Starting March out with a [cannon] Blast!!

Before jumping into how wonderfully nice this weekend was, I'm going to briefly record our very unique bagel experience we had last weekend; it went as follows-

Us: Hey we just finished cleaning the church, what should we do next?

Travis: Lets ignore the fact that it's a Saturday and chance our luck in Williamsburg 

getting a New York famous bagel at The Bagel Store?! 

Us (naively): Yeah, that sounds great! 

... after fighting for parking...

me waiting in a 2hr line in Hipster Mecca in a small store crowded with people and hearing the phrase, "Nut to Butt people, Nutt to Butt, we really need to pack ya'll in..." over and over...

While Travis and the boys froze over at a park, we finally had three unique and worthwhile bagels:

The bagels were cotton candy, breaking bad, and blue Vanilla
while the cream cheeses were fun fetti, red velvet, and strawberry

Okay so Leap Year this year I finally got to watch the movie Leap Year, which I didn't get to do the last go around, and I loved it; even if Travis had to work that night, and I did homework the whole time, I will make it my forever tradition. 

AND FINALLY IT'S MARCH!!!!!

I don't know if many of you fully comprehend how long February was for us, and how excited we are for March: Spring weather, the trip we just took, Match, and few other little amazing things that are just making this month shape up to be spectacular month! 

So for this weekend: 

Friday- 5:45am we woke up and by 6:30am we woke the boys up. It's hilarious to me how it's okay for them to wake us up at any hour of the night, but if we wake THEM up??? Oh man, let's say I felt i had a glimpse into their teenage years;)  So on the road we went for our 4 1/2hr drive to D.C. I am pleased to report that Aaron never peed in his pull-up and took care of all his business at each stop we made the WHOLE trip; we are so proud of him! Also on the way down the boys watched Pocahontas and Night at the Museum, Smithsonian. 

D.C. was cold, but warmed up as we went along. Trav's favorite: Jefferson Memorial, Maddix's: the floating earth; he laid down on the floor just like at the Manhattan M. of N.H. and didn't realize at this one there are benches he he (also the A&S museum) . Aaron's: The air and Space museum, primarily the Rockets. Mine: The archives room where I got to see the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights; I love the founding fathers, and never realized how large the actual documents are!

Dinner at Cafe Rio, and then we spent time with the Green cousins before calling it a night! 

Oh and Aaron found a marker on the ride down
and colored his hands, pants, and face to
the point that he looked battered.
When I got most of it off we unfortunately
found the faded color to look even more like
a bruise right around his eye :(

M. of N.H. 

Saturday: We loaded up the car and started the 2 1/2 hr drive to Jamestown and Colonial Williamsburg; the Greens even came along for the day and we were so excited! Our drive started with a jam out session to AC/DC and Led Zeppelin with Maddix on guitar and Aaron on drums. At Jamestown we were able to walk through the Indian area, explore the forts, and walk through 2 of the 3 ships that came over. We really took away from that experience just how awful that trip would have been. 144 Days those men were stuck on those tiny ships, with tics/fleas/bedbugs/sea sick goats, and nothing to eat but salty soup and a gallon of beer each day... yuck. Colonial Williamsburg was fun in that we were able to walk back through time and experience the town the way they would have. However, it was a little disappointing knowing most the buildings were just replicas. The coolest part was when Brenda and I spotted a hawk in the tree really close to us, and as she snapped a photo it dashed out of the tree, legs outstretched and snatched a frog off a lily pad! That was cool :) 

Back to the house we went for dinner. 

Music session. 

Games. 

BED. 

sea sick pup

leather working shop

Sunday: We said our goodbyes and started our 4 1/2hr drive back. Sundays are such nice days to drive:) We laughed a little that yesterday it only took 9mins to go 5miles, but on the last 8 miles of our trip it took 25mins... sigh, NY traffic:) And Thanks Brenda for all the treats you sent us with! 

We finished the last fruit roll-up as we rolled into Brooklyn! 

What a fun/too fast weekend!!! 

~Just a Week~

At church today we had Ward Conference, and my bishop emphasized how they felt pressed to have our read the Book Of Mormon by Pioneer Day, and then he issued another challenge he wanted us to focus on until this coming conference. His 3 Goals were: 

1. Wake up each morning and ponder, "What am I going to do today?" What do we really want out of the day/ What do we want to avoid. 

2. Pray for personal revelation; whether it's revelation about fixing your weaknesses, or something you've been needing help with, but really seek it each day. 

3. ACT on these received revelations. 

It's the 3rd one that really struck me. 

I often have well meant intentions to get the boys to the park...

visit a sick sister in the ward...

take dinner to a struggling family...

or seek someway to give more service to my neighbors...

I always mean well, but end up needing to finish homework, or clean, or make my own family dinner, or the biggest reason: I don't like driving here, finding parking, or having to go somewhere I haven't gone before... the list just goes on and on and I don't ACT on these promptings. Whether it's following through on my own tasks, or things to do for others. SO I was really grateful for that message and challenge today. 

This week was mainly blah. Travis worked nights all week and I either snuggled up with Nala and ate oreos while watching the WORST and Cheesiest chick flicks on Netflix, or doing homework. Aaron is for some reason waking up every two hours again. Travis has been getting home anywhere from 2:00am-5:00am, then the dog has been sick and threw up all last night... so this week we didn't sleep much. We are just fine, and understand that happens, but it just made for a dirtier home, pent up boys, and a lot of lazy days:) And that's really it. Except the highlight was definitely being able to take Aaron with me to V.T. so he could play with his little friend Uka. On the way home I told him, "Thanks for coming with me so we could be together." He told me "Thanks for bringing me. Love you Mommy." 

Oh!!! And I got to go running twice this week! It was like living again. One time I was running home, looking at the skyline, and Piano Guys "Peponi" came on and I could smell all the bakeries and laundry sent in the air as I ran down the road; heaven. The second time wasn't my smartest idea: We drove to Travis's hospital so he could grab a paper and while he drove home, I thought I'd run.

HA! As he drove off I realized it was only 25 degrees... and the neighborhood wasn't the BEST... 

BUT HEY! There is no motivation to run in the cold then a neighborhood you just can't wait to get out of... ha ha ha... oh :S

That was our week. 

It was one of those weeks with him!

Sick Pup

~Valentines Weekend~

We had a wonderful Valentines weekend full of family time; the best way to celebrate. 

On Friday night we went out to Long Island and ate at Cheesecake Factory! The drive there and back, as well as the entire time we were out to eat was just wonderful to be together. There is something extra special about getting to drive somewhere here in NY; it's just nice to talk in the privacy of our own car. 

Saturday was bone chillingly cold! The wind was dropping the temperature to a -35 degrees! And we were crazy enough to go out in it. We dropped the boys off with my VT companion and her family so they could watch the boys, and Trav and I headed to the temple. Kicker was we took the subway to save money and froze to the bone, when thanks to subway construction it ended up being a wash; only in the car we could've parked at the temple... ah, oh well, right? The session was absolutely AmAzInG! Seriously, I've been on the verge of tears ever since; happy, spiritual tears:) 

~Sunday, Valentines Day~

Both Travis and I spoke in Sacrament Meeting on Charity and the Love of Christ. For the rest of church the men took over all the callings so the women could enjoy their meetings. Maddix gave a talk in sharing time as well, with Trav's assistance and then bore his testimony all on his own! I barely missed it! I was so devastated, but seriously so proud of him!! All of church was just perfect; such a wonderful and perfect day at church. At home the boys played while Trav cooked this amazing Valentines dinner (I helped a little): Potato Salad, Caesar Salad, lemon asparagus, the most delicious steak, and TRES LECHES!!!! AHH I just died while we ate; everything was perfect. 

And I think my favorite part was that this Valentines Day I just felt like all our hearts were in the right place. 

And that was our awesome Weekend. 

Now onto our last three weeks of "heavy" rotations and then we're home free! 

My FAVORITE!! 

Travis hadn't been home two minutes when this
happened! 

My BiRtHdAy~SuPeRbOwL!!

Tuesday was my birthday. 

It was also Groundhog's Day. 

Two good things happened this day: 

1. Our little Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early Spring 2. Travis took me to see WICKED!

I have been SO fortunate to scratch off some major Bucket List items this year living in New York, but I NEVER even dared to write "See Wicked" because I dreamed it was impossible... $$$. 

BUTTTT Broadway week is over the week of my birthday and tickets were buy 1, get one free! Needless to say, I had butterflies, I had no prior knowledge of the in's and out's of the play and I. Was. Blown. Away!!!! I can't get "Defying Gravity" out of my head! But I don't mind! 

Travis: 

Really excited about the Super Bowl. 

Completely done with being a med student; he is ready to move on.

Took Maddix to help stock the Bishop's Warehouse and really provided Maddix a good example and memory of giving Service. 

Lacey: 

Just WICKED... wicked cranky children, and a WICKED night on broadway;) 

And Wickedly missing my friends, the Sorensen's who moved. 

Maddix: 

More or less the same. With some nicer days. 

Loved going out with his daddy. 

Aaron: 

FUNNY. Cranky. Hyper. Minion to Maddix. 

Says, "I not a hansom boy, I a good boy." 

"Two tsums (thumbs) up!"<-- after going to the bathroom. 

Peeing on the toilet like a champ. Pooping in his pants like a chump. 

<I despise potty training>

Teething :*(

Bday Selfie

Add caption

Super Bowl goodies with some friends

Little Football fans

And a shout out "Happy Birthday" to my too cute and overly intelligent little niece, Keili!
Happy Birthday Keili! We miss you tons (you to Ali!)

A Travis Week

Travis:

His stressful trip turned into a "Travis week." After arriving at 4:30am Tues morning and doing his last interview that day, he was able to meet up with his good friend, Ajay who's living in Chicago and hung out for the day. Wed he worked. Thursday he set out to explore downtown Chicago, in a Ferris Beuler manner. While at the Art Institute of Chicago, he sent me the photo that Cameron stares at, then a close up of his face, and played out that scene:) That night he went to see Star wars and ended up with an entire theater to himself for the showing; lucky! Then Friday while trying to convince me he was just calling on a break he soon gave away that he received a text from the doctor that the power was out so he didn't have to go to work and he was driving home! I was SO excited!

Lacey:
I was slightly sick throughout the week so I played around with the boys a lot and put off cleaning and homework. I also took 5 days and de cluttered all the rooms in the house. I am so excited that everything is packed back in the boxes they should be in, and that I finally rid myself of tons of junk we had no business holding onto! I got to talk to a lot of family this week and am getting really excited about the activities we want to do in May when we visit Utah.

Maddix & Aaron:
This week THESE particular boys have been a real test of patients. We are extremely fortunate to have two healthy, intelligent, confident, and driven boys. But it's also very hard having two boys so active, smart enough to become sassy, fearless to the point of recklessness, and so determined to put their own mark on the world that they want NOTHING to do with your rules or authority. I know it's a stage, but I am so ready for the endless whining over losing at games, the hoarding of toys, outbursts over having to help out, the lying to test boundaries, and the surprising level of selfishness to go away. Again, I have good boys. Our boys are so loving and caring, and that's what makes it hard about this recent turn of behavior... because it's just SO not our good Boy. Where is that good boy? If i'm not mistaken... 5 is supposed to be the golden age: Terrible 2's, Thrashing 3's, Ferocious 4's, and the Fabulous 5's??? Also Aaron is currently asleep on the couch after a monstrous fit with his mouth in pain; apparently he is cutting a tooth and he does NOT feel well. Seeing as we can't leave the house with him like this I'm curious what we're going to eat because I'm supposed to be grocery shopping! Fridge surprise it is for dinner!

The boys were SO excited however, when they woke up Saturday morning to find their daddy home! He snuggled with them during morning cartoons, and then we went sledding at the park on what was left of the snow. This almost did not go well. The first time down the hill that the boys took, their weight together shifted the sled right into the fence around the baseball field, sending Aaron right into it. Travis and i ran over to find Aaron with a mouth full of blood. THANKFULLY, he'd only minorly bit his tongue and wanted to continue; we moved to a safer and less icy hill and continued with an afternoon of fun!! Then we went home and Travis helped me sift through boxes for de-junking that ended up in an afternoon of reminiscing over old memories! 

At church someone didn't show up for their talk and instead of filling in time, Bishop just announced we'd take this time to end early. So church ended 30 mins early:D 

At home i was so tired Trav had me nap 1 1/2hrs and I awoke to Aaron saying, "mom we make'd yu a birfday cake." And a Maddix rushing over, "No! No we're not. We're just, ya know, baking other stuff. It's not a cake. And it's not for you... Aaron, come on." And Travis made me a cake from scratch since he would be working on my birthday and I just thought it was entirely sweet of my boys; especially when the cake came out somewhat in pieces, and there was only a drizzle of icing. It was lovely irony for all the cakes I've ruined over the years:D 

The Bean

That face! 

Pure Joy! 

My boys! 

Trip down memory lane.
"I wonder if I still fit my scouting
shirt." Hahahaha! 

Aaron's face while singing!