Weekend get away

This past weekend we went to visit Maren and Jim in Minneapolis, it was Jared, myself, the boys and Janet(Jared's mom).  We wanted to get some shopping in at IKEA and at the Mall of America so we asked Janet to go along because she likes IKEA too!  We had a great time catching up with Maren and Jim and shopping.  The boys did pretty well considering we made them shop til they dropped almost every day!  We left on Thursday early afternoon, the boys didn't have a nap yet so we thought they would be tired...that they were but over tired!  We had just switched them over to their new car seats and they had not adjusted to them yet so they were a little fussy on the way there with no nap and not use to car seats.  Nonetheless we made it there after about 6 hours with a sit down eating in there.  We let the boys stay up and hang with Julianna (Maren's girl) for a bit and then off to bed for a busy Friday of shopping at IKEA. 

Jared reading nighttime story to Tristan and Juliana

Tristan trying to give JP a good night kiss and JP not so sure about it.  Landon is taking notes on how to do it:)

Good morning daddy!

The boys slept great, but Julianna not so well, so about 6:00 I got up and went to rock Julianna for Maren to get some sleep (Jim was out of town until late Friday night).  Friday all kids did pretty good considering we had them in crazy IKEA for about 6 hours.  We got asked a few times if they were triplets:)  Jared, Janet and I got some goods its always fun stuff at IKEA.  Friday night we went out to dinner, Landon and Julianna were a treat at dinner Landon didn't want to sit and Julianna wanted to share her food with all the tables around us(throwing it).  Then back to Maren's to put the kids down and catch up on each others lives.  Jared hit the sack early as well so it felt like college again just staying up late and catching up, except this time was about husbands and kids as opposed to boyfriends and sports. 

A little diaper time before bedtime

Julianna wanted the boys to get their PJ's on

Saturday was the mall day so Maren and Jim were so kind to hang with the boys while they napped feed them lunch and give Julianna nap then head to the mall.  Then we got the kids and they went to pick up a couch at IKEA they wanted with our vehicle.  After us shopping and them taking couch back home and back we went to dinner which tonight it was Tristan that was throwing his food and be ornery.  After dinner, we headed back to the Roche's to put together their couch they got. 

Sunday morning we got up ate breakfast, with no rush to get on the road after boys got up from morning nap we got on the road to head to the outlet mall(on our way home).  There was some great sales this weekend with it being memorial day but was it busy.  By this time the boys were done sitting in the stroller and shopping and when they were out of their stroller they were into everything.  So after closing down that mall we grab some food and got on the road.  The boys did better on the way home.  This was the first time they had really watched any TV/ movies they loved it Tristan kept pointing and saying huh, huh!  We ran into some pretty bad storms, raining so hard we could hardly see, but Jared did a great job! 

One last drink before hitting the road

Monday we had some friends over to grill out, play bags and let the kids play.  It was a great day but our boys were beat and ready for bed early!  An eventful weekend but a very fun and good to get away and see Maren and let our kids play together. 

Hope all of you had a fun and safe Holiday weekend!

Mother's Day Weekend

This past weekend was very nice and relaxing with lots of outside time with the boys!  Yesterday was Mother's Day and for all you mother's reading this I am proud of what you have done or do with all your kids.  I've been a daughter, sister, cousin, friend, aunt, and wife, but nothing has been as rewarding as being a mom!  I have always known all my life that I wanted to be a mom, but I had no idea how awesome it is!  I pray for those who are not fortunate enough to have kids of their own, it breaks my heart.  I can not imagine not having my boys in our lives.  I think daily how lucky I am that i am a mom I am thankful for my mom and my mother-in-law!  I sometimes will think to myself why did God bless me with so much?  Do I deserve it?  That is why I pray daily thanking God for everything he has given our family of four and our BIG family!  My mom and mother-in-law have done so much for us I could not say enough thank you's!  I guess there are not enough words to explain how blessed we are! Thanks! I know understand when my mom, sister in laws, other mom's use to say to me wait until you have your own kids. 
Friday night we went to Townhouse for some pizza(the boys love pizza) with some friends which was nice!  The boys played with the older kids while the adults talked!
Saturday Jared had a game so after nap the boys and I went to that and they beat North 3-0, it was 0-0 at half time and as we walked in they scored their first goal (I think it was us:)).  Saturday night we had some good friends over to grill out and play.   The Burdorf's were in town and Aaron's parents live houses away from us so we get together when they are in town, which is always so nice.  We catch up on the past time and what the future holds in between chasing two sets of twin boys and Jenna and Brody(the two older Burdorf's).  Blake and Bowen(Burdorf) are just 5 months younger then Landon and Tristan.  For the most part they all got along great and no one got hurt.  Except Brody riding the bike into the rose bush...OUCH!! I felt so bad!  Here are some pictures from Saturday night.  Yes we once again tried to do some pictures of the twins, this is getting harder because they are all mobile now.  Might not be the best pictures but nonetheless was fun trying and just shows their personalities and that they all have minds of their own even if they are twins!

Landon eating sand and playing with Bowen (notice their sandbox...later will be a better picture)

Blake, Bowen, Landon, Tristan...not too bad they are all sitting:)

Blake and Bowen clapping because the Burdorf twins are still sitting:)

Jamie and her boys and me and my boys thought we could get them to sit(notice I am trying to pin them down)

The boys were loving Koda

We thougth if we put two in the tub maybe they would stay as you can see Tristan is trying to escape

Even thought we didn't get the "perfect picture" we consider it great because they were all in there with almost 18 and almost 13 months old getting a picture with all boys sitting, smiling and looking at camera is next to impossible. We had such a great time with them, wish they lived here or closer.

Sunday...Mother's Day we didn't do a whole lot besides church and hanging out and doing somethings around the house.   Jared had a lot of homework to get done(He is getting his Master's) so while boys napped I laid out and relaxed and then did some yard work.  (Will post sandbox picture tonight)  After nap all boys came out to help mommy!

Not sure if the twins helped much but daddy did:)

Here is what the sandbox looks like now:)  much nicer than the one below huh?


Love for reading

To say my boys LOVE to read would be stating it lightly!  They are obsessed and would read all day if I let them!  There are many times I will not know where they are and go to find them in their room, reading books.  This night you will notice at bedtime daddy reading to them and then Tristan wanted to take a book to bed so Jared read to him in bed and he was a happy camper!

Landon on left Tristan right

Tristan started by standing up listening to his book then

Sat down to listen and THEN

laid down to fall asleep...precious

My sweet little boys!

Our Farm (Garden)

This past weekend was again lots and lots of outside, if you can't tell our boys love outside.  If I would let them they would live outside, eat, play and sleep outside!  Saturday I had a Jewelry show...an AWESOME one I may add:).  When I got home boys were napping so Jared was relaxing outside, so I got changed and went out to join him.  Once the boys got up we enjoyed some snacks (outside) and then played in the water.  Another thing the boys really enjoy water.  They will play in Koda's water dish all the time, they love bath time and splashing.  So we put the hose on and a sprinkler on, it was cold but they still liked it. 

Landon loving the hose

Dipping crackers in guac...yummy

Landon messy Tristan just woke up

Having fun playing in the water

Landon running through sprinkler with daddy

Tristan going through the sprinkler

Tristan and daddy

Boys playing in their slide rocket ship from my friend Wendy...Thank you!

Sunday we put in the Farm aka a garden.  Our best friends Jeremy and Kris Craighead and us are putting in a big garden and the Craigheads wanted to call it the farm so we went with it.  Hopefully we don't confuse the boys when we say lets go to the farm they don't think we are going home to Wesley:).  But we planted a lot...cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, green onions, yellow onions, beans, peas, banana red green and yellow peppers, radishes, hopefully I am not missing anything.  We are also going to plant pumpkins, watermelon, muskmelon and sweet corn...wish us luck!!  We started this while boys were down for nap and Tristan woke up to help...then Landon woke up to help!

Jeremy and Jared preparing the soil for the "farm"

Great teamwork

Best friends

Koda and Tristan were helping too

"daddy what are we all planting?"

Landon just spotted the snacks...haha

garden is in behind Tristan

"Mom can I have a tomato?"