2013 Adventure List

I was greatly inspired by my friend Whitney when she told about the adventure list her kids write each year and they as parents try their best to DO as many of them as they can!  I love adventure, I love outings, I love letting the kids make choices about what they'd like to do.  So in starting a new tradition, we wrote our own.  There were things that I wanted to do too, so everyone in the family got to pick 2 or 3 things to add to the list.  I want the kids to know things that us adults like too.  Hannah and Eli both picked some things on Carter's behalf.  =)

So here it is, places we want to go in 2013:

1. A water park. "One that's allowed for babies and older kids."

2. The zoo.

3. Something like a pumpkin patch. Haunted house, jumping pillow, etc

4. The fair.

5. Children's museum.

6. Train ride.

7. Carter's ice cream shop.

8. Backyard camping.

9. Waterfall.

10.  Beach.

11. Geocaching.

12. Bike trail.

Here's to a great year of adventures!!

Celebrate! (potty reward)

When driving back from Iowa (from Carter's party), we were finally able to stop somewhere for Carter's ice cream reward for completing his potty TRAINing chart. Each sticker indicates days he had NO accidents. He earned it a little bit ago but with sickness going through the house, it took some time to get an outing on the schedule. This is a big accomplishment in his life, and I believe in supporting and encouraging him as a FAMILY so we all got ice cream!

This is Freddy's in Omaha.  If he's anything like Hannah, he will forevermore call that "his ice cream shoppe" lol.

 So proud of you, Carter!!

Party time!

Carter and Hannah have birthdays exactly 1 month apart, and being unpredictable winter months and a decently long drive for the families I've "struggled" with whether to have a joint party (which I don't like doing, I want the kids to each have their special days) or how to do it.  So this year I tried something new.  We had one party back home and one party will here.  So Carter's party was at my parent's retirement house.  I never know quite what to call it--their house that they own and are fixing up and will live in when Dad retires in Mom-knows-the-countdown. They were so gracious to share their space!  And it was actually quite fabulous! A huge bulk of the work (prepping our house for guests) wasn't part of the equation at all!  We bought simple decorations that were quick to put up, we ordered a HyVee cake so we didn't have to bother transporting one, and overall it was just a super easy party to put together.  

When getting preparing invitations, I asked Carter what he wanted on his birthday cake and he said Thomas. So Thomas the Train theme it was!

The menu: meatballs, coleslaw, crab cubs, and fruit salad.  I didn't notice til I was setting it out that it's all the same colors!!!  =S  Oh well, it tasted good!

Nothing like family gathered around the same table.

Cake time!

 Presents!