Moms Visit

Okay so my mom was here over a month ago and I had said I would post pictures. Well come to find out I really didn't take many with my digital camera! I really need a new camera like my cousins!

Well here is a couple of pictures from our visit to the gardens down the road from me. We went before any flowers were up but there were plenty of trees and shrubs. Mom and I were going around looking at markers and saying the name of trees, plants, etc. At one point Brayden knelt down in front of a little plant and said very matter of factly, "it's a shrub". Yes, it is a shrub it may have a long formal name but to Brayden it's just a shrub.

These last two pictures were from our trip to the Como Park Zoo. The first picture I love because it's just Grandma and Brayden spending time together looking and talking about whatever animal it was behind the glass. The last picture is of Camden attacking my moms apple pear (we had a picnic before going into the zoo). I think he is part vampire, he managed to drain that piece of fruit of all liquid! Sorry Mom!

No HOT WATER!

There isn't a picture to go with this (and if there was you'd all be very afraid!!!!). We knew our hot water heater was as old as the house and then about 4-5 months ago the relief valve started to leak. I was prepared, or so I thought, that we would go until the thing died and then we'd get a new one. That is fine except one thing......we REALLY should have had an idea of a replacement, where to get it, where the best deal was, etc....etc.....etc. We actually even talked on Monday about the fact that the thing was on it's last leg. Well I guess it overheard us because this morning (Wednesday) when we were washing hands before breakfast the water just wouldn't get warm. I went downstairs and the pilot light was out, okay I can handle this. Read directions to refresh memory and light the pilot. First attempt-failure; second attempt-failure; third attempt-yeah, success.....only to have it go out as I was putting the cover back on. The next 5-6 attempts throughout the day as I was calling Jared freaking out and then trying to call distributors (no one seems to want to replace water heaters, I guess it's not a big enough job?!?!) were all failures. I finally got the hint and left it only. So I finally got ahold of someone at 3pm and he was totally booked up but I guess he heard my frustration/panic and said he'd be here in 5 minutes (I also have this company service the furnace and A/C twice a year so I am a loyal customer, that should count for something!). The kids are napping so it's a perfect time. Well picture this.....Steven shows up and Camden starts to cry, he's in his crib safe so he'll have to stay there; he takes a look and finds out that it's not a 'standard' hot water heater hook up but not a problem it'll just cost a little more (of course, that is ALWAYS my luck!). I trust this company, Diane the receptionist is always soooo nice and so are the guys that come out here but I still feel a little uncomfortable going with the one and only estimate. So as I sit and try to figure all of this out, mind you I probably smell because I haven't showered and I have my hair up and no makeup and my face is really broke out right now, Brayden wakes and starts to cry and then comes out of his room with tears and snot streaming down his face in just his t-shirt and diaper. Camden is REALLY screaming now since I've ignored him for 5 minutes. The poor guy just couldn't get out fast enough!!! But I do think he felt sorry for me because he called me 15 minutes after he left and said he got his hands on the model we need and someone (he'll stay away I'm sure!) will be here to replace it at 8:30am tomorrow morning!!!!!! So still not feeling great about going with the first estimate, I searched more and got ahold of someone who could do it for around $300 less but not until next Tuesday. Lets see.....save $300 and go 5 more days without hot water; or pay and be able to take a hot shower tomorrow morning. Yeah, I guess I wouldn't have made it in the good ol days!

This IS RIDICULOUS!!!

This is what we woke up to Saturday morning (that would be 4/28)?!?!?!? At least it was gone (mostly) by the afternoon! I have given up hope of Spring and pulled out the winter coats again (did that the night of the other post about not wearing jackets anymore!). This is what they mean when they say Minnesota only has about a week of summer!!!!! This year I'm thinking it could be!!! The funny (???) thing is Brayden got a virus the night before my mom left (I will post a pic later from her visit) and the doctor said it is a 'summer' virus that he has?!?!?! SUMMER virus.....pleeeeaaaase! He spiked a high fever (104.4) and it lasted about 4 days, varying from normal to 103 after that first day. I guess that is what a 'summer' virus is; a high fever and not much else. Well today is sunny and close to 60 degrees, the boys just woke up and we are headed out! We have to find a green soccer ball for Brayden. He starts soccer camp this Saturday.....of course they are calling for rain and cold, at least they aren't saying snow, yet!!!!!

Mom's On the Plane

My mom comes to visit for a week starting today. She'd be here in about 15 minutes if she hadn't missed her flight! Not her fault, the plane left Detroit late. She got in and ran like crazy in O'Hare but had to get to another terminal so she made it just as they were shutting the doors. She got on the next flight and will leave Chicago in about 15 minutes and get in around 2:45pm. Brayden and I keep clapping and singing 'Grandma's coming to visit'; Camden just grins and claps his hands at our singing and jumping around like loons. We'll see if Cam gives her the evil eye like he did in the car last fall after I picked them up at the airport!

I will try to post pictures of moms visit but don't want to take away too much precious short time we have with her so don't be upset if pics don't get posted until after she leaves!

Everyone have a great week; I know we will!!!!!!!!!

My 3 Year Old

Here is Brayden's 3rd birthday cake. Yes, I made it myself. I had this crazy idea that I needed to start making my kids their birthday cakes (after their 1st). After all my mom made mine when I was little and I have wonderful memories from that. Well it started out pretty bad but it is amazing how much those 'stars' cover! I let Brayden pick out the colors, so of course it had to be a green race car. Why blue wheels?!?!? I have no idea but he was set on that color. I have to say I sort of had fun doing this and I don't think it turned out half bad. So maybe I will do it again next year?!?!








When we asked Brayden what he wanted for his birthday he said, "a big bad race car". So after much searching for something that we didn't have to take a small loan out on (amazing how much kids cars are, even the pedal kind!), I found this. Yes, MOMMY found this. I think he liked it! Daddy and Brayden were 'racing' in the driveway right after he got it.

Just feel sorry for me.....

So there is no picture with this post, just wanted everyone to know that it snowed here yesterday. Gratefully it didn't stick for long, but it is supposed to snow again on Thursday. The sun is not shining and it is lucky to get to 40 degrees lately. The weatherman says they don't see it warming up for awhile. Well I have boycotted winter coats and I am just wearing sweatshirts and so are the boys.....we will probably all get colds but I am done!!!! I am trying to look on the bright side; it's not -40 degrees or even close. In New Jersey we never experienced such loooooong winters so I normally took spring for granted, I've learned my lesson and will be outside enjoying spring with my boys as soon as it gets here......whenever that is?!?!?!

Camden's 1st Haircut

As you can see Camden needed a haircut! Just needed to be trimmed around his ears and in the back. I had vowed never to touch his hair with the scissors. I made that mistake with Brayden when he was a baby and tried trimming around his ears.....he looked like he had mange.




















If I would have had to bet on it I would have lost. I never thought this little man would sit still and do so good getting his hair cut. Unfortunately she didn't take enough off the back, not her fault I was just so nervous that he was going to lose it at any moment I didn't look close enough. So.....Jared trimmed him up at home. Like I said I wasn't going to touch his hair, Jared still gives me a hard time about Brayden's hair (well, not anymore because I've got this on him). Jared has these trimmers that have a guard on them so you can't cut too short. Well for some reason that I still don't understand he took the guard off. All I know is Camden moved and I heard 'zip' and Jared said 'oops'. I almost dropped Camden because I was laughing so hard.....what else was I supposed to do???? Jared 'fixed' his mistake the best he could and we prayed that his hair would grow in the next 2 days before his birthday party!?!?!? The unfair thing is that Camdens hair is so light that you couldn't even see the mistake unless I pointed it out....which I did!!!!! Now we are even!!!