Hot, Hot, HOOOTT!

It's been hot here, so what do you do to cool down? SWIM! Here are my boys!



And HAPPYYYY Anniversary to my parents! You guys are a true inspiration for a happy and fun marriage!

Update

Hello all! We are doing great, just very busy. It's been one thing after the other. I know I'll find time to update soon!!!!

AJ is in summer school. He is having a blast. Every Tuesday is water day and I, being the ever forgetful Nicole, forgot his towel and had to go home and bring one. When I got back, they were already outside and AJ didn't even acknowledge me--just looked at me and started laughing with his friends and having a great time!

He talks so much. I forget that he just turned two! He puts real sentences and paragraphs together--it's amazing! I can have a real conversation with my two year old!

One funny thing...whenever John or I get upset about something he looks at us and says, "I'm sorry mommy/daddy"....he didnt' do anything, he just feels he needs to say it!

Grandma Nelson

My heart is so unbelievably heavy right now...my Grandma Nelson has passed. She passed away on Sunday evening with all of her precious family surrounding her. She was 86. A lifetime of love--my grandmother had 7 children, 19 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren. A a young age, my grandparents met and fell in love. Within months they had eloped to get married. My grandfather was a divorced man and in those days, it was unacceptable to marry a divorced man. My grandparents spent their life in the firehouse and my grandmother managed the kitchen. I remember going several times a week to the bingo hall with my grandmother while she prepared that night's dinner.

I have a lifetime of memories from the minute I was born until the minute she took her last breath. She was at every big event of mine--she even travelled all the way to Newport News for my college graduation. After my parents divorced, my mom, brother, and I lived with my grandparents. My grandmother served supper not only to a bunch of strangers several times a week, but she opened her home to all of her children and grandchildren nearly every night.

My grandparents didn't have a lot of money, but they always made ends meet. They showered us all with so much love. All 50 of us (spouses included) were there to celebrate her life on Sunday night. We all hugged and cried together. We shared so many great stories. My grandmother, I am sure, looked down and smiled at all of us that night.

Here is one of my favorites of her meeting my little AJ, at 6 weeks old:

Last year at AJ's first birthday party, with all three of the newest additions.

I am back from the longest weekend I have ever had. Today was the hardest day so far. I am so emotional and can't focus. I just worked to put together the slideshow for the viewing on Thursday night--and it made me so happy to see her and her life. I will miss her deeply.

Mom-mom: thank you for everything. You mean the world to all of us and I hope I live a life half as wonderful as you.

Happy Birthday AJ!

We celebrated AJ's birthday with a Sesame Street themed party! It was so much fun. We had a lot of the people we love come--and our special guest was ELMO himself!

I get really into planning these parties. Everyday I had another decoration idea. I made a big mistake though, I didn't get too many decoration pictures before people got to our house! Sad, I know--time just escaped me and I ran out of time to take them before people arrived! I had SO much fun planning this party, although there are quite a few things I will do differently next year (not at my house and catered so I can enjoy it!). We had so much--5 dozen balloons, 2 cakes, an Oscar the Grouch trashcan, sesame colored table clothes and flowers, Sesame Street toys galore, Ernie in a tub with rubber duckies, and so much more! Here is one picture I got:




Some kids were really afraid of Elmo, but not AJ! He loved him! Notice one of AJ's friends scared in the background--Dylan was hiding under the table during hiding go seek and Elmo 'found' him, which scared the living daylights out of Dylan since Dylan wasn't actually playing the game--but was really hiding!



Playing musical chairs with Elmo.




Face painting during one of Elmo's much needed breaks (I need breaks too!):



Saying goodbye to Elmo! Some of the kids were happy to see him leave, but some of them really enjoyed him and hugged him as he left! Elmo was awfully hot in that outfit--as proof of him laying down on my stairs and then in my neighbors driveway!



The cakes. Yes, I HAD to have two cakes for AJ's birthday--One yummy sheet cake and then I couldn't resist the Elmo shaped cupcakes. Cupcakes aren't anything special, flavor wise, so I got the sheet cake too. What--AJ is worth it! I know you are judging me :), but we actually needed both cakes--we didn't have much left at the end of the party!



Time to sing Happy Birthday! AJ loves being center of attention--here is a picture of him just after blowing out the candles!

Who says you can't have your cake AND eat it too? AJ loved his cake--he is great eating with utensils all on his own now!

Two of my bestest friends and their kiddos (Maggie is my other best friend, but she couldn't make it as she lives in CA): Lauren and McKenna and Clare and Daniel!

My cousin Shannon and her daughter Leah:

Happy Birthday AJ, you are the best thing to ever happen to Mommy and Daddy!

Memorial Day weekend visit with Shannon and Leah

You know what is the most precious thing? Seeing this when you look back at the kids in the backseat:

Shannon and Leah came up to visit us for the weekend. It was so great having them in town. Shannon and I have always been close--just born only two days a part--but since moving to VA, we haven't been able to be as close as we would have liked. Since the birth of AJ and Leah, we have grown so close despite being so far away. Leah is just a beautiful little girl. She has such a sweet personality and I love just hanging out with her. AJ loves her too--he talked about her after they left to go home.

On Friday night we took the kids to Clemyjontri Park. It's an unbelievable park--click on the link because you have to see it to believe it. Leah, who is usually quiet, was SOOO excited and kept screaming the entire time! It was too cute! Look at that smile! AJ was, as always, such a boy and so into everything--he couldn't stop to take a cute picture!

Look how AJ climbs all by himself. Of course Dad is right behind him to catch him in case he falls (Mommy has a lot of panic attacks at this park!)


A really cute picture of Leah and Shannon!



The kiddos love playing together! AJ kept saying "Leah's seat!"

On Saturday, we took the kids to my parent's pool before heading over to their house for a BBQ. Here is Leah, looking so cute!

AJ loves cuddling with his grandma. I don't know that he was tired or cold, he really just loves to cuddle with Grandma!

At my parent's house, the kids enjoyed the trampoline. Roman, Nicole, and David joined us for the BBQ. AJ enjoyed it too much. He tackled Leah to the ground saying "JU JITSU". Daddy was proud and Mommy was thinking about AJ being a future bully.

AJ has some crazy moves now--what two year old does a handstand against the sides of the trampoline walls?!

AJ and Roman playing BASEBALL already! How funny is this?!

Shannon, myself, and David with our three kids:

Sunday was AJ's party, but it wasn't until the afternoon. After breakfast, we went to a more local park to my house. The kids had fun as usual:

Seeing that big yawn meant it was nap time--so the kids took an early nap. Shannon then helped me SO MUCH in getting the party ready. I don't' know what I would have done without her. She was amazing!

After the party (see next post for details!), Shannon and Leah had to go home. It was such a great visit and I can't wait for our trip to the Poconos in August!

Happy Birthday AJ!

AJ is two today! Wow, how time goes by so fast when you are having fun! Some things about AJ:

-He LOVES anything with Sesame Street and Elmo, hence why today's birthday party is a Sesame Street themed.
-He is extremely active and can't sit still for more than two seconds. He has to be bouncing or jumping, or dancing around all of the time!
-He talks up a storm. I mean non-stop! He talks, talks, talks about anything and everything. He is able to have a very basic conversation with real sentences with you.
-He loves to watch sports and cheer you on. He will cheer for Uncle David and Aunt Kayla during a baseball game, Daddy during a Ju-jitsu match, the Redskins during a football game, or a stranger playing any sport!
-He loves to play 'throw, catch, and hit' with daddy and mommy. He will attempt to play with Roman too, although that is a pretty funny game!
-HE IS SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT! One year ago he had yet to sleep more than 4 hours at a time. Now I am happy to report that he sleeps great and it a joy to actually put down for bed or a nap! This makes for a happier AJ AND a happier mommy and daddy!
-Best of all, he is my little boy who still loves to be held, kissed, hugged, and loved by mommy (and daddy too!). He loves when I rub his back and he loves to lay his head on my shoulder. He will stop what he is doing to look at me and say "I love you". He can melt my heart more than I ever thought was possible!

The promise of updates

No excuses--I just stink at updating this thing! It's not the updating, it's the getting the camera to hook up to my computer, download, and then upload to this thing which takes FOREVER! I could post all day long without photos--but that isn't any fun!

Some quick updates before I really update this thing:

First and foremost, my Grandmother had a stroke. She has survived, but at 86, it's going to be a tough recovery. We went to visit her and it's tough to see my active grandmother (who still works!) bedridden. We will just continue to pray that she recovers from this.

AJ turned 23 months. The last month before the age of TWO. He has been in the 2 year old class now for about a month and is still getting used to the new teachers and much bigger kids (he is still tiny!) and MORE children then the 18 month old class. BUT--he is sharp and can handle his own in there intellectually.

AJ's birthday party is on May 30th here at the house. We are so excited!

We had a playdate with Lauren, Mckenna, and Will last weekend. It was SO much fun. We met them at Sunset Hills Vineyard, did the tasting and hung out before making our way over to Loudoun Valley Vineyard. They then came over to our house for supper and John was able to join us (he had a Ju Jitsu meet). I love the Bowen family so much. I'll update more details later.

Mommy and Daddy ran an 8K together. John stayed with me the entire time, but I held my own. It was fun--now I want to do another one! For not though, I am in fitness bootcamp this entire month--5 days a week. The 6am workouts are the hardest! It does make me feel great though! John is still doing his Ju Jitsu classes too. Fitness is important to us--and we hope AJ picks up on it.

We had a playdate with Avery and Christine one night--Avery is only three weeks younger than AJ. Pictures to follow because they were SO cute together. Holding hands and hugging :).

My stepmom was in Delaware this weekend so we drove up to see her--it's been almost a year!

Lastly, we are enjoying eating clean still. It hasn't been 100% eating clean, which really is impossible, especially because I have a job that requires lunch meetings, but I will say we both have been making better choices which is the ultimate goal when you can't eat clean. John would say the meals aren't as good as unhealthy ones, but we did find some really good recipes and I for one like them a lot more and enjoy cooking them more! We are more lax with AJ since he is so skinny, but he enjoys it too!