InstaFriday

Happy Friday.

Linking up with Jeannett at Life.Rearranged for InstaFriday.  

 I am a sucker for Little Tikes outside toys.

I love them.

I also love when they have matching toys, that include Ellary getting a pink one.

Also, while they were washing their Cozy Coupes, it started down pouring on us. 

Because that is what happens right after you wash your car.

These days are my favorite.  

There are so many little memories. 

 Like watching Daddy hook the trailer back up to Mommy's truck.

"Mommy, Me not know how to fall asleep in the trailer."

"Read a book, and you will fall asleep."

...less than 2 minutes later.

This is what mornings look like at our house. 

And don't let Ellary's paci fool you, so only plays with it. 

Breakfast at the little table makes them happy.

Alzheimer's Association's Walk to End Alzheimer's Kick Off.

Have you been affected by Alzheimer's Disease.

Horrible.  Awefull.

Click here to help us raise money to find a cure.

{{that is DJ's fundraising page...DJ is my husband.}}

Breakfast on the beach.

Another Full Beach Day.

Love.

My Mom even met us out there this day.

She brought donuts.

YUM!!

No beach trip is complete until you get ice cream.

We stayed at a fancy hotel in Grand Rapids last weekend.

We won a photography contest last summer, and finally used it.

We took the kids with us, because that is what we do.

A walk at 10:00 at night in downtown Grand Rapids, chasing down the horse and carriages.

They were the only people under 21 out.

But it was a fun memory, and they loved finding the horses!

Freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and milk before bed, brought to our room.

Because when you already up way past bed time, it is best to order room service.

She was watering the plants.

And herself.

Sweet Ellary got new pretties in her ears this week.

I love, love, love, love, love them.

Yesterday morning, she was angry.

And that is kind of an understatement.

Girl woke up on the WRONG side of the bed.

After and hour of screaming, hitting, throwing herself on the floor, and all around grumpiness, she finally calmed down and snuggled in.  

"Mama take a picture of us."

Oh I love him.

JW Marriott

Last year I took this picture.

DJ, without telling me, submitted it into a photography contest through the West Michigan Tourist Association.  We won.  He called me from work, ecstatic, because we won a one night stay at the JW Marriott in downtown GR.  Complete with a couples massage, and a gift card to Six.One.Six.  While we both were excited, at the time, High Maintenance Baby Ellary was only 4 months old.  She was still waking up every hour at night, and I couldn't get her to take a bottle.  Meaning, there was no way we could leave her.  We figured we would wait a few months, maybe we could use it for our anniversary in December.  Unfortunately, her sleeping got worse before it got better.  We were exhausted, and our gift certificate got tucked away in the hutch, and we sort of forgot about it.  We decided we would try to use it for our 5th Anniversary this December.  When we realized it would expire in August, if we didn't use it, we called to have it extended, but they wouldn't let us.  Part of me figured we would just lose it-there was no way I could leave Ellary for more than an hour.  Then, our sweet girl decided to became a little more independent.  She still definitely needs Mama at night, but we could leave her with Nana all afternoon, then Nana could bring the kiddos down town at night.  

DJ and I haven't gone out, just us, since before Karson was born.  We left after the kids went down for their naps, and headed downtown.  We checked in, went to TGI Friday's for a drink and some spinach dip, and took a walk along the river.   We had scheduled massages, and when we were waiting DJ started talking. I shushed him...it was quiet...I was enjoying it!  After our massage (amazing) we ordered a pizza and took it to Rosa Parks Circle.  

Nana dropped off our kiddos after dinner, and I was ready for them to join us!  I loved the few hours of quiet, but I missed my babies!  We took them swimming...they reminded us they are complete opposites.

Karson swam for a few minutes, got cold, and snuggled in a towel.

Ellary swam, and swam, and swam, and swam until she was blue and shivering.  

She cried when we made her get out.

One of my favorite moments from the trip was when the kids were eating left over pizza, that we had ripped into small pieces, off the ottoman, with a towel over it.  ...at the JW Marriott.  Nice

The view of the sunset from our room.

While the kids were eating their pizza, they saw the horse & carriages walking along the bridge.  They started jumping up and down and screeching with excitement.  We decided to get them dressed up again, and take them for a walk, in Down Town Grand Rapids, at 10:00 at night.  When we walked into the lobby, there was a band playing, and people all over with drinks.  We walked out of the elevator with our massive stroller, and our 1 and 3 year old started dancing and waving at everyone.  Priceless!  Needless to say, they were the only kids out and about, but it was a fun memory, and the kids loved every second of it! We walked around looking for the horses for a long time.  

"Look Mommy, its the white horse.  Look, Baby Ella, its the brown horse.  Mommy, look look!!" 

We knew breakfast wouldn't use up all of our gift card money, so we ordered room service when we got back to our room.  Fresh chocolate chip cookies with chocolate milk.

The next morning, everyone was a little sleepy...

...and a little disappointed that the horses weren't on the bridge again. :)

We all got ready, and went out for an amazing breakfast.  So, so, so, so good! So much so that I will be asking for breakfast there for Mother's Day, or my birthday next year...or sooner.  So so good!

Before we left, we took a walk down town to get some pictures of the kids....

It was a fun night away!!

A Full Beach Day

I remember, when I was little, my parents putting us in the motor home first thing in the morning, and heading straight to the beach.  We would stay there all day, get motor home "showers," jammies on, and would fall asleep in the motor home on the way home at night.  I have many memories of days like this, and although I have said for the last few years that I wanted to do this with our kids, we just never did.  I said this year would be different.  We would be picking the nicest day each weekend.  Luckily, DJ is on his summer schedule- every other weekend he gets a 4 day weekend.  Yay! 

There are only 2 spots we can pull our travel trailer into in the day area.  They are first come, first serve.  Meaning, we have to get there right when they open.  It is a half hour drive.  We put the kids in the car, straight from their beds, at 6:30am. 

Kids in jammies at the beach.....there are few things better.

The kids played in the sand dune with DJ while I made breakfast in the trailer.  Sausage, eggs, and banana pancakes on the beach...yes please.  All things are better on the beach. 

I wanted to bring breakfast over to a picnic table by the water, but Karson was so excited about being in the trailer that we ate breakfast in the trailer.

Funny aside: I brought my Keurig with me.  It was only 7am when we got to the beach.  I had every intention of making myself a cup (or 3) of coffee to take down to the beach.  I knew we had to run off battery, since our trailer wasn't plugged in.  I did not, however, know that because of this the plugs wouldn't work.  Basically, I didn't realize until I got there that I couldn't make coffee.  Not cool.  Also, the little cafe beach store opened at 10:00-3 hours later.  Also, we didn't bring cash and there was a $5 minimum...yea I got 2 really expensive cups of coffee....at 10:00. 

We were the first ones on the beach.  Which meant we got the spot right on the water, straight down from the board walk!

New toy.  The kids kinda lucked out with the $5 minimum rule.  Mommy got a cup of coffee.  Kids got a new toy.

The kids played and played and played all morning.  We went back to the trailer at lunch time, and brought our lunch to the channel to eat.  

 After lunch, is exactly why we bring the trailer with us:

While she napped, brother did this:

Another cup of coffee for Mommy.  Another new toy for the kids.

He was so excited to take a nap in the trailer, that he couldn't fall asleep.  Funny.  Luckily, he stayed in a pretty good mood all day.

Sister woke up, to join the fun....

Then back to the beach we went.

We played for a few hours, and then it started pouring. 

Sideways.

We got drenched, and while everyone was scurrying to their cars to leave, we were playing in the trailer.  I was determined to "save" the rest of the day.  Even if it meant playing in the trailer.  We decided to take the kids out for dinner, instead of grilling on the beach, to see if the rain would pass over.  It did, and after dinner, it was beautiful out again.  

Back to the beach we went...

Daddy taught the kids the art of running from the waves....which were freezing.

Nana even joined us for a few hours.

 

Ella tries so hard to keep up with Karson, but she have not so great balance.  Also, she got knocked over by a wave, and was extremely leery of the water.  Bad combination.  Sister spent a lot of time on the ground from trying to run too fast.

 

I am wrong.  

There is something better than babies in jammies at the beach...

Babies in matching stripe jammies at the beach...

...loving on their little sisiter.

Before we left, we caught the sunset.  

The kids fell asleep on the way home, and we put their little sleepy-sandy-sun kissed-bodies in bed. 

It is my favorite way to spend our day.

And I love that my kids are making the same memories I did when I was little.