Mini-Vaca to Scotsdale

Here are a bunch of pictures from our mini-vacation to Scotsdale for Jason's birthday weekend. Jason got a heck of a deal at the Hilton resort in Scotsdale, so we thought let's go for it! We got in a lot of fun and even some relaxation (well, as much as you can with 2 active boys!). We hit up some delish restaurants, the hotel pool A LOT, the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, Fiddlesticks Family Fun Park, and Sea Life Aquarium.  It was just so refreshing to get away from the daily grind for a few days. Next trip - the midwest!

Riding the carousel at the railroad park

I love this picture - before the train rideat thr railroad park



Me and Carson before the train ride - not sure why he looks so scared!



The boys checking out the model trains - it was a big hit with both Carson and Owen!



Family pic at the railroad park

Swimming at our hotel pool, which we did a ton of! And no, Owen didn't wear those too big for him floaties, Jason just decided to put them on Owen to be funny right before I took the picture, and then the boys wouldn't pose again once he took them off. :)

Owen lounging pool side with mama

Carson in his very own go-cart at Fiddlesticks. Jason and I weren't too sure how he'd do, but he rocked the go-carts! He knew to go to the inside on the turns and was trying to pass people. I could see him talking to himself while driving, it was hilarious. Too bad my picture suck! I was either laughing too hard or I was on a weird setting, but you get the picture.



Carson taking a turn in the green car.



Carson miniture golfing at Fiddlesticks



Owen's job was to get the balls out of the hole when we were done. He loved it!



Owen getting a turn.

Owen pointing out a fish at the aquarium.

Carson pointing out a shark to us.

Jellyfish!

Carson was wound up and Owen was ready for a nap at this point! Owen slept the entire 2 1/2 hour ride back to Benson, so you know this little mini-vaca wore him out!

Couch-to-5k

About a month ago, I scored a free double-jogging stroller from a neighbor down the street who wasn't using it anymore. I was so thrilled because I had been wanting to start jogging, but that is near impossible with 2 kids and one stroller, which wasn't even a jogging stroller. A few of my friends have used the Couch-to-5k running program to help kick-start them into running. I have never been a runner, Jason always has been, but I used to hate it...until now. I am nowhere near where I want to be, and Carson usually asks me why I'm breathing so hard, haha, but afterwards I feel so refreshed. The boys love riding beside eachother. They usually kick up their legs and relax with a snack or drink. Here they are chilling in the stroller......

While Carson is away, Owen and I will play....

It's so lovely to have some one-on-one time with Owen while Carson is at preschool. It was easy to give Carson the attention he needed because it was just him and me all day. But with 2 kids in the mix, I sometimes struggle with making sure they are each getting the individual mom-time they need. I feel it's so important that Carson and Owen's individual needs are being met, and I want to be sure to recognize each one's different interests and personalities and not just lump them together.  I get such mommy guilt if I feel like I'm spending more time with one child than the other(although Owen needs a bit more attention because of his age), but we've come up with a pretty good daily schedule where we have together play-time and one-on-one play/learning time throughout the day. Here are a few pictures of Owen and I taken while Carson was away at school.
  

Ok, so I promise Owen and I don't just clean the entire time Carson is at school, haha! But he has become my best little helper. He loves to help me load the dishwasher (although I usually have to redo it), and he absolutely loves to help me with laundry (putting it in the washer, putting it in the dryer, folding it, you name it!) I think it's adorable how accomplished he looks once he's helped me with a chore.

  

Please disregard my messy fridge, but since Owen could walk, everytime I open the fridge door, he goes and sits in it. It's so funny! Hmmm.....maybe it's his way of telling us to turn down the AC! :)



Owen loves to shoot some hoops in the backyard, or sit on the ground and roll a ball back and forth.

 

my handsome boy :)

  

Owen and Mama. Owen will now hug me or lay his head on me and say "mom". It melts my heart. If I tell him, "I love you." He will reply back something like "la oo". I really need to fix our video recorder! 

He fell asleep with his book in the car. He loves his books right now, which makes it easy to entertain him in the car.

  

 I'm trying to let him feed himself, but he makes quite a mess!



Who needs a spoon to eat your cereal? :)



 

Owen gets a haircut....finally :)

I actually gave Owen a haircut a couple of weeks ago, but I am way behind on posts. I thought it was time to trim Owen's flyaways, even though I love them! I am not the only one - my cashier at the grocery store told me his hair brings a smile to her face. :) I really didn't take that much off - mostly in the back because it was getting pretty darn close to a mullet! Although, I'm sure he would have fit right in in this town! Ha! I know it isn't the best, but between Carson and Owen, I am bound and determined to become a pro at cutting hair. Owen is really not into sitting still these days, so I had to try and take pictures of my work while he was running around outside.

 \

His hair still gets a little crazy in the wind! :)

The boys found a bug.