian and I celebrate our 7th anniversary on June 8th. My mom arrives on the 9th just in time for Jackson's oral surgery on the 10th. On June 11th, Charlie turns one! My...how time flies. Just after we've recovered from Charlie's birthday, Jackson will turn 6 on the 22nd.

We have several trips planned for the summer. We'll head back to WA to visit with family and we're hoping to make it to the Lake of the Ozarks one weekend and the Iowa State fair another weekend. Beyond that, we're hoping the weather cooperates and we can spend a quality time at the pool.

Play Ball! Jackson's first t-ball practice

Along with soccer, Jackson now has t-ball twice a week (and soon summer swimming too!). His first t-ball practice was on a beautiful spring day in Peoria. Mom, dad and Charlie came to help and cheer him on (despite the feet of freshly mowed grass, which was killing mom's allergies!).

Jackson is playing t-ball through the Christian Center. It is a wonderful program. They start and end with a prayer and also have bible verses to memorize each week. They also encourage parental involvement and practice. It was great. As parents, we learned drills to practice with our kids to help them with the fundamentals of t-ball.

They divided up the kids into two teams: the Rays and the Pirates. We were thrilled when Jackson got assigned to the Pirate Team! Ahoy! He got his new shirt and cap, and this weekend we'll be getting his pants, batting helmet, bag and other necessities.



Jackson's coach is a member of St. Vincent's and plays Basketball with Brian on Sunday evenings. There are a few other classmates of Jackson's on the team, which makes it fun.

Charlie is fascinated with Jackson and his friends. I've noticed that Charlie loves to play with balls -- in the bathtub and elsewhere. He also likes to throw things and then chase after the object. The baseball was an instant hit with Charlie and he had a blast playing "catch" with mommy while Jackson and daddy did their drills.

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We are having fun with all of Jackson's activities and we are trying to stay on top of his busy schedule. T-ball goes through June and summer YMCA swim team starts up soon. We can't wait. Jackson will have practice every morning (except in cases of thunderstorms). Looks as though our summer will be swim team in the morning, pool in the afternoon and t-ball practice/games in the evening. Not a bad life!

S'more fun and Mother's Day

Brian and I decided to get a patio set this year so we could really enjoy the warmer Midwestern springs and summer. In June the fireflies grace us with their fiery dances and Jackson spends hours trying to chase them down. We also splurged on a new fire pit, which has turned out to be the best decision we made.

Every night Jackson begs Brian to light a fire so he can make s'mores. Despite the wicked allergy season, we all venture outside for our new evening ritual. The ipod comes outside and Jackson usually shows us his new "moves" while eating s'mores. The dogs also join in the fun and chase each other around the house while we have our family time.


The other night after soccer practice, Jackson really wanted to light the fire. We agreed and the s'mores ensued. We were all enjoying ourselves when Brian noticed Jackson furtively trying to sneak off to his "special" spot in the yard, where he relieves himself in emergency situations. Brian told Jackson that if he needed to use the potty to go inside. Jackson denied having to use the potty and instead informed us that he "was just looking for a quiet place to pray." Needless to say, in less than 5 minutes Jackson was running to use the toilet inside. I sure hope he had a good conversation with God.

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On Mother's Day, Brian took us to the Pere Marquette Hotel for Mother's Day Brunch. We had a fantastic time. While waiting in line, Jackson informed the hotel staff that he was wearing a tie that his Grandma got him. "It has bees on it and she loves bees." He also told them all about Grandma's favorite color and his school. Later that night on the phone with Grandma, Jackson told her she could be called the "Queen Bee". No doubt this kid understands how to score points!





The brunch was amazing! They had every type of food imaginable! Jackson immediately identified the items he wanted -- waffles and cheesecake. Since he eats well during the week and never has issues with his vegetables, we are more than happy to indulge him on special occasions. And boy did he indulge!

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I quickly started to lose my appetite watching Jackson inhale his waffle followed by TWO pieces of cheesecake. I waited...and finally, after taking a few bites of his chocolate eclair, Jackson informed me he didn't feel well. I can only imagine! Those types of lessons are best learned first hand.

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Charlie opted for a more savory than sweet menu and enjoyed his first omelet with Brian. He also loved the hash browns and bacon!

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Despite the sugar coma induced by so many sweets, Jackson did not lose any of his own sweetness. He was polite to the staff and sweet to his mommy. Both Jackson and Charlie are quite the little charmers! Whenever Charlie gets attention, Jackson promptly stands up and introduces himself as Charlie's big brother and waits for his own compliments. I'm happy that he is no wall flower.

Brian planned the entire day, which was a gift in and of itself. However, he also surprised me with a diamond cross necklace and made the day extra special -- especially after our recent Cursillo weekends.

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Sitting at church and at brunch with my three boys -- Brian, Jackson and Charlie, I truly felt blessed. This time next year, God-willing, I will have another reason to feel blessed! The question is will I have three little boys or a little girl? Only time will tell.

May Flowers

It is hard to believe that we survived the Midwestern winter. Locals say this year was "brutal", but I believe the past three winters have been less than kind to us Northwestern transplants.

By February I start looking for signs of spring. I can't help it. I'm use to the Northwest springs that come early. In Peoria, spring literally does not arrive until LATE April (if it's a good year), or May at best. However, this year's winter did produce one great thing -- another baby! We are expecting baby #3 in late November/early December of 2009. We are thrilled. Charlie and the baby will be 18 months apart, keeping me very busy -- but extraordinarily blessed.

Now that spring has sprung...we are enjoying it full-force! Jackson is playing soccer twice a week. Brian is the coach and we are having a blast. Charlie and I get to cheer on the sidelines, while Jackson and his school buddies have fun. In another week, Jackson will start t-ball. I'm anxious to participate in some more cheering.



We decided to buy new patio furniture now that we have a new grill and are looking forward to eating outside. We also bought a fire pit, which Jackson promptly injured himself with the first night we tried it out. I'm sure Jackson will not touch the top of a fire pit again. Some lessons have to be learned the hard way!

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Charlie and I are taking advantage of the warmer weather. Rather than hitting the gym every morning, we're hitting the pavement and taking nice long walks through the neighborhood. It's so nice to get out early before it gets too warm. I love seeing everyone working in their yards and catching up on home improvement projects.

It is hard to believe that there is only a few more weeks left of school! I'm excited for the pool to open up. Charlie seems to have taken to the water like a fish and Jackson loves playing with all his friends at the pool.

We are also excited for a visit from Grandma Marshall! Jackson has to have surgery on his mouth in June. He has two extra upper teeth, which need to be extracted. He will have to be put under for the operation and they will remove his other upper baby tooth. No doubt this will be painful...so we're bringing in the best pain medication known to mankind -- Grandma! With all her pampering, story reading, snuggling and love Jackson will surely make a full recovery in no time flat.

Cheers! Happy Spring!

Easter 2009

Easter is always so much fun. However, it is always a bit sad because we are not with our extended family. Back in Seattle, we would celebrate Easter with the Rainier Club Easter Bunny Brunch. It is a fantastic event complete with pony rides, face painting, gourmet food, and a visit with the Easter Bunny. The Rainier Club always goes all out -- the club is transformed into a virtual "candy land" for kids -- and grown up kids.

Last year we celebrated Easter in Nashville, TN. While we had "fun" doing an Easter egg hunt in the hotel room, we were determined to make this year's Easter extra special.

With two kids now, I bought enough Easter candy for the entire neighborhood. I wanted the kids baskets to overflow with candy. However, I bought the candy about a week before Easter and although Brian did his best to hide the candy, Jackson "accidentally" stumbled upon the hidden stash.

While we were getting ready one morning Jackson came up to our bathroom and announced he found the candy. I was devastated that he may "find out" the truth before his time, but Brian and I did some quick thinking. Brian told Jackson that because of the economy, the Easter Bunny's budget has been slashed and that mom and dad helped out with buying some of the candy. Even though we were helping the Easter Bunny out with the candy, the Easter Bunny still brings the gifts, more candy and hides all the eggs...if kids are good.

I also shared with Jackson what happened to me when I was a little girl. Being the curious (a.k.a. sneaky) kid I was, I went searching for Easter candy and gifts. Low and behold I found the secret stash under my mom and dad's bed. JACKPOT! I found the Belle stuffed animal toy I really wanted and loads of candy. Not being able to contain myself, I shared the news with my sister Jeanette and firmly warned her NOT to tell my older sister, Stephanie. Jeanette didn't listen, and of course, Stephanie ratted us out.

Easter morning arrived and Stephanie's Easter basket was literally overflowing with candy. Jeanette and my basket contained a few measly little jelly beans -- a visual lesson in the consequences of snooping. Needless to say...I never snooped again.

Jackson's eyes widened when I told him the story and I told him that I hope the same misfortune does not happen to him. Needless to say...I still think he inherited the snooping gene from me.

Easter Egg dying was fun. Jackson pestered me relentlessly for hours to dye eggs. I finally caved in and we made some pretty neat eggs. Charlie watched with delight and I can't wait for him to help out is big brother next year.








On Saturday, we hit the Wildlife Prairie State Park Easter Bunny Brunch/Egg hunt. While it could never compare to the Rainier Club...it was still a ton of fun for the kids. The brunch was good and they had an Easter Bunny and even some skunks to see too!




That night Brian helped the Easter Bunny write out clues to find the hidden Easter baskets. I absolutely LOVE his clues from the Hippity Hop Corporation. His clues are footnoted with a bunch of hold harmless clauses, which I find hilarious. I hope to save them all and share them with the boys when they are older.

Religiously, Brian and I attended Maundy Thursday and watched the priests reenact the foot washing at the Last Supper. We also attended the Easter Vigil service on Saturday night sans kids, and then hit the 9:00 service on Sunday morning with the kids. Charlie slept through most of the Easter service. Thank goodness we had grandma's blanket! He can't sleep without it.

After church we we rushed home to throw the ham in the oven, do a quick clean, set the table and get the rest of the food ready before the Shanahans joined us for Easter dinner. Meredith (2nd grade) and Jack (pre-K) and Jackson (Kindergarten), all ran around outside searching for more eggs that Brian and John hid. The weather was nice enough that the kids could continue to play outside while the adults enjoyed their dinner. It was great -- ham, green bean casserole, BLT smashed potatoes and brussell sprouts.

During the clean-up, John showed us how to make ham stock with the ham hock. I'm off to the store today to buy carrots, onions and split peas to make homemade soup!

While we couldn't be with extended family, we made the most out of this Easter. Next year should be even more special, as Brian and I intend to go through RCIA at St. Vincents and convert to Catholicism. Our first communion will be next year on Easter!

Spring Break Update--Palm Springs etc.

Recently I traveled to Palm Springs, California with my two boys. We met my parents at the Oasis Resort -- a beautiful resort nestled in the Valley with magnificent views of the canyons. Jackson calls it "the Hawaii place" because of all the Palm Trees. It truly is a bit of paradise -- especially after enduring a long Midwestern winter.

Unfortunately, Brian was not able to join us, so I flew solo with the boys. Jackson is a good traveler, but Charlie gets a bit frustrated having to sit still for four hours. A small price to pay for a week of paradise.

Our condo this year was great -- right by the pool, which was convenient with Charlie in tow.




I have to admit I was worried that Charlie would require a lot of attention by way of constant entertainment, but he took to the water like a fish! I was amazed. He would float on his back without fussing at all. He loved to be held by others in the water and created a new game for himself by kicking his feet and moving his floaty towards the pool balls.




Jackson, like Charlie, loves the water too! With 80+ degree weather everyday, he spent most of his time in the water. Since the prominent age group of guests at the pool hovered around the mid 60's, Jackson made "friends" with everyone. The ladies who liked to have their social hour in the pool with their noodles giggled when Jackson floated up on his inflatable lizard and said: "Hi girls!". I certainly hope that a little 5 year old boy calls me a "girl" when I'm in my golden years.

Luckily, there were a few other kids near Jackson's age. He created all sorts of games with rules, which oddly favored his position.

We'd spend the entire day at the pool, head back to the codo, clean up, head out for some putt putt golf or shopping and then cook a nice BBQ meal. By the end of dinner, Jackson was normally falling asleep in his chair.



Half way through the trip we headed NW towards Anaheim, CA to Disneyland. The weather couldn't have been better. We had a fantastic time, and Charlie got to ride his first Dubmo ride and Jungle Cruise. Perhaps the most exciting event was getting stuck in the haunted mansion with Jackson for 1/2 an hour. We were freezing, but luckily we were stuck in a car and not in that crowded room. I think I would have passed out from having to stand that long!



Jackson went up in the tree house with Grandpa and enjoyed the Tiki Room with Grandma and Charlie. I actually got to ride the "new" Indiana Jones ride, which I thought was overrated. We all rode the Buzz Lightyear ride and I kicked butt with my razor-sharp shooting skills!




While we enjoyed all the rides, I really can't wait for Jackson to be old enough to go (and go willingly) on Thunder Mountain. It is my favorite ride! However, he did ride the Toon Town rollercoaster this year without completely freaking out.

By the end of the day we were all exhausted. Poor Jackson couldn't even walk! My dad had to carry him out of the park on his shoulders. We just missed the night parade and fireworks...but we left on a good note while everyone was relatively still intact. Jackson literally fell asleep as soon as we got in the car.



We enjoyed the rest of our trip relaxing by the pool. I have to admit that I DREADED having to leave. I loved being able to run in the mornings with the cool air and the smell of orange blossoms. Lounging pool-side, soaking up the sun and family time just can't be beat! Sign me up for 2 weeks next year! I'm seriously hoping Brian will finally join us all next year.




Upon returning to Peoria, we were thrilled to see Brian. However, since our return, it has snowed twice. The last of the snow was April 6, 2009. I'm beginning to think that this is the perpetual winter like The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. To make matters worse, we all wound up sick -- at the same time.

Besides getting healthy, our family has been busy with the business of life. We have been fostering two cats for the past month, but I'm sad to say that their time is up. As sweet as they are, we really don't need anymore mouths to feed or poop to clean up. Maybe when the boys are older and the dogs have died -- maybe then we'll consider getting a cat.

Speaking of CAT, Brian's been busy at work and we are thankful for that! Brian went through a Crusillo weekend a few weeks ago and had an amazing experience. I'm looking forward to my Crusillo weekend coming up at the end of the month. I've been doing some research and background reading and am excited about the future.

Jackson's soccer season is about to start. Brian is the coach and I can't wait to see the madness of a bunch of Kindergarten kids running around on a field. Charlie and I will be sitting on the sidelines cheering them on and making sure they run in the right direction. He also has T-ball coming up soon. I'm interested to see which sport he likes better -- although I'm convinced that whichever team has more girls on it, will be the "sport" Jackson likes best.

Charlie is growing and growing. 20lbs at his last visit! He's also in the 85% for height. I'd like to say I had something to do with his height, but who am I kidding? He has 4 teeth on top and two plus on the bottom. He LOVES to suck his thumb and can't fall asleep without the blanket my mom made for him. He's as sweet as pie and you can't resist snuggling him when he looks at you with his big eyes. I also think that Charlie has a bit of an impish sense of humor (like Jackson). His eyes literally twinkle with I say "NO" and the corners of his mouth turn up into a devilish grin.

Our "real" spring break is this week -- Holy week. I have the challenge of trying to keep both boys busy and alive. Today we went to Fired Up - A Pottery Painting Place with friends. We picked out some tiles, a plate and a cross. While we had "fun" painting, I was EXHAUSTED afterwards. Jackson's plate is something. I will save it for him when he gets married. Heck...I might even insist that he put it up in his home. I cringed the entire time he painted that plate and just about lost it when he "wrote" his name. It may just be the sorriest looking plate ever. Something only a mother (or a grandmother) could love. Happy Mother's Day!



The rest of the week we'll keep busy with a movie, some art projects and maybe a "do nothing" day (Those are the worst because it means mommy is constantly cleaning up and not enjoying a do nothing day for herself!).

Otherwise...I'm still "training" for the Geist 1/2 marathon on May 16th. It's slow-going especially with all the sickness and activities. I'm determined to try my best!

That's our spring update for now. Perhaps we'll have more news to share in the near future.