Na Night and Neighs

Just a quick post this week about the most pressing matters in the lives of Mason and Kade.  

For Mason, these days his life is revolving around his "na night" blanket.  He's never been a thumb sucker and refused a pacifier from day 1 but very recently he's become permanently attached to a blanket.  We've used it since he was tiny because it's one of those loosely crocheted light blankets with holes so he could still breathe even if it covered his face.  It's big, it's itchy (if you ask me) and it's white.  All the makings of a not-so-perfect attachment blanket but attached Mason is!  He carries it all around the house, we have major negotiations when he tries to take it outside.  I sneak it to the washing machine, I hide it from him during the day and if he wasn't so darn cute loving on the thing I would get rid of it.  

The other day Erik was mowing the lawn (Mason's favorite past time) and he was holding the blanket.  I told him he couldn't go on the lawn mower with Na Night (it's not-so-original name).  You could literally see him weighing out the pros and cons in his head!  He looked back and forth from Na Night to the lawn mower trying to decide which one he loved more.  He finally walked away from Na Night and towards the lawn mower.  Then he stopped, looked back at Na Night just laying there and ran back to it, scooped it up, pushed his face into it and sat down and watched Erik as he mowed the lawn.  He loves Na Night more than the lawn mower.

Kade losing to Mase and Na Night

See what I'm saying about the cutie pie and his blanket?

The other week we went to the fair.  There was a pony ride that Kade was begging to go on.  I refused to spend money on that when he can ride for free at Grandma H's (although he never has).  I also felt bad for the horses being tied up and forced to walk in a circle in the hot summer.  I know, I can't believe I just said I felt bad for the horses but I do have a heart (even if I have no room in my heart for a horse :-)  Anyway, I was hoping he'd forget about it but through out the week he kept bringing up how much he wanted to ride Grandma's horses.  He finally asked grandma and she said he had to ask me (she knows how much I don't love horses) and I just said, "As long as I'm not there to see it".  Well, I wasn't there...

She texted these pictures to Erik and he responded, "Do you think these pictures will make the blog?" and she said, "No.  Kristi does the blog."  See Melody?  Miracles do happen!!  And, for the record, he does look pretty darn cute on the darn neigh :-)

Like I said, our mid week camping trip we took the week of the 4th deserves it's own post because of all the of pictures we took!  We'd never been to this campground before but we will definitely be going back.  It was awesome!  

There was a mini beach next to a little river so we could play in the sand and throw rocks in the water.  Is there anything more relaxing than tossing rocks in water and watching the splash?  Well, as relaxing as it can get with a 17 month old who has absolutely no fear and no concept of danger.  I might've used the phrase, "You boys wear me out!" a few times on this trip :-)

Mase wasn't so sure of the feeling of sand beneath his feet.  We might have to remedy that with a trip to the Gulf of Mexico this winter!

They had these cool go carts that you could rent for a couple bucks.  Kade begged and pleaded for a turn after seeing a couple other kids riding them.  I don't think he realized that he actually had to work to make them move :-)

He wasn't too happy to give up his spot to me so Mason and I could go for a ride too.

And they had this awesome jumping pad/pillow thingy.  It was filled by an air compressor and the thing was huge!  The kids absolutely LOVED it.  I had fun on it too, my favorite part was jumping next to the kids and launching them in the air (side note:  I didn't do that to Mason--although he's the kid who would've loved it the most!)

Big cousin Reed in the background is pretty handy to have around!  He does a great job watching out for Mason.

Take a look at Kade's shadow in this picture.  Doesn't it look a little like Michael Jordan's "Jump Man" logo?  Let's hope that this is a bit of "foreshadowing" as I'd love to retire in the Bahamas, living off of Kado the Tornado's NBA salary :-)

Since the 4th was on a Saturday Erik and I both had Friday off of work.  Which meant that I had Wed-Sun off and since our daycare was on vacation, we decided to take a mini vacation as well.  We went camping in the middle of the week (with all of the pictures we took, that's a post on it's own), we celebrated cousins Violet's birthday and Isaac's baptism and of course we celebrated the 4th of July!  It was a great "stay-cation" which sometimes make for the best vacations!

Mason has us figured out.  Since the boys share a room, and summer means a lot less sleep (who wants to go inside for bed when it's so amazing outside?!), if either one wakes up we rush into their room to get them before they wake the other.  Usually it's Mason waking up early.  Too early.  But if we bring him into our bed he'll immediately fall back to sleep.  Dad can't resist his little snuggle buddy :-)

Boys looking handsome in their Sunday best!

I wonder if Grandpa H is teething too?

We actually managed to get a decent family picture!  Everyone is looking at the camera anyway.

Left to right: Mason, me, Kade and Erik, Sarah and Michael (Erik's brother), Jenna (Erik's sister), Isaac, Jay and Violet, Kurt and Erin (Erik's sister--they're newly engaged!!), Bill and Melody (Erik's parents)

                                      

Great Grandpa H!

For the 4th we went to the pool, like usual.  I kind of forgot to take pictures but we did get a couple from the annual end of the day hay wagon ride.  Although there was no hay, so Kade called it a bench ride :-)

 I'm a lucky gal to have such handsome boys keep me company on the bench ride!  

Happy 4th of July!!

So Many Pictures, So Little Time

Last Thursday Kade was bummed because he had to stay home with boring old Mom and we didn't have any plans to do anything fun with anybody.  You would've thought I was forcing him to sit quietly on a chair all day, or worse yet (in his mind, anyway) snuggle with me!  Sometimes I actually use that as an option if I want him to do something, i.e. "pick up your toys or snuggle with me"--works every time!

Anyway, Erik was also bummed because he had to go to work so I took A LOT of pictures and videos and sent them to him throughout the day.  That might've made for a less than productive work day.

A day in the life with Boring, Old Mom:

Finger painting cards for cousins Violet's birthday and Isaac's baptism.

Train rides while Mom tries to accomplish some cleaning tasks.  Try is the key word--I can't get anything done with these 2 crazies!

Wagon rides up and down and around our driveway…did I mention our driveway is 1/4 mile long?

A few calisthenics before lunch.

Somebody told me he wasn't tired and he didn't need a nap.  Somebody was wrong.

Later that day the boys were going to bale hay for grandma H's horses.  Kade told me wanted to look like a "real farmer" so I had to put his gloves in his back pocket for him.  At first I had the fingers tucked into the pockets but that was wrong--real farmers have the fingers sticking out.  We had to compromise with the gloves in each pocket.  Apparently real farmers put both gloves in one pocket (fingers out, of course), however Kade's little pockets on his little butt were too small for both to go in one.  Luckily, he's seen other real farmers wear their gloves in both pockets so he was ok with it.

Turns out a boring day at home with me isn't so bad after all!!!