The past couple of weeks we have had several visitors. Aunt Heather C and the kids came a couple weekends ago. For their early birthday present Tanner wanted to take them to Comic Con since that is right up their alley (not so much mine). But I still got to enjoy their company at the house. I love playing Just Dance on the Wii with my niece Jenna. We played for 2 hours and I was so sore the next day. Below are cute pics of Jenna with Caedmon. There are some cute pictures of Stone and Caedmon but they are on Heather's camera. Heather, if you reading this forward them over to me please!
Sweating and playing Just Dance
Then on St. Patrick's Day Becky and Adrian came into town unexpectedly. She got the next day off and thought she would come visit her husband at his hotel and she wanted to drink green beer with me (as I stated in an earlier post). Her husband travels for work now and he is here in Indy for about 6 months. The next day we hung out and swam at the hotel.
2 peas in a pod
Sharing food
Adrian was feeding Caedmon mac n cheese
This past weekend our neighbors the next street over came over for a cookout. I met Jen at MOPS and we co-led a table together until she had to go back to work full time and no longer attends MOPS. Well since I don't get to see her as much anymore I told her we need to get our families together. Our husbands have never met and have a lot in common. We had a great time and Caedmon enjoyed playing with their three girls. They even read books outside together.
Lastly yesterday my cousin Denise that is the closest in age to me came here for a visit. She had a couple days off work and her boys are on spring break this week. It is so nice having visitors during the week because it sometimes get lonely being a stay at home mom. She spent the night and we had a blast playing Wii games. Her oldest boy never played Just Dance before and he was obsessed. It was really quite comical.
On Valentine's Day we just hung out as a family. In particular I just wanted to show some pics of Caedmon helping making dog treats. And we also made him a felt snowman just like his felt Christmas tree that he loves.
Caedmon has been in the snow before but I would say my trip up to my dads back in the beginning of February would be his official first time in the snow. It was because it was a significant amount versus our dusting at home and he is walking well. Last winter he was walking when we got a few inches but not completely stable and all we did was go out and sled and come back in. In fact he didn't have actual boots then that I had to wrap his feet in plastic bags. This time he had actual snow boots.
We gave my dad a snow blower for his early 70th birthday present and made a path in his backyard with it. Caedmon went sledding and also enjoyed throwing snow balls at my dads barn because it would stick to it. He thought that was pretty fun.
Another St. Patrick's Day come and gone. We went to the canal greening again and it was a gorgeous night out for it. It was in the 70's. It was way more packed this year than last year. I did not make it to the parade this year because I started getting a cold and didn't want to stand outside as it was colder out the next day. But then my BFF Becky unexpectedly came to town that evening so I had to go drink green beer with her.
Pointing at the fountain as it started to change color.
The weekend before Christmas we headed up to my dads and stayed till Sunday night. If memory serves my Aunt Carol and Uncle Bob came over one night and brought pretzel crust pizza from Little Caesars. Yummy!! We exchanged Christmas presents there with everybody.
Stone and Jenna getting so big!
From there we went to Lafayette to Denny and Vickie's. Heather and Taylor were there from Memphis and more Christmas gift exchanging occurred. And it was quite comical because one of the things I asked for Christmas was more Halloween decorations when we go on our annual Halloween camp trip. Well lets just say that Taylor and Heather going overboard on that was an understatement. I told them about it immediately after Halloween so they bought like 20 things because everything was like 75 to 80% off! Ha! Of course Heather and I had to do our ritual one night which is stay up late chatting and drinking wine. And our men slept on the air mattress together ha! We stayed in Lafayette till Tuesday night. We returned back home so Caedmon could have a couple nights in his own bed before we do the trek to Oklahoma. Also so we could have Christmas with our own little family in our own home. We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas morning at home.
On Christmas day we headed back to Lafayette to grandmas house to see extended family on Sandy's side. That was chaotic as always and it was cute seeing Caedmon playing with his little cousins. Christmas night back to Denny and Vickie's till Saturday morning when we leave for Oklahoma to see Brandon. We left at 4am and drove straight thru and got to Fort Sill around 8pm I think. Caedmon did surprisingly well on this trip for going straight thru. In the beginning he wanted to go back to sleep which he did but had trouble staying asleep because I think he was uncomfortable in the car seat and wanted to sprawl out. We made sure to stop at McDonald's or Burger Kings and play in the play place for him to run off some energy.
At Fort Sill we had a really nice 2 bedroom apartment basically and Caedmon and I had our own room. And Vickie and her friend Cindy shared a room. The next day Brandon drove and gave us a tour around Fort Sill. All I have to say is it felt like being in another country. And the Army is so different from the Coast Guard since my other brother in law is in the Coast Guard. We saw Geronimo s Grave. I think we also went to the PX (the exchange). One of the days we went to the Army Artillery Museum. And another day we went to the mall in Lawton that I thought was kind of ghetto. Also got to briefly see the trucks that Brandon works on and drives. We didn't stay out long because it was so cold and windy that day. On New Years Eve we played Euchre in the hotel room while taking turns playing songs from You Tube. That was fun. It was a great trip hanging out with Vickie and Cindy for girl time and of course seeing Brandon. Caedmon definitely had a blast with his uncle Brandon.
The trip home we decided to do it in 2 days and we stopped at Fort Leonardwood, MO on the way back. Then made it back to Lafayette on Friday and went to El Rodeo for dinner with Denny and Vickie before heading home. Caedmon had fun but was glad to see his daddy and get home and sleep in his own bed. He stayed up till like 11PM that night because Tanner missed him and wanted to play with him. Caedmon is definitely a traveling fool and is a real trooper when traveling.
Pointing at the trucks and guns
Lastly, I hate Fort Leonardwood. Everything is poorly labeled. First we are looking for our hotel room and the road was not labeled so we went past it several times. Then when we found it, it was a little cottage and the heat was turned off because the Army are a bunch of tight asses. It was colder inside than it was outside. Apparently they are not worried about freezing pipes. So then we get a different room. We were looking for building 3213. It is dark out at the time and no light on the building so of course all we see is 3400 Nebraska Ave. Again we drove around the building several times trying to find 3213. Needless to say, Vickie was really pissed and over it all and margaritas were in order. No glasses were necessary. Just lean back and pour right in mouth. Except whatever you do, do not make sound effects while doing so because Kim will laugh and spit margarita all over. Yes that happened. Good times!
