McGraw-Hill Company Picnic

Have I ever told you I work for an awesome company? Well, I do and one of the perks is the company picnic that is held every year. They get a committee together about 2 months in advance to plan everything. They start with a Theme and go from there. I've been on the committee a couple of times and the amount of planning is just crazy. Well, I'm very fortunate to be working for this company and I hope to stay here for quite some time so I can enjoy the great things the company offers.

Last week, the picnic was held, it was Pirate theme day and Cooper had a blast!

We started the afternoon off with a photo booth, props and all.

After that, we went and had a picnic, I invited mom and Tom and Linda as well, heck I can invite up to 10 immediate family members so they came up to eat with us and hang out. The menu was a traditional bar (hamburgers, hot dogs and brats with mac and cheese, chips and baked beans) and a taco bar (taco's, taco salad) we could choose whatever we wanted. I went with a taco salad. Everything is catered in by Hy-Vee.

After lunch we had some ice cream treats. Tom and Cooper went for the dipping dots and I had a bomb pop later on in the afternoon. I think this is the first for Cooper, eating dipping dots. Not even sure if he liked them. I'm sure he did.

Grandpa Tom getting some snuggles from Cameron!

And snuggles from Grandma Linda!

After lunch and ice cream, Cooper his the tattoo parlor where he got a treasure chest put on his arm, I didn't get a picture of this but here he's got his eye patch on.

There is his tattoo - here's he at the fish pond!

Then it was off to the boune house and slides. This slide is huge and guess who climbed right on up without any help?? Yes, you guess it Cooper!

Yes, that's Cooper coming down!! This boy is going to be my daredevil - no fear!

After the slides we went on a horse and carriage ride around the park.

This is the best picture I got. Oops!

After that, we hung out for a while, Cooper went down the slides another 100 times until it was time to go. They have drawings every year too, you have to be present to win, of course, I never win, but I always stay because you just never know!

Thanks McGraw-Hill for an awesome picnic!

Birthday Bash

Last weekend, we spent the whole weekend celebrating to very special women in my life! My mom, who turned 65, and my mother-in-law, who turned 60.

Friday night, we had a little surprise party for Linda at our house, we grilled out hamburgers, brats and brat patties and everyone brought a dish to pass. Tom has an awesome family and I'm so blessed to be a part of it.

Linda got some wonderful gifts, she got this hat from her sister and said she was looking at this same hat the other day but was waiting for it to go on sales, well Sandy seen it and said "that's Linda"

New sunglasses too, she's ready for the beach!

Cooper giving 'gamma Linda' birthday kisses.

We got Linda a new Keurig! Something she'd never buy herself and when she seen it she LOVED it and said "this makes the best coffee" she uses our when she comes out to the house so we thought we'd get her one!

Bacca came out to the party too and decided to spend the night, her birthday was Saturday the 7th. so we got to wish her a happy birthday right when she woke up. She spent the night with Cooper in his bed. Cooper, of course, woke bacca up and they had fun playing with his toys. He had mom in tears she was laughing so hard. I got to witness it all thanks to the video monitor.

That evening we got dolled up and went out for supper to celebrate mom's birthday. Jake babysat to Tom and I could enjoy ourselves. We had so much fun, it was Andy, Gordon and Lorlie, Tom and Linda, Nikki, Lexi and Grandma. There were 11 of us, we went to Ichiban Steakhouse OMG it was so good. It's a Hibachi grill and we were very much entertained.

Singing to mom and Linda!

Mom and I while our food was being cooked.

After dinner, we headed back to Grandma's for some Brandy Alexander's and presents for mom to open. This year, we surprised mom with an IPhone 5! Chris and Kristi, Luke and Steph and Tom and I all went in to get mom a new phone! I had it in a birthday bag and gave the Luke the OK to facetime when we were ready. All of a sudden the bag started ringing and mom was like "what's going on?" she had this funny look on her face. I told her to just answer it, she got so excited she answered it then hung up. It was Luke facetiming us and when they got on, Leah and Lane were singing Happy Birthday to Grammy, it was the sweetest thing. Mom sure started tearing up, it was so sweet.

Mom's styling now!

It was a great weekend with two amazing women. I'm so lucky to have married into a wonderful family and I'm so grateful for my mom, she's amazing and I love her to death.

3 months old

Where does the time go? Can you believe this little man is already 3 months old? I can't begin to explain how much joy he brings to our family. He's always smiling and very rarely cries (daddy would say different) unless he's hungry, has a poopy diaper, or he's tired.

Some things I want to remember about Cameron's 3 months of life are:

• You are wearing size 2 Pampers (you've been in these for over a month)
• Clothing size is 6 to 9 months! Yes, that's right....you are my chunky baby and I love it!
• As of this past Tuesday, you weighed in at 15lbs 9oz 
• You had pink eye this past week, we had to go to the doctor to get checked out, however you'd never know it because you're always smiling!
• You are exclusively breastfed. Mommy has the good stuff and you love it. You take it either way, from the boob or the bottle.
• You're not really a pacifier baby, but you do like it when you're kind of fussy. You never need it to sleep, I usually feed you and put you down and you drift off to sleep.
• Your bedtime is usually 8:30 or 9:00, you get hungry, eat a little and then use my boob as pillow and drift off to sleep, it's the most precious thing ever. 
• You are still sleeping in our room in your bassinet, however you're getting pretty big so I'm thinking in the next few weeks we might put you in your crib. Momma has a sad face right now, I don't want you to leave my side!

• You are clockwork when it comes to your early morning feeding....4:00am every morning, sometimes its 4:30. Momma goes potty then I grab you and bring you in bed with me and we snuggle. It's hard sometimes when big brother is in our bed but he's been good and sleeping in his own bed.
• You love to sleep in. Since I've started back to work, I have to pump every morning because you don't want to wake up and eat, so when I take you to daycare they ask when you've ate last and I have to say "4:00 or 4:30" and they are shocked. So usually they have to feed you right away in the mornings.
• Momma comes up and and feeds you twice a week since starting daycare. I love those days and I think you do too!
• You love your bath, especially when big brother is in there with you washing your feet. We give you a bath every other night unless we've been swimming or something.
• You love to swim too!! This picture was taken on Memorial Day, you've been swimming a couple times since and love it!

Cameron, I love you so much and I'm already sorry I haven't blogged as much as I did with Cooper, but mommy is going to try and keep it up to date so you'll have something to look back on. Both you and Cooper are my world and I would do anything for both of you!

12 Weeks of Maternity Leave!

Yesterday I started back to work after 12 weeks off with this little man:

I can't begin to explain how fast it was because it feels like just yesterday I popped him out at 7lbs 11oz and today he weighs in at just over 15lbs!!

Cameron Ronald has been such a blessing, to me he looks just like his Grandpa Ron, life has not been the same. My maternity leave was great, however the weather could have cooperated a little better but unfortunately that's out of my control. I swear we went from heat to air conditioning and now I'm back in my little cubicle, blogging!! See where I get more work done?!

During my maternity here are a few things we've done!

Came home from the hospital with this bundle of joy!

Cameron was born on March 13th at 7:30pm weighing 7lbs 11oz and 20.5 inches long.

Got lots of snuggles and cuddle time with lots of people. Especially Great Grandma, she's go the touch!

Celebrated his first St. Patrick's Day!

More cuddles from big brother - he wasn't too sure of him at first, but he loves him now!

More snuggles

We celebrated Cooper's 2nd birthday! Cooper can't wait to pull Cameron around in the wagon of his new tractor. I can picture it already!

Our first weekend away from home, we spend the weekend in Davenport with Mom and all her camping friends.

The water was FREEZING! Glad I had a baby with me so I didn't have to go in!

Andy had a little too much to drink one night!

 Cooper loved this hat! Some is very sleepy in this picture.

My niece Lauren Kelley was born! 

 

 

Brandon's 17th birthday!

Not a first bath, but first bath pictures!

Sleepy head, this boy loves mommy and daddy's bed!

Snuggles and kisses from big brother. 

April 13th - One month old!

Trying out tummy time.

Playing with big brother although Cameron looks scared to death and I don't blame him. Cooper pretty rough!

Happy Easter! This he made at school.

 

The kids had an Easter egg hunt at school and he came home with lots of treats.

Easter egg hunt at the Moose.

Easter morning, the kids found there baskets with lots of goodies.

First Easter getting snuggles from Grandma Linda

Easter egg hunt at Aunt Andy's.

I snapped a few pictures of them both.

A quick stop at Menards! We don't get out much as a family anymore.

Someone is spoiled by there Aunt and Uncle - can you guess who?? We love you Luke and Steph, Leah, Lane and Lauren.

Little brother trying to wake up big brother for school! Notice the way Cooper is laying in bed - head to the bottom of the bed? Yes, this is how he was when we went in. Crazy boy!

We visited Bacca on her school bus - Cooper was in Heaven.

Cameron just loved the snuggles.

big smiles!

Uncle Hendu stopped at Grandma's while we were visiting to get some snuggles.

Packing for our trip out to CA to meet my new niece. Me, Mom, Grandma, Cooper and Cameron all went out for 5 days to visit, it was a blast!

My boys sleeping the night before we left!

Grandma and Cooper's ride, it worked out great and Cooper loved sitting on "big bacca's" lap while getting pushed in the wheel chair.

We made it! Leah wanted to hold Cameron and by the looks at it Cameron loved her holding him.

Reading books

These two are going to be troublemakers!

Mom holding her two grandbabies (she's in heaven) Cameron and Lauren are 15 days apart!

The two babies taking naps while the big kids play in the pool!

 

 

by the way, it was freezing!

Loving on the kiddos!

Sweet Lauren, it's she so beautiful?!?!

Love!

Cousins!

Cooper loving on Lauren!

Uncle Luke with the troublemakers.

Every night something was on the grill, the food was awesome as always!

The kids ate at the little table and did an awesome job eating!

Bike ride time for the boys while the girls and the babies shopped!

Where are we mom?

Get me out of here!

Leah and Lane performing to the music from Frozen! OMG can this girl sing - I cried!!

The cousins!

Picture at the airport before heading home!

Cooper was out the moment the engines turned on, he was exhausted! It was a peaceful ride home!

Both babies sleeping!

Great Grandma making Cameron smile on the airplane

2 months old!

We finally got to camp, but it was still a little chilly!

"come on mom really, do you have to take a picture of me?" ha!

This boy loves the camera and he's super excited to finally be camping too.

First day at daycare (4 hours while mommy got her massage that I didn't get at the hospital) he slept through his first fire drill and didn't wake up at all!

Cooper is finally starting to go potty! Slowly working on this!

Uncle Luke came back for a quick visit for Justin's graduation party and Cameron's baptism. Luke and Steph are the Godparents to Cameron!

Never a dull moment around with this goofball!

 

Justin graduated from High School and Chris and Kristi had a party for him.

Cooper leaning on Justin during there break from bean bags.

KK making Cameron laugh and smile.

Baptism day! Cameron wore the same outfit Cooper did and it barely fit him! Thankfully we Baptized when we did or we would have had to buy a new outfit.

Don't he look so handsome?

One proud Godfather right here! Stephanie was with us in spirit...Cameron snuggled with Luke the entire mass, it was so precious.

Luke says during mass "Rach say cheese as he's holding his phone down" LOL

This is us in Church, I'm pretty sure it was before mass though.

 

After mass we had a little get together at our house for the "little angel"

 

First time swimming and they both LOVE the water.

Sunbathing! LOL what a ham...

Cooper being silly with daddy's sunglasses.

Tummy time!

Tom's cousin Missy had her baby, finally after 36 hours of labor, baby Landyn was born. Cameron and I went for a visit, they are going to be buds when they get older...

Cooper trying to "pump" this boy just cracks me up, he does not let anything get by him!

Gavin turned 2!

One of my last days at home with my two babies.

First day of daycare - mommy goes back to work.

Well, that sums up the last 12 weeks of my life! I wouldn't change it for the world and I am so blessed to have 2 beautiful and healthy boys in my life. They are the world to me.