It's catch-up time!

Good grief! How is it that I've let so much time pass between blogs? Here's another recap of the last THREE months:

Spring Break 2010:

My mom and I took both kids to visit my Grandpa in Minnesota over spring break. It was a short trip (three days total), but it was nice to get away for a bit. I was nervous about taking a two year old and 3 month old to a non-toddler-proof house, but the kids did great! It was actually very relaxing because my mom helped out the entire time.

Easter:

The best day of the year (you know, the whole Jesus-conquering-death thing IS pretty sweet) came and went without much of a hitch. We went to church, Jack threw a fit when I tried to take a picture of him in his Easter outfit, and we had dinner at my parent's house. Jack and Grace looked for Easter eggs, and Brooklyn had a massive blowout in her Easter dress (and all over MY dress). Good day!

Barton Bootcamp:

I started an early morning (6 AM) fitness bootcamp that one of my friends, Jeff Barton, runs. Each bootcamp is four weeks long, and I'm almost finished with my second one. I've lost 11 pounds so far and feel great!

Fred:

For four months, Fred Mergenthaler (one of Jeremy's good friends) and I had been planning a surprise for Jeremy. Fred flew up from Orlando to stay with us for a week, all without Jeremy knowing. It was SUPER hard to keep it a secret. I'm not good with surprises or secrets, especially not from Jeremy! I picked Fred up from the airport (while Jeremy thought I was teaching piano lessons), and we hid Fred in the bedroom just before Jeremy got home. Jeremy was so surprised! You can see a video of the week here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-PBO1ztFfY   Prepare to laugh.

Birthdays:

Jack turned TWO on March 21, and we had a small party with family and a few friends. He got some sweet toys, including a trike, which we have a hard time taking him away from. I made a cake that had a picture of Elmo on it. For my first cake decorating experience, I was just happy that Jack recognized it as Elmo. Jeremy turned 28 at the end of April, and I turned 26 the first of May. We celebrated with family and went out to eat a few times. Our own birthdays seem less important now that we're parents, but I am thankful for another year!

J-man:

Jack is definitely a two-year old! His vocabulary is growing by leaps and bounds, and he's putting 4-5 words together to make a sentence. He loves his sister "Bootin" and loves playing outside even more. I AM SO THANKFUL for all the nice weather after a wretched winter.  We've been able to spend a lot of time playing in our backyard. How awesome my life is that I get to sit outside enjoying my children. What a blessing!

B-baby:

My good friend, Heather Randall, coined this nickname for Brooklyn, and it has stuck. (Heather came to visit for a few days at the end of April and it was GREAT catching up with her) Jack tries to say "B Baby," but it usually just comes out "baby baby baby beeeeee." Brooklyn is doing well and is quite the chunk. We moved her to a crib in Jack's room around 4 months, and it was super smooth transition. We're still swaddling her and may do so until she goes to kindergarten. We've tried to go without, but she doesn't sleep well at all. With a swaddle she sleeps all night through or wakes up once. She has the sweetest personality and adores her big brother.

In a nutshell, my life rocks. I'm married to my best friend and get to stay home with my healthy, growing children. Jack's name means "God is gracious," and that pretty much sums it all up!