Becoming best buddies

Bath time


Snack time



Nap time



Play time



Popsicle time


Outside time


Checking the weather time


Both want the same chair arguement time


Barnes and Noble


Shopping


Breakfast


More nap time


Driving the truck

Green sand

Did you know they have green sand? We do now! I thought I bought regular sand at Walmart. I drove over to the outside garden center to get it and they were sold out. The lady told me to run in and get my money back because they were out I wouldnt have something to physically return if I came back later. I looked at her and showed her the two boys in the backseat. There was no way I was going to get those tired boys out of their car seats and drag them to customer service. She smiled and said she had something that would work. She had me open my back trunck and she told me she had green sand that would work. Well, we got home and filled up the sandbox and this is what we got! The kids love it. Max said next time he wanted blue. So now we might forever have colored sand on our sandbox.


- Ashley

Happy 6th Anniversary!!!!

August 12th
Today is me and Mike's 6th Wedding Anniversary.  I can't believe it's been 6 six years since our wedding!  Here are a few flash back pics of the big day - August 12, 2006

About a month ago me and Mike started talking about our anniversary and were trying to decide how we were going to celebrate it.  Last year I was extremely pregnant with Alex and it was literally 110 outside on our Anniversary date - so I think we barely made it out to eat - if that.  This year we wanted to do something fun, but couldn't think of anything.  A few weeks ago - Mike said to me, "  I think I'll take care of the planning for the Anniversary - it will be a surprise for you".  I was a little excited, a surprise date.  I didn't know if it would just be dinner - or one of Mike's favorite, a movie.....but either way I knew it would be fun because I wouldn't have to stress about planning anything.  Also, our gift to each other was just the fun date and to exchange cards, so I didn't have to worry over a big gift either. 

So the fun begins....
This week I was trying my hardest to get out of mike just what we were doing.  I couldn't get hardly any clues from him whatsoever.  I finally blamed it on my wardrobe and told him I had to know what to wear!  he told me - don't wear heels, you might have to walk some.  I though - oh no, we are going walking in 100 plus heat - fun...but I went with it. 

Friday morning I got to drop the kids off at my mom's so I could go get a pedicure and go shopping for a new dress.  While I was at my mom's I got the below FIRST HINT of what we would be doing.  My itenerary. 

The itinerary got me excited about the date.  It looked like Mike put a lot of thought into it and it was going to be fun.

my pedicure was the longest, slowest pedicure I have ever gotten.  I took this picture of the guy so I would be sure not to get him next time.  Good news was though it actually was a pretty good one.

Mike took a half day off work (yes he is perfect). and came home around 2pm and walk in the door with these.  I was very excited - beautiful pink roses, my favorite.

I took a quick picture of us before we headed out the door.  I found a new casual dress at Target I was excited about, and yes - wore my flip flops prepared to walk - haha

Mike drove me straight to our first stop - I had no clue where we were going.  He pulled up to the place where we first met - "The Duplex".  He got out of the car and he had placed a card at each mystery spot before the date for me to read.  They were so sweet, and some even funny. For those of you who don't know how me and Mike met, a short version is that my best friend went to Australia to study abroad.  When she came back she needed a new place to live, and found a Duplex off Dawn Street in Fayetteville.  Mike and his two best friends moved in next door.  I think me and Mike saw each other almost every day after the first day we met.

One of the 12 stops was to take me to the place we went on our first date. Pattaya.  We even sat in the same booth.  Again, the waiter handed me a card from Mike, so sweet.

My cards started to pile up!

We went to the church where we got married, The Links at Lowell where he proposed, Embassy suites hotel where we spent the first night of our honeymoon, the U of A where we hung out a lot and found my name on the sidewalk - where he hid a card for me in the bush next to my name.  Another place we went was Copelands.  We had dessert here.  We used to meet at Copelands all of the time after we both got off work and order our favorite - Jazzy wings.  We wanted something sweet so we shared cheesecake

more of my cards!

Stop number 11 was a movie - we took this picture before we headed into the movie - and yes - we got popcorn, a coke, AND candy - definately a special night - haha

Here is me at the end of the night with all of my cards!  After the date was over we headed back to our house and played scrablle and than got about 9 hours of sleep - it was great.  Thank you mom and dad for babysitting the kids especially Alex who had an ear infection and didn't sleep great....or at all. We owe you we know.

We remembered many memories on this date and made even more memories.  I know that sounds corny, but it's the truth.  We had so much fun telling old stories and going through our last 6 years.  One of my favorite places he took me was Washington Regional Hospital.  This place is so significant to us.  Not only did Mike go to so so so many doctor's appointments with me here, but this is where we have spent about 2 of the longest weeks of our lives welcoming our 2 boys into the world and it's where we became a family.  It was so sweet for Mike to take me here and talk about those 2 special times in our lives.

Thank you Mike for a great night and for being such a great husband.  I definatley couldn't have planned a more perfect much needed date.

Here's to starting our 7th HOG season as a married couple! haha

Colorado Vacation - Day 11 - Sunday - LAST DAY!!!

Sunday

Home Sweet Home!!

After 10 days of vacation - and ending the vacation off with a waterpark, we were worn out and ready to head home.  Sunday morning we packed up the car and headed to our home sweet home.  It was just a little over 3 and half hours home.  The boys did great, Me and Mike split the drive, we all cheered when we pulled into our Neighborhood.  That was one of the best vacations we have ever been on, up there with our honeymoon and the family trip to Hilton Head a few years ago.  We have to thank my parents and my aunt Phyllis because without them, it definately would not have been possible.  It was so worth all of my fundraising efforts (Garage sale, ebay, and Rhea Lana's).We made so many memories with the boys and still talk about it all of the time.  I can't wait to see where next year's family vacation takes us!  I better start thinking of ways to earn more money as a stay at home mom!! haha

 We found a stride rite outlet that was buy one pair get the next pair half off. Max's foot is growing like crazy and he is now in size 11 or 11.5.  We bought him a new pair of shoes for the fall - and of course he picked spiderman.  I was ok with them - they will match a lot of stuff and they are black, white, and red like the hogs!

Colorado Vacation - Day 10 - Saturday

Saturday

Great Wolf Lodge - Dinner at The Sticks - just like Shogun and more swimming

The entryway of Great Wolf Lodge

Max by the sweet shop bear.  We visited here often - very often.

Here is a video of Max going down his favorite slide ( that he could go on by himself)  We have several pictures of him going down this slide mainly because it was right by our stroller so we could put the camera up easy and it was only 18 inches of water so we could stand right by the slide to take pictures. 

Note:  He just loves the water that much - he likes to walk on the bottom - he is never drowning - although it sometimes appears so :)

Me and Alex would wait at the bottom of the slide and wait for Max.  Alex laughed at Max when he noticed it was him.

 

Scuba Max

Alex needed a nap - we wore this kiddo out

This one - not so much :)

We got dressed up and headed to the outlet malls again for some shopping and dinner.

Alex snoozing again.  We ate at a place called Stix.  It's just like shoguns.  We splurged a little, but it was our last night of vacation.  It was a lot of fun.  Alex finally woke up and joined in on the fun.