Organizing and Underwear...

Like always, it's been a busy weekend around here. We started out by completing installing our closet organziers. Here's a peek at the finished work:


A short time later:


Aiden has been showing some interest in using the potty so we figured maybe the time is right! We were looking through the Kohl's add and he was really excited about some of the character underwear, so we went shopping so he could pick some out. Here's a little video of Aiden picking out underwear. So far this morning, two successful potty trips, two wet spots...

My, How Time Flies!

We are excited to add a link to Wellyn's mom's new website: www.donnajeanbooks.com! The site looks great (way to go 7ninedesign!) and both of her books can be ordered directly from the site.


I've been a little slow posting lately as both boys have been sick! Again! I feel like it's November all over... Aiden has had a fever, cough and now runny nose and has generally been miserable. Brendan is just coming down with it (and fighting it all the way!). Both kids will be staying home from daycare tomorrow so Wellyn ran out and got us a couple movies to pass the time - Bob the Builder and Bee Movie. We've hinted to Brendan he more than likely won't be able to go and he's sad (that kid LOVES his daycare!) and it's supposed to be rainy so I think some movies will be well received.

In other news, our closet is about half finished. It's so nice to be able to start putting some of our clothes away again. Maybe not the best plan to get rid of our dressers before the closet was done... I mean, even started!

Spring has officially arrived! The past two days we've spent almost two hours in the afternoon out at the playset. Brendan is loving building and digging in the sand and Aiden loves going down the slide and being in the swing. I'll have to take some pictures of them out there. It's so nice to just be able to go out and have it be warm! Brendan has gotten some use out of his new bike and Aiden really wants to learn how to ride one. He was happy tonight that Daddy got the bike trailer out and took for a spin in the neighborhood.

We're still working on the photos from Brendan's party. Wellyn is testing out some stuff so hopefully we'll have them all on the website soon. And, yes, I still have the pirate ship in the living room. I know it needs to go, but I'm so attached to it! I need to find another little boy (or girl) who would like to have a pirate party!

Brendan's Pirate Party!

Well, it's come and gone... the big pirate party. After weeks of preparation and planning, it went off without a hitch (for the most part) and was over in a couple hours. Now, what will I do with all my "extra" time??? Oh yeah, laundry ;)

We celebrated on Thursday (his "real" birthday) with dinner, mini-donuts and presents. He was really excited to get a bigger bike, and Leap pad with a built in microphone and a handheld Leapster - which unfortunately doesn't work and will have to go back to the store.




Late Thursday evening, Grandma Donna and Grandpa Herb arrived - in time to go on a preschool field trip to Orchestra Hall on Friday morning. Brendan ended up being pretty tired for the trip as he got to bed late and was up before 6am to see if Grandma and Grandpa were ready to play with him... they weren't quite ready to get up ;)



Saturday's party was flurry of activity with kids galore. Everyone played for a bit before each making a pirate hat and playing "pin the eye-patch on the pirate" (it's important to note that the blindfold should be checked before the party to make sure the kids can't see through it!). Then it was time to eat, have cake and ice cream and get the pirate hats back on for a little treasure hunt. All this topped off by the grand gift opening where he got a lot of things "that I've always wanted!".





We were helped out for the big day by Grandma and Grandpa getting the food together, cleaning up and doing anything and everything we needed to have done - thank you!


We also had family photographer, Lisa Marie, take some photos for us of the big day since we were a little occupied ;) We get the CD tomorrow and will be posting all the pictures on our website under Brendan's 5th Birthday. I'll include a few here for those of you eager for a sneak peek! She did an excellent job - especially given the number and exuberance of her subjects. We are planning to do some family photos with her outdoors this spring. If you are interested in her contact info or seeing some of her work, just let me know!

The Great Pirate Ship

I don't know why I didn't take some pictures when we first began, but here are some of the almost completed ship. Brendan helped me paint all the brown and picked out the colors for the accents. He also helped name it the "Sea Dragon" - he really wanted to call it the "Runny Nose", but I just couldn't do it... I'm working on some sails for it now and hopefully it will withstand 17 children in and out of it for a two hour period. With the snow and ice coming down it will be a full house - no using the deck or playset this year :( but it will be fun nonetheless.

Aiden's 2 Year Photos!

Amazing - they just became available online today! I sent Wellyn with a bag of Aiden's favorite things and in 10 minutes they were able to get over 50 photos! Here are a few of our favorites:

Whirlwind of Activity!

We have been so busy lately! We are getting things ready for Brendan's party on Saturday - I need to take some pictures of the ship... It looks pretty good. I'm down to just the final detail painting and rigging up a sail and it will be complete. We've officially christened it the "Sea Dragon".

Aiden had his two-year pictures taken last week. Unfortunately, we can't view the proofs online until we receive the prints we ordered so I'll have to include those at a later date. He brought all sorts of props: tools, Diego items, guitar... he is quite the ham these days!

We went to the Shrine Circus on Saturday and had a wonderful time. There are certainly some performers out there with "unique" talents! Brendan really liked the man who rode the unicycles and juggled. Aiden liked the elephants and the bears.

After we came home, our nephew Bryce was here for a visit so we spent the remainder of the weekend looking for good deals on stuff to set up his dorm room in the fall. He'll be attending Lakeland College in WI.