Hague Happenings

My Little Valentines

2012-02-09T16:45:00.000-08:00

So BOTH boys are little heartbreakers today!! I took Chase to Locker Soccer, and he had NO interest in playing...He DID have interest in the 3 girls sitting together while their little sisters played soccer. He was such a flirt! He likes the older women, just like his daddy :)

Meanwhile, Mr. Grady went to school feeling very handsome in his new vest...

...And came home with a picture Miss Mia Rowe drew for him. What a day for the Hague brothers :)

Fashion Victim

2012-02-09T16:40:00.000-08:00

Chase has become very "vocal" about his fashion choices, which is throwing me for a loop! Grady loves everything I put on him...Chase, not so much. This is a few of his picks this weeks...socks & sandals? Ew....

He thinks these boots are everything!

2012-02-09T16:36:00.000-08:00

Uncle Scott got Grady a Vtech laptop, or what Grady calls his "ipad", for Christmas, and Grady cannot put it down!! Scott took it home after the holidays to install some games, pictures & activities, so we finally got it back, and I was sure Grady wouldn't get how it worked...boy, was I wrong!! He is playing all kinds of games, and is getting good! We go though 4 AA batteries a day!!

Morning!

2012-01-30T12:38:00.000-08:00

Chase refused to take his undershirt off last night when I put on his pj's, so I let him sleep with it and his sleep pants...WELL, this morning he refused to put his pants back on after I changed his diaper...DIVA!

Bros

I took a couple good morning pictures this morning...I don't usually send Nick pictures everyday, but seeing Chase's thighs, I couldn't resist!!

Say Aghhhhh

2012-01-23T13:05:00.000-08:00

The dentist cleaned Grady's teeth, counted them with him, and put vitamins on his teeth...she is really amazing with kids!! I highly recommend pediatric dentists!

Grady got to pick out his stickers, and he was so proud of his accomplishment!

Grady went to the dentist for the 2nd time, and boy, what a difference 6 months makes! He did awesome (by the way, 6 months ago he did UN-awesome), and he really let them walk him through it, and I got to just watch with Chase. I was so proud of him!!

A Great Read...

2012-01-23T13:03:00.000-08:00

This article is a great read for any parent who likes to keep it real....Here's to Kairos moments...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/glennon-melton/dont-carpe-diem_b_1206346.html

Happy 40th Scott!

2012-01-23T12:32:00.000-08:00

Nick took Scott to a Blue Jackets game to celebrate his BIG 4-0.
We had them put "happy 40th Scott" on the big board

Nick and Scott at the game...I had to wonder who took this picture, and what they thought :)
We put this yard sign in Scott's yard, and put orange cones that said "Caution: senior moment"

After church, a bunch of church members and I threw a surprise party for Scott....he had NO clue! He really seemed to have a great time!

We all told our favorite Scott stories, and laughed at the good ol days!

Chase LOVED the cake...he has his daddy's sweet tooth!!!

I can't believe I have another brother in his 40's! Sort of depressing, but I suppose it beats the alternative :) We celebrated Scott's 40th January 15th, and he had a great birthday! I could see the happiness in his face, and I was so glad we went all out for his day.

Scott has been a brother, father, mother, friend, mentor, uncle, therapist, doctor, carpenter, babysitter, and just, "my person"...I define your "person" as someone you call when you've done something really wrong, and they would be there no matter what, no matter what you did. They would help you move the body, pay your bail, and love you anyway. Scott's "my person".

Enough time has passed that most people don't know, or have forgotten, when Scott was 9 his mom died, and he became a professional big brother. He learned how to do my hair, played silly girl games, took me trick-or-treating, sacrificed weekends to babysit me, took me with him on teen group trips, watched girlie shows, drove me to church, and so many more things that had more to do with me than him. I will forever be grateful to him for being the bright spot in my childhood, and I hope to celebrate many, many more of his birthdays...

Grady Boy

2012-01-08T18:01:00.000-08:00

Grady has started gymnastics, and he really did a great job his first night! He followed all the instructions, and he really seemed to like it all. I met Coach Kenny in open gym with Chase, and I was really happy there would be a male coach to show him ALL sports are an option! SO proud of him & how much he's growing & learning!

Wanted to also post this picture of Grady & his new Chuggington train table...I spent the better part of his quiet time setting up a new track for him, so when he came down after, he was psyched to see a different route to navigate!

MERRY MERRY Christmas 2011!

2011-12-26T13:14:00.000-08:00

MERRY Christmas!!!

What a wonderful Christmas this year! Grady was REALLY into the whole thing, and it brought tears to my eyes and happiness to my heart to see both boys light up & be so excited over the whole day. The magic of Christmas has been renewed for Nick and I, and I was able to really take in the blessings of our family. The boys are so loved by their grandparents, aunts, uncles & extended family & friends. God is good!!

Christmas Eve! These outifts are TOTAL blackmail material :)

Grady in front of our tree...I love this one...he was so happy.

Cookies are out for Santa!

Gram's house...Grady picked out this Cinderella doll for his cousin Samantha

Uncle Scott & Grady on Xmas Eve!

Nick & Gram!

Nick and I on Christmas Eve

Nick & Uncle Scott putting together the boys new tractor on Xmas Eve...they finished at 11pm!

Santa has arrived!!!!

Grady was up at 5:45am!!!! We managed to keep him upstairs playing with his stocking and watching Mickey Mouse's Christmas in our room till 8am when Chase woke...

Gifts from Poppy & Carol!

TOY CENTRAL!!

Our adult gift exchange...Davey always cleans up!

Davey's FAVORITE gift...DORITOS...AND it was buy one, get one free, so he scored this Xmas!

Happy 10th Anniversary to us!

2011-12-12T15:07:00.001-08:00

Nick and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary in NYC!! NYC was the first trip we took after we got married (except our honeymoon), so we thought it would be fun to visit again 10 years later...We had a wonderful time! Lots of walking, lots of shopping, Lots of food, and we even caught Spiderman on Broadway, which was absolutely amazing!!!

Eating dinner our first night...we loved to get a spot next to the windows...people watching is AWESOME in NYC...

I got us tickets to my favorite talk show, Wendy Williams....Nick was a good sport, and he actually ended up enjoying it...and I got lots of camera time (as I later discovered at home on my dvr)...we had guests, JWOWW (Jersey Shore), Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm, Suburgatory), and Ivanka Trump (post taping)...I had a BLAST!

Our spot in the audience...we got a good spot & it was all entertaining!

My girl, Wendy! She was actually very professional, and the show was well done.

During one of our walking trips, we stopped in a diner, and Nick got the BIGGEST piece of cheesecake! He ate the whole thing..BUT, it didn't stop him from eating LOTS more that day :)

More Family Photo Shoot

2011-12-02T14:05:00.000-08:00

Family Photo Shoot!!

2011-11-29T17:45:00.000-08:00

Moose on the loose!!

Angel face

Don't have time to add all the pics, but here's a teaser of our family photo shoot! My friend, Lynn's, younger sister Kelly is getting into the photography business, so we gave her a shot...she did great!

Gahanna Holiday Lights Parade!

2011-11-26T07:56:00.000-08:00

The Gahanna Lights parade was back this year, and the Hague's, Hauser's & Gram were there! The kids seemed to really enjoy being outside & the weather was great!

My Grady boy...he loved the parade! He could do without seeing Santa...BUT, is very much looking forward to Santa bringing gifts!

Our Chase-monster...He just wanted to run & be free...and dance to the Xmas music!

Miss Samantha (as Uncle Nick calls her)...she loves to get her picture taken! And she loved the parade too!

The girls!!!
*including the baby girl in Aunt Lauren's belly!

Gram & Nick!

Gram & Grady!

Happy Thanksgiving 2011!!

2011-11-26T07:50:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving! My dad made another delicious turkey this year, and we hosted both our families at our house! We ate, played games & visited! It was a great time!

Dad & his bird!

Grady was SO tired, I put him to bed at 7:30pm...when Nick and I came up at 11pm, this is where we found Grady...in our doorway! He was so delirious, he didn't remember doing this in the morning :)

Happy 10th Birthday Lola!!!!

2011-11-26T07:43:00.000-08:00

In March 2002, Nick and I adopted our Lola-girl from the Humane Society. And believe it or not, she is 10 yrs old!!! Nick always says it's the best $50 we ever spent. She is such a good dog, and has always been a loving animal to us & the boys. I think some part of her knows her fate could have been different.

Lola got a birthday Christmas tree cake for her birthday, and we sang "Happy Birthday"!

She devoured it!!! of course...

Grady loves a good birthday celebration, so he was very into this event!

Thanksgiving Feast!

2011-11-22T11:41:00.000-08:00

Today was Grady's Thanksgiving feast at school! I was the classroom mom, and Grady was THRILLED I was staying! He doesn't do well with the special events (out of his routine), so he was super happy I was there to see him through this event! It was a really cute day, and half the kids at school were pilgrims, and the other half were indians, and each class sat across from each other so the groups could mingle & snack!

My little Indian!

Grady & Ms. Lori...they have a special relationship, and are very close!

Grady's gal pal, Ella, and her feast!

Their "feast" consisted of goldfish, popcorn, raisens & pumpkin bread...so sweet!

Chase's Birth Day Fun!!

2011-11-08T19:41:00.001-08:00

Today is my sweet Chase's actual birthday!! Since Grady had school, I wanted to do something special just for him!

His morning birthday picture! He seemed to get it was a special day

After taking him to Target to pick out a gift, I took him to a playground since it was gorgeous out!

After Grady got out of school, we went to daddy's work to pick him up for lunch at Wendys!

Birthday kiss from Daddy!

Mommy, Chase & Grady! Grandpa joined us too!

This was Chase's birthday treat on his birthday plate after dinner!

Yummy! He loved it!!!

Happy 2nd Birthday Chase!

2011-11-07T17:22:00.003-08:00

Wanted to share Chase's 2nd year video...enjoy!!

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

Chase's 2nd Birthday Party!

2011-11-06T18:13:00.001-08:00

For Chase's 2nd Birthday we had a party at Graeters Ice Cream, and the party was a great success...LOTS of kids, cake & play time! Chase really had a wonderful party, and he especially loved being sung to! Love him so much!!!

Party go-ers in the party room...there was also an indoor play area, which the kids loved!

Uncle Scott made cupcakes as going away favors...they were delicious!

All the kids singing "happy birthday"!

Iggy on the slide!

Chase and Sophie eating dinner...they are 1 week apart in age.

Chase's cake!

Chase DYING to eat the cake...

Chase shoveling cake in his mouth with mommy & Gram!

Mommy, Chase & Poppy!

Happy Halloween!!

2011-11-06T06:22:00.000-08:00

GREAT Halloween this year! Grady and Chase were both into Trick-or-Treating, and while Grady would not go to the SCARY houses, he did not want to stop! Chase looked so cute running down the street in his cape, and he kept trying to give people candy instead of taking it. Really enjoyed it!

How cute is this!?

My baby dracula...Handsome!

Mommy and Chase!

Gram and Grady! She ended up taking Grady to some extra houses, since Grady wanted to keep going.

Gram and Chase!

Stonybrook Halloween Parade

2011-10-27T09:40:00.000-07:00

God bless my Grady! Today was his school's Halloween party, and he was SO excited to wear his costume to school. BUT...when he realized there was a parade that involved lots of kids and lots of parents watching, he was MORTIFIED. All the parents felt so bad for him because he looked like he had really seen a ghost.
Holding Miss Susan's hand, and walking the parade...bless his heart. I wanted to scoop him up, and let him sit with me, BUT, he needs to be the big boy he is.

Grady's gal pal, Ella (the mermaid)...she on the other hand, was waving to the crowd! She is ready for the pageant circuit!

Trunk or Treat?!

2011-10-27T09:29:00.001-07:00

Our church's annual Trunk-or-Treat party was a fun time for the kids! Grady did not like the cars/people that were dressed up scary, but he REALLY enjoyed getting to wear his thomas costume, and carry his Thomas bucket...Chase just wanted to run and be free, of course! Enjoyed a Wednesday night with the Hauser's & Uncle Scott as well!
Grady dressed & ready to go! VERY proud!

My little pumpkin was still getting over a little stomach bug, but he did well!

The prettiest pirate & most handsome Thomas waiting to get some candy!

Uncle Scott passed out candy

Grady got to stand in Uncle Scott's truck, and he also received his favorite treat...Cars Silly Bandz!

A Trip to Circle S Farms

2011-10-17T19:07:00.001-07:00

Today we went on our annual trip to Circle S Farms with the Hauser's, and it was a beautiful day for it! The kids really enjoyed everything, and all was fun!

Grady showing us how much daddy loves him..."This much!"

Chase heading in to the patch

Chase is getting so big!!

The girls in the hay barn! The kids liked the slides, but didn't care too much for falling in the hay.

Daddy & Grady on the hayride to get our pumpkin!

A couple who wears plaid together, stays together :)

Stonybrook Preschool Fall Trip!

2011-10-13T10:23:00.000-07:00

Grady's preschool class took a field trip to Demoyes Greenhouse for their fall field trip, and Chase and I joined them! They had a GREAT time, and their was LOTS to do...pumpkins, bouncer, flower planting, crafts, snacks, etc...really enjoyed being with the group, and Grady really enjoyed it! There was a haunted house, and Grady didn't want to go in because it was scary, so I let him skip it...boy, was I glad I did!! ALOT of the kids were scared after! Grady found his pumpkin!

Chase found one too!

Inside the greenhouse!

Grady planting his (and Chase's) flowers...

DIRTY hands!

Grady & gal pal Ella...they are in the same class, and becoming good friends...Grady also got "hi Graaady" from Sophia & Mia...t-r-o-u-b-l-e!

SO happy I could go, and I can't wait to go on more trips!

Where the wild things are...

2011-10-10T07:42:00.000-07:00

LOVE these boys!

The boys feeding the MASSIVE catfish!

Dadddy and Grady on the safari bus

Chase and an up close visit from a wild donkey

Cousins!!

No, not the children...actual wild animals, at The Wilds!! The Hauser's had coupons (which I promptly left in the car, but thankfully we had trustworthy faces, so we got the discount anyway), and we took a trip to The Wilds to see some animals!! Zebra, Rhino, Giraffe (Grady's favorite!), and lots of other species. The kids enjoyed the trip, and the parents did too, with a little stress toward the end, but we weren't expecting a Gilligan's Island 3-hr tour!!! We thought it was going to be an hour, but it ended up being twice as long!! Nonetheless, Grady has been saying EVERY day he had fun, so it was worth it!! Chase took a nice LONG nap when we returned, so that's his way of saying he had fun too!

Moving on Up!

2011-10-04T18:45:00.001-07:00

Grandpa just moved into his new condo downtown! It's a beautiful place, and has a GREAT view of the city...Grady and Chase LOVED being on the balcony for 2 different reasons: Grady loved seeing the cars below, and Chase loved the wind whipping in his face...too cute!

Happy Birthday to Grady's BFF!

2011-09-14T11:33:00.000-07:00

Grady and Parker on P's 4th Birthday!! They were both jacked all night!

Grady will NEVER wear a hat...but I pulled this out, and he has NOT taken this McQueen hat off!

When we shopped for Parker's gift, I found this hat for Chase...it was a little small, so no purchase, BUT he looks SO cute!!

Grady 1st Day of Preschool!!

2011-09-06T16:25:00.000-07:00

Can't believe my little baby boy is this preschooler!!! His 1st day at Stoneybrook Preschool!!!

The 1st day was parent day, so I got to stay with Grady for class!

Outside school!! Grady was VERY excited!!

Luckily, Grady's friend, Ella, was in his class!! It made him feel comfortable...this was play time.

This is circle time with Miss Susan (he also has Miss Lori), where they learned about days of the week and the weather.

Overall, preschool was a success, and we had a GREAT morning! Grady loves school, and he can't wait till Thursday's class!!

Catching Up!

2011-09-05T12:24:00.000-07:00

Chase can say "CHEESE"...so this is a "cheese!" picture @ the park :) He's precious!!

These will be our new neighbors across the street when we build a house someday!! Grady LOVES to visit the alpacas...they came running over to him today! I'm sure for treats...

Uncle Scott trying to teach Grady how to use the computer :)

Made Grady monkey munch, and he would not let me touch it!! He thought it was ALL for him!

Grady and Parker after plat group @ Friendship park

Chase at dinner time!!! No wonder he's smiling!

Tuesday Playgroup

2011-08-25T04:25:00.000-07:00

Grady skimming for tadpoles

Cooper, Juliana, momma Ashley & Grady spotting a crayfish

Chase wanted to get in the water SOOOOO badly, but Chase is a bull in a china shop, so he had to watch!

On Tuesday nights we meet a little play group, and this week we went to Cooper's house, and near his house is this little creek where we found some little creatures to play with!! Grady had a great time. Finished the night with a little playground time and pizza!

Welcome to Our Day!

2011-08-17T19:01:00.000-07:00

Chase playing with chalk on the back deck

Playing at Hannah Park!

Chase on the swings at Hannah Park!

Grady at the pool trying to put his head in the pool, which he FINALLY did...it was cute :)

Chase earned a new surprise for filling up his sticker chart!

Happy Wednesday!

2011-08-17T18:39:00.000-07:00

My boys on the slide...spent an hour outside after dinner!

Chase on the slide after dinner

Grady wanted me to take his picture with his James train

Dinner time! Chase now knows what the camera is, and says "Cheese!"

Arghh!!!

2011-08-08T10:34:00.000-07:00

Grady's play group friend, Cooper, invited G to a pirate-themed birthday party on the Santa Maria downtown this past Saturday...Grady loved the ship and looking out at the water...he did NOT love the guy dressed up like a pirate though...don't blame him, the guy was creepy!

2011-08-08T10:20:00.000-07:00

The neighbors went out of town, and we watched their dog Fred for them...they left Grady a little gift for helping with Fred, and he was so egg-cited to receive this "Hatcher"...we filled a glass with water, and dropped the egg in! It took about 2 days and ALOT of Grady-watching, but FINALLY, "Buddy" hatched! I ended up throwing Buddy away because he was kind of slimy, and I was afraid Chase would eat him...shhh, don't tell G!

Brotherly Love

2011-08-08T10:17:00.000-07:00

Chase has been teething lately, and it made my heart so happy to see Grady be sensitive to his brother, and show him love.

2011-07-31T11:15:00.000-07:00

I've been freelancing some evenings this week, so Nick, Chase and Gram took Grady to get his hair cut one evening...and had a little Johnny Buccelli's for dinner... I, of course, had to send a text for the hairdresser with instructions on what to do with Grady's hair...I didn't want Grady to come home with a bowl cut or something!!

That's A Wrap!!

2011-07-21T19:06:00.001-07:00

LOVE this one of Grady in a catching stance!

At the end of the game, all the kids got a trophy & Grady was happy to cheer for everyone

Grady getting his trophy (and a high-five from the coach)

Grady and BFF, Parker, with their trophies!

Tonight was the last night of tball, and it was HOT!!! Uncle Jeff, Aunt Lauren & Samantha were nice enough to join us for this last game, and Grady was really happy to have a cheering section. After a few foul balls, he got a hit, and eventually made it to 1st base after a short visit to the pitcher's mound. Overall, we enjoyed tball, and I think next year will be even better!
Also couldn't wrap this season without a visit to Dairy Queen!

Nighty Night!

2011-07-19T13:25:00.000-07:00

I'm HOPING this new Cars 2 bedding will give Grady that cozy feeling so he doesn't feel compelled to "visit" us in the middle of the night...as he's been doing. He was SUPER happy to make his new bed, and keeps saying he loves it...I'll keep ya posted...

Pictures from the "happenings" of our week!!

2011-07-17T13:58:00.001-07:00

I got the sprinkler & baby pool out one morning & both boys had a blast!

Lola HAD to take a couple of dips in the baby pool too...she LOVES water!

Grady's official tball picture...SO HIM!! I see so much of Nick in this picture!

Chase posing & looking SO handsome!

Grady chowing some pizza at the New Albany pool!

Zoo Day!

2011-07-14T19:18:00.000-07:00

Ever since our Florida trip, Grady has been in LOVE with "bridges over water"...

Grady picked this bench to pose on...I think he just wanted to rest after all his walking :)

Polar bears were once again a favorite!

It was feeding time for the polar bears, and it was SO COOL to see how they do it...they throw a TON of live fish into the water, and the fish are just hopping around everywhere, and the polar bears just go nuts jumping in after them! We had a great show!

Grady and Chase on our train ride...it's a MUST in our house to ride everytime! We also rode the merry-go-round, which was super sweet, because we all rode together on the bench.

I took Grady and Chase to the zoo, just the 3 of us, and we had a GREAT day! Grady walked the entire time, and Chase was sweet as can be! It was really nice just to do what we wanted, and Grady is still talking about it!

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-04T18:22:00.001-07:00

Freeze pops!

Cousins!!

Daddy & Grady doing sparklers!

Samantha & her sparkler

Gram!

Poppy & Grady at the parade!

Aunt Lauren, Samantha, Grady & Poppy at the parade!

Samantha Mae!

Grady Scott!

Chase Davidson!

We had a very nice day at the 4th of July parade in Gahanna, and then heading over to Gram's for pool, food & sparklers!! I'm so happy to be available these days to enjoy all these little moments...I have spent ALOT of time worrying about having to get up early for work, actually being at work, showering/packing lunch for work, or being tired from just coming from work, so it's so nice to be in the moment & smell the roses!!

The Best of the Rest!

2011-07-04T18:17:00.003-07:00

Daddy & Chase at dinner

Grady at dinner

Chase on his swing at Gram's

Mommy & Grady at Marina Jack's

Just wanted to post the rest of Siesta Key pictures...we had a great trip & really enjoyed our vacation!

A Siesta Key Weekend

2011-06-25T18:15:00.000-07:00

Grady MEMORIZED a book, and now he has started reading it to Gram!

And here, he is reading to himself....

On this Saturday AM, we did a bike ride and pool morning! Nick/Grady went to lunch with Gram, Dee & Steve, while Chase and I hung at home! We had dinner at Dutch Valley...this was our pre-dinner picture.

This was some of our pool pics

Grady LOVES jumping in the pool!

And so does Chase!

OH. the joys of getting kids to look at the camera...

CARS 2!!!! Grady's 1st Movie!!!

2011-06-24T19:28:00.000-07:00

We took Grady to his FIRST movie theater experience! To see Cars 2!!

Pre-movie. Grady was looking at EVERYTHING! He couldn't figure out why all these people were there.

Once previews started, he was already fixated on that big screen

Overall, he did great! He got a little antsy at times, but it was SUPER fun for Nick and I to be able to have this neat night with him!

Siesta Key Days

2011-06-24T19:23:00.000-07:00

We rented bikes, and this time we got the front-load ones, and BOTH boys LOVED riding!

We rode at least twice a day even though it was H-O-T!!!

Gram and Chase in the pool!

Grady, for some reason, really liked floating in this baby float. I think mostly because he was able to be hands free from everyone.

We decided to have a pool night, and Grady/Chase's favorite game was dumping buckets of water on Chase. He LOVED it!

And every night Gram would read Grady "Blue Bird's Nest" before bed. He already has the book memorized

Morning Breakfast...Chase is now enjoying the kids table too!

Beach fun!!!

Daddy and Chase

I love floppy hats! Me and the old ladies!

Daddy and Grady

Mommy and Chase

Gram and I

Chase loved playing in the waves !!

Tball Picture Night

2011-06-09T17:52:00.000-07:00

As you can see, Grady wanted nothing to do with wearing his hat, and it's no accident our neighbor (and Grady's BFF), Parker, was sitting behind him...Parker was assigned to make sure Grady stayed in his spot :)

My SWEET baby!!! His face is edible!!!

My Sweetie!

2011-05-28T16:48:00.000-07:00

Chase ate his breakfast right up on the kitchen counter with me this morning while I was baking, and he really liked being apart of everything!! His face is just the sweetest!!!

Good Sports

2011-05-14T18:10:00.000-07:00

Chase in the dugout

Little brothers Carson & Chase watching tball

Being the younger brother is often being the spectator to whatever big brother is doing...and tball was no exception for Chase. He has been really good at always going with the flow, and hopefully learning a little with everything we do.

Grady's 1st Day of Tball!!

2011-05-14T18:00:00.003-07:00

Grady & Parker on a water break

Grady to bat!!

Grady running home!

The outfielder

Grady & Coach Brad (neighbor & friend!)

Grady started his first season of tball, and he was SO adorable...He took a little while to get the hang of things, but he was very open to all the coaches & the chaos that came with teaching a bunch of 3-4 years olds how to play a new sport. I was so proud of him, and he is already looking forward to next week! We went for a post-game bowl of DQ ice cream after the game, which may the routine for each week :)

Happy Easter!!

2011-05-04T15:55:00.000-07:00

Grady is 3!

2011-04-23T07:17:00.001-07:00

"Cleaning" the eggs

Dropped the eggs in the coloring

Drying the eggs

The finished product! We made Cars eggs!!

Gram & Grady working on his new puzzle

The new puzzle & Cars suitcase

Grady in his new Cars chair...he LOVES it!!!

We spent Grady's actual birthday day making Easter eggs, lunch with Gram, and a dinner at home, and wrapping the BIG day up at Dairy Queen with Gram, Uncle Jeff, Aunt Lauren & Samantha! We had a great day, and Grady was in such a good mood all day! I can't believe he is 3 years old, and I can't imagine life without this boy!

Grady's 3rd Birthday Party!

2011-04-18T08:15:00.000-07:00

Parker doing the egg-in-the-spoon game!

The Hauser's!

The zoo workers brought in little animals for the kids to see!

Gram, Scott & Chase

Grady and Mommy opening gifts

The party was in the Education Building at the Columbus Zoo

Grady's Percy the Train gift from Emerson

Grady & his cake!! He really enjoyed the attention!! This shy boy is starting to blossom

Grady & Aunt Lauren doing the egg-in-the-spoon game

We had Grady's 3rd birthday party at the Columbus Zoo, and it was a great time!! We had games, cake & animals! We really enjoyed having the whole family & Grady's friends celebrate with us! Grady has such a sweet heart, and I love him so much!

Men at Work

2011-04-18T03:57:00.000-07:00

Our new swing set is going up!!! Bob, Nick, Scott, my dad & neighbor Brad started working on it at 2pm Sunday, and as of 8:30pm when I was putting myself & the babies to bed, they were STILL working!! I got up this morning to seeing the structure up in the dark, so hopefully when I get home from work it will be there!! We owe them all dinner!!

Where O Where Has Our Little Dog Gone?

2011-04-16T02:59:00.000-07:00

Wednesday night Grady, Chase and I headed across the street to celebrate little Carson Richard's 1st birthday...when we came home, Lola was gone!! Since Nick was out of town, I couldn't go look for her because Chase was sleeping. I just had to hope for the best! I got up a few times in the middle of the night to see if she was on the porch, but no luck. So, the next morning, on what should have been outside play time (the weather was GORGEOUS), the boys and I headed to Gram's, picked her up (to sit in the car with the boys), and headed to the animal shelter in the slim chance she was there...WELL, she WAS!! After walking through 3 rooms of dogs, I walked in & immediately saw one Miss Lola Hague. I think her heart about burst out of her chest at the sight of me! In all her 9 years, she has never had this happen, and I could tell she's not planning on letting it happen anytime soon! Grady fell asleep on the way to take Gram home from picking up Lola...

...BUT, he came back to life and we ate lunch on the back deck while Chase took his turn napping.

Chase's 1st Hair Cut!!

2011-04-07T08:21:00.000-07:00

Chase had his first hair cut, and as usual, he was VERY charming & did a great job! He was very excited to sit in the taxi, and get to use the steering wheel, as he got that mullet trimmed off! Nick was extremely happy to see him looking so handsome! Grady was asleep in the car, so we took turns running back and forth so we could both see little Chase get those lovely locks chopped! Can't believe how fast this little one is growing!

His own biggest fan...

2011-04-07T07:55:00.000-07:00

It's A Gymboree Day!

2011-03-31T05:46:00.001-07:00

Grady has been working on the monkey bars lately...and he's catching on!

Of course, Chase thinks he can do them too...

Samantha thought it was so funny to have Grady pop out...

And she LOVED being pulled around too! Now she just needs to practice the pageant wave !

They all climbed in the boat, and rocked back & forth for a while...then Samantha jumped ship!

Miss Samantha came to visit, and being a brave mommy & aunt, I decided to get the kids out to open gym @ Gymboree! Wow, I needed an extra set of eyes! BUT, they all enjoyed themselves, and it was worth the hats, coats, shoes, loading up, etc. to see them have a great time!

CARS!!!

2011-03-31T05:25:00.001-07:00

My neighbor, Cara, and I took our boys to see the real life Cars visit!! Grady & Parker were sooooo excited to be there...but of course, it had to be cold, AND then SNOW...so OVER that!!! Can't wait for the Cars 2 movie to come out in a few months...it will be Grady's first movie!! Wonder how many times we'll end up watching that one in my lifetime? It's probably been 3,000, 697,000 times I've seen the original :)

2011-03-27T07:44:00.000-07:00

Grady has been 50/50 on taking naps lately...so on the days he doesn't nap, whenever we end up running errands in the evening...he falls asleep! This little one needs to take his afternoon naps!!

The Important Things

2011-03-21T08:43:00.000-07:00

Nick sent me this picture this morning while I was at work, and while I love getting pictures from home, I get so sad I'm not there...kids are not perfect (especially mine!), but nothing I will do in my life is more important to me than being their mom. I think about & miss them when

I'm at work, and can't wait till I get to spend more time with them...

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth ~John 3:4

Sweet Baby

2011-03-17T10:24:00.001-07:00

Most mornings are usually the "Grady Show", since he's older & tends to have more of an opinion on what we do with our day...The only thing I really reserve for Chase is Sesame Street at lunchtime (Grady usually wants to watch Cars, or Mickey, etc)...Many days Chase gets sleepy around lunchtime, but I try to get him as much time with Elmo as I can before bed...but, today he just couldn't make it...10 minutes in, and the poor baby had sacked out. He's a sweety.

Caught In The Act

2011-03-14T03:44:00.000-07:00

I was watching tv in the family room and I stood up to see what Grady was doing...and I catch him in the fridge! So now he knows how to help himself! Alrighty then...

Our Son...

2011-03-12T05:03:00.001-08:00

When Grady first transitioned into his big boy bed he was so good at staying in his bed...fast foward a few months, and we would hear him running laps in his room...NOW, he has taken to quitely playing in his room at ALL HOURS! You think he's asleep, and then you peek in to see him looking out the window, looking at books, etc...this morning Nick captured this scene...Grady apparently woke in the middle of night, decided to play with his cars, and fell asleep on the floor! This picture was taken at 8am!!

Jimmy & Christine's Wedding!!

2011-02-28T09:43:00.000-08:00

After our visit to Siesta Key, we drove straight to Charleston, SC for my cousin, Christine's, wedding. She is truly a WONDERFUL woman, and I am so happy for her!! Here are some pictures from the event!

The Bride & Groom!

Grady wasn't feeling good, and was in the stroller asleep, so Chase got some mommy/daddy time to himself at the wedding

STUD!

Cousins!

Me & Uncle Scotty!

Before the wedding at the house we rented on the Isle of Palms...it was an awesome house!

Cousins!

Nick in his NEW suit...we went to the Brooks Brothers Outlet in Florida and got Nick decked out in a new suit, shirt & tie!

Siesta Key 2011!!

2011-02-28T08:13:00.001-08:00

Nick, Grady, Chase and I spent a week in Siesta Key at Gram's house!!! This trip was such a fun experience, and the boys loved being there!! Grady seemed to remember the house & gave Gram a hug right when he saw her! Many memories to bring home!!

At Aunt Sandy's condo pool by the ocean...heated pools are awesome!

Grady LOVED jumping in the pool!!!

Dick and Marylou drove up from Englewood to celebrate Tina's birthday!

Chase loved when Gram put him the swing!! She said he would get so peaceful and quiet...you can see how sleepy he gets!

Gram giving Chase a snack

Daddy & Grady on Gram's deck

Gram rented bikes, and both boys enjoyed riding around...Nick and I really enjoyed touring the island on the bikes!

Chase LOVED this baby pool...Gram would boil some water to make this pool the perfect temperature for him!

LOVE this pic of my son!!! He looks soooo cute!!

Me & my bud!

Cookie Monster!

2011-02-14T05:41:00.000-08:00

Grady was sick this past week, so keeping him home was hard to do...BUT, I did come up with baking cookies, and he loved "helping"...but for some reason, he never wanted them to go in the oven..."no oven, no oven...you take them out!" I couldn't figure it out...I guess he just liked admiring his work...but let me tell you...he had NO problems eating the finished product!

Welcome Back!!

2011-02-05T11:11:00.000-08:00

"Mommy, watch me jump!"

"Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!"

Hole in one!!

I had stopped taking Grady to Gymboree since I was taking Chase, but I decided Grady may like to go with Chase, and I hated leaving him home when we went, so I RE-signed him up...and I'm so glad I did!! He was so happy to be there...I really enjoyed watching him jump on to the mat...I couldn't help but think about the shy little toddler I first took to Gymboree, and how much he has blossomed!!

Stud

2011-01-29T07:13:00.000-08:00

Had to take a pic of Chase wearing one of my favorite sweaters I bought Grady when he was this size...Can't believe Chase is already wearing it...he is growing up too fast!! He's a naughty one!! But he is also so sweet, you can't help but want to squish his cheeks all the time!

Poppy & Chase Time!

2011-01-16T01:42:00.001-08:00

My dad (Poppy) took Chase to gymboree while I took Grady to get his hair cut this past week...Chase really seemed to enjoy his time with him, and Grady was a champ in the barber's chair!

Being Sick Never Looked So Cute

2011-01-08T06:44:00.000-08:00

Chase has really been struggling this week with his top 4 teeth coming in, mixed with a touch of a cold...but he managed to still smile for the camera. Poor guy has really had the roughest week to date, and I'm hoping he will find some relief soon!

Making Gram Proud!

2011-01-08T06:36:00.000-08:00

Tina (a.k.a Mom, The Lady, Gram) has always loved to bowl & has played on a league for years...so I thought she would be very proud to see Grady following in her footsteps...Grady's Tuesday night playgroup decided to try it out, and Grady was the last man standing, as the rest of the kids got bored & wandered off...Grady played everyone's game for them, and was still upset to leave when we did (until of course he was told the playgroup was moving to Wendys for nuggets & fries)...he even protested using the kiddie lanes & kept running over to the big lanes...will definitely be back to Gahanna Lanes!

Dreamer...

2011-01-04T13:38:00.001-08:00

Grady's imagination has exploded! I was so amazed this morning when we were playing in the basement, and he was standing at the top of his slide pretending there were things below him..."look! I see a bug!" "Hey Hicks (his toy car), look, I see trains!" His mind is so entertaining! Recently we stopped letting him take a toy or book to bed because he wouldn't fall asleep due to the distractions...and now, it doesn't matter! The other day he was in his bed & Nick walked in to find Grady pretending the light on his music box was a train light...As a person who used to think all my stuffed animals came to life when I left my bedroom, I love that his mind is taking him to far away places!

3 Reasons I Love Christmas...

2010-12-27T07:49:00.000-08:00

Watch Out Beckham!

2010-12-19T01:17:00.000-08:00

Grady has been going to soccer since the day Chase was born, so I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise that as soon as Chase could walk he would be ready to tear up the soccer field!! Everyone was amazed at how this little guy could dribble with the best of 'em!

When It's Cold Outside....

2010-12-11T10:28:00.000-08:00

...you swim inside!!! I took the boys to the Westerville Community Center this past Wednesday night for open swim, and it was wonderful!!! I was a little nervous about taking both in the water alone (Nick was out of town for work), but when I heard it was a zero-depth pool, I knew it'd be just fine. I'm glad we went, because Grady & Chase were absolutely thrilled to be in the pool when it was 20 degrees outside, and there was a lazy river we sailed through with a baby in each arm...it was fantastic. I snapped this picture because I thought it was so funny to see Grady all bundled next to the pool...Needless to say, we all slept like logs that night!

Happy 3rd Birthday Ella-girl!

2010-12-06T10:14:00.001-08:00

Can't believe these 2 little bugs are such BIG kids now..............Ella & Grady in 2008!

Ella at her 3rd Birthday party!!!! They grow so fast!!!!

Grady chowing on his fav...pizza. They were at Magic Mountain, and Grady LOVED the big indoor play area!

Build A Bear Trip!

2010-12-06T10:04:00.001-08:00

When Grady was a baby we took him to the Build-A-Bear Workshop to create a new friend...he picked a gray cat (like our real gray cat). So this Christmas we decided to take Chase to do the very same thing! He picked a furry brown bear, and we knew it was the one when he looked at it & immediately bit the bear's nose...it was love!

Grady managed to swindle his way into getting a fuzzy friend too...and OF COURSE he picked a panda...whom he named "Panda". Duh.

Grady pushing the pedal to the fluff machine, filling up his panda!

Grady picking out hearts for his & Chase's friends...

Chase patiently waiting for his bear to be completed! P.S. more people stop me to admire this little guy's hat! Best Target purchase ever!

Grady "washing" the animals before we take them home!

Meet Prince Zavier!

2010-11-28T02:17:00.001-08:00

Meet Zavier James Hicks! Z is one of my best friends, Lacrisha's, new baby boy...According to Crisha, I get to be his aunt, and I am thrilled for the honor! I got him the little outfit he is wearing in this picture for his very 1st Thanksgiving, and I'm so happy for their family. Lacrisha continues to be someone I VERY much admire as a friend & woman...she is strong & independent, and I know she will be an excellent & caring mother for this little guy.

Indian Summer (for a least one night!)

2010-11-22T09:51:00.000-08:00

We had a really nice evening weather-wise, and I had alot of bread that I've been saving to feed the squirels, but since it was so nice, we went down to Creekside to take the ducks a little snack...Grady was H-A-P-P-Y!!!

Nick is such a GREAT daddy...I'm so thankful for him & how great he is with the boys.

The ducks started to get too close, so who better to "chase" them away!

Me and my peanut!! LOVE 'EM!

BIG Boy Bed!!!

2010-11-20T04:30:00.001-08:00

We FINALLY transitioned Grady into a big boy bed, and he loves it!!!! I think he really feels grown up, and is starting to realize he is his own person...the other day he told me he was "a good big brother", so he apparently has no self esteem issues :) The first 2 nights in the bed have been successful, and he didn't get out of bed once! So far so good!

My Best Work

2010-11-06T09:58:00.000-07:00

Big Brother

2010-11-06T09:53:00.000-07:00

Since Grady was with me to get Chase's 1 year pictures, I asked the photographer to snap a few of Grady...he is a picture pro!

Happy 1st Birthday Chase!

2010-11-06T06:13:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Chase is 1! This year has absolutely flown by, and every day I fall in love with this baby boy even more....I can't imagine our family without him, and his smile is infectious. I am not lost on what it means to have a family, and I am truly thankful for the chance to be Grady & Chase's mom...here are Chase's 1 year pictures...

Circle S Farms!

2010-10-23T09:57:00.001-07:00

We haven't visited Circle S Farms since Grady was 6 months old, so it was great to return! We went with the Hauser's, and had a great time on the hayride, picking pumpkins, eating donuts & cider, visiting with the goats & taking pictures!

Moo

2010-10-18T03:27:00.001-07:00

We went to our neighbor, Parker's, 3rd Birthday Party this past Saturday, and the boys were adorable in their cow costumes! Grady picked out his own costume, but I wasn't sure he would actually want to wear it when the day came...but he did! And he was excited to do it! I actually already had the cow costume for Chase (thanks Gram!), so they were a perfect duo! It was a gorgeous day for an outdoor birthday party!

My Boys

2010-10-11T09:23:00.001-07:00

Nick reading Grady's favorite book right now, "Thomas". Chase has really just started to sit & enjoy a book, so it's sweet to see them all together...

Chase Is 11 Months!

2010-10-11T09:20:00.000-07:00

Cruising, "talking", kissing, playing...11 months is a WONDERFUL age!! Love this sweet baby boy!

Grady Says His Prayers...

2010-10-09T07:15:00.001-07:00

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

2010-10-02T06:26:00.000-07:00

Our grocery shopping trip turned into a field trip! There was a fire truck at Kroger yesterday & Grady was amped! He got to touch the truck & even said "hi" to the firemen inside! This got me through Kroger easy-breezey, seeing how this put Grady's mood from good to GREAT! Notice the sunglasses too...his fashion STAPLE all day...he even tried to nap with them :)

I'm the only who cares, but....

2010-09-28T04:32:00.001-07:00

Chase has learned how to clap, and I just think it's so cute! Mainly because he gets so proud of himself when he does it...

More Zoo Pics!

2010-09-19T05:22:00.000-07:00

The bear playing with his toy (which looked like a plastic dog toy)

Playing bears...it was a great day to watch the bears! They were wide awake!

the polar bear doing his spins!

I swear the bear kept looking for Grady b/c of his bright orange shirt

Grady "observing" the goat eating...

Grady's favorite animal...the panda (notice his stuffed panda in hand)

Daddy & Chase on the merry-go-round (that's almost 100 years old!) . Nick got to join us after work, so it was great to have some help!

"Mom Mom" & boys w/the tigers (who are ALWAYS sleeping!)

Another Zoo Day!

2010-09-12T10:35:00.001-07:00

I swear the polar bear was spotting Grady in his bright orange shirt...he kept following him!

What happens after too much fun!

With the fall fastly approaching, I wanted to make sure we got to the zoo at least one more time. Grady has been really into pandas, and even though the Columbus Zoo doesn't have them, I knew Grady would be really excited to visit the other animals again. Of course the polar bear exhibit was great, and the bears were swimming like crazy (more pics to come), and we tried the petting zoo for the first time...Grady loved to look at (but not touch) the chickens & goats. Needless to say, it was hard to get him to leave. We also did the merry-go-round, and at the last minute, Grady panicked, and prefered to sit on the riding bench instead of a horse. After the ride ended, he said "horsey", so I thought he might give it a go on the horse...but once again, bailed! Overall though, great visit! Chase even started to kick his legs like crazy & got super smiley at the elephants...too sweet!

Chase is 10 months!!!!

2010-09-12T10:29:00.001-07:00

Chase is 10 months!! Can't believe this little guy is getting so big, so fast! He's been crawling like a maniac, and now he's pulling himself up on everything! He is such a little charmer, and I am so happy he's my son! Muah!

The Play Corner

2010-09-06T10:03:00.001-07:00

For some reason these two really like our little corner dedicated to some toys...I don't know if they feel cozy back there or what, but they both really like to sit there together & play...such tight quarters, but they seem to make themselves at home there!

You Gotta Have Friends!

2010-09-06T09:56:00.000-07:00

Grady and our neighbor, Parker, have become very good friends, and seem to find a way to see each other almost everyday...even if it's a brief visit outside while one of us moms is getting the mail or taking a walk...I hope they will stay friends because Parker is a sweet boy, and they both are the BIG brothers to their little brothers, Chase & Carson (who hopefully someday will be good friends too!)

Parker & Grady in our basement playing with Grady's race track (Uncle Scott's Xmas
gift that we finally decided Grady was ready for)...they LOVED it!!

Parker and Grady at Creekside (along with fellow Gymboree playmate, Cooper)....Parker got very nervous when Grady was getting too close to the water...which was warranted, considering Grady ended up getting soaked, and didn't wear any pants home.

What Happens When a Boys Skips His Nap!

2010-09-06T09:53:00.000-07:00

Grady was having a party in his bed this afternoon, which I don't mind as long as he's happy & resting in his room...but after a couple of hours, I got him out of bed & took him to the pool...on the ride home he crashed, and crashed hard!! We had only been in the car 10 minutes before he passed out, and I had to carry his limp (and still wet) body into the house...

Grady Started Soccer!

2010-08-28T07:16:00.000-07:00

I signed Grady up for Locker Soccer, which is soccer for toddlers, and is coached by Coach Locker. Coach Steve, as the kids call him, coached for Harvard until he decided he wanted to open this program for kids...It is AWESOME, and Grady LOVED it. I found it online, and to my suprise the indoor field is in Gahanna! Our neighbors decided to sign up too, so Grady's friend, Parker, is in the class too! Dad (aka Poppy) participates with Grady, so I can tend to Chase. I think my dad likes it just as much!

Makes This Mother's Heart Melt...

2010-08-28T01:54:00.000-07:00

Time With My Boys=Priceless

2010-08-21T09:17:00.000-07:00

Both boys were playing so nicely in their play corner I just had to get a picture!

Grady insisted on carrying this banana around all day, and I still can't figure out why...but it was really adorable. It started at the grocery store, when I let him pick out a banana to buy. He handed it to the cashier, and he was so proud of the transaction! At some point in the day I managed to swap out the new banana with an older banana (seen in above picture)...

Took Chase to his 9 month doctor visit and he was so cute the whole time! They even pricked his finger to test his iron level, and not one tear! He loved to look at himself in the mirror, and loved the sound of the paper...he laughed hysterically when the doctor checked his belly...needless to say, she was charmed by Mr. Hague! Grady was a supportive big brother at the visit (and I'm sure secretly relished the fact that it wasn't him!) Chase didn't like his shot (just one shot luckily), but got over it fast....new stats: Height 25%, Weight 45%, Head 25%= 100% CUTE!

Siesta Key 2010!

2010-08-13T08:30:00.000-07:00

Well, another summer vacation in the books! We went to Siesta Key, to Gram's new house, and after LOTS of drama gettting there, our trip turned out great & the weather was beautiful! The house is really shaping up, and there was lots of food, cards, kids, pool, and of course, BEACH!