A Team Week 87: A First for Everything

This week had its ups and downs...thankfully with more ups than downs...along with another "first"...

Monday, May 16: The week started off bright and early.  After my morning walk, both of the boys woke up early to join me for breakfast.  Avery insisted on sitting on my lap and stealing my cereal...

Breakfast time!

Baby snuggles before bed.  He was a grumpy little dude so we watched Chuggington and snuggled while Daddy and Asher played outside.

Tuesday, May 17: Eric had some meetings this evening, so the boys and I were on our own.  After some time outside, we headed to the basement where the boys played and I worked on folding laundry.  My Facebook post for the evening: "A day in the life...folding laundry while wearing a dinosaur mask and having your 3 year old say, 'hold still while I just cut your arm off' (playing doctor...I hope). #boymom".  Man do I love my crazy boys!

Our lilacs were beautiful this year!

When Daddy got home, he came bearing prizes for the boys: a Kenosha Kingfish hat for each of them!

Since the boys had missed their daddy that evening, they got to stay up a little later to have some boy time wrestling before bed.

Wednesday, May 18: My day off.  The boys and I had a pretty good time hanging out together for the day, including a trip to Meijer to pick up flowers and groceries.  On the way home Asher really caught me off guard with this quote/conversation though...

Asher: "Mommy, can we have a picnic at the park tonight?"  
Me: "No buddy, not tonight".
Asher: "Someday when Avery and I are bigger you will be gone and with Jesus and we will have a picnic at the park". (Said completely seriously)
Me: 😰😵

My gorgeous Mother's Day Tulips from the boys.

The Buttons have made a comeback in our house (much to Eric's dismay)...Avery loves them!

Family story time before bed.

With the youth group rummage sale this week at church, I worked hard to find as much stuff around the house that I could to get rid of.  This included a few of Asher and Avery's toys that drive Eric and I a little crazy.  Thus we had a secret mission to load up and hide the goods after the boys went to bed on Wednesday night.

Thursday, May 19: Yep, there really is a first for everything.  Usually when I write about firsts in this blog it is regarding first steps, first words, first foods, etc., but this first has nothing to do with the boys.  This first is all my own.  Today (after driving for 20 years now) I was pulled over for the very first time and received my very first speeding ticket!!  :(  To say I was bummed is an understatement!

Friday, May 20: This weekend my parents came to town to visit!  On Friday night we enjoyed a yummy family dinner together at Chili's and introduced my parents to the Texas Cheese Fries (which are amazing!).  My dad was instantly hooked! :)

Saturday, May 21:  Today was basically a completely perfect day.  After a bit of lazy time at home, we all got ready and headed downtown to the Kenosha museums for the Train Extravaganza weekend.  We checked out the model trains on display and then enjoyed touring the Kenosha Harbor Market for the first time this year.

*Note: If we ever have a little girl, I vow to take her to "boy" things.  We had fun at the train show, but as I looked around I noticed there were tons of little boys all over but no little girls!  Little girls like trains too (I always did)!

Avery & Grandma looking at the trains.

Avery & Asher checking out the fountain.

Happily playing in the water.

Warming up with Daddy (the fountain water was CHILLY!)

At the end of our walk around the Harbor Market booths, we ended our fun by checking out the gigantic bubbles...always a favorite for our little guys.

Avery & Asher chasing bubbles.

Daddy throwing Avery up high to get the bubbles.

Video: Chasing Bubbles

The best part of this video is about half way through when Avery goes a little bizzerk

After the bubbles, my parents were set to head to Crystal Lake to meet up with my brother's family and watch Micah's baseball game.  Un-expectantly, they asked if Asher wanted to go with them and while I wasn't sure how he'd do without a nap or extra clothes (if he were to have an accident) I asked him if he wanted to do that and he said yes.  That is how Eric and I were able to have a wonderfully lazy and productive day at home with just one little guy to take care of.  Avery, Eric and I headed home and after a quick lunch we all got naps.  Afterwards, Eric and I were able to accomplish quite a few projects we've been meaning to get to including working on the new fence and finally painting the stripe I've wanted in the basement for more than a year!

Eric helping me tape up the stripe for the basement.

Avery enjoying his lunch downstairs while we got things ready for painting later.

When Avery woke up, we were still able to keep working as he happily played in the yard...thrilled to not have to share any of the toys...and when it was time to start dinner, he was quite happy to get to help Mommy out!

Taking his shoes off in the backyard.

The entire sandbox all to himself...with a mitten on?

Helping Daddy with the fence.

Video: Corn Husking

Avery helping Mommy shuck the corn for dinner.

I even got around to painting more frames that I picked up at the youth group rummage sale for my future photo wall in the basement!

When dinner was ready (Eric made us some awesome ribs to go with our corn and deli salads), Asher and my parents returned home and we shared a great meal outside together.  Then to wrap up the evening, Eric and Asher made a fire in the driveway for us to enjoy and roast S'mores (or mores as Asher calls them) over for dessert.  The perfect end to a perfect day.

Asher roasted marshmallows for everyone!

Avery got his very first S'more.

He was a big fan.

Video: Avery's 1st S'more

Video: Pyro!

When the S'mores were gone, Eric let the fire get big and Avery was in awe!

Since this weekend was the first time I saw my mom since Mother's Day, I also gave her her Mother's Day gifts (a hanging flower basket and some homemade T-Shirts).  I also made some shirts for my sister-in-law, Erika.  These are Erika's and Mom's are the same but have a small "grand" between "BOY" and "MOM".  They didn't turn out as perfect as I'd hoped, but aren't terrible either.  Hopefully, I'll get around to making some for myself one of these day!  ...and yes, I am too lazy to turn the picture the right way at the moment!  ;)

Sunday, May 22: Today was the last day of the week and the last day that my parents were in town.  Since the guys really didn't have a chance to work on the fence on Saturday, we played hooky from church on Sunday to get some more things accomplished at home (heathens, I know).  I felt a little guilty about skipping church, but I have to say the level of productivity that occurred this weekend felt great.  While I worked on more painting, Eric and my dad worked on the fence and my mom entertained the boys with a walk to the park and for donuts.  Then when Mom and the boys returned, they happily played in the yard while we continued to work until a late lunch.  For lunch we shared Big Star take-out in the backyard and then said our goodbyes to Grandma and Papa before we all retreated to the house for long and much-needed afternoon naps.

Snuggles with Papa.

Asher is really becoming a big boy these days and loves to "help" and do the things we do.  I suggested letting him hammer some nails into an old post as Eric worked on the fence.  Eric wasn't crazy about the idea, but when I reminded him that his dad gave him a hammer, nails and a post and let him go to town at the age of 4 he agreed.  Asher was SOOO happy...well at least until he hit the skin between his thumb and finger...but that didn't keep him form going back to the hammer.

Check out that concentration!

When Eric took his shirt off because he was getting too hot, Asher promptly wanted his shirt off as well.  Just.Like.Daddy!!

Boy do I love these manly men!  :)

While everyone worked on their projects, Avery needed some entertaining so we got the water table out.  He was quite thrilled but was also very sure that he should be in it.  When I turned around and saw him standing in it I was just about to tell him to get down when he fell out onto his arm on the ground.  I heard a sickening crack and was terrified that he had broken his arm, but thankfully he had just landed on a stick.