St. Patty's Day Par-tay!

One  of our neighbors hosted a little get together for St. Patrick's Day this year.  It fell on one of the nicest days of the year so far, so we were able to set up outside and enjoy the beautiful weather.

The kids all had a ball playing together (seriously, we are so blessed to have such great neighbors...all of our kids get along so well and have so much fun together!), while the parents got to visit and enjoy each other's company.  There was a fabulous spread of pizza, sandwiches, dips, fruit, veggies, and desserts to munch on all evening.  It was great to be able to spend time with good friends.

Once everyone put kids to bed, a few of us still hung out and had a fire pit in one of our neighbor's driveway (yet another perk of having such good friends as neighbors!).  We had so much fun talking and laughing and stayed up till 1:00 am...way later than any of us are used to!  We loved having something fun to do to celebrate, and loved feeling young again...even though we suffered the next day for staying up so late!  :)

Where Did Winter Go??

From the last couple of posts, you may think that we have been freezing up here in Minnesota.  Well, that snow from the last couple of posts was the most we got all winter.  And since then, we have had nothing but spring weather, and even some summery feeling days in there.

We are loving all the time outside, as it usually isn't this warm till at least April.  Our kids have been spending lots of nights playing hide and seek, riding scooters, playing baseball, and just running around outside with their neighborhood friends.  We have also been whipping out the warm weather treats, like smoothies and ice cream cones (and apparently Landon is confused as to why we don't need the snow shovels anymore...).

I can't believe that we went from the pictures in my last posts to these, snowsuits to shorts, hot chocolate to ice cream, and sleds to scooters in just a matter of days.  I just hope that this isn't a nice little break before some cold weather comes back....after this taste of spring I am ready for winter to go away for the year.  :)

Long Time No Blog

Well, I did again.  I fell off the blogging bandwagon for almost a month this time.

This month has been busy, but not busy like you would think.  Busy as in we have been spending most of our free time playing outside in this crazy warm spring weather.

But I am back and ready to blog about what has been going on this month.  Starting with the trip I took at the beginning of the month to visit my sister and her brand new twins!

I don't have any pictures from when I was there (I will have to steal some from my sister when she gets around to posting them, in all her free time right now!).  It was so much fun though.  It was great to be able to help my sister with her babies, as I haven't gotten to do that before.  In the past, we have been on the same time table with our kids, and haven't really been able to that.  And it's always great to have an excuse to visit family!

Luckily for me, I got to make this trip sans kiddos.  This was the first time I have ever left Miley or Landon, and it was a little weird, but also kind of rejuvenating!  Of course, I knew they were in the best hands, as Cameron took some time off to be able to stay home with them.  They loved having time with Dad, and weren't even all that excited to have me back!  :)

While I was gone, Cameron took advantage of our recent snowstorm and spent some time building a snowman and some snow chairs with them.  They also got to go swimming, eat at a couple fast food places, etc.  You know, all that kind of fun stuff.

I really missed my family, and was so excited to come home to them.  But it was so great to be able to go help Gelsey and meet my sweet new nephews, Flynn and Brecken!

Unexpected Snow Day

Today was an unexpected Snow Day.

The snow wasn't unexpected.  Definitely not.  We knew last night that we were going to get hit.  Hard.  However, this has been an unusually mild winter.  So I guess maybe we weren't quite expecting the storm we had.  It was a snow day for the schools today, which if you know Minnesota, you know that is a big deal.  For our family, however, snow days don't mean a whole lot, right?  My kids aren't in public school yet, so no difference there.

Cameron went out to shovel the driveway this morning, and came back in and decided he was probably going to stay home from work.  But, he is going to be home for the next three work days while I go out to help my sister who just had twins.  Due to that, he figured he better try to go in today.

He didn't get far.  He got down the driveway, but then immediately got stuck in our little G6.  Some neighbors came to the rescue with shovels, and helped dig him out, and got him going down hill on our street, and we though he was on his way.  Until he got stuck again.  So, thanks to a neighbor, and a big rope and a Yukon, we got him back into our garage and he stayed there for the rest of the day.

It was too funny watching him get stuck, and then slipping and sliding in his nice dress clothes.  I had to take pictures.  Miley and Landon were having fun watching.  Miley kept yelling out the door, "Are you OK, Daddy?"

We were gad to have Cameron home, although he still had to work quite a bit and call into meetings.

So what were we to do on our unexpected snow day?  Sledding in the back yard, of course!  A bunch of the neighbors came over, and despite the deep snow that was still falling and freezing winds, we still had a lot of fun.

Miley had so much fun.  We tried to get Landon in on the action (as you can can see in the first couple of pictures), but he was over it once he got a little snow in his face.  But he sure was cute hanging out in the back of the car while we did some shoveling!

It was a great day, but now I am crossing my fingers for good weather so there are no delays for my flight tomorrow!

Earning His Keep

Now that Landon is one, we decided he is old enough to be put to work around here...

He doesn't seem to mind one bit (now if only some of that enthusiasm could rub off on his sister!).

I kid, I kid.  Landon just likes playing with the little broom and pretending to sweep.  But hey...I will take what I can get.  :)

First Year, First Haircut

So there we were, just eating dinner on Thursday night.  Kids were dirty, it was late, and it was time to throw them in the bath.  I was cleaning up, and Cameron decided that it would be a great time to give Landon his first haircut.

Whaaaaat?

I mean, agreed, Landon was definitely in need of a little trim.  He was rocking this not-so-attractive mullet, and as cute as he is, the mullet just wasn't cutting it (no pun intended).

But to be honest, I like to prepare for these kinds of things.  You know, have the kids looking a little more put together, have it at a time when we aren't in the pre-bedtime craziness, and perhaps bring him to a place that specializes in cutting the hair of super wiggly one-year olds, youknowwhatI'msayin'????

But Cameron was not to be deterred, and before I knew it, he had pulled out the scissors, some water and a comb, and was ready to get to work.  So all I could do was roll with it, and get some pictures.

Thanks goodness for some M&M's and a big sister that helped with distracting the little guy...

I wasn't too sure how the finished result would turn out.  While it isn't perfect, it definitely beats the mullet.  I think he looks pretty handsome, but I am not biased or anything (don't mind the dinner / M&M mess all over his face and shirt!).  ;) 

Now could my kids pleeeeease stop growing up?!?

One-Year Stats

Landon had his one-year well visit yesterday, February 22nd.

After asking a few people if they could watch Miley, no one was available, so I brought Miley along with us.  As I started writing this blog post, I realized that I left the little book that we get that has all the kid's information in it (weight, height, etc.) at the doctor's office.  I guess I had my hands full trying to get two kids and the diaper bag full of stuff out of there, and left it on the little table.  I am a little sad, because that had all of Landon's stats from all of his appointments in it...I guess it is good I keep track of it on here, too!

That being said, I remember his weight and length, but can't remember his head circumference.  Oh well...what can ya do, right?

At one, Landon's stats are:

Height:  30 inches - 50th %

Weight:  19 pounds - 5th %

I think there may have been a little error in the height...I just can't picture one of our kids being in the 50th percentile for height!  :)  However, I am not really sure, because I had to take Miley on a potty run and while I was gone the nurse measured Landon.

Landon got the dreaded four shots at the end of his appointment.  He didn't even flinch for the first one, but then started crying during the second.  Besides a little fussiness that first afternoon / evening, he handled them really well and they haven't seemed to bother him at all.

All in all, not a bad appointment, although next time I will hopefully schedule his appointment at a time when Cameron can be around to watch Miley, and then maybe I won't be leaving stuff behind.  :)