Helping Dad

My boys working hard in their Carhardts :)




When we dig holes in AK we go hardcore and use a backhoe...even though the hole is only for a fence post!

My Handsome Boy

Look real hard and you will be able to see all 4 teeth!


So proud of himself for getting up into Ben's chair!



Noah will be ONE YEAR OLD on Thursday!!!!!
I really can't believe how FAST the year has gone. So much has changed and the time with my boys just keeps getting better. I'll be honest, the transition from 1 to 2 kids was really hard for me. Maybe because Noah was a pretty difficult baby especially compared to Ben, my laid back little guy! But since Noah has started sleeping better in the last few months it has gotten much easier! Noah takes 2 pretty solid naps a day and is typically very content to play on his own or watch his brother as long as he isn't tired or hungry. Hmmm hungry is a whole other story with Noah! He is such a food hound. I call him my little trash can. I cannot believe the amount of food he packs in on a daily basis. Geez!
He is really close to walking and took his first 4 steps this past Monday. Any day now! He has also surprisingly said a handful of words in the last week or so. His first was "out". He has also said up, hat, head, dog, woof, bib and water. It's surprising because Ben hardly said anything until almost 2! Our little Noah is a whole different ballgame! I guess that's part of the wonder that is having children... :)

Tupperware Heaven

The boys love to tear my nicely organized tupperware drawer apart


and it's so hard to not let them when it buys me at least 20 minutes of peace!

Yum Yum Yum

Mallory and Ben tasting my oatmeal chocolate chip cookies


Looks like they approved!!! :)

Fun in the Sun

Hello World! Have a little water!!!


Swimming


Noah having his lunch outside

We've had a few pretty warm days (by Alaska standards) so we had to take advantage of it by breaking out the kiddy pool for Ben and giving Noah his lunch outside. Unfortunately for Noah, since we have no grass, he spends his outside time in the stroller or the pack and play. But he doesn't seem to mind much. Ben loved the pool even though it was pretty chilly (even after dumping 4 pots of boiling water in it), he didn't want to get out come naptime!

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

Brent and Ben checking out the bison


Brent and his favorite oldest son


Me and my Ben at the Caribou

We went to the Wildlife Conservation Center on Memorial Day weekend. It was a beautiful day and I didn't want to waste it doing the same old thing at home! Well it was a good idea until we got out of the car and about 3 minutes later we were fighting off the crazy mosquito's!!! I think I got about 15 bites in a matter of minutes and the same for Brent. Noah somehow came away unbitten and Ben only got 2. Needless to say we headed back to the car pretty quickly and viewed the rest of the animals from the safety of our closed up car. The bright spot in this, though, was the park we stopped at in Girdwood on our way home. Ben loved it because they had a sand pit FILLED with all sorts of different construction vehicle toys. He was in heaven :)

Playtime!

Noah riding the fire truck


Ben finger/brush painting

Workin Hard!

Ben as director on the backhoe with his Grandpa Jim


Like Father Like Son :)


Planting trees with his dad


Cleaning off after all that hard work!

Brent has been doing a lot of work on our dirt "yard" lately. We have big plans for a fence, deck, raised plant beds and some grass! Ben has loved being outside helping him by shoveling or just moving rocks in his little dump truck. He got to ride on the backhoe with his grandpa a few weekends ago while Jim was moving dirt piles in our yard and smoothing things out. I think Ben rode for a little too long because he was teary when he got off and said his arms hurt, maybe from the vibration. Since then he's been content to just watch from the ground whenever there is backhoe work going on.
After he was done helping plant trees and dig in the dirt he had a bath outside in the silver tub because we thought he'd like it and also because I had literally just scrubbed our huge bathtub and didn't want to clean it again!!!

Our Trip to Colorado

Noah experiencing grass for the 1st time!


The Denver Zoo - Ben loved the elephants or "elpants"

Riding the zoo train


The train was Ben favorite part!


Trying for a picture with my oldest...he's just too busy to take one!!!


Me and my boys at the zoo


Ben doing what he loves best - playing at the park!


Sweet Noah




My little guy and me


Me, my mom and Noah


Noah on the swings for the 1st time - he loved it!


Me and my ma :)


Brent and I




So happy to be playing!


Noah face!




Rocky Mountain National Park






A really cool church we saw on our way home from Estes Park


Ben making cupcakes with Auntie Rosie!


Ben's creation - super duper sprinkles!!!

We had a great trip to Colorado in April. Brent was able to come with us for the 1st 10 days, it was so nice to have Brent around for 10 whole days! Ben loved spending time with him but really missed him when he left. While Brent was in CO we went to the zoo, Estes Park, and a bunch of different parks for Ben to play at. Brent and I were also able to spend time together just the 2 of us while my mom watched the kids. Thanks mom!
After Brent left my mom took off work for a week and we went to the Children's Museum, the aquarium and attempted some shopping. Ben wasn't such a great shopper this trip but what can you expect from a 2.5 year old? My mom and I also got weightless pedicures which were fantastic!!!! I also got to meet my sister's boyfriend, John or Russo or John Russo - lol - whichever you choose to call him! He is such a great guy and was so wonderful with my kids. I am happy my sister has found such a good person who treats her like she deserves to be treated.
The last week I was in CO I was able to see some of my friends. I saw my big sis from Zeta, Christy, who is pregnant with her 2nd baby - yay!!! We took the kiddos to the park and Ben and Haley had a great time running around. I also saw my friend from Omaha, Allison. I never thought we'd see each other again but she moved to CO in January! It was so wonderful to meet her two kids and see her again. Ben and Landyn had so much fun playing trucks and Gracyn colored me a beautiful picture to take home. I also got to see my oldest (in time not age!) friend, Dawn, and her sweet girls. They came over and had some Rosie Cake cupcakes and chatted with us for awhile.
I have more pictures from CO I'm just waiting for the disc from my mom!
Colorado