Family Time at Thanksgiving

This year we spent Thanksgiving feasting with Mema in Springfield.   

A feast for 5 of us!

So thankful for this stud

They will be dreaming of toys tonight

On Friday we visited Pops and Paula then took the kids bowling for the first time.  We went to Daddio's old stomping grounds, Sproul Lanes.  Daddio and Aunt Jen used to bowl in kid leagues every Saturday morning growing up.  No wonder Daddio is a good bowler!  

I remember those blue inflatable bumpers when I bowled as a kid.  Now they have dragon ramps for the kids and less tacky looking bumpers in the gutters.

No nails get broken bowling this way!

The kids had a blast bowling with Daddio.

He giggled and ran to the dragon every time he was up
(and cried every time he had to sit on the bench and wait his turn)

Excited about her bowl

The ramp makes the ball trickle down the lane.

Closer..... closer....closer...

Their balls clocked in at 5 mph while the master bowler was bowling at 20 mph.

Excellent form 

In awe by their Daddio's skills

In the end, they bowled an impressive first game.  It really helps when Daddio is the one setting up the ramp.  I'm pretty sure they would have gotten a higher score than me!  

One game was just enough for our first time out bowling.  Bowling is not "my thing", as with 95% of sports.  Just wait until we take them roller skating though.  Then we'll see who is taking pictures and who is playing with the kids.  

A bowling league of their own

Thanksgiving Feast

Let the Preschool festivities begin!

Evie's preschool organized a Thanksgiving Feast for families today.  It was a potluck lunch with entertainment by our darling 3 year olds.  Evie and "her friends" worked on special art projects this month which were display for us as we walked in.  They also listed the things they were thankful for.  Evie's said "Mommy, Daddy, her brother, and the playground".

Daddio and I had very low expectations for Evie's performance.  Our hope was she would stand without her thumb in her mouth for some of the time.  We knew our shy girl would not sing in front of the paparazzi of strangers.  We were right...

Fall themed confetti occupied our squirmy toddler waiting
for the main event

Looking darling in her hand-me-down dress
I had to laugh when Mrs. Michelle asked me if I make it.
Ha!

Both hands in front of her, that's huge!  Who isn't huge is Evie.
She was by far the tiniest (yet cutest) one up there!

How I wish those cuties would have sang for us.  I know Evie knew all the words- I heard her singing them and doing the motions during nap time!  The idea was sweet though.  The class created a "big book of thanks" with different pages of things they were thankful for.  Families were listed in there, animals, and of course Jesus.  With each page turn, they sang a related song.  I now know where Evie learned "grey squirrel, swish your bushy tail".  

All the kids were more animated after lunch when they could run around.  Oh wait, that was just my kids.  

Ready to take off up and down the ramps

"Evie and Zachary sitting in a tee-pee..."

Next up for these newbie parents, a parent/teacher conference!

Mommy and Daddy Go to Paradise

Jason and I took our first trip without kids, since kids this week.  Evie has gone to G and Poppop's house overnight, Jason has been left home while I traveled with the kids, but this would be my first time away overnight from Braylen since birth.  I quickly convinced my best bud, Liz, and her hubby (who I never met) to join us in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic for 5 days at an all-inclusive, adult only resort.  Liz and I both have kids 18-19 months apart and were desperately seeking some time away from the daily grind of raising two toddlers.   We went through periods of guilt, anxiety, and downright fear about leaving our kids.  We hit some bumps in the road with last minute illnesses, but in the end, we went and it was paradise :)

We stayed at Secrets Royal Beach in Punta Cana.  It was a step down from where we went on our honeymoon, yet it provided us with the 3 things we all wanted:

1.  Unlimited Drinks

Drinks at 10 am, SURE!

2.  Pool

Josh might have slept with the basketball
to ensure he and Jason had it for the next morning

3.  Zero kids

Just a bunch of adults enjoying paradise

As soon as I stepped on that airplane, the mom hat went off.  It felt really good to have no agenda, no one to get ready, no whining, no cooking, no clean up... the list goes on.  We were truly on VACATION!

We spent most of our time drinking mai tais, mojiotos, cervezas, mudslides, and blue coco locos by the pool.  We almost didn't know how to talk with other adults without interruptions every 5 seconds!

Liz and I floated while the boys played basketball

I love sitting on the beach in Ocean City, but for some reason never sit on it when in the islands.  We took a small dip in the ocean when we went para-sailing though.

Liz and I took on my fear of heights

I was holding on for dear life.
It wasn't nearly as scary as I thought it would be

Safely back on the boat.  I lived to tell the tale!

We took one morning off resort to explore the other side of the island, Cap Cana.  Our resort was located on the Atlantic Ocean side of the island, where as Cap Cana has beaches on the Caribbean Ocean.  We drove buggies to where the two oceans meet.

If you know me well, you know I dislike coconut.
I was just holding Liz's coconut for show ;)

Where the blue Atlantic water meets the turquoise Caribbean water

I wasn't so sure our group was going to make it to the ocean.  Both of us seemed to get malfunctioning buggies.

Josh and Liz revving up

Feeling good about our ride

Then I notice we just have wires coming out to start it

My reaction

Josh and Liz didn't make it out of the mud/water hole

Goat crossing ahead

We were pretty bad a$$ though; it was raining, mud spraying up at us, bumping along the path, then...

The skies cleared and the ocean appeared

I could look at that water all day

We had two stops on our buggie tour: one stop where the oceans meet and the other stop at a natural spring.

"Prom pose" with my bestie

4 relaxed parents

Natural pools

Taking in the view from the top

My favorite picture
These two never met before the trip.  They became
fast friends shooting hoops in the pool.

Not quite as warm as a hot tub yet equally relaxing

On our way back to the resort, we made a quick stop at another beach, basically long enough to take a bunch of pictures and a dip.  We felt like we were in a Corona commercial.  God makes some beautiful places.

Safety is sexy

Our open air transportation

Now that's Paradise

The water is actually not as clear as I would think it should be.
There was more seaweed than this girl likes

Loving Life!

I look at this picture when I need a pick me up.  

I don't have one picture of our nightlife.  I loved putting on a cute, short dress with chunky heeled shoes, a change from my normal mom look.  After dinner we usually watched some of the entertainment at our resort or went to the resort adjacent to ours.  Honestly, we were all pretty tired from sitting in the sun, sipping fruity drinks all day.  Hard life, I know.  My favorite night was Monday night.  The Eagles were on Monday Night Football.  We watched the game on a big screen, on the beach, under the stars.  I saw two shooting stars while laying on the lounge chairs cheering on the Eagles.  Pretty awesome.

One other side note- the specialty drink in the DR is a "mama juana".  When asked if we wanted one, we thought there were saying marijuana.  A mama juana is a shot made from run, red wine, and honey which is soaked in a bottle with tree bark and herbs.  The bartenders liked to call it the "baby maker".   The goal of this trip was NOT to make any babies; however, we all had a few mama juanas.  Let's hope there are no babies in 10 months ;)

We weren't ready to come back to real life, but our bodies were telling us to give up the sugary drinks.  Jason and I knew the kids were in capable hands with G and Poppop then Pops and Paula, so we didn't Skype with them or call.  Is it bad that I didn't miss them?  I think that's a sign how badly I needed a vacation!  Of course I was happy to see them at the airport.

Super sad to be leaving the D.R.

The airport was all open with these big ass fans.

Literally, Big Ass Fans :)

I couldn't have asked for better travel companions for this trip; high fives to Josh and Liz.  Josh kept us laughing with his determination to learn/speak as much Spanish as possible.  The kids were fine without us and hopefully were good enough for the grandparents to agree to watch them again.  Thanks G, Poppop, Pops, and Paula for making this much needed trip for Jason and me possible!  

Paradise Bound

Today was a very bittersweet day for me.  Jason and I are leaving for Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, without kids for 5 days (aka Paradise) in the morning.  Meanwhile, Nana decided to make her own trip to paradise today, her forever paradise in heaven.  I am heartbroken by this news, yet am relieved she went peacefully to sleep.   Nana was such a special lady to me and I will miss her terribly.  Thankfully, she was an integral part of my entire life, leaving me 30ish years of memories to share and hold in my heart.  She was 93.

Celebrating big milestone birthdays in 2011
Nana saw her 9th decade of life.

I remember very little about my great-grandparents and it disappoints me to think Evie and Braylen won't remember "Great Nana" as anything more than that old lady who frightened them.  I'm not sure if it was her stunning silver hair or just that she looked vastly different than the usual females (30 year old moms) we hang out with daily that made them shy away and cry.  I'm thankful for the few pictures I have of Nana with her great-grandchildren (bonus- they aren't crying!).

Summer 2014.  Visiting Nana and the ducks at Willow Valley

Nana was one of four (2 sisters and 1 brother).  She was the last one to pass.  I have fond memories of being with her siblings for holidays when I was younger.  I'm sadden that her generation is gone in our family. It is now my duty to pass on their traditions, stories, and name.   I plan to share many, many memories of Nana with Evie so she knows why I felt passionately about giving her the middle name "Virginia".

Four generations of Stefanys

The last time I saw Nana was in early October.  I wish all the Stefanys (ie me and Laura) could have been part of the gathering pictured below the week she passed.  I am comforted knowing how happy she was this day with her two sons there.  This will stand as the last photo of Nana.

7 proud people with the last name of Stefany

Laura and I already wrote eulogy-like letters to Nana after Poppop passed so she knew how much we loved her and cherished our times with her.  I have no regrets right now knowing I said all those things years ago to her.  Those letters will be re-read at her funeral, whenever that will be.  Nana was truly the Lord's servant and put her family first every day of her life.  To the best grandmother these little girls would ask for, RIP.

Ruth Virginia Stefany (Faulkner)
Jan 24, 1921 - Nov 7, 2014

Exclusive Friends

At 3, Evie has her first "exclusive" (boy)friend.  

I had to laugh when Evie's preschool teacher, Ms. Michelle, called Evie and Zachary "exclusive".  This was weeks after she asked me if I was friendly with Zachary's mom since the kids "are close".  When I ask Evie about her friends at school, all I hear about is Zachary.  The same is true over at Zachary's house.  

Could this be Evie's first crush?  :)

Evie and Zachary go way back to last year when they were in Sunday School and nursery together at church.  Zachary's mommy and I are friends, so we've had a few play dates with the kids, but that is forced mingling.  I noticed Evie and Zachary laughing at each other on the see-saw when I picked Evie up from Sunday School.  They want to play together.  Zachary's name started to come up just about every week before and after church.  

One would never know these two were best buds outside of the Sunday School and preschool because they are completely shy.  Like they are both hiding behind our legs and won't look at each other.  That's a major sign of a crush in my opinion.  We went over to Zachary's house for some family time together and holy smokes Evie was shy.  It took her an hour to start laughing and smiling with her bud.  

If Evie is going to have an exclusive friend at preschool, I am thrilled it is Zachary.  He is the oldest kid in the class, he is probably the biggest kid in the class, he has the nicest parents, he is cute, and is raised in a Christian home.  I approve Evie.  Good work.

Look at the size difference!
This is a preview of 15 years from now
when they go to the homecoming dance together

The thumb in mouth, twirling her hair is Evie's defense mechanism when she is nervous, shy, or feeling overwhelmed.  I wish I could be a fly on the wall at preschool to see how she interacts with Zachary there.  I'll get some insight in a few weeks at our parent conference.

A little bit of their silliness did come out

And in case you aren't laughing enough at the size difference, check this out

Siblings

Are my kids midgets??!!  Good gravy!  Samuel is 6 and Zachary is 4 compared to my 3 and almost 2 year olds.  But still, gosh my kids are tiny!  Hoping Bray will be somewhat average.  I have lost hope on Evie long ago.  

And while we are talking about first crushes... I think Bray might have one too.

"you are just too good to be true... I can't take my eyes off of you"

Apparently Fiona sings a song about Braylen.  I love these little ones and their budding romances :)