retreat

We had a great weekend!  We are looking forward to a weekend with no major plans since we've had alot going on over here for quite awhile now, but we really enjoyed our weekend.

Friday night we had a family date night.  :)  We went to El Rancho for supper - yum!  Overall, the boys did very well.  They didn't eat much, and at the very end they got antsy, but still it was a successful going out to eat experience.  After dinner we went to the playplace at the mall in Holland.  The one there is perfect for us - the toys are a good size for the boys to play on, and it's easy for me (in this case, us) to keep track of them.  I've never attempted taking them to the play area at the mall in Grandville because it would just be too hard to keep an eye on them.  Plus it's always mobbed there and I've heard a few getting sick stories...  :(

Saturday, Mike and I were able to go for the day to our Young Married's retreat.  Most of the couples were there for the weekend, but there were a few of us that just came for the day.  We were glad we could at least be  there for some of it.  (Also, we're in the middle of coming up with a new name for our class, since we hardly qualify as the "Young Married's" anymore...)  It was a great day with a couple sessions, plenty of free time, group games, and good food.  Speaking of group games...in the afternoon the whole group played Bunko.  For those of you who haven't played, sorry, I'm not going to explain it.  It's basically a dice rolling game.  Anyways, Mike and I won and we got to choose something from a prize table....Eric, you're going to love this - we chose a gift card to Rainbow Grill!  :)  In the evening we played the Newlywed Game, and that was a hoot.  Loved hearing everyone's answers.  Mike and I did not win that one...

Today started out kinda cloudy and rainy, but ended up being nice and I squeezed in one last fall photo session right in our yard.  Thankfully most of the trees in our yard change on the later side, so things are still looking nice.  I should still try to take the boys' pics...

talk

Caleb started saying "Logan" the other day!  Sounds a little more like "Logeen".  :)  They'll try and say almost anything we ask, within reason of course.  2-3 syllables is probably their max.  But they've been putting words together for quite some time now.  I especially hear alot of "Mommy shoes", "Mommy car", "Daddy truck", "Papa cows".  :)

I can't get over how observant they are.  They notice the smallest things!  Also, they've been getting the concept of day/night.  Logan started with it first.  When it starts to get dark they say "night" and the way they say it really cracks me up, I gotta get it on camera.

Can't remember if I posted about this before or not, but out of the blue Logan knows a few colors.  I had no idea.  He does especially well with yellow, and can also do pretty good with blue and green.

Caleb is still doing alot of stripping, but the duct tape on the diaper seems to be doing the trick.  Generally when we go check on them at night we have to put his pj's back on, and then when I get them in the morning he's got them off again. At naptime he usually at least gets his pants off.  (I think it was Monday I forgot to duct tape and he once again got EVERYTHING off.)

name

I think I posted about this when it first happened, but Logan is consistently calling Caleb "Baca" now.  It really sounds cute.  Can't get anyone to say "Logan" yet.

Logan more so than Caleb will repeat words we say, and for the most part does very well.  Every once in a while he gets consonants mixed up or something, but not too bad.

Some favorite words of mine that they say are "bubbles", "sun", "bus", "pancake", and "cozy".

weekend

Friday morning we left for our trek down to Wooster, OH for Steve and Erin's wedding (Mike's stepbrother).  We stopped at the outlets in Howell for just a bit.  The boys had fun playing while I did some quick shopping (the day before I ruined the shirt I planned on wearing to the wedding...).

A little further down the road we stopped at Cabela's.  The boys enjoyed seeing the animals, we found Mike a new jacket for work, and we ate lunch there.  Also were there at the same time as Harold and Kara!  Overall, the driving down to Wooster went pretty well.  A few times the boys got a little whiny, but not too bad.

We got to the hotel late afternoon and had to get ready for the rehearsal dinner with the family.  So, imagine this.  Two 2-year-olds who have been confined to their car seats all day, now in a teeny hotel room with all sorts of things to get into that they shouldn't, and two parents trying to get ready for dinner.  Thank goodness Mike and I complement each other - we talked about this, if we were both laid back like him we wouldn't get anything done, but if we were both uptight like me we'd be miserable.  :)  We balance each other out!  Anyways, Caleb was trying to jump from one bed to the next, and he actually made it once.  And the times he didn't and got hurt didn't slow him down.  They had fun pushing buttons on the safe, playing with the toilet paper in the bathroom, etc., etc., etc.

We made it to dinner on time and all in one piece.  Had a nice time visiting with family we don't see very often.  For the most part the boys did pretty well - could've been better, could've been worse.  After dinner everyone went bowling!  Erin's dad manages the student center at the College of Wooster, and they have a bowling alley - they rented out the whole thing for us.  I forgot what it's like to be in college, living on campus, and see little kids around - it's a pretty big deal.  The boys got some attention.  :)  When we were on our way out some girls were coming out of the cafe and were "ooo-ing" and "ahh-ing" over the boys.  Then we were outside where it's a wall of windows to the cafe, some students were sitting at a table by the windows and noticed the boys.  Logan stopped to wave, and then (after Mike's prompting) started blowing kisses.  Oh my word.  It was so cute, and the students thought it was pretty funny.  Caleb went back to wave, too.  So wish I had that on camera.

Caleb hangin' with Uncle Tom.

Sleeping in the hotel did not go so well.  I didn't have expectations that it would, but still, it was frustrating.  

Saturday morning we went swimming at the hotel for awhile.  It took Caleb a bit to decide he wanted to come all the way in, but Logan didn't hesitate.  Actually, Logan doesn't have enough fear!  I want them to love the water, but understand that they need to be careful!  Coming in off the steps, Logan would try to jump away from us so we couldn't catch him.  Once he jumped before Mike was ready, he floundered for maybe two seconds, and that didn't even scare him or bother him.  

At lunchtime my college friend Laura was able to come to the hotel and have lunch with us!  She lives about an hour away from where we were, and I was really hoping we could fit it in the schedule to see her.  She came up with her husband (whom I also graduated with) and two daughters (the youngest is almost 3 and I hadn't met her yet!).  We could have talked for hours, but didn't have that much time.  :(  I'm so glad we at least had a little time, though.  The kids seemed to play nice together.  Of course, we both forgot to take any pics.

After lunch, Mike and I headed up to Medina to bring the boys to Amma and Papa Churgovich.  :)  My sis-in-law's parents live not far from Wooster, and agreed to take the boys overnight so we could go to the wedding in peace.  :)  It was great!  As far as I know, the boys did great at their house - new place to be in, different toys to play with, and they have a cat, which I think they loved.  We heard alot of "bye-bye, Charlie" on the way home Sunday.  

So, after getting back to the hotel we were able to take our time getting ready for the wedding (I guess I took my time more than Mike did...), and not worry about our kids getting into stuff.  Then we enjoyed going to the wedding and having a chance to just relax.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE being with my kids, I just need a breather sometimes.  :)  The wedding was beautiful, the food was good, of course we enjoyed our company, and it was just a nice time.

 Beautiful setting out at a country club in Orrville.

 Steve was a gentleman and there was no cake smashing.  :)

Not a great pic, I know, only had my point-and-shoot.  Anyways, it shows her dress, which I loved.  Lots of ruffles and lace and beading, but yet it didn't seem way overdone, it was very classy and elegant.

Sunday morning there was a breakfast at the hotel for all the out of town guests.  It was great!  And it gave us a chance to visit with some family we hadn't really had a chance to talk with yet.  After breakfast we went and picked the boys up in Medina.  They seemed happy to see us.  :)  And, the Churgovich's survived and said they're willing to do it again, so that's a good sign!  I was worried the boys weren't going to go to sleep good, but it sounded like they did alright.

Caleb wasn't too keen on having a picture taken, and Logan had some major bedhead going on.

We took a more scenic route for part of the way home - it was a beautiful day.  The first half of the trip went decent.  When we stopped for lunch Caleb was acting up, so while Mike and Logan ate I took Caleb to just walk around outside.  The last half of the trip was pretty miserable.  Near constant crying.  It was obvious they were tired and if they would just close their eyes for a second they'd fall asleep, but they would NOT.  We were very glad when we finally got home.  Mike asked if I'd like to take a trip to Florida now.  Ha!  No way.

hats

My boys love to wear hats.

naked

Well, it happened.  Caleb figured out how to completely strip naked.  One day last week Logan and I went to get Caleb after naptime, we walked into the room, and there his was, completely stark naked.  Except for one (wet) sock, that is.  I've been making sure he has a onesie on, but alas, he figured out how to get that off...without unsnapping it!!!  I was SOOOOOO thankful to see I only had wet sheets to wash, and there was no #2 involved.  And, I couldn't help but run back downstairs for the camera (and my phone so I could immediately call Mike to let him know what HIS son had done...).

shoot

A couple Saturday's ago we had our annual skeet shoot and cook-out at our place.  Mike's older brother and his family, and one of his cousin's and his girlfriend came.  They shoot guns in the back for a bit, then we have supper, and after that a bonfire.  Caleb and Logan had fun playing with their cousin Alyssa.