Walt Disney World Vacation!

We just got back from 4 days at Walt Disney World and had a great trip. The boys had so much fun at the park with Grandma and Grandpa Graham (and us too!). We had an awesome time there! They did even better than I had hoped they would - especially since it was 93 every day there. We spent most days at the Magic Kingdom, but also visited Animal Kingdom one day. Andy really enjoyed Pirates of the Caribbean, he went on it at least 5 times and loved the little drop down the hill at the beginning. He also liked Jungle Boat, Magic Carpet Ride, Winnie the Pooh, Buzz Lightyear ride, It's a small World, and driving the race cars. Jack loved the Jungle Boat Ride and kept talking about all of the animals he saw. He really liked the Magic Carpet Ride too - especially the part where the Camel would spray us a little bit with water!

We got to see a couple of parades, the fireworks, and spend some time in the pool, which felt so refreshing. We stayed at the Wilderness Lodge villas, and it was the perfect place to stay with kids. They were entertained the whole time - Andy enjoyed the arcade of course. Each day we would take a short boat ride to the park, which Jack thought was fun on it's own. Chris did well adjusting back to U.S. time and enjoyed some of the roller coasters with my dad that I wish I could have ridden. He was also our Fast Pass runner - keeping us stocked with them so we wouldn't have to wait in line. We had some really good food and the boys slept perfectly at night. It probably helped that they were SO worn out from the busy days.
On the plane rides, Andy was perfect - he watched DVD's and could have probably sat there another 2 hours on the plane. Jack was squirmy, but he didn't fuss too much and we managed to keep him happy with toys and candy. Overall it was a vacation we will all remember and look back on very fondly. Thank you Mom and Dad for all of the help!!

Staying Busy While Daddy's in China

Our almost two weeks with Chris in China is just about done. He gets back Thursday and the boys are so excited. We've definitely stayed busy while he has been gone, and Andy & Jack have been so good. But, it's much more fun for everyone when Chris is around, that's for sure. We got lucky by a flight delay and ended up with an extra day with Chris on Saturday. We took full advantage with a hike on a new trail which the boys loved exploring. While daddy has been gone the boys got to go to the zoo, help host a rummage sale, watch mommy mow the lawn a few times (well, while Jack was napping), play outside and at parks, go to the nature preserve, and hang out some at Grandma and Grandpa Graham's.

Andy had school conferences too, and he is doing great. He can write his name, recognize the numbers, letters, and shapes he should be able to, and is doing great socially. We just have to work on his scissors skills - something he enjoys doing, so it shouldnt' be too hard to get him to practice. The weather at the end of April has been just okay, kind of windy and cool. But today looks good, so we plan on enjoying it to its fullest!

Jack on the run - starting the hike


Andy practicing some balancing

Snack time!

Grandma helping the boys on their balance beams

Enjoying some swing time. Andy LOVES the big swings (he says now that he is 4, he can go SUPER high)

Snuggling with Jack

Getting out for a chilly walk At the zoo! Exploring the bird exhibit
One of our favorite parts this time... a daring elephant trying to grab some bush branches right in front of us!
Lions!
Thunder scootering during our rummage sale

Oh Boy, Oh, Boy, It's a Girl!

We had our ultrasound a week ago for our upcoming addition to the family. The baby looks very healthy and is 47% for size, right in the middle! We did decide to find out what we were having - I was on the fence about it, but Chris really wanted to know. Well, our ultrasound tech revealed that we are having a girl. I was shocked and had her double-check for me :) I have felt so similarly in this pregnancy to my previous ones that I was sure we were having a boy. But she told us to go out and buy lots of pink (something we definitely don't have much of right now!) Andy and Jack are excited to have a baby sister - Andy definitely understanding more than Jack. But Jack will sometimes point to my tummy and say "girl".

Before the ultrasound we told Andy about how Mommy and Daddy were going in to get pictures taken of the baby in mommy's tummy and how they might be able to tell us if it is a girl or a boy. Andy said (direct quote) "Well, that's easy Mommy! If it's a girl, it will have a ponytail and if it's a boy it won't" It made perfect sense to him! So even though we didn't see a ponytail, we still saw a girl. We're still discussing names, and have a lot to get ready for in the next few months. The boys will be sharing a bedroom and we have to get Jack transitioned to a bed this summer. I have a feeling the time is going to fly by, since we are going on a vacation every month between now and August!

Catching Up - Trip to MN, Hiking, and Easter in Madison

We went to Minnesota to visit Ryan, Marianne, and Ben during the last weekend of March. We had so much fun at their house! Their newly finished basement is amazing and the boys played so well together. We ate lots of good food, played some great board games, and went to a couple of parks. I did not take many pictures - too busy having a good time! The boys did great on the 5 hour car ride there and back, which made the trip much less stressful! We'll definitely have to do it again next year!

The boys and I have gone on some small hiking adventures during the week while Chris is at work. We've gone to 2 local nature preserves and done hikes a little over a mile long. They do great and have so much fun! Their favorite things are looking for animals, especially by ponds, hiking on the boardwalks, climbing towers, and seeing the animals at the nature center. They both LOVE the turtles, but Jack has a special fondness for them. He will tell anyone who will listen about turtles, snakes and how you have to be quiet to see them :) It's nice to be able to get out and hike so easily with both of them! Hopefully this summer we can go to Highcliff and be a little more adventurous :)

On Easter this year we visited Grandma Reinsel in Madison. We went to 3 different parks because the weather was so beautiful. Grandma planned a special outdoor Easter Egg hunt for the boys, which they loved. We ate some delicious food and bought some fun board games at a game store in Madison. It was a great weekend! We're still trying to get through the Easter candy here - luckily the boys are willing to share with Chris & I.