Another Surprise!

Several months ago Matt and I decided to take the plunge and get a dog for us and the boys. Colby had been asking since before Brody was born, and now seemed like the right time for us. We searched for months to find the right breeder. Having grown up with labs my whole life and my parents breeding several litters of chocolate labs, I was pretty picky about what type (English), and who I would get a pup from, and we chose right! Colby had in his mind that he was going to get a puppy for his birthday, but we knew when we found the right breeder it would need to happen sooner so that we had time for lots of training and attention before baby is born. It just so happened that he was born in January and that meant that he would be ready to go home with us just around Spring Break. So we timed our trip just so, and drove to Cleburne, TX to pick him up the day after we got back from Disney. It was a crazy fun week filled with all kinds of treats and this was the icing on the cake! Again we didn't tell the boys until the morning we left to get him so it was a total surprise.

Meet Benji! We let the boys pick the name...it took a couple of days. Matt and I narrowed the choices down, and we both really liked the name "Toby" but neither of the boys liked that. I think Benji fits him just right.

I love, love this picture! So far he has been an excellent puppy. We had only one night that he cried and it was seriously for only a few seconds. He was pretty much potty trained when we got him at 8 weeks, and today he is 9 weeks old and getting the hang of house-breaking. His favorite toys, are the ones the boys picked out (a duck and a stuffed puppy, and ewwwh one the breeder gave him - some sort of disgusting hoof).

He loves to be outdoors, which is a good thing, because that is where he will spend the majority of his time in a few weeks, but for now he is inside with us and we are loving it.

Here are a few snaps shots of the boys from the first day we got him. Excuse the weed explosion in the backyard! We had been gone a week and the weed & feed mostly fed the weeds I think!

I have a bunch of pictures of Brody with Benji because he is home all day with me...Colby needs some more! They are both doing a really great job of helping to take care of their new puppy, and are quickly learning how to train him too!

Brody will always say to me, "I wanna love him mommy" and he will get down and lay his head on his back and then kiss his head, it is the sweetest thing!

The weather has been amazing and last week we had so much fun being outside with him.

I'm sure there will be plenty more pictures to come! We just wanted to introduce our newest family member, and can you believe it...it's another BOY!? What have we gotten ourselves into?

SURPRISE!

For spring break, Matt and I totally surprised the kiddos and took them to Disneyland. We didn't tell them until a few hours before we left! It might have even been more fun for us to plan it, than it was for them to receive it! I love surprises.

Our first day we got to the park early and were able to ride several rides without a wait. It was great. We rode the Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean twice, and Winnie the Pooh twice all in an hour and a half. It was a perfect start to our trip.

The boys really tried hard to pull that sword from the stone.

Brody is such a good sleeper. He always has been. He tried so hard to stay awake, but each day he crashed in the stroller for a little while. Nothing like his normal 2+ hour naps, but he managed to get a few z's.

While he was sleeping he missed the ice cream treat we all had, so afterward, while daddy and Colby rode Indian Jones, he got his treat too!

On the second day we started at Disney and then headed over to California Adventure. It was kind of a mess to be honest. The whole park was under construction, and so lots of the rides we enjoy were closed. But the boys didn't care. I think we only did three things over there, and then headed back to Disney. One of the funniest things was when we were in the 3D Bugs Life show. Colby and Brody did pretty good until the seats made you feel like there were roaches crawling, and when the spiders dropped from the ceiling Colby freaked out and started yelling "Exit, Exit, Exit" over and over and Brody started crying. It took a minute to calm them both down, poor kids, but it was pretty funny.

A favorite was the jungle cruise. Colby and Brody both loved it, and the line was never too long, so we went several times.

Each day we got a treat for a snack. The second day they both wanted popcorn, which I thought was funny because the other choice was ice cream, but they gobbled it down. Of course they loved my frozen lemonade too, which I was happy to share. How could I not, look at this face!

I wish I had more pictures (especially of Colby - he just doesn't do great with lots of pictures right now)!! We had such a great time, that we forgot about the camera most of the time. But some of the things I loved the most, were just seeing the boys so excited and happy, being able to spoil them rotten and not feel guilty about it, spending each day not worrying about anything else but enjoying my family, and soaking up the beautiful California weather and landscape! More on our last day next....

Day 3 & Some Beach Time...

Every day at Disney was busy. We expected that, but we really truly experienced it on day 3. All the other days the park opened at 8am, but on our last day the gates opened at 8am but not the park. So it was literally a marathon start, until they took down the ropes and allowed everyone to disperse off main street. It was crazy, but by day 3 we were used to the waiting.

Four was such a fun number. We all stayed together for pretty much every ride, and riding buddies emerged. I think I only got to ride one ride with Brody, the rest of the time Colby and I were joined at the hip, and Matt and Brody the same.

Brody's expression captures it all...he loved it and was a little unsure of it, all at the same time. He loved Nemo, but was a little scared of the shark part, and he loved Pirates, but was a little timid to go down the hills in the dark.

He loved Star wars...but was afraid of it. He didn't want to leave the show, but didn't want to leave daddy's arms either. We got great seats for the Star Wars show and I think it was one of the favorites...we had so many...but they really did love this show.

Brody's favorite character - Darth Vader

Colby's favorite character, Darth Maul, sure gave him a scare. He kind of snuck up on Colby and got right in his face. Scary isn't he?

I don't know how he did it, but the random stranger we asked to take a picture actually got a good one!

Hamming it up in front of the castle! These boys were so good! It was such a fun bonding experience for us as a family! We really had a great time!

Each day the boys got a prize for being good and waiting in the long lines. They each picked out stuffed animals on the last day. Colby saw a little boy with a puppy from 101 Dalmatians and we searched the park high and low to find that thing! Believe it or not, that was one of the things that wasn't in every single shop or cart...they only had them in one store.

Brody chose the dog from the movie Bolt, which he quickly renamed Gracie, because he had recently met his Auntie Shell's dog Gracie and her puppies a few weeks before. Thank goodness Bolt doesn't get a say, he might be pretty upset. :)

Our last day was lots of fun, but we cut it short to go see the beach since we won't be able to make it this summer (tear).

We thought we would make a quick stop and maybe grab a treat, but I think we ended up staying over an hour. I didn't want to leave, they didn't want to leave... it was so nice just being on the empty beach after the chaos of Disney.

Can little boys resist water and getting totally dirty in the sand? Of course not!! Matt and I tried to keep them semi-clean for a few minutes and then gave up. By the end of our little excursion they were wet & dirty, but grinning ear to ear.

We had kind of a long trip home the next day. I couldn't resist taking this picture of Brods. He was so tired from us running him ragged with no naps, he was just sacked out on the airplane. I think he stayed just like that for over an hour. So cute!

IT'S A....

BOY!!!

Yep, another Boy! I couldn't be happier! This is what I know, and love so much. Not that I wouldn't love a little girl to pieces too, but I am content with boys! Remember? My ridiculously long blog title: I'm-building-my-dream-team (Me & My Boys)? Won't be needing to edit that anytime soon! :) One more and I have a basketball team (including Matt, of course)....I'm not making any plans yet though! This little guy is due to arrive late July, but I bet he comes close to my mama's birthday around the 15th.

Marathon Kids

Colby got to participate in this really cool event this year called Marathon Kids. Marathon Kids is a free program that challenges children to run or walk 26.2 miles over 6 months. Since school began he and his classmates have run 1/4 to 1/2 mile each day and last weekend they completed their marathon at the medal ceremony!

It was a really rainy Saturday, but Colby was so excited to get his medal that we decided to brave the drizzly mucky weather for over an hour as we waited for our turn to run our last lap!

Through the finish Line Hooray!

Of course we had to have something for Brody too. Colby gave Brody his medal he got from swim lessons last year so that he wouldn't feel left out! Isn't that sweet? Colby we are so proud of you for finishing your first marathon, and for being such a great big brother!