Beach Day

 The next day, we got up ate breakfast and headed to the beach.  We got there around 9 and Jacoby was on the beach the entire day!!  I went up and put Jace down for a nap and when we came back Jacoby was hiding in the sand.  It was so funny!  Daddy and him had operation hiding and as soon as I stepped out on the balcony to tell them we were headed down, they hurried and covered Jacoby. 

 We rented a little cabana thing for the day and it was great!  We were able to play in the sand all day and still keep Jace out of the sun. 

 We took turns putting Jace down for naps, while the other one stayed and played on the beach with Jacoby.  When it was my turn, Jacoby and I went out pretty deep in the water and I taught him how to catch a wave.  It was a blast!!  Sometimes I would put him on my back and we would ride one and other times I would just get him on top of the wave and run with it.  He thought it was hilarious.  I really enjoyed having some one on one big boy time with my big boy at his favorite place ever.

 We went and had amazing Cuban food for dinner and then hit up Ben and Jerry's for ice cream.  We ate our ice cream on the balcony and watched the waves. 

Daddy and Jace played and played.  I love to hear him belly laugh and Daddy can get the best ones. 

Then it was Jace's turn to have some dinner.  What a messy way to feed a baby but he loved it!!  It was such an amazing day!!

Virginia Beach, Virginia

We got to the hotel and dropped off our stuff, changed in to our suits and were out the door.  Jacoby was so excited to get to the beach!!!  He had been talking about it for weeks.  I cannot tell you how much he loves it.  He smiles, giggles and laughs the entire time.  He is happier at the beach then any where else in the world. 
We were all so excited to show Jace the beach as well.  He loved it!!  He loved playing in the waves and trying to eat the sand.  Pretty soon we discovered if we gave him his inky it would prevent him from eating the sand.  He was so interested in everything and loved just watching the water and Jacoby running around every where. 

Williamsburg, Virginia

 This year for our family vacation we decided to switch it up and head to Virginia.  We had heard lots of really good things and we wanted to go some where we had never been before and cross another state off our list.
We started our vacation in Williamsburg, VA.  It was so cute!!! And our little soldier is pretty cute too!

 There was so much history and the had kept the town just like it was in the old days.  It was amazing. 

 The boys were a little young for it but I can't wait to take them back when they are studying American history. 

 We also went to Jamestown.  Well we drove through it and then Jacoby had to go pee so I was the lucky one that got to try and find a tree where no one was looking.  I am getting pretty good at that. 

 Jacoby is really in to pretending he is a statue these days so he had so much fun looking and pretending to be all the statues.  He couldn't keep a straight face on the one above and this is his favorite pose below. 

 We bought our traditional Christmas ornament and Jace got his hands on the bag.  He would not let it go!  Every single picture we have of him this day, he has this bag in his hands.  Silly boy!

We found this really cool tree and Jacoby climbed on it for a long time while Jace held onto his bag :) 
After spending the day back in history, we hit the cutest little sandwich shop on the main little street and then loaded up in the car and headed to Virginia Beach. 

Swing, swing, swing

We went and spent the day in Kentucky today.  We went for Kade Grodhaus' birthday and since we were over there we decided to make a day.  We had a great time hitting up the Gap factory store, ok well I did.  That place is amazing!  But the highlight of every one's day was putting Jace in the swing for the first time.  Jacoby has been asking us every time we go to the park to put Jace in the swing and this time we said yes.  Jacoby was much more excited about it then Jace was.  Jace wasn't sure what to think about it and then he started to like it and then he decided he didn't.  I took him out for a few minutes and then Jacobes wanted to get in with him so I told him we would try, well that was the problem he wanted his brother to swing with him because then he loved it.  Actually they both did.  Jacoby was a pirate looking through his telescope and Jace was kicking like crazy.  Love my boys!

Dreams do come true!

 This little boy of mine has been obsessed with giraffes forever and on Saturday we were able to make one of his dreams come true, he got to feed a real giraffe.  At our zoo, every weekend they have feeding times for the giraffes.  How we didn't know about this for the last year is crazy but now that we do know I have a feeling it is going to happen many  more times.  You buy a cracker and the giraffe takes it out of your hand.  Amazing, especially for my three year old!
Jarod was showing Jacoby how the giraffe was going to eat his cracker. 

 The giraffe knew it was feeding time and stood and waited.  We got there early and Jarod stood in line while Jacoby and I watched the cheetahs run.  Then I told him about his big surprise and he was so excited!  He was the first person in line. 

 They have really long tongues and they move really fast!  He thought it was the coolest thing ever!!!

 He fed the giraffe Tessa two crackers and talked about it all day long. 

 Jace loved the big house, which is Jacoby's favorite exhibit as well.  He was trying to get his hands on everything in there. 

Jacoby took over the camera and started taking pictures of everything and he even got this great one of the three of us.
It was an amazing day!  It was so much fun to see Jacoby so excited and to have one of his dreams come true!

Summer of rain

At the beginning of this summer we had a massive heat wave constantly and now we are having rain non stop.  There has been no in between!  So instead of letting the rain stop our summer barbecues Jarod got creative.  Take that rain!!  And yes that is half the back of our house that fell when we had a HUGE storm. 

I was in the kitchen making dinner and I looked out the window and thought man that gutter is really sagging.  I opened up the door and the six hundred pound piece came crashing down.  I was able to move quick enough that it did not land on me but thank goodness I didn't have either of the boys with me!!

The boys and I also had a fun afternoon of no power.  I had just pulled Jace out of the tub and Jacoby was still in.  The lights started flickering and then went out.  Jacoby freaked out because it was pitch dark in the bathroom and I was in the hallway putting Jace's clothes on.  Once I told him what was going on he was ok and immediately thought we needed to light every candle in our house and say a prayer. 

This weather has been keeping us on our toes!

Sweet Jace

 There is something about a baby in white that gets me every time and this morning when I put this outfit on him, I ran to get my camera to get a few shots of this beautiful baby! 
He is heaven!  That's all there is to it! 

 His beautiful eyes melt me every time.  Every time!

 I want to remember this little face because this is how he looks most of the time.  A mischievous, taking it all in look.

I love him so much.  He is growing too fast I cannot even wrap my head around it.  Sometimes I just try to memorize everything about him in the moment because I know how fast it goes.
I always wondered what it would be like when I had another baby because I am so in love with Jacoby and I wondered how I could love someone else that much.  I worried my entire pregnancy about developing a strong relationship with Jace like I have with Jacoby and then Jarod placed him in my arms for the first time and all those worries went away.  It is amazing how much you can love your children and it is amazing how much love they give you in return.  This is what life is all about.  These special moments that I get to have with my boys mean more to me than anything else ever could.