Three Men & A Lady

Trick or Treat!

2011-11-07T04:55:00.000-08:00

We had a fun, candy filled Halloween this year! Sam dressed up as Woody the Cowboy from his favorite movie, Toy Story. We went back to the same street we always go to (Brook Street) where the street is completely blocked off (no cars allowed), the houses are completely decorated, and there are hundreds of kids running around - so much fun!! Sam was ready to go home and count his candy after about an hour which worked out really well for me and my swollen, 9 month pregnant feet :)

Here are some pictures from our Halloween...

There's my favorite cowboy!

My family :) Probably the last photo as a family of 3!!

Off to Brook Street to trick or treat!

Not sure if he wants to go up those stairs, haha!

Quick candy break!

Friends!

Harvest Festival!

2011-11-03T11:39:00.000-07:00

We headed to the Harvest Festival a few weekends ago - what a fun day! We met our friends there and the kids had a great time running from ride to ride...here are just a few pictures from our day :)

The slide was definitely a favorite!

The boys (from left, Kings, Sam, and Cole) LOVED the roller coaster!!!

The flying cars!

Snack time :)

A Day at the Farm!

2011-10-26T06:09:00.000-07:00

Sam tries to use his big muscles to pick up this giant pumpkin - maybe next year!

"Look at me, Mommy!" he says.

1st one on the train to go pick some fruit!

1st stop - Macintosh apples, our favorite!!

2nd stop - Asian pears!

3rd stop - plums!

Patiently waiting for the train again...

4th stop - Play area!

Sam takes a ride on Cinnamon :)

Checking out the farm animals with Daddy.

Bounce house time!

Caterpillar train ride - Sam was the caboose!

Spider face!!

Hello Mr. Scarecrow!

Apple cider donuts on the tracker - a perfect ending to our farm day :)

6 Years :)

2011-10-21T19:00:00.000-07:00

On September 25th Craig and I celebrated 6 years of marriage...we're not quite sure where the time has gone but we feel incredibly blessed to have one another and such an amazing little family.

In about 3 weeks Craig, Sam, Gus and I will welcome our 2nd baby boy and we could not be happier :) Our family will be complete!

A quick shot of me and my belly before our anniversary date...I am almost 33 weeks along here.

And I had to include this photo of my Gus...I picked up this Moses basket one morning after dropping Sam off at pre-school...I come home, put it on the couch, take a shower and come out to Gus taking a snooze in what he thinks is his new bed :) Oh dear! He's in a for another big surprise!

Sam's 1st day of Pre-School

2011-10-21T18:48:00.000-07:00

Oh dear, I have been a horrible blogger lately...I'm so behind!! I will blame pregnancy for that since all I want to do in the little free time that I do have is PUT MY FEET UP! But I realized I needed to catch up a bit before our little guy arrives so here I go :)

Sam started his 1st year of pre-school this past September. He goes 3 mornings a week and LOVES it! He comes home singing songs and sharing all sorts of silly stories. He is always so excited to share his artwork that he makes each day - our home is now covered in his adorable little creations :)
Here are a few snapshots of his orientation and first day...

At orientation the kiddos learn how to line up - this was fun to watch :)

Looks like he's being a good listener, huh?

1st trip out to the playground - can't miss Sam...look for the only blondie!

1st day of school :) He was super excited!

And of course he had to show the camera his Spiderman "pack-pack" (that's back pack).

Summer trip to Michigan!

2011-10-04T19:18:00.000-07:00

We love going to Michigan every summer to see our family! Sam's favorite memory this year was his trip to the water park (Turtle Cove) with Grandma Jane, Mommy and Daddy.

On our way to swim!

He jumps right in and explores!

Down slide #1...

Swimming with Daddy in the kiddie pool.

Sam the fish!

Sam jumped off the side to Craig at least 100 times...no fear!

Lazy river :)

Grandma Jane swam with us too!

Hanging out with cousins :)

mmm...ice cream with Conner :)

Sam found his Daddy's old Tigers helmet :)

Kat's Wedding!

2011-08-26T06:46:00.000-07:00

On July 29th one of my oldest and dearest friends got hitched! It was a beautiful NYC wedding...Craig and I had SO MUCH FUN! Here are a few snap snots of the night :)

Cocktail hour...

Part of our table...

Our wedding crew!

There she is!! The beautiful bride :)

Best friends :)

End of the night...a wonderful wedding!

Summer in Boston

2011-07-15T05:25:00.000-07:00

I LOVE living in this city in the summer time...there are so many fun things to do!! Last weekend we went to Frog Pond - Sam had a blast! This weekend we thought it would be fun to visit one of the sprinklers downtown. Sam was skeptical at first but ended up getting soaked in the end...success!

Daddy convincing Sam to give the sprinkler a try!

Sam runs back to mommy because "the sprinkler is too big!"

Sam is brave and gets his feet wet :)

Sam tells daddy to get wet too!

RUN!!!

Family picture before going to see our sea lion friends across the street...

The boys waiting for their food at our new favorite resturant - Craig had the BEST fish sandwich I've ever tasted!

Growing

2011-07-15T05:08:00.000-07:00

We're expecting! Our family is thrilled to welcome our newest addition in November. Sam is very excited that he will be a BIG brother and tells everyone that will listen that there is a baby in mommy's tummy :) This picture was taken a few weeks ago - about 20 weeks along.

Sam gives the baby lots of kisses...here is one of them!

1st family outing to the movies!

2011-07-13T10:29:00.000-07:00

When we found out that Cars 2 was coming out a few months ago Craig and I decided this would be the perfect movie for Sam's very 1st movie theater experience! We told him all about what to expect but the look on his face when he saw the big movie screen (and then the large popcorn that Craig surprised him with!) was priceless :) The first 30 minutes were a little touch and go but once he go into the movie it was smooth sailing! Here are a few snapshot of our family trip to the movies...

On our way to the theater...Sam is showing me that we are seeing Cars 2!

A very excited Daddy and Sam!

A quick picture with Mommy before the previews start.

Oh dear...my little Sam experiences Diet Coke!

Sam Graduates!

2011-06-30T06:06:00.000-07:00

Last week Sam "graduated" from his 1st year of pre-school. This year was actually pre-pre-school to be exact :) He will go to pre-school for 2 years starting in September and then off to Kindergarten he goes! Ahhhhh, I can't even begin to think of that...how scary! Here are some snapshots of Sam's recent graduation...

A giant goodie bag from his teacher, Siobhan...I wish you could see the adorable t-shirt she made for all of the kids!

Sam & Kate enjoying their class rings :)

We are so proud of him - Sam had a great school year with Siobhan and all of his friends!

My Sweet Sam

2011-06-11T17:10:00.000-07:00

I have the sweetest little man!

I wish I could take credit for these adorable playground photos but our very talented babysitter snapped these shots for us...

Enjoy!

Such a happy 3 year old!

And silly!

My angel...

and my little monster :)

Easter

2011-05-26T05:36:00.000-07:00

I am waaaay behind with this post!!

I wanted to share just a few pictures from Easter this year. Sam loved coloring his Easter eggs, a very messy but fun activity for him! And on Easter morning Craig and I hosted a house Easter Egg Hung for all of the kids staying here - it was a blast watching the kids go wild looking for the candy filled eggs :)

April Showers Bring May Flowers!

2011-05-07T14:02:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we spent the afternoon planting seeds - flowers and herbs. Sam picked out the pots he wanted to use and had a blast playing in the dirt and water! The plants will live in the new greenhouse that was donated to the house last fall - it's beautiful! You can see it in some of the pictures...

Sam is telling me all about the supplies we need to plant our seeds.

The garden bed directly behind him will be full of delicious vegetables and flowers in a few weeks! It is our house garden :)

Practicing his digging skills...

His favorite part about our planting day was playing with the shovels!

I forgot to take pictures of our finished product - I'll post some at a later date when our plants are in full bloom :)

Sam turns 3!!!

2011-05-07T11:35:00.000-07:00

Sam started his birthday morning with breakfast of his choice - homemade chocolate chip waffles and strawberries.

A blurry picture, but his birthday excitement is just so cute!

At lunch time uncles, aunts, and cousins came over for a cake celebration :) Sam picked a Toy Story theme this year.

Hannah helping Sam get his hat in place...

"I'm free years old!" (three years old)

Murphy, Hannah, and Sam waiting for cake...

Happy Birthday, Sam!

Sam said the "prosting" or frosting was the best part :)

Cousins :)

Oma enjoying some cake!

Auntie Sandra and Murphy

Present time! Mommy and Daddy gave Sam Buzz & Woody from Toy Story...he was thrilled!

Baking cupcakes with Oma for his school birthday party :)

He could not get enough cake batter!

Oma's little cupcake helper!

The Birthday King at preschool :)

Playing with friends at recess...

Tea Party with Kate

One last swing before it's time go home! Sam had a great birthday - at home AND at school :)

The Manco/Cochran Family Cruise

2011-03-20T16:45:00.000-07:00

Last weekend our family returned from a 7 day Caribbean cruise on board the Ruby Princess. It was truly an amazing vacation! We met my parents and brothers in Ft. Lauderdale to begin our first Manco/Cochran family vacation :) We stopped in Bermuda for a beach day on a private island, took a catamaran ride and snorkeled in St. Maarten, shopped in St. Thomas, and had another gorgeous beach day in Turks and Cacaos (my favorite port!) Sam had so much fun swimming, exploring the boat, eating delicious food, and most of all spending time with his uncles and grandparents :) It didn't take him long to get into vacation mode...he slept 11-12 hours every night which was definitely a highlight for his two very sleep deprived parents :) We came back feeling relaxed, refreshed, and ready for spring!

Below are just a few pictures from our fun family vacation in the Caribbean...

Princess Cays, Bermuda...1st stop!

Taking a dip in the ocean with Daddy :)

The beautiful, Ruby Princess!

Swimming with Grandpa!

Checking out Daddy's snorkeling gear...

Relaxing on the boat...

Soaking up some sun - cool shades!

Uncle Chris and Uncle David at dinner on formal night...they clean up nice!

St. Thomas

Swimming on the boat...Daddy is trying to pull him in!

Bathing beauties!

Taking a break in the shade...Carribean sun is intense!

Formal night in the dining room - Sam is checking out the water!

Me and my Mommy :)

Beach day in Turks and Cacos!

Shadow chasing on the beach!

Me and my brothers :)

My Family :)

Hanging out with Grandpa while he hydrates himself!

mmm...El Presidente, very refreshing!

Craig, Dad, and Chris at our last dinner on board - we are all missing the food terribly!

Mommy turns 30

2011-02-26T07:03:00.000-08:00

My boys made my 30th birthday extra special for me :)

Flowers, jewelry, romantic dinner with my husband, and cupcakes and cannoli's before bed!

DEElish! Hello 30 :)

The Flock Reunites!

2011-02-26T05:12:00.000-08:00

In honor of our 30th birthdays our flock met up in NYC for a big birthday celebration! It was the first time we had ALL been together in over 5 years!! Kat was our "hostess with the mostest" and showed us the best time :) I can't think of a better way to start a new decade...catching up with best friends over lunch, getting pampered with mani's, pedi's, & massages, dinner & drinks, a slumber party, and Sunday brunch!

Lexi, Bethie, & Katty

Lexi & Lo...grrrrr ;)

Me & Kat...my friend since 9th grade :)

B & Lex

Kat & Lo

Lex, Lo, and Me

Sam & Murphy

2011-02-26T04:48:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago Sam and I went to visit my Oma (grandmother) who lives just a few towns away from us. The whole family was there which meant that Sam & and his cousin Murphy got to have a play date :) He even shared his animal crackers with her (a big deal!).

A game of tag around the coffee table...

Being silly :) We are so happy to live close to family again!

Blizzard & a Birthday

2011-01-24T04:41:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago we had our 1st blizzard of the season! If you look closely you can see our Christmas tree in the window (top right corner).

Getting ready to go sledding!

Sam makes Craig do all of the work :)

My youngest brother, David, turned 22 on January 9th. Sam couldn't have been more excited to help his uncle celebrate!

And Oma could not cut the cake fast enough for Sam...

Digging in...Happy Birthday, Uncle David :)

Christmas Day 2010

2011-01-12T05:50:00.000-08:00

SANTA CAME...presents!!

Literally roaring with excitement...he got The Lion King!

He found a helicopter in his stocking :)

Breaking out his new tool set with Daddy!

Santa brought Gus a new rope!

A Lightening McQueen Tent!

Daddy got Sam a remote control car...this was definitely a favorite!

New sneaks for mommy and daddy :)

Sam brought all of his new toys into his tent...and then made mommy and daddy squeeze in there too!

Christmas dinner...filet, scalloped potatoes, stuffing, and green beans...mmm!

Made it through the first 10 minutes of The Lion King and crashed...what a wonderful Christmas!

What we were up to on Christmas Eve...

2010-12-26T13:39:00.000-08:00

Of course we waited until Christmas Eve to visit Santa, why not? We did the same thing last year so Craig and I decided this will now be a Cochran tradition :)

Even with a lolly pop bribe we could not convince Sam to sit on Santa's lap :( Oh well, he agreed to the horse so we were grateful for that!

After visiting Santa and some last minute shopping, our cousins came over to spend the evening with us :) We always have so much fun when they visit - especially Sam! We exchanged gifts, ate a ton, and tracked Santa's where-a-bouts on the ipad.

Before bed, we finished frosting Santa's cookies. Sam insisted on making sure they were yummy enough for Santa!

Cookie #2...

Wrapped and ready to go for the big guy!

Check out my extra handy (and handsome!) husband putting Sam's new easel together - he finished at 11:30pm and did a GREAT job! The look on Sam's face when he saw the finished product on Christmas morning was priceless!

Time for bed...we had this crazy idea that since Sam didn't nap on Christmas Eve that he would "sleep in" the next morning...OH NO! He was up at 12:30am, 2am, 4am, 6am, and finally got mommy and daddy out of bed at 7am :) Or at least I think it was 7...I was still half asleep!

A chilly trip to Frog Pond

2010-12-17T18:41:00.000-08:00

After dinner tonight we decided to drive downtown to Frog Pond in the Boston Commons to check out the ice skating rink and holiday lights. We bundled up, jammed out to Christmas music in the car, and embraced the cold! Sam loved all of the excitement and had to be bribed with hot cocoa to get him back in the car :) I have a feeling there will be more of these trips this holiday season!

Perfecting our cookies for Santa...

2010-12-16T05:50:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since my last blog...geesh!!

We have been keeping busy this holiday season! Last weekend we made our 1st batch of Christmas cookies for Santa :) This was just to practice and to taste test...Sam was VERY excited about this! He was a great helper and I know he will be happy to do it again on Christmas Eve...Santa is in store for some very yummy sugar cookies!

Funny story...in the picture above (Sam is holding an egg) and before we cracked it he said..."hmmm a baby bird is in here, let's find it!"

Helping Daddy mix...besides sampling, this was Sam's favorite part!

Counting our cookies hot out of the oven!

1st bite :)

Admiring the sprinkles...

Some of the final product...we frosted and sprinkled the next batch (no picture though). This was a yummy night!

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-07T18:26:00.000-08:00

Carving pumpkins before we head out trick-or-treating!

Sam is an excellent pumpkin scooper!

Craig managed to get my Gus in this shot...too bad he's not paying attention!

Daddy and happy Sam :)

Spiderman says,"Let's GO!"

Sam decides riding his bike is the best way to get around the neighborhood...fast!

Found his first house...

He is already saying "trick-or-treat" before the door even opens :) We also practiced saying "thank you" after he gets the treat...he put his own twist on it and said "dank you" and "danks!"

Made it to our favorite street...no cars, lots of kids, great decorations!

Gross!

Loved this house!

Grandma Jane visits Boston!

2010-11-05T19:47:00.000-07:00

We were all so excited to have Grandma Jane fly to Boston for a visit last week! We took her to our favorite spot in Boston while she was here - the Boston Garden - it was a gorgeous fall day!

Back to LookOut Farm!

2010-10-30T14:38:00.000-07:00

The train ride alone is why we came back to LookOut Farm this year for apple picking - Sam loves riding around the farm on the choo-choo train!

Craig took Sam into the corn maze which he loved!

Climbing the mountain of hay!

Sam's 1st pony ride :)

This was a BIG boy slide!

Getting ready to ride the caterpillar...

Time for a snack...hot popcorn!

Still snacking on the train ride to the apple orchard...

These were the biggest apples we have EVER seen!!

Digging in :)

Finding just right apples to bring home...

Happy with his picks!

As if popcorn and apples were not enough...we couldn't go home without having an apple cider donut!

Touch-a-Truck!

2010-10-15T15:14:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago Craig and Sam went to an event called Touch-a-Truck. A dream come true for Sam!! He got to touch a fire truck (and use the hose!), police car, ambulance, and every construction vehicle imaginable! Here are some snap shots of what the boys got to see...and touch!

Back to visit our friends

2010-10-15T15:01:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we decided to go back to the Boston Garden to see our duck friends before winter arrives and it's too chilly. Sam was thrilled and went through a whole loaf of bread in 20 minutes flat! We had quite the crowd of hungry ducks...and toddler!

Craig tried to explain to to Sam that the bread is for the ducks but he had his own agenda....

A piece of bread for the ducks followed by a piece for Sam! Needless to say Sam was not hungry for lunch :) He ate about 6 pieces...

1st day of Nursery School!

2010-10-02T07:41:00.000-07:00

My Sam had a BIG day at the beginning of this month...he had his first of day of nursery school!! We have him enrolled just once a week this year for socialization and practice being away from mommy for a few hours :) He had a GREAT 1st day and really enjoys school - or "gool" as he calls it! His favorite activities are painting, the train table, and using scissors (yikes!). He continues to have a difficult time saying good bye when I drop him off each Monday but according to his teacher Sam is smiling and running around 2 minutes after I walk out the door :) Sam says, "I like gool, Mommy!" We're proud of our Sam...

All dressed and ready for school - it was a rainy 1st day!

Playing at the train table with Sam's new friend, Kate :)

Progeria Race!

2010-09-26T06:01:00.000-07:00

On September 11th our family particpated in the 9th Annual International Race for Research to benefit the Progeria Foundation. The Patient Family Housing Program had an organized team for this race since we work closely with the families whose children were born with this extremely rare disease and are participating in a clinical trial at Boston Children's Hospital. Progeria is a rare, fatal genetic condition characterized by an appearance of accelerated aging in children. Progeria has a reported incidence of about 1 in 4 - 8 million newborns. It affects both sexes equally and all races. Below are some pictures from the race...it was an incredible day that we were all very proud to be apart of!

From left, Casey, Ana, myself & Sam, and Caroline...all getting ready to start the race!

Craig joined us in this picture, although he looks a bit distracted :)

Craig ran the race (and placed in the top 10 in his age group!) while Sam and I walked - he finished the race with us after his run.

Sam & Harry (our friend's puppy) ending the race - Harry needed a break!

Listening to Daddy's ipod during the awards ceremony...

Sam and Mommy :)

A day at the beach!

2010-09-22T06:54:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago we headed to the beach...it was a gorgeous day!

After feeling how cold the water was Sam made a run for it and deserted his wheelbarrow! "TOO COLD" he shouted at the water :)

Hmmm, how will I get that wheelbarrow back?

Craig tried to get Sam to dip his feet...no luck!

Loved watching the waves but only in mommy's arms :)

Relaxing with Gus after a busy day!

The Franklin Park Zoo

2010-09-17T18:44:00.000-07:00

Over Labor Day weekend we took a trip the Franklin Park Zoo. Such a fun day with Sam!

Rough night?

Had to ride down the slide a few times before we ended our zoo trip!

Haha, Sam was not impressed with the wooden horse - he was looking to go for a ride on the real thing!

Happy Birthday to my Gus

2010-09-17T18:28:00.000-07:00

Gus turned 5 on August 5th :) Our family had a fun day celebrating with our furry family member! We spent most of the day outside on the playground and walking around the neighborhood. We ended our day eating birthday cake of course!! Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting - Gus LOVED it!

Sam was waaaaaay more excited about singing the birthday song and blowing out the candles than Gus was!

Happy Birthday!

Enjoying his cake...

Resting after a fun filled birthday...we love you, Gus!

Uncle John, Aunt Jessie, Jackson & Molly Visit Boston!

2010-08-04T18:38:00.000-07:00

We had GREAT time when John, Jessie and the kids came to Boston last week! Sam loved playing with his cousins...it makes us wish we could all live closer!

After visting the seals outside of the Aquarium we walked to the water to check out the boats and take in some salty air :)

My family :) I only wish my Gus was in this picture too!

A 2 year old's dream...a huge, moving boat...Sam was excited to see the flag too!

Waiting to take the T with Jackson and Molly...

Tubby time is the best way to end a fun day!

Summer trip to MI

2010-07-23T18:47:00.000-07:00

We had a great time in MI visiting family a few weeks ago!

At the beginning of our trip we took Sam to a super fun water park down the street from Grandma Jane's house...he loved it!

Splashing with Grandma Jane :)

We drove up north to Grandpa Bruce's cottage for a night - we rode on the boat, did some fishing, ate some great food, and enjoyed visiting with everyone.

Driving the boat...big boy!

Mommy enjoying the quiet time :)

The boys...

Fishing for the 1st time with Daddy.

Showing mommy the yucky worms! Of course Sam LOVED them.

Checking out Grandpa Bruce's catch...a bass!

Sam reeling in his very 1st fish!!

It was a small fishy and unfortunately it's a blur in this picture - but as you can see, a very proud moment for Sam :)

A great picture of Kyle & Sam after his big catch :)

We spent out last day watching the World Cup at Uncle Derek and Aunt Sara's house...the cousins needed some fresh air mid game!

Molly, Jackson, Connor, & Sam.

4th of July

2010-07-17T04:59:00.000-07:00

Our family had a busy, fun filled 4th of July! We started the day with a Swan Boat ride around the Boston Garden...

Seeing the ducklings was Sam's highlight! He had a ball feeding the ducks with Craig and I...these ducks are not shy!!

It was a hot day so we chose to re-hydrate with a cold watermelon ice, mmm!

We headed over to Boston Common so Sam could ride the carousel - he chose the frog again!

What a view!! Sam and Craig took a quick dip to cool off...

Sam and Daddy watching the boats drive by on the Charles...we were hoping to see the fireworks but they didn't start until 10:30pm - too late for a toddler! Soooo we watched them on tv instead :) They were amazing on tv so I can imagine how neat it is to see the fireworks live! Maybe next year...

Summer Happenings

2010-07-16T17:04:00.000-07:00

It's been a great summer so far! We've headed to Nantasket Beach in Hull, MA and have spent many weekends in Plymouth, MA with my family. Here are a few snapshots :)

The Boys!

2010-06-06T06:07:00.000-07:00

For last few weekends we have been lucky enough to spend time with family! My brother Chris was in town for a few days so it was great for Sam to see his Uncle Chris :)

Since David is on summer break Sam gets to spends lots of time with his Uncle David!

Quick cat nap on the way to the beach...

YAY! Grandpa (or "Grandba" as Sam calls him) was also in town this week...Sam loves playing with his Grandba!!

Playing with Uncle David...

Here I come!

Cheeeeeeeeeese :)

Tubby Fun!

2010-05-18T11:05:00.000-07:00

Spring time in Boston...

2010-05-01T04:52:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was gorgeous! We were outside all day on Saturday exploring Boston...our 1st stop was the playground.

Sam loved the clubhouse!

Next stop was Boston Common and the carousel - Sam went on twice, once with mommy and then with daddy!

Weeeeeeeeee!

A great view of the city...right behind us!

Sam got a balloon from some new friends he made :)

We ended our day in the Boston Garden with an ice cream cone...one that Sam would not share with his parents...stinker!

Happy Birthday, Craig!

2010-04-24T04:02:00.000-07:00

On April 5th we celebrated Craig's 29th Birthday! It was a great day that ended with delicious pink cake :) I let Sam pick out the kind of cake we were going to make for Daddy's birthday - he chose white cake with pink frosting, hahaha! I tried to encourage chocolate or vanilla frosting but he was VERY insistant on the pink so I gave in :) I had to post this picture of the birthday boy and his very masculine cake!

Happy Birthday, Craig...we love you!

2010 Easter Egg Hunt

2010-04-21T04:19:00.000-07:00

Sam got so excited to find 2 eggs at once he fell over!

Quick break to say hello to his shadow - his new favorite game!

Quickly snapped this shot as Sam was running off to the next spot to look for more eggs.

Inspecting the loot :)

Not giving up until all eggs are found!

On Easter Sunday we had an Easter Egg hunt for all of the children staying at The Yawkey Family Inn. Since we live here (and I organized it) Sam participated too - and he loved every minute of it! He opened each egg to sneek a peek at what was inside before putting them into his Easter bag...very curious :) It was a gorgeous morning for an egg hunt and all of the kids had a great time!

Preparing for the Easter Bunny!

2010-04-20T04:24:00.000-07:00

(I know, I know...I'm a little behind on my blogs! But I feel like with all of the March/April birthdays and then Easter I have an excuse, right?)

A sneek peek of the final product!

Setting up and getting started...Sam could hardly contain himself!

Busy boy!

Sam loved this activity - so much different from coloring eggs last year! He insisted on doing everything all by himself...and he did a great job :)

Chuck E. Cheese!

2010-04-17T05:18:00.000-07:00

We had Sam's family birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese a few days after he turned 2. He had a blast!! Here are some pictures of Sam's day...

Aunt Doreen, Hannah, & Murphy :)

Playing a game with Grandma Jane.

Taking a ride with the rat...

Sam's CARS birthday cake...Tow Mater was on there too but he insisted on holding him.

Getting ready to blow out the candles...

Family picture :)

Aunt Doreen, Sam, & Oma.

mmm, cake!

Hello 2!

2010-04-09T04:43:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to our little Sam! He turned 2 years old on March 26th. We had a great day with Sam, despite the rainy weather!

While Daddy was at work, Grandma Jane and I took Sam to his favorite toy store and then out for birthday lunch at the Cheesecake Factory.

Staring out with bread and butter and then onto grilled cheese and french fries, yum!

Sam's favorite food is pizza so he helped Grandma Jane make homemade pizza dough - he loved helping AND making a mess!

So happy to be with our little boy on his special day!

Vroom, vroom! A quilt of the U.S. from Grandma Jane and cars - he can drive all over the country now!

A Dr. Seuss book from Grandpa Bruce!

A new Tee Ball set :)

Sam's 1st bike! We are all set for Spring :)

mmm, birthday cake!

Making his wish? Or thinking about playing with fire?

Enjoying every minute of this :) The perfect way to end a birthday!

SURPRISE!

2010-04-03T12:41:00.000-07:00

Last week my Aunt Doreen and I threw my mom a surprise 50th birthday party! It was a really fun party and the best part was that my mom was REALLY surprised! The look on her face was priceless and I will always remember it! Here are just a few pictures from the party...

These are a few I snapped while setting up...we had the party in Duxbury, MA at our friend Cheryl's clubhouse.

The cake (below) is my mom's favorite - almond flavored cake with buttercream frosting, delicious! I HIGHLY recommend it :)

SURPRISE!

Chatting, eating, and opening presents...

My wonderful mother-in-law, Jane (below), was in town and was able to come to the party too! It was so nice that she was able to celebrate with us :)

My mom celebrated her 50th with wonderful friends, great wine, yummy food, and fabulous presents! I had so much fun putting together such a memorable night for my mommyloo :)

Banana Pancakes & Tubby Time!

2010-03-24T04:30:00.000-07:00

Meet my new assisstant in the kitchen :) Sam loves helping me cook and his few favorite is banana pancakes. Here are a few shots of him adding/mixing the bananas.

Tubby time is still one of my favorite times of day with Sam. He loves splashing, playing with his boats, and practicing his letter sounds. He has mastered almost every sound with the exception of a few vowels - I am a very proud mama!

Tonight was extra special becasue Daddy was able to join us for tubby time too!

Faneuil Hall & a Delicious Italian Cookie!

2010-03-09T10:37:00.000-08:00

My friend Sarah came to visit us this weekend so on Saturday we headed to Faneiul Hall to walk around enjoy the gorgeous weather!

Sam found bird to chase around which he found to be VERY entertaining! You can see his feather friend flying away probably terrified for his life! Sam looks gentle, right?

Look at that face!! We tried a few times to take a picture but all he wanted was his snack :)

My friend Sarah took this adorable picture on our drive home...he must be thinking about lunch!

mmm...what a great way to end a fun day in Boston! Sam loved every minute of this delicious Italian cookie that we picked up at Mike's Pastry on our way home...he polished it off in minutes!

A Taste of Spring

2010-03-07T09:41:00.000-08:00

We made it to the playground 2 days in a row!! Sam LOVES running around outside, swinging, and chasing bubbles. The fresh air felt wonderful and makes us hope that spring is around the corner :)

A New Friend

2010-02-25T12:01:00.001-08:00

Suffolk University hosted a Valentine's Day Party at the house earlier this month. And as you can see their masscot came along too! Sam wasn't too sure about this ram at first - we brought him down to the party just minutes after he woke up from his afternoon nap. Needless to say Sam was a bit grouchy for most of the party! It took about 20 minutes for him to warm up to the ram and by the time we were ready to go he was giving the ram high 5's and taking pictures. I think Sam's highlight was the Valentine cookie that he scarfed down!

Play Time & a Birthday!

2010-01-30T18:12:00.000-08:00

Sam's favorite winter hang out!

Relaxing after a busy morning of playing!

The boys slaving in the kitchen making Mommy's birthay cake - look at those faces! I think a nap is in order after all of that baking :)

Just a taste please!

Celebrating 29 years of life with my 3 favorite boys :)

Quickly making my wish before Sam dives into the candles! This cake, by the way, was DELICIOUS!! I have quite the bakers in my house :)

Mommy & Daddy came home from their date with some yummy treats to share with Sam! Cannolis from Mikes Pastry, mmm :)

Heaven!

haha...look at that face! A new taste for Sam - don't worry, he came back for seconds!

Christmas 2009

2010-01-29T17:33:00.000-08:00

Santa came!!

Sam decided to sleep in on Christmas morning so Gus opened the 1st gift of the day! Santa brought him a new bone :)

It didn't take Sam long to find the remote control car that Daddy bought for him! It took what seemed like forever before he was ready to move on to the next gift - he LOVES cars, or "crrrrs" as he likes to say :)

MORE crrrrs!!

And another...

Wow - Santa really went overboard with the cars, huh? :)

Sam is just getting into the CARS movie - we read this book every single day!

Showing off Sam's favorite book from Santa :)

Gus gave Sam some new puzzles!

We had a very Merry Christmas this year. Craig and I kept saying how strange it felt to be spending the day in a place other than Kansas...we spent quite a few Christmas's there! We had a quiet day with lots of present opening, lots of eating, and lots of family time - it doesn't get any better than that! We look forward to many more Christmas's in Boston :)

Snow & Santa!

2009-12-30T10:44:00.000-08:00

Our 1st snow storm in Boston...time to play!

Yes, that is Craig hiding behind that scary ski mask!

Waiting to see Santa!
We were hoping that Sam would he happy while sitting on his lap this year...

But he saw the beard and started to tear up...

"Mama, Mama!" he shouts!

Still not happy - even with Mama and a lollipop! We'll try again next year :)

Some December Highlights

2009-12-29T10:55:00.000-08:00

Visiting the Christmas tree in Faneuil Hall.

This is Sam very excited about the tree!

Quick stop to visit the sea lions at the Aquarium.

Sam could spend hours watching the sea lions swim by!

1st snowman of the season!

Sam with his friends at a Christmas party...as you can see, he was more interested in the train set around the tree than taking a picture!

Our little tree!! We decided on a 4.5 ft. tree this year instead of our 9 ft. tree which remains in the basement - definitely the perfect "apartment" tree :)

Sam sharing his morning snack with his best friend, Gus.

Modeling mommy's boots!

Sam and Daddy's nightly activity - playing with the train set downstairs! Sam has really perfected his "Choo-Choo!" over the last few weeks :) He has become quite the little chatter box!

Learning how to be the conductor.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-27T05:46:00.000-08:00

The Cochran's had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year! As you can see, Sam thoroughly enjoyed the pie eating part :) He ate my pie AND Craig's pie...piggy!

Doubling fisting forks to ensure he gets down as much pie as possible!

Sam is working off all of that pie flying around the playroom!

Thankful for my happy, healthy family!

and my Gus!

Batman!

2009-11-06T18:00:00.000-08:00

Sam had a great Halloween this year - as you can see he was Batman! The picture above was taken a few days before Halloween - Sam was on his way to his 1st Halloween Party :)

Sam refused to wear his Batman mask on Halloween night - we tried but he was very insistant on keeping it OFF! The picture above was taken before we started our Trick-or-Treating adventure!

Sam is ready to go!

We walked a few blocks up from our house to a street that is completely blocked off on Halloween - no cars allowed so the kids can safely run around from house to house. I was so impressed - this neighborhood was decked out with ALL the Halloween decorations! Sam loved just standing in front of each hosue looking at the lights and listening to the spooky music!

Our 1st house!

Craig did a great job teaching Sam how the whole "Trick-or-Treating" thing works! Didn't take Sam long to figure it out :)

Just a few of the houses we visited...

Sam tasted his first sour patch kid in the picture above...he made the yucky face but then asked for more!

Sam's loot :)

A Visit to the USS Constitution

2009-10-23T18:07:00.000-07:00

Grandpa Bruce and Jill came to see us last weekend - we had a really nice visit and enjoyed some great sight seeing too!

Sam loved spending time with his Grandpa Bruce! Here are the boys before we toured inside of the USS Constitution.

These pictures were taken before we got on the boat, inside the museum.

On the ship - a perfect escape for our little Sam!

In front of the ship with Grandpa Bruce and Jill :) What a fun day!

Fun with Grandma Jane!

2009-10-19T09:51:00.000-07:00

Sam showing Grandma Jane the seals at the New England Aquarium.

"Where did they go?" Sam always wondered what happened when the seals swam away.

And they swam back!

About to ride the carousel for the 1st time!

We were worried if Sam would let us take him off of his horsey!

You can see that Sam is VERY proud of himself :)

Sam found a fountain to play in!

He was shy for the first few mintues, but then ran right up to the water - he even managed not to get soaking wet, just a little damp :)

Sam wanted to show Grandma Jane and Mommy the fountain too!

Plymouth, MA

2009-10-12T11:06:00.000-07:00

We decided to take a quick trip to Plymouth this weekend while Grandma Jane is visiting :) We walked around downtown Plymouth on Saturday - Sam loved looking at the boats in the harbor and we also stopped to check out Plymouth Rock. Before we left we made sure Grandma Jane had a hot bowl of New England Clam "Chowdah!" Here are some pictures of our day...

There it is - Plymouth Rock.

Apple Picking at LookOut Farm!

2009-10-03T09:41:00.000-07:00

Apple picking with Sam this year was a blast! He had so much fun picking up as many apples as his little hands would let him and throwing them into his apple bag :) LookOut Farm is great place to pick all kinds of delicious fruit - apples, peaches, strawberries, grapes, & asian pears. There is also a petting zoo, train rides, playgrouds, a bounce house and lots of other fun things for kids!

Determined to pick up as many apples as possible!

Open your eyes Sam - look how many apples you have!

Time to taste test!

Macnintosh apples are Sam's favorite!

Delicious!

Mommy & Sam :)

Looking for just the right apple to pick!

Sam spotted an airplane flying over the orchard.

Lots of space to run and play :)

Hanging out under the grape vines - they were so good!

Back on the train...time to go home!

The Boston Children's Museum.

2009-10-02T13:06:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we brought Sam to the Boston Children's Museum - the three of us had so much fun!! His favorite exhibits were the ones that had a ball or cars. These are some pictures of our day...

Family Time!

2009-10-01T12:48:00.000-07:00

We are so lucky to be close to family again! Sam loves spending time with his cousins, Hannah and Baby Murphy :)
Watching Max & Ruby (our favorite cartoon!) with Mommy during our weekend in Plymouth.

Helping Daddy stock the fridge with beer for our family BBQ.

Sam is under that sippy cup somewhere! He loved sitting with his cousin Paul and Baby Murphy.

They match!

Playground Fun!

2009-09-28T10:56:00.000-07:00

Some recent pictures of Sam at his favorite palygroud! There is a large fountain for the kids to run through in the middle of the playgroud - unfortunately it is turned off after Labor Day though. But as you can see, Sam is still happy running around the fountain (looking for the water).

He stops and asks us (in his toddler language of course) "where is the water?"

Weeeeeeeeeeeeee!

He stopped just long enough for me to take his picture - lucky me :)

Our 1st Trip to the New England Aquarium

2009-09-07T06:07:00.000-07:00

Last week we took our 1st trip to the New England Aquarium - it was great! Sam loved looking at the penguins and sharks best. We will definitely make another trip soon. Above Sam is pointing the penguins and below he is showing us the fish. Sam stood in this window for a long time watching the animals swim around and around.

Lots of fish and SHARKS!

Below Sam is waving to the trains - we took the T into Boston from our apartment for this outing. He loved riding on the trains! He is also sitting with his new Penguin friend that he wanted from the gift shop :)

Vegging out after a very busy day at the Aquarium!

Pit Stop in Michigan

2009-09-05T04:49:00.000-07:00

On our very long drive from Kansas to Massachusetts we made a two day stop in Michigan to spend time with family and strech our legs. It was so great to see everyone! Above is a picture of Craig with his brothers, John and Derek.

Craig, Sam and Grandpa Bruce.

Sam with his cousins - from left...Connor, Molly, & Jackson, and his Grandma Jane - Sam was not a happy boy in this picture!

Uncle Derek, Uncle John, and Craig with their kiddies!

Aunt Sara, Aunt Jessie and Aunt Sarah with their kiddies.

Quiet time with cousins before we hit the road in the morning!

Good Bye, Lowe Place.

2009-09-04T18:30:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of our last few days on Lowe Place, a home that will always be a very special one to our family...

(at the very top of the picture below, you'll see what Craig left behind...)

I must say, it was very sad when it was time to drive away from our home on Lowe Place. This October would have been 5 years that we have lived in that house. It is where Craig and I started our lives together, welcomed our doggy Gus into our family, said a tearful good bye to eachother for a 15 month deployment, welcomed our beautiful son, Sam, into the world, made some amazing friends, and so much more...I could go on and on :) I just didn't realize how much it felt like home to me until it was time to go. Although we were ready for the next chapter, it was certainly a bittersweet goodbye for everyone in our family.

The last memory I have before driving off is a great one...Craig and Sam found a HUGE tree in front of our house - it must be hundreds of years old! - Craig tossed his boots up as high as he could until they clung to the tree...we are hoping they will stay there for many years to come. I think it was Craig's way of keeping a part of him at Fort Riley - good closure :)

We'll miss you, Lowe Place!

Hello, Blog!

2009-08-21T18:43:00.000-07:00

I have not been a good blogger lately! However I think I have a very valid reason - we moved! Enough said, right? Oh my goodness I completely forgot how overwelming and stressful moving can be - with a toddler no less! We did it though and we could not be happier :)

Last month I accepted a job at Children's Hospital Boston. I will be the resident house manager at the Yawkey Family Inn - a beautiful home located in Brookline, Massachusetts for patient families to stay while their little ones go through treatment at the hospital. Children’s Hospital refurbished an old Victorian style home into a home-away-from-home for patient families. This is a warm, welcoming place for the families to stay and I feel so blessed to be apart of such an amazing community. I have not started working yet (next week) but already I have met some wonderful people and can see what a positive and supportive enviornment this house offers these families who are going through such a difficult time. I am really looking forward to working here and will keep you updated on how things go!

Our family is still settling into our new apartment - we went from a 3 bedroom home to a 2 bedroom apartment so we are adjusting to our new arrangement but are really happy! Sam and Gus are both doing really well and are happy to be back in a routine again :) Driving half way across the county really put a dent into that routine my boys love so much! Craig and I are having a great time exploring and getting to know the Boston area - I'm sure I'll be blogging lots about the new places our family visits!

I have lots of pictures to share but Sam is fast asleep and my camera just so happens to be in his room - I would be crazy to take the chance of going in there to find it (in the dark!). So...I'll have to post some recent pictures in my next blog. And now I'm off to the couch! Thanks for checking in with us :)

Oma & Grandpa

2009-07-28T14:25:00.000-07:00

A few pictures of Sam with is Oma and Grandpa :)

Our 4th of July Celebration

2009-07-06T09:34:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful 4th of July this year filled with swimming, delicious bbq, great company, and awesome fireworks - a perfect way to celebrate our country's birthday :) Here are some pictures of our day...

Our family :)

Amiee, Junior, Sam, and I waiting for the fireworks to begin!

Craig's Fathers Day :)

2009-07-03T17:36:00.000-07:00

I am a little behind on blogging but wanted to share a few pictures from Father's Day. We had a great day together! Here are some highlights - cinnomon rolls for breakfast, presents, playing outside, a long walk, and a delicious steak dinner...mmm! Sam and Gus are so lucky to have such a wonderful daddy - I couldn't have asked for a more loving and devoted father for my boys! We love you, Craig :)

1st REAL haircut :)

2009-06-21T14:59:00.000-07:00

Sam had his 1st real haircut at the barbershop today and I am happy to report it was a success! He cried at the beginning but once the hair dresser gave him a magazine to look at he was fine :) Craig and I were shocked that something like that could hold his attention for so long!

This is SO much easier than Craig and I cutting Sam's hair!

Almost done!

What a handsome boy we have :)

All of that hair cutting made someone hungry!

My Little Soccer Star!

2009-06-16T15:04:00.000-07:00

Sam's new favorite outdoor game - chasing his soccer ball! He is still learning how to kick the ball so we have been doing that part and then he chases it :)

He is so proud of himself when he gets his hands on the ball and always shows us that he did it! Sam also loves running around the basketball court in our backyard (so convienent!) You can see our house in this picture too - the limestone straight ahead :)

Cuttest little face!

Time to go...

Go Tigers!

2009-05-27T15:22:00.000-07:00

This year we spent our Memorial Day in Kansas City and saw the Detroit Tigers play the Kansas City Royals. Sam's Uncle Derek, Aunt Sara, and cousin Connor gave him his very own Tigers jersey for his 1st birthday - Craig was so excited to put it on Sam for the game! It must have been good luck because the Tigers won 13-1 :)

Sam found the old drunk men behind us to be very entertaining :)

Our Pool Day

2009-05-25T17:46:00.000-07:00

Sam had a great day at the pool this weekend :) He quickly discovered the duckie slide in the kiddie pool and loved it! The water was freezing but that didn't stop Sam - he had a ball! I see many more pool days in our future...

hello summer :)

2009-05-23T07:42:00.000-07:00

Sam's 1st dip in his new hippo pool!

And after about 10 seconds, he was ready to come out!

He was much more content running around in his diaper chasing his new soccer ball and picking flowers...we'll try the hippo pool again another day!

A Very Busy Boy!

2009-05-15T14:34:00.000-07:00

Sam occasionally enjoys watching Sesame Street IN my pot!

This keeps Sam busy for hours - it's wonderful :-)

Waving to the firetruck!

Sam often kicks Gus out of his crate so that he can play in it.

We have a pasta lover!!

Mother's Day

2009-05-13T15:05:00.000-07:00

These are what my boys wore for me on Mother's Day this year :-) I was so impressed that Craig made these - definitely the most thoughtful gift ever!!
Too cute!
My little helper :-)

Lowe Place Friends

2009-04-30T09:40:00.001-07:00

We have been extremely fortunate to have made such wonderful friends while living on Fort Riley. Our neighborhood on Lowe Place has been such a blessing to our family because we have made lifelong friendships with some incredible people! We have had to say good bye to several dear families over the last year which has been difficult but that's military life - the sad part! Our most recent farewell was to the Phillips family last week :-( We really miss them! Above are some pictures of the Phillips family, Ness family, and our family in our Lowe Place backyard.

A very belated birthday gift...

2009-04-20T14:48:00.001-07:00

We finally finished sanding and staining Sam's new rocking chair - a very belated birthday gift! He loves it and has climbed in and out of his new chair about 100 times already :-) He looks like such a big boy when he sits in it!!

Tulip Festival in Wamego

2009-04-19T08:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a beautiful spring day so we decided to drive to Wamego, KS for their annual Tulip Festival. We did a lot of walking around - looked at many of the tulip gardens, saw some animals, checked out what the local vendors were selling and ate funnel cake (highlight of the festival for Craig and Sam!)

Our Easter Sunday

2009-04-12T19:57:00.000-07:00

We had a really nice, quiet Easter Sunday today. It was fun watching Sam open his Easter gifts and play with the eggs :-) Unfortunately it rained all day so we weren't able to play outside - so we stayed dry inside and read many of the new books the Easter Bunny delivered to Sam! Aaand ate WAY too much strawberry shortcake :-) But calories don't count on holidays, right?

Getting ready for the Easter Bunny!

2009-04-11T18:49:00.000-07:00

Today we dyed our easter eggs! Sam pointed to the blue dye so he has a blue easter egg :-)
Sam helped me color an egg for Gus too - Gus has a yellow egg!

Going into this we were expecting lots of spills and cracked eggs but Sam did great!!

Sam helped Daddy dye his egg too!

I included this picture to show you that we have a walker now! Over the last week or so Sam has been walking non-stop...it's so cute! We are very proud of him :-)

My favorite person was born TODAY!

2009-04-05T20:35:00.000-07:00

A quick blog to wish my husband a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Unfortunately it is another birthday spent apart (he is away this weekend) but we plan on celebrating as a family when he returns :-) Sam, Gus and I are sending him lots of birthday hugs and kisses and can't wait for him to come home so we can sing Happy Birthday and eat CAKE!! We love you, birthday boy :-)

Tow Mater, My Bookworm, & Gus!

2009-04-04T20:14:00.000-07:00

Get ready for a random blog...

Sam is obsessed with his new Tow Mater truck that he received for his birthday - he recently figured out how to use his legs to push himself along :-) Gus was NOT happy about this discovery!
He keeps his tonka trucks under the seat - aaaand takes them all out and puts them back about 10 times a day!

I asked Sam to show me how he reads...hmmm, interesting pre-reading skills my little one has!

And this is Sam kissing his book, haha :-)

Random picture, I know - but Gus rarely finds a good spot to nap since Sam is EVERYWHERE! Such a sweet doggie :-)

A Spring Snow Storm...

2009-03-31T13:21:00.000-07:00

After weeks of beautiful spring weather we got hit with a snow storm this past weekend! Only a few inches but it felt very strange after being in flip flops for over a month! This was the first time Sam was able to play in the snow since we were in FL the last time it snowed here - way back in December!
He felt most comfortable holding on to this tree :-) His little feet didn't even sink down into the snow at first, haha!

Gus loved the snow waaaay more than Sam did! He barked and ran around like a crazy dog the whole time we were outside playing.

And this is how Sam told us it was time to go inside :-) How cute!

Sam's Sesame Street Birthday Party!

2009-03-31T13:04:00.000-07:00

On March 27th - the day after Sam turned 1 - we had a Sesame Street themed birthday party at our house. Good neighbors and friends attended to celebrate Sam's 1st birthday over pizza, cake, and presents :-) Here are some pictures of Sam's 1st birthday party...

Our little Sam is 1!!!

2009-03-29T18:47:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun celebrating Sam's 1st birthday! He turned 1 on March 26th. We went about our usual routine on his special day except Sam was given a present to open every few hours :-) By dinner time he was a pro at tearing through wrapping paper!
A new farm from Daddy and Mommy.

Fridge magnets that play music :-)
This Sesame Street bag kept Sam busy for a LONG time! It took him a while to figure out that there was a gift inside :-)

YAY - new tonka cars to drive around the house!!

Sam was VERY busy with his new toys so I was lucky to get a second of his time for a picture!

This is such a fun toy given to Sam by his Oma and Grandpa - it's just like a Tickle Me Elmo, except it's Cookie Monster!

A new Elmo book!

What a handsome 1 year old we have :-)

Mmmm - this was definitely a birthday highlight for Sam!

He ate every single crumb and when he realized it was gone, he started to lick the frosting off of his fingers, haha!

It amazes me that Sam has been apart of our lives for a whole year already! I am shocked at how quickly time is going by!! Sam's birthday was a bit emotional for me - I think because I just feel so truly happy and lucky to have such an amazing little boy! He has brought so much joy, love, and laughter into our home and I just don't know how we ever lived without him! Happy Birthday my sweet Sam :-)

Sunset Zoo

2009-03-28T07:19:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday we took Sam to the Sunset Zoo in Manhattan. It was a great zoo day - it was really fun to watch Sam point and "talk" to the animals! His favorite were the chimps and otters. He threw a huge tantrum when we had to wave bye-bye to the chimps - he really liked looking at the mama holding her baby chimp :-) That was my favorite exhibit too! The otters were swimming and splashing around in their pond which was also really fun to watch!

Hail!

2009-03-27T07:10:00.000-07:00

Last week we had a pretty crazy storm with lots of strong wind, rain and hail! The hail was actually pretty small for a typical Kansas storm - about marble size pieces. Craig and I took Sam outside after it was all over to let him see and feel the hail that was still left on the ground.

Spring time in Kansas!

2009-03-23T10:08:00.000-07:00

We have been so fortunate this year - it has been such a mild winter here in Kansas with 1 or 2 snow falls and very warm temperatures! These last few months we've had many many 60, 70 and sometimes even 80 degree days!! We have definitely been taking advantage of the great weather, spending lots of time outside :-)

Sam loves going to the playground in our backyard - the swings are his favorite!

The picture below makes me laugh - every time we put Sam on a new playground toy, he cries! Only for a few seconds though and then once he decides that he's ok, he's back to "happy Sam."

Waiting for Daddy...

2009-03-22T15:02:00.000-07:00

Sam has a new favorite thing to do! When Craig takes Gus out for a walk around the loop in our backyard Sam pushes his play lion in front of the window and uses it as a stool. He hits and waves at the window to get Craig's attention and then patiently stands there until he can see the boys walking toward the house again - it is so cute! Sometimes I pick him up off of the lion and try to play with him but he goes right back to his spot at the window :-) Sam is a VERY busy little boy so I am always so surprised how he patiently stands at the window waiting for his Daddy and Gus to come home - and when he sees them coming towards the house I have to put my hands behind him so he doesn't fall because he jumps up and down with excitement, haha!

Hair Cut?

2009-03-12T19:25:00.000-07:00

Check out this wild and crazy hair Sam has! Craig enjoyed creating his bath tub hair style in the pictures below :-) But as you can see in my previous blog, Sam's hair is pretty long and out of control! Although I think what he has going now completely suits his personality, I see a 1st hair cut in the near future. It makes me so sad that our little baby boy is growing up so quickly!

The Bubble Wash!

2009-03-11T19:24:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we took our little corolla through the Bubble Wash - this was the first car wash for Sam :-) I know this is pretty silly to "blog" about, but his reaction to this new experience was super cute!

At first he was really excited because there was so much to look at! Although I forgot how noisy the Bubble Wash is because once the water started spraying I could tell Sam was nervous - he would quickly look out each window and then look at me to make sure this was all ok :-)

Sam is smiling in this picture above but he was actually starting to cry because we were in the "dryer" and it was really loud!

And as we drove away in our shiny car, Sam was relaxed and happy again :-) A very interesting first car wash experience for Sam!

He's 11 months!

2009-03-05T19:30:00.000-08:00

Sam is a very happy, very busy little 11th month old! If he's not going 100 miles an hour, then he is sittting quietly with his thumb in his mouth.

Look at that blonde hair! Who knew I would have a little blonde boy!

Sam loves hiding under his Sesame Street walker - he laughs when I find him!