The Boone Family

This weekend we had double booked our family schedule.  We had a birthday party and bridal shower in Cleveland and my in laws were headed back from their winter home in Florida and were going to stay here on their way through.  We talked about what our options were and we decided I would go to Cleveland with Carter and he would stay here with Landon.  This was the first time we did this.  Carter and I enjoyed the birthday party and the shower but it just wasn't the same without Landon and Bob.  The birthday party was full of kids and Carter played with their train table and Geo Tracks for the whole time. (until the presents and cake of course) There was a pinata.  This was Carter's first experience with a pinata.  They didn't hang it but just had it on the floor and the kids got to pound it with a bat.  Wow!  It was so funny to watch all the boys beat that thing as hard as they could and then the girls would just tap it with the bat.  When it finally was demolished Carter

Last weekend we celebrated Bob's grand nephew's first birthday.  My boys are always excited about a party because they know that means cake!  Carter is so interested in the idea of birthdays but yet doesn't understand the concept at all .  Each day he tells me what character he would like on his birthday cake and how it is coming very soon.  It breaks my heart to have to tell him that it is still many days away but that I am glad he is planning ahead.  When we go to parties he is the boy that wants to help unwrap the presents.  That drives me crazy because most of the time that is when everyone wants to photograph the birthday child and there sits Carter in the midst of tissue paper and boxes.  He says that the birthday boy wants to share his presents with him.  I finally pull him out of the mix and let him look from afar until they are all unwrapped then he gets a closer look. Bob, me, Julie (Bob's sister), Katie (Bob's sister), and Steve (Julie's husb

On my last Friday off from work, I was tempted to take the boys to the Toledo Zoo.  It was going to rain in the afternoon but I thought that we could get it in before the raindrops began to fall.  We were up at our usual 6:45am wake up time and I began to clean the house and when I glanced at the clock I thought getting to the zoo was not going to happen.  Kristin text me and said they were headed to Gym America for open gym.  She was going to meet Laura there with all the kids and I instantly threw the kids in the car for a chance at a fun time.  We arrived at Gym America and it is a huge building where they offer gymnastic classes. They offer open gym where the kids can come and play on all the equipment.  They had springboards, mats, trampolines, ropes,  bars, and balance beams set up for the kids to play on.  When we got there I felt like they had just opened the gates of a horse race because the boys took off running to try out everything.  My head was on a swivel because I was tr

Yesterday a friend invite us over for a playdate.  They live in Manchester and it takes us only about 10-15 minutes to get to their house.  Carter loves going because he loves to find the barns as we drive.  He yells about them and it startles me sometimes into swerving off the road into the cow pens.  Anyways, their home is beautiful.  I just adore everything they have done to it and I try to take notes so when we have our "dream home" we will know just what we want.  Along with the beautiful home they also have 20 acres of land.  My friend Kristin and her son Brett also joined us at Deborah and Lucas's house.  The boys have such a great time playing together.  It is usually full of cars, trains, and trucks.  We decided to head outside to let the boys run.  Carter, Landon, and Lucas ran to this little orchard of about 8 trees and we were walking out to meet them.  I said to Deborah, "Oh, I just love it that the boys can run out here and enjoy being outside." Sh

This past weekend we had plans to see some friends from college.  We traveled down to Defiance, Ohio after work on Friday to stay with my college roommate and her family.  Amy and I were roommates, classmates, and also volleyball teammates all throughout college.  We all went to college together (her husband, my husband, me and Amy).  We have a great friendship that we have continued to keep in touch through the years.  They have 3 kids so when we get all of ours together with theirs it tends to be a wild good time. All the kids snacking before bedtime Even though we don't see them all that often the kids play together like they are best friends!  On Saturday morning Amy and I went to a 31 summer catalog release meeting.  We had a great time just having a chance to chat about old times, vent about craziness, and just be girls without kids for a few hours.  After the meeting we went to another college vball teammates baby shower.  This was a great time.  It is amazing how

Each holiday gets to be more fun as the boys get older.  This Easter was nothing short of that!  We headed down to my parents house on Good Friday.  The boys were so excited to see Maw Maw and Paw Paw.  We ate pizza and walked to get ice cream.  Saturday morning we drove down to Columbus to meet my cousin and their family at an Easter egg hunt hosted by their church.  It was at a beautiful place that they use for church camps and such.  Right when the hunt was about to begin Carter had to use the restroom and of course it was clear across the park, so thank goodness we have boys, I pulled Carter over behind a tree to pee.  After he was finished he looked at me and said, "Mommy, my pee was like a water park." Oh the things that kids say!  They mentioned that they had over 4,000 eggs out to find.  It was sectioned off based upon age and both the boys were in the same section.  When they released the kids, you know the competitiveness in my blood started flowing, Carter was grab

I have been working five days a week and I know to some of you that sounds normal.  However, I miss having a full day off that I can use to enjoy the boys without having to worry about rushing around to get to work.  I selfishly asked for a full day off each week and my boss was fine with it.  It will alternate either Thursday or Friday but either way I am happy.  Last week was my first Friday off since January.  I decided what better thing to do than visit the Easter Bunny for photos and invite friends along for the experience.  We did just that...3 moms and five kids!  I think I can hear you laughing already at what a crazy idea this sounds!  We all arrived before the Easter Bunny's shift had started so we headed to the play area with the kids.  It really is just a free for all.  The boys ran and ran until they were sweat hogs.  After this we walked to the Easter Bunny photo shoot.  I don't go to the mall every often because it is just a hard thing to do with both boys.  Shop