Saturday
Our weekend began with a family walk around the neighborhood after a big pancake breakfast. Chase wanted to drive his Power Wheels Jeep so he had a blast steering it around while we all followed our little speedy driver. We didn’t have too much time to kill in the morning after our walk before our plans for the day took us to Mooresville to celebrate Tommy’s second birthday!
The party took place at my friend Carrie’s parents’ house on Lake Norman and the location was perfect for a summertime celebration. The kids splashed in the lake and had a blast jumping off the dock over and over again. The only way we managed to convince them to take a break was with the lure of birthday cake!
Once everyone had lunch and cake in their bellies, we headed back to the water for more swimming.
Also, this is a gross little side note, but I think I officially have a toddler on my hands who enjoys pooping in swim diapers. I mean just look at this little smirky smile…
(Outfit details: Top: Patrons of Peace via my latest Stitch Fix delivery/ High-waisted shorts: American Eagle / Hat: Wallaroo via Amazon)
We spent most of Saturday at the lake and made it home around 4 p.m. Ryder slept the whole way home (he also took a short nap before the party in the morning) and didn’t leave the house for the rest of the evening.
We hung out in our pajamas, grilled out in the backyard for dinner and made homemade chocolate chip cookies to pair with vanilla ice cream for dessert. Not a bad way to round out the day!
Oh and I must share this picture of Ryder with you guys from Saturday night because it made me laugh out loud. As Ryan and I were in the kitchen preparing the food for dinner, Chase proceeded to put almost all of my old race medals on his little brother. Ryder clink-clink-clinked into the kitchen and we burst out laughing!
Sunday
The first half of our Sunday was rather go-go-go. Both boys slept in until 7:30 a.m. (victory!) and then we took them to the morning siblings class at MyGym where they practiced their gymnastics skills and ran all over the place.
After MyGym, we popped into Target to grab some storage bins and arts and crafts supplies for a few crafty things I am hoping to do with the boys this week and then made our way to Birkdale Village for lunch.
We grabbed food from Cava and brought it outside for a little picnic.
Ryan and I both agreed that picnic-style is the best way to eat with our boys right now. Ryder just wants to move and be free and Chase has never loved hanging out at restaurants for a long time. Thankfully the summer weather was perfect for a little outside dining! After we were done eating, we made our way to the splash pad.
The whole lunch/Birkdale adventure wasn’t on our original plans for the morning so we didn’t have bathing suits for the boys but we made due.
Diaper Baby still had a blast!
We grabbed smoothies from Clean Juice for the boys before heading home and putting them both down for a nap.
Since Chase is only really napping two(ish) days a week lately, we weren’t sure if he’d actually sleep but I think several no-nap days in a row caught up to him and both Chase and Ryder napped for nearly two and a half hours. It was lovely and Ryan used their nap time to take Sadie on a walk while I worked on the computer.
By the time the boys were up, we were all feeling a little more energetic and ready to play!
We spent the rest of the afternoon at a nearby park where Chase could drive his Jeep in “turbo mode” while we played fetch with Sadie and Ryder kicked a soccer ball around. (And yes, I really do mean Ryder “kicked” a soccer ball… I need to capture his teeny soccer dribble on video because it blows our mind!)
Clearly Sadie’s affinity for choosing the biggest stick she can possibly find lives on!
When we arrived back home, we gave the boys baths, ordered pizza and cinnamon twists for dinner and called it an early night.
Plans for the week ahead include continuing with ISR and soaking up the final few weeks of summer with the boys! Chase doesn’t begin preschool until September so I’m seeing all of these kiddos go back to school already and we’re definitely not in that mode over here just yet. Hope you all have a great Monday and I hope to see you back here soon!
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Did you find candy canes?
Yes, thankfully!! WOOP!
Hi! First of all can you share your craft ideas for the boys? These next weeks before preschool starts need to be filled! Also, you said chase naps twoish days.. do you still try daily or just you can tell he needs it? Our first son turned 3 in July and naps have become battles and now he wakes up on the mornings between 5-630 and at least once in the middle of the night ( he never used to).. so I’m thinking it may be time to drop the nap. I’m just worried for those night we’re out and he can’t go to bed early.. any advice?
Yes!! I got a bunch of different bug-related craft ideas from this book I checked out from the library: http://bit.ly/2MYelx5
Today we painted rocks to look like ladybugs and tomorrow I’m hoping to do a butterfly craft using a toilet paper roll as its body and construction paper for wings!
The real question is, did Ryder poop in his regular diaper while at the splash pad? Or is he just a swim diaper pooper? Haha!
Ha!! Thankfully no. He seems to reserve his poops for swim diapers and reusable swim diapers only. Haha!
Didn’t you post at some point that you have a little red green alarm that tells Chase when it is late enough for him to get up? If so can you share the type of alarm it is? We are struggling with my daughter getting up when it is still night.
The Hatch Light!! It’s the best and you can control it from your phone! http://bit.ly/2N0adwy
I wish so much my 4-year-old still took ANY naps! I pushed and pushed and tried and tried, but I finally had to concede defeat for naps AND quiet time by the time she hit 4…she just wasn’t having any of it. Womp womp. At least my little guy who is the same age as Ryder still gives me two solid naps a day!
I’m sure you’ve mentioned this somewhere on your blog before, but what life jackets do you use for your kids? I’ve always had bad luck with kids’ life jackets for mine, since they seem to tip them over onto their faces. Have you also given Chase swim lessons?
Hi! We use the Stearns Puddle Jumper for Chase and this one by the same company for Ryder –> http://bit.ly/2YFvu5P
And yes, we’ve had Chase in swim lessons off and on since he was 6 months old! 🙂 We took a big break but started them up again in the spring. I just canceled them in August since we’re doing ISR for him now and hoping for more survival skills and faster progress.
We recently gave my 2 year old “turbo mode” on her John Deere Gator rider. The look of excitement on her face when she realized how fast she could go was priceless!
I also have your chicken thigh recipe marinating for dinner!
I was honestly shocked how fast that thing can move!!! Phew!! And hope you love the chicken thighs — a fav in our house for sure!
Every time I see a picture of Sadie I can’t believe how gray she’s gotten! Bless her! And Ryder’s poop smirk is hilarious. Our 1 year old gives us the funniest faces when he’s pooping. Kids are so funny!
I knooow! Little sugar face!!
I had to look at Ryan twice in the swim picture….umm it looks like he’s swimming El fresco! ?
I love Sadies grey!!
Ha! I actually thought the same thing when I uploaded it!
Chase and Ryder look so similar now I had to do a double take on the medal picture because I initially thought that was Chase!
HI JULIE!! i love your blog and sweet family! I am so inspired by everything you post and just LOVE coming over here to see what sweet little things you and your family have been up to. your blog just makes me happy! Have you ever done or would you consider doing a lifestyle type blog on budgeting/ meal planning? I can ALWAYS use more inspiration on those adulty things 🙂 Love from Fresno, California