2019 Kicks Off!

2019 has gotten off to a good start! 

Going back to Christmas break, we went to a Harlem Globetrotter game. We had a great time. The boys loved how silly it was.

Can you see the guy sitting on top of the hoop?

During break we also went up to the woods to do some trapping. Sam was incognito.

It was a chilly (but sunny) day...

The Hyland Christmas was great fun as always. Joey loved helping Linus.

Linus liked to pull hair. :)

My boss (Craig) gave me tickets to take Joey to a Badger basketball game. We were in the third row. It was amazing!! 

For Scouts, we went on a winter hike. The boys had to be silly with the taxidermy.

The first real snow to be able to play in. We started off kind of slow but then winter really pounded us this year. Lots of opportunities to play in the snow and be very cold!

Just a normal outfit for Sam.

Joey needed to cook a meal over an open flame for Scouts so we did hot dogs in the fire place and an apple crisp in the dutch oven in the fireplace. The apple crisp got a little burnt on the outside but the inside was delicious!

Sam did basketball at the Y and loved it!! He will definitely be doing it again.

Sam made his own marshmallow man mask.

We went to Clown N Around at the boys' old preschool again. Linus and Maebel had a good time. Linus really enjoyed his pizza.

There was a Family Fun Day at CHUMS that we went to after Scouting for Food. The boys tried Hungry Hungry Hippos, lifesize edition. 

They had to do the photo booth. Brecken (Cohen's brother), Sam, Alex, Joey and Cohen

Sam has not ridden in the shopping cart for a long time. This day he and Joey decided it was necessary and Joey pushed him. He did still fit, but barely!

After years of telling the boys we would go, I finally took them to Monkey Joe's in Waukesha. We probably should have gone when they were younger (especially for Joey), but they had a good time. They loved that Maebel and Linus met us there. 

Spring is here now so we will have more pictures!

End of Fall and Christmas 2018

I got to go on a field trip with Sam and his class to Schuster's. Our group was Sam, Darrion, Makayla and Vanessa. 

They each got to pick out a pumpkin. Here is Sam's choice!

Selfie on the bus...

For Halloween we had a Skull Trooper (from Fortnite) and Captain Rex (from Star Wars). The bottom part of Joey's costume was John's when he was little. They also used the same top of the weapon that John had and just had to put a new handle on it. They both looked great! It was a really nice night for trick or treating. The boys went about an hour and their buckets filled up and then they were done. 

Time for Sam's birthday! He had LOGOS that night so we opened some presents when they got home. 

Nerf vest and glasses from "Aunt" Kate and then trekking poles and mittens from us. 

We had a family party that Friday night. Opening his giant Nerf Gun from Uncle Jay, Aunt Amanda, Maebel and Linus.

Maebel and Linus were very interested in the puppy care set that Sam got. 

Cake time! Sam picked a Dairy Queen cake this year. 

The boys got to get cake pops at Starbucks one day. They had penguins so we couldn't resist!

Opening season of deer gun, we went to stay at a motel closer to where they hunt so it was easier for John to swap out boys. Sam got to go on Saturday, and he and John got a doe. They came and met Joey and I at Pizza Hut for dinner. 

Sunday was Joey's turn. Sam and I were playing in the waterpark, and found out that Joey and John had already each gotten a deer and they were on their way back to the hotel. Joey got 2 days in the waterpark instead of the one we thought because he finished so early. 

It was a fun and successful weekend!

We got upgraded to a suite which the boys thought was awesome. Sam couldn't believe the size of this tub, and I couldn't resist taking a picture of how crazy he was. 

Next up is the Christmas season. We started it off with the Sun Prairie Optimist pancake breakfast. 

Joey wasn't going to go see them because he said he was too old, but then he saw that they were giving out flavored candy canes so he got over that quickly. He came back from talking with them and said, "Mom, I think Santa is Sam's Sunday School teacher." He was right! The boys know that the real Santa can't possibly go to all of the events so there are helpers and you never know when you will get the real Santa!

Next up was Brunch with Santa in Monroe! Sam got his face painted while we waited in line.

Maebel and Linus weren't too sure what to think...

Sam was so excited to see Santa walking down the aisles.

This was as close as Maebel and Linus would get.

We had to celebrate Grandpa's birthday when we got back! 

Singing Happy Birthday TO YOU...

Joey and Sam had speaking parts in the Christmas program at church. Joey was a Townsperson and a Shepherd and Sam was Caesar Augustus. I took a video of Sam's speaking part and he wasn't on the stage other than that (he was sitting back behind in the choir loft). They both spoke loudly and slowly and did great!

G&G Hyland Christmas was a great time! Linus enjoyed opening the presents.

Joey LOVED his new Fortnite sweatshirt and had to be silly putting his new pants on his head.

The annual chair picture of each grandkid...

Sam got the game Where's Mr. Wolf from G&G. He has played it a lot since he got it.

I don't think we did cutout cookies last year, but we did this year. Sam got a little too into it :)

Last year Sam had asked for a giant bear from Santa and didn't get it. This year Santa delivered. Sam was so impressed that he remembered, and was so excited and not bummed about not getting the (real) puppy that he asked Santa for this year. The bear has been named Munchie, and he goes everywhere in the house with Sam. Here's Grandma showing the size!

He has become a cushion, bed, playmate, etc...

Looking forward to 2019!