Nate's Post

  Hello everyone, it has been awhile since I have posted to the blog and decided on my day off I would do so.  I have been enjoying fatherhood since everyone asks.  These boys are becoming very different every day meanwhile becoming closer each and every day.  Their interaction with each other is becoming more and more frequent and they are interacting so much these days.  Also, they have enjoyed rolling over from tummy to back quite frequently but as of late they have been rolling over from back to tummy and that is how I ALWAYS find them in their cribs in the morning!  They are so intrigued at rolling over on their tummy but get mad when they can't roll back over on their back!  Anyway, we survived the trip to Michigan for Amanda Pouty's wedding shower and had a blast hanging out with Ryan and Amy and the girls!  These boys are getting quite used to taking long trips!  They did great for all things considered!

  We have been working on projects this spring getting ready for company like making switches in the basement instead of pull chains everywhere.  We put doors in all the basement rooms so there are no curtains.  We renovated the mud room so we can actually use it by putting tile in the whole area, creating many new shelves and coat hangers, and replacing the basement stair railing that was very wobbly.  It got all the clutter out of the laundry room.  We put tile in the main entryway and closet because the carpet got very annoying.  Someday we will put wood floors in the living/dining area. Stacy planted in the planter boxes so we will have fresh salsa makings sometime this summer!  Now it's on to spring cleaning.  Which never ends...  Here are a few pictures to fill in the events I just talked about!

Asleep on the way to Joe and Amanda's

Finally arrived in Michigan and Calliegh couldn't resist!

A good night's rest just won't end. 

Happy Cousins

He is so into it!

Entertainment during a 10 hr. trip!

Finally home with the kittens.

Tore out old carpet and put down tile.  Took out the unstable banister and
replaced it with this shelving. Added shelving/bench along garage wall.
 Grandma's will be happier!  Kayman and the boys were very happy to join me! 

There's even a place for the stroller.  

There's a coat for almost every month...way too many!

Gram finally able to make it.  What a huge help!!!

Stacy being ambitious and planting the garden in the planter boxes!

The end result.  Box on left has baby tomatoes, roma tomatoes, and cilantro.
The box on the right has onions, green peppers, and jalapeño peppers !!!  

The boys enjoying our trip to babies r us!

may day

"This is a lovely winter we're having this spring."

I used to give flowers to Mom on May Day ... but not just any ol' flowers. They were handpicked wildflowers that I would carefully arrange in a handcrafted paper vase with a handle, complete with a little "happy may day" note. I would go outside, hang the vase on the front doorknob, ring the doorbell, and run away and hide. Mom would come to the door, see the flowers, and act all surprised as to where this beautiful bouquet came from .. ??? .. (to humor me of course). Then I would nonchalantly walk inside and make small talk like nothing happened.
I was tempted to make the 12 hour trip to TN and surprise her by hanging flowers on her doorknob today. I miss being able to do that. I settled for sending a text that included some very pretty flower emoticons ... I hope it sufficed.

So, instead of frolicking around picking wildflowers on this first day of May that should be bursting with spring, I curled up in a papasan chair with my hot cocoa and stayed inside out of the cold, wind, and gloom. At least we didn't get any snow here. I hear some people did. I guess those kids gave snow cones to their mothers today.

*Amendment* It snowed here the very next day ... May 2nd ... craziness.

But let's talk about yesterday!
Yesterday was a gorgeous day!!! 80* and sunny.

I had promised the boys (& myself) that I would take them to the nearby walking bridge the first nice day this spring. Yesterday was fiiiiiinally that day!

So at 12:45, the boys and I packed up and headed to the bridge. It's about a 15 minute drive - long enough to put them soundly to sleep. I tried to sneak them oh-so-carefully from their carseats into the stroller and keep them sleeping ... but I wasn't successful. Luckily, I sure didn't have anything to worry about though because they happily strolled the whole way to the end of the bridge and back without making a peep! (besides a sneeze or two) Then they slept on the way back home.

It was such an enjoyable outing that I can't wait to take them again! ... that's if the weather finally decides that spring is here to stay.

*here are some pictures from yesterday*

spring has sprung!!

this is what the car ride on the way to the bridge did

this is my unsuccessful attempt at sneaking sleeping babies into a stroller

happy little strollers :)

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the bridge walk hasn't been our only outing -

one evening last week, Nate & I strolled around our house doing yard work, relaxing in the hammock, and roasting hot dogs in the fire pit

Nate & Kayman on duty

the sunglasses didn't fit Brayden's head, so his hat served him some shade

peek-a-boo!

chilling :)

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the boys also took us to Ledges State Park recently (just 5 minutes away)

there are a few places in the park where the water crosses over the road - 

as you can see, I had to push them through without getting my shoes wet

easy does it!

fun in the sun!