5/23 - UF & Busch Gardens

So I have some catching up to do. On the way down to St. Pete, we stopped at UF for a little break. We went in the Florida Gym and into the classroom where I have been teaching over the last semester. The boys had fun climbing up the steps and then decided to have a seat in the top row.

They loved playing in the swivel chairs!

We tried to go in the stadium but it was closed. :( I did get Eli sit by the gator in front of the stadium. He was scared because the gator looked so real. Eli even did the gator chomp.

We finally got to Papa's house.  We were all a bit surprised. He's grown his hair out some and has a pretty long beard. After the boys realized it was papa and not santa, all was well.

Papa lost his hat not long after the Hoyt family arrived. Eli stole it first.

We went to the park later that afternoon to let the boys stretch their legs. They had this really cool this rock climbing little area. Both boys climbed up to the top and weren't scared at all.

Even papa climbed up and we got a good picture.

On Friday, Dec 23, we went Busch Gardens with the boys for the first time. We knew it would be a long day but the boys were really excited about seeing pictures of it. We asked my dad to go and he came too. Here is our first family picture together.

We went and saw some fishes and hippos. The boys enjoyed them and Eli really liked the fish. Aiden wanted to hurry and go see Super Grover (he was on the brochure). 

They had these hippos outside and Eli was scared of them. It looks like he's laughing in this picture (which works out for me), but he was actually crying and wanted down. I finally got Aiden to sit on one and then Eli came over and sat on my back for a picture.

Look at the way Eli has his hand under his little chin. Too cute.

Here is my man ... I love him so much.

Eli thought the carousel looked like fun. It was great for a bit but we had to wait so long for it to start that he didn't want to ride it anymore. I ended up having to hold him during the whole ride because he didn't want to ride a horse.

My dad watched the boys for a few minutes so Brad and I could go jump on a roller coaster. I don't even remember which one it was but there was no wait. It was fun but I am getting too old to do that all day! Here is Aiden sitting in the same seat as mommy and daddy did on the roller coaster.

We finally decided to get on the train and go for a ride. Aiden was showing papa his new penny. Eli was papa's little buddy and sat on his lap during most of the train rides.

We headed down to the Sesame Street area and was greeted by Big Bird. Eli was originally scared of him but then stopped being scared enough to look up at the camera. Aiden was very scared of him.

 

They had a huge play area there to play in the and boys LOVED it. They got all sweaty from playing so hard.

We took a a break to watch a show which featured some of the main characters. Aiden was scared and sitting by daddy. Eli didn't mind giving Abby and Elmo high fives and they came down the isle to the stage.

Aiden eventually lightened up and had fun watching the show.

 

Eli was mesmerized by the show. He watched everything so intently.

At one point, I look over and Eli is leaning over onto Papa. It was so cute.

Eli was getting pretty worn out. We took the double jogger so that the boys could get in and out by themselves. Eli rode in the stroller most everywhere but Aiden walked pretty much the whole time. He even took papa with him so they could go over the choo-choo train track.

 Here is Aiden and daddy way up high in the Sesame Street area. Both boys did a great job climbing in the high ropes.

Eli really wanted to go in these dino eggs so I offered to go with him. 

After we had gone around once, I taught Eli how to race his hands and he was yelling "wee" as went around in circles. It was too cute.

As you can see from the picture below, Eli got very worn out. He's never fallen asleep in his stroller since he was about 4-5 months old. He was exhausted.

Aiden had a little left in him. He took a picture with us.

 Here is daddy helping Aiden get his new penny made. He got 2 pennies while we were there and carries them around now.

Brad and Aiden played for a bit while I waited for a picture to develop. I'll have to scan the one the professional photographer took at the theme park. It turned out great.

We had a blast. We got there at 9am and then left about 3:00ish.

Aiden is very excited to go back with papa who got a year pass. It was a great family day! Thanks to Salute the Hereos Program so that our family could get in "free."

12/21 - It's almost Christmas

These first two pictures of Eli just crack me up. I LOVE this sleeper that I got for him a few months ago. Look at Santa in the helicopter.

When he turns around, it says "Ho Ho Ho" on the back. Too precious.

Aiden doesn't haven any cool Santa flying a helo jammies but he wanted to put on the hat that went to Eli's outfit. Little Aiden looks like an elf!

I wanted to include a picture of our house. I added lights to the roof this year and we also got new candy canes for our yard. I'll be shopping for these spiral Christmas Trees the day after Christmas this year so I can get a good deal for next year.

Before we left for church on Sunday, Aiden found Brad's chain the he uses when he rides his motorcycle. It was so cute to see it clipped on Aiden's pants. Flash floods of memories of seeing Brad like that all the time. It was too cute.

Eli continues to be more fascinated by Pouncer all the time. He doesn't understand "pet from his head to his tail." but thankfully Pouncer doesn't really care. Look at Pouncers ears. Eli has a wand in his hand and was moving is along the carpet and Pouncer started to get nervous. Thankfully, he didn't hit Pouncer.

I love this picture. Eli comes in our room every morning at 7:00am when his bunny wakes up. He just wants to roll around and snuggle with us. He grabbed a book the other morning and asked Brad to read it to him while I got Aiden up and ready. He wanted to eventually lay like daddy and be covered up. He's trying so hard and is so close to making sense trying to talk. He knows what he wants in his head and is trying to talk, he just has a hard time forming words still.

We have a calendar on the wall at home to show the boys about different events that were happening in December. They are pretty excited to be going to Papa's house tomorrow and to see Nana soon. They are really excited about Christmas Day. Aiden even told me yesterday that he's not scared of Santa anymore because a nice Santa came and visited everyone at daycare.

We are excited to get to spend some time with family. It's never enough time and it's always rushed, but that's just how the holidays are for us. When we get back home, Brad's parents come for a few days and then we have a few days with just us and then Brad leaves for his last work-up before deployment. Merry Christmas everyone.

12/12 - December is halfway through

I can't believe it's taken me this long to update the blog. Actually, I can. It's been crazy busy for me and I am just trying to keep my head above water at the moment. We went and helped my mom move in to her new apartment a few weeks ago. The boys did a great job helping us move. My mom's friend, Carol, watched the boys over at my dad's house during nap time.

The boys even tried to help Nana set up her Charlie Brown Christmas tree. We all like Nana's new place and she feels much safer there.

The boys enjoyed getting to see Bronco and playing with Nana even if it was only for 1.5 days.

A week or so ago, we got a special treat from Brad. He flew over our house ... and was down pretty close. It was awesome. I took video of it too. The boys were so excited.

Aiden had me turn on the train (inflatable) in the front yard so it would be easier for daddy to see us.  He was so excited to see daddy. He was jumping around and waving and even called Brad a "popper plate." That is Aiden's new term. We have no idea where he got it but he thinks it's pretty funny.

On the first Saturday in December, we took the boys to Home Depot to make the monthly arts and craft. It was a snowman napkin holder this time.

Aiden liked helping put the dowels in the snowman.

Eli really wanted to use the hammer (which you didn't actually for this project) so Brad let him hammer the stickers on. It was so cute to watch.

The both chose what stickers to use on their snowman. These boys are too precious (all 3 of them)!

Brad then took a picture of the boys and I. Aiden didn't really want to look at the camera because he wanted to leave so bad.

Santa was right behind us the whole time and when I tried to scoot over about 4 feet, they flipped out on me. I just wanted to get a picture with Santa in the background because there is still no way they will get any closer to Santa.

Eli was kinda curious and wanted to just see Santa and Aiden wanted nothing to do with Santa. When we tell him Santa is coming soon, and he says in a sad voice, "I don't want to see Santa." He thinks Santa is too scary and we have to remind him that he won't actually get to see Santa since he comes at night. The boys were having a blast throwing things and trying to hit Aiden's fishy hanging from his fan. At first I disapproved but they were laughing so hard I said they could do it but if they hit the fan, they were done.

We have a calendar up for December and the boys get to put a sticker on everyday. Eli was trying to put his sticker on but he has a hard time getting the sticker off the sheet and then also putting it where it wants to (in the box of the current day). It's good practice for him though.

Eli tries so hard be like mommy (and Aiden and daddy) sometimes. He went and got Aiden's laptop and sat down by me. It was too cute.

On Friday night, we went out with our sunday school class to dinner and then went to look at lights in St. Augustine. It was fun. There was a large group of us and this was our particular table a dinner; this is Stephanie and Harold. They are such amazing people and it's so exciting to watch them prepare to leave Jacksonville and head to Houston to open up a bilingual church. God has amazing plans for them.

Here are some of the girls waiting by the chocolate dessert shop while some people got some goodies inside.

It was really pretty in St. Augustine with all the lights.

I need to figure out how to make my camera took good pictures at night and I haven't looked up that information yet. Here is a picture of Brad and I in front of the Christmas tree they had all decorated.

I am so ready for classes to be over. I've been going crazy grading. Speaking of that, I need to get back to work. I'll be taking my first sewing class tomorrow. I'm pretty excited about it. I'm hoping I can using sewing as a distraction and stress relief while Brad is gone on his next deployment.