Kisses Kisses Everywhere...

At my Grandpa's retirement party my mother was taking pictures of Porter giving kisses...

Kevin and Porter have a very special bond! Porter loves his uncle very much!

Kisses for mommy :)

Then trying to get Uncle Shawn to cooperate for a kiss is another story!

Looks scared to death!

Porter going in for the kill, Uncle Shawn saying not a chance!

Porter finally lands one!

Oh to not be a father and not know the real enjoyment of those open mouth kisses, how sad it would be! He will learn to enjoy them when he has kids! For now Braylon and Porter will get him warmed up to the idea ;)

An old-wise fisherman...

My grandfather retired from Kraft Foods after 49 years of working there. We had a big party for him on Saturday and man oh man did we have fun!

Porter watched the kids play, he was actually the shy one that night, not a normal Porter moment!

Bray, CJ, Crosby and Bryan playing "Tackle" with a wiffle ball... Very funny to watch!

Uncle Shawn picking on Bray

Porter enjoyed the slide at the park nearby.

Both boys playing at the park...

Braylon and CJ running after that ball.

Happy Retirement Grandpa Jack! We love you and are happy to hear that you are finally ready to fish to your hearts content!

Happy Birthday Boys!

Two Sunday's ago we had the boys' joint birthday parties. The boys got a lot of great gifts and had a lot of fun running and playing with all of the other kids! Thank you for celebrating with us :)

  

Grandma helping Porter open his presents

Braylon opening his presents

Then Uncle Kevin and Uncle Shawn showed everyone up when they brought out the Escalade Power Wheel! Look at those boys faces!

Braylon of course jumped in the drivers seat...

That looks like trouble to me!

I dread the day that this is not a power wheel and it is a real motorized vehicle that goes over 2.5 miles per hour (it can go to 5 mph but we have it programmed to nothing over 2.5 for right now)... My babies are not babies anymore :(

Thank you again everyone for celebrating with us!

Brown County Fair! (Yes I am a little behind)

We have been extremely busy lately, I feel like we just go go go all day and night long! We went to the Brown County Fair two weekends ago, we actually went twice, once on Friday night with Grandma Joan, Grandpa Rick, Candon, Kenna and Auntie Coley. We then went back on Saturday afternoon with Grandma Pammy. On Friday night we went on rides, ate corn dogs, hamburgers, and mini donuts, had a blast and went home when tantrums set in :) Saturday we got there early so we ended up riding the mini horses again (we also did that on Friday) and went to look at the cows, horses, piggies and all the CONSTRUCTION AND FARM VEHICLES!!! (Which of course was their favorite part!)

We went into the "petting" zoo and they had the Owl out, both boys were amazed! Braylon would follow along the fence as they walked the owl back and forth.

Porter was picking up grass to feed the donkey...

Braylon followed suit.

Porter in the skid steer! He was pretty amazed by it (he acts like he has never seen one before!) :)

Both boys in the Skid Steer, we shut them in and that was even more fun!

Going to look at the animals, Porter LOVES the horses, he Neighs at them, waiting for them to Neigh back... Jumps through the roof when they actually did though!

Braylon on one of the Tractors

Horsey Rides!!!  Braylon went all by himself!

Porter on his horse!

We had a great time at the Brown County Fair this year! Braylon even went to the demo's with Grandma and Grandpa this year, he had a blast! Next year we will try and take Porter too. Braylon told Porter many times that he would like it.

Welcoming Change!

Ben and I have been discussing (and when I say discussing me pleading my case and Ben dragging his feet ;)) about us switching to cloth diapers. It has been something that has been 6-8 months in the works! I have finally pleaded enough and last night we came to a decision that we are going to try it out! I have researched cloth diapers for countless hours and I know exactly the ones that I want to "test" out, and luckily for me they started a new special this week on the exact brand I want! Buy 6 get 2 free :) YES PLEASE! I put my purchase in literally minutes ago and I am SO EXCITED to get these! I also purchased a few of the prefold cloth diapers and diaper covers, I bought a few in Porter's size and I bought a dozen in newborn size, for when Baby J arrives, I have read that the prefolds are GREAT for newborns!

Porter is our little guinea pig and he will be the one to test them out, I am sure that his sore little toosh will welcome the comfort and relief of cloth touching his bottom rather then chemicals and plastic!

Ben is still not 100% on board with this decision or the change, he thinks it is going to be much more work and problems then good, but I am very confident and excited for the change! He thinks that cloth diapering is like it was 20 years ago! That is not the case, Cloth diapers have come a very long way since then! I will be sure to snap a picture of Porter in his new Cloth Diapers as soon as they arrive, should be next week :)

Birthday Celebration!

Tonight we went to Happy Joe's to celebrate Braylon's birthday! Grandma Pammy, Grandpa Todd, Uncle Kevin and Uncle Shawn came with too!

Braylon opening his presents, Porter is supervising or plotting which toys he wants to claim for his own!

After we were done eating and opening gifts we went to play a few games! Thanks Uncle Kevin for the tokens :)

Porter spotted the "basketball" game and thought he NEEDED to play! Unfortunately there was a line of about 30 kids waiting to play it :(

Grandma and Grandpa took the boys after dinner so that Ben and I could go and play volleyball! They got to go to the park and then they got to go and check out construction vehicles with Grandma!

Braylon was very thankful to everyone for the wonderful birthday gifts and for helping him celebrate his birthday!

HaPPY BIrthDAY!!!!!!!!

Braylon is 3 today!!!!!!!!!!!

He woke up while Ben and I were filling his room with Balloons! He was so excited! He kept thanking us for filling his room with balloons! He then shut the door and played with his bulldozer and other construction vehicles while Ben and I got ready for work!

Throwing his balloons!

Porter got up and got in on the action as well!

Happy Birthday Braylon! We love you so so so so very much!



Three years ago today!

To love anything is to appreciate it. To learn about it and spend time with it. To admire its beauty and its great many talents. To give it the time and patience it deserves. To acknowledge how it makes your life richer and more enjoyable. To realize how much you would hate to live without it. I can't imagine or fathom my life without my Braylon! We are the luckiest parents in the world to have been blessed with such an amazing little boy! He brings us joy, happiness, love, laughter, and a few grey hairs :) This was us three years ago today!

Ben waiting patiently for the doctor to round on us, August 9, 2008!

Keeping busy with Sudoku puzzles!

Right before going into the delivery room :)

HE ARRIVED!!!!!!

The first time I got to hold him, August 11, 2009!

The first time Daddy got to hold him, August 11, 2009!

Our first family picture!

A fisher-boys love!

Braylon LOVES to fish, that is all that he wanted to do this weekend while we were up at the lake!

Braylon admiring his fish he caught!

Porter's idea of fishing is getting right in the water with them and trying to grab them as they swim up to his feet.

A fishermen and his four legged companion :)

Playing at the Park...

Tonight we went to the park to play with Candon for a little while!



P going down the big yellow slide!

Bray's turn

Yes that is Porter climbing up that climbing "net". I couldn't believe it when he just zipped up the thing, he is such a little monkey!

Braylon is a pro at it, must have taught Porter his skills! He looks older and older every day :(

That boy has a smile that melts his mommies heart!

The boys going down the slide together... Kind of! The thought it was funny to go down RIGHT after one another and then collide at the bottom. Boys will be boys!

The three boys enjoying the tire swing, or at least Porter is enjoying it. Candon looks a little unsure.

That tongue just has to be out when going down the slide, helps him perfect his form  ;)

July 30th a day to celebrate!!!

We celebrated a very special day on Saturday July 30th, it was National Gastroschisis Awareness Day and the boys and I celebrated in the morning before heading to La Crosse for McKenna's Baptism. We meet up with Grandma Pammy and Uncle Kevin at Perkins to eat breakfast and open gifts! The boys and I wore green shirts in honor of Gastroschisis (green is the Gastroschisis color). The boys were extremely excited about celebrating, although not fully comprehending what it all meant, but pancakes and presents meant we must have been celebrating for a GREAT cause! The "Your Beginning" Picture Books that I am in the process of finishing will help them understand a bit more and will be something that they can keep forever and ever!

Braylon reading his new Cars book that he got, along with a big bag of Starburst and a new Lightning Travel Cup!

Porter and Grandma Pammy, Porter testing out his new Lightning Travel cup, he also got a big bag of M&M's and a Thomas the Train book.

My goal for next year is that I can find time, this year, to plan a Gastroschisis 5k and Kiddie Run to help support the cause in a more effective way!

Happy National Gastroschisis Awareness Day everyone, a few days late!