Wilson Spring Break 2014 - Days 4 & 5

Well day 4 was boring... for me i guess... i cleaned the house... the boys went with Curt to drop off the taxes and visit their great grandparents in Ottawa...i guess they did have a good time - got to play with tons of toys and great gma even gave mark a dinosaur... he gave her a huge hug and thanked her and it about made her fall over with happiness...  so that was good:)

Day 5 was all about March Madness - our Jayhawks played...we had some friends over so that made it fun for the boys - they played in the bounce house (outside --> best money ever spent!) for like 3 hours...and then brought it inside and played with legos...ahh legos - the universal toy that anyone can play with...

I think overall the boys (including Curt) had a great break... Curt grew a nice long vacation beard that I was happy to see go Sunday morning, Noah lost a pesky tooth...Mark gained a few more animal toys... and I know they had a ton of fun being together - doing 'guy stuff'...doing it 'daddy's way'...not taking naps, eating donuts for breakfast every morning (i kind of joke, but not really)...and staying up late... which really is what breaks are for right - having tons of fun and taking it easy...letting loose... going with the flow...

this morning (1st day back) wasn't too traumatic... only a little bit of whining...which could be any day not just the 1st day back...  ready to finish off this school year with a bang... come on summer vacation!

i think Curt told them they had to share the donuts... haha!

Wilson Spring Break 2014 - Day 3

Day 3 - Cosmic Jump!

You know you have a good husband when he comes up with fun, exciting ideas for the kids to do on their Spring Break.  I never would have thought of this.  I only came up with the aquarium.  boring, learn something, aquarium... but leave it to Curt to come up with the awesomely-fun stuff...

Most of the pictures are blurry...hard to get a good one when they are jumping, mid-jump and or running... but looked like they had an awesome time!

Oh and because we are boys and can't seem to do anything without punching, fighting, horsing around...we now have one less tooth.  Yeah no big deal really - it was loose anyway, but he said it did hurt a bit...probably wasn't that ready to come out.  Oh well - tooth fairy comes on Spring Break too...

Wilson Spring Break 2014 - day 1

Day 1 - Sea Life Aquarium:

Well we always start off with a bang don't we?  Our first official spring break should be no different.  Curt took the whole week off to enjoy having fun with Noah and Mark...sleeping in... doing fun things...growing a vacation beard... ha!

We didn't tell the boys until that morning - Curt kept them guessing...  Mark as usual was over the moon about it...he loves animals..anything to do with animals...doesn't matter what kind... or what type of activity it is...as long as there are some sort of animals involved he is game.

Curt said Mark would barely look away from the tanks to take a picture - you can tell from the pictures he's afraid he's going to miss something.  When I got home they both had new stuffed animals... a manta ray (for Mark) and a black tipped reef shark (for Noah)...when I asked if they got one for Seth... they said "no he didn't go momma"... well i guess that's the life of the 3rd born...you don't go, you don't get a toy.  rough.

everyone ready to go... notice it was St. Patrick's Day, but we had to wear our "shark" shirts
so the aquarium knew we were supposed to be there...
who am I kidding - Mark would wear this shirt every day if I had it cleaned for him.

Enjoying being "in" the tank... I am sure Mark would jump in if someone offered that as an option.

See Mark...barely looking...probably got yelled at for that... I told Curt to take lots of pictures.

They look tired don't they?

Curt said they were so tired afterward. He took them to Fritz's to have lunch...Noah laid down in the seat...Mark told him to just have it quiet in the car on the way home... What wimps I have... 1st day and they are tired from a 2 hour walk around to see some fish.. I hope by the time Seth is Mark's age we can go somewhere really fun and get through a whole week of activities...

Stay tuned for today's adventure... the Lego Movie.

our little graduate! and pics of the zoo...of course

How random of a blog post right?  two opposite directions don't you think?  kind of how our life is moving now a days!

First, Noah graduated from the pre-school program at his school...officially sending him off to Kindergarten this fall...(holy cow it just keeps getting more real!)

This is our little guy, er rather big guy now :)

This is one of his good buddies (also named Noah)...

Unfortunately I did not get a picture of him and his teachers...they were pretty strict about getting those caps and gowns back asap before anyone could head for the cookie table...and let's be honest, after sitting in a church for about an hour - singing, reciting letters, numbers, spanish colors...I'd want a darn cookie too!  I'll try to get one before he officially leaves this summer...  Overall it was a pretty good ceremony...a little emotional... the teachers made a photo stream of all the kids from when they started to this last week before the graduation...its just amazing to see how much he's changed...

That next day after the graduation we headed out on a family vacation to the Omaha Zoo...my parents came with us - it was a pretty good time...except that it was cold (alright freezing), we all were in shorts (thankfully Curt brought us all jackets, just in case) and Curt made me ride the sky safari... yeah...that honestly was the worst part of the trip for me...hated every minute...had kung-fu death grip on the handles...was only relieved momentarily when we went over the water all the while thinking at least I wouldn't die if I landed in the water...

don't i look super happy...that was the best he could get me to smile...

and here you have my parents with my 'no-fear' son who had a blast riding up so high!

an animal if the sky safari broke - we could have fallen into it's pen...

horsing around on a giraffe...hehe

more 'horsing around'

in front of my favorite animal...i love this section of the zoo!

looks like part of the family right?  i call him George...George the giraffe

have to ride the train...

the goofballs bringing up the caboose!

it's legal...

ok so I guess since the wedding is over...the reception is over...i can post some pictures of my sister's wedding... let's just say the pictures are amazing... they really capture the beauty and awesomeness of the event...  here are a few...

 

I mean really - she is the most gorgeous bride!  Ok Ash you're pretty cute too!

The overall trip was very good - Mark slept about 20min of each of the legs of the flights...which really wasn't THAT bad...I mean it could have been much worse... I could have had a sick kid...I could have had a screaming kid... he really didn't act badly, he just wanted to move around...walk around...see everyone... he had just started walking so he was eager to make those legs work.  Noah was a rockstar - he travels very well - loves to watch movies so that was easy.  The condo was super nice, clean, each family had their own "space" to retreat to if need be and believe me we used the "naptime" to it's fullest extent...beach going - can wear you out!

Speaking of the beach - here are some pics of that - let's just say my brother was an angel with both my boys and loved spending time with them - they clung to him to like the new piece of candy he was - funny jokes, teasing, lots of hugs and snuggles.  He (Chris) was just super great around them the whole week - I really was worried "we Wilson's" would get old - quickly - having a 1yr old and 3yr causes situations to be louder, feel like they are moving in slow motion, tears can be added with no hope for an end... in other words i figured my parents and him would've kicked us out mid-week and told us to go find another hotel... i mean really... patience is a requirement to stay with us - and i think they all got their 'patience-vaccine' prior to leaving :)  (phew!)

guess who took this?!

swimming like the fish he truly is!

having tons o' fun with Uncle Chris

Now it should be noted that this was one of the ONLY times that Mark was smiling around the ocean, the boy hated it..hated the sand, hated the water, clung to you with dear life if you even dangled his feet in the water... there was one morning i sat him in a little beach chair and he just sat there content watching everyone else out in the water... arms crossed and all - wish i'd taken a picture of that one... what a hoot!

After the morning of the wedding we went The Plantation house for brunch - this location is where they hold the Mercedes Classic golf tournament every year - it is one of the most gorgeous golf courses I have ever seen.  The food was delicious and the dining room has open windows so you can hear/feel/see the ocean breezes and waves.  It's very, very pretty!

 

seriously - her hair was gorgeous that day and she just glowed!!

gosh i can smell the breeze - it was sooooo beautiful!

i want to learn to play golf, but only if i can play here!

That evening after we all came back and took our what seemed to be "mandatory" nap... we all went to the Old Lahaina Luau.  I have been to two other Luau's previously when I went to Maui, but to be honest I don't remember them... I will remember Old Lahaina's... it was fabulous!

Overall this was a very exciting, relaxing, stress-ful and stress-free trip!  In 7 years since I had been to Maui, it really hadn't changed too much - which was such a relief... the people are still super nice, hospitable, and easy going.  The town itself is still clean and beautiful.  I want to go back, I want to go back, I want to go back... Curt did you read that?  Did ya?  3yrs like you promised on the airplane...  :)

Congratulations to my beautiful sister and new brother-in-law.  I love you both... I am so happy and excited for what is to come for the both of you... thanks so much for letting us come and share in your special week...it really was magical!  Ma halo and Aloha!