Road Trip... anyone?

Ryan has been interviewing for dental GPR's (General Practice Residencies) the past two weeks. He was out of town for 5 days going to two of his interviews. By the time he got back I was ready to go with him to his next two. He planned on driving to North and South Carolina for interviews in both states. Road trip here we come!

We packed up the bags, put the kids in the car and drove off for an adventure!

An adventure it was.

The kids did great! The car ride was about 7-8 hours the first day, 3 hours the next and 8 hours for the trip home. I was ready for it to be miserable but it went really well! Sam was content to watch movies on the portable DVD player and Russell is at a very good age for car travel because he can't really move around yet.

We drove to Ashville, NC on Wednesday. Thursday, while Ryan was at his interviews I took the kids and went out to see the sights. I was so excited because I did some research online before we left and found out that every year The Grove Park Inn (A popular hotel in Ashville) has a national gingerbread house competition. The actual competition was on Monday and Tuesday but the houses went on display starting Wednesday, the day before we got there! What luck!

I was so pumped...it's a tradition of ours to make a gingerbread house every Christmas...I was looking for inspiration and I found it! There was 3 categories, adult, youth & child. 1st, 2nd, 3rd, & 4th place prizes awarded for each category and one Grand prize winner. There were over 100 houses entered in the competition. I took some pictures of my favorites! There were so many I just had to pick a few to show you. The pictures do not do these masterpieces justice. The hours of work and creativity was seriously overwhelming, I was in gingerbread heaven...

A castle!

A Pagoda

The details were incredible! Everything was edible!

The grand prize winner! The details were pretty amazing.

A lighthouse (I thought of you, Mother)

And many, many more!

The hotel itself was gorgeous!

What a view!

After Ryan's interview on Thursday we drove to Columbia, SC. The next day, after we dropped Ryan at his interview, we once again went out for some fun. This time we went to the RiverBanks Zoo. (Thanks for the tip Lindsey) The Zoo was so fun! It was a perfect day! The weather was mild but the locals thought it was cold so nobody was there. The sun was shinning and it was about 50-60 degrees. I guess that's cold if you live in SC, anyhow, it felt at times like we were the only ones there! The animals were extra spunky for us. The monkeys put on a loud show, we got to feed the giraffes!(I love giraffes!) and the gorilla came right up to Sam and touched the window in front of him. I wish I had gotten a picture of it. Sam was really enthusiastic and interested, so it made for a good time. I hope he doesn't think that was the typical zoo experience because he's bound to be disappointed the next time we go:)

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A visit to COSI and other fun stuff

A couple weeks ago we made our first trip to COSI. COSI is a science fun and learning center for kids. I'd always meant to take Samuel but never could get there until now. What a great place! So many fun things for the kids to explore and learn about. Sam had a great time, I'm sure we will go back soon.
Sam loved the building area. There were little framed houses where you could work with tools. He was really serious about it...

He also liked to play in the medical helicopter and ambulance

Almost every week on Wednesdays, we have what is called-Midweek-it's organized through the Relief Society.

We meet and have a fun activity for the kids or ourselves. The last time we were able to go we went and played at a play place they have located in the middle of a shopping mall. The theme of the play area was space exploration and was actually funded by COSI. It had a rocket and planets that you could play on and run around. Sam spent most of the time driving the rocket or playing with Eli his best friend. I got a few pictures of the fun...

Sam likes to play with his play dough. He builds all sorts of vehicles with it, cars, airplanes, helicopters, buses etc. It will keep him busy for quite a while.

He'll sit at one end of the table playing with his play dough...

And Russell will sit at the other end, just watching. Sam is super entertaining to him.

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The crazy things this kid eats, says and does!

Oh, the eating habits of a two and half year old! Today I was trying to remember the last time Sam actually put a green vegetable in his mouth, and ate it. He would eat his vegetables really well when he was around 18 months to 2 years old. Then, something happened, I don't know what, but now it's like pulling teeth (which can sometimes be easy, come to find out. But for use in this phrase, think hard to pull teeth) to get him to even try a vegetable. Occasionally I'll slip one past him when it's mixed with something he loves but even now, while I think about it, I can't think of the last time that even worked!

So, oddly enough Sam is willing to try all sorts of food, as long as it's odd. I have a short list of things he'll eat that is pretty weird for a 2 year old to eat or like...

Feta Cheese (he'll just eat this by the crumble)

Balsamic Vinegar

Mustard, already can not have a hot dog without it. Really, not without it.

Limes/Lemons. He has actually taken chunks out of them while biting. It's not good for the teeth but who could resist seeing this reaction. I can't believe I actually caught it on camera. The funny thing is, despite his reaction, he'll just keep eating it-weird!

SOUR!

This kid can eat an entire Cheesy Bean and Rice Burrito from Taco Bell. Ryan and I love the Fire sauce and every time, Sam has to try it. I am pretty sure he doesn't like it because I always get the same reaction, he'll squirm and say "Its hot, thirsty, hot, hot, hot oh thirsty!" but despite telling him over and over that it is indeed very hot and he won't like it he insists until we put a little dab on his plate for him to try. So, I really think he may just enjoy it somehow.

He'll pick tomatoes off the vine and eat them like they are apples. (Even green ones)

He refuses to eat any kid of potato. Fried or otherwise, it's a no go. Every time I try I think, Seriously? who doesn't like potatoes? -----SAM

This child won't even eat a treat most of the time, until recently he wasn't even interested in candy...I know you're thinking, is that possible? Halloween fixed that for him. Candy is on his do eat list now...yea.

I think Sam would just eat condiments if I would let him. Ranch, ketchup, mustard, sour cream, butter, etc. So we have a DIP Policy at our house. You must dip something into your condiments to eat them, fingers don't count, and you can't just suck it off that something and reuse, that my dear, is a violation and is technically considered a utensil.

I bet you're now wondering what he will eat that's relatively normal. His favorites are:

Grilled cheese, tortilla and cheese, mac 'n cheese (notice a reoccurring item) He will eat sliced meats(from the deli) breads, crackers, eggs, yogurt and more but no vegetables. I'll keep offering, maybe someday he'll eat them again. Until then, Sam, here's another Gummy vitamin.

-WHY NOT PUT IT BACK...-

So, the other day. Sam was helping me make cookies. He loves to put the flour and ingredients into the bowl of the mixer for me. Things were mixing and I looked over at Sam and caught him picking his nose...great, where do they learn this? Anywho, he found something, looked at it and then proceeded to put it into his mouth. STOP, I told him! We do not do this because we don't eat boggars, it's yucky. -Well, he just sat there with his mouth open, looking at me for a few seconds. He was pondering what to do next. Then he reached back into his mouth, found the boggar, took it out. He stared at it briefly before he decided to put it back. Nope, not in his mouth, his nose. Yep, he just stuck it right back in his nose. Hey, I guess that's where it goes, right?

Note: no Boggars made it into the cookies, accidentally or otherwise. Promise! I thought you might have been worried about that)

-GOOD NIGHT TV-

Every night for a week. This is how our good nights went:

"Good night Daddy." hug, kiss

"Good night Russell." hug, kiss

"Good night Mommy." hug, kiss

"Good night TV." hug, kiss

Yes, Sam was hugging and kissing the TV good night. Hee hee. They are good friends I guess. Maybe it's the cartoons.

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New Milestones

SITTING UP ASSISTED
chillin' out in the Bumbo-

Russell now has great control over his head and neck. He's been holding his head up well ever since he was born but now there's no more bobbin' head. Way to progress Russell!

He loves the new perspective from sitting up without help from us.

STARTING SOLID FOOD

I started feeding Russell solid foods a few weeks ago. He had seemed fairly interested in us eating and I felt it was time to begin the process of transitioning from a total milk diet to some regular solid food. Rice cereal is always a good place to start so that's where we are at. Here is one of his first feedings. He sort of tries to suck the milk off of the spoon because that's what he knows. (sucking)

It has been a few weeks now and he is not really enthusiastic about eating. I have to be sure he is really hungry or he'll just sit there and stare at me. It's so weird! I mean, how come my kids don't really like to eat? I love it, Ryan loves it, why are they so disinterested? I haven't started any vegetables yet but he may show more interest if it's not just rice cereal with his milk. A little flavor may go a long ways in this situation. We'll see.

REACHING, GRABBING, MOVING OBJECTS FROM ONE HAND TO ANOTHER.

Now that he can see more things while sitting up he's interested in checking them out. He sees it, reaches for it, grabs it and brings it in for a good tasting. He is pretty proud of this new ability.

ROLLING OVER

Russell will roll from his stomach to his back now. He does not like being on his tummy. He even gets his knees under him and pushes around. I guess he'll be crawling soon. I am so not ready for this! But it is so fun too!

My sweet baby is growing so fast!

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Peter Pan Clan

So I wanted to go all out for Halloween this year. Sam had been looking forward to Halloween ever since Ryan told him about Trick or Treating. I'm sure he was thinking, "You mean to tell me that I get to knock on people's doors, say these magic words, and presto! They give me candy?" I'm not sure what could be better?! Seriously?

Sammy's enthusiasm about everything is contagious and I found myself really looking forward to everything. Holidays with my kids are the best thing ever! Halloween can be particularly exciting if you really get into it. This year I wanted to start a tradition of a family costume. Where we dress up to a similar theme. This year was Peter Pan.

Sammy was Peter Pan. I made his costume,(I am super proud of this) He looked so cute!

Russell was Tootles the lost boy, a Skunk. Seriously, every time I looked at him I couldn't stop laughing. He was so adorable! The Costume fit him perfectly!

Ryan was captain hook...kind of. He was just accessorized as captain hook. It had the right effect.

I was Tinkerbell.(I still glitter a bit, the glitter got everywhere!)

Here we are all together!

Sammy and Me

Russell and Me

Sammy had a great time trick or treating

Russell fell asleep while we were trick or treating. Just too tired to enjoy the fun!

Here's a picture of me with my friend Kristen Dray. She got into Halloween too! Dressing up is so fun!

After we finished trick or treating the boys played on the toy cars in our complex(Their favorite thing to do)

Here we are checking out the loot!

Halloween is so fun!
I just wish I could fly...

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