Tomatoes

Mom and I spent last Sunday tracking down tomatoes (or "tato's" as Chase calls them) to can.  Chase was stubborn and wouldn't nap that day - so he was our "helper" (aka mess maker).  We went to 3 different places and got what we could.  We only ended up getting 8 quarts.  It wasn't near as much as either one of us were hoping for - but that'll give me a few pots of yummy soup this winter.  Fresh canned tomatoes are a must if you ask me!

Balloons

They had Balloons over the Mississippi in Ft. Madison on Friday and Saturday evening.  I wanted to go on Friday but it didn't work out because Josh got called to work.  He was back in time for us to make it to Saturday night, though - so we went and checked it out.  We had never been.  Mom and Dad had some kids and they decided to take them over to see them too.  Eden rode with us because her van was full.  Chase and Eden had baby babble talk the whole way there - pretty cute stuff! 

It was kind of like a mini fair.  There was carni food vendors and flea market tents and everything.  Pretty cool!  We got to see them light the balloons up after dark.  Chase thought it was pretty fascinating!  He makes the best faces!  : )  We decided if we go again we will go earlier so we can see them landing back in the park.  They were all landed by the time we got there.  Nothing too exciting - but something cheap and entertaining to do close to home.  AND we got Hall's ice cream on the way home...so that makes it even better! 

He's Back

The night Vanessa got back from Nevada with the boys we ended up at Mom and Dad's for pizza at the same time.  Tristin looked good and seemed to be happy to home.  Josh played a game with him and Chase hung out with "Sessa" (as he calls her) and watched them. 

Reality

The day we were setting up Chase's big boy room and the new nursery I had a tiny meltdown.  As we were setting up the toddler bed, changing things out and getting baby things all cleaned up - I realized what is really happening.  Reality is definitely setting in.  Chase was napping and I just had to sit down next to him and stare at him while I cried for a few minutes.  He is growing up so fast and his little world is about to be turned upside down.  : (  While I'm excited for what's ahead...I also am sad about my first baby growing up and nervous about the big changes we are in store for.  I'm sure my feelings are normal..I'm just hoping my hormones don't get the best of me after we have the baby so I can enjoy it all.

Big Boy Room

Josh took a day off last week so we could work on turning Chase's room into a big boy room and the baby room into a nursery.  We got A LOT done.  Chase was home with us all day so he could see it all go down.  I think it was good for him that way.   

Mom stopped by to see our progress that night and Chase had to show her his big bed.  He was pretty excited about it as you can see!

We kept his room theme the same and got him a new toddler bed.  We refinished a dresser Ruth gave us and it turned out really nice - it looks like new!  Other than that we got him a new hamper and storage baskets and called it good.  His room looks a lot bigger now!  Much more play room for him.  : )  I am happy with it!

He looks like such a big boy is his new bed - kind of sad!  He still isn't sleeping in it all night or hardly ever really...but I'm HOPING we can get that accomplished before the baby arrives. 

He laid down and I said "awww" and of course he copied me and said "awww".  So adorable!

Boots

Just a cutie pretending to be like Daddy.  Gotta love it!

My Buddy

I love that he LIKES to hang out with me.  I am so cherishing this while it lasts because I already fear the teenage years when he doesn't like me.  : ( 

Date Night

Josh and I haven't been able to afford a legit date night together in quite a while.  After selling the truck we were sure to set aside a little bit of the money for us to have a night alone.  We left Chase with Mom and Dad for the night and went to Burlington.  We did some shopping, ate Mexican (like always), enjoyed some chit chat together without interruption, and grabbed some ice cream on the way home.  We both are terrible and actually WANTED to pick up Chase on our way home - but we know that both us and Chase need to practice being apart for when the baby is born so we don't have as hard of a time with it.  Nice night with the hubby! 

Catch!

When we play catch with Chase he gets his legs real far apart and stands there just right...then we tell him to hold in hands out and (as you can see) it is 100% adorable when he does!  He is the BEST! 

Mom Time

It is harder to find time for Mom and I to go do fun things together now than it used to be.  She's kept pretty busy ALL the time!  We managed to squeeze in a Saturday morning together and go to Hobby Lobby and Kohls.  Chase and Cullen were our sidekicks because if we waited til we were 100% alone it would really never happen. I wanted to look for some baby stuff.  I got some supplies to work on the baby room at Hobby Lobby which was super exciting for me!  We found a few things for the baby at Kohl's and we both had 30% off coupons so that made it even better!  We ate breakfast out at Perkins and the boys were both pretty good.  Here's a funny Cullen story for you - we showed him the kids menu (which had pictures of the food) and asked him what he wanted and he pointed to the drinks.  That is all that kid does - he's a heavy drinker and a light eater!  It was a good morning together.  Hopefully we will get another day before this baby arrives. 

Gifts

A few gifts for the new baby have began to roll in.  All have been unexpected but much appreciated.  Mom saw a lady over where Grandma Boyer gets her treatments done that makes baby blankets - and she got one for the baby.  It is a pretty blue and is SO soft.  I love it!  I had Josh take a picture of Mom and I and (of course) Chase had to join in!  : )  We also have gotten a tiny little Hurley outfit and restaurant thingy from Jeremy and Colista, some outfits and socks from Sandy and Amanda, and another blanket from Amanda's Grandma Jean.  Hopefully I'm not spacing off and not thinking of something else we've gotten.  My brain is pretty scattered lately so it's possible.  Anyways... aren't babies fun?!

The Sweetest

Don't you just love that just woke up eyes still puffy look?!  I do! 

Do I Have Something In My Teeth?

We were eating at Subway and Chase was chowing down on a chocolate chip cookie.  Josh and I died laughing when we saw his teeth...HAHA!  My little hillbilly!  

Growing

Josh got out the camera to take my progress picture and Chase automatically thought it was to take a picture of him.  He isn't used to being the center of attention all the time or anything!  : ) haha! 

We're getting closer and closer and it's starting to freak me out...

Bye Bye Binky

We have been talking lately about the binky being yucky and saying we're going to throw it away because he keeps sticking the entire thing in his mouth.  Last Tuesday morning Chase started to throw it down on the floor a few times when we would say it.  Then he actually went to the basement door (which our trash can is behind) and wanted to put it in the garbage.  I don't think he really realized what he was doing but I let him throw it away and we decided to just go with it from there.  He found one in the afternoon and we had to throw it away again which was tramatic for him for a moment but it didn't last long.  The first real test was when it came time for bedtime.  It was so so so so sooo sad!  The poor little guy just didn't know what to do with himself.  I felt aweful!  He was truly having withdrawals form it.  I know it is for the better and he won't remember it (thank God!) but it wasn't easy..that's for sure!  After lots of tears he finally fell asleep snuggled up close to his Daddy. 

He slept all night the first night without it (to my surprise) and woke up just a little earlier than he usually does.  First thing the next morning when he woke up he cried.  I distracted him best I could and got him to snuggle with me for a minute.  After he calmed down we did our normal morning routine of putting him on the potty.  It has only worked once...until today!  He peed on the potty first thing this morning after sleeping all night without his binky.  Such a big boy!  We made it all day without it.  He asked for it a lot but we just stuck to our guns and kept telling him they were all gone.  We didn't manage to get him to take a nap at all ...but he fell asleep REALLY easily after an evening walk and didn't make a peep all night. 

He slept all night again the 2nd night...yay!  No pee in the potty the next morning, but one thing at a time. Day 3 went even smoother than day 2.  He asked for it a lot less and went down easily for a nap and at bedtime. 

Today is a week later and he is still doing awesome!  We haven't caved at all and don't plan on it.  He has even found Eden's at Mom & Dad's a few times and handed it to her or Grandpa.  He knows he isn't supposed to have it!  How awesome is that?!  I think we can officially say we're over the "hump" and honestly - it wasn't that bad!  We should've done this a long time ago!  So proud of my little man! 

Baby Room

We got the 2nd coat of the baby's room and got the blind and curtain hung.  It is actually looking like a bedroom now...I'm excited!  Chase was adorable "helping" Josh hang the curtain.  Josh was such a trooper and shared the ladder with him.  If you look close you can see Chase even had a screw driver in his hand.  How cute is he?!  He wants to be just like his Daddy and this Mommy is so OK with that! 

Drive

Josh gives me crap and is a downer sometimes when I randomly mention we should go to Hall's for ice cream or semething when we are sitting around bored. ..yet the other night he thought we should go on a random drive to Keokuk so he could go to stupid Game Stop!  I didn't say a word and went for it without complaining.  I got Chase out and walked around the parking lot to get some fresh air while we waited on him.  Hopefully Josh will remember this next time I mention doing something he doesn't find particularly fun....and if he doesn't I fully intend of reminding him of this.  Haha!

Spoiled

I had been craving my Mom's caramel corn so I asked her if she'd make me some...and she did!  Yep, I'm still spoiled once in a while.  It was oh so delicious!!!  Love my Mommy!

4th of July

Josh was working most of the day on the 4th of July this year.  I decided to make the best of it and stayed extremely busy all day long.  I cleaned the entire house and had it spotless in the morning and then had lunch with Mom and Dad.  After that Chase and I came home and got in our swimming duds so we could go over to Amy's and swim for a little while. 

We stayed for a few hours.  This was the first time we went over there since Chase had swimming lessons and he did a lot better!  He was a jumping fool. 

Him and Marlia were pretty good friends that day.  They shared a jar of pringles and shared ketchup for their hot dogs while playing footsy.  : )

After we went swimming we came home and got showered up.  We had been invited earlier in the week to go to a party with Josh's family.  If Josh didn't make it back in time Chase and I were going to go to Jeremy and Colista's for a cookout.  He ended up getting home just in time so we went to Donnellson and spent the evening there.  We both agreed the food was awful and it was really hot but he hadn't seen some of his family in quite a while so that part was nice. 

We boot scooted to Fort Madison in time to watch the fireworks show. 

We parked a couple blocks away and took chairs down on the riverside of the tracks.  Ruth and Taylor met us down there and watched with us.  Chase got to see a few choo-choo's go by while we waited for them to start.

Chase was really into this time and was making adorable noises and faces.  Their show was really long and good this year...I enjoyed it too! 

Keokuk Pool

Chase and I asked Owen to come play with us last Tuesday.  We were all loaded up in the car and in Fort Madison to go swimming at Amy's for a little while when Dad called and needed me to bring the title to the truck down to the store.  So we turned around and headed back home and towards Hamilton.  I figured since we were all in our swimwear and loaded up we may as well still try and do something - so I called Colista to see if she was up to going to the pool.  We met at the Keokuk pool a little after noon and it was awesome!  We found us a little haven.  It was cheap, good size but still small enough to see everyone, and not too crowded.  We had a nice afternoon and the kids loved it too!  We agreed that we will have to do it again a few times this summer. 

There are these big lilly pads in the water with a net to help you climb on them overhead.  The boys all really liked these.  Owen could climb across the net like it was nothing - he was pretty proud of it too! 

We secretly let Tristan go off the diving boards.  We told him not to tell anyone else because we couldn't be at the deep end helping the other boys and at the shallow end watching the little ones at the same time. 

There were these little sprayers that come up out of the bottom of the pool.  Chase and Eden were funny with them.  Chase would try and sit on it and then Eden would come up behind him and try to pick him up to get him off.  Haha!  She is a typical little girl already! 

The whole time I kept thinking to myself that certain things would make cute pictures and getting the normal pit in my stomach that I get when I don't record memories...but I tried to work past it and enjoy myself because I couldn't be in the water with Chase and take pictures at the same time.  I chose to not focus on pictures so much that day and have fun instead. 

2nd Home

Chase and I spend a lot of time at Mom and Dad's when Josh is gone.  It's just more fun to be with people than to sit at home alone.  One evening Chase had his first push up.  It was pretty cute because he kept trying to suck on the straw handle and expecting something to come out of it...haha!

Messy little man! 

Another evening we all sat in the toy room after Chase had a bath and played peek a boo and other games.  He would go inside the closet and then pop his head out and say "boo".  He got a little crazy and was doing butt drops on the floor too.  I think he was so tired he was being silly at that point.  Chase loves being the center of attention.  He better enjoy it while it lasts! 

Big Baby

He may be growing up...but he is still my baby!  I love that he still curls up like that.  Makes me feel good that this position is so comfortable to him...I love it!