A hike and a birthday....

Yesterday, we started our day off by heading to the Britton Forest trail with a group from Momstown for a hike, where we were looking for signs of spring.  This hike was led by Rhonda Sage-Ursulak.  She helped the kids think of things that tell us it's spring, and led us around the trail, showing us different things.  My boys did great.  They both hiked most of one way (we had brought the stroller) and kept themselves busy looking for sticks, bugs and birds.

There was a hole in this tree.  Drew was tapping near the hole, to "see if anyone is home".

Hunter LOVES dogs.

Having so much fun throwing rocks into the water.

We were out for about 2 and a half hours.  On the walk back to the van, the boys sat in the stroller.  Hunter fell asleep leaning on Drew's shoulder and because he had to stay still for Hunter, Drew fell asleep too.

After the hike, we headed to Chuck e Cheese to celebrate James' birthday.  We drove into the parking lot and then drove straight out and headed for home.  We should have known better, it was a saturday afternoon...the place was packed!  Drew didn't really want to go anyways, Nana was coming over later in the afternoon and he wanted to go home and wait for her.

James picked up Pizza (we had taken 2 cars, because James was going to leave from Chuck e Cheese and go to his basketball which was at 3) and met us at home.  Nana came over about 2:30 and hung out with us for the afternoon.

Our neighbour (Mr. Stark, who lived on the 5th line) had passed away a little while ago, and his family was holding an auction sale to sell off the farm equipment (his farm had sold a few years ago).  This was where Papa was for the day.  He was trying to get Drew and Hunter the John Deere gator that Mr. Stark had.  He bid up to $9400.00 and thought he had it, but then someone else came in and started bidding...it ended up selling for over $10000.00!!!  Dad had visited our local John Deere store a few days before the sale and had priced out what a new one was worth and what other used ones were going for.....$9400 was the most he was willing to pay.  Too bad, the boys would have loved riding around the farm on it.  Dad had a good day though.  All the neighbours were there, as well as a lot of the "old boys" from his neighbourhood growing up, and from 4H and junior farmers.  He loves catching up with everyone and hearing all the "stories" (it's pretty much gossip, but I guess men can't call it that......teehee).

The boys, Nana and I drove to the Glen to pick Papa up when it was time to go for dinner.  Once we got there, we had a few minutes to spare, so I let the boys out to go play outside.  I should have known better.  They were both covered from head to toe in mud.  A quick outfit change (thank god Nana keeps extra clothes at her house) and we were ready to go (after Hunter peed on Nana's chair of course....what would a visit from us be, without one of the boys ruining something of theirs??)

We ended up arriving at East Side Mario's at the same time as James, so we all went in and waited for our table.  It took about 30 minutes for them to seat us (which is why we try not to go out to dinner on saturday nights...).  It was such a nice evening, James and I took the boys outside while we waited (that, and because they were disturbing other people as they ate).

Dinner was great.  The boys behaved once we put food in front of them, everything was delicious and they sang to James...which he hated, but the boys loved.

James had put his hood up while they were singing to him because he was embarrassed.  Naturally, Drew did the same thing.

Happy birthday, James.  We love you so much!!

The Bowling Alley is where you'll find all the cool kids these days...

I woke up practically giving the entire world the middle finger this morning.  I was not in a good place.  I was tired, crampy, bloated (thank you monthly friend) and also my nose was stuffed up and my back hurt from "sleeping" on the couch with Hunter all night......

James asked me if we wanted to come with him to take his car in for an oil change and emissions test and I jumped at the chance.  I was annoyed that he had to do it this morning, thinking that we wouldn't see him at all before he left for work.  At least this way, we'd get some daddy time in...maybe that would make me less cranky.

We dropped the car off, and then headed to the superstore.  I had ordered a bunch (ok, 200) photos, as they were on for 10 cents/print.  In order to get them at that price though, I had to pick them up today.

Done.

After the superstore, we headed back to Canadian tire to pick up the car...which was not finished (which means we have to take it back for the E test tomorrow....ugh).  Headed to Indigo (the Thomas book store), played there for a bit, and then to subway to have a quick lunch with daddy.

After daddy left, all hell broke loose.  I took H and Drew into the bathroom to change H's bum.  This went fine.  Drew was a good helper, and I was able to change the bum quickly enough (even though there was no change table - UGH - hate when that happens!)

While trying to gather all of our belongings to go home, however, H decided it would be a fun game to press the button for the door, and run out into the parking lot.....laughing like crazy.  Drew started chasing him, and a game was born.  A very dangerous, life threatening, make mommy look like she has absolutely no control over her children, game.  Every time I'd bring them back in, then put them down to grab something, they'd run back out again.  Finally, I took them out to the van, strapped them in, and came back for our diaper bag crap.

The worst part was, I didn't get to refill my pop!  The horror.

Once home, H had a nap and Drew and I began work on daddy's birthday card....which we will have to finish tomorrow.  We also baked banana bread.  I took my eyes away from Drew for literally 5 seconds to grab some eggs from the fridge.  At the time, he was working the hand-mixer.  When I turned back to him, he had the mixer out of the bowl, pointing it at the fridge and saying, "clean, clean, clean".  Batter was flying ALL over the place, and I squealed, "Drew, what on earth are you doing???".  His reply???  "I thought the mixer needed cleaning off....this seemed like a fast way to do it".

I'm still laughing at the sight.

There is still batter on my walls.

The banana bread tastes good though!

H woke up from his nap and we attempted to leave on time for our bowling playdate.  This was a comedy of errors, as everything that could go wrong, did.  We were 30 minutes late.

Once there though, both boys had a great time.  Drew even let H go a couple of times instead of him....and each time, he requested H help him.  Very cute.  I did not get many photos though, as I was constantly trying to stop H from running down the lane, or sticking his fingers in between the balls as they rolled back up.

After bowling, our group drove back to Milton where we all met at Boston Pizza for dinner.  It was a really fun evening...although at the end it got a bit crazy, with all the kiddies and the waiting for the bills, etc.

I took the boys to Indigo after dinner, as I had promised them (alright mostly Drew, and it was pretty much a bribe, but still) that if they were good, I would get them some silly bandz.  Once there though, I was able to talk him out of the silly bandz and into another little lego kit.  They cost basically the same thing, and I HATE silly bandz (but mom, all my friends have them).

Ran into someone I knew at the store and was catching up with her.  The boys took off to a corner of the kids section.  They were very quiet and I was picturing them destroying something.  Came around the corner to find this.....so cute.

It's funny how your thought processes can change in an instant.  As I mentioned earlier, I was miserable this morning.  Really feeling sorry for myself and then I read another blog.  It's called Enjoying the small things, and I really look forward to it.  Anyways, in it she mentions the fact that her littlest is having trouble sleeping and she says, "my child's greatest distress is comforted simply by my presence".  And that is pretty amazing.  That I (we, as parents) have that much impact on another person.  I'm sure I'll still be frustrated with the night wakings, but will try to recite this quote when I'm feeling that way.....it is a rite of passage, and will not be forever.  I'm sure I'll look back on this exhaustion in the years to come with a fondness, remembering a time when my boys were so little, they needed me so much, they couldn't go the night without me.

Tomorrow is Friday, and James' day 5.  We will be celebrating this weekend....hope the smoke alarms are working, cause we'll be piling on the candles for this birthday!!  LOL

Fake Easter

Yesterday, James' side of our family was coming over to celebrate Easter and James' birthday (neither of which fell on this weekend, but James' work schedule sometimes requires us to improvise a little bit).

When telling Drew about yesterday, I had originally said that we were going to be celebrating Easter with everyone.  He was SO excited.  Excited about the Easter bunny, excited about seeing Uncle Jamie (who is coming home for Easter weekend).  That's where "Fake Easter"came from.  "No, no, hunny.  It's not really Easter.  We're just getting together with Grandma, Grandpa, and the cousins and pretending it's Easter with them.  We'll do an egg hunt and everything, but the Easter bunny isn't going to come this weekend".  Drew replies, "so, it's fake??"  "Well, ya, I guess so".

So, Friday night, we're at Indigo, where I was trying to find something to put in Drew and Katie's Easter baskets and Drew finds this Lego toy.  He yells to me, across the store, "mom, can I get this for Fake Easter????"

Enter weird looks from other parents.  It was too funny.

The celebrations began yesterday, when we met Grandma and Grandpa at Rotary park.  It was a gorgeous morning, we had some great play time and then hit the Ivy Arms for lunch.  They have a $5.95 lunch menu which is awesome.  The boys enjoyed their lunches, I enjoyed stealing sips from my husbands beer when he wasn't looking and then we all headed back here to await the arrival of the cousins.  Hunter fell asleep on the way home, and napped for much of the afternoon.

Once the Leungs arrived, we played, headed outside to visit the cows and had a very exciting Easter egg hunt.  We had a very delicious pizza and wing dinner (which the grandparents did not join us for) and then cake and ice cream for dessert (Happy early birthday, James!!)

The kids had a great time and probably consumed way too much chocolate.  I'm hoping they found all the eggs, but I'm sure I'll be finding them randomly over the next few weeks.

Some pictures from the day...

Drew and Grandma hiding the eggs.

Hunter collecting his eggs.

They are hidden all over!

J getting in on the egg hunt!

Drew helping H get his chocolate out of the wrapper.

Happy birthday, babe!

Ice cream faces are the cutest!