Our Crazy life...

Life is crazy busy as usual.  But all in all...grand.  We must secretly thrive on the chaos.  That and the dirty house that comes along with it.  :)

Maxwell mastering his new ride.

Miles' too large hat for keeping the sun at bay

Max interviewing for "Lakeville Ink"...his latest profession.

Ahhh...baby kisses!

Mama's little punkin'!

As you can see...the kids are just growing like weeds.



My babies are growing up! Brad just told me the other day that he sometimes wished Max could stay this way forever.  He's so fun and such a hoot to be around.  Even when he's being a naughty little monkey...he's pretty entertaining!



Miles is so long.  And he must be going through a growth spurt...it will be interesting to see how his 6mo stats are later this month.  He was in the 97th percentile for height at 4 months.  He continues to wow everyone around him with what a sweetie he is.  He's just such a good natured little guy!



And Mike...my baby!  Started his 1st job tonight.  Where you ask?!  Well, at IJ NATURALLY!  :)  He was actually very excited to get on the schedule and I have no doubt he'll be one of the best smoothie makers around!  Who else will take after our smoothie empire when we are gone?!  LOL!



Other than that...my parents closed on the sale of their house today.  It's wierd to think that I'll never enter that home again.  I thought I'd get the opportunity to take pictures, but didn't get to it.  Thankfully I took the boys with me and we dropped off some smoothies to my parents, sister, and Mike (who was helping them move and clean all weekend), so I did get to do a quick walk through.  I guess it's just a home...and the memories that I have just took place there...but really the important shell of the memories are the people and fun times we had together.  :)  I plan on sending the new owners a card wishing them many years of joy and happy memories in that house.  They have 3 little ones and I hope they enjoy growing up in it as much as I did!  :)

The twins...

What a day...what a day!



The boys kept me hoppin'! Michael came home this afternoon...just in time to go on a nice walk with us. We had a nice time and the weather was wonderful!



I think Max's bedtime needs some tweaking. He used to sleep so perfectly when he went to bed around 6pm. He'd rarely wake before 7:30 and many times he'd sleep until 8am. Lately we've been letting him stay up later and later because it stays so light for so long in the summer and it seems so odd to have him to go sleep sooner, but this kid needs a lot of rest otherwise he's just a barrel of fun. NOT!

He's been waking earlier and earlier and taking shorter naps as well...so all in all...he's getting less sleep. Not a good combo for Max. So, tonight I decided to put him to bed at 6pm. I left his room by 6:10 and then the protesting began. The little stubborn one cried (not screaming...just protest crying) for about a 1/2 hour and then concked out. He fell asleep just about the same time that I was putting Miles in his crib after his nighttime feeding. Perfect timing...how'd that happen?! Anyway, it must have been a good move to get him to bed earlier because he fell right asleep after he got tired of crying and lately he's been playing in his crib for sometimes over 1 1/2 hours after we put him to bed. I know he's tired. Guess we'll see how tomorrow night plays out...we might go back to a 6/6:15 bedtime for monkey. We'll see how early he wakes tomorrow morning. But, sleep begets sleep...so hopefully it's no earlier than 7am! Now, Miles is another story! :)



Actually, little Miles is a pretty good sleeper. He usually takes a 2 hour nap and then a 2 1/2 - 3 hour nap each day and then he only wakes once at night to nurse. Lately he's been sleeping until after 3:30am (bedtime is between 6:30/7pm) and many times closer to 5am...which has been wonderful!

Speaking of sleep...I'm off to eat a little icecream and then crawling into bed myself! :) Sweet dreams!

Home alone

Max with Maggie (the neighbor dog)

He discovered that his new "ride" is not so scary afterall! Weeeeee!

Uh oh...busted w/ that thumb again! :)

The boys and I are home alone today and tomorrow.



Brad is in Mankato training in our new Manager and I'll be going down on Thursday for a few marketing meetings and to finish training.



Today Max "helped" me clean. The house has been driving me nuts and it's easiest to clean with Brad is not around. Go figure. :) Anyways, I got a lot done and just have a few more rooms to do upstairs and need to catch up on my laundry.



We went to Marshalls to look for some new jammies for Max. He's been sleeping in 18mo jammies and he's busting out of the toes in them! Marshalls is NOT a family friendly store at all. The carts are so small that I'm surprised they even have a spot to sit a toddler in the front. I had to put Max in the front seat and then put the carrier (with Miles in it) sideways and in order to make it fit...I had to push Max's seat up a little. Totally rediculous. And naturally since the cart wasn't meant to be used like that...I had to push the cart, while holding on to the carrier just to make sure it didn't topple over. UGH. And apparently they don't like you to have the convenience of being able to push your purchases in the cart when you leave the building because there were no spots to put your carts in the parking lot. By the time I got through the double doors with the crazy cart, while holding on to my purse, my purchases, and the damn carrier and noticed there was no area to place my cart when I was done...I had had it. So, I just left the cart in the parking lot. Bad Mama...but heck...they sure don't make it easy for a mama to spend money there!



Poor Max was nodding off as we drove home and could not keep his eyes open. Why? you ask? Is it because I took them out shopping during nap time? Nope...we went 2 hours early because Miles decided to only nap for an hour for his am nap. Was it because the drive home was sooo long? Nope...we only live about 3 miles away from Marshalls. Um...it would be because Monkey boy decided that he was going to wake up at 5:30am this morning! Aaaargh! Mean Mama made him take a nap as soon as we got home...under a little protesting, but both of the silly boys are napping soundly right now.

Guess I'd better get something to eat for lunch really quick since I have a brief opportunity to eat in peace for once. :)



Gotta love being a mama...it's the best job! Even if lunch time is chaotic and usually involves having to watch Handy Manny! ;)

A nice weathered weekend...finally!

YES...I finally get to spend some time outside!

I'm a happy boy!

My new sandbox/water set that my mama & papa got me for my Birthday!

Well, the sand lasted in the sandbox for a LITTLE while...but Max said this cooler full of sand was just his size! I hear a "you know you're a redneck" joke coming on...

Thankfully a nice MN weathered weekend! We were about to give up!

We had a nice laid back weekend. Yesterday we went and got Max's birthday presents. Brad wanted to get him a motorized car (it goes a whole 2mph!) and naturally the noise it makes when it moves scares Max right now. We're working on it. But, the gift he really liked was his water/sand playset. I would have been really happy w/ just water...but Papa has been insisting that EVERY boy needs a sandbox.

And as I suspected...sand was EVERYWHERE within about a 1/2 hour of pouring it into the playset. He had a blast moving it from the toy to our patio furniture. Oh, and not just 1 piece...all of them. And the deck. And the benches. And everything he could reach basically. Nice. So, now Brad thinks he needs one he can sit it...a bigger one. Wha??! So, he's on a mission to find a nice one big enough to sit in and then he'll make the one we just purchased just a water toy. Ahhh the fun we are going to have this summer!

Today we let Papa sleep in & nap as much as he wanted to for Father's Day...geez, that man can sleep! :) And we went and visited Grandpa Bellows, Grandma, and M(amy). We missed Brad's dad...it'll be a year on the 21st since we lost him...it's crazy that a whole year has gone by. I know he's watching over us and I can just hear his funny commentaries!

Happy Papa's day to all of you Papa's out there....

Miles' 1st haircut!

Before...

My 1st haircut

It's crazy that at only 4 1/2 months old...this little one needed a haircut so badly and I hated to cut off his cute little curls...but his bangs were hanging in his eyes and his hair was covering his ears. Plus, if 1 more person gave me slack about his long hair making him look like a girl...I was going to scream! ;)

I'm never taking my kids back to Kidshair. I took Max for his 1st haircut and didn't like the experience that time either...I should have known. They like to cut hair waaaay too short and I wasn't all that pleased with the cut. Thankfully my kids hair grows quickly. Anyay, Miles' head looks 1/2 the size without all those locks! He looks like a different kid now! LOL!

It's Official!

We have a thumb sucker!!!

Don't mind my bedhead...I'm just enjoying this thumb!

MMmmmm...Happy Birthday cake is nummy!

Happy big 16, Michael!

Yup, little Miles is falling in his Mama and Papa's footsteps and is a thumb sucker! I had a feeling he was going to be pretty early on as he alway seemed to have his hand, fist, or finges/thumb in his mouth. This week he finally figured out how to get his thumb in there alone and keep it there. I caught him 1/2 awake just sucking away a few mornings ago and he's been enjoying it ever since. So far he seems to favor the left thumb. Brad can't remember which thumb he sucked. I sucked my right one.

It's quite adorable right now, but maybe not so much when he's one and I want to wean him from it and can't take it away. :)

In other news...My big boy, Michael, turned SIXTEEN on Sunday! Holy moly...do I really feel old now! We celebrated with his requested dinner of my Chicken Marsala, some ice cream cake from Coldstone Creamery and a few gifts. Then tonight I took him for all you can eat sushi at my favorite sushi bar...just the two of us. We had a great time!

As you can see above...Max is going to thoroughly enjoy his birthday cake this year! :)

More Max words

I forgot a few good ones...

Ze Pooh (The pooh - usually this is in conjunction w/ a wierd walk or him tugging on his pants! LOL)
Oh, wow!
Che-ers (Chewers)
Mama
Papa
Ya (never says, "Yes"...always, "Ya"...what a Minnesotan!)
ah side (outside)
noon els (noodles)
nah (on)
juice
pahtzie (pizza)
meat
ucks (eggs)
trees
fowers (flowers)
buggie (bugs)
eeeky (icky)
cah'ers (colors)
circle
pink
boo (blue)
reen (green)
poople (purple)
orge (orange)
red
Mamy (Amy)
Mayee (Manny, as in Handy Manny)
two-alls (tools)
fisset (fix it)


I really need to try to get him on video saying most of these words and make myself a little compilation video because it's really so cute when toddlers begin speaking. I love their little high pitch voice and the adorable attempts at saying things correctly. :)

Our crazy life

Miles' 1st time eating rice cereal

Our little sweet peanut face!

Max and his buddy, Chewers

Turn around for 1 minute and this is what you come back to! :)

Oh how I've neglected this blog!

We've been so crazy busy since my lost post. As if life wasn't interesting enough w/ Brad working full time for corporate, us owning our own retail juice/smoothie bar, having a teenager, and 2 little ones under two...what do we do??!

Oh...we decide to go ahead and purchase a 2nd location! OMG! Yes, as of May 16th...we became the proud owners of a 2nd location about 1 1/2 hours south of us. It's been a complete whirlwind since then. We had to get a new business entity and all the paperwork, legal stuff, and accounts that go along with that and since it's not interesting enough to take over an existing business as it is...we decided to do it midway through the month. Fun stuff! :)

So, life is crazy! But, we are happy and enjoying the crazy stress and chaos that comes along with it.

Just a few updates on the fam...

Mike's last day of 10th grade was yesterday. He tells me he made it to the 11th. lol! He turns 16 on Monday! YIPES!

Maxwell is talking up a storm and forming sentances. Every day Papa B and I are amazed and the things he says and does. He is a complete crack up and drives me crazy all at once. I can't get enough of his antics...yet they make me want to run away sometimes. I know my Mama friends out there know what I mean! His 2nd birthday is on the 11th...holy cats, where has the time gone?

Miles is a dream child. Just a cuddler and sweet to the core. He's so patient and happy...he's just my little sweet pea! He just started eating rice cereal and he gobbles it up...it's so cute!

Both the kids had their Ped appointments last week on the 29th. Here are their stats:

Miles- 14lbs 8oz (59%), 26.5" (97%), HC 16.2" (33%)

Maxwell- 26lbs (26th %), 36" (90%), HC 19" (40%)

Some of Max's favorite sayings of late are the following:

What do-een? (what doing?)
Whats at? (what's that?) - which is usually said in a loud whisper
Where going?
Oh car, bus, pane (plane), treen (train) ("Oh" almost always preceeds!)
Sheh shies (french fries)
Shleh la (vaccuum...don't ask me!)
duh stairs (downstairs)
ut (up)
No!
Um, ah kay
HUUUH??! (he says this so funny)
picey (spicey)
wah'er (water)
Mak (milk)
bahkee (bacon)
hahm (ham)
oh no
oh my
oh dear
what da da doo? (what did I do)
Ma-coe (Michael)
baby
ah unn (love you...again, don't ask me)

Well, I'd better get back to the grind...lots to do!! Have a great weekend all!