Day 4 cont'd

On our last night we went to Big Daddy's Pizzeria. Someone recommended this to me (and now I can't remember who). It's such a cute place because they start out bringing the kids dough to play with and you get to form it into an object. Then they take it back and bake it with cinnamon and sugar for desert-yummy!




The gang minus mom....poor mom, we have no pictures of you!!!! :( My mom actually took way more pictures than even I do if you can believe it. :)




Braden's creation...The "Wolverine." He just got a new wolverine leapster game for Easter from Gma Cindy so this is the new obsession.


Ethan's...hmmmmm, it was supposed to be a caterpillar but we all thought it looked like a male organ when it came out of the oven. hee hee!!


Ethan chowed down on his pizza with his "poon." He yelled for a spoon with every meal whether he used it or not. :)

Of course I needed a few bites of my children's creations just to make sure they were edible for the boys.

After dinner we went to a cute little park up the road. Heidi and Braden enjoyed the super tall tornado slide.

Braden kept climbing this rock wall...I was a little nervous we'd end up in the ER and I just can't take any more incidents for at least a few weeks...thankfully he was really good at it and kept saying, "Mom, it's not scary."

You can always count on me to have my mouth wide open laughing...I remember my shoe got caught and my ankle was twisting so I was giggling...just getting so old that I can't ride a slide without getting hurt. :)

The sweetest part of the park trip...this little boy and Ethan played ball for probably an hour. The little boy kept calling Ethan "Nino"...small boy in Spanish. He couldn't have been more than 2 1/2 or 3. They were so sweet together because they were both talking in their own language and their own toddler language but yet could still communicate enough to play catch. The little boy's mom kept trying to leave to go home and he wouldn't leave with her...she actually got way out in the parking lot and I was afraid she wasn't coming back! :( I could have taken him home!! He was too cute!!! Sweet little ninos (not sure how to get that accent thingy above the n-ha!)!!

* Such a fun, fun trip and of course there were hundreds of pics between my mom and I but I just picked a few. Thanks so much mom for the awesome trip and great memories!! Love ya!

Day 4

For the next full day we headed to The Great Smokey Mts. National Park. This was the only day it started to rain and then as soon as we got in the park it stopped! We were so lucky on the weather!! :) Just driving through the park was a sight to see! Braden loved seeing the mountains and kept looking for a bear! Ethan just loved having his window down so he could see everything. On another note, my poor mom isn't in any pictures because either she or I were taking all of them. Oops, sorry mom!

Checking out the water

SOOOOO pretty!

We went on a half mile hike and the trail was paved and so nice. Aleah and Braden raced ahead to each sign and tried to read them for us.

Ethan had just woke up so we let him chill in the stroller for a bit and then he ran wild a bit later.

Cute cousins!

A perfect tree for climbing

Once Ethan and Ellie got out of the strollers, they were off!

Day 3 cont'd

After naps, we hit the playground. The kids loved this little playground right beside the pool, which was right beside our room. :) Super convenient.

Ethan was big stuff swinging on a big boy swing by himself.

Braden and the girls took turns showing off their muscles.

There was a HUGE tub in our room so the boys enjoyed some bubblebaths throughout the week.

Four cuties ready for the nightly movie :)

WOOHOO!!

Day 3 (I think)

One afternoon during naptime I took just Braden across the street to the go-cart place. We absolutely hit the jackpot. It was almost empty and we bought a bracelet for an hour and he got to do everything he wanted over and over again since there were no lines. I know Ethan would have loved the carnival type rides but it would have been hard on my own to manage the big go carts with both boys. :( Next time Ethan will be speeding everywhere! Hee hee

How is Braden big enough to drive go carts on his own? Time really flies (and of course he's gigantic)!

Then together we rode "The Big Woody." SOOOOOO much fun! We went sooo fast and tried to pass everyone we could. I was one big kid too!

Day 2 cont'd

After the aquarium, we walked around Gatlinburg for a bit. We grabbed lunch, got icecreams and just peeked at the shops. Once we got back to our hotel, the boys and I hit the pool. We were able to swim outside 3 of the days which was a treat since it was raining here the whole week. :)

Braden was quite the little fish jumping in and swimming all over in his life jacket. It took Ethan a little bit to get used to the water but then he enjoyed his floaty and even started jumping in to me later in the week.

Pigeon Forge Day 1-2

This past week the boys and I went to Pigeon Forge with my mom, brother John and his wife Heidi and their two cutie pies. We had SO much fun just enjoying the beautiful weather, seeing the sights and spending time together that I don't get to do very often. A big thanks to mom for getting us the nice rooms and for John and Heidi for putting up with my wild boys. Ha!!

Heidi, Ellie and Ethan....Night one-watching our first movie...this ended up being the trend each night before bed for the kids.

Braden gets in cuddle time with Uncle John

On our first full day we hit the aquarium. This was a perfect day trip for 4 little ones. They all enjoyed it so much!

Sweet cousins

It was so cute watching all of them check out each tank

Braden inside the tank

This clam (or whatever it was) vibrated and Ethan cried and couldn't figure out how to get off. :( Of course I snapped a picture!

Who is this new friend?

My boys! :)

Final Easter festivities

After church, Papa T & Mimi came by to bring the boys their Easter baskets. I think they could get used to all of these toys and candy....and Chris and I of course had our fair share of candy this weekend!

They were pretty excited about their money. Braden always says, "let's go to Target mom." :) I trained him well.

Thanks Mimi & Papa T for all the goodies! Braden has already watched both new Scooby Do movies. :)

After a morning nap for Ethan it was off to Chris' aunts for Easter lunch. When Carma and Granny are in the kitchen, it's all going to be yummo!!!! :) We had a great time and the rain stopped long enough for an Easter egg hunt.

Ethan caught on pretty quickly to what the objective was...he wasn't sure why he had to find these "balls" but he did it anyways. :)

Braden hurried to find as many as he could

Ethan enjoying his candy and sitting like a big boy next to Papa

More Easter baskets. These boys are spoiled rotten!!! Thanks Granny and Carma for all the great food, candy and baskets.

*What a wonderful Easter!! To be surrounded by loved ones, attend an awesome church service and celebrate the hope in Jesus! He is risen!! We are so blessed!!

Ready for Easter service

After the chaos of baskets of candy, we cleaned up and headed to church. :)

My handsome boys

Braden with cousin Izzie after church

The attempted shot of all 3 looking. hee hee

The Easter Bunny came!

The Easter bunny made it to our house despite the non stop raining and a late night out by the bunny's helper, mommy who was still adding a few details at 2:30 a.m. :) hee hee

Baskets waiting on sleepy boys to get up

Ethan had more fun shaking the eggs filled with jellybeans than anything else. :)

Braden was SO excited for his new superhero underwear. He kept saying, "how did the Easter bunny know I like super heros?" ha!

A sweet moment

Hilarious! Modeling his new undies that he had to put on right away. I said Buddy, we have to wash them first. He said, "but mommy they're not dirty." ha!

Lowe's build clinic

Chris and Braden went to Lowe's Saturday for another build clinic. This time they made a birdhouse that will go in the window-perfect! Matt and Carrie were there too so Braden got to build with his buddies Jace and Jacob.

Good work boys!