Stash Zoo

John's 1st Day of Kindergarten

2011-08-16T09:23:00.000-04:00

Today John started Kindergarten! He will be going full day, Monday thru Friday. The bus picks him up at 7:31am in the morning and drops him of at 3:36pm in the afternoon. It's still hard for me to believe that our little boy is in school! He was SO excited to start. When he got off the bus, his first words were "Mom, I had a GREAT day"! I am so thankful for his joyous heart for school, I will pray he continues to have that throughout his entire school career!

Smells like rain....

2011-08-09T09:20:00.000-04:00

This evening we had a burst of rain come out of the sky. We all were in the garage checking it out and Andy suggested to the boys the "run and play in the rain". It was God's sprinkler Park! The boys hesitated at first... but then jumped right in. Hey, what else are you to do on a hot summer night!

State Fair

2011-08-05T09:13:00.000-04:00

Today kicked off the Indiana State Fair! Last year we sorta started a new tradition in the Stash Family, since Tricia's birthday is August 6th, the State fair opening was on her birthday last year, and this year the day before, we called it YaYa's birthday "kick off" weekend! Our friends Andy, Amy & Dylan joined us. We started off waiting for the shuttle the bus, then when we got to the fair... it was ALL ABOUT THE FOOD!! YaYa treated the boys to a few rides on the midway and we just had a great time. It was an awesome way to kick off YaYa's birthday!

William turns 4!

2011-07-31T09:04:00.013-04:00

I can not believe our baby boy is four years old today!!
William wanted to have a "water" party and anted to invite friends from his classroom at school, friends from church and his cousins. William is completely fascinated with Captain America, so I tried to do a theme around that. It worked out great. We had a few baby pools set up in the yard, along with the slip n' slide. We had a light lunch and of course a cake from Costco. And William was blessed with all the generous gifts from his friends and family... He was such a lucky boy and had a great birthday!! Many blessing this year coming year for our sweet William.

Swimming in the Spa

2011-07-14T08:56:00.000-04:00

When we purchased our home, we discovered it came with a spa! Absolutely wonderful to use in the winter....BUT kind of useless in the summer. When it's 90% humidity outside the last thing I want to do is get into a 104 degree spa. Andy and I had a awesome idea to drain the spa, clean it and fill it up with fresh water, turn off the heater and let the boys use it as a swimming pool... WE ARE BRILLIANT!! The boys love using the spa as "their" swimming pool!

Ice Cream Truck, Puppy Baths & Slip & Slides

2011-07-09T08:40:00.013-04:00

Today was a HOT July day! We have two wonderful dogs Shiloh and Missy, and let's face it, dogs get stinky! Today we decided to give the dogs a bath, since the water was finally warm enough outside and it just gave us something to do on a beautiful summer afternoon. As we were getting ready to get the dogs out and washed, were heard the whisper of the ice cream truck moving closer... the boys ear's followed the sounds and as the truck got closer we flagged them down and bought some ice cream off the truck, it was great! I personally felt like a kid! (Prices were a lot higher then when I was a kid....BUT to see the boys smile was worth it) The puppy washes commenced after the ice cream was consumed! The boys were boiling hot after playing while dad washed the dogs, so we thought it was theperfect day to bring out the slip n' slide Opa bought them while he was visiting in May! They had a blast.... great way to end the day!

4th of July fun

2011-07-04T08:38:00.000-04:00

This year we celebrated the 4th of July in Greenfield, at the Manship's home! Family living close by joined us for yummy hamburgers, potato salad & blueberry pie! (And LOTS, LOTS more to eat) Matt Terrell surprised the family by showing up in his naval attire. Garmie was especially surprised to see him! Since, the family didn't have chance to have it's annual Easter Egg hunt this year, Aunt Mary decided to have it now! It was a fun way to help celebrate the 4th! Along with some water fun, fireworks and a new playground set, we all had a blast!

Getting back into the groove of things....

2011-07-02T13:46:00.000-04:00

Greetings family and friends!!

I know I have been a bit "absent" from my blog postings....but life has just been crazy! Good crazy! As you will notice below I have added a few updates, I hope you all enjoy. After Andy's graduation we have been going non-stop. Memorial day weekend we had the privileged of going to Sam Balbach's graduation party. We had a GREAT time. We were able to catch up and visit with family, we loved it... and hopefully can do more of it this summer. That week it got really hot here, the boys and I were either at the splash park or pool every day! That following weekend we held a garage sale to clean out stuff. The next week the boys had summer camp, which they absolutely LOVED! That following weekend I made the decision to get baptized and join Fall Creek Baptist church. (It was also awesome)! Which lead right up to a week of VBS!! And NOW it's July!!! How'd that happen?!?! We are loving summer! Thank God for all the seasons we get to enjoy....so keep looking for Stash Updates!

Nature Walk

2011-07-02T13:33:00.000-04:00

OK what I am going to share with you all, may be a little shocking.... I understand that, but it's all true, whether you believe it our not.....

The Stash family actually woke up early this morning AND..... went to Holiday Park for a beautiful nature hike! I KNOW!! I could hardly believe it myself and I was there. This Indiana Stash family is not the most "out dorsey", athletic bunch....but we are working on it!

Early this week I was telling John how it was a three day holiday weekend and I was telling him how much fun we were going to have. He requested that we go on a family hike Saturday morning to get the weekend started. I thought it was a great idea - I broke the news to Yaya and Andy and after a little thought they both agreed! We were out the door and at the park by 9am, for us that's an early start! It was starting to get a little hot and humid, but still very pleasant. We headed on the trail at the rock garden. Flowers were in bloom and we were able to see beautiful butterflies flying around. The creek was lightly flowing, with birds chirping and water streaming it was very relaxing. William was the guide and John wanted to be the caboose. Besides the mosquito's-it was gorgeous! After our hike the boys wanted to take their dad and yaya to the nature center, we looked at snakes, frogs and birds and put together a puzzle! We ended our time at Holiday Park on the awesome playground they have. I must say this is one of my favorite parks in the city. We are SO lucky to live in such a great area with so many outdoor activities! (We really couldn't do that in Arizona).

After the park we headed to Panera bread for some yummy breakfast and ended our morning at the Binford farmers market, were I was able to get fresh blueberries, zucchini, tomatoes and green beans from the Amish farmers we like so much..... All that before noon!! What a GREAT way to start off a long holiday weekend!

William and Yaya at the start of our hike!

Checking out the scenery

Pretty steps down....

Mores steps down to the White River

At the river

Yes, I made them take this picture!

Looking down at the creek

Walking to the nature center

The boys were pretending to be "Spider-man"! LOVE IT

Day out with Thomas

2011-06-25T12:55:00.030-04:00

Today the boys and I joined our friends Amy, Dylan and Dylan's grandma Vicki on a trip to Connersville IN to take a train ride with Thomas!

The Stash boy's have never been completely obsessed with Thomas, but what little boy doesn't like trains. Mrs. Amy had asked us a few months ago if we wanted to join them and we said sure! The tickets were booked and we all piled into the Volvo station wagon and took a beautiful drive through Eastern Indiana country.... There were a few rolling green hills, lots of farm land, lush green trees and beautiful blue skies - It was a perfect day for a road trip!

Our train departed the station at 10:30am, we got there just in time for a quick potty break and a little hello to cousins Eli & Luke as they were on their way out. We all boarded the train ready to take our first Indiana train ride! The boys and I had a blast. The ride itself was only about 30 minutes, but it was long enough for us to have an idea of what it's like to ride on a passenger train. After the ride they had several "Thomas the Train" activity areas set up (all free - it was great) the boys received Thomas Tattoos (or as William called them Tu Tu's) they rode the tractor pulled train, went to the petting zoo and we ended the day eating lunch.... hot dogs and nachos! It was a fun afternoon..... a lot more fun that I anticipated! We will definately be back for the Polar Express train in the winter!

The Boys waiting for the train to get rolling....

Mama and her boys!

John watching out the window as we roll by

The "TuTu's"

"Is that a Goat mom?"

William's not sure what to think about the ducks

John calls this his "Rock n Roll" pose..... Crazy Kid!

Working!

Andy's Graduation

2011-05-14T21:49:00.006-04:00

Andy graduated from college today!!!! We are SO extremely proud of him. Not only did he graduate, but he graduated with honors, Summa Cum Laude & Alpha Chi. The festivities started on Thursday when Opa (Andy's dad) and Aunt Peggy flew in for the festivities. Poor Peggy was supposed to get in on Wednesday but storms in Dallas delayed her....But she stayed positive and we were all glad they both made it in for the event! We did a lot of eating, visiting and just hanging out. The graduation ceremony was held in Fort Wayne at the coliseum. We had to leave Indy around 7:00 in the morning to insure Andy got there in time. The ceremony started at 10:30 and lasted a couple of hours. We were so proud to see Andy walk across the stage...both Tricia and I shed a few happy, proud tears! We were also lucky Garmie was able to join us at the graduation. After graduation and fun pictures, we all went to lunch and then Andy, Opa the boys and I took a tour of the main Campus of Indiana Tech, while Tricia, Peggy and Garmie visited Aunt Mary Lou. It was a great day!

Waiting patiently for daddy to graduate...the boys were SO well behaved!

Aunt Peggy and John

Can you spot Andy???

Proud of their daddy

The Stash Men

Andy and his parents

Garmie, Tricia, Andy & Peggy

Andy and his mama

Andy & his pop

Future graduates....aren't they cute??

Love him!!

In front of the fountain at campus

TROUBLE!

Heading home

Mother's Day

2011-05-08T21:31:00.003-04:00

Mother's day 2011 was a pretty laid back day in our home this year..... I casually worked on laundry and putted around the house. The boys were on their best behavior (kind of) and Andy cooked his mom and I an awesome steak and potato dinner. It was great! The best present or reward of being a mom are my two little boys (as cheesy as that sounds). One memory I will keep from this mother's day is that the eating habits of the boys shifted a bit tonight. As most people who are around my boys, for any length of time, probably know that they are picky eaters. They like to stay with their "safe" foods....rarely venturing out. But tonight, John requested to eat STEAK!! After eating a hot dog, he decided he was still hungry. We gave him the option if he tried some steak, he could have an ice cream bar for dessert....well the ice cream trick worked, he tried the steak and loved it. William on the other hand doesn't eat meat and was eating a PB & J for dinner, he wanted to try a baked potato! I gave him the same option of trying the "new" food and ice cream and again....It worked!! At least it's a step in the right direction..... After dinner we went outside and the boys received their prize "ice cream". They requested I take pictures of them, which also never happens.....and these are the out comes of those photos! How blessed I am!

Swim Lessons

2011-05-02T21:12:00.000-04:00

The boys have been taking swim lessons at the YMCA for 3 weeks now... they are about half way through their lessons. They love it! And are little fish. I think it's going to take a few more sessions before they are really proficient in swimming, but they are having fun and learning a little, so I am OK with that!

Here are a few shots of my little fishes!!

Alpha Chi Honors Society

2011-05-01T20:55:00.003-04:00

I am so proud to announce that my wonderful husband, Andy Stash was inducted into the Alpha Chi Honors Society, Indiana Lambda chapter today.

A little bit about Alpha Chi:
Members of the Alpha Chi, identified and elected by the faculties of theirs schools as ranking in the top 10 percent of juniors and seniors, represent the best undergraduate scholorship in all academics fields at their institutions. Election to Alpha Chi is the highest academic honor bestowed upon students at Indiana Tech. The Indiana Lambda chapter of the Alpha Chi Honor Society was officially installed on December 6, 1986 with six charter members inducted. New members are inducted at least once per year. This was the 29th Alpha Chi induction held at Indiana Tech.

The ceremony was held at the Indiana Tech campus in Fort Wayne. Andy and I drove up for the ceremony. It was very nicely done. Each inductee was spoken about by a faculty member, of their choosing, as they were officially inducted into Alpha Chi. After the ceremony each of the inductees lit the "candle of knowledge" as they recited the pledge of Alpha Chi. It was really neat to watch.

We are so extremely proud of Andy and all his hard work.... Now graduation on May 14th!!

John Robert Stash

2011-04-27T20:33:00.005-04:00

Today our oldest son John Robert turned 5!!!

WOW, I can not believe how quickly the last five years have flown by. Not only has it passed quickly, but the events surrounding the last five years have been tremendous. We have lost several loved ones, including fathers, grandfathers, great grandfathers and aunts, we had another beautiful baby boy, we moved 1,700 miles cross country, we've got jobs and lost them and in between all of that we have watched our baby boys grow up into young children. It's just amazing the circle of life. I know that life will not slow down anytime soon and I'm OK with that. I think, the thing I have learned the most in the past five years of being a parent, is to take each day for what it is, good or bad. And really try not to rush things to happen to soon. Our boys will only be boys for so long and I want to cherish that. And I have also learned that their unconditional love helps me to be a better person. It helps me to remember that no matter how many times I have to yell at them to pick up the basement or put their shoes on the shoe rack that they will always love me and I will always love them....So with all that said we had a great time celebrating John's 5th birthday.

John had school today, so his birthday celebration started off there with cupcakes for his classmates. They all sang him Happy Birthday, and he got to sit at the "special" table for lunch . When Andy and Tricia got home from work, John got to open his birthday presents (he made out like a bandit) and was grateful for everything he got. Then it was off to Castleton Dinner, John's choice! After a yummy dinner out we headed home for a birthday cake!! It was a great way to end the day and celebrate John!

Happy Easter

2011-04-24T08:42:00.000-04:00

Happy Easter family and Friends!!

I am still in shock that it's already the end of April and we are celebrating Easter - This year is just flying by.

It was not a very "pretty" Easter Sunday in Indy this year. It was rainy and cloudy all day. BUT we made the best of it! The boys and I headed to later 10:30 church service. John had a great time in childrens church and William had fun in his classroom. When I picked them up after the church services they both were excited to show me the crosses they had made and could tell me why we celebrated Easter...I was so proud of them and so thankful they are in the process of really learning about what Jesus resurrection really means for them. I had the opportunity to hear a great message from Pastor John on "Baggage" and how because Jesus died for us .... we can give him all of our baggage. It really hit home and reminded me to put all of my worries, fears, anxieties, good stuff and bad stuff on Jesus and he will carry me and YOU. Very powerful message! I was so glad that my friend Amy and her Husband to be were able to join me at church today too...

After the church services we headed home along with Amy, Andy and their son Dylan, we planned on spending the day together. We were completely surprised though when we got home and found an awesome surprise in the garage. The Easter bunny (my wonderful MIL) had got Andy, myself and the boys NEW bikes!! She really tricked us, because Andy and I knew the boys were getting new bikes, she found them in December and we had been hiding them for 4 months, but she completely surprised us and got Andy and I bikes too!! She totally orchestrated this awesome plan to get them home from the bike store then hiding them from us!! Let's just say I hadn't been that surprised in a really long time...It was awesome and we are both are SO thankful. The rain was so icky yesterday we only had a few minutes here in there between "rains" to test out the bikes. The boys can't wait to go on a family bike ride!! And neither can we! I am excited to be able to go biking with Andy after the boys go to sleep. So Excited!

After all bike excitement, we decided to do our egg hunt. It was super wet outside and still rainy, so we had to be creative....we had our egg hunt inside! We used the front living room and the basement and it really worked out just fine. I kinda got a little crazy and we had 102 eggs to find, so it was fun watching all the boys. Dylan (Amy & Andy's son) is only 17 months old, so he wasn't as excited as the big boys, but John and William made sure to help fill up Dylan's basket since theirs was over flowing! It was super cute. The rest of the day included lots of eating, a walk with us girls and the kids, lots of Wii playing and a great supper. We were all exhuasted by days end. But it was a GREAT Easter!!

Meet Missy

2011-04-23T08:22:00.003-04:00

We would like to introduce you to the newest member of the Stash family, Missy!

Over the last few weeks, we had been seriously discussing getting a second dog for Shiloh. Shiloh turned 8 years old this year and is getting lazier and we just thought having another pup around would keep him "Young". I love Shiloh SO much the thought of ever loosing him breaks my heart, so anything I can do that will help him hopefully stay with me longer I was willing to do. Even if that means more dog hair to vacuum up, 4 more puppy paws to clean off after a rainy day, more dog food, etc... I think you get the point.

Friday was just an ugly rainy day here in Indy. The boys and I stayed in all day and at some point I got bored so I decided to get on Craigslist just to see what interesting things people had posted for sale. After looking at the garage sales for the weekend and what childrens items people were selling I decided to look at the pets for sale.... The very first posting was of Missy, it read "9 month old yellow ckc lab", I was intrigured and opened up the posting. I immediately feel in love, she was adorable and her description read the important points I was looking for - "Housebroken", "Kid friendly", "Does well with other animals"... I thought there is no way this dog is still available! I quickly emailed the owner to check her status. A few hours later he emailed me back and she was still there - I told him I wanted her!! This morning, Andy and the boys drove down to North Vernon, IN to pick up our new dog Missy! Shiloh & her got along immediately. It wasn't long before they were both chasing after each other in the backyard, both acting like young pups.... let's just say they both sleep very well that night. Missy has only had one accident and has been great besides that. We are very happy with our find and with all the wonderful kisses new puppies like to give!

Happy Birthday Andy!

2011-04-18T16:21:00.004-04:00

April 15th, we celebrated Andy's 32nd birthday!

Poor Andy had to work and was pretty tired all day, but that night when he got home we tried to make his day much brighter :)

My good friend Amy babysat the boys, while Tricia took Andy and myself out to "I Love Sushi" for Andy's birthday dinner. After dinner we picked up the boys, headed home and finished celebrating with the boys. We had birthday cake and opened presents. Andy's fun birthday present this year was a Wii, so after the festivities we had some family game time. It was fun!!

Again, happy birthday to my wonderful hubby....and to many, many, many. many more years!!

The boys trying to help daddy!

My three favorite men!

WOW! Look at all those candles!

California Travels

2011-04-08T09:35:00.017-04:00

Greetings!
First off, to all of the "Stash Family Followers" sorry for the delay in any post - the past three weeks have been a whirlwind!! Now things are slowly getting back to normal after a wonderfully fun vacation in California! (Sorry in advance- this is a VERY long post...)

Andy and I had planned this trip for about a year now. The thought was for John's 5th birthday we would celebrate by going to California and visiting Disneyland, the boys 1st visit! It was important for Andy and I to go to Disneyland instead of Disney World, because we grew up out west and all of our memories were at Disneyland in Anaheim. It was only fitting to take the boys there first. And, because we were visiting California, we were able to see all of my family and friends - which frankly, is just an added bonus!

Our adventure started Friday March 25th-We had a 5:30pm flight out of Indianapolis International airport. We were able to make it on the plane with 3 checked bags and two very excited little boys. They are really good travelers. I think it helps that they have flown since they were little babies and they know what to expect. They have no fear! It's pretty awesome. But, being the mom I am, I am always armed with DVD players, movies and snacks. Our flight was taking us from Indy to Dallas and then Dallas to Fresno. All of our flights were on time, no bumps, smooth sailing.... Our layover in Dallas was only about 20 minutes so we had to make a quick potty stop and grab some supper, that seemed to be the only challenge of the whole flight, but we managed!

At home, ready to take off to the airport

At the airport killing a few minutes before we had to head over to security

Saturday, March 26th: Today was our first full day in CA. We started off the day at my mom's house in Kerman. My brother and his family came out that morning for a visit. I had not seen my brother in about 2.5 years - I couldn't believe how big his children are. Plus I finally got to meet my newest nephew Mick! He is a little over a year old. They are all so cute!! Including my niece Naomi and nephew Nathan. They live with mom, so I was able to see them first thing. Once all of mom's seven grandchildren were in her house, the volume seemed to escalate rather quickly... BUT it was awesome!! Seven kids, ages 7 and under.... Scott, Caryn and the kids stayed until mid-morning, then they took their clan home for naps. Then we had the fortunate visit from my cousin Lesley and her husband Mario and their 1.5 year old son Noah... They drove all the way down from Carson City NV to visit. I was so excited to see them, plus finally have the opportunity to meet Noah! I was overwhelmed with seeing so much of my family - It was great and the day was only half way through! That afternoon, Scott and Caryn hosted a BBQ at their house in Fresno, so we all drove into town to devour some yummy Tri-tip and chicken, my brother has a wonderful talent at the grill. Caryn and Scott did a wonderful job with all of the food and their hospitality. The kids had fun playing and adults had fun visiting. One of my dearest friends Jade joined the festivities along with one of Andy's friends from flight school, Reece. That night Andy was able to go out with Reece, and two other friends from flight school. It sounded like he had a good time and made sure to see the wee hours of the night...I on the other hand was out by 9pm (but I was OK with that)! Great Day 2!

Uncle Scott is like a BIG kid - All the kids just gravitate to him!!

Here he is with ALL the kids!

Trying to get a picture with Boonya - Mick & Ivana were not interested!

Cousin Lesley & Noah!!

Mom with Nathan & Mick

Sunday, March 27th: Today my wonderful Aunt Vera and Cousin Natasha honored us by throwing John a 5th birthday party with all of his CA cousins! Natasha and her husband Mark hosted everyone at there house. It was a beautiful, sunny California day. Poor John had a hard time taking any pictures because of the sun-they poor kids has sensitive eyes just like his papa! But, besides that small fact we had a really nice time. Natasha and Aunt Vera did a great job. And everyone was so thoughtful and generous. It REALLY meant a lot to me for them to put this together for us. It's really hard for me to be away from my immediate family, especially during celebrations - so to be able to celebrate with everyone, even if it was a month early was fantastic- We really felt so loved!

My silly son, hiding from the sun as we all sing happy birthday to him-Natasha did a great job on the cupcakes. The theme was "Mickey" since we were going to Disney in a few days!

Monday, March 28th: Today was a pretty laid back day. My mom the boys and I went into Fresno to run a few errands. Andy stayed back and did a little work. That evening mom made her famous tacos and The Kochergen clan came over along with my girls, Kim and Jade... We all enjoyed a scrumptious dinner, then we had the opportunity to go to Naomi's first softball game of the season! She did great and we are so proud of her!!

Tuesday, March 29th: Today was also another laid back day. We ran around a lot visiting people I wanted to see and even made it out to the cemetery to put flowers on my dad's headstone. It was the anniversary of his death, 3 years ago... Time flies, but I am glad we were able to make the time to do that. I am finally at peace with that situation, so it didn't damper our day at all, it was just a part of the day. That night, Andy the boys & I went over to Scott's for pizza and to visit, since it was our last day we would be in Kerman. Caryn started her new job, so unfortunately we didn't get to see her but we had fun with Scott and the kiddos!

Scarlette & John

Playing baseball....

Scarlette trying to help William

William & Uncle Scott

John & Uncle Scott

Wednesday, March 30: Today we traveled down to Southern California - Whittier to be exact! Mom and my niece Naomi joined us! We stayed at my grandmas house. It's awesome because she is only about 15-20 minutes from Disneyland!! They drive went smoothly, it was about 4 hours with potty stops!

Nathan & John hanging out before we left

Aunt Katie with the kiddos, before we hit the road!!

Thursday, March 31st: DISNEYLAND!!!!!! This morning we were out the door by 8:15am, off to the Magic Kingdom! We were all thrilled. The boys actually had a surprise when we arrived... Their Opa (Andy's dad) surprised the boys at the gate. He drove over from Yuma, to spend the day with us. It was a great surprise and we were happy to join us. The day went rather smoothly. There were a few melt downs by the boys, I think a lot had to do with the heat. It was 93 degrees that day!! That's hot for us! But overall, it was a fun day!! John's favorite ride of the days was the Haunted House and William surprised us by liking roller coasters! He went on all of them! We only lasted till about 7:30pm that night. But we left early and met Opa for dinner. By the time we got home about 9:30 that night all the kiddos were sound asleep...Good first day!

1st Ride - Teacups!

In line at Mr. Toads wild Ride

Andy's favorite ride...

Pirates!! 1st time around

Andy & William waiting!

Three Stash men generations....

John on Donald's ship

Williams 1st Roller coaster!!!! He and Andy are in the 2nd cart from the front (mom and Naomi are in the fist cart)

Hanging out in Mickey's house...on his couch!

Meeting MICKEY!!!!

John was heaven!!

William got shy and didn't want to pose with Mickey, but Naomi & John were thrilled too!

Mom & John on the Buzz light year ride!

On Dumbo! Poor William, it was hot!

Friday, April 1st: Second, and last day at Disneyland. We started off the day at California adventures, then made our way back to Disney. Today wasn't as hot, and by the time evening fell the weather was perfect. It was another great day!!

THREE SLEEPY KIDS, after 2 very long days........

Saturday, April 2nd: Our last full day in CA. We decided to go to Seal Beach for the day! My mom had two friends she wanted to visit there, and it gave the boys and Naomi a chance to see the Pacific Ocean! It was an overcast day and a little chilly...but it didn't stop us from putting our feet in the water and playing in the sand. After all of that fun, we walked down main street and ate lunch at Walt's Warf, then after a scoop of cold stone ice cream, the boys, Andy and I took a stroll down the pier while mom and Naomi were visiting her friend. The boys were fascinated watching the surfers and we all got a kick of watch everyone fish off the pier. It was a great way to end an awesome week!

Sunday, April 3rd: The shuttle picked up us at 3:30 in the morning... It was the easiest way to get to LAX for a 6:00am flight. We were really lucky to get out with all the problems Southwest had with their planes that weekend. Once on the plane, all four of us crashed. It made the 3 hour 29 minute flight to Chicago a piece of cake. When we got in we were ready for lunch and had a little time to grab a bite to eat.... then it was back on the plane for the quick 29 minute flight into Indy. There was a HUGE wind storm going on so the take off and landing was a little rocky , but we made it! It was great to see YaYa, the dog, and happy to be home in our own beds!

Praise God for a wonderful family vacation - I am truly counting our blessings right now. And thank you to all of my wonderful family and friends who made it such a great trip!!

Family Day

2011-03-12T19:33:00.004-05:00

Yeah! It's Saturday!!

Nothing to exciting about today, but the fact that it was Saturday we decided to take it easy and spend a little time together. Andy has been working longer days (so thankful he is happy and loves his job) and has school two nights a week this session, which makes it hard for us "all" to spend quality time together.

The boys started off the day playing in the backyard-it was gorgeous this morning, bright, sunny, somewhat warm.... had fun all before the wind picked up. Then the decision was made to head to the movies. We watched "Rango" featuring Johnny Deep as the main "lizard".... It was OK. We thought both the boys and us would enjoy it, but personally I was disappointed. They showed most of the good parts in the trailer, so we had a few laughs throughout the movie. The main point, was the boys had a good time, even if the thrill was just getting out of the house and watching a movie on the big screen. William kept leaning over to me whispering "Mom, I love you!" He just melts my heart. After the movie we headed home had a little lunch and then Andy and the boys played video games in the basement, while I had the opportunity to work on laundry interruption free and clean up our bedroom, since that always seems to fall last on my list.

After a break from video games, the boys headed outside to toss the baseball and I ran to the market, so we could have "make your own pizza" night.

The boys again were thrilled, to help.... it's the theme this year in our house. I chopped up all the veggies and cooked up some bacon, then the boys were able to assemble their own pizzas - William was a cheese, bacon and tomato guy and John was a cheese, bacon and black olive guy. Mommy was even able to eat pizza because she found a "gluten free" pizza crust at the market. Yes you heard that right... I am now on a gluten free diet. It's not my choice, doctors orders. I had some allergy testing done and found out this week I have a sensitivity to gluten. It's something I will have to deal with the rest of my life. Since I have cut gluten out I have felt so much better... so maybe the doc knows what she is talking about. All the pizza's turned out yummy. It really turned out to be a nice, lazy, laid back day. I love all three of my men and feel so blessed I was able to spend the day with them!!

Pictures from our pizza night....

Patiently waiting for his pizza to cool off!

Pizza sauce on his face, before he eats his pizza....

Big Boy Beds

2011-03-05T07:59:00.000-05:00

We hit another milestone in the Stash family today (I do realize we are probably a few years late, especially with John) BUT we purchased twin beds for the boys!!

They had been sleeping in their "Convertible cribs" that were smaller, almost like a toddler bed. It seemed to be just fine. But they were still sleeping on the crib mattresses and occasionally they enjoyed sleeping in the guest bed and we just figured they might sleep better on "real" mattresses and "real beds".

I did some research on beds to purchase and we decided on beds from Ikea. We love Ikea! We traveled to the one in Cincinnati OH, its roughly two hours from our door and actually a pretty pleasant and easy drive. We took two cars so we could put down the seats in the Volvo and get everything home. We had no problems getting it all in the Volvo-even the mattresses! I think we made record timing we were on the road about 9am and back to Indy by 3pm-This trip was all business, but it was successful business.

When we got home Andy got to work putting the beds together and about an hour and half later two little boys had two new beds. I then fixed the beds with their new sheets, and comforters. Their room is almost complete- All I have left in there is to take off the old wall paper and paint the walls and put in a ceiling fan. But I am thrilled we are moving in the right direction.

The boys were so excited to sleep in their new beds tonight. I caught myself just staring at them after they fell asleep last night. I am already pretty emotional watching my boys grow up, it does go by so fast. But it felt like yesterday I was rocking them to sleep and laying them in their cribs.... and now they get themselves ready for bed, they brush their own teeth, and sleep in big boy beds!! I feel so blessed... I have two healthy, beautiful boys!

William "First night" in his new bed!

John hiding from the camera- It was a long day and he was tired!

There's a Wocket in my Pocket!

2011-03-03T09:22:00.002-05:00

Day 2 of Dr. Seuss

Today was Wacky Hat or Wacky Dress day at school.... and since I had trouble finding a "wacky hat" we decided to go with the "Wacky Dress" option.

Again, I am not super creative, but the boys wore mismatched clothes, clothes on inside out and backwards, and they had on a tie.... It was cute!

Here is the artwork we "created"

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish!

2011-03-01T16:40:00.003-05:00

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!!
(A day Early...)

This week at the boys school they are celebrating the birthday of Dr. Seuss! The boys are participating in a "Really Remarkable Reading" Challenge- Which is to read or have read to them 15 books in a week. We are over half way through our list. We really enjoy that time together each night. It's really easy to let it slip by, so having this reminder/challenge has been a good jump start for us to get back on track.

This week at school, to help celebrate the silly books of Dr. Seuss, Tuesday (today) was "Silly Sock Day" Yesterday the boys and I searched high and low to find "Silly Socks"! We finally ended up in the ladies hosiery department, were there we found some "Silly Socks" (well silly enough for little boys) it so much fun to incorporate activities like this to help the kids learn and remember!! Stay turned ... because Thursday is "Crazy hat or dress day", not sure yet what that will hold...

Here are the boys this morning with their "Silly Socks"!

Yes, they are wearing their socks 1980's style... the only way I could figure out how to show them off!

Ice, Ice baby

2011-02-12T16:18:00.003-05:00

Many of you experienced and some of you just heard about the "GREAT ICE STORM of 2011" that Indiana had the pleasure of experiencing this year.

Let me just tell you - (I don't really like this word...But have no other way to put it) IT SUCKED!

School was closed all week, work was closed for 2 days.... and just walking to the mailbox you had to risk your life. It was unbelievable dangerous. Besides one small slip by clumsy me, everyone seemed to make it through OK. It took almost a week to get the driveway cleared off once the temperature rose a bit. Even then, we were picking up Huge chunks of ice. Our little helpers enjoyed the task of moving the ice out of the way.

We are SO glad spring is around the corner!!

Super Hero Fantasy

2011-01-31T16:14:00.002-05:00

John decided he wanted to be a Super Hero today.....

He had his special "Wobble Gobble Glasses".....

And a cape!

LOVE imaginations of little boys!

Chex Mix Party

2011-01-31T15:58:00.001-05:00

John had a playdate scheduled with a friend, this day - SO William and I decided to cook up some homemade Chex Mix. We made seasoned Chex Mix and we also made Muddy Buddies (The sweet version of the yummy Chex mix).

I love both my boys equally-Let me state that. BUT having them so close in age it makes it really hard to have special, quality time with them individually. I really cherish the days when I can spend some "special" time with just one of my fabulous sons at a time!

Here are a few snap shots of my "little Chef"!

Christmas cleaning....

2011-01-22T15:02:00.002-05:00

The date was January 22, 2011 - the day the Stash Family FINALLY took down their Christmas decorations and completed "The After Christmas Cleaning"!

The boys REALLY wanted to help and how could I say no. Once we got all of the Christmas decorations down the layers of dust were very apparent... pretty sad! It's funny how during the holiday's things like "dusting" get put to the way-side (or at least in our family it does). Andy carried all of the boxes back down to the basement storage. The boys first task was DUSTING!!! I directed them and taught them, hopefully this will be a skill they keep into adulthood, and hopefully something both their wives will appreciate! (And to be honest I am just taking advantage of the fact they enjoy helping mom at this age....because I know someday in the future, housework will be the last thing on their mind!)

They did a really good job. After dusting, they cleaned the windows, vacuumed and mopped using the new Shark mommy received for Christmas! Vacuuming was a HUGE milestone. John has been terrified of the vacuum for the past 4 years. ANYTIME I ran the vacuum he would freak out... I personally think it was the noise. But somehow he got out of his comfort zone and decided he wanted to Vacuum. I was so very proud of him, for taking that small leap!

The room look fabulous after we were done - I feel so blessed to have the greatest little helpers in the world!

Bringing in 2011!!

2011-01-02T19:06:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year family and friends!

It's hard to believe 2011 is here - it feels like just yesterday I was kid and this year I will be 31!! Hard to believe. But with age comes some awesome and sometimes challenging events. Two of my favorite "events" have been marrying Andy and then having our two little blessings John and William. Last year seemed to fly by, as I am sure this year will too. BUT I am going to do my hardest to keep up on my blog, just to be able to document this life we have been blessed with (Good and bad!).

This year was a quiet NYE for us, we decided to go out to dinner at Steak n'Shake (I think we were the only ones in the restaurant :) Then we spent the rest of the night just hanging out, ready to begin a fresh new year. I don't know what this year has in store for us, but I welcome it with open arms.

I don't have any "pictures" to post this time, but I have a little video I took at the restaurant - For Christmas Andy bought a new Camcorder and I am having a blast just filming, basically anything.... Enjoy! And Happy New Year!

Little Prairie

2010-04-10T14:31:00.006-04:00

Today we spent some time out at Conner Prairie. This was our first time taking the "entire" park in! It is really a fun spot to take the kids. There is a barn called "Animal Encounters" were babies and their mom's just hang out. You can pet them, brush them and hold them. It is a great experience. The animals seem to love it to. You can continue on into Prairie town and check out homes of the 1800's, learn how they made pottery and wood crafted things. I was really surprised at how interactive it was-and how much my 2 and 3 year old enjoyed it. Glad we have memberships....it looks like a new favorite stomping ground for the family.

New week old baby and her mommy

The boys petting a baby chick

William and the Goat!

Baby Goat!

The boys canoeing in an old Indiana canoe.

William!!

Turning the mill

Getting ready to make pottery

This beautiful sheep was out grazing and enjoyed us visiting

All the boys wanted to do was pet the lamb...ONLY a WEEK old!!

Brushing the goats hair

Riding the "horse"

Holding the baby chicks

This lamb was SO CUTE!!!

Easter Sunday

2010-04-04T14:32:00.007-04:00

What a beautiful day to rejoice in the Lord and have a little fun!! We are blessed in so many ways! After church this morning, the boys had a little visit from the Easter bunny, then a fun egg hunt all topped of with new bikes!! It's been a fine day. Those two little boys make it all worth it!

Happy Easter many blessings to you and your Family!

Before church pictures....

After church pictures, with Easter basket surprises!

William loves his Ducky.

John putting together his puzzle

William on an Egg hunt!

Beautiful Daffodils in the yard...spring is here!

Eating the prize-jelly beans

Blowing bubbles!

John on his new "Big Wheel"

Video of the boys getting their bikes......

Easter Weeknd in Madison IN

2010-04-04T14:15:00.005-04:00

This was our second year in a row that we have started off Easter weekend in Madison Indiana for a nice family gathering. This year we took off on Friday afternoon, stopped at the fun outlets for a little shopping and then headed down south. This year we stayed at Clifty Inn at the wonderful state park Clifty Falls....Saturday we spent the afternoon at cousin David and Elizabeth's house. There was yummy food, good conversation and the boys enjoyed chasing after chickens-and trying to pet horses. It was a great way to start off the holiday weekend.

Dad and the boys taking a picture looking over the Ohio River.....

William sitting next to the "Bobcat" in the Nature room.

Chasing the Dog!!

Cheese and crackers anyone?

William and Hailey looking at the goats.

Oh Williams!

Pure Country!

81 Degrees on April 1st - Is this a joke??

2010-04-02T08:10:00.007-04:00

No joke, it was BEAUTIFUL today!!! We got a little taste of summer today and took in every ounce of it. From the time the boys woke up till the time they went down, they played so hard and had so much fun outside it was unbelievable. I have NO idea were they get their energy from!! Tricia had a great idea for dinner, she picked up some KFC after work and we all met down at Broad Ripple park for a little play time and dinner. It was great. This year the boys are little "adventurer's", they are "growing up" in a sense and just enjoying taking off together and playing on the playground, It's kinda cool! To top off the evening, since Broad Ripple park is right next to the White River. Andy brought his fishing pole and we headed down to the boat launching area so dad could cast a few lines. The boys enjoyed watching a kayak-er float by along with a big, fast boat.... William enjoyed it so much he did not want to leave the river. We made it home and ended the day with fudgesicles and playing in the front yard.... it totally makes it worth the long, cold winter and the wait to enjoy days/nights like this!!

And the fun begins!!

Screaming "CHEEEESSSEE"!!

William loves to climb!

Look how cute he is!!

And, him too...

Love the slide!

William decided to go down the slide "head first" - he just laughed and got up!!

This was John reading William "The Park Rules" (Actually its just a plaque talking about the park) But I didn't have the heart to correct John, in a way it was pretty cute.

William loves to find sticks

Not sure what's going on here - But gosh he is cute!

More sticks!

Best Buddies

LOVE IT!!

A little Easter Painting

2010-03-29T20:18:00.004-04:00

Kids and painting = LOTS of fun!!! I found these great little "painting" kits at the Dollar Store. It came with two poster boards, palette of paint and a paint brush-ALL for a dollar, so I got two, one for each of them. After naps, we ventured into our artistic mode and had a little fun painting. I didn't realize how much fun the boys would have. Now I wouldn't call the boys Picasso, yet..but at least thy had a good time!

Monkey Joe's

2010-03-29T20:05:00.005-04:00

Monkey Joe's is a bounce house in the neighborhood. Our friend Lilly turned 4 on March 25th and we joined her for a few hours bouncing and then we ate at Lilly's favorite restaurant the Kolache Factory and we ate our very first Kolache's! Gotta love turning 4!!

Little Mozart??

2010-03-29T20:00:00.003-04:00

I have said it before and I will say it again - My boys LOVE music.... here they are playing us a few tunes before bed!

Swimming at the Middle School

2010-03-29T19:51:00.003-04:00

We had a call from Cousin Libby to see if the boys were interested in having swim lessons with their cousin Eli. Matt & Jesse Terrell, some more cousins, are lifeguards and have swam for many, many years and offered to give the three little boys swim lessons so they will be ready for this summer! Our first attempt at getting us all together was a few weeks ago. Unfortunately Matt & Jesse we held up with a previous engagement, but we decided to still let the boys play in the pool a bit! They love the water these days.

What can I say-they are just cute!!

Cousin Eli!!

John telling Ya-Ya something funny!

Hilton Fun

2010-03-29T17:16:00.005-04:00

My wonderful, hard working mother-in-law, was the top SC (Solution Consultant) in 2 regions and was awarded by IKON a two night stay in downtown Indy at the Hilton. During Saturday of her stay she invited Andy, myself and the boys down for lunch, a stroll around Monument Circle and then swimming at the hotel! We lucked out that day and the sun was shinning, it was a little chilly out but we enjoyed taking in the sites of downtown-we are lucky to live in such a beautiful city. After our walk we just had to make a stop by the chocolate store for a little treat! A great way to spend a Saturday in early March! We are so proud of our Ya-Ya!!

William Coloring while patiently waiting for his food.

John with that adorable smile.

Ya-Ya and her boys!

William enjoying a little Parsnip soup-That boys loves soup!

Dad with John singing "Cheese"

The boys looking down from the top floor of the Hilton, they were a little scared at first...

Dad and William around the circle.

A view of the State Capital

Dad, Mom and William trying to get a shot together!

John happy eating his white chocolate covered pretzels.

William LOVED his chocolate covered strawberry.

Rainy Day

2010-01-21T14:34:00.004-05:00

This week has been a kinda slow week in the Stash House. We haven't really had much on the calendar that was planned, so we have sorta just enjoyed playing in.... After a few days of that everyone needs a little something different to do. Today the skies opened up and Indianapolis received a little rain! What could be more fun then getting bundled up, putting on our rain boots, grabbing the umbrella's and playing in the rain!! The boys were so cute, they insisted on walking all over the front yard. They also got a lesson on holding an umbrella - I have to remember things that come so naturally to us, because we have done it for 25+ years are sometimes new to the boys. It was a great way to get a little fresh air and break up our day!

Colts Fever

2010-01-19T09:53:00.001-05:00

It is football playoff time... And the Indianapolis Colt's will be playing in the playoff game this Saturday to determine if they make it to the Superbowl!! There is an electricity in the city of Indianapolis with hopes that the Colts go the whole way... The Stash family is right there with the rest of the city. I had some store credit at the local kids second hand store so I decided to pop in and see if they had any Colts shirts for the boys... just my luck they did!! They boys were so excited, they were going to be "Colts Boy's" ... I just love it!

Winter Zoo Fun

2010-01-19T09:45:00.002-05:00

The mercury got up to an unusually 40 degrees in the middle of January and we decided it would be a great day to head out to the zoo. We packed our lunches and had a "picnic" - (inside the zoo cafeteria) Then took a leisurely walk through the zoo. It was a different type of experience, because in the winter time half of the exhibits are closed because of the cold weather, so we took our time and checked out a lot of the indoor exhibits and looked at stuff we normally don't see! Here are a few pictures from the adventure....

Stash vs Jonas Brothers

2010-01-19T09:37:00.002-05:00

I just know someday they will be famous.... how can you not with a performance like this!!

Enjoy the video!

Wedding Fun

2010-01-19T09:22:00.005-05:00

On January 2, 2010 we had the honor of attending Bill & Mindy Ferguson. This was the boys 2nd wedding.... and they had a blast, actually we all did!

The boys were a bit crabby at first because their silly mom failed to bring any snacks... but once dinner came around everything was great!! They consumed red velvet cake (and got it everywhere) and boogied on the dance floor all night with cousins... It was so fun to watch!

NYE 2009

2010-01-19T09:17:00.002-05:00

New's Eve we spent most of the evening at "Eli's House" as John and William refer to it!! The Manships, had the family over for a night of pizza, games and great conversation.

All the boys had a blast playing together-we let them stay up till crashed basically. Around 10:30pm we decided to put on the "Car's Movie" and let the boys cuddle in Mike & Libby's bed! It was a great way to bring in the New Year!

Snow Playing

2009-12-29T21:19:00.006-05:00

Today we decided it was time to "attempt" making a snowman...key word there is "Attempt"!! Now, me being a California native and Andy mostly growing up in Arizona, we did not get much practice making snowman. This will be the first of many, I'm sure of it... but either way it was just great to get out and enjoy a little sunshine and fresh air. William defiantly was a lot more interested in "building" something and John just wanted to eat the snow!! He had to get a lesson in what snow was "OK" to eat! He kept insisting on grabbing the white stuff off of the nasty driveway...oh well, what can we do!! After several attempts at the snowman, we gave up and decided to get out the sand buckets and just use them as snow buckets instead! It all worked out just fine.

Christmas Morning

2009-12-29T20:56:00.006-05:00

The family had a great Christmas this year. No big bells or whistles....but enough to make us all happy. The boys were thrilled Santa came to visit!! They received a ton of great gifts, enough to keep them busy during the next few cold months! They were so excited to play with each toy, we had to take about a 20 minute break between every present...It was great to see their little eyes light up!

Video of the boys coming down the stairs Christmas morning

Christmas Eve

2009-12-24T22:07:00.005-05:00

Christmas Eve 2009- Wow where did the year go???
Today was a very pleasant day!! We have been living in Indiana for two years now and this was the first year we were able to start our own "family traditions" in the Stash House for Christmas!! Our first year we just moved in the week before so it was really hard to really do anything and last year we were able to visit my family in California, which was great-BUT this year I was really excited to set up traditions hopefully the boys will remember into their adult hood. I have such fond memories of Christmas, that to this day bring a tear of joy with those happy thoughts. And this year, the boys, for the first time really understand the whole picture of Christmas. Especially the part about it being Jesus' birthday. It makes me feel like a kid all over again, seeing Christmas through their eyes!! Today the boys started off making ornaments with YaYa to decorate the front living room Christmas tree. Then they were able to help me roll out and bake cookies to decorate for Santa. After naps, I made up the frosting and we all sat down and decorated the cookies!! The boys were on a complete sugar high after that... dinner quickly followed, then we headed to church for the Christmas Eve service. After we got home, everyone had one present waiting for them- Christmas PJ's and one extra little thing for the boys, a movies called the "Polar Express". We all changed into our new PJ's and snuggled in front of the TV and watched the magical movie....It was just a great day!! The boys are now snug in bed and as John said "I hope we can hear Santa Say "Ho,Ho, Ho!!!" Merry Christmas Eve!

Christmas at Trader's Point Creamery

2009-12-19T20:13:00.006-05:00

Today we spent the morning out at Trader's Point Creamery. They have an annual "Christmas at the Barn" celebration. In the "Big" barn they have a big farmer's market with Santa & live Christmas music. Down on the farm they have hayrides out to the free-range cows and reindeer to pet! Today happened to be a very snowy day in Indianapolis so we did not take the hayride, but we did go to visit the baby cows. We have seen them early this year but I think I could see baby cows every day and never get tired of them!! We finished up with lunch at "The Loft" - The boys had fresh chocolate milk, strawberry smoothies & of course Ice cream!! And Tricia and I ate wonderful farm Fresh burgers!!

William REALLY wanted to pet the chicken!

Paper ring "Hats"! Anything to kill the time!

Gingerbread House

2009-12-19T19:17:00.003-05:00

On the last day of school before Christmas break John's teachers invited the parents to class for the last hour for some Christmas fun! We had no idea what to expect but we knew it was going to be something messy! John greeted me at his classroom door, with a beautiful gift of photo magnets & a beautiful shining star. He proceeded to walk me to the table and sat me down in front of a gingerbread house frame! John and I decorated it over the next hour and marveled at our masterpiece! We made it home and I wanted to get pictures, since this was the first gingerbread house I made with John!! Next year I plan on making at least two with both my boys....hopefully a yearly Christmas tradition.
P.S.-The house made it till that evening then little pieces of candy started getting picked off and finding its way into little boys mouth!!

School Christmas Program

2009-12-19T18:39:00.003-05:00

Tuesday, December 15th was the annual preschool Christmas program! Now that both boys attend preschool we had the pleasure of watching both of them preform. They both talked about it for a good month or so because they had been practicing for probably the last three months. Once they both got on they stage they froze a bit, but didn't cry. It was still pretty cute. The pictures and video are not "great" but you get the idea. Enjoy!

William did not want to take a picture!!!

Daddy & the Boys

Everybody say "Cheese"!

John up on the stage with & his friend Carter

John easily distracted by his tie!

Christmas at the Zoo 2009

2009-12-14T22:01:00.004-05:00

Tonight we ventured out as a family to visit the Indianapolis Zoo for the first time at Christmas!! It was truly magical!! Being the emotional sap I am. I held back "tears of Joy" driving into the Zoo, looking at all the lights and decorations. I think what gets me the most is that Christmas is magical for so many reasons, the main reason is celebrating our Lord and Savior's birthday, and how "magical" that whole event was....then getting wrapped up in fantasy, letting your troubles and worries go and just enjoying every part of this holiday season. Then just watching Christmas through John and Williams eyes-this is the first year they "get" everything. From setting up the Christmas tree and decorating it, to wrapping Christmas presents, having parties, and then cuddling at the end of every night reading our "Bible Story" about Jesus' Birth....It is all just so calming and peaceful to me.....And tonight the boys did really great looking at all the beautiful displays and then just having the courage to sit on Santa's Lap! I really look forward to making this a family tradition every year...and I hope every year I have the same reaction "Tears of Joy"!

1st Snow Day of the Season

2009-12-14T21:46:00.002-05:00

On December 7, Indianapolis received its first measurable snow of the season. Just about an inch...and just enough to get two little boys SO Excited! To mark the occasion of Christmas and of the "first snow", instead of the normal "Cocoa Milk" in the morning we decided to try "Hot Cocoa" with whip cream! The boys loved it. I didn't know how they would react to a "hot" liquid but they did great. William called it "Coffee" because mommy drinks coffee out of mugs like that. They quickly ate some breakfast and begged and pleaded to go out and "play in the snow"! It wasn't even 9am yet, but we all got bundled up in our snow clothes and headed out. I decided to shovel the driveway while the boys ran around, attempting to make snowmen and throw snow balls... it was a good morning! We lasted about an hour then it was time to go in. I did really well having them prepared for the snow except one major thing...the right kind of gloves! I felt so bad that their little hands were so cold, but they didn't seem to mind! (I'm now prepared for the next "snow day")!!

It's getting COLD ...even for puppies!

2009-12-06T21:40:00.001-05:00

Shiloh's little sweater...not much more to say then that!

Ties & Belts!

2009-12-06T21:31:00.003-05:00

I love taking either a family picture or pictures of the boys for our annual Christmas Card. I recently bought the boys their first "Dress Shirt" with Tie and "belts". Mainly to wear to their Aunt Kimmy's wedding but they were so excited to wear them I thought they would be perfect Christmas card attire!! They LOVED the fact that they could dress up like "daddy"... I will say it again...it is so hard to get the "perfect pose" with a 3 & 2 year old...but these make me laugh. AND of course we had to add Shiloh in there!

Rock & Roll

2009-12-06T20:39:00.005-05:00

John is completely in love with music....especially any opportunity he can get to play in a band he takes it up. He uses whatever he can find to "create" guitars, drums...whatever you can name. He and William were in the basement playing and John came upstairs and asked if I would come down and be in the audience while his "band" performed...I couldn't pass this opportunity up! Check out the guitar and just listen to the video ...you will be amazed. I believe we have future "Stars" living with us!

Leaves, Leaves & More Leaves

2009-11-07T11:05:00.004-05:00

Living with BIG beautiful trees = lots of leaves come fall!!

Our project these days is picking up as many leaves as we can. The boys have figured out how "fun" leaves are. They see a pile and just run in it, swim in it and hide in it....It's pretty cute. I thought I should get it on camera so someday when they are teenagers and hate racking up leaves I can remind them how much fun they used to have!!

William and Spaghetti

2009-11-02T08:10:00.003-05:00

This is video of William eating Spaghetti last night....just made us laugh, I hope it will do the same for you!!

Halloween 2009

2009-10-31T23:39:00.003-04:00

Tonight the boys went out Trick or Treating for the first time...I was pretty surprised they did pretty good! They made sure to say "Happy Halloween" and "Thank You", so I was a proud mama! We made the "rounds" of our street, then headed around the block. By then the the boys had enough and where ready to come home and "try" to ingest some of the candy they just scored. I let them have three pieces each, PLENTY of candy for them to have at 7 o'clock at night!! The enjoyed the next hour telling me when kids where coming to "trick or treat" at our house! It was pretty fun to watch-They were just amazed at all the kids coming to the door. Here are a few pictures of their cute Halloween outfits....they both insisted on being "Bees"!

Zoo Boo

2009-10-29T20:35:00.004-04:00

This afternoon we took a trip down to the Zoo for Zoo Boo!! This was our first year attending the event. The zoo decorates the entire grounds with Halloween decorations and they have various activities for the kids and of course Trick or Treat stations!! There were a lot of people out today, but it was still fun.... I think mom may have even enjoyed it more then the boys. We met our friends, Lilly & Ella who were dressed as a cowgirl on a horse & Indian and Luke and Nicholas who were dressed a Darth Vader and a pumpkin... these four kiddos are John and Williams closest friends!! We lucked out too the weather was perfect....here are a few pictures from the event!

William, John, Lilly & Ella

John & Lilly

Looking at the Bears!!!

William at least cooperated with this group picture!

John hiding from the camera!!

Pumpkin Shirts

2009-10-29T14:56:00.004-04:00

A few weeks ago the MOPS group that I am a part of had a "Mom's Night In" and we Tie Dyed Pumpkin shirts for the kids. I must say I haven't tie dyed shirts since I was probably 7...but it was fun. Especially after seeing the final product. Today at school was "friendly costume" dress up day-since Halloween is on Saturday. I decided to send the boys to school in the Pumpkin Shirts I made. I really wanted to get some pictures of these two cute boys so I got them dressed and bribed them with a cookie to smile for the camera.... You gotta use bribery every now and then!! Here are the few of the snap shots I took!

Pumpkins!!!

2009-10-25T22:00:00.004-04:00

Today, we went to the pumpkin patch after church.

We took a little ride out to Noblesville Indiana, to Stoney Creek Farms. They have the annual "Pumpkin Festival" that last through Halloween. Once you get in, you get your tickets and take a "hayride" out to the pumpkin patch (which happens to also be a Christmas Tree farm). The weather happened to be a perfect Indiana Fall day - sun shinning and 70 degrees! The boys took their time finding the "right" pumpkin- but we ended up with about 4 from the field. When we headed back, John and William wanted to ride on the pumpkin train so we got in line. When it was time to bored William freaked out and decided to stay with Mama, and John went alone. He had so much fun they both decided to throw 2 & 3 year temper tantrums as we left the festival. But those were easily remedy with custard from the "Custard Shoppe". John was the first to finish his and then he decided he needed to "help" William finish his.... William graciously let him. It was a fine way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

Colts Stadium- But No Colts!

2009-10-25T21:54:00.002-04:00

We had the opportunity to watch High School football games at Lucus Oil stadium, just a few weeks ago!

Although we missed seeing "The Colts" it was great having the whole stadium to ourselves like that. The boys had fun.....But the biggest attraction for them was the cotton candy of course, blue cotton candy to be exact!

Apple Picking

2009-10-25T20:24:00.003-04:00

It's Fall! The leaves are turning, the mornings and evenings are nice and chilly... and that means APPLES are ready to be picked and eaten!

The boys headed out to Tuttle Orchards for the first time. Both John and William were able to pull around a little red wagon, and pick whatever apple they wanted to off of the tree. After all the apple picking is done, Tuttle's has a great play area for the kids to run around in. Gotta Love fall in Indiana!

Lake Geneva, WI

2009-10-25T20:17:00.003-04:00

Sunday we had to start making the trip home from our mini vacation. We made the decision to take the scenic route through Wisconsin and headed a little west to Lake Geneva.... I just gotta say, if you are looking for a great spot to visit or vacation, Lake Geneva is the spot. It is gorgeous, and lots of activities to do!

One stop we absolutely had to make was the Ice Cream shop!

Attempting to get a family picture!!

Milwaukee Trip

2009-10-25T19:41:00.009-04:00

We had a busy summer - mostly play dates, going to the park, and of course the splash pad. With everyone working so hard, there was not much time to take a "summer vacation". We decided to take our "summer vacation" the weekend after Labor Day! Trying to avoid all of the holiday traffic and people. Our initial thought was just to head up to Chicago for a long weekend, BUT U2 decided to kick off it's American tour that same weekend, and there was not a hotel in sight. So we started looking at our other options. Milwaukee was only another hour north of Chicago so we decided to go there. Andy had visited there on a business trip and said it was a great city! So off began our trip to Wisconsin!! We arrived late Friday night, the boys handled the trip pretty well. We got the car unloaded and kids in bed and we were ready to start a fresh day on Saturday!

We decided to get out of the hotel for breakfast and headed out and about looking for something to fill our belly's! After cruising around we found a Bruegger's Bagels and decided to stop there. It was a treat for Andy since we had not had the chance to eat at one since we left Tucson!

Chocolate Milk & Bagels- What could be better???

After breakfast we decided to take an adventure and try to find the lake Michigan.... (It wasn't too hard, we where right around the corner). We found a perfect spot that had a beach and a playground and an awesome spot to run around.

Super Cool John!

William a little intimidated by the water!

Playing in the sand!

Mama and her boys!

William and daddy threw rocks the whole time!

After fun on the beach...we found the playground!

Beautiful view of the Lake.

Staying in downtown Milwaukee, we had the option of staying at a hotel with a water park..... Later that afternoon, we had to check it out!!

We had a little down time in the hotel before dinner....John really wanted to play on the computer and William was acting wacky with daddy!

After Dinner at a great Italian place downtown, we took a nice walk along the river....The boys had fun watching the boats riding along....

1st Day of School 2009

2009-10-09T21:57:00.003-04:00

With much joy, for mommy (ha ha) - John and William started preschool on August 25th of this year. John has graduated into the "3" year old room and William was starting off this first year with all the "2"s. Both boys go to school two days a week from 9-1. It's perfect for them. They have learned so much and continue to amaze me daily. I think the hardest part for them to learn is that it is OK to be away from mommy for a few hours and take direction from someone else. They both come home with awesome little "projects" they made in class... and because it is a Christian Preschool, they get taught the values Andy and I try to place in them daily. It's just a fantastic combination. I know they are only 2 & 3 but I believe this is an awesome gift we are giving our boys...even if we have to sacrifice a little more. Here are a few great pictures of the boys excited to "Go To School"!!

Check Out the Cat & Dog in the background....Too Funny!

Williams getting a little bored.....

William Just realized he was going to school.

Camp out in the living room!

2009-08-23T22:09:00.005-04:00

Saturday night the boys and I were home alone.... Andy had to work and Tricia was out of town. I thought it would be fun for the boys and I to do something a little "out of the norm". We had pizza for dinner (that's pretty normal) I made yummy, "No Pudge" brownies from Trader Joes and we set up the couch bed in the living room, to "Camp Out" ..... I laid in the recliner and we watched the movie Beethoven. (The boys' new favorite movie) . It was pretty fun... now next time I will really get creative and bring out the boys tent...but I thought this was a good start!

First Indians Baseball Game

2009-08-23T21:55:00.007-04:00

Friday night the company Tricia and Andy work for hosted a night out at the ball game for all employees and their families. We thought this would be a great opportunity for the boys to go to their first minor league baseball game. It ended up being a beautiful day, a little chilly that night but none of us seemed to mind. The boys were excited to see the field and players.... we actually had pretty good seats. They did not really get the concept of "sitting and watching the game", they were way more excited about the cotton candy vendor walking up and down the aisle than the actual game. The big "downer" of the evening was about the 3rd inning the skies opened up and it started raining..... But I think that was OK. The boys seemed to have had their fill with baseball and just wanted the cotton candy and popcorn. We gave in before we left and let the boys experience cotton candy for the first time....they were fearless. Now why can't they be that way with green beans??

And now the cotton candy.........

School Orientation

2009-08-23T21:47:00.004-04:00

"Preschool" starts for the boys on August 25th. A week before preschool starts the school holds an orientation night for the parents and kids to meet the teachers and see their classrooms and go over a few rules and of course they always serve Ice Cream after.... so why wouldn't you go?? That night when I told the boys where we were going they went crazy and they were SO excited.....running around the house like animals. I'm not sure they really knew what we were doing....I think they were more excited about the ice cream than anything. But we wanted to look our best, clean clothes and combed hair. My little monkeys have to pose for the camera! We will see how our first day of school 2009 goes....stay tuned for the update!

More Sprinkler fun.....again

2009-08-23T21:41:00.003-04:00

I am a mom obsessed with taking pictures!! Sorry! But here are some really cute pictures of the boys playing in the sprinklers on another warm summer night..... Someday they may be completely embarrassed I let them run around practically naked in the front yard. But I guess that's just a price you pay for fun sometimes!

Sleeping babies

2009-08-23T21:35:00.003-04:00

The boys and I had a very busy day last week.... They both stayed pretty happy and showed no signs of being tired. They asked me, as some times they do to watch the "Car" movie down in the basement while they were playing. And so being the good mother I am, I put in the DVD and headed up stairs to cook dinner. (Sorry I had to toot my own horn there ;) About a half hour into the movie I heard zero noise coming from the basement except for the DVD.......This is what I found!

TWO VERY Sleepy boys!!!!!

Summer Fun, Playing in the sprinklers

2009-08-23T21:29:00.002-04:00

One of the most exciting parts of our day is ussually around 6:30 at night. Everyone is home for the night so we all like to head outside, eat some ice cream and turn on the sprinkler. My little munchkins LOVE it. The water may be too cold for you and me.....But John and William dont seem to mind. And we sort of kill two birds with one stone, boys burn off energy...lawn get's watered!!

William Turns 2!!

2009-08-06T09:28:00.005-04:00

My little baby turned 2 on July 30th. I can not believe how quickly time has flown by. A lot has happen in those two years... These little guys bring me so much joy! For William's birthday this year we just had a small family get together, I made William a Hot dog and Corn for his birthday dinner (two of his favorites) and the we had cupcakes followed by presents. I am pretty sure he had a great day!

Baking Cookies

2009-08-06T09:22:00.002-04:00

I decided the boys needed a lesson in baking cookies. I figured it would be cheaper and healthier then buying cookies at the store. These boys made me laugh the whole time. They did great dropping in the ingredients...but I couldn't help but chuckle when they started using the whisk as guitars....didn't I say the are musician's in the making?

Catching FireFlies

2009-08-06T09:16:00.002-04:00

What more can I say....Summertime in Indiana = FireFlies!!

Last 2009 Concert in The Park

2009-08-06T09:08:00.004-04:00

Tonight was the last night of the summer concerts in the park. We attended almost regularly every Tuesday night from 7-9. We would pack dinner, have a picnic and hung out with good friends. Tonight the Town of Fisher's had an extra special treat for everyone- FREE Ice Cream! My boys were ALL over it :) They Love Ice Cream...it even got John in the mood to dance a little.

1st Fishing Trip With Daddy

2009-08-06T08:58:00.003-04:00

What could be better on a LONG 4th of July weekend, then fishing with daddy?? Andy took the boys on the first of I am sure many father/son fishing trips. They headed over to a little pond not far from the house, set up & fished their little hearts out. The boys had fun and it proved to be a good experience!!

4th of July Celebration

2009-08-06T08:38:00.003-04:00

We celebrated the 4th of July this year out at Conner Prairie, enjoying the symphony of the prairie! This was our first year attending and I think we all decided it was going to be a yearly event. The boys did great (I was worried). There was lots to see, the music was great and the weather happened to be perfect. We had an extra plus that we had Uncle Pete and Aunt Peggy visiting from Tucson, and Aunt Mary and Garmie , Uncle John and Aunt Polly were able to join us.

Singing Sensation

2009-08-06T08:24:00.004-04:00

I think like every other mother out there, as soon as their children show any interest in music they think they will be the next superstar. I personally feel this way about both my boys!! They LOVE music and instruments. Here is just a sneak peak into the latest "Singing Sensation" preparing to hit the stage in the next 10 - 15 years ;) (A mom can dream, can't she!) Enjoy!!

William

2009-08-06T08:14:00.000-04:00

William woke up from his nap in a GREAT mood this day. I decided to pull out the camera and have a "mini" photo session. The camera was just eating him up. I know I am his mama, but boy he is so stinkin cute!!

The video below I was able to capture William and him say "Liiioooooon" It's pretty cute. When you ask William to roar like a Lion, what comes out is "Liioooooon" instead "Rooooaaarrr". Too Cute!

John

2009-08-06T08:06:00.000-04:00

Well, just as you suspect.....John is growing up. Quickly approaching 3 1/2 years old! He is our little helper and LOVES to help with everything. This Saturday we had gone to the farmer's market as we usually do and in our box of wonderful fresh vegetable's were some radishes. John helped Ya Ya aka Tricia cut off the tops. He put in a good effort and it was fun to watch. He felt like such a big boy!

Working at the Car Wash....

2009-06-29T14:20:00.004-04:00

It was time for the cars to "get a bath". John and William where very anxious to dive right in and help as much as they could. Here are a few pictures of them having a little fun at the car was!!

Dairy Tour

2009-06-12T16:19:00.006-04:00

Today the boys and I went on a field trip with our MOPS group to a local dairy, Trader's Point Creamery. The weather happened to be very pleasant today, thankful it didn't rain especially after the stormy week we have had. Trader's point is a certified organic farm. All of their animals are "Free range" and they produce an awesome product....There has to be something said about putting good food into your body, and how it makes you feel. The tour started off in an old barn that was brought in from another farm around the state of Indiana. It was originally made by Amish men and when they relocated they had to hire them to come and help with the reconstruction. After we walked around this beautiful barn we went down to the lower level where all the new calves lived, while they are weaning from mama. They are so sweet and just a beautiful color. The boys were able to pet them and get up close. William loved it when the little calve "licked" him. Then we moved on to see the "free range" chickens everywhere....after the tour we had the honor of sitting out on the deck eating yummy homemade Ice Cream, produced by the dairy...My boys were in heaven!!! And mess, but that's ok-part of being a kid. It was a great visit and I can't wait to go back!!

Strawberry Picking

2009-05-29T13:18:00.004-04:00

Today the boys and I experienced something new...Strawberry picking, at a strawberry farm out in Noblesville Indiana. We went along with our MOPS group and the boys actually had a fun time-and so did I!! I wasn't sure how they would do. In "new" places the boys can be very shy and not want to try new things, but they did great. William wanted me to hold him about half the time, but that was OK. I know soon he will be too big to hold and I will miss him. This is something I am looking forward to doing again!! Here are some pictures of my little men, picking strawberries for the first of I am sure, many times!

"SMILE" We are gonna pick Strawberries!

"MOM Are you done yet"????

The final product, 1 hour and $6.00 later!

The Beginning of Summer

2009-05-25T12:52:00.006-04:00

The mercury hit 85 in Indiana this last week AND for the newbies, THAT WAS HOT! OK not really that hot, but when it was in the 60's a few weeks a ago-85 is a heat wave. We had the air conditioner rolling and it was an absolutely beautiful, sunny afternoon-perfect for Sprinklers!!! It was time to break out with the swim trunks I found at Target for a wonderful price of $2.98-gotta love the clearance racks!! The boys and I attached the sprinkler head, and they were off-Kinda. William was terrified of the little sprinkler, poor guy. He mostly watched his big brother running in out of the water trying to decide what the big idea was. He had more fun just riding his "truck-truck". John covered it for the both of them with laughter & happy screams. Daddy made it home from work shortly after and joined us in the fun outside. We decided to let the boys have a little picnic dinner outside full of PB & J & Pretzels. And with a "special" treat of an ice cream cone for dinner...I am sure the summer has many more nights like this planned for us!!

Daddy, His Boys and One Sweet Kitty Cat

2009-05-25T12:21:00.006-04:00

After a long day at the office there is nothing like cuddling on the "Big Chair"......