Family Time

Still can't believe this weather. The kids have been enjoying so much time outside, they are so sad when I have to coax them inside to get ready for bed. Getting ready to travel this past weekend to Ohio, I had to think about what to pack because the Quad Cities were supposed to be getting cooler temps and rain/snow as the weekend came. Luckily we skipped out of the crummy weather and headed right into more beautiful weather. Thank goodness because I had packed alot of shorts for the kids!

We sneaked out of school and work a day early to enjoy a nice 3 day weekend in Ohio. Also this way mommy didn't have to travel 7 hours one night and get up and run the next morning. The extra day was awesome.

Friday was our family fun day. After picking up my runner's packet from downtown and stopping by my sister's to pick up my mom we headed out to find some free outdoor entertainment. Living in Columbus many years through college both Nate and I know our way around, but it is different coming back with kids. So we had to be creative. I have always wanted to go back to Inniswood Gardens with my kids and after facing reluctance in Nate to go to a "boring garden" and no other suggestions on what to do. I turned the van towards Westerville and we pulled into the park. Inniswood was as beautiful as I remember as a inspiring landscape architect student taking it all in.

The kids took off down all the paths leading to the many themed gardens they have over the acres of beautifully landscaped gardens.

 

Lil Miss was doing everything to keep up with her brother and sisters.

Checking out the frogs at the pond.

Grandma Judy and the kids

All the excitement of flowers and plants (said sarcastically in Nate's voice) wore out Lil Miss. I could have spent hours there letting the kids run and looking at the beautiful spring blooms, but my hubby wasn't that into it and we headed to find something else to do.

More up my hubby's alley is a visit to the closest Apple store. This is what I call boring and not free! Luckily the Apple store was located in an outdoor mall and the girls, mom and I found enough to keep us occupied. We ended up finding the boy's at the bar. Daddy enjoying a nice cold beer and Bubba enjoying a sprite. Manly stuff.

The coolest thing to see is Lil Miss's infatuation with Mama Judy. Since mom was here in April, Lil Miss has talked about Judy nonstop. Love this!!!

We ended the night with a carb load on Adriatico's Pizza at my brother's. YUM!!!

The boy's love getting their photo taken .... Not!

Getting dirty on the trampoline

Cousin love playing with bubbles.

Serious basketball skills

It was a early night because three of us had to get up at the crack of dawn to be insane and run our butts off. My 17 week pregnant sister rocked it on the quarter marathon and Scott and I completed the 1/2. It was a proud moment.

The rest of the afternoon was spent recooping. Some of us more than others. I was flat on my back trying to keep my lunch down while Nate watched the kids a little bit longer. Lil Miss cozied up to Uncle Scott trying to sneak some chips in the process.

After mommy got a nap in and took a few tylenol to take the pain away, we all enjoyed the sun. We put a blanket outside and played with playdoh, went on treasure hunts, and played some pitch and catch. Seriously does it get much better than that?

The adults (plus Faith and Miss Rosie) went out to a nice dinner that night while the kids had a babysitter. It was a perfect way to cap off a perfect weekend. Our family dinners are usually filled with me cutting someone's food or keeping Lil Miss sitting in a chair or cleaning up spilled drinks, so sitting down to a dinner at Bravo was pure enjoyment. The peach belinis were good too.

It was sad to say goodbye on Sunday morning and start our long drive home. Fortunately, Nate volunteered to drive most of the way so I could sleep and try not to think about my legs stiffening as I sit there for long lengths of time in a sitting position. I looked like a 90 year old woman getting out of the front seat at the reststops.

No one mess with mommy, okay.

When we got home, we were shocked to see how long the grass had gotten in just 3 days! It was somewhat embarrassing. I was in no condition to mow though. I barely made it to the couch to collapse (stairs were still tricky to navigate), so Nate headed out to mow the ankle high grass. This is the results after mowing. We needed a baler to put it into bales.

The excitement of the weekend over we plunged into another week. Yesterday was Bubba first baseball game ever! The whole family headed down to the diamond to watch him pick dandelions. Okay, no not really there was one moment we caught him picking flowers, but he truly enjoyed being out on the field. He was 4 for 4 in hitting and ran the bases like a pro. Very proud mommy moment.

Lil Miss is such a proud sister. She was cheering from the fence "Go Bubba!"

This weekend we are headed on out first camping trip of the year. Lots more to come...