Scenes From The Week

We've had my parents in town all week, and my sister for most of the week.  Combine that with the boys turning 2 and it makes for one action-packed week.   Here's a look at some of our fun...

We had a fun, chilly day at the park...

...as you can see, Grandpa was really into it.  Haha!

We also checked out the beach for a bit but it was pretty darn windy...

The boys did get a kick out of sitting on the wooden poles though.  Big stuff!

Grandma, aka Mimsy, babysat so Miriam, my dad, and I could all check out a spring training game.  We saw the Cardinals dominate the Nationals...

The beer was DELICIOUS and it was fun to be part of a sold-out crowd.  Miriam even got to see her friend from high school pitch an inning.  Pretty cool!

The boys took swimming lessons this week and did an amazing job.  I can't recommend Pat Toner's Swim School enough.  We loved Miss Rabe and Miss Jeanne!  Those boys made some amazing progress in just one week!  I can't wait to keep practicing with them...

It's good for wearing them out as well.  This happened almost every day on the way home from swimming lessons...

We celebrated the boys' birthday with lots of chocolate milk...

...a cake...

...and some train cookies...

...along with a train ride--the highlight of the boys' big day...

I CANNOT believe my babies are two!  Crazy!

Today we had fun throwing the boys' birthday party...

We celebrated with cookie decorating, lots of outdoor games, and a train cake.  It was a success!!  I am so happy the boys have so many wonderful people in their lives.  We are incredibly blessed!!!

I did manage to get in a couple of good workouts and runs in this week but fitness was definitely not a top priority this week.  Gotta soak up the family time when it's available.  I will admit I'm looking forward to getting back in the gym next week though...until then, I play to soak up my last day of my "staycation."  Life is good! Happy Easter!

Saturday Chores and Sunday Funday

Yesterday morning, I made a to-do list a mile long with hopes of tackling the whole thing before my parents arrived that evening.  We got off to a bit of a slow start but picked up speed as the day wore on.  I was able to check everything off the list except picking up books from the library...not bad, I must say!

I vacuumed and did laundry while the boys played and ate breakfast.  Then we made ourselves presentable and hit the road for some errands which included a trip to the gym for a great full body weights workout...

I followed it up with 20 easy minutes on the elliptical.  It was an EXCELLENT workout if I do say so myself.  Makes me feel a little better about just taking a walk with my mom and the boys today.  I'll get back to the gym tomorrow.  Today it was much more to walk, talk, and soak up some sunshine while checking out ArtsFest.  I may or may not have gotten a little too much sun...woops!  

Yesterday also included a stop at the grocery store so we were well-prepared for our company...

SCORE!!!  

I had to dig into my emergency snacks on the way there and I must say, these simple bars are divine!!   I found them at Target and they only have 5 recognizable ingredients.  They could definitely satisfy a cookie craving....

While the boys napped, my next task was prepping a lasagna to be thrown into the oven for an easy, yummy meal for our company.  I tried a new recipe for eggplant parm lasagna and can't wait to test it out.  

I also had time to vacuum and skim the pool while the boys were sleeping.  After that, I was spent, so we spent the rest of the evening relaxing and goofing off...

Gotta love their muscle shirts!!  They are really starting to love the camera.  Can you tell who's who???  

Mason is in the red and Colton is in the blue.  

Since my parents got in late last night, the boys were already sleeping, but they wasted no time in saying hello this morning...

Sorry Grandpa and Mimsy...there's no sleeping in in this house. 

After spending most of the day outside and just finally filling our bellies with a yummy lunch, everyone except me is napping.  Time to take advantage of the quiet time and do some daytime reading.  Almost done with my book...

I have a feeling the rest of our day will involve lazing around the house.  Fine by me!!  

Tomorrow's a big day...we start our intense swimming lessons.  I can't wait to see how the boys respond to the program.  I have high hopes for them!!  My mom and I have some pedicures on the agenda for tomorrow as well.  Yippee!

The Easter Bunny!!!!

We had the BEST day today!  After a later than usual night last night, we all slept in and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast before getting ourselves ready to head down to the Gardens mall for some fun with some of our very dearest friends.  We shopped, enjoyed a yummy lunch and met the Easter Bunny.  There were NO tears, which is a HUGE accomplishment after several failed attempts with Santa and another scary episode with the cat in the hat.  The boys actually LOVED the Easter Bunny.

Mason was the brave one to go first and give the Easter Bunny a BIG hug...

...so Colton figured it was safe to venture closer as well...

We even got them both to sit on his lap... 

...and even managed to get some smiles out of them.

My favorite shot is Mason with his tongue out...his signature look!  I love Colton's candid smile as well.   I can hear him saying "cheese" when I look at it.  

Here they are with their adopted big sister.  We love her like she's our own flesh and blood.  She is such a blessing to the boys and loves them SOOO much! We love her just as much back!

It was such a treat to get to share this special day with her and her mom.  They are a true gift from God to our family.  God is GOOD!

I had the luxury of being treated to a Bobbi Brown makeover which was a great treat as well.  Talk about feeling pampered!  I learned some good tricks fromt he pros.  It was an all-around fantastic day!

We got home in time to have a quick play date with our friend before it was time for the bedtime routine.  They came bearing water balloons and the boys couldn't have been more thrilled...

Colton especially got a kick out of them.  

After bedtime, ANOTHER friend stopped by bearing a bottle of wine and a lovely candle.  It was great to catch up with her without having to juggle the kids at the same time.  I love impromptu visits like that.

Tomorrow we get to look forward to my parents' arrival.  I can't wait for them to get here.  I think they're just as excited as we are.  Hope they make good time and can get here before the boys' bedtime.  

Today was a great reminder of how blessed we are and how God truly does provide for ALL of our needs.  He's pretty amazing!

Looooong Nights Make for Long Runs

Colton must have stirred up his allergies or something with all the mowing he was doing last night...

He spent the night tossing and turning in my bed, which meant I got absolutely zero sleep.  No fun!  Guess which one below is Colton...

He caught up on his sleep while I ran out to the beach and back.  Mason was such a trooper for coming along for the ride.  He especially loved the police car and bus action out on the streets this morinng.  Colton's little stroller nap reminded me of when they were infants and the only way I could get them to nap was with a ride in the stroller.  Glad this isn't a daily requirement any more.  

It was great, however,  to get a peak at the ocean and a nice long run in this morning too.  

Looks like a postcard, huh?  I love that I live here!  

Not a bad run considering I pushed a 100+ lb stroller, went over two bridges and back, and completed it all on basically zero sleep.  I'm sure it will catch up to me tonight...

I rewarded myself with a big yummy salad when I got home.  Those scallops definitely made the salad.   The melted the gorgonzola just enough.  YUM!

We've spent the rest of the day hanging around the house doing our Thursday produce thing.  The boys have really been having fun with play dough, so we had fun making snakes.  The boys thought it was silly to cut up the snakes...Should I be worried about that??  

Colton told me this was a face...

If you turn it sideways, I think he's on to something.  Smart boy!

Colton stuck with the playdoh for a long time, but Mason got distracted and told me he had to go shopping.  He uses his old walker as a shopping cart and tells me he's going to get snacks.  A boy after my own heart!  I LOVE grocery shopping!

Colton, especially is turning into a little ham and loves the camera.  He even said "cheese" for this shot.  LOVE!

Mason usually ends up wanting in on the action too but then gets too busy to stay still for me to catch a good shot of him.  He's one BUSY boy! 

Blurry or not, he's ADORABLE!  

I'm not gonna lie, they've been driving me pretty crazy today, mostly due to the fact that they stole my sleep from me and spend most of the day clinging to me and fighting over me.  But I do love them, and they are the best thing that ever happened to me...besides my husband of course.  

Time to wrap up my produce duties and get a move on getting some stuff done around here.  My parents will be here in 48 hours...lots to do.  SOOO excited!

Lawnmower Fun

Today started out incredibly well thanks to a little forethought on my part.  I made protein pancake batter last night so it was ready to go this morning.  I read and drank coffee until I heard the boys stirring, then through the pancake batter on the griddle and breakfast was ready in a matter of minutes...easy, healthy and delicious!

I had forgotten how much I love blackberries too.  YUM!  

With our bellies full, we were off to Story Time.  Thankfully the weather held out for us and we had a great turnout.  Today's features were...

My boys love this one and requested it for Story Time this week.  We're on a Bill Martin Jr. roll and I don't mind one bit.  

They also chose this fantastic book that we found at the fabulous book store in Vero Beach.  It's a winner for sure thanks to the rhymes and the flaps for kid to lift.  The boys LOVE interactive books like this one.  It was a hit at story time as well.

Our next stop was music class.  I think I love Miss Rabe as much as the boys do.  She always brightens my day.  I love her sense of humor!!  The boys loved her new flashy balls.  They hope they'll be seeing those again very soon.  The player piano is always a hit as well.  Colton especially loves the pedals.  I love watching how Colton taps his foot to the beat of pretty much every song.  It's his new thing and I totally dig it.  That kid has rhythm!  While Colton keeps the beat, Mason can recite all the lyrics.  They're quite the duo.  

After music class, we got a visit from some very good friends who came bearing gifts for the boys.  They have not stopped playing with these lawnmowers since they got their hands on them...

Their favorite feature is the gas can.  They love stopping to fill up the tank every 5 seconds.  It's ADORABLE!  They even mowed the bushes for me.  I hope they're this excited to mow when it's time for the real deal.  

They did manage to take a break from their mowing for a bit to let me get in a long run.  It felt good to move even though I was a little slower than I would have liked.  I know I say it all the time, but it's the truth, I have the best running group ever...

They had fun watching for big trucks and dogs...so easily entertained.  

They were easy to please when it came time to dinner--yogurt and leftover pancakes were their foods of choice.  I decided to follow their lead with low-fuss meals and made myself a GIANT salad and threw a piece of fish in the toaster oven to enjoy along with it.  We may or may not have enjoyed some cookies and chocolate-covered goji berries for dessert.  

These little nuggets of love are a new favorite in our household.  YUM!  

Time to put my feet up and keep plugging away at my book...it's getting REALLY intense!

Arms Women Would Kill For :-)

This morning I woke up in one of those fogs where you're not sure if you're dreaming or awake.  I could have sworn I heard a hug thunder clap but then had convinced myself I must have dreamt it when there was no more thunder and not a drop of rain or a flicker of lighting.  It was completely bizaare...  About 10 minutes later there was another huge boom followed by some lighting and a sprinkling of rain that helped me feel a little better but it was strange nonetheless.  Anyone else hear that around 6:30am???  Please tell me it wasn't just me...

Nevertheless, it did help me drag myself out of bed and I managed to finish one cup of coffee along with some reading before the boys started stirring.   They woke up quite happy this morning, well-rested and full of energy.  I love when that happens!

They went to their play group this morning and made these adorable rainbows...

Colton's is on top of Mason's

...while I ran to BJs to stock up on some essentials before going to the eye dr for a way-overdue exam.  It had been over 3 years since I'd been for a check-up...whoops!  It was nice to have the doctor confirm that my eyes indeed have improved and I am happy to report I have returned to 20/20 vision again.  Ever since I had the boys I haven't felt like I needed glasses anymore and my instincts were confirmed today.  I swear my body is CRAZY but I'll take it...a good report from any doctor is always welcome!  Maybe all the produce I eat is working its magic?!?!

After I picked up the boys, I asked them if they wanted to go to the gym or to our house.  They unanimously voted for the gym.  They must want me to get back on track just as much as I do.  I only had about 45 minutes before child watch closed so I made the most of my time with some an intense full-body weights circuit and some sprint intervals on the elliptical.  I was spent at the end!

One of the trainers made my day today when he gave me a couple of tips.  I love working out when he's training other people cause I can steal his moves and he doesn't mind one bit, he even gives me pointers.  Free training...score!  Then, he told me how great my arms looked..."you have arms other women would kill for" he said.  I told him I work hard for them and it was very nice to have my hard work noticed by someone who knows about fitness.  It was especially nice to hear when I've been feeling frustrated with my body.  Apparently my husband is a lucky man to have a wife with my arms...lol.

Speaking of workouts, check out this new workout from Peak313...I can't wait to try it during a non-peak hour at the gym.  Talk about taking full advantage of the treadmill.  How fun!

Time for some tutoring and then some quality time with my boys before dinner.

Sunny St. Patrick's Day Weekend

It's about time we had a BEAUTIFUL weekend.  Too bad Leah had to leave before the weather finally decided to cooperate.  I hate when that happens for our guests.  She'll just have to come back soon.  We took full advantage of the gorgeous weather by spending as much time as possible outside.  After a couple of quick errands which included this RIDICULOUSLY DELICIOUS impulse buy from Bed Bath and Beyond...

...and a stop by the gym for some full body weights and sprints on the treadmill, we spent most of our time poolside yesterday.  I even stayed out there while the boys napped and made this bracelet for a friend...

After naps, we managed to fit in an outing to the park...

 

The bouncy dinosaur is always a hit as is driving the truck...

The boys waited VERY patiently for a turn on their favorite wooden truck.  I was proud of them for waiting so long.  

We kicked off our Sunday with a visit to church.  We moved the boys up to the two-year-old class a little early and I love how they have a little lesson now and when I ask them what they talked about, they always very proudly tell me "JESUS!"  We love our church! 

I had thrown some corn beef and cabbage in the crock pot this morning and came home to this lovely surprise after church...

I managed to pry the lid off with two spatulas without getting any glass in the corned beef...I hope. I let it finish cooking it with this lovely foil cover...

Guess it's time for a new crockpot.  Always something...

We spent the majority of our day outside again.  The boys spent the rest of the morning playing with their water table and bikes.  We got all dressed up and tried to make it to the parade...

Colton

Mason

...but we had to abort our mission when we realized the parade was further away than we thought and the boys were fading fast.  We ditched our parade plans and switched our mode of transportation to the stroller so I could get in some exercise while they snoozed.  I ended up covering a little over 5 miles before the boys started to stir.  Good enough for me!  After running into the wind for over 2 miles, I was ready for an excuse to throw in the towel.  That stroller never seems to get easier to run with but I do love the added challenge...most of the time.  

Once we got home, we played outside some more until dinner time.  The corned beef was delicious despite the crock pot fiasco and the boys devoured some festive guacamole since I couldn't convince them that cabbage is YUMMY!  Maybe next year...

All that fun in the sun has me beat and I didn't even indulge in a single adult beverage today.  It's almost un-American on St. Patrick's day, isn't it?  Worse things have happened...

Check out how much the boys have grown in a year...

What a difference a year makes!  CRAZY!  s

I'm calling it an early night and heading to bed with some tea and my kindle.  My book keeps getting better and better...