Swingin'

HI! Sorry it's been awhile...lot has been going on!! I really plan on keeping up with this ALOT more now. Hmm...wonder if I've said that before?? Anyway...here are pictures of Daxton first time swinging from the other week. He really LOVED it and had a blast!! The first picture is TOTALLY him...when he gets super excited he scrunches up his little nose...TOO CUTE!! He swung with his arms sticking straight out most of the time. I have more pictures from the park that I plan on posting tomorrow...but for now I need to watch "America's Next Top Model" before bed. Goodnight!

Visit to the Dells Part 2 or Rather Day 2

This is the place Top Secret we went to.
Standing by the alien in one of the rooms there. Daxton hugging Xavier...or ripping his hair, whichever :)

Got a few minutes while Daxton drinks his bottle, so I thought I would finish up the trip to the Dells. Sunday woke up to Toots in my face asking if we were getting up yet. Yeah maybe after the sun is up for a little longer. When we got up Nick ran and got us breakfast while I got ready and some things packed up. We planned on everyone going swimming again while I went shopping at the outlet mall right by there. I try the whole swimming thing...I REALLY do...but being with that many people and the wet, gross feet (not a feet person!) walking around...the chlorine smell...not liking my hands and face wet...just doesn't work out to hours of pool time. Luckily, I have a husband who doesn't mind and doesn't get grossed out ;) So Daxton and I enjoyed the time shopping and Nick and the other kids got to spend quality time together. I went back around 2:30ish or so and we headed out to eat since we were all starving. We decided to try Monk's which was right by our hotel. I'm glad we did!! Their food was REALLY good and we all loved it! When the kids were done with their food, the got ice cream. Drake was already behind because he had a kid's pizza, so when he was ready to eat his ice cream, everyone else was pretty much done...so there he sat...eating his chocolate ice cream. Xandria and I kept asking if he was done yet and he would say "not yet", until he was getting frustrated with us asking and hollered it! So, FINALLY the ice cream is done and he looks at us with his tall glass of Sprite that is barely touched and says "Now I have to drink this ALL." LOL Luckily, he only drank part of it and we were FINALLY off! We decided to go downtown, because I wanted an old time family picture taken. The boys looked so handsome in their cowboy outfits...especially Nick! Drake wasn't feeling the boots at all...his feet are wide and aren't meant to squeeze in tight boots! Nick said he couldn't believe how uncomfortable they were and that he's going to invent cowboy tennis shoe boots. Whatever. After the photo we pretty much headed home. We got home around 7:30 pm. It was a great time and look forward to going again.

Visit to the Dells...Part 1

Not this past weekend, but the previous one, we decided to take the kids up to the Dells and spend the night. We stayed saturday night at the Wilderness Resort. That place is HUGE!! I know there are at least three different sections to it. Inside (and outside ) they have a walkway that takes you to the waterpark areas. It was quite a walk to for us to get there! I guess when Nick booked the room, they asked him if he wanted to pay an extra $50 to stay in the same hotel area as the waterparks, but he decided not to, obviously not realizing the distance would be so far from our room! I think with all the kids and such, next time we might decide to pay the extra money...I know I was ready to collapse :) The room was pretty nice though. We had a ground level room and it had 2 queen beds and a sofa bed that Xavier slept on. Next time I think I need my own room...every little noise the kids make or did, woke me up. Drake was in the bed next to us and for some reason most of the night he would sit straight up and look around, then lay back down. It woke me up EVERYTIME. Saturday we arrived at the Dells about 2 and headed to Top Secret. It's an upside down White House. We weren't sure what to expect...but it was a little different than what I thought it might be! It had spooky parts and at one point you walk through a dark part and come out to a monster! They also had an alternative door you could go through instead...which we ended up doing when the kids started freaking out walking in the dark! At the end we came into one of the rooms where there was treasure and the guide said there were 2 buttons to push. One would allow you to take treasure if nothing happened, and the other button would cause an explosion. There was a vote on what button to push and one kid went up to push the button. He pushed it and it was silent for a moment...then all of a sudden there was a BOOM and the lights flickered...let me tell you...Xandria was OUT OF THERE like a shot!! It was hilarious!! It takes you right outside then. She still keeps saying that that kid should of just pushed the right button :) That was fun. Next we headed over to the Ducks since they would be closing soon. Everyone was excited to go on it. When we drove through the wooded area we even saw deer a few times. They really liked when we went into the lake. Luckily, it was about 65 out, so it wasn't too cold. After the Ducks, we ate and then headed to the hotel. We spent the rest of the night swimming. Everyone was worn out and went right to sleep when we got back around 10pm. I will add more pictures later, baby is up. Xandria LOVES the water and she would be happy with one inch to play in!
Xavier in the wave pool part. Him and Nick enjoyed that.
Drake just coming down the slide. This boy does NOT like water in his eyes or water splashing on his face! He really loves to be in the water though.
Daxton didn't have much of a reaction after first, but after a bit he was splashing like crazy!
Lil swimmer showing off his new trunks.

Don't Want To Go

Xavier gets out of school in TEN MINUTES...here I sit, not wanting to go. Yes, I want to get him home, but I don't want to be the one to get him here. That means having to wake a sleeping baby...go out in the POURING rain and BLOWING wind (though I will fit in perfectly as I just got out of the shower about 25 minutes ago and my hair is still soaked and wrapped in a towel)...get the older two out the door...which means having to go around to Drake's side to buckle him in where the rain will not only be pouring on me, but heavily dripping as well, since Nick has YET to put a gutter up right there...but I'm off...cuz I'm all there is right now...and I now have six minutes left. Fun.

Sweet Pea

Thought I'd post these since I never did and I like them alot :) Daxton was around 4

months old.

Easter Time

We celebrated Easter at my parents house. Of course my dad cooks the best food EVER!! Gotta LOVE turkey and boy, was I ready for it!! Delicious! Before we ate, Nick went out to hide eggs for the kids. We sent Drake out first, so he would actually have a chance to collect some eggs! At first he wasn't too sure what to do and asked if I would help him, but once he found a couple, he was on a mission! We let the other two join him and all eggs were accounted for...I think...I guess there was 16, but only 14 were found...Nick says he probably miscounted...I don't know :) I'm sure if any were remaining, their crazy dog will find them! It was a nice day...even though snow was on the ground, the sun was out and it really wasn't too bad out. Most of the snow had melted. It was just crazy to be looking for eggs in the snow! Of course a holiday wouldn't be complete without a family photo...though I was a little annoyed Xavier made that face! He thought that if Drake could make a silly face...though he wasn't TRYING to, that it was ok for him as well. Ugh...doesn't my dad notice that when he's taking the picture?! Probably :)
Daxton enjoying his new bunny. On the hunt.
Egg hunting in the snow?!
Xavier figured out where to look!
Our goofy bunch ;)

Making Lemonade Out of Lemons...

or NOT! So, last night I looked up how to make lemonade in the cookbook (yes, I had no idea how to go about doing it) and was determined to go to the grocery store after I got Toots from school and get everything I needed, come home and make it. Was DYING for some!! We go to the store...got the lemons...a little lemon squeezing thingie...ice...water...and of course some extras like donuts, rolls, you know, grocery store necessities...load it all up and we're off to go home and make it. Put everything else away and make the kids something to eat. After I finish that, I'm ready to make lemonade! Ok, round up all the stuff in one spot...umm...can't seem to find the lemons. Looking, in the fridge, freezer, cabinets, bags...nope...NOWHERE! Go check the car. Nope. NOWHERE!!! I don't know where the lemons went AT ALL. Ugh. Totally ruined my day. Now I wanna crawl back in bed. But I can't. Just have to wait til Nick gets home...cuz I'm definitely not taking 4 kids back to the store to get lemons when it's FREEZING out!! So instead I will sulk. **Hope to add a picture post soon* ***ETA*** Nick came home and I finally got lemonade. Yay!