First Trip to The Children's Museum

This past weekend Jeremy was off work, and we thankfully had nothing else going on! No plans out of town, nobody was visiting, no plans with friends...it was just US and we were so excited about it! I have been wanting to bring the kids to the Children's Museum in Corallville for awhile now, so we thought Sunday would be the perfect day to do it! We headed to Coralville early to grab lunch and get to the museum just as they opened. Ellie was super crabby Saturday night and all day Sunday, so I was a bit worried, but she did great. Ellie and Owen were sick last week and Ellie is still coughing a lot, I'm hoping this is the reason for the crabbiness and not a new attitude. I really liked The Children's Museum it is a great place and you can tell that they have invested so much thought, time and money into making it what it is today. I think that it will fit our family really well in two years or so, once the kids are both a bit older.
Owen had fun but wasn't able to interact with much. He did find one room he loved...can you guess...The Farm room! :) Those who know him well, know how fitting this is for him. He loved to cruise around through the tunnels, up the stairs, down the slides. He enjoyed driving the tractor, and playing with the farm sets. The Farm room was for kids ages 0-5, and it was a bit frustrating when parents let their older kids come in and play. They were just too big and out of control, I had to run to grab Owen a few times, because I thought he would be trampled. Like I said, it will be a better fit for us in one or two years.

Crawling through the tunnel

Little Ham

Playing with the farm

Ellie loved the farm room as well, but she probably enjoyed the grocery store and driving the ambulance the most! She screamed  and cried when we had to leave both of those areas (again a bit crabby on this day).

Crawling underground

She insisted on riding the cow

Loading the tractor trailer

Driving the tractor

Up and Down...Repeat

Both kids loved this long tunnel slide in the Flight area. I took both of them down multiple times. Owen giggled and giggled the entire way down, and Ellie kept asking to go again.

Flight Area

Weeeeeee!

Pilot and Co-Pilot

They also both loved the book area. It was a nice way to relax at the end of our time at the museum.

Relaxing in a tree

Waiting for the girls...whats new!?!?!?

Sick!

I had started this post on Friday morning and titled it "Weekend Fun", we had plans with Aunt Julie to go for a walk on Saturday and watch Lindsay and Josh bowl on Sunday. I got a call from daycare Friday afternoon that Owen was running a temperature, when I went to get him he did not look like he felt good :( On Saturday we started the day off with a sick little guy. Owen was running a high fever, refusing to eat and not wanting to get off my lap. He slept all morning in my arms. Jeremy met the 3 of us at a walk in clinic in CR, and the verdict was: Virus...with pink eye :( Owen took another nap this time in his bed when we got home, and was in better spirits when he woke up. While Owen was sleeping Ellie and I made a carrot cake (Jeremy's favorite) and watched a movie. Saturday night Jeremy brought pizza home for dinner and once the kiddos went to sleep we had planned on a movie date night at home, but both crashed by 8:30! :) Sunday...started the day with Owen feeling a bit better, he took a very long nap, during which I was able to make dinner and get some laundry started. I did notice that Ellie wasn't acting like herself, she didn't want to eat and kept lounging on the couch and asking to cuddle. Sure enough, she is now the sick one with a temp and not looking well at all. She has taken multiple naps on the couch throughout the day and keeps asking to watch movies. While she was resting Owen was a HUGE help. :) We did laundry, washed the dishes, cleaned out the desk and other chores around the house.
This may be one of the first Sundays you will hear me say "Is is Monday yet?" I'm actually looking forward to going back to work...this weekend was exhausting!Next weekend Jeremy has off and we hope to do some fun things and have 2 HEALTHY children!

Sick

and sick!

Fresh Air

Yesterday it was a HEAT WAVE! Highs were 61 degrees in the afternoon. We all headed outside as a family for a walk and then came home and played in the yard for awhile. Ellie put on her green frog rain boots...and had a blast in the mud. I tried to get a picture, but my camera was dead. I will for sure next time.
It was just what we needed. I felt so refreshed after our time outside and I could tell that the kids moods were lifted as well. After our walk they rode around in the garage. Ellie in her "car" as she calls it and Owen on his Big Wheel, both of which I got at a garage sale last summer for $3 each!! I hope to find some more cheap outside toys at garage sales this spring for the kids to enjoy.
Bring on Spring!

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day! I know that not everyone shares the same love for this "holiday" that I do, but I just don't care. :) We had such a great day! Sunday evening I sat down with Ellie and helped her write her name on all of her Valentines. Jeremy kept busy cutting up veggies to bring to daycare for their party (cookies and cupcakes were already taken).

This morning when Ellie woke up, she was very excited for her Valentine Party at daycare. She got dressed with her little heart leggings and skirt, let me do her hair (which is a battle lately) and was all ready for the day. Owen was not as excited but he did sport a little red shirt and brought in some Valentines for his teachers, such a sweet little guy.

Ellie learned a new tune last week at daycare: "Oh Valentine, Oh Valentine, You Are So Special To Me"

I love it!



Checking out her loot from daycare

Examaning his Valentine from his buddy Emerick

Flowers from Jeremy :)

I-O-W-A Wrestling Meet

Jeremy and I went to the Iowa Vs Michigan Wrestling meet on Sunday 2/13 for a pre-Valentine's Day Date. Rachel and Eric also attended the meet, so we sat with them and caught up with eachothers lives.
We go every year to at least one meet. They are cheap, great seats, and fun! We talked this year that it might be the last time we come alone. I think that the kids are at an age where they can join us. We also grabbed lunch at the Olive Garden beforehand using a gift card from Nolan and Sam (Thanks again!). Jamie watched the kids and we had a fun time together.

Lazy Weekend

Jeremy worked this past weekend and that left the kiddos and I at home. On Saturday we headed out in morning to run some errands. We went to Target to get milk, Valentines, and a snack (Ellie would not let me forget the last item on our list :). First up we grabbed 4 gallons of milk, yes 4!!!, we go through milk like crazy in our house. I think Jeremy drinks 2 gallons a week on his own, and the kids and I finish off the rest. Next on the list was Valentines for daycare. Ellie narrowed it down to two choices, Tinkerbell and Monkey Valentines with tattoos. She chose the Monkey's in the end, but quickly decided that Owen should get the Tinkerbell. After explaining that Owen is not handing out Valentines and putting them back we headed off to pick out a snack. M&Ms it was and off we went. Ellie is a great shopper (always has been), Owen on the other hand can be a bit difficult. He does NOT want to sit still! He insists on standing up in the cart. After telling him to sit down for the millionth time I finally picked him up and carried him while pushing the cart. Hopefully he will grow out of that. We headed home, ate lunch, napped, watched Cinderella, played, made dinner and then daddy was home! 

Shooting hoops

Watching Nick Jr's music videos on the computer

Sunday was a bit painful as we did not leave the house at all! We did a lot of cooking, which Ellie loves to help with, watched more movies, played for hours, napped and took baths. Owen LOVES to take a bath and hates getting out. We always get Ellie out first and then try to get Owen out he says "No" and turns his head away from us as if we cannot see him if he can't see us. I always drain the tub, take all the toys our and then pry him out of the tub :) Sunday night was topped off with pizza, and watching the Super Bowl with Daddy when he got home from work. Ellie asked to watch a movie in our bedroom instead of the football game, but did come out during the half time show to dance with the Black Eye Peas :)

All in all great lazy weekend at home!

Eating pizza...mmmmm

He is a garbage disposal...eats whatever he can get his hands on :)

Snow Day :)

On Tuesday the 1st of February school was let out early for the impending Blizzard. I picked up the kids early from daycare and headed home to hibernate. The snow started to fall around 1:00 in the afternoon on Tuesday and did not stop until Wednesday morning. In the end Cedar Rapids ended up with over a foot of snow. Needless to say that school was cancelled on Wednesday and the entire family was home for the day.

Ellie painted all morning, she loved it and thought she was so cool while painting her picture. She had to put it up to the window a few times to show daddy her art work while he snow blowed. Owen colored for a little bit while I got food in the crock pot for dinner that night. He mostly enjoyed watching daddy snow blow outside. Owen loves to stand at the window and shout at the dogs :)

Ellie and I made cookies, and watched Snow White while Owen napped. We then enjoyed a warm dinner together. Jeremy and I even got in a movie night after the kids went to bed. I woke up to a 2 hour delay Thursday morning :) All in all it was a great Snow Day at home!