Weekend Fun!

We had a super relaxing, fun weekend enjoying the great outdoors! The weather has been nothing but amazing and we are sure enjoying it. We have two very busy boys that are pounding on the door to get outside daily by 7 am. Last weekend, Sean worked on the yard so the boys had fun "helping" their daddy get some work done.

Saturday we headed out to a local apple orchard, Wilson's. It is one of our favorite things to do in the Fall and this is the 3rd year we have done it. Unfortunately, there had very limited apples due to a freeze this past Spring and drought this summer.  Luke was able to find a few! We enjoyed a tractor ride around the beautiful property, picnic lunch, and enjoyed an amazing homemade apple turnover with cinnamon ice cream. The boys had a ball running around the property! Sunday we packed up early and headed to Palo to watch a good friend compete in a half iron man triathlon. We had never watched one before and we were so glad to get out to spectate the race, cheer on our friend Josh, and the boys played on the beach all morning long! It was a very motivating way to spend the day watching hundreds of athletes come out of the water after a mile long swim, head out on their bikes, and finish with a half marathon! The weather was perfect, the kids had fun with friends, and it was so fun to watch! 

 Ben is "ALL BOY"! If there is water & mud, he finds it! Ben received a bath on this day by 10 a.m! He was covered from head to toe! The joys of summertime!

 Luke was helping his dad plant grass

 Love them

 Our family enjoying a tractor ride through Wilson's orchard

(a very rare shot, I am usually behind the camera)

 Luke picking apples

 Ben & Daddy enjoying an apple

 enjoying a perfect day outside

Our two little munchkins! 

Friday night Fire

Friday night we had our inaugural fire in our new "backyard patio"! We have been waiting to put it to use and we could not have asked for a better evening! We were also celebrating Sean's homecoming! He was gone all week long for a meeting, so it was the perfect way to celebrate. Unfortunately, Ben didn't participate as he was "begging" for his bed. We did enjoy a beautiful evening outside, taking a little walk after dinner in which we came upon some good neighbor friends outside playing with their kids, two hours later, we realized it was much past bedtime. These are my favorite evenings, when you don't plan for a little "outdoor" party but because we have such an active neighborhood with lots of young families, you just never know what an evening will turn into. The kids had a ton of fun playing, and we (the guys) enjoyed some drinks and great conversation.

Luke had been wanting Marshmellows Thursday night, so I told him when Daddy gets home we will make smores, so that is just what we did after we got the fire started. It was the most perfect way to end a very long week. We look forward to many more evenings around the fire!

 Cuddle time after enjoying smores

 Luke making his 1st smores in the fire pit

Ready for football

Saturday was Kids Day at Kinnick Stadium, so we ventured out very slowly (that is I ventured out very slowly!) It felt good to get out and enjoy a beautiful hour outside watching the Iowa Football team practice. Luke loved watching "hike hike" and was on the prowl for Herky. He was disappointed "Herky was taking a nap" and he didn't get to see him. Since Saturday, Luke has been running around the house playing football "blue 22, blue 22, hut, hut, hike!" We are ready for Football season to begin!

 Luke attending his 2nd Annual Kids Day

 Ben's inaugural trip to Kinnick Stadium, 1st of many little Ben!

Daddy & Ben enjoying the atmosphere at Kinnick Stadium! 

In sickness and in health...

Saturday, August 11th marked our Five year wedding anniversary. We tested our wedding vows, "in sickness and in health", and made the most of our Anniversary weekend! Unfortunately, I had been sick for a few days beginning last weekend and on Wednesday had my gallbladder removed. I spent Wednesday-Thursday in the hospital and am now recovery at home. So needless to say, our weekend plans of spending it in Wisconsin with friends was put on the back burner.  Sean sat with me all day Thursday as we anticipated getting me home, napping in the most uncomfortable chair next to me as we watched Olympics! Sounds pretty fun, huh?!

We spent a quiet weekend at home with our boys, and reflected on where we were 5 years ago, the joys, the challenges, our moves, and most importantly, where we are today with two beautiful little boys!

Five years ago, on our wedding day it was truly one of the most perfect days for us as we celebrated the beginning of our lives together, celebrating "us". Some days we have to remind ourselves it was "us" before we were "mom and dad", which can be hard to do when we juggle so much. I feel so blessed and humbled to be Sean's wife and the mother of his children. He makes me laugh and adds so much humor to all of our days. He cares endlessly and is my biggest supporter always.

We are hoping I am feeling better next weekend to actually go out and celebrate just the "two of us"! We spent our evening last night browsing resorts and vacation spots for the two of us to enjoy this February. I can hardly wait!

 The beginning of "Us"

 Our first trip together

Vail, CO

 The night we got engaged

 Our first Christmas together as "soon to be Mr. & Mrs"

 Engagement pictures

 August 11, 2007

The day I married my best friend

Thanks Babe for always finding a way to put a smile on my face, & putting up with me forever and always, Love you!

Luke

September 4, 2009

Ben

 September 3, 2011

The sweetest gifts

The Lord has blessed our lives in so many ways

these two little boys are the apples of our eyes

11 months old

We are coming down the home stretch of Ben's final month before he turns "ONE"! These may have been the fastest eleven months to date, as I look back to where we were one year ago today...

August 4, 2011

What a year will bring...(wow, we sure have changed:)

 August 3, 2012

The interactions between Luke and Ben are becoming more "brotherly" and I can only imagine how much more I will become a referee in the months to come! Ben is all out walking, as he started this new trick a few weeks ago, but it has definitely become his preferred mode of getting from place to place.

We are still trying to get Ben healthy, it seems he has been battling a cold, ears, runny nose, etc for months. We are scheduled to see Pediatric Allergy/Pulmonary the first week of September.

Ben is becoming more and more of a daddy's boy, reaching for and running after him whenever he sees him. He is quite the little flirt, smiling and playing peek a boo with ladies at church and the grocery store. He loves to be out and about checking everything out.

Sweet Ben, you have blessed our family in so may ways and bring more joy to our lives than we ever new possible. I remember the weeks leading up to your arrival asking myself how I was going to share my love with two sweet little ones...never could I have imagined just how much love I had in my heart for you two little guys! You and Luke are unimaginably the most amazing gifts your daddy and I could have ever asked for. We are reminded each day of how blessed we are with two healthy, happy little boys! 

 This is one of Ben's signature moves caught in mid action!

"I throw my hands up in the air"

He literally gets on his knees, throws his hands in the air and waves them back and forth as he bounces on his knees!

 Becoming such a little boy

 Yes Ben, you are SO BIG!

 Benjamin David Merrick

11 months old

August 3, 2012

 "mom, what did you put on my tummy?"

"I don't think so, I am not having any of this sticker stuff"

Mr. Ben this is what you are up to at 11 months old:

-eating all table foods: you are a very good eater and love meat & potatoes

-drinking whole milk with meals and snacks

-drinking 3-4 bottles a day of formula

-taking 2 naps

-waking around 630 each morning, but we let you play til 645 and you love playing with your music box on your crib

-you are walking, or should I say running, everywhere

-you love to climb on anything you possibly can

-you are starting to shake the baby gates to get them open

-you have a bit of a temper, expressing yourself with a few tantrums when you don't get what you want

-you are a fish in your little swimming pool

-wearing size 4 diapers

-mostly wearing 12-18month clothing

-working on going down the stairs backwards

-words: dadda, mamma, ba-ba, uh-oh, moo, heeee (horse), nigh nigh, haaa (hot)

-you love to mimic everything we do

-you are a mover and you love to hear your voice!

-bathtime is one of your favorite things and then you & Luke have a naked party before bedtime. You boys love running around upstairs after baths without any clothes on!

Fun on the Farm

Last weekend our entire family was home to my parents farm! My cousin was getting married, so everyone made plans to make the weekend work. It isn't very often that we get all of us together anymore, so when we do, we sure have a good time! Nate and Debbie flew into Cedar Rapids Thursday night, so Luke and I picked them up. Luke was so excited to see the airplanes land and take off, but most importantly give Nate and Debbie big hugs when they got off the plane. We spent Friday at the farm while the guys golfed with my extended Einck family. Friday night, was one of the most gorgeous summer nights we have had all summer! We enjoyed a competitive bags tourney, playing football, chasing Gunner, and after the little ones were asleep, we enjoyed some laughs around the fire pit. After a fun Wedding, we enjoyed a rainy, lazy Sunday before we all hit the road. Nate and Debbie stayed with us Sunday night before taking them to the airport Monday afternoon. We visited downtown Iowa City, showing Debbie the campus and downtown area. These weekends are few and far between but the memories and fun times we share together stay with us always. Although we don't see each other as often as we would like, I sure cherish these times spent together as a family. The boys loved all the attention from their uncles & aunts, and not to be forgotten but Nannie & Bop. It is always treat for our two little boys to see everyone! Until next time...I will laugh out loud as I think of some of the funny stories told!

Monday before Nate & Debbie left, we took them to Molly's cupcakes downtown Iowa City! Do you think Luke enjoyed it?

Ben loving his time with Gunner. Our boys sure love their doggy!

 

 Kolbi and Debbie discussing the competitive bags game

 Ben loved being able to walk all over outside

 Nate and Mitch in a pretty intense game of bags.

 Luke taking a much needed water break after working hard on the farm

 little Ben just taking it all in...

 working in Nannie's garden

 always working, this little guy loves to work on the farm

 Ben giving Bop a hand playing bags

 time for a wresting match

 Uncle Nate playing football with Luke

 Playing with Bop, trying to take his glasses

 Special time with Bop

Luke is spending this weekend up at the farm with Bop & Nannie all by himself! He had a very hard time leaving last weekend, so we decided he could have a little one on one time before my mom goes back to work. He is having the time of his life farming with Bop and golfing with Nannie & Bop!

It is just Ben and I this weekend at home. Sean is away in Dubuque for a weekend with some of his college buddies, participating in a "Mantastic Weekend tournament" which includes, golf, bags, bowling, and home run derby, and I am quite certain some cold beverages. We were going to go with to spend the weekend with the other families, however Ben is fighting some bronchial spasms so we are staying close to home and I am giving him nebulizer treatments every 3 hours, he is on steroids and antibiotics for 3 more days. Thursday evening we noticed he was wheezing really hard and it was difficult for him to catch his breath, eat his food, and he was coughing a lot. We took him in and they put him on a nebulizer right away, she said he was having an acute bronchial spasm, blocking his airway. He really has been fighting this darn cough & difficulty breathing for several months. He had a chest xray back in May to rule out pneumonia, so he was put on a small dose of claritin daily. The claritin hasn't been helping, so we are scheduling an appointment at the University with the Pediatric Pulmonologist & Allergist. Hoping we can find something to make our boy better! It amazes me how happy Ben always is, considering he has really battled sickness these past several months.

Rock n' Roll-Chicago Half Marathon

A week ago Sunday, I embarked on a challenge I had committed myself to at the start of 2012. I have to admit my motivation for signing up to run a half marathon was to hold myself accountable to run, run to lose the rest of my pregnancy weight. I knew that if I signed myself to run a half marathon I would have to get out and run, no excuses! There was some doubt that I could even run one, which gave me more motivation! I started out running 2 miles on our treadmill at the beginning of January. I took my time picking up my mileage, and by Spring I was loving my weekend runs. Yes, I just said that "I was loving my weekend runs!" I enjoyed getting out in early Spring for some cool, brisk 3-4 mile runs, and by late Spring, I had picked up my mileage and enjoyed "my time". Accomplishing this half marathon felt great on a number of fronts. My training went great, I did all my long runs on Saturday mornings at 5 a.m, loving the quiet, early morning runs. It really was therapeutic in so many ways.  My longest run prior to my half was 10 1/2 miles. I felt great during that run and went into the run feeling good with fresh legs. So why was I disappointed? I hit a wall at mile 11 and the last 2.1 miles of my half marathon were grueling. It was disappointing to me because I felt so good going into and I was hoping for a more rewarding finish, rather than painful, ha! It won't keep me from another. I am signed up to run the Medtronic Twin Cities 10 mile run in October.

I have received many questions on my training, etc, and my inspiration to anyone is that I started with a 2 mile walk/jog in January. It took time and motivation, but in the same sense it made me feel good in many ways.

Thank you to my sister in law Kate for agreeing to run this half! I don't think it was ideal for her, as she had already run two this season, but she did and I am so thankful for her guidance and calming my pre race nerves!

Look how much fun it is at mile 6!

Kate eyeing the finish line on a very hot & steamy day! Not ideal for a 13.1 mile run:)

I am so thankful for our biggest fan! My hubby was so supportive during this entire thing. From the day I said I was going to do it, he was my biggest supporter. My training would not have been possible without his support in taking care of the boys and his encouragement on my long runs. I would come home each Saturday to the boys enjoying their "pancakes with Dad"! The weekend of the race, we enjoyed a quiet, relaxing weekend in Chicago which was so nice to enjoy prior to the run on Sunday morning, just the two of us. My parents kept our boys that weekend at the farm and then drove them down so they were waiting for us when we got home Sunday.

Feeling good at Mile 6

"I see the finish line!"

I completed my first half marathon Sunday, July 22nd in Chicago in 1 hour 57 minutes.