Florida 2018-Orlando

Last Tuesday we headed down to Indy and flew to sunny Florida.




Waiting to board.

We weren't seated together initially, so they stuck us in the very back row...without windows. Ike's face says it all.

Further proof of our windowless row.














Ike and I went to get the luggage while Josh and Dave went to retrieve our rental car.









Ike plopped down right by the emergency stop button for the luggage conveyor. That doesn't make a mom nervous or anything.

We ended up with a convertible!








First stop on our trip was to hang out with the Smiths in Orlando.

Zac and Dave.

The other kids had to go to school in the morning, so the boys hung out with Brooklyn.


















Josh took the boys to a serpentarium near their house while I chilled poolside.

Pool time with the cousins.

Arriving in style.

Dinner with Brit and Chad for Valentine's Day!

Ready for Legoland!








I'll post about Legoland and our Nokomis visit with Josh's grandparents in a separate post. After we visited the gulf side, we came back for one more night in Orlando before flying back to Indiana.

These kids are too cute.

Josh with all the kids minus Brooklyn who still doesn't like him. :)

Fajitas!

These two crack me up. They look so much alike and were even twinning with their shorts.

Finishing up the trip by watching Wonder together.







Such great memories with the kids. We look forward to our Florida trip every year but it gets more fun each time because the kids are so excited to see their cousins!

January Activities

We had a pretty busy January. Dave started basketball at the YMCA and Ike has been working on piano lessons. Not sure he's going to keep taking them...we may pick back up this summer. His concentration game is not strong currently :)

Ike and Josh working on piano skills.










The boys with Kyson and Gabe. They've spent lots of time playing basketball on Dave's new hoop.





In between some pretty horrible weather, we've had a couple of really nice days. The boys got to really test out their new wheels on one of those glorious 50 degree days.

Meanwhile I got stuck carrying their stuff over. Life of a mom...machine gun, football, and reading material.







Since we've had what feels like a million snow days (really I think it's been three so far), Dave has had lots of e-learning days this month. We have one coming up on Monday and then the last one in two weeks while we're in Florida. Glory be, we are so close to vacation!







Reading some books to try to get Ball State basketball tickets.

We took the boys out of school to go to the circus with the cottage kids.

Ike cheesing out at Dave's basketball game.

Dave with his buddy Alec after the game.

Showing off our new hat and scarf that we got from Aunt Em.

Ike was super pumped to get takeout from the cafeteria for lunch. Mmmm lasagna.












So that wraps up January! Lots of fun to come in February-Florida and Josh's parents got us tickets to Legoland!! The kids are beyond excited.

Mad Ants Game

As part of the boys' Christmas presents we bought them tickets to watch the Fort Wayne Mad Ants (an NBA g-league team). Dave is a huuuuge basketball fan right now, and we figured Ike would get into it. We had so much fun! The game was a little rough at first (they were down by 23 points), but they ended up pulling off a win. Definitely would go watch again. Much cheaper option than seeing the Pacers and we had awesome seats.

Posing before the game. I found those jerseys on Ebay!

Ike and grandpa. Josh's parents came with us.

Ike was a little obsessed with the cheerleaders.

Playing some games in the kid section.

At any given point Ike always knew where the Mad Ant mascot was. We finally spotted him near enough to get a picture!












Ike was much more interested in the extra stuff happening than the actual game. Dave loved watching the players and I think appreciated the game. Win for all of us for sure! Can't wait to check them out again :)

Christmas 2017

We had a nice, relaxing Christmas this year. Lots of visitors, presents, and snow! Josh worked on Christmas day so we spent a lot of time with the cottage-we all went to see a movie which was fun.

Posing in their jammies on Christmas Eve.
















Working on the gingerbread house.  They mostly just ate the candy though. Typical.







Dad and Kyra came to visit the week before Christmas. They packed their van up and went on a grand tour delivering presents through Indiana and down into Florida! I was very jealous of their final warm destination :) 

Cuteness!

Helping grandpa make dessert.















Dad made the cottage a ham for us to eat on Christmas which was great. The guys really appreciated having a home-cooked meal since they were away from home! 


After Dad and Kyra headed along, we had a family get-together with the Sievers side over in Logansport. Josh's aunt Veronica made a couple hilarious present opening games that everybody had fun with. Of course we ate a great dinner and just hung out otherwise.

Josh with Miranda and Ike.

Divana and Dave teaming up.

I can't remember what Ike was acting out in charades but he sure thought he was being funny!














Christmas morning we got the kids up early to open presents because Josh had to leave to take students home at 8.

Ready for presents.










Dave liked his electronic basketball hoop for over his door best and Ike's favorite gift was his Nintendo 2DS. He's been wanting one since Dave got one last year!

After Christmas, Gamma and Justin came up for a couple of nights. Her big present for the boys was new bikes. She let them go pick them out themselves which they really loved.

Red and black for Dave and Ike's looks like a dirt bike. A couple of happy campers.

So adorable!











Well that about wraps of Christmas. Another fun year of watching the boys open presents! We survived Winter Break (barely) but have had several snow days since...we are all ready for some warmer weather soon!

Fun in the Snow!

We were very excited to have a White Christmas this year! The boys loved playing in it and were able to do some sledding with the neighbor kids until it got too cold out.

























Ike used his lawnmower as a snow blower. Not quite as effective, but fun nonetheless.

You can see we got quite a bit of it!

One of our neighbors came over to pull the kids behind his four wheeler!

Playing with Sean and the Cline girls.

Snowflake selfie.

Trying to get a jump on all the shoveling.

It was so pretty! I am definitely ready for it to be gone now though :)













It has finally started to melt after a week or so in subzero temperatures last week. I did see we may be getting another snowstorm this weekend though...after 50 degree temps on Thursday. Gotta love Indiana!