What A Weekend!!!

Well, this weekend was jammed pack of fun things. Since we planned on throwing Linz's shower sometime in April, I figured why not have it the same weekend of Tyler's 1st birthday party-- this way Linz will be able to attend. I went back and forth a few times, as I knew this would make for an absolutely hectic weekend, but decided it could be pulled off. So, Friday was Tyler's actual 1st birthday. Wow- he's not my baby anymore! I just can't believe it. People tell you when you have kids that the time will fly by, and they aren't lying!! It feels like not that long ago we just brought him home- now he's a year old. We took him to Chuck-E-Cheese's on the day of his birthday, just as we did with Elijah. It was fun. My mom, Linz, my grandparents (Oma and Opa) from Southern CA, along with Mark, Steph and Nora were able to join us. My dad even stopped by when he got off work, too. It was a blast. We spent a lot of time playing games, and Elijah and Kevin had lots of fun! ;) Tyler had fun, too, just in more of an observing way! (haha) Later in the afternoon Friday, Kevin's family from Oregon arrived at our house. So, we had 7 people staying here in addition to us.
Saturday was Tyler's 1st birthday party. For Elijah's 1st, we went all out and invited practically everyone we knew or are related to, ordered a huge cake, and decorated... For Tyler, we decided to keep it lower key. I kinda felt bad at first, but it made things so much less stressful, and CHEAPER! I made a regular cake for everyone to eat, and Tyler got his own little special cake (we got it free from Safeway!). We had the party out at the port, in a building the Stockton Police Officer's Association (SPOA) owns. They have pool tables, air hockey, shuffle board, card tables, a basketball court, a big room with a bar and tables and chairs, and a full kitchen- fridge, oven and all. It was effortless- I baked the cake out there, we had a place to keep all the food cold, we plugged in crock pots... it was wonderful (we'll definitely be using it again!). It ended up being just Kevin's immediate family, and mine, which turned out to be lots of fun. I think everyone really enjoyed playing games, and relaxing. We even had the kids home and in bed by 930-- which all things considered isn't too bad!
Sunday morning after church and lunch began a time of MASSIVE cleaning and straightening up around my house. Having had a house full, the house was a disaster, and it needed to be cleaned and looking nice by 3, when 20+ guests were to be arriving for Linz's baby shower. Karen and Danielle were an amazing help, along with Kody and Karl who were doing all kinds of things for Kevin and I as well. With all the help, we had the place ready to go, decorated, and prepared EARLY! The shower went well, and Linz received a lot of really adorable things. It was fun seeing all the girls, and hanging out and drooling over all the precious baby boy items she was opening.
Unfortunately, we had to say goodbye to Linz tonight, as she had to fly back to WA. I'm so bummed, because by the time I see her next she'll be a mommy-- oh how I wish I could be there sooner! I can't even begin to explain how much I'd love to visit her and little Brayden in the hospital, and help her in those first few days. Or even just the first days that Jordan will be back to work, and she'll be on her own. I'm praying that it won't be too long before we're together again, because I can't not see that baby before he's not a baby anymore!!! Linz's belly looked so cute this weekend, I'm so excited it's really starting to poke out. Although, she's still so little and cute. ;)
(Pictures to follow...)

SURPRISE!

Well, no one knows yet, but this will give it away by me posting this.. we ordered the boys a surprise with our tax return money, and it came today... and Kevin was so excited, he put it together right away. Needless to say, Elijah LOVES it. Tyler likes it too, but will get to enjoy it more as he gets a little older-- at least walking. He doesn't care too much for it when other people are bouncing him! I know this will bring countless hours of fun, which makes it so worth it! It's a "Spring Free" trampoline, as you can hopefully see from the pictures-- there are no springs. It's super safe for kids, and is completely enclosed with a net. It's fantastic! I took most of these pictures from the outside of the net, so if they're a little blurry, that's why (amazing it even took the picture!).

Happy "Valentine's Day!"

Elijah said we needed to do a silly picture! ;)
Isn't he handsome!?

Standing in front of the fireplace at my parents made this feel like prom, lol

Yes, I realize Valentine's day was over a month ago, but Kevin and I were never able to celebrate. Since we left for our Washington trip on the 16th of February, it was too hectic of a time to try and have a Valentine's Day date anytime around then. So, we both agreed to put it off for a month, and actually be able to enjoy it. Well, last week Kevin told me he wanted to take me out on a date on Monday (meaning yesterday), so I arranged for the kids to go to my mom's. He didn't tell me where he as going to take me, which was so much fun (usually Kevin can't keep secrets- he gets way too excited!). We ended up going to The Fire House, in Sacramento. VERY romantic. VERY pricey, lol. I enjoyed the entire date very much, and wished we didn't have to be back to put kids to bed. If I wasn't still nursing Tyler it wouldn't have been a problem.. but, such is the life we lead! All in all, it was so nice to get away, and be pampered, and enjoy each other. Happy Valentine's Day, my love! I love you!

Silly Boys

Today when Tyler was eating lunch, I decided to snap a picture of him with spaghetti sauce all over his face. His most favorite meal to date is spaghetti. I've never seen him eat so much, and make so many "yummy" noises. We had it for dinner last night, and he enjoyed it for lunch today.. probably lunch tomorrow, too! Anyway, while I had the camera out, I couldn't let Elijah feel left out, so I caught a couple of him, too-- and of course all this picture taking led to silly pictures next.... and pictures of Tyler giving kisses-- something he's just recently started doing.

For those wondering about the bruise-- he was banging his head into his pillow being silly, and overshot one time and hit his bed railing... yeah-- I cringed, too!

This one I barely caught-- it is his reaction to seeing his silly face picture on the camera (he laughed hysterically!)
Our little Batman... and all his gadgets!

Mmmmm... yummy spaghetti!

Tyler makes this face alot- scrunches up his nose at things! ;)

This was when he had enough of the camera, and wanted more bites, lol

Muuuuaaaah!!!

(Elijah was brave to go for a spaghetti kiss! But he loves his "brudder")

Lots to Catch Up

These last two weeks have been exhausting... First, Tyler had a few nights where he slept just awful. Waking up every 1-2 hrs., a couple days of a 101.8 degree temperature, not wanting to eat or drink much, and just super fussy. I assumed he was teething, and the pain was waking him up. Well, just as he was starting to sleep better, Elijah started having a rough time. Elijah was completely fine until one afternoon he didn't look so great, and we discovered he had a temperature of like 101. Then he started not sleeping well at night, and not eating. Well, Elijah said his "mouth" hurt, so we looked at his throat and discovered it was bright red, with little sores all over the back. Poor thing. We then realized this must've been what Tyler went through, as he never cut any teeth, nor really had normal teething signs. Elijah layed around a couple days, and I'm glad to report they are both back to 100%. NOW Tyler is teething though, lol, as he's got that teething runny nose, and lots and lots of DROOL!

This last Saturday to Sunday we went to Monterey to visit our good friends Katie and Kevan Riley. We had a blast, and I'm hoping to get some pictures from our trip soon. Silly me forgot the camera, so I'm relying on Steph and Katie! :) Anyway, until then, these are just some photos of the boys taken recently.

My poor Elijah sick and asleep on the couch (He NEVER falls asleep on the couch!)

Silly Tyler

He loves to show off his teeth

The boys playing with light sabres

Oh! Elijah got him!

Elijah using his light sabre as a guitar ;)

The boys both love riding the Mickey plane, so my mom pushed them around together

Washing Daddy's Truck

The other day I went out for a Starbucks coffee, and when I got back Kevin was washing his truck, along with Elijah's help. The dogs were even hanging out in the front yard, too- it was a family event, lol (all except for Tyler, who was napping!). Kevin gave control of the hose to Elijah, who was spraying the dogs off and on, and even threatened me when I first pulled up (with Daddy's coaxing of course!).

A Fun Play Date

A close up of my ham Tyler :)
The cutie pie Nora
Steph, Nora and Tyler

Tyler chasing after Nora

Elijah and Nora playing Peek-a-boo

Monday my good friend Stephanie, and her adorable daughter Nora, came over for the day to hang out. We had such a nice time chatting, even though our jumbled conversations were interrupted constantly by multiple diaper changes, baby monitoring, napping schedules (and attempted napping), fixing dinner, etc. ;) Elijah and Kevin were in Galt with Kevin's cousin Ryan, shooting clay pigeons with the shotgun, along with Steph's husband Mark. Nora and Tyler had so much fun together. Tyler longs for someone to stay down at his level and play, and Elijah doesn't sit still long enough to accomplish this. He may every now and then get semi-close to Tyler, but usually only for an instant, or to take his favorite toy away from him. Nora, on the other hand, would sit right next to Tyler, and they'd share toys (or fight over them!), and she let him touch her face (and poke at it, lol). It was so cute. And since Steph and I have them arranged to be married (wink, wink!), it was so cute to watch. I really enjoyed hanging out with Steph, as it has definitely been a while. I'm also excited to be starting a bible study with her soon... we are going to do Sally Clarkson's book called "Mission to Motherhood." I'm really looking forward to this, as we enjoyed doing her last book together through my church. I am bummed to say that once I brought out the camera to take pictures of how cute the kids were playing, they stopped everything that they had been doing. Once the boys got home from Galt, Elijah and Nora kept giving each other hugs, which was soooo cute. And Nora and Elijah would play peek-a-boo over the edge of the couch. Anyway, here are a few pictures from our day. :)