The Robinson's Journey

Barcelona Soccer!

2011-09-12T15:00:00.000-04:00

Can I just say that watching 3 and 4 year old boys play soccer is hilarious! They pick their noses, point at airplanes, run and just keep running until you yell STOP... they are so cute! We had our first game this past Saturday. My boy is quite the competitor ;-) He did not want to take breaks, he threw some "bows" (and we had a special talk), he scored and he loved it! Somehow we became the soccer team managers, so rest assured there is a snack schedule and end of the year party planned. I know you were worried! My brother made us an awesome video...check it out! http://vimeo.com/28871618

Preschool for G

2011-09-12T14:54:00.001-04:00

Grant started preschool last week and is LOVING it! We didn't make it through the year last year...he just wasn't ready and with the impending baby and move, we decided not to push it. He's going 5 days a week, 9 am to noon, and can't get enough. It is fun to see him so happy and what a difference a year can make, wow!

Labor Day Weekend

2011-09-12T14:46:00.000-04:00

We took our first trip out of Dallas since the big cross country drive (we really need recovery time after that trip!). We spent Labor Day weekend in Tulsa and saw Chris's family (mom, sister, grandparents, aunt/uncle, cousins) and my family (grandparents, aunt and mom/dad). We played baseball, blew bubbles, hit golf balls, cheered for OU, ate and drank well and saw family. Kate had that face expression most of the weekend, poor baby. She did not want mommy out of sight!

In their Sunday Best

2011-09-12T14:32:00.000-04:00

I thought the kids looked especially cute the other day before church, so I snapped a few pics. Love these two!

Kate was especially interested in her shoes...she's been barefoot most of the summer!

Watch out world, here she comes!

2011-08-23T14:10:00.000-04:00

She's 6 months, almost 7, and already keeps me on my toes! She is such a happy girl, seriously. She thinks her brother is hilarious. She loves to eat and play and lately is really just too busy to sleep (although I shouldn't complain...she does sleep from about 8 to 7). She is ON THE MOVE! We are lunging, grabbing, rolling and now army crawling! Holy moly, I am not ready for her to be that mobile! She knows what she wants and goes for it. She loves swimming and just being out and about around people. She seems super curious (already army crawling to push the buttons she can reach on the TV stand, ha!). I think she might take baby proofing to a whole new level. She is such a joy and truly completes our family. She's 15 pounds (25th percentile) and 26.5 inches long (75th percentile).

6 months with 2 teeth

Love this cute little wrinkled nose smile!

Ready for church with my pretty bracelet from Nenaw and Papa!

Howdy

Gigi and Kate!

Army crawling

My Big Boy

2011-08-23T13:52:00.000-04:00

Grant is seriously growing up right before my eyes! I love this little boy with all my heart. In so many ways, we are a lot alike...meaning we are a little "type A," like routine and sometimes it's hard to try new things. I respect and love this about him, but as a mom who want's her son to experience all that life can offer, it's also painful at times. So...you can imagine that I was a little nervous about moving him across the country. We have a new home, new room, new routine, new church (all just a few months after having a new baby). That's a lot for a 3 year old (heck, it's a lot for this mama too!). We'll have new friends and a new school very soon and we've been trying and learning some new things! Let me just say he has more than embraced these changes and has really been amazing. He did VBS like a champ, took swimming lessons and really swam (and did the splash park) and started soccer practice last night. He's really excited about preschool, which starts right after labor day. He's maturing and shining and it truly makes my heart swell. Did I mention I love this kid!?

Shin guards and soccer shoes!

My little chef

Loving and protecting his sister

He truly loves Kate. She is a very lucky little sis!

Joy and silliness

Dallas Fun List

2011-07-28T15:39:00.002-04:00

We pretended like we were tourists a good part of the 3 years we spent in New England and I've decided we need to make an effort to do the same here in Dallas! So...here's a few things I want to do around here in the coming years. Let me know if I'm missing something!

1. Rangers and Frisco RoughRiders baseball games
2. OU football
3. Fort Worth and Dallas Zoos
4. Dallas Children's/ Science Museum
5. Lego Land
6. Dallas Aquarium and Grapevine Mills Mall Aquarium
7. OK Thunder game
8. Plano Balloon Festival
9. Dallas Arboretum
10. Dallas Children's Theatre
11. State Fair
12. Dallas Farmers Market
13. Top Golf
14. Dinosaur Valley State Park
15. Fossil Rim Wildlife Center
16. Ride the train from Ft. Worth to OKC
17. Frisco Christmas in the Square
~~18. The Trains at NorthPark (Christmas time)~~
19. Greek Festival
20. Cottonwood Art Festival
21. Ft. Worth Children's Museum
22. Ice Skating
~~23. Roller Skating~~
24. Go Karts--Speed Zone
25. Miniature Golf
26. Medieval Times
27. Great Wolf Lodge
~~28. Studio Movie Grill~~
29. Museum of American Railroad
30. Texas Museum of Automotive History
31. Frontiers of Flight Museum
32. Stars, Cowboys, Mavericks games
33. Planet Pizza
34. Ft. Worth Stockyards

Growing up so fast!

2011-07-28T15:22:00.000-04:00

Kate is growing so fast these days. In the past month she has gotten her two bottom teeth and now rolls over both directions. She "talks" and squawks a lot and is really discovering toys and grabbing any and everything within reach. She started solids on the fourth of July and was SO ready. She has had banana, avocado, peaches, sweet potatoes, pears and cereal. I've been making her baby food and it is so so easy. I have no idea why it never even crossed my mind to do that with Grant. She is still an awesome snuggler and is really a happy girl.

Cute girl with bed head ;-)

Happy for food! This was her first bite and she was already helping out, ha!

First Fourth of July

Our little sweet pea

Saying Goodbye

2011-07-28T15:13:00.000-04:00

We made some amazing friends in Boston and loved exploring the city. Here are some pics of our final weeks there...

One more adventure on the bus and train to the public gardens...one of our favorite spots

Gigi came to play so I could pack...thank you SO MUCH! Packing was challenging with a 5 month old...

We made sure to squeeze in one more trip to Maine for a lobster roll and light house while Gigi was visiting!

The kiddos all together. It's amazing to think how much they will all grow and change the next time they see each other!

Summer list

2011-07-28T15:06:00.004-04:00

Once we got settled here, I made our summer fun list and we're slowly working our way through it.

~~1. Take G to see Cars 2 (his first time to go to the movies!)~~

~~2. Outside fun...bubbles, water table, swimming, chalk~~

~~3. Make homemade popsicles~~

~~4. Make cookies~~

~~5. Grill and have a picnic~~

~~6. Go bowling~~

~~7. Make homemade ice cream~~

~~8. Walk to the doughnut shop on a Saturday morning~~

~~9. Find a new playground~~

10. Get our library cards and explore the new library

11. Play miniature golf

12. Go go-karting

~~13. Pick fruit---not happening with this year's drought!~~

~~14. Make smores~~

15. Get sno-cones

~~16. Go fishing~~

~~17. Wii night~~

~~18. Movie night~~

~~19. Game night~~

20. Walk or bike ride around White Rock Lake

Several of these things need to happen when it's not 100 degrees outside...but we'll get there! Did you have a summer fun list?

On their way to see the movie! He had a blast.

We bowled like rock stars!

We're here ya'll!

2011-07-28T14:55:00.001-04:00

We've been in Dallas for officially a month. The house is unpacked and pictures are hung. We made the fun purchases you make when you move...like a washer/dryer, portable dishwasher (our kitchen didn't have a dishwasher and there's just some things I'm not willing to give up!), book case, mattresses for Grant and a grill for Chris. We still need to purchase a second car and soon. It's much easier to live as a one car family in Boston than in Dallas. We've seen family and played with cousins. It is super hot here, so we are being creative to entertain ourselves in the air conditioning. Grant is signed up for VBS next week, swim lessons the following two weeks, preschool starting after labor day and fall soccer! It's super exciting to begin a new chapter in our lives. I'm a little nostalgic too. I am fully aware that the days of little scheduling and lots of free time as a family are coming to an end. I will begin the life of transporting to and attending activities. I guess this will continue for the next...18 or so years! Yikes! It's fun though and I will still make time to keep our lives simple...because that's how we roll!

Let's go fly a kite!

2011-05-30T11:55:00.001-04:00

There are moments when you are fully aware of the simple joys and blessings in life. This was one of those days for me...

Happy 30th Birthday Daddy!

2011-05-30T11:48:00.002-04:00

Chris turned 30 this weekend! I am so glad he finally joined me in the club ;-)

We really tried to make it a fun, relaxing weekend for him. When he got home on Friday, Grant and I had decorated and gotten his favorite snacks. Grant just sat and stared at them for a while... ha ha! Later that night we went out for pizza and watched a movie. Saturday he got to sleep in (a rare treat these days), a big breakfast, a trip to the driving range (it was Grant's first time and Chris was a very happy and proud dad), a m&m cookie cake and then we grilled steak and shrimp for dinner. We love birthdays and we love our daddy! I have no doubt that it's going to be a great year for Dr. Daddy.

Zoorific!

2011-05-30T11:38:00.001-04:00

Kate's first trip to the zoo! I failed to get a good photo of Grant. There
some days he's just not feeling the camera and this was one of them. He loved the tigers, lion and the canaries (blue ones of course). We had a great time!

This and That

2011-05-22T18:22:00.000-04:00

He is SUCH a good helper!

Boomer Sooner

Sweet Daddy Moments

Baby Giggles

Spring and 3 month Pics

2011-05-22T18:17:00.000-04:00

We have an amazing, sweet friend named Ellie who is a natural photographer! She is seriously gifted and volunteered to take some pictures as she builds her website and portfolio. Check out her website here: http://www.wix.com/elliedevol/photos

We love love love the photos she took for us! Thanks Ellie!

Sparkle Katers

2011-05-22T17:59:00.000-04:00

Kate's sweet cousin Bella nicknamed her Sparkle Baby when she was still in the womb. We still call her Sparkly! She's also "one of a kind."

Yup, she's rolling over!

2011-05-22T17:54:00.000-04:00

I caught it on camera, 5/6 (about 3 months). Yay Katers (yup, Grant nicknamed her and it's sticking)

Date Nights!

2011-05-22T17:42:00.000-04:00

May is a month of celebrations for us...from Mother's Day to our Anniversary to Chris's Birthday. We don't get date nights very often, but we've already had two this month! We recently went to one last Red Sox game, before we move. It was rainy, but still fun to get out just the two of us. We left the game a little early (and soggy) and headed to Finale for dessert, yummy!

For Mother's Day, Chris spoiled me all weekend. I got to sleep in, breakfast in bed, homemade chocolate truffles and cookies and he did the laundry and made most of the meals! He really is so good to me (every day, not just on Mother's Day).

Our anniversary was yesterday and we celebrated 6 years married (and 9 together)! We went out for Italian, my fave. I had stuffed mushrooms and shrimp scampi. Our dates are still short, with such a short window in leaving Kate, but I'll take it!

Next up is Chris's 30th birthday on Saturday! I love celebrating life....

Sunshine and Big Hair!

2011-05-19T14:35:00.003-04:00

Well, if you don't already know (I have no idea who...or to whom.. I'm writing to right now, but whatev), we're moving to Dallas, TX in a month! I am super excited for the next chapter, but also pretty overwhelmed with all that needs to be done in the meantime. The moving company is booked...we are still searching for the 'perfect' cheap house (remember, Dr. Robinson is doing a fellowship) and I'm prepping my resume for my own job search. The house has been pre-scanned for all items to give away and now I'm waiting for the packing bug to hit and finding a lot of great ways to procrastinate (like baby holding and blogging).

It has been raining here for days now and it is a great reminder of how much I need...let's say CRAVE... sunshine! So, in an attempt to get excited for the move, as well as appreciate the time here, this blog entry is the things I'll miss and things I won't miss about New England....and what I'm looking forward to in Dallas.

Things I'll miss about New England and this chapter in our lives
1. Great friends from a wonderful church
2. Fall foliage, apple picking, hay rides, crisp sunny days
3. Close beaches, lighthouses and seafood
4. New England history, charm and cottages
5. Snow...within reason...and all that it entails, such as hot chocolate, snuggles, sledding, beauty
6. Staying home with my kids
7. Creating our own family traditions and figuring out how to do pretty much everything on our own (there's a lot I won't miss about this too)

Things I won't miss about New England
1. Weather...too much snow and too much rain! I need more sunshine!
2. Roundabouts and crazy driving...seriously out of control here
3. Lack of parking lots and space in general
4. No super stores (I'm way too efficient by nature to want to make multiple shopping trips...)
5. Ridiculous cost of living
6. Being away from family at the holidays or just in general
7. The accents ;-)

Things I'm looking forward to in Dallas
1. Close friends and family
2. Chips and salsa...Tex Mex! (and sonic, arby's, chick-fila...)
3. SUNSHINE
4. Better cost of living
5. SPACE and parking lots
6. College sports
7. The accents ;-)

Life's sweet moments

2011-04-30T21:14:00.002-04:00

I know I am totally and completely biased, but she is so darn cute. I am having a lot of fun with the girly things, like sunglasses, bows and dresses. Those things are great, but more importantly than some cute sunglasses are those burn in your memory moments, like the video below. A daddy rocking and singing to his daughter and the look in her eyes (and she even joins him singing), wow. Seriously makes my heart swell.

I love the farm, for reals.

2011-04-30T20:48:00.000-04:00

I love the smell of farms, for reals. I love green pastures, red barns, baby animals and John Deere tractors. It soothes my soul, for reals. This Okie really needs to get out of the city!

Spring Sunshine, where have you been all my life!?

2011-04-30T20:40:00.000-04:00

Park, Bike, Flowers, Sunshine, Smiles...nuff said.

Grant's Favorites

2011-04-27T16:33:00.000-04:00

Grant filled me in on some of his favorites today and just for fun, I thought I'd share.

Color: Blue
Book: Green Eggs and Ham
Food: Snacks (animal cookies)
Thing to do with mommy and daddy: Hugs!
Place to go: Playground
Toy: Cars
Game: The racing game (on the wii)
Movie: Lightening Maqueen
Day: Sunny day
Song: ABC
Drink: Milk (he specified regular and chocolate milk!)
TV show: Jake and the Neverland Pirates
Number: 3
Fruit: Apples
Shape: Circle
Sister: Kate ;-)

Our Easter (warning...picture overload!)

2011-04-26T16:44:00.000-04:00

Our Easter week...in photos (I have such a hard time just picking a few)

We dyed eggs and he especially loved it this year. He is such a fun age! Notice the potato experiment in the windowsill as well.

We had a small egg hunt in our house. The boys had a blast.

Kate loved the egg hunt too, ha!

Outside the church on Easter Sunday.

I love the look on his face here. Sometimes I feel the same way when she cries!

Our Resurrection rolls (Jesus was a marshmallow placed in the "tomb")

This face is, ummm...where's Jesus!?

Kate and her Easter Sophie

Grant and his Easter loot...he loves that "Space Airplane." I've been trying not to giggle as I hear him playing with it and making stops at Uranus.

She's growing up!

2011-04-26T16:06:00.001-04:00

Discovering her tongue

Smiling and cooing

Grabbing and batting her toys

Bringing her hands together

Reading and Feeding

2011-04-26T14:47:00.001-04:00

A sweet story time with Grant, Daddy and baby Kate...

A sweet story time with Grant, Daddy and baby Hallie...

You see, when I was expecting Kate...Grant was also expecting Hallie. She grew in his tummy as Kate grew in mine. She kicked and then she came out at the hospital, just like Kate. Grant often feeds her (from his belly button, of course) and lets her swing in Kate's swing. She is a great burper too! I told him he was a good daddy and he said he's not a daddy, he's just Grant.

Look Alikes?

2011-04-19T16:41:00.001-04:00

When you have a new baby, everyone always tries to figure out who she looks like. Well, we think she looks like her big brother! What do you think? Do you see it?

Life is good, real good.

2011-04-19T15:55:00.000-04:00

So, the longer I procrastinate on the blog, the less motivated I am to update it...it's a vicious cycle! I somehow feel like I'm supposed to go back from the last time I wrote something and give life details on what we've done since. Whelp, that's just ridic. We've been busy. Basically, since last fall, we had a lot of snow and a sweet baby girl, Kate. Since she joined us (at the end of January), Chris wrote and defended his thesis and is now Dr. Robinson. He's interviewing for postdoctoral fellowships (actually, as I type, he's interviewing in St. Louis). We should know by the end of the week where we're moving. We'll start packing up soon and will move by the end of June. If you know me, you know that the details of a cross country move are just swimming in my head. We'll make it though, we always do! Other than that, I'm figuring out how to be a mom of two and live on more coffee and less sleep ;-) Life is good though, real good.

Kate is 11 weeks, yesterday. She's sweet and snuggly. She was born on 1/31 at 11: 12 a.m. weighing 8 lbs 5 oz. She is a pretty easy baby, as long as she's being held, ha! She's smiling and cooing, holding her head up like a champ and loves her big brother. Grant is so sweet with her. If she cries, he runs to give her the paci and starts singing the ABC song. I think her first "words" will be the ABCs!

Grant is getting so big! He's learning to write his letters and sounded out his first word last week! He still loves cars, airplanes and trains. His new favorite thing to do is to point out all the car models he sees as we drive around, honda/nissan/toyota/GMC/Ford/BMW/Lexus ...he knows them all! He likes to go outside and hit the baseball, play basketball with daddy and ride his bike.

We are really ready for warmer temps and less rain! We are doing our best with this extended winter and have enjoyed the Boston Aquarium, Harvard Natural History Museum, mall indoor playground, library, Boston Science Museum, Boston Children's Museum and are planning a trip to the Museum of Fine Arts this weekend and in the coming weeks: the Mass Audobon Society, Acton Discovery Museum, a Red Sox game, the zoo and deCordova sculpture park (we love the library's discounted museum pass program!). I'm also hoping for a few other Boston sites before the move.

I've been using my nervous pre-moving energy to go through every single drawer and nook and crany of our house to figure out what to get rid of. I'm determined not to move anything we don't want/need on a regular basis. I've collected about 8 boxes of things to give away and it feels oh so good!

So, now that you're updated and the pressure is off, maybe I'll do a better job of sharing about the smaller every day things in our house.

Here's some recent pics:

Family of four

8 lbs, 5 oz of cuteness!

Leaving the hospital after 24 hours in a snow storm!

Just a normal day

All the cousins!

St Patrick's Day

Play time!

Dr. Robinson!!!

Kate's half of the room, simple and sweet. My mom made the quilt!

Last Christmas as a family of 3 (sorry, the pics are a little out of "time" order)

Pretty much what all of January looked like...

My Valentines!

EsCAPE to the CAPE!

2010-10-02T08:44:00.001-04:00

Oh- my- goodness I had such an amazing and much needed girls weekend last weekend! One of my friends was able to get the use of her aunt and uncle's beautiful home in Harwich Port, MA. Five of us loaded up the car on Saturday morning, left our kids with our husbands and drove to the cape! We immediately bought fun magazines and caffeine and then headed to the house to eat lunch on the back porch. After lunch we enjoyed the beach for the afternoon, probably the last beach day of the season. It was windy, but oh so beautiful! We cleaned up and went out for dinner...I loved having a liesurely dinner with amazing company, fantastic seafood and no tugging on my arm or entertaining with cars and crayons! After dinner we went back to the house, put on our comfy clothes and enjoyed dessert and wine (well they enjoyed wine...). The next morning we did a devotion together and spent some time reflecting on what positive thing we wanted to take home with us from the weekend. I love having wonderful friends who can be fun and silly, but also really real and encouraging women of God. I am pretty sure I left last weekend a better mom and wife! Thanks Amy, Alisha, Jacque and Michi!

L to R: Jacque, Amy, Alisha, Joanna, Michi

Summer in a Nutshell

2010-09-19T15:39:00.002-04:00

Wow, what do you say on a blog that you've neglected since April (and it's now September...)? I guess I will think back and somewhat summarize what we've been up to since April...so here are the highlights!

May: My (Joanna's) dad retired after 43 years as a United Methodist Pastor...which meant a quick trip home to OK to celebrate, Chris turned 29 and we had a date night to a Red Sox game, we celebrated our 5th anniversary of wedded bliss and....drumroll please...we learned we are expecting baby number 2!!!!

June: We packed and moved across the city...from a small town home to a little bit bigger two family home. It has been wonderful to have more space and we definitely enjoyed the backyard this summer! Chris joined the church softball team. Joanna's parents came to visit and we enjoyed a Cape Cod beach day, trip to Plymouth Rock, zoo day and time to just be together (and unpack).

July: We spent some time on the beach and Joanna spent some time trying to salvage energy. Being pregnant + no AC + an extra hot summer + an active two year old + working 20 hours a week = hot, tired, cranky mama...there I admitted it! Oh...and lots of softball and another trip to the zoo :-)

August: Joanna's 31st birthday, seafood, Boston Duck Tour, Ferry ride to Boston Harbor Islands, camping in the backyard, more beach, more softball, and celebrating the news that a sweet baby girl will be joining our family!

September: Camping in Maine with friends during Labor Day weekend, seafood, softball, OU football, upcoming guy weekend for Chris, upcoming girl weekend for Jo on the Cape, preschool for Grant and the return of routine with my Friday mom's group, church small group, Sunday School...

October will bring lots of fun birthday parties and apple picking...I can't wait! October just might be my favorite month in New England. I love the crisp sunny days, beautiful foliage and did I mention apple picking?!!!

So, there you have it...and probably more than you wanted to know. Here's a few pics to cap off the summary. Hopefully it's not another 5 months before I blog again!

Boats, Flowers and Ducks

2010-04-25T12:43:00.001-04:00

One of the things on my Boston list was to take a swan boat ride at the public gardens. We checked it off yesterday and had a blast! It is amazingly cheap ($7 for all 3 of us) and it was a beautiful spring day. We loved the boat ride, ducks, beautiful flowers, musicians and fresh squeezed lemonade. It's always interesting to people watch around here. We saw girls riding brooms through the park, a lady dressed in a crazy costume with horns and a bunny hopping around on a leash. Grant loved the Make Way for Ducklings statues and wanted to sit on each one and quack.

Catching up

2010-04-25T12:30:00.000-04:00

Sorry I've been a little slow to update the blog these days. Having two part time jobs and taking care of Grant is taking it's toll...you should see my house, ha! Something has to give and blogs and cleaning are it. He has also been potty training and is pretty much there, yay! We just need to get him a little more comfortable with going in public restrooms, but really...can you blame him?

It is officially spring here and it was totally worth the wait. It is absolutely beautiful! We've been playing at the park, riding bikes (he's learning to use the pedals, yay!), and going to baseball games. I recently had to explain that you don't chase bumblebees...hopefully he doesn't have to learn that lesson the hard way.

Grant and I also got to babysit sweet Miss K and we had a blast! He was a great little helper.

A Robo Easter

2010-04-09T09:48:00.000-04:00

Our Easter morning started out something like this...he was NOT a happy camper.

We fought the good fight and made it to church!

We stopped to smell the flowers after church, what a pretty spring day! The beauty of spring is a great reminder that Jesus lives!

After a good long nap for G, he got to hunt for eggs, play with his new scooter, eat Easter cookies and dye eggs!

All Boy...

2010-04-09T09:39:00.000-04:00

Swimming lessons have given Grant a new world of confidence. Jumping off the side of the pool is fun, so why not try it on the couch and on the bed, right? Check out his jumping skills in this video.

Thanks Gigi and Vito!

2010-04-09T09:37:00.000-04:00

Grant loves his cars and puppets! He still thinks a box in the mail means it is his birthday, so he was a little confused this Easter, ha!

Click here to check out this video of him and his puppet, it's pretty funny!

A Million Reasons

2010-04-09T09:27:00.000-04:00

When a friend loses her husband, it is a true reminder to thank God for each day you have and the loved ones in your life. There are a million reasons I love Chris, but here are a few...

1. He is an amazing dad. He is truly Grant's hero. He plays like a rockstar, but also isn't afraid to discipline (which he does in such a gentle and calm way, I need to take notes sometimes).

2. He helps a TON around our house. For example, he gets breakfast ready for the little man every morning. He ususally gives Grant is bath. If I cook, he does the dishes or vice versa. When our car window was smashed this week, he had a new window in it and the car cleaned by the end of the day.

3. He's super smart...super PhD smart, but I always forget because he is just Chris at home with us....until someone asks him about his work and he goes into Scientist mode.

4. He likes sports, but isn't afraid to shop with me. I love this combination!

5. He loves being home with us. He really is a family guy and has found a way to balance work/school and spending as much quality time with us as possible.

Here's some pics of him being super dad...

Prayers

2010-04-03T10:29:00.000-04:00

Everyone needs an outlet and I guess this is mine. My college roommate and dear friend lost her husband to cancer this weekend. Please keep Leah and their family in your prayers. I am at a loss for words, but I know Eric is with Jesus and that is what matters. Let's be honest though, becoming a widow at 31 just plain sucks.

P-O-U-R-I-N-G

2010-03-30T13:40:00.000-04:00

Did I mention how much it is raining? Well it is. A LOT. This is one of those days I am happy to be a renter and basement free. I am pretty sure anyone around these parts with a basement is up to their eyeballs in water, no jokes. So, we're inside and getting creative today. There's a tent, legos, dress up hats, messes and silliness involved. I would like to point out that these hats were a Christmas gift...untouched until today. Grant went from being uninterested in wearing them to the current state of wearing one while napping. He's all or nothin folks!

Swish!

2010-03-30T13:31:00.005-04:00

It's March Madness and Grant is becoming a basketball fan (even though his ball of choice is the soccer ball with the basketball goal, oh well!). He's progressed from walking up to the goal and putting the ball in to actually shooting it and making baskets. He gets super excited and it's a great way to burn energy, which we are always looking for ways to do around here, ha! Check him out in action... (notice the sagging pants, which I'm pretty sure are on backwards, and left handed shots... there's a future for this kid in the NBA!)

Little Fish!

2010-03-30T13:15:00.001-04:00

Grant started swimming lessons and is loving it! He isn't quite paddling yet, but he's jumping in, blowing bubbles and having fun and that's the goal for now. Daddy has been a trooper to suit up and join him. By the time he's done, he's starving and then falls asleep during the car ride home.

Church carnival and park

2010-03-30T13:10:00.003-04:00

Although it is currently flooding, seriously we are having record breaking rain here in New England, we had a beautiful weekend a few weeks ago and we spent all of that Saturday OUTSIDE (we even skipped nap, which is almost unheard of for Grant)! There was a carnival at the church and then we headed from there over to the park to play with friends. By the end of that day, G was super climber on the playground ladders and we eventually stopped helping (hard to do for this mama)! We all slept like babies that night!

St. Patty's Day Recap

2010-03-30T13:05:00.004-04:00

We had a festive St. Patty's day at our little house. It was complete with decorating shamrock sugar cookies, a green dinner (eggs, pancakes, apples) and a reading of Green Eggs and Ham (which we almost have memorized, ha!). BTW, didn't you know that if there's a "hat" on your sweatshirt, it must be worn? Well, consider yourself informed (he wore it like this all day)!

Life Update

2010-03-30T12:57:00.000-04:00

I am behind on blogging, sorry! It's been a whirlwind around here. In the past few weeks, we officially made decision to stay in Boston until June 2011. It sounds like a simple decision, but a lot of conversations and prayers were involved. We are at peace and know Chris will have the opportunity to finish his PhD and do a short post doctoral stint in his current lab (meaning finishing up his project even more, hopefully one more publication, as well as the Harvard lab affiliation for his CV- which can't hurt either). In the meantime, I started another part time job helping with the credentialing for Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary (where Chris works) remotely. We are now on the hunt for preschools and settling in for another year. Let us know if you're heading this way!

Love, The Robinsons

I'll give you one guess...

2010-03-14T17:47:00.000-04:00

What movie do you think he's watching?

With the cold, rain and wind going on, it is a comfy clothes,

movie watching, popcorn eating kinda day around here.

Celebrating LIFE!

2010-03-13T16:14:00.000-05:00

We had some friends over this week to celebrate life. John, Alisha and Ryan all celebrated recent/upcoming birthdays.

John and Ellie revealed the gender of their sweet baby. Team Pink definitely outnumbered Team Blue....and they were right (darn, I hate being wrong...)! We can't wait to meet sweet little Miss Mac!

Boing Boing Boing

2010-03-13T16:04:00.001-05:00

Grant found a new way to play with his little trampoline....

Check it out here.

Totally TMI, but this picture cracks me up!

2010-03-13T15:55:00.000-05:00

Jesus Loves Me!

2010-03-13T15:49:00.003-05:00

One of our favorite times of the day is right before Grant goes to bed. We spend time snuggling, reading books and singing songs together as a family. Check the recent rendition of Jesus Love Me here (or over there on the you tube side bar...look to your right). I love the "Soooo," "Strong" and "Me" parts!

Stinky Garage

2010-03-13T15:36:00.000-05:00

We have a very creative little boy on our hands!

Potty Training....for bear!

2010-03-06T18:14:00.000-05:00

Grant seems to have a bit of a fear of the potty (that's actually an understatement). He's obviously not ready, but it would be nice if he didn't shriek/run when he's near the potty or if we bring up the subject. I brought home a little potty for him a month or so ago and quietly and simply opened the box in front of him and pulled it out. He literally cried, picked it up and threw it back in the box....so I've let it rest. Recently we started talking a bit more about it again and Grant and I decided it was time for bear to learn how to pee pee in the potty. It was a great way to talk to Grant about it, without it feeling threatening to him. Bear did his business, got to pick out his favorite pair of big boy undies, flushed, washed his hands and got lots of praise! Later, bear got dressed, played cars and even gave Grant a horsey ride...what a great friend and a great day for bear.

Mish Mash

2010-03-06T18:01:00.001-05:00

Here's a mish mash of pictures I've taken the past couple of weeks. We've played in the snow, built a dinosaur snow dude, drove our wii, goofed off with shaving cream...and Grant spent an afternoon being silly in mommy's rain boots. Today it got up to 52 degrees and I was ready to break out the tank tops (although I refrained)! We went to the park this morning and then Grant "rode his bike" around the neighborhood after nap time. We all desperately needed the sunshine and vitamin D!

14 things we L-O-V-E about...

2010-02-20T12:10:00.000-05:00

GRANT

His love for God and prayers
His awesome fist bumps and high fives
His snuggles
His hugs and kisses
His love for sports
His silliness
His love to surprise and be surprised
His contagious smile
His love to run, sled, play FAST
His empathy
He is all 2 and all boy!
His desire and love to learn
His love for all dogs and his own stuffed puppy
His love for all things boy...cars, trains, balls, tackling

DADDY

He is super science smart
His kind and handsome eyes
His competitive spirit
His wonderful nuturing side for both Grant and Mommy
He eats what mommy cooks...even when it isn't is favorite
He goes out of his way to spend special daddy time with Grant
He likes to cook
He goes along with mommy's random ideas and plans
His servant heart
He likes to hang out at home with us.
He's clean
He makes simple things like running errands fun, even for Grant
He's picky, meaning he has great taste!
He plays with Grant...trains, reads books, puzzles...

MOMMY

She finds fun ways to eat on a budget
She loves to clean
She reads to and teaches Grant
She is very organized
She is a great nurturer
She loves and has fun with kids
She loves Sunday naps and a day of rest
She is always willing to help others
She loves holidays and makes them special
She's random
She loves to receive flowers
She likes to buy special things for Grant
She a good teacher
She likes spontaneity

Funny sayings

2010-02-19T18:53:00.000-05:00

Grant's been cracking us up lately with some phrases like....

Coming out of his room from a nap and saying "Hi there!"
Playing with his trains and explaining that "Gordan's cross" or "Oh no, Thomas is in trouble!"
When he drops something he says, "oopsie daisey!"
God is wuv!
He sweetly and sporadically says "I wuv you"
He comes up with his fingers spread out and says, "I'm spiderman!" and then makes a ssssss noise as he spreads his web.
Ate and loved "cacorn" for the first time!

Things he's been doing....

Waking up and getting out of his bed to sleep on the floor
Walking around the house with his hands in his pockets
Recently ate a carrot (big deal!), but not without shuddering and gagging first
Loves to "whistle" and "play" his harmonica
Loves to crash all his cars and trains, there have been some major pileups!
Loves to wear his snow boots and pull his sled around in the snow.
"Reads" us his favorite Thomas book

I know I'm biased, but I think he's pretty darn cute!

God is...WUV!

2010-02-19T17:03:00.003-05:00

We had a wonderful Valentines weekend complete with...

1. Heart Pizza

2. Our love tree. Each night we wrote down something we love about each other and talked about God's love for us. If you ask Grant "God is?" he'll reply "Wuv."

3. Valentine's scavenger hunt...every boy needs a red soccer ball!

4. Mystic, CT aquarium with whales and penguins....and beautiful views!!!

5. Newport, RI...Vanderbilt's 70 room summer home and view!

Future Olympian!

2010-02-19T16:08:00.001-05:00

When you think of glow sticks...you immediately segway to the Olympic torch, right?

Check out our video

Snow, Sleds, Chocolate

2010-02-19T16:02:00.001-05:00

Unlike the southern part of the country and even the DC area, we have actually had a pretty mild winter here in Boston. I could use at least one more good snow. We've had a few inches here and there, so we have to take advantage when there's snow on the ground and get out with the sled! The past two weeks we've had some small snows, so sledding and hot chocolate were on the agenda. Grant likes to sled (and even survived a full flip and face plant, oops), but his new favorite thing is to walk through the snow pulling the sled himself. He likes to go to the top of the hill and actually run downhill pulling the sled behind him (and gets a little perturbed when the sled hits him in the back of his legs, ha!). After I drag him inside (it's dramatic), hot (or warm) chocolate with two straws is our post sledding treat. I love making these fantastic memories with him!

Check out this goofy boy and his chocolate here.

Does this make it official?

2010-02-19T15:53:00.000-05:00

Both the boys now have Redsox hats. Chris explains that the Cardinals will always come first, but he can be a Red Sox fan too...since they're in a different league.

Silly Boys

2010-02-19T15:50:00.000-05:00

This is just a typical night at our house. Grant wanted to take his turn as the horsey...and then went for a little pantless golf, until we lost the ball.

Vroom...

2010-02-19T15:48:00.000-05:00

We love cars around here, so we checked out the local automobile museum. It was small, but there were some great old cars to see. Grant was a little nervous at first (his normal first response to new places), but he eventually warmed up and had a great time. We especially liked the race car and this little red number! They sold matchbox cars in the gift shop, so of course Grant left with "new truck," which 2 weeks later we are still calling "new truck"...so creative!

Life's Simple Pleasures

2010-02-03T21:15:00.000-05:00

Kelly's Korner at http://www.kellyskornerblog.com/ inspired me to reflect on the simple pleasures in my life that bring a smile to my face. I am warm and fuzzy just thinking about these little things...

Cuddling and reading books as a family in bed
Oregon Chai Tea
Making treats with Grant and teaching him to enjoy the batter!
Decorating for holidays and seasons
Candles
M&Ms
Scented hand lotion
Hammocks
Snow days
Picnics
Target browsing
Lazy PJ days
Introducing Grant to new experiences, places, tastes and watching him take it all in
Real Simple Magazine
Bubble Baths
Getting sucked into a good book
Chick Flicks
Warm, gooey chocolate chip cookies
Great chips and salsa
Spur of the moment road trips
A good long talk with an old friend
A family bear hug
Sunday afternoon naps
Cooking a big breakfast on a brisk Saturday morning (with Gameday in the background)
A freshly cleaned house and empty laundry baskets
Gerbera Daisies
Great pictures of the people I love
Gift cards
Sleeping on clean sheets
Freshly mowed lawn
BBQ with friends
Ordering appetizers
A fun coffee from Starbucks
Going to the movies
Watching my boys play and wrestle in the evenings
Snuggling
Thunderstorms
These boys...

Valentine's Fever

2010-01-29T13:57:00.000-05:00

As you probably know, we are living in Boston while Chris finishes up his PhD in Microbiology/Immunology. We are in that lovely phase in which we have absolutely no idea when he will be done and when we will be moving (but are aware that both will happen and both could happen in the near future...come on science experiments, work!).

In my last post, I just mentioned that I love a plan and I love to be organized, so you can see how this whole not knowing thing can be somewhat difficult on my personality. So...one of my New Years goals was to live in the moment or at least in the month. I really am trying, I promise. One way I've been able to make that work for me is to look forward to the next holiday. I need something to plan and I can't plan past a few weeks, so Happy Valentines 2010!

I have never thought more about Valentines Day in my life! It's like it's Christmas season all over again for me. I am planning cupcakes and heart shaped sugar cookies, I have purchased V-day gifts/cards/candy, I have been even decorating with red (although that's not hard for me, I like red). I am even planning a heart shaped pizza for a family meal...hmm, maybe we'll have heart shaped pancakes that morning too. I also left up our tree Christmas card holder and decorated it with hearts. I think in February, we will talk about what we love about each person in the family and write it on the hearts.

What are you doing for Valentines?

I love it when a plan comes together!

2010-01-29T13:45:00.000-05:00

I am not sure if I've mentioned it before, but I love to organize (you could probably tell from my New Years Goals). I love organizing my own house, helping others organize, watching people get organized on TV...you get the picture. I truly feel deep satisfaction when everything has a place and even better if it is an orderly/logical place or system that is natural to keep up. I have a feeling Grant will be a natural organizer too. Let's just say he's lined up his cars since day one. When we put away toys, he automatically knows which toy goes in which box (books here, balls there, trains in this tub, cars in that tub...). So, here's our new toy storage and it makes momma happy. Living in a tight space means toys and living room are all one unit and I am content to share, as long as it still looks as though adults live here too. Thank you Target!

This photo was taken after a impromtu music session.

Grant likes the drums and learned to play the kazoo!

Pockets + Cars = Bliss

2010-01-29T13:37:00.001-05:00

We are digging cars and we love pockets...combine those and you have just plain magic! My amazingly talented mom made this super cute matchbox car holder (or "cozy car caddy") from this tutorial. It came this week and has been a hit! Thanks Mom/Nenaw!!!

Meet Mr. John

2010-01-29T13:31:00.000-05:00

Mr. John is Grant's teacher once a week at our church. Grant is a big big fan of Mr. John (did I say big? Seriously. Big.) I think he might even consider eating veggies for Mr. John, hmm...maybe we need to try that out. It is fun to watch Grant as he begins to develop friendships and attachments to other people, outside of family... Today, I am thankful for Christian men and women who take the time to invest in our child. Thanks Mr. John!

Little Rockstar

2010-01-21T17:04:00.000-05:00

January has been a bit of a blur. Grant was sick for a the first few weeks and then I caught his cold. We are just now feeling good and ready for the new year!

This past weekend we converted the crib to the daybed and he's been a rockstar! He stays in it all night and still takes his 2 hour naps, whoo hoo! He likes to proudly announce that he got out of his bed, but still hasn't fully grasped the freedom we're giving him (and we are definitely okay with that!). I do have to say it is a little surprising when he does get up and you groggily roll over in bed to discover a little person looking up at you! That will take some getting used to...

We haven't taken a lot of pictures since Christmas, but here are some fun ones of family Wii time. Grant gets really excited and likes to cheer each time a pin falls down during bowling. When Chris is playing, Grant holds his special remote (which isn't even plugged into the wii) and swings when Chris does. He fully believes he's doing all the work and is so proud.

We made pizza together and Grant loved helping with the toppings

Grant loves to sing Sweet Caroline with us. One of our friends, Zac, pointed out that he needed to learn the so good, so good, so good part...so here you go Zac! Notice that he's labled? That's so Chris doesn't forget his name! Just kidding. This is a Sunday afternoon after the church nursery. Removing his sticker from his back makes him very sad, so it stays until we can successfully sneak it off.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaqAZx5qRmA

New Year Goals

2010-01-03T13:38:00.000-05:00

I like the idea of New Year goals, rather than resolutions. I find it much easier to achieve a goal than to "resolve" to change something forever.

Here's a taste of some of my 2010 goals...

Daily life
1. Have a more intentional family night each week
2. Work out more
3. Eat more fresh veggies and fruit
4. Live in moment or at least the month and less in the future
5. Be more positive, encouraging and optimistic

Things I'd like to do
1. Candle Pin Bowling
2. Museums in Boston area
3. Ice skating
4. Snow ski in New England
5. Celtics and Red Sox games
6. Ferry ride
7. Train ride

Projects I’d like to see completed
1. G's baby book
2. Organize recipes
3. Organize home videos
4. Chris's PhD (hmmm, this should probably be number 1)
5. Print and organize photos

I always like the fresh start and reflection that comes with the New Year. Our life is always exciting and I can honestly say I have NO idea where we will be living and what we'll be doing this time next year, not even a guess...and I kinda like it that way.

Happy New Year!

Adventures in "Homa"

2010-01-03T12:13:00.005-05:00

We planned a last minute trip home to Oklahoma (G calls it "Homa") for Christmas this year and it was such a wonderful time with family. Flying with a toddler is always an adventure, but we might have figured out what works best for us. We took an early direct flight from Boston to Dallas, rented a car and drove to OKC. The direct flight was long, but made the traveling much simpler...no layovers, missed flights, changing planes or lost luggage. G loved riding in the taxi to the airport, being on an airplane and then a bus to get the rental car. He is quite the transportation fan. He got a little restless toward the end of the 4 hour flight, but held it together for us. The portable DVD player is magical...and so are sticker books.

We drove straight to St.Luke's UMC to surprise Chris's mom Julie (Gigi) and boy was she surprised to see us! She had no idea we were coming! The week of Christmas was spent shopping, eating and playing with the grandparents.

Gigi and Grant

Then...the snow hit! Oklahoma had record breaking snow on Christmas eve with 50 mph winds and all were shut in. We stayed in OKC with Gigi and Aunt Jillian to have shrimp and way too many sweets.

Aunt Jillian and Grant (his shirt says Everyday Should be a Snow Day...so appropriate)

Jillian, Chris, Julie

yup an OU Snuggie, jealous?

Little Man

On Christmas day we ventured to Papa and Nenaw's on the crazy...uncleared highways (we have a new appreciation for the snow plows in Boston). We drove 5 mph on the highway and saw dozens of cars in the ditches. We made it, sweaty palms and all, and had Christmas lunch with the cousins and family. G hadn't seen his cousins since May and they had a blast together! They ran, screamed, wrestled, played in the snow and watch The Polar Express.

Dog pile on Uncle Matt!

G and Papa making snow angels, G's a pro!

Cousins watching the movie, priceless!

Aunt Jo and Uncle Chris

The day after Christmas we made the trip to Tulsa to see Menaw and BooBoo. The highways were much better! We spent the evening at Aunt Susie and Uncle Butch's home and dined on beef tenderloin. It was delicious! Grant loved playing with everyone (especially the dogs) and the evening ended with some great story telling with BooBoo.

Julie, Jillian, Menaw

Julie, Susie

Grant loves to wrestle...sorry Gigi!

BooBoo, Chris, Grant and Menaw

Chris went home and G and I ventured on to Hobart, OK where we saw Grandma and the big ding-dong (grandfather) clock that G LOVED!

From there, we drove in the snow to Dallas and celebrated Bella's birthday and New Years. The cousins had a great time playing, once again. Unfortunately, cousins share everything and G soon had a fever.

Happy 2nd Birthday Bella!

The bounce house place, so fun!

ginger bread house decorating

So, ummm yeah, on New Year's Day I flew home by myself with a feverish toddler. As soon as we boarded the plane and found our seats, the lady we were shared a row with literally groaned out loud upon seeing she would have to sit near a 2 year old on the flight and then she preceded to call her friend and complain about us...right in front of us. I almost pulled out my phone to call someone and complain about the kid-hater we had to sit next to, but I refrained. Needless to say, I was not impressed. Back to the story...we were delayed in leaving and every seat was filled. Before we took off, my sweet baby coughed so hard he threw up...yes threw up on himself, me and the plane. Take that mean lady! I have never had such a loooonng flight and been so tense (I was saying a lot of prayers for no more throw up). BTW, what would you do if were by yourself on a flight and you really had to go to the bathroom, but you were holding a sleeping, feverish toddler? In the end, we made it home and G, with his 103 temp, went straight to bed.

Top 10 Christmas Experiences

2010-01-03T12:12:00.000-05:00

10 Things G loved about Christmas

1. The advent calendar each night (and the treats behind each door)

2. Christmas lights

3. Christmas trees, particularly those with a star on top

4. Snow and sledding

5. All the "treats" such as cookies and mommy's "warm" chocolate

6. Flying on an airplane to "Homa" to see family

7. Having a Birthday party for Jesus (he loves to blow out candles)

8. Opening presents (and helping everyone else open theirs as well)

9. Christmas movies, particularly The Polar Express (watched it 7 times...)

10. Projects and Parties: picking up trash in our neighborhood, sending cards to shut ins, donating to toys for tots, making ornaments, decorating a gingerbread house, putting $ in the Salvation Army bucket, decorating cookies with friends

Sneaky or Creative?

2009-12-16T19:14:00.004-05:00

One of our struggles around here is veggies and it can be VERY frustrating. I've had to be a little creative, to say the least. I found this smoothie on a friend's blog

We are fans!

Fast!

2009-12-16T18:59:00.003-05:00

Walkin in a Winter Wonderland?

2009-12-16T18:56:00.001-05:00

It's been an interesting fall/winter around here. We had a couple of snows in October and then some unseasonably warm days in November (I'm not complaining!). December has been a mix of rain, a little snow, sunshine, bitter cold and then some "warmer" days (even warmer than Oklahoma and Texas!). I'm starting to wonder what the rest of winter will bring...only time will tell!

The first big snow we had was a couple of weeks ago and man oh man did we have fun introducing G to it! That morning before church we had quite an "experience" getting him to wear his snow boots/hat/gloves. When we got home, the first thing we did was suite up and get outside to play with the new sled. Pretty sure he became a big fan of the boots once he understood that they meant playing in the snow and we've been wearing our gloves and hat ever since!

Family Photos

2009-11-30T15:25:00.006-05:00

Since G turned 2 and our favorite time of year in Boston is fall, I wanted to capture both with family photos. Our friend Bethany Carnes did an amazing job of capturing some great moments...in the midst of a windy day and a few tantrums here and there. Here's a few of our favorites...okay more than a few. I had a hard time picking!

Christmas Advent Season

2009-11-30T15:14:00.003-05:00

Our Christmas advent season is off to a fantastic start (despite a little fever hitch with G). We got to see Gigi and the lighting of the Faneuil Hall tree right before Thanksgiving. Our little tree is up and G is loving it! He says good morning tree and star each day and good night or goodbye to it when he leaves the room. He wants the lights on at all times! The night we hung our ornaments, he got to wear his Christmas pjs and then we all watched The Polar Express. It was the perfect movie for a train fan like G! We are reading scriptures and talking about Jesus's birthday each day of December, trying to do more acts of service during the month and playing a lot with the Little People nativity set. We really want him to understand this special time of year and the reason for Christmas.

Little GOLFER

2009-11-30T15:10:00.003-05:00

*Due to recent "Tiger" events, let's just call him Little Golfer!!!

Daddy is pretty proud of G's follow through...we didn't catch it in this video, but he also shouts "FORE!"

Partridges in Beantown!

2009-11-30T14:52:00.004-05:00

Kristen and I had a great time surprising Casey and Chris with a Partridge trip to Boston. The boys didn't know about the plans until Casey hopped on a plane and Chris pulled up to the aiport arrivals...so fun and a big deal for me and Chris (we're horrible at keeping surprise from each other). It was a fun weekend that consisted of OU Football watching, Boston touring, Shopping, Fenway touring, and a date night with dinner and a One Republic/Rob Thomas concert (the grand finale surprise!). G loved playing with Kisten and Horsey too and I'm pretty sure he successfully wore them out!

Thankful for this little boy

2009-11-30T14:40:00.003-05:00

One of the things I love about G is how much personality he has for such a little guy. These pictures really seem to capture all facets of him. He's such a great mix of trying new things and exploring, but also loving things organized just right. One minute he'll dive into chocolate pudding and a pile of beans on the floor, the next he is asking me to wash his hands and lining up his cars. He has really grown up in the past month. He loves going to church school and seeing his friends and teachers. He talks in full sentences about any and everything. It is always funny to hear what he comes up with. We are truly thankful for G this season of Thanksgiving.

Halloween Traditions

2009-11-01T14:47:00.002-05:00

Halloween was a busy day for us. We started out by taking family pictures at the local park. Hopefully we get a couple good ones! We also made a leaf wreath, carved a small pumpkin and baked seeds, made Halloween sugar cookies, trick or treated a little and handed out gobs of candy at home. We made time for the OU game too and a little apple cider.

2009-11-01T14:36:00.002-05:00

We weren't sure if G would wear his costume and get into Halloween and Trick or Treating this year, but he surprised us! For about a month, he cried if we even got the costume out of the closet, but this week he had a change of heart! Our little monkey figured out the treat thing and had no problem asking for them...even if he didn't want to walk or wear his monkey hood while were out and about. Happy Halloween!

More Birthday Presents and a Happy Boy!

2009-11-01T13:51:00.005-05:00

Another super fun box arrived this week from Gigi and Aunt Jillian! G says THANKS for the car, piano and Mr. Potato Head! Needless to say the afternoon these fun toys arrived was fun and quick! We also got a super fun kid indoor trampoline that just might get us through some long winter days...

It's been fun to watch G play these days. He is making noises and using his imagination. His little people like to climb and jump off of things just like he does!

2009-10-27T13:09:00.002-04:00

We had a great weekend recently baking apple treats, celebrating birthdays and the boys loved some video game and football watching time. Yay for friends!

Birthday Day of G's Faves!

2009-10-27T12:06:00.012-04:00

Since we had already celebrated G's birthday, our goal on his birthday was to do and eat all his favorites and have his perfect day. We had a mommy/son date for pizza and icecream, new books and trucks, a trip to the park (and look at the view from the park!), IHOP, cupcakes/candles/singing and bed! He had a great day for a fantastic 2 year old!

Today was his 2 year dr. appointment. I realized he literally hadn't been to the Dr. since his 18 month appointment, praise God for a healthy boy! We tried to prepare by playing dr. at home and talking about all the nice people we would see, but he remembered the place and as soon as we walked down the hall toward the exam room...and he lost it! Poor boy was not a happy camper... It took three people to hold him down to take blood, yikes. So, as a treat for mommy and G surviving the dr. visit, we stopped by Starbucks for a pumpkin spice latte and a chocolate milk for G (m&m milk). Here's to hoping we don't have another dr. visit until his 3 year appointment!!! Cheers!

BTW, he is 2'11 and 27 pounds, as the Dr. says long and lean.

Is this a sign?

2009-10-22T10:02:00.001-04:00

Check out those snow flakes...in OCTOBER! Does this mean we're in for a snowy winter? Only time will tell...

Meet our Pirate Pumpkin, arrrrrr

2009-10-22T09:58:00.001-04:00

Apple Pie and Applesauce!

2009-10-22T09:55:00.002-04:00

Here's the product of our picking!

What would you do with 60 apples!?

2009-10-22T09:04:00.009-04:00

Sorry for the million and one pictures, but there were so many good ones. Apple picking has to be one of my absolutely most favorite New England activities. Picture driving out of the city, a crisp day, hayride, tractors, amazing apples you can pick and eat right off the tree, petting zoo, hot apple cider and apple spice donuts, pumpkins...really does it get any better? It was especially fun to introduce my parents to this activity, which they loved. Grant "got it" this year and LOVED picking the apples and LOVED the animals and LOVED LOVED LOVED the tractor. I have to say there were tears involved in getting him off the tractor. He could have stayed there all day, with an apple in hand.

Can you say Cannoli!?

2009-10-22T08:57:00.002-04:00

One morning the boys took a tour of the Sam Adams Beer Brewery and then that afternoon we all went into the city for some North End Italian district food and CANNOLI...we saw some of the traditional Boston city spots too. Grant LOVED this fountain. It was chilly and he was mostly focused on driving his car through the water. After 30 minutes of playing, he was treated to some dry pants :-)

Fall in New England...Foliage

2009-10-22T08:36:00.009-04:00

The next day trip was to the White Mountains of New Hampshire. We stopped by Polly's Pancake Parlor for fresh homemade pancakes and real maple syrup and then drove through the mountains. Pretty sure there were a few stops at Dunkin Donuts (which are everywhere) throughout the day...The weather was a little dreary, but it was still so beautiful and absolutely peaceful!

A New England Fall

2009-10-22T08:24:00.004-04:00

Our family was here for a week and we squeezed as much New England in as we could! I have to say that this is my favorite time of year here. The first couple of days we had a shrimp boil at home, trip to Ikea and birthday party. The pictures in this entry are from our day in Maine. We saw two light houses, ate some yummy lobster rolls at a seafood shack, did some antiquing and stopped by a winery in New Hampshire on the way home. It was crisp and beautiful!

Happy 2nd Birthday!

2009-10-22T08:05:00.007-04:00

I can't believe he's two, can you!? My family came in from Oklahoma and we celebrated a little early with some Chuckie Cheese and truck party at home. Our little boy is such a fun bundle of energy. He truly lights up our world and definitely keeps us on our toes. Some of his favorite things these days are... all vehicles (cars, trains, airplanes, boats, buses), tunnels, bridges, clocks...yes clocks, the moon (we look for the moon everywhere, ha ha), pizza, pancakes, fruit, crackers, milk, juice and man oh man is he a fan of m&m's (Chris and I often use the code word p&p's)! He loves his church school and new friends and is talking in 2-3 word sentences. He is a big elmo, bob, and Mickey Mouse fan...oh and rocket too!

Happy Birthday Aunt Jillian!

2009-10-15T09:05:00.004-04:00

Happy 21st Birthday Aunt Jillian! Grant is thinking about you and we all miss you a ton.

I've Gotta Feeling...

2009-09-28T16:42:00.003-04:00

Does spinning count as dancing, I think so!

With the dancing skills of his parents, this kid doesn't stand a chance...

We love us some FALL!

2009-09-28T16:35:00.002-04:00

G's new favorite word is PUMPKIN!

We love fall and are ready for the beautiful leaves to change colors and to go apple picking. We can't wait for Papa and Nenaw to visit us from Oklahoma NEXT WEEK!

Fall for us means: football, crisp mornings and evenings, beautiful foliage, apple picking and apple pie, hay rides, long sleeve t-shirts and jeans, hot tea/hot cider/coffee, fall decor complete with acorns/leaves/pumpkins/gourds/mums...

What does fall mean to you?

Reflecting at Walden Pond

2009-09-20T17:00:00.005-04:00

One of the places to see on our NE list is Walden Pond (you know, Thoreau), so we did! It is a peaceful place. We took a picnic, some great friends and enjoyed being away from the buzz of life. We walked along the pond and G was so at peace (and tired from playing ball and chasing butterflies) that he fell asleep in daddy's arms during the walk.

Happy Birthday Aunt Tessy!

2009-09-20T16:55:00.002-04:00

Hi Aunt Tessy...G is thinking about you for your birthday! He knows your face and name!!! We hope you have a fabulous day!

2009-09-19T11:21:00.003-04:00

FUTURE DR. ROBINSON UPDATE

So...I don't put a lot of updates about Chris's PhD work on here, because I often don't have a clue what he's doing or how to explain it if I did! The scientific research world will always be a mystery to me. I asked him for some details, so you all would be updated...and this is what he said:

He's working on his final project and the last few experiments...hoping to start on his thesis/dissertation soon. Please pray his experiments work!

He has now published 4 articles and hopes for at least 2 more in the next 6 months or so. You can see his articles at pubmed.com if you search Christopher M Robinson...happy reading! http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez

Whew, we made it!

2009-09-18T23:23:00.006-04:00

--First day of Parents Day Out...he wasn't in the mood for a pic, but we tried!

So, the previous post saying I got a job...totally true. The job just changed before it started! I thought I was teaching in the little ones' class, but the director had to take maternity leave earlier than expected, so I am now filling in as director of the Parent's Day Out (PDO) program through November.

We had a week of cleaning, organizing and prepping and then the kids came last week on Mon and Wed. The last few weeks have been a blur, but I have to say the program went amazingly well. Almost all the kids quickly adjusted to leaving their parents and the parents adjusted well to leaving their kids in our hands.

G did great in his class with the older kids. He's with the almost 3's to 5 year olds, even though he's not yet 2...since I'll eventually be teaching the younger class. He seems to enjoy the kids and is having fun...so yay! I was probably more concerned about how he would transition than I was about directing the program, especially him being with the older kids, but there was no need for me to worry. He had his big kid lunch box and was off to play with trains and on the playground. We are suffering a bit now with G having a cold/cough, but hopefully that will pass soon.

It feels like the fall schedule has definitely hit with PDO on Mon and Wed mornings and my mom's group on Fri mornings. Sunday mornings is church and Sunday evenings is our church small group. The fall decor is out, football is here and the schedule is on!

Holiday in Hoboken

2009-09-18T22:58:00.007-04:00

We had a FABULOUS time visiting our family in NJ over labor day weekend!

Some of the highlights were:

Spending time with family....there's just something comforting about being within driving distance
No traffic and great travels to and from Hoboken
Staying in their beautiful brownstone home
Amazing views from the park
Super cute restaurants with outside patios
Wine and sangria
Remembering what it is like to be 13...and observing what it might be like to parent a 13 year old boy some day :-) Spending time with an almost 4 year old and potty trained little boy and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel!
Marion's amazing homemade pasta sauce...wow...
Grilling shrimp shishkabobs
The "older" boys playing video games
The "younger" boys playing trains
The girls getting pedicures and manicures
The Central Park Zoo

**Notice in the last picture that G is wearing a Red Sox Hat and OU shirt in Yankee Territory...poor child will be so confused!

2009-09-03T14:34:00.004-04:00

Things I'm Loving about this Kid

-His singing
-His Desire to Learn...puzzles, numbers, letters, colors, shapes
-He only really wants to eat applesauce and crackers
-He loves going to church to play
-He officially recognized Jesus in his books
-Cute things he says like...

Yup
Allright!
Airplane
Mommis (Thomas the Train)
Chris---instead of saying daddy

God is good...

2009-09-03T14:24:00.003-04:00

So, a quick life update and praise! First of all, can you believe we've lived here for a year now?! I can't...at all... It has been one of those slow/fast years...where some days seem so long and then all of the sudden it's been a year. Some of my personal prayers this past year have been centered on God's provision for our lives. I prayed to have the opportunity to stay home with G and I am! I have prayed for Him to provide us with friendships and He has...check out those cute girls! I have prayed for Him to provide for us financially (living in an expensive city...with a stay at home mom and PhD student...enough said?)...and of course He has done that as well. Just this week I have been given the amazing opportunity to work for our church at the Parent's Day Out program with the little ones. G will be able to attend 2 half days a week and will love the social time and I will get to work with sweet babies as well.

It really can't get much better than that for us!