The Fichtner Family 2004

Nicholas' Graduation June 18, 2011

2011-06-20T06:21:00.000-07:00

I know its been forever. I just can't seem to get in a blogging mood lately. Nicholas had his preschool graduation on Saturday. It was the cutest graduation I have ever seen. They did a Willy Wonka theme and the kids had a lot to do with making the props. It was just so fun. I made the cake then night before. Chad helped with the outlines. They performed a few songs and then received their diplomas. Nicholas got the "Wise Owl Award" for his love of knowledge. They also made a memory book for the kids. The kids drew pictures of their families. Answered questions like favorite color (red) and favorite vacation spot which he said was the Temple. I'm sure his teachers thought that was a little odd but it made me tear up that of all the places he could have picked he chose the temple. Then all his friends signed an autograph page. It is so cute and I am determined to start scrapbooking again. These are the kinds of things that only happen once and I want to make sure its not forgotten. Jake was excited for Nicholas to be done with school so his best buddy would be home to play with him more. He is also excited that next year he gets to go to preschool. My boys are growing up too fast:) Congratulations Nicholas. We love you:)

Nicholas' 5th Birthday Party April 30, 2011

2011-05-19T05:20:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Nicholas' 5th birthday on April 30. We had our extended family come over and we all had a great time. Nicholas loves the solar system. I'm not exactly sure when that happened but he knows a lot about it and even asked if that could be the theme of his birthday this year. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I made the cake on Friday and Chad and I (with the help from my sister Cathy) decorated it on Friday night. I was in bed by 10pm! That never happens the night before my kids parties. I am always up until 2 or 3 am finishing it up. First I had to bake all the different planets using different size bowls. Then I made the sun and the background cake and put it together. The best part was that Nicholas LOVED it!! Thankfully the day was sunny so the kids could play outside. We had a Sun pinata (even though the thought of having more candy in our house not even a week after Easter made me feel dizzy) which the kids loved. I didn't get as many pictures as I wanted probably just because we were outside enjoying the weather. We ended with cute outer space gift bags with all the solar system things I could find (not a whole lot actually.) We all had a great time and he got some great gifts that he has enjoyed playing with. Now that I finally updated my blog maybe I should start on the thank you cards:)

My two trouble makers;)

He made that shirt with my sister almost 3 years ago. I thought it would match the theme well.

Nicholas turns 5!!! April 17, 2011

2011-04-18T06:14:00.000-07:00

Today my little boy turned 5. I can NOT believe it has been 5 years. Time is flying!! He is growing up so fast. I woke him up this morning around 7am wishing him a happy birthday. He woke up suddenly very excited. Then he said "I'm getting old and will have grey hair soon." He cracks me up. I made blueberry muffins for breakfast. Then because Chad and I couldn't wait until after church we gave him his present. He had to find it in our room. He uncovered a bike!!! He was so excited. He had been telling us he wanted a bike and to throw him off we said we would have to talk to Santa and see if he could get one for Christmas. We had every intention of buying him one though. He was so excited he rode it through our dining room and into the kitchen a few times. Now Jake wants one for his birthday too. Then we went to church. The primary sang Happy Birthday to him which he was happy about. After church we had just a little family party with my 2 sisters and brother in law. He is having his big party for everyone in 2 weeks. On Friday he had his 5 year doctor check up. Everything was great. He weighs 38lbs and is 42 inches tall. He had to get one shot and did great. No crying or anything. He just said that he was so strong that the needle didn't even hurt him. He is very excited for kindergarten next year. I just can't believe how fast he is growing up. Happy Birthday Nicholas. We love you and are so proud of the young man you are becoming.

Chad's Birthday April 1, 2011

2011-04-02T07:14:00.000-07:00

Chad is an April Fools Day baby. He has never really liked that his birthday is on April 1 and I can't blame him. I remember being pregnant with Nicholas and being due in April and thinking "any day but the 1st!!" We don't really do a whole lot of jokes around here mostly just focus on Chad. So yesterday he turned 34 (or as he likes to put it "It is the 13 anniversary of his 21st birthday;) We had some family and friends over for dinner and cake. We had homemade pizza (I spent all day making pizza dough....so thankful for my bread maker) some salads and then he requested ice cream cake. I always make the birthday cakes for our family. Even though I usually get very little sleep the night before one of their birthdays I really enjoy it. Honestly though, I was a little relieved when he wanted a cake that I couldn't make. Less for me to do in my already crazy day. We all had a great time. We watched Tangled (love that movie!) and Dispicable Me. We didn't get a whole lot of pictures but it was fun hanging out with our family and celebrating Chad's birth. Chad, we love you!! Hope you had a wonderful birthday.

What we have been up to March 2011

2011-03-27T04:18:00.001-07:00

It has been forever. Not that things haven't happened that I could have blogged about. I just haven't. Quick update: Chad is still in school. He enjoys it but was very happy for the break this past week. He also got to ride his motorcycle a few times in the past 2 weeks. He is always happy when tht happens. Nicholas is loving preschool. He gets registered for Kindergarten in May. I still can't believe he is going to school in the fall. His birthday is coming up next month and he is very excited. He has been interested in the solar system lately and he knows all his planets (in order), which is the hottest and coldest, biggest and smallest and so on. He surprises me sometimes. Then he makes these comments if he is cold he'll say "I'm as cold as Neptune." he is too funny sometimes. Jacob is getting so big. I can't believe he will be 3 in a few months. He just got potty trained. He still wears a diaper at night but during the day he is strictly in underwear and it is wonderful. I am so proud of him. We told him he can take swimming lessons this summer if he was potty trained so we need to sign them both up. I also just registered him for prechool in the fall. It is 2 days a week for 2.5 hours. He will love it and I'm sure I will love it as well. He usually wants to stay when we drop Nicholas off so now he will get too. I have been keeping busy. It seems like I'm doing a lot of sewing projects right now. I have 3 baby quilts to make. The Faith in God girls sewed purses this past week which was fun. The only problem was my machine couldn't handle the jean material and I broke 2 needles. I have never even broken 1 before and in about a 30 min time span I broke 2. Crazy. The Relief Society met last night and we made these caddy's for when we have the linger longer after church. We can bring our own dishes and utensils. It looked so cute I just has to make one and surprised myself when I did. It is only for 2 people though so when I got home I cut out material and made one for the boys as well. Not quite done but will post pics when I am. Sorry this is so long. Onto our project for this month. Our home has very little closet space. It has been frustrating me lately because I have baskets full of things and piles of blankets that have no place to go. In our bedroom we have 2 windows that go right out on the front porch. We have NEVER used our front porch (and probably won't since Chad built us a beautiful deck off the back.) So my thought was to take out one of the windows and build a closet onto the front porch. Chad wasn't to thrilled when I asked if he could do this but he said it was possible and he went to work drawing up plans and a materials list. Well in the week he had off of school he started and finished it. I LOVE IT!!!!! It is spacious and has enough shelving for all of our things. We also decided to use our small closet in our bedroom as the linen closet. I am so thankful for a husband who is able to do things like this and improve our home. He really is a very talented guy. Hope you are all doing great. I am going to get better at blogging more. Here are some pics of our closet and 2 of the boys before they got their haircut:)

Valentine's Day

2011-02-15T16:17:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day! We had such a great day. Nicholas had a Valentine's day party at school and passed out valentine's to all his friends. Plus they had lots of yummy treats. We also dropped off valentines to my sisters, brother and sister in laws and the boys cousins. I got home and found a package from pro flowers on my porch. Chad got me a vase with 2 dozen roses in 6 different colors (they were beautiful) a teddy bear and a small box of chocolate with a very romantic card. I was very surprised. Then we went to Dave and Chrissy's house and Chad and Dave made Chrissy and I a delicious dinner. It was Chicken Sorrentino with baked asparagus. It was amazing. They also melted chocolate and dipped strawberries in white and dark chocolate and made them look like little tuxedos. we played a game and enjoyed some quiet time with the kids all playing downstairs. It was a great night. I hope everyone had a great day and got to spend time with the ones they love. I feel so blessed to have my husband home this year to celebrate with. I love my boys:)

February 2011

2011-02-05T17:55:00.000-08:00

I have been so bad about blogging. I am pretty sure I haven't taken any pictures lately either. i have no excuse other than life is busy. Chad started school a few weeks ago. He was getting frustrated that jobs weren't working out and decided to go back and finish his degree. It has been great for him to have this to keep him busy and get more of a schedule back into our lives. it has been an adjustment with him being home but it is getting easier and we all love having him here for dinner every night and spending weekends together. he also got called to be the elder's Quorum President a couple weeks ago. He was really surprised by this calling. Not at all what we were expecting but isn't that how it usually works?? Heavenly Father always has something else in mind:) He has really enjoyed it so far. Nicholas has been busy with preschool. Although he has had 3 or 4 snow days in the last few weeks from ALL the snow!! He had a Superbowl party on Friday and had a lot of fun. He is excited about his Valentine's day party next week. I made some Valentines for him to give to his friends and he signed his name on them. Jacob loves to talk....nonstop. I wonder who he got that from;) He loves his big brother and loves to play made up games with him. He is enjoying reading books and watching Handy Manny (he knows all the tools by name) and a new show called Bubble Guppies. He is my little love bug. I have been busy as well. I am teaching a new class in primary this year. I have three 8 year old boys in my class and they keep things interesting. I am also in charge of doing Faith in God with the girls twice a month. Chad and I got to go to the temple together last week. i'm sad to say that it has been a few years since we've had that opportunity. It was so great to be there with him and to do some family names. We have made a goal to try to go once a month. So far so good. I am also training for a 5K. It is in April. Training is going well and I'm excited about accomplishing this goal. Sorry I haven't posted any pictures. I need to get better at taking them. i hope you are all having a wonderful 2011 so far.

Holiday Parties/Christmas Dec. 2010

2011-01-12T06:11:00.000-08:00

Wow....I hadn't realized it had been almost a month since my last post. So much has happened and it just flew by so quickly. Chad came home permanently just a few days after my last post. We were all so happy to be done with that part of our lives. The day after he got home we had the Healy family Christmas party at our house. It was so fun hanging out with my siblings and their spouses. My brother Brian also brought his 2 daughters and the boys were so happy to have playmates. We did a yankee swap with presents and I think it went well. Chad ended up getting small frying pan that had molds of Santa and snowmen. I thought it would be a cute new tradition on christmas morning to make pancakes with it. I got a mug with very fancy hot chocolate, a yankee candle and a borders gift card. The other gifts were good as well, that's just what we got. The following day (after church) we had the Fichtner family Christmas party at Dave and Chrissy's house. Always a fun time hanging out with Chad's family. The amazing thing was that Chad and ALL of his brothers were there at he same time. It seems like getting 2 together is common but anymore than that seems impossible. I know Chad really missed hanging out with his brothers while he was away. We also did a Yankee swap at this party (one for adults and one for the kids) Nicholas got a set of playfood and Jake got a Zooble. Its kind of girly but he really liked it and I even found them some other ones since then. Chad got some Christmas pot holders and I got a Christmas wreath. Good food and good company. Then we will fast forward to Christmas Eve. We went to Eric and Rachael's house to visit then we went with Michelle to drop off cookies to church friends. We interupted a family Christmas party but they were so great about it and even let us stay for their Christmas play. Afterwards we went home and got the boys ready for bed. Michelle was spending the night too so she could be here bright and early. I didn't have the energy to make any more cookies for Santa so he got oreo's. I didn't hear any complaining. The next morning we ended up having to wake the boys up at 7:45am. normally we would have let them sleep but we were planning to head over to Eric and Rachaels' house for breakfast. So we had to get moving. the boys were SO EXCITED when they saw the tree. We passed out the presents and they had a great time opening them. Jake got these books about a duck named Little Quack (which he loves) When he opened the present he was done. he just wanted to sit and read his books. Nicholas got a remote control car which is what he had asked Santa for. The boys had a lot of fun and so did we. Michelle got us tickets to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra for the following day. That was awesome! Chad got a book on cd and a new cd player for his truck. (his old one hasn't been working so well) Chad got me an ipod which I have used almost everyday since Christmas. Breakfast was great and then just realxing and watching movies all day. This was the first year that I saw "A Christmas Story" from start to finish. Anyway this post is so long I'm going to split new years into another one. Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. It is so great hanging out with family and celebrating the true reason for the season together.

Making Cookies/Christmas Program Dec. 15, 2010

2010-12-16T06:37:00.000-08:00

The boys and I made these yummy swirl mint cookies the other day. I got the recipe from my friends blog and when I saw the 3 different colors cookie dough, I knew I had to make it. I was unsure how I felt about the "mint" part of the cookie but I am SO glad I added it. They were so tasty. First we made the dough. Then we seperated it into 3 equal parts. Dyed one red (kind of pink) one green and left one yellow. Then we rolled them into long strips, cut them and mixed the colors together as you rolled it into a ball. The boys had alot of fun making these. Nicholas had his Christmas program at school last night. He has been singing these songs for about a month (almost driving me insane!!) come to find out a few days ago, his teachers says that he doesn't sing at school! I know he knows all the words because I know all the words and these are Christmas jingles I've never heard before. So he didn't sing a lot at the program but I did see him trying to at a few parts. He looked so handsome in his white shirt and tie. He got to keep the red and white scarf he was wearing. We had to leave a little early and when we were in the hallway putting on our coats, guess who walks in the door??? SANTA!!! The look on Nicholas' face was priceless. He was in SHOCK!! He gave Santa a high five but other than that he was to nervous to talk to him. After we got a picture and said goodbye we walked outside and Nicholas asks "Where is his sleigh with all the reindeer?" I told him he probably parked it on the roof. He was so excited to go home and call daddy to tell him who he saw. It was a fun night. Both my boys are growing up so fast. Chad is due home in the next couple of days. We are all very excited and that is really the best christmas present we can get.

Decemeber (so far....) Dec. 9, 2010

2010-12-09T11:06:00.000-08:00

We have had a busy month already. On December 4th we went to a kids workshop at Lowes and made a train caboose. The boys loved it. They each got an apron and a set of protective eye goggles. We have 2 more workshops this month so I will post more pics as we get more of our train done. We also bought these stuffed animals that the boys got to color with markers. Neither of them finished this project BUT I did catch Jacob coloring all over his face with the markers. On Monday Dec. 6th we made a rice krispie treat in the shape of a triain. The boys got to decorate with colored candies and frosting. They were yummy! Then today we made some ornaments for our tree. I punched out large circles from red, green and white paper and the boys used stickers to decorate them. Then I punched a small hole for the hook and we hung them on the tree. Its only Dec. 9 but its been a busy month and we still have alot to do. Some stuff we are waiting until Chad gets home to do together as a family. Hope you are all enjoying this beautiful Christmas season.

Christmas Tree Nov. 29, 2010

2010-12-01T19:19:00.000-08:00

Chad ending up having to leave 2 days earlier than he thought so we had to set up our tree super fast one afternoon. As soon as Nicholas got home from preschool we got everything out, put on some Christmas music and let the boys decorate the tree. it turned out really beautiful and so far we have only broken 2 ornaments. Its still early though;) We didn't get to many pics but we will have more as Christmas gets closer.

I love this picture. Two happy boys:)

Thanksgiving November 25, 2010

2010-12-01T19:01:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. We had a wonderful day with my family. everyone came over on Wednesday evening and we prepped all the food. Michelle peeled, Chad sliced, and I cleaned. When my dad got here we made his famous stuffing. Ok... not really famous but to us it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without it. Michelle made a pumpkin pie and everyone enjoyed eachothers company. Chad was up SUPER early thanksgiving morning to get the turkey stuffed and in the oven. He was so awesome all day. he just did what had to be done and didn't complain. Dinner would not have happened if it wasn't for him. We sat down to eat around 2:30pm. the boys were starving at that point. We had some delicious food, fun hanging out together. We all sat and watched a movie. Michelle was dancing with the boys to Christmas music later that night. it was so cute. then while chad and I looked up black friday deals the boys wanted to sit on our laps and we got some cute pictures. I am so thankful for my family. I'm thankful I have a husband who is hardworking, patient and loving. I'm thankful to have the 2 cutest boys in the world. They are so sweet and funny. everyday is an adventure. I'm thankful for my family being healthy and safe. It has been a trying year and I am thankful it is almost over. Happy thanksgiving everyone:)

they were so cute when they were dancing.

So happy to have daddy home.

Pantry shelf Nov. 24, 2010

2010-11-24T11:49:00.000-08:00

My laundry room is right off my kitchen and is a good size room so we also made it our pantry. We used to have two seperate plastic shelving units on each wall that were full of food, food storage, paper products and a few kitchen appliances that couldn't fit anywhere else. Needless to say our laundry room was quite packed. Chad decided that he would make me a custom shelving unit taking up one entire wall to maximize our space. He drew up the plans and started to go to work. It was a messy job and I couldn't find my washer for 2 days but it is (mostly) done and I LOVE it!! Chad also made slots for our can goods to slide them in so we can keep track better as to what we have and what we need. Chad has to run to Lowes and pick up more metal for the last few slots but it looks great and my laundry room has so much more room. Chad is so talented and I am grateful for the extra space he has made in our home. Just in time for Thanksgiving:)
What we had for shelving before.

Chad working.

What we have now.

Up close look at our can system.

November (so far) Nov. 16, 2010

2010-11-16T05:52:00.001-08:00

I know I haven't blogged in awhile. Not a whole lot has been going on. I celebrated my birthday on the 2nd. Chad left the day before so that was no fun BUT my family and his family surprised me with Chinese food and baked me a cake. The boys were happy and I was surprised. It was a really nice day. The day after Chad leaves is always the hardest so that definitely helped our moods. Chad has been busy at work. He is ALMOST done. It has been a long 3 years and we are all ready for this to be over and be together again. We realized the other day that this is all our kids have ever known. Nicholas was 18 months old when Chad got deployed and I just found out I was pregnant with Jacob. We are grateful for the opportunities that it gave us especially Chad who was able to be promoted twice. We are just ready for a change. Nicholas is doing great in school. He loves it. This coming Friday is the thanksgiving dinner. I think Aunt Shell is going to try to go with us. Jacob is also doing well. He is talking alot more and loves playing with his brother. He is also really enjoying his alone time with mommy when Nick's at school. We love to sit on the couch and cuddle while we read lots of books together. Last Friday I got my wisdom teeth out. NO fun!! Glad its done and I am so grateful to all the people who were able to help me and the boys for the first few days. I am recovering and just a little sore now. Nothing else is really going on here. Just wanted to keep you updated on what's happening in our lives.

the boys playing horsie.

Halloween

2010-11-01T08:18:00.000-07:00

What a great and busy weekend. Friday, Nicholas had his halloween party at preschool. The kids all looked so cute in their costumes. He was very excited and we all had a great time. I made vampire cupcakes for the occasion. After school was over we packed an overnight bag and headed up to Peru Ny (where my dad lives) and surprised him for his birthday. His birthday is actually on Halloween but my stepmom planned a surprise party for him. We dressed the boys in their costumes and hid behind the wall when he got home from work. He was very surprised to see us and the boys were happy to spend sometime with their grandparents. On Saturday we went over and visited uncle Brian and aunt Carrie and play with Olivia and Addison (the boys cousins.) We don't see them very often so it was nice to catch up. The boys and Olivia had so much fun running up and down the hallway. Then my sisters Michelle and Cathy and her husband Ross came up later that afternoon and surprised my dad again. We all had a great dinner together and of course cake and ice cream. Chad and I had to leave that night to be home for Sunday. We didn't get home until about 10:30pm BUT thankfully the boys slept for the whole ride. Sunday morning we got up and went to church. The boys were very excited to be going trick or treating with their cousins later that evening. We went to Dave and Chrissy's and had a great dinner and then went out. Dave and Chrissy had a costume theme this year and decided to be bee's while Dave was the bee keeper. They made Chad the beehive. It turned out cute and so many people made comments about the costumes. Nicholas was a fireman and Jake was a dinosaur. Noel was a princess and Ty was a skunk. Ty and Jake looked so cute together and they managed to snag 2 or more pieces of candy from most of the houses. We got home about 7:30pm and aunt Michelle came over with reeses peanut butter cups (my boys absolute favorite candy) and these mini Mr. Potato head toys. Jake has NOT stopped playing with them. He even slept with the pieces last night. Happy Halloween everyone!!

Cupcakes for Nicholas' party

Birthday cake I made for my dad.

Jake reading with papa Rick. Nicholas reading with grandma Deb.

The boys were soo tired that night.

Our trick or treating group.

Mummy Cookies Oct. 27, 2010

2010-10-27T09:08:00.000-07:00

Nicholas had to bring in snack today at preschool and the theme of the day was Mummy. We don't HAVE to do a snack that relates to the theme but I wanted to and came up with this cute idea to make mummy cookies. I am so glad Chad was home to help me because we were up until just after midnight decorating these. They turned out really cute and were a big hit. There are none left. He also has a Halloween party on Friday and I am making vampire cupcakes. I will post pictures of those later:)

Sunnyside Gardens October 22, 2010

2010-10-23T14:23:00.000-07:00

We got to go on another field trip with Nicholas' preschool class yesterday. Sunnyside Gardens is in Saratoga Springs. It was a fun little pumpkin patch. First we got to go on a hayride into the woods. They had a bunch of spider webs and all kinds of other things set up for us to look at on our ride. Then we each got to pick a small pumpkin to bring home. Thankfully they were small because I had to carry them the rest of the day. Then in the center of this place is a small area with LOTS of pumpkins and tombstones with jokes on them. Also some big displays of famous books. All around this area was a small train that we got to go on. Anyone who knows my boys knows that they LOVE trains. Nicholas said this was his favorite part. After we ate lunch we went inside and saw more trains (much smaller though) and they even had a butterfly exhibit. Lastly we got to walk through the "Pumpkin Hall of Flame." Probably about 200 pumpkins that were carved into various things. I saw Piglet, Elmo, Darth Vader and even Edward from Twilight plus so many others. It was really neat to see but the pictures don't do it justice since the flash lightened everything up. All in all, it was a really fun day with my boys. Jacob was asleep before we left the parking lot and Nicholas has not stopped talking about it and wanting to take Daddy to go see the train. Here are some pictures.
View from our hayride

Linus and Charlie Brown

Pinky and the Brain

Some of the really cool book displays

Chad did a project in elementary school on this book. I had Nicholas pose with it.

Edward Cullen. It looked really cool. the picture really doesn't compare. Piglet

Marie's Birthday/Baptism Oct. 19, 2010

2010-10-22T12:48:00.000-07:00

My niece Marie turned 8 this past Tuesday and she got baptized. Now this makes me feel old because Chad and I started dating when Chrissy was pregnant with Marie! Even so...it was such a great day. Chad got to come home (for exactly 21 hours!) He got home late Monday night and Tuesday morning the boys were SOOO happy to see him. It was sad to break the news to them that he was leaving that evening but they soaked up every little bit of time with daddy until then. Chad brought home his motorcycle (on a trailer) because well........lets face it, its October. He really enjoyed riding it this year but winter is almost here and it is easier to get it put away now then to wait until December when we will most likely have snow on the ground. Chad took one more ride around the block and then brought it back to the shed. The boys each got a chance to sit on it and rev the engine. They did NOT want to sit on it at first which was kind of funny but when they did we had a hard time getting them off of it. After we got that done we headed up to Chrissy and Dave's house to get ready for the baptism. We went to the church for dinner and just about the time they were planning on starting the baptism, the fire alarm went off. We all had to evacuate the building while we waited for the fire trucks to arrive. This actually happened a few months ago at church and Nicholas has not stopped talking about the fire men. He is even going to be one for Halloween. He got really scared on Tuesday though and the only thing that calmed him down was Chad holding him. We went back in and had the baptism. Chad's nephew Brian was also ordained as a teacher as well. Everything went really well. They are such great kids. Chad had to leave after the confirmation so we walked out with him to say goodbye. After he left, the boys were done (especially Nicholas) and just wanted to go home and go to bed. It was a great day and I'm glad we got to spend time with Chad. Happy Birthday Marie!!!

6th Anniversary and Family Fun!! Oct.8-Oct.11

2010-10-12T13:32:00.000-07:00

Chad and I celebrated our 6th anniversary on Friday Oct. 8. I went to NJ by train to see him and then after he was done with work on Saturday we drove back to NY. We went out to dinner and had a relaxing evening (with no kids!) Saturday I got to spend the day in a VERY quiet room and worked on file folder games. it truly is amazing how much you can accomplish when your not answering 3000 questions or stopping every 10 seconds feed, clean up, change a diaper (and so on) after 2 adorable but very active little boys. There were moments when I could hear myself think! Truly amazing!! We left NJ around 4pm and got home just after 8pm. The boys were excited we were home (although they did have fun with Aunt Shell) and very happy to see Daddy. Sunday morning Chad let me sleep in and made french toast with a little help from Jake. We had a busy day and then had Eric and Rachael and Glenn and Martha over for dinner. It was a fun night and its always nice to see family. On Monday we went to a place in Glens Falls called explore. It was AWESOME! It was a huge indoor play area. It had a ball pit, a huge climbing area with the biggest tube slide I've ever seen, a castle, a pirate ship, a very large play kitchen area, a music room with lots of instruments and a water table area. We all ran and played for about 2 hours and had a blast. Afterwards we went and got pizza for lunch and went to visit Chrissy and the kids for alittle while. We were all so tired we each took a nap at her house. The boys always love spending time with their Daddy. I'm not sure who fell asleep first that night...us or the boys. It was a really great weekend and its always nice to spend time together as a family.

Palmyra temple

On our wedding day. (its a picture of a picture which is why it says todays date.)

At our reception.

Last year at the Palmyra temple.

Jake being a big helper.

Explore fun!!

wresting with daddy.

Apple Picking at Bowman's Orchard. Sept. 29, 2010

2010-10-02T05:16:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, Nicholas had a field trip to Bowman's Orchard to go apple picking. Jacob and I went with him and we all had so much fun. First we got to go on this hayride from the parking area to the orchard. Then we took a quick tour of where they wash and store the apples. After that all the kids got a small bag so they could pick their own apples. These bags could hold between 4 to 5 apples each. Nicholas and Jacob got a little ahead of themselves and picked more than we could hold. There was a pumpkin patch next to the orchard that the kids got to play in for a few minutes. Nicholas wanted me to buy a pumpkin but since I was out of hands to hold things I told him some other time. Next we had snack. The boys each got a cider doughnut and some apple cider. Then to finish up the trip the kids got to play on this awesome playground that had a tractor, fire engine and a train made out of wood. I think Jacob was so excited to play with other kids and not be home alone with mommy. The kids played for about 45 minutes and then we went home. Jake fell asleep in the car before we got out of the parking lot. Nicholas could not stop talking about how much fun he had. A bonus for me.......Nicholas was such a big helper for me the rest of the day. There were times I was like "WOW!! I can't believe this." For anyone who knows Nicholas you know that he is a pretty big helper anyway BUT that day I didn't have to repeat myself or explain why something needed to be done. He just wanted to help me and spend time with me. He is such a sweet kid. Both kids fell asleep that night and not once did they whine or get out of bed for anything. It was such a great day and I'm so glad the boys loved it too.

There were a few apples that got bites taken out of them.

Jake sat here for probably close to 10 minutes just looking at the kids playing.

Nicholas insisted on finding himself the perfect pumpkin.He had to show me how strong he was.

Nicholas climbed all the way to the top.

Jake was having so much fun on this fire engine.

he really liked the animals we got to see there. A baby calf and a baby goat.

Preschool Sept. 13, 2010

2010-09-16T05:50:00.000-07:00

Sunday night in our house was a school night. That has never happened before. Nicholas started preschool this past Monday. He LOVES it. He went to bed with no issues, woke up smiling and excited he barely ate any breakfast. Then he was off to preschool for 2.5 hours. We dropped him off and he immediately went to play. I'm glad he felt comfortable already. We went home and Jacob went right in Nicholas' room and just stood there. My thought was "Ohh, he misses his brother." Then Jacob grabbed a toy and ran out of the room. I had to laugh. That kid is hilarious. Two and a half hours went by very slowly for me. I was trying to keep busy so I cleaned out the car, balanced the checkbook, paid a few bills, and cleaned off the desk. I opened the drawer to put somethings in it and came across a picture of Nicholas the day he was born. I ALMOST started crying at that point but held it together and knew he was so happy to be in school. When I picked him up he was smiling from ear to ear and informed me he wanted to go to school everyday. He is only on the 3 day a week schedule for now but I told him we would look into that later in the school year. I'm so gald he likes it and looks forward to it. Here are a few pictures of his first day but he was so excited to get going he wasn't very patient.

File Folder Games Aug. 24, 2010

2010-08-26T06:54:00.000-07:00

Tuesday afternoon we all went to my sister in laws house to visit and to work on a project together. Chrissy has a HUGE binder full of file folder games that I decided I wanted to make for the boys. They are having a hard time being reverent during sacrament meeting and I am hoping this will keep them entertained for a little longer. First Rachael (my other sister in law who also has young children) and I picked out about 12 different games. Chrissy copied them for us on white cardstock. Then we colored, cut, and laminated the pieces. After they were laminated we cut them out again. We put the folder pieces on and placed contact paper over the folder to protect it. Then I placed velcro stickers on the folder and on the individual pieces. It was a lot more work than I realized but the end results were so worth it (even staying up until 11:30pm that night!) Thankfully my older neices and nephew helped with the coloring and cutting. It was a really fun activity and I am hoping the boys will enjoy them during sacrament meeting. We will find out on Sunday:)

match the number on the paintbrush to the number missing on the paint can. We also made the colors the same for younger kids who don't know numbers yet to just match colors.

This one is fun. One side the ice cream scoop has the word written out. The other side has dots for counting out how many. Then you match it to the right ice cream cone.

This one is so cute. The bushes have a letter missing and need to be matched to the letter on the giraffes neck. My neice colored this one and it is one of my favorites.

rhyming alligators. underneath is a picture of a rhyming word. Chrissy also painted the alligator pairs the same so you could just match identical alligators instead.

Building a Happy family. My nephew colored and cut this all out. It turned out cute. The pieces are a little smaller but I know the boys are going to love this one.

Noah's Ark. My other neice colored these animals. Underneath each animal is their match.

Swimming. Aug. 11, 2010

2010-08-12T05:08:00.000-07:00

The boys got to enjoy swimming in their pool today. We have been so busy this summer they haven't gotten a lot of chances to just sit and relax. Jake didn't want to get in but he enjoyed helping fill up the pool. Jake took off his shorts and diaper toward the end so I figured he was done. The pictures are only of his face after that. I love my boys and am so happy to be able to spend this time with them. Soon preschool will start and summer will be just a memory. We need to enjoy it now:)

I love Jake's smile. He is so cute.

That is one happy boy!

swim trunks and diaper are off. Life is good.

Cathy and Ross' Wedding. Aug, 6, 2010

2010-08-12T04:19:00.000-07:00

My sister Cathy and her new husband Ross were married last friday. It was a beautiful ceremony. The wedding was held at Yaddo Gardens in Saratoga Springs. The recpetion was at the Greenwich chapel. What a memorable day. The bride was beautiful. The weather was perfect. It was the first time in 8 years that all my siblings were together. Actually our entire family was there. It was so great to catch up with everyone and to be able to see Cathy and Ross start their life together. Just a warning, there are A LOT of pictures. At the reception, Nicholas was dancing like crazy. I have a few pics of it. Congratulations Cathy and Ross!!

Karin and Ross' brother Thor

Layla and my brother Alex

Shellie and Ross' brother Bach

Cathy and my Dad walking down the isle

The ceremony

Officially Mr. and Mrs. Ross Schanck

My entire family.

All the Healy siblings with the Bride and Groom

Sisters

Chad and I with the boys and the happy new couple.

My brothers

My dad and Cathy

My mom and Cathy

All the neices and nephews with Aunt Michelle

Walking into the reception.

Cutting the cake

I love this picture.

Jake and his Daddy dancing

DancingNicholas and his dancing. It was so cute.

My brothers and sister dancing, I think.

Jacob's 2nd Birthday July 18, 2010

2010-07-20T05:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Jake!! My little baby boy turned 2 this past weekend. We had a fun birthday party on Saturday. We did a Zoo theme party. The kids swam in the pool, had a bouncy house to bounce around in and a ball pit to jump in. We also had someone come and paint fun faces for the kids (and some adults.) Jacob was having WAY to much fun to stop and sit still for a face painting. He got lots of great toys and new clothes. His cakes were yummy too. Jacob is such a sweet little boy. I'm so glad I get to be his mommy. Although he did miss his nap and after crying for a few minutes passed right out on the living room floor. All the kids had a fun time and it was nice to see some family and friends we don't get to see very often. We love you Jake Jake!!!

Jake (in the middle) with his cousin Ty and friend Alex.

His Monkey and Tiger birthday cakes.

Blowing out the candle. Nicholas had to help him.

I love this pic. Ice Cream...Yum!!

Opening presents.

Uncle Brian.

Jake on his actual birthday.

Some face painting. Nicholas only had his on for about 5 minutes before it got wet.

The boys cousin Noel.

Noel, Marie and Elizabeth. (cousins)

Aunt Cathy and Karin with Marie and Elizabeth

Elizabeth. I loved her face painting. She also had little lady bugs on her arm. Really cute.

Swim Lessons June 28, 2010

2010-06-29T05:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Nicholas started swim lessons. When we first got there he was so nervous to go in the water. He sat on the edge of the pool watching his class swim and kept saying the pool was "way to big." Finally one of the guys teaching convinced him to come in and as soon as he jumped in Nicholas had a smile on his face that was priceless. He was so excited to swim around and he learned how to kick his feet in the water to go faster. He even jumped off the edge into the pool. He really enjoyed it and is looking forward to the next couple of weeks. Sorry the pictures aren't the greatest. You can still see that smile I was talking about though.

Fathers Day and The Great Escape. June 20, 2010

2010-06-23T09:06:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day!! Chad came home Saturday night (just in time for Fathers day.) The boys were so excited to see him. That morning they gave him a card. He actually got his present a few weeks ago because we weren't sure if he would be home in time. Then we went to church together. Nicholas got to sing "My Daddy is my Favorite Pal" with the primary. I'm not sure he sang at all but it was so cute. After the song all the kids went to the pulpit one by one and said "My daddy teaches me....." and they would fill in the blank. Nicholas said "My daddy teaches me how to build things." It is so true. Chad is truly amazing at building things. Whether its out of legos, lincoln logs or wood and nails. The boys quickly learned that playing with legos is sooo much more fun with daddy and not mommy. Its because daddy would build these tall building and robots. It is really awesome. Chad has also been working hard at building a deck on the back of our house (I will blog about that later) and letting Nicholas help him to measure and teaching him how to do things. I'm amazed at how much Nicholas knows about tools. We have our very own little Handy Manny. Jake is following right in his footsteps with his play hammer just pounding away and trying to be as helpful as and almost 2 year old can be. So after church Chad's family went to The Great Escape (like six flags only smaller.) We had a funfilled afternoon. The kids really enjoy seeing their cousins and its nice to hang out with family. I just want to quickly tell my Father how much I love him. He is a great father and I was glad I got to see him this weekend as well. Chad, you are a wonderful father to our boys. Although it breaks my heart a little everytime Nicholas says he wants to be a soldier like you, I know its because he wants to be just like his dad. We love you!

The boys at Great Escape.

Almost all of us on a kids ride. Elizabeth and Nicholas flying a plane. It is a cool ride. (Nicholas has 2 uncles who are pilots so I'm sure that is why he wanted to go on this one so badly.)

Jake and his cousin Ty holding hands. These boys are SOOO cute together.

Nicholas and Elizabeth riding in a car.

Elizabeth and Jacob flying on the swings. He liked this one.

Ty and Jake riding in the monster trucks. These boys really are adorable together.

Jake and Daddy hanging out.

Jake after going on the lazy river with Chad.

The end of our day. Jake was one tired little boy. I love that he is wearing his uncle Eric's hat. He put it on himself.

Cathy and Ross' Engagement Party June 19, 2010

2010-06-23T08:30:00.000-07:00

It has been sooo long since I've blogged. I lost the charger for my camera and after a month of not being able to find it bought a new one. So this is what is happening here. My sister Cathy and her fiance Ross are getting married in August. They had their engagement party this past Saturday. It was a luau theme. It was a lot of fun. My only regret is that I didn't get a good picture of them. The only one I have is really dark. The boys had a blast and Chad came home that night so they were extra happy. My older sister Michelle planned the party with some help. I made 91 cupcakes on Friday and we decorated them all that night. Anyway, it was a lot of fun and we are very excited for their upcoming wedding.

Nicholas and Jake played on the the stage alot that night (which totally freaked me out.)

The cupcakes we made and flowers cookies that Debby made. They were yumy.

The tiki bar with punch and fruit juice.

While we were cleaning up I had to take a pic of Chad with Jake under the tiki bar.

Our picnic/BBQ May 5, 2010

2010-05-06T06:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the boys and I ran some errands that took us about 3 hours. On the way home Jake fell asleep and Nicholas was really quiet. I asked him what he was thinking about and he said "Can we have a picnic tonight for dinner?" It was sooo beautiful outside I agreed that was a great idea. He also wanted to invite Aunt Shell. He really loves to being able to see her everyday. So we invited Michelle over and had BBQ chicken on our patio furniture. Then we went for a walk to the library and got some books and movies. To top it off we made some smores for dessert. It was a fun night and Nicholas wants to do it again when Chad is home. We miss him:( Hopefully the weather will keep up and we can do picnics more often.

Aunt Shell with the boys.

Jake wearing Aunt Shell's sunglasses.

Nicholas enjoying his dinner.

The boys getting ready for our walk.

National Pretzel Day. Herr's Snack Factory

2010-04-26T14:43:00.000-07:00

Happy National Pretzel Day! Since today is Chad's last day off in the last week we will be here we decided to do one more thing as a family in PA. I was looking around last night for things to go see and noticed that today was National Pretzel Day and what better thing to do than to go to a pretzel/chip snack factory? Well it was about an hour and a half away which wasn't so bad there but the way home was kind of rough. It was fun though. We went on a tour of the factory and saw how they make the dough for pretzels and how they season the chips. It was pretty interesting how they reuse everything. They even have a machine that extracts heat off of the product and they use this heat to heat the building in the winter. They have NO heating bill throughout the winter. How great would that be? We got to try fresh chips that hadn't even hit the conveyor belt yet. They tasted soooo good. Everyone who goes to the factory gets a small bag of chips at the end of the tour but today being national pretzel day we also got a free bag of pretzels. The boys LOVE getting the souvenier pennies from those machines that flatten them and imprint a picture on them. It was far away but it was fun to spend time as a family. Its sad to think that next week at this time we won't be together in PA anymore. We need to take advantage of the time we get to spend together. Here are some pics of our day:)

In front of Chippers Cafe.

Some of their products displayed on the wall.

Getting their souveniers.

Jake had to turn it for himself.

The side of a wall on the building.

Happy 4th Birthday Nicholas!!!!

2010-04-17T15:59:00.001-07:00

Today is Nicholas' 4th birthday. I can't believe it!! Where did the time go? Four years ago it was Easter Sunday when Nicholas decided he was ready to join our family. Thankfully I had a nap earlier that afternoon because he decided at about 10:30pm that it was a good time to get things started. Chad had to work an overnight shift that night (of course) and had already left. My sister Michelle came upstairs to see how I was doing (she lived in the apartment underneath us at the time) and my contractions started getting stronger and closer together. We left for the hospital calling Chad to meet us there. The hospital was only 20 minutes away. Michelle and I got there and I got changed. 15 minutes later my water broke and I was in serious pain at that point. I had an epidural within 20 minutes (so grateful for modern medicine:) After that things kind of slowed down which was good. About 3:15 I started pushing and Nicholas was born at 3:43am, 6 lbs. 13 oz, 19.5inches. It was the greatest experience of my life at that point in time. He has brought me such joy and I am so thankful to be his mom. Back to his 4th birthday, Chad and I stayed up until 12:30 this morning putting together his birthday present. We bought him a play kitchen. He LOVES to pretend to cook and since my kitchen is very small I'm hoping this will encourage him to use his more. He was so excited when he saw it. We also got to go to a kite festival at the playground right down the road. We got a kite at Target and it was a lot of fun. Both the kids got into it but it was sooo windy it kept crashing or getting tangled. Since we had his birthday party last week with our extended family and friends, I just bought a small cake to celebrate today. Happy birthday baby boy!!! We love you:)

Nicholas when he first woke up.

Ripping the sheet off his present. He was very excited to have his very own kitchen.

Flying our Woody and Buzz Lightyear kite.

A guy flying 3 HUGE kites.

Nicholas taking a break.

Jacob and Nicholas making Daddy do all the work.

They were pretty good about taking turns.

Jake flying it all by himself. Shortly after I took this he let go and Chad had to chase the kite down.

The Birthday boy!

Happy 4th birthday Nicholas!!

Nicholas' 4th Birthday Party April 10, 2010

2010-04-13T09:56:00.000-07:00

Nicholas had his 4th birthday party on Saturday. We decided to have a Pirate party theme. The invitations were rolled up like a scroll and even sent out in plastic bottles. The kids went on a treasure hunt to look for a treasure chest pinata. They also played pin the eye patch on the pirate. Chad and I were up until 2:30am the previous night finishing the cakes. We have a pretty good system. He mixes the colors while I do the actual decorating. I couldn't decide between the pirate ship or the little boy pirate so I had to do both. Doing two cakes wasn't easy but I think they turned out cute. Nicholas got a lot of great presents which included lots of clothes for summer, lincoln logs, coloring books, matchbox cars and even an art easel. He LOVES to paint so now it is nice that he can paint and not get it on my table. It was nice spending the day with family and friends. We finished off the party with the treasure chest pinata. Such a fun day but also very tiring. The boys (along with Chad and I) were all in bed by9pm. I'm glad Nicholas enjoyed his party. Here are some pictures.

The pirate boy cake.

The pirate ship cake with pirate candles.

Reading the clues for the treasure hunt.

Going to find more clues.

Opening presents.

Jake even got a present from Aunt Shell. A little golf club set.

Singing Happy Birthday

Blowing out the candles.

I love this picture. Both boys look so cute.

Hitting the pinata.

Hanging out with cousins April 8&9, 2010

2010-04-13T09:46:00.000-07:00

These were just some pictures I took of the boys and their cousins. They were on cloud 9 for the last 2 weeks seeing their cousins nearly everyday. One day Chrissy was cleaning out their hot tub and the kids decided to scrub the deck. It was a funny sight. Thanks to Brian, Elizabeth and Marie for all your help with the boys while we were home.

Jake about to go on the back deck.
The kids scrubbing the deck.

This was their own idea.

Elizabeth reading the boys books.

Marie and Brian watching some tv.

Easter Morning April 4, 2010

2010-04-13T09:30:00.000-07:00

Easter morning was a fun morning. It is a tradition in Chad's family that the Easter bunny always hides the easter basket. I didn't know until this year so I think that is why Nicholas looks so confused in the first picture. Usually his basket was right where he could find it and now he had to look for it. The boys had a fun day with their cousins. We went and watch conference at Chad's other brother Eric and his wife Rachaels house. Then we went and had a delicious dinner at Chrissy's parents house. It is nice to have family so close to be able to celebrate these holidays with.

Chad telling them that the Easter bunny hid their baskets and they have to find them. Nicholas was like "Why??"

Jake looking for his basket.

Nicholas thinking where his basket might be. (It was between the sofa and bookshelf)

Jake found his right behind the tv.

Digging right into all the goodies.

Cleaning it out first. then digging in.

Yum! Easter candy at 8am.

Cool sunglasses:)

Looking at all their candy/toys/books. The Easter bunny went alittle overboard this year.

Jake liked the sunglasses more than Nicholas did. He looks so cute.

Easter Egg Hunt April 3, 2010

2010-04-13T09:14:00.000-07:00

My sister in law planned a great easter egg hunt/brunch at her house the day before easter. It could not have been a nicer day for it. It was beautiful outside. We had some yummy food while the last of the eggs were being hidden and then it was time. Nicholas LOVES easter egg hunts. We went to one last year at church and all year long he would talk about it. He has been looking forward to this for awhile. The kids had a great time. It was fun catching up with some people I don't see very often. Thanks Chrissy for a great day:)

All the kids who partcipated in the hunt. Most are my kids cousins.

My boys look a little scared in this one.

Jacob went with his cousin Brian which worked out great for Jake becaue Brian was in charge of hiding the eggs:)

Looking for eggs.

Nicholas would shake every egg he found to make sure it wasn't empty. (none of them were but he had to be sure.)

Jacob and BrianNicholas

He was really into it.

Jake, Brian and Nicholas.

Construction Project. March 30- April 1 2010

2010-04-13T08:55:00.000-07:00

This project I was so excited about. In our home in NY we had a wall between our living room and dining room that I decided I no longer wanted there. Chad being the talented guy that he is (along with the help from our soon to be brother in law Ross) knocked it down dramatically changing the look of our home. I LOVE it and everyone else who saw it loved how open and bright it was. It seems like we have much better flow and I can see right from our kitchen into the living room now. Always a good thing when you have 2 little boys that seem to find trouble everywhere. It was such a messy job. I am grateful they did it though because it looks so great now.

The wall from the living room side.

The wall from the dining room side.

Chad and Ross taking layers off.

i think there were 4 or 5 different layers that were underneath the original.

Nicholas said he liked that wall paper. I don't know if he was kidding or serious.

Just the beams.

Beams Chad had to use to support the weight until he got the permanent beam in.

All the beams in place and looking great.

Happy Birthday Chad!! April 1, 2010

2010-04-13T08:44:00.000-07:00

Chad is an April Fools Day baby. If you ask him he hated this growing up because people always tricked him on his birthday. I'm not a big April Fools day person so to me April 1st is just his birthday and nothing else. I made him pot roast with carrots and potatoes for dinner and then we had an ice cream cake for dessert. I got him the new Sherlock Holmes movie (which I loved so it was really for both of us.) Happy 33rd Birthday Chad. We love you!!

Chad's birthday cake. (I usually make the cakes for birthdays but we were out of town and I had no pans with me.)

Chad's 33rd birthday.

Happy Birthday to you!!

Nicholas wanted to "help Daddy blow out the candles so he could practice for his birthday cake" the following week. He is so funny.

Rainbow Cupcakes.

2010-03-17T12:00:00.001-07:00

Today for St. Patrick's Day I found a really cute recipe in Family Fun magazine for rainbow cupcakes. The boys and I decided that we would make them today. So this morning we did and as cute as they turned out they were not as easy as I thought. First I made the cake mix. I seperated it into 6 different bowls and the boys helped me mix the colors. Then we had to layer the colors in the cupcake pan. That part took awhile. I enclosed the recipe at the end in case anyone wants to give it a try. They are cute and very tasty. Perfect for little leprechauns:)

The different colors. My red turned out more pink but oh well.

Layering them in the pan.

Each layer got a little harder to cover the previous.

The end result. They were HUGE cupcakes.

Really cute and worth the work. This might be a St. Patrick's day tradition for our family.

Ingredients:
White cake mix (we used an 18-1/4-ounce box)
Food coloring (red, blue, green, and yellow)
Baking cups
Whipped cream (optional)

Instructions:
Prepare your favorite white cake mix, then divide the batter evenly among six small bowls. Following the chart below, dye each bowl of batter a rainbow color.

RAINBOW COLOR DROPS OF FOOD COLORING
Purple 9 red and 6 blue drops
Blue 12 drops
Green 12 drops
Yellow 12 drops
Orange 12 yellow and 4 red drops
Red 18 drops

Line 16 muffin pan wells with baking cups. Evenly distribute the purple batter among the cups, then the blue, and so on, following the order shown. As you go, gently spread each layer of batter with the back of a spoon to cover the color underneath.

Bake the cupcakes according to your recipe directions. Before serving, remove the paper wrapping, and if you like, top each cupcake with a whipped-cream cloud.

The Franklin Institute.

2010-03-15T15:18:00.000-07:00

Today we went to the Franklin Institute. What a great museum:) First we went and saw stuff having to do with the body. We walked through a huge heart, saw how muscles worked and learned about blood and plasma. The kids enjoyed crawling through the artery (picture below.) Next we went to see the trains. Nicholas even got to be the "conductor" on the train ride. We also got to see two different kinds of airplanes. One was a fighter jet that was hanging from the ceiling that Chad and the boys got to go into. Nicholas even got to make a piece of paper. It was such an interesting day with so much to see and do and we didn't even come close to seeing it all. The boys had a lot of fun and learned a few things as well. I would highly recomend if you've never been.

The boys crawling through the artery.

Jacob didn't want to come out.

In front of a train. The boys are looking at a much bigger train across the room.

The first airplane.

The fighter jet.

They all liked this part.

You could barely see him in there.

Nicholas making a sheet of paper.

Benjamin Franklin statue.

NJ Aquarium

2010-02-01T11:19:00.000-08:00

Today we went to the NJ Aquarium. It was so great. Nicholas was excited when I told him we were going but very clearly told me he didn't want to touch any sharks. So funny. We got to see so many different kinds of fish (Nemo and Dory were there too), turtles, jellyfish, hippos, a crocodile and lots of sharks. Nicholas and Jake both touched a baby shark and a starfish. We also went through this shark tunnel which was really neat. The sharks were swimming above and around us. It made me a little sick but the boys thought it was so cool. Nicholas said his favorite part was petting the baby shark. What a fun day with lots of pictures to share.

In front of one of many fish tanks.

My boys in the aquarium.

Nicholas touching the starfish.

Jake touching the starfish. (That water was freezing cold.)

One of the 2 hippos we saw.

Jellyfish

Shark

I love how Jake is staring at the shark.

The sign next to this jaw said this was the largest shark ever. It could eat a great white shark in one bite. WOW!!!

The boys wearing shark hats. I'm surprised Jake kept his on long enough to take the picture.

Nicholas petting the shark.

Jake petting the shark.

The crocodile head.

HIs body under the water.

Piranha.

Turtles

More turtles and other fish.

Brotherly Love

2010-01-22T06:31:00.000-08:00

I just had to post these pictures. This morning the boys were both in good moods. Nicholas got in the chair because he wanted to watch a show before breakfast and Jake crawled up next to him. Then I noticed they were holding hands. It was so cute. I'm glad I caught it because it only lasted a few minutes. I have to remember these moments especially when they are pushing, screaming or running away from each other. This made my morning:)

First day of Sunbeams/Nursery. Jan. 17, 2010

2010-01-18T03:41:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a big day for my boys. Nicholas had his first day of Sunbeams and Jacob went to Nursery for the first time. What a great day!! Nicholas has been talking about Primary all week and learning new songs every night. We got in the Primary room and he just sat there with his arms folded so reverently. I think he was just in awe. I didn't realize how little he looked until he was with all the other Primary kids. I usually just see him next to Jacob so it was quite a difference. When I picked him up from class he was just so excited to tell me all about it. The whole ride home was what he did, songs he sang, how much he loves his teacher. It really was so cute. Jacob went to nursery with no problems. I guess from the experience I had with Nicholas when he first started nursery I was a little hesitant but they have very different personalities. Jake is much more relaxed and goes with the flow. He's also very independent for his age. He doesn't like when I just give him something or do something for him. He wants me to ask first so he can nod his head (yes) or shake it and make a growl sound (No). He likes to be included in all the decisions that involve him throughout the day. When I picked him up his teacher said he didn't cry or go to the door and look for me once. When I asked him later if he had fun in nursery he very quickly nodded his head and smiled. Then he completely passed out on the way home. I am so proud of my boys and hope next Sunday goes just as well.

My boys on their big day.

They are so handsome in their little outfits. Thanks Aunt Cathy!

A day at the Park January 16, 2010

2010-01-16T15:18:00.000-08:00

About once a day Nicholas will ask me if we can go to the park with the "sand pit." Even if it is a blizzard he still wants to go. So today we decided since it wasn't freezing outside we would take the kids. It was so much fun. Jake got to slide on the slides by himself for the first time and he LOVED it. Nicholas loves the sand pit at this park and tried his hardest to build a sand castle but it just wasn't working today. They both had fun and it was nice to get outside and enjoy some sunshine.
Jake at the top of the slide.

At the bottom of the slide.

Getting ready to slide down again.

Nicholas climbing through the tube.

Jake following his big brother.

Nicholas is a really great climber. Jake getting ready to slide down again.

More slides. You can almost see his smile in this one.

This was the small "castle" Nicholas built. Chad put a flag on top of it. The sand was not cooperating today.

He still loves to dig in it though.

So much fun.

Jake on a little car ride. He didn't like it so much.

Asher's Chocolate Factory Jan. 14, 2010

2010-01-14T11:25:00.000-08:00

We really needed to get out of the house and do something fun today so we decided to go to Asher's Chocolate Factory which is about 45 minutes away. It is the oldest family owned company in the United States and it makes chocolate and other treats so we couldn't go wrong. We got to go on a short tour to see how they make, package and ship all their delicious treats. It was actually very interesting. It only lasted about 10 minutes but then we went to the gift shop and bought a few things to try out. There was a little house with a table and chairs and a little couch that the boys just loved. They could have stayed in there for hours. We couldn't take pictures in the factory part so there aren't to many. It was great to get out and do something fun as a family.

At the front entrance.

Jake sitting at the little table.

Nicholas getting some books out so he can sit on the couch next to the teddy bears.

They really liked the little table.

Chad getting them out of their "little house."

Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning 2009

2010-01-06T19:17:00.000-08:00

We had such a great Christmas this year. My sister Cathy came down early Christmas Eve morning. Nicholas was so excited to go to the train station to pick her up. He thought we were going to go on a train to get her but he was still excited even when I told him that wasn't the case. Then later that day Chad made a gingerbread house with the boys. Jake pretty much just ate the candy. A tradition in our home is to open one present on Christmas eve. Both boys got new pajamas. Chad and I also got each other a pair and Cathy got a pair of Christmas socks. After getting changed into our pj's I had Nicholas help me frost the cookies we were leaving for Santa. We got out our special Christmas plate and filled it up. Christmas morning started at approximately 5:15am. My boys NEVER get up that early. They were so excited we let them open 1 gift and play in their room while we went back to "sleep" until 7am. (By "sleep" I mean the boys coming in every few minutes to ask if its time yet.) I wish I had more pictures of us opening our presents but our memory card became full after just a few. Nicholas LOVED the quilt I made him and although he knew about it (because he saw me working on it the last few months) he was surprised that it was finally finished. Jake got kind of bored after the first few presents. He had more fun playing with the wrapping paper and boxes. Chad got a few books on cd he'd been asking for and I got the first 2 books of Twilight and the 1st Harry Potter book so now I have the 2 series complete. It was so great having Cathy there with us. We had such a nice day together and hope everyone had a Merry Christmas as well :)

New Pajamas

Our Christmas plate

Christmas cookies

Yum!!

Cathy with her Christmas Socks.

Chad and the boys gingerbread house.

Our tree (which looks like its leaning but it wasn't. I think its just the angle.)

Christmas morning.

Chad passing out presents and the boys waiting patiently to open them.

Chad and I on Christmas morning.

The Liberty Bell December 5, 2009

2009-12-07T05:45:00.001-08:00

Chad and I has some friends down for the weekend. They wanted to go see some sights so on Saturday we decided to go see the Liberty Bell. The weather was terrible and we both forgot our cameras (I used my phone) so the pictures aren't great but it was nice to see some of our famous historical sights and learn some new things.

The Declaration of Independence. (not the real one.)

Nicholas standing in front of the Liberty Bell. He kept asking why it was cracked and why they couldn't just fix it. It was very cute to see it from a 3 year olds perspective.

Chad, Nicholas and Jacob in front of the Liberty Bell.

Setting up the Christmas Tree. November 27, 2009

2009-12-01T11:40:00.000-08:00

Today we set up our Christmas Tree. Its a little earlier than we normally do it but I thought since we had my family down we would do it now. We bought a fake tree a few years ago so Chad was setting that up while I got out all of our ornaments. Nicholas put the star on with the help of Chad. Everyone helped put on the ornaments. It was a fun night and the tree looked great. Since then the tree has been abused. All of the ornaments have been put up really high so the kids don't touch them. Thankfully Chad attached it to the wall because I'm sure it would have been knocked over atleast half a dozen times by now. To put it mildly, the boys are very excited for Christmas:)

Chad setting up the tree.

Jake sitting on Papa Rick's lap.

Cathy doing her "I'm to sexy dance"

Hanging ornaments almost as fast as Jake pulling them off.

Putting on the star.

Finishing touches.

The boys loved it!

Our family in front of our tree.

Thanksgiving November 26, 2009

2009-12-01T11:01:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!!!! I am so thankful for my husband and my boys. They are the greatest. I am also thankful that my family was able to come down and celebrate the holiday with us. I love you all so much:) What a great day! So much food. Tons of fun. Great memories. Karin and I made shirts for all the guys that said Happy Thanksgiving on them. Then we traced the boys hands and made turkeys out of the handprints. They turned out so cute. I think we may continue that tradition in the future. On the menu today we had: a 20lb turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, carrots and rutabegas (my absolute favorite dish), my dad's stuffing, yams (both regular and candied), butternut squash, Chad's homemade cranberry sauce (plus the can stuff for my Dad and Michelle) and rolls. For dessert we had Cherry pie, Apple pie and a chocolate chip cheesecake. I'm sure I'm forgetting stuff. It was delicious and could not have been a better day! I hope everyone else had a happy holiday as well.

Nicholas and Jacob in their new shirts.

My family getting the table ready for dinner.

Chad in his new shirt.

Chad and Ross. The shirts were meant to be a joke but I think everyone really liked them.

All the guys in the new shirts.

Nicholas trying to sneak a bite!

All of us getting ready to eat.

Jacob and his daddy very excited to finally eat dinner.

The Day Before Thanksgiving November 25, 2009

2009-12-01T10:42:00.000-08:00

My other two sisters Michelle and Cathy and Cathy's boyfriend Ross came down today. Here are just a few pictures of everyone. The boys were so excited everyone was here. We had a lot of fun hanging out and watching my dad make the stuffing. That is one of our favorite sides at Thanksgiving dinner. He did a great job. Chad was so great and cut ALL the vegetables up ahead of time so all we had to do was boil and mash them the next day. It was a really fun night.

Jacob texting on Aunt Cathy's phone.

Nicholas with Aunt Shell.

Aunt Karin, Aunt Cathy and her boyfriend Ross.

Nicholas being a ham.

Papa Rick

Jake eating cheese puffs.

My Dad making his stuffing! Yummy!

Debby and Chad prepping for Thanksgiving dinner.

Aunt Karin Nov. 24, 2009

2009-11-25T04:45:00.000-08:00

My Dad, Debby and sister Karin got into town yesterday to celebrate Thanksgiving with us. Karin offered to watch the boys last night so that Chad and I could go out on a date. It had been so long I wasn't sure what to do:) Just kidding. We went to go see New Moon which was SO GREAT!!!! When we got home both the boys and Aunt Karin were passed out on our bed. It was so cute. We are looking forward to more family coming today.

Carving Pumpkins October 27, 2009

2009-10-29T11:45:00.000-07:00

Chad and the boys carved pumpkins the other night. Nicholas had a lot of fun cleaning out the pumpkins and Jake just sat back and watched. They had fun watching Chad cut the faces out. Chad also cut their names into the back of the pumpkins as well. They turned out cute and the kids had fun so it was a good night.

Ward Halloween Party Oct. 23, 2009

2009-10-29T11:20:00.000-07:00

We went to our ward Halloween Party last week and had so much fun. The boys were M&M's this year and as you can probably tell I made their costumes. Not the greatest but they don't care. As long as Nicholas was red because that's his favorite color that's all he cared about. They really enjoyed the trunk or treat part. Chad ended up making balloon animals for kids which I didn't even know he could do. Everyone was really impressed. It was a fun night.

The only picture of them together in their costumes.

After he ate this he was literally running around the gym like a crazy person. It was funny.

So tired.

He enjoyed the cotton candy too.

Apple Picking October 13, 2009

2009-10-20T03:48:00.000-07:00

We finally got around to going apple picking. We found this really great place about 20 minutes from here. First we went to pick out a pumpkin for each of the boys. We let them pick their own. I figured Nicholas would get the biggest pumpkin he could see but I think he wanted to pick it up and carry it himself. Both pumpkins are on the small side but I am fine with that. Then we went into the store they have there and got some apple cider and apple cider donoughts. I think that was the first time either of my kids have had those. They LOVED them. Then it was off to the apple orchard. We were hoping to get a large variety of apples but when we got arrived the saleperson told us there were only 2 kinds of apples. Staymen and Red delicious. I was a little disappointed but I guess we just have to make sure we go earlier next year. The kids had a great time walking through the orchard and picking apples. Jake even got into it. We even found a little catepiller that Nicholas held for a minute. It was a really fun day. We ended up getting a TON of apples. So far we have dried some, make 2 apple crisp and 2 apple pies. Plus the kids eat at least one everyday. Now we just have to carve the pumpkins.

Jake and Chad with Jake's pumpkin.

Jake browsing around.

Nicholas with his pumpkin. He had a hard time deciding.

That's the one.

This picture is so cute. He loved the pumpkin patch.

At the apple orchard.

Jake pointing to the apples.

I love this one!! Jake would find them and Nicholas would pick them.

He picked a couple himself.

Nicholas was a pro.

The catepillar that Chad found.

Nicholas holding him.

Animal Kingdom. October 6, 2009

2009-10-10T13:09:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday we went to Animal Kingdom. The kids were really excited to see all the animals. We had a lot of fun. We saw "The Tree of Life" and we met Chip and Dale. Lots of animals carved into the trees and rocks which was pretty cool. We also got to see a 3D movie featuring the characters of "A Bugs Life." The 3D movies were awesome. We saw a few others and Nicholas would reach out and try to touch the characters. Very realistic. We also walked through this part that had tigers, hippos and even some reindeer. Not in the same part though :) It had a whole dinosaur section too. With lots of rides and games for younger kids. Unfortunately it was so hot that day and with very few air conditioned buildings we ended up leaving a little earlier than the other days. We still got to see a lot and I would like to go back and see it again.

The Tree of Life

Us in front of the sign leading to the Tree.

One of the really cool tree carvings.

Statue of an alligator.

There were a lot of these carvings in rocks and trees.

Goofy, Mickey and Pluto fishing.

When we met Chip and Dale.

Huey, Dewey and Louie with Daisy.

The dinosaur park.

A skeleton over a bridge.

Some of the animals we saw.

We could have trekked up the mountain if we wanted but I seriously doubt it was any cooler up there. It looked really cool though.

Hollywood Studios October 5, 2009

2009-10-10T12:36:00.000-07:00

On day 3 we went to Hollywood studios. I wasn't sure what to expect at this kingdom. It had so many great things to see. They had a lot of Pixar characters there which was fun. Actually the parade at the end was all Pixar. We got to see a real movie set and how they do certain scenes like gun fire and explosions. Alittle much for the kids but Chad and I enjoyed it. We also go to see A Little Mermaid Movie. The lighting and other visual effects were really cool and we even got wet when they splashed in the water. We got to see a High School Musical 3 concert. We even saw Lightning McQueen and Mater but didn't want to wait in line to meet them. There was a whole street dedicated to Pixar. It had the army men, the barrel of monkeys, the biggest scrabble board you've ever seen and even the light at the begining of the Pixar movies. It was pretty cool.

The boys in their new shirts.

Mickey's hat.

Pixar street.

The army men.

Lightning McQueen and Mater. We don't know who those people are but we didn't want to wait an hour to meet them.

Barrel of Monkeys.

They were along the building and across the top of Pixar street.

The huge scrabble board on the side of the building.

I thought this was funny.

The boys and I with a Kermit the frog clock.

Mr. Potato Head in the parade.

Another Army guy. They were loud and really funny.

Woody and the cow girl from Toy Story 2. I can't think of her name right now.

Sully from Monsters Inc.

Other monsters from Monsters Inc including the little girl Boo.

A Bugs Life.

The princess ant in A Bugs Life.

Picture of the parade.

A Bugs Life. I can't think of his name either.

Epcot October 4, 2009

2009-10-10T04:18:00.001-07:00

The second day we went to Epcot. I was really excited about going there because everyone who has ever gone has told me how cool Epcot is. I was really excited about walking through all the countries. It was a really neat day. We got to see a lot of things. There were a few rides the kids went on. I think this kingdom was more for older kids and adults because it took awhile to walk through the countries (which I really enjoyed) but the kids got a little bored. We had to take the monorail in order to get to this kingdom and the boys loved it!! Actually at the end of the day I asked Nicholas what his favorite part was and he said the train. It was really cute.

This was such a cool ride. We could see it from the monorail.

All of us.

Nicholas and Jake with Marlen, Dory and Nemo. The boys really liked this ride.

The boys with Marlen.

Nicholas giving Nemo a hug.

Really neat sights walking through the countries.

This was really neat to see.

Epcot had a lot of fountains. It was so beautiful.

Epcot.

Magic Kingdom October 3, 2009

2009-10-09T19:38:00.001-07:00

The first park we went to was Magic Kingdom. We had so much fun. We spent almost all day on Saturday there. We got to see the castle. We went on a few rides. I really enjoyed "Its a Small World" although the song gets stuck in your head for the rest of the day. Nicholas enjoyed the rides a little more than Jake did. Jake was content just to sit and look at everything. There was so much to see. We saw a parade at the end of the day which had a lot of the disney characters in it. Jake liked it but unfortunately Nicholas fell asleep shortly before it started. It really was a great day!

Donald Duck

Ariel and Prince Eric

Belle and The Beast

The Genie

Jimminey Cricket

Minnie Mouse

Mickey Mouse

Chad and Nicholas driving the Orange car

The whole park was decorated with pumpkins. It looked very festive.

Nicholas and I

Part of "Its A Small World"

Another part of "Its a Small World"

The Castle

My boys with Goofy

The Shades of Green Resort October 2, 2009

2009-10-09T19:22:00.000-07:00

We stayed at a resort on Disney that was for military families. It was so beautiful. We were on the 5th floor. Nicholas loved going up and down the elevators every day. There were 2 pools on opposite sides of the resort, a golf course, 3 restaurants, 2 gift shops and a huge lobby. The room was the biggest room I've ever stayed in. We could see the golf course from our balcony. Florida is HOT but it sure is beautiful. We will definitely be staying there again. Here are a few pictures.

From our balcony

From our balcony

In the Lobby

From outside

It is so beautiful

The Shades of Green

Mighty 8th Air Force Museum October 1, 2009

2009-10-09T18:54:00.000-07:00

We are back from our vacation. On the way to Florida we stopped in Savannah Georgia at this air force museum. The boys really loved it. There were a few planes outside that Nicholas thought were "really awesome" (his exact words). There was also a plague inside that had my uncles squadran on it. It was pretty cool. Here are a few pics. (I didn't know the names of the planes. I had to ask Chad so if they are wrong take it up with him.)

Model airplane

My Uncle's Squadran

A wall inside the museum

The Mig The Phantom

The Mig again

Our trip to the Zoo

2009-09-24T07:26:00.000-07:00

We got a season pass to the Zoo this past year and it has been great. We have gone about 5 or 6 times so far and the kids love it. We went this past Monday and although we were only there for a couple hours the kids had a blast. Nicholas got his face painted last time we went (he was a tiger) and insisted on getting it done again. This time he chose a leopard. He was so cute. They had a lot of fun looking at the animals. We saw a cheetah and a leopard. A couple giraffe, monkeys, rhino, hippos, polar bears and lots of birds including 2 bald eagles and about a dozen pink flamingos. We also got to see HUGE turtles. Nicholas also enjoyed chasing a few small birds that were hanging around the picnic area. It was a fun day. Here are just a few pictures.

Why buy toys when you have a box??

2009-09-14T06:42:00.000-07:00

This was cute. Chad and I went out and bought some new luggage for our upcoming vacation and the box it came in is pretty big. After church yesterday the kids wanted to play with it so I had Chad cut out little doors and windows. The kids had so much fun climbing in and out and up through the top. Why buy toys when a box means endless hours of fun??

Playground

2009-09-04T15:52:00.000-07:00

Today we went to the playground near our house. The kids love it. Nicholas had fun building a sand castle with Chad and Jake loves to swing on the swings. We also got a small four wheeler from my dad when we were visiting this past week that the boys love! Nicholas rode it into the playground and Jake rode it around a little bit afterwards. They really love it. Since I forgot my camera in Ny I will have to wait until next week to post pictures from our weekend in NY with our families. Here are some of the pictures from the park.

Jake playing on the four wheeler.

Nicholas sliding down the slide.

Jake swinging. He loves it!

He would swing all day if he could.

Nicholas next to his sandcastle.

Finally they got haircuts.

2009-08-27T16:20:00.000-07:00

So finally today the boys got their hair cut. Chad has always cut their hair, its just finding the time to do it. Nicholas is usually so good and Jake twist and turns. However, this time Nicholas was crying and twisting while Jacob just sat on my lap quietly and let Chad buzz away. I think they turned out cute. Nicholas says that he looks handsome now. He wanted to have his haircut like daddy's before we made our trip to NY tomorrow. Here are my handsome boys!

Jacob's first birthday

2009-08-21T12:30:00.001-07:00

This is my first official post on my new blog. I know that Jakes birthday was last month but I thought I would post some pics. He turned 1 on July 18. We went home to NY so that our family could celebrate his birthday with us. We were going to do a Wall E theme (since that movie came out the year before) but Wall E wasn't to popular. I couldn't find anything (cups, plates, napkins etc.) I already had the cake pan so I decided that would have to be enough. Although I did find stickers on Saturday morning and had his cousins (with the help of Aunt Shell) make him a banner. He seemed to have had a great day. The weather was beautiful. It was great to see family and friends and celebrate together.