A Train Ride

Two Sunday's ago, we embarked on a family Christmas adventure to the New Hope Valley Railway. It has recently become a tradition that every Christmas season our family (including my parents and sister) do something fun together. This year, for Ethan's sake, we decided to do the Santa Train at the New Hope Valley Railway. Aside from the actual train ride, they had a large fenced in area with several remote control trains going through fake cities and towns- which Ethan loved. They also had old train cars that you could go in and out of- which again, of course, Ethan loved.

We bought tickets to ride the steam engine instead of the diesel engine. The steam engine just seemed more like a real old fashioned kind of train ride...plus the sound of the steam engine is a lot more fun. And yes, it was the real coal burning kind of steam engine. You don't see those much anymore.

The ride lasted about an hour through the country side. While you rode the train, Santa came to visit you. I thought Ethan would be a little unsure of Santa- since let's just be honest, this Santa didn't look like a real classic. But, much to my surprise, he let Santa sit next to him and talk to him for a few minutes. The train was decorated for Christmas, and they played Christmas music. That's about it. You either have to really love trains, or be a child to really enjoy this. For me, it was seeing the excitement in my son's eyes...that was enough. Thanks to my sister for taking all of these pictures!

An update on Snowflakes the elf...

He has conducted circle time at "Elf School"...

And then needed some major rest time since toddlers are exhausting.

I still can't believe this week is the week of Christmas. Crazy. This week also starts my 3rd trimester which also seems crazy. I am getting excited, but also starting to get nervous thinking about all of the upcoming change. 

I hope that everyone has a blessed Christmas!!! 

The Elf

Before I get to "The Elf", let me debrief you on what has gone on in the last 8 days.

Craziness.

Last weekend (not the one that just passed but the one previous) we had Ethan's first baseball practice, a baby shower to attend for Evan's brother, the Apex Christmas parade, and our annual Christmas cookie decorating party. Ethan enjoyed decorating cookies- well mostly eating the icing and candy part. He also enjoyed the Christmas parade minus the loud sounds the firetrucks, police cars, and ambulances made. That really took me by surprise..and was something new for us. He has never been scared of noises before. But other than that, he loved "the music, and the girls that waved their flags".  My sister bought him this adorable Santa hat to wear to the parade.

After a crazy weekend, things got even crazier when Ethan came down suddenly with pneumonia. It was awful. He has never had a high fever that held on for so long- 36 straight hours. After a few trips to the doctor, several calls and trips to the pharmacy, and many sleepless hours, he is doing great now, and I am SO grateful.

Today was off to preschool for a "normal" day, and what hopes to be more of a normal week for us.

So....

On to "The Elf". I'm sure you guessed what its all about. Ethan named his "elf on the shelf" "snowflakes". I tried introducing the elf last year, but he really wasn't that interested. But this year he LOVES it. Every single morning as soon as his feet hit the ground, he says "I wonder where snowflakes is hiding today!?" He gets so excited over it. Now, I have to admit, in the beginning I was all about it. I loved coming up with new ideas of where to hide the elf. Now I seem to be running out of steam...or is it running out of ideas? Here are some pictures of the fun snowflakes has been having around here.

To be honest, I have no idea what to do with that elf tonight. I'll probably be googling an idea. :)

News flash- its the week before Christmas. What the heck?!?! I can't seem to wrap my mind around it. Speaking of "wrap" who wants to come help me wrap gifts? :)

I hope everyone has a great week, and gets everything checked off their holiday to do list!

Catch Up Part 2

Okay, I'm back for a second time...but this time it's for good.

Thanks to my tech savvy brother in law for navigating my technical problems. Turns out, I needed to download a different server in order to be compatible with the program I was running. I would have never figured this out on my own.

If you recall from my last post, I was super bummed that I couldn't include pictures with my latest blog. So- let's finish this the right way.

Let's start with Ethan's first day of 3 year old preschool...

Gender reveal party! It's a boy...

One of the most beautiful cakes I have ever seen!

My sisters wedding...

So stinkin' cute!!!

Marshall from Paw Patrol for Halloween

Happy Thanksgiving! I'm a sucker for monogrammed shirts. I love this cute turkey shirt!

I think that pretty much catches us up to the present time. 

The last month has been hectic. Unfortunately, we have been to two funerals in the last 3 weeks. Evan's grandmother on his fathers side, and then his grandfather on his mothers side both passed away. Holidays are always a magical time of year, but also very tough for some.

Pregnancy update- I am already 25 weeks pregnant. I know that once the holidays are over, this baby will be here before we know it. He is busy, and quite active. I am happy to report that my weight gain has been less than with Ethan, and I have been diligent about going to the gym 3 times per week. I feel better overall physically than I did when I was pregnant with Ethan, mostly (I'm guessing) because I am so active chasing a toddler, and trying to keep up with my exercise. I have also been eating much less than when I was pregnant with Ethan, but I blame that on the reflux and feeling full very quickly. Hey, that's not such a bad thing. My energy is still low, and I nap most days when Ethan naps...but I don't feel guilty about it. My cravings are also low. The only thing I crave from time to time is fresh fruit, really cold Coke, and ice cream. But never at the same time of course! I guess I should start decorating the nursery some time soon. :) 

Now that Christmas is upon us, I will have plenty to blog about. December is always a super busy month- but usually full of fun, special moments. Our holiday season kicks off this weekend with the Apex Christmas parade, and or annual Christmas cookie decorating party. Stay tuned!

Let's Catch Up

Hello!!!

I'm finally back after a very long break. Where have I been? Well, to be honest, there has been a lot going on since my last post in August, and I haven't felt much like blogging these days.

My #1 excuse? I've been too nauseous and tired to blog. If you haven't heard the latest, I'm 20 weeks pregnant. Looking at electronics just makes my nausea worse. But, now I think I've turned the corner and am finally getting some energy back, and feeling more like myself.

So lets catch up. Here is a cliff note version of what's been happening around here.
*Side note* I would have had a lot of great pictures to include but I'm having some technical issues with blogger today. So disappointing!

In late August Ethan started back at preschool. We are in the 3-4 year old class this year, going MWF. He is in the caterpillar class and loves it!!! We are having a fabulous year. I also joined the social committee, and have enjoyed helping out at preschool.

Ethan also started soccer this fall. His first soccer session or "practice" was in September. He loves it. Or should I say he loves soccer. The class has disappointed me a bit. They play more silly games that have nothing to do with soccer than actually learning the game. I think Ethan has become a bit bored. He still likes it, but gets bored about half way through. He needs something a little more advanced.

My sister got married in October. Our whole family was in the wedding and it was a great day. Ethan was the ring barer, I was the Matron of Honor, and Evan was an usher. Ethan walked down the isle like a champ, and had a blast dancing the night away. It was beautiful from start to finish!!!

We planned a gender reveal party for family and very close friends last week. I found out I was pregnant in June but we really haven't been telling many people up until this point- I am sure you can guess why. It's been a long, scary journey for us. I was (and still am at times) petrified that something is going to happen to our baby. But with a lot of prayers, support, and many, many, many doctor visits, our little BOY is happy and healthy to this point. Our ultrasound last week was with a specialist. She did an amazing job checking out our little one. She did everything including counting every finger and toe (not even kidding).  We feel so blessed, and so relieved. I know we aren't at the finish line yet, but its been a good start.

Anyway, Evan and I found out what we were having with the rest of the family when we cut the cake to reveal blue icing. Ethan really wanted a girl. So, for him I was hoping it would be a girl. Most of his friends are girls, so I assume that's why. His face seemed a little sad when we cut the cake, but he got over it pretty quickly! :)

It melts my heart to hear Ethan talk about the baby. He talks about him a lot. He asks me at least 5 times a day if the baby is sleeping or awake. He will randomly say "mommy when the baby comes, I'm going to show him..." It makes me so happy!

Today, so far has been a busy day. One party down, and one to go, and of course trick or treating tonight. Ethan is having a blast this year with the whole "Halloween" thing.

Thanks for enduring my long list of catch up. I've missed all of you guys!

Hope everyone has a wonderful night!!! Happy Halloween!!!

Still Here

Don't worry I'm still here. I know there has been a long intermission in between recent blog posts. To be honest, I haven't had anything too interesting to blog about...which means life has slowed down just a little for the Boutwell Bunch. So here's what we've been up to... Last weekend we took a one night trip to Swansboro, NC where Evan's dad's family grew up (if you don't know where that is, it's about 30 minutes outside of Emerald Isle). It was his uncle Fran's 60th birthday. This is the first time since I've been married to Evan that we have been involved in a (sort of) family reunion with his dad's side of the family. We left Saturday around noon and returned home the next day around 1pm, so just over the 24 hour mark. We had a great time. The food was delicious...and of course included fresh NC coast shrimp which is a favorite of ours. Swansboro is the place we stop on our way home from the beach to stock up on fresh seafood. Ethan was the youngest grandchild, but had no problems enjoying himself anyway. He was fully content playing in the driveway with a few toys which was made up of rocks and seashells. It really doesn't take much to entertain boys. We stayed about 5 hours when I knew Ethan was reaching his "I'm exhausted and am going to turn into a crazy person" phase. I can't say I blame him, since 5 hours is a long time, and he didn't take a nap that day (NO my child DOES NOT sleep in the car). I have never known the pure bliss of a child sleeping car ride...oh well that's a whole 'nother tangent. Anyway, we had a great time visiting with family and catching up. Our night in the hotel went beautifully. Ethan slept great in his own queen size bed, while Evan and I had our own peaceful nights sleep in our bed. First successful nights sleep in a hotel...check. We all met downstairs for breakfast the next morning, before heading out. We were all tired when we got home that day, but it was well worth the trip. That same evening, we went out for a boat ride on my dads boat. Evan tried his hand (successfully of course) at knee boarding, while my sister learned how to water ski. I was tired this time around and decided to pass on all of it. Although seeing my dads new pair of skis was quite tempting. Ethan and my dad spent a lot of time in the water swimming together. I can't keep that kid out of the water. I am sure you could guess that we all had an early bedtime that night, and slept awesome. In other happenings... Ethan just finished his second and final week at Dream Sports Camp in Apex this week. He absolutely loved it. This was our first ever introduction to the world of sports...and now there is NO turning back. They played tennis, lacrosse, basketball, baseball, football, soccer, inline skating, and golf. I kept asking Ethan after each day what his favorite sport was. Even after the two full weeks, his answer remained the same. Soccer. So, soccer mom here I come. I've signed him up for 10 weeks of beginner soccer starting in September with Dream Sports. I was very impressed with the coaches and how they interacted with the kids during camp. I loved that the groups were small, with a lot of one on one attention. It's really great to see your kid passionate and excited about something...and in Ethan's case something besides trucks. :) The start of preschool is right around the corner. Three more weeks until his 3 year old class will start. He is more than ready. I, on the other hand, know that once school starts the time will go by even faster, and I'm not ready for that. This summer has flown by. So, here's to the next 3 weeks!

Jessica's Bridal Shower

Last Saturday I hosted a bridal shower here at our house for my sister Jessica. We had a house full of about 30 guests.

If you know anything about me, you know I love a good themed party. I have been pinteresting ideas for months for this shower, and I was so pleased with how it all came together.

Since Jessica's wedding is a chabby chic theme (or a rustic elegance as I like to call it), I continued the theme into her shower.  Burlap, chalk boards, mason jars, sunflowers, wooden crates...you'll find it all here.

 

 

My gift for Jess was a hand painted piece of art on reclaimed wood for their new house.

 

 

 

The drink station where you claim your own mason jar with chalk.

 

 

Do you see that beautiful wooden crate in the middle of the bar? Here is a closer look.

 

 

A friend let me borrow these crates. I used them on the bar, and dining room table. She also had smaller ones which I used upside down to display pies on. I loved them so much, Evan has made me a few for myself. Yes, those are real sunflowers in mason jars.

 

 

Since my sister isn't into your typical cake or cupcake- I made her favorite chocolate chip pie. Or should I say pieS. Since there were 30 people. Aren't they pretty?

 

 

We had a huge spread of food. All of my sister's favorites. Deviled eggs, chicken salad, fruit, homemade salsa and pimento cheese, hummus, meatballs, buffalo chicken dip, and quinoa salad.

 

 

These aren't the best pictures, but I'm so excited for Jess! She deserves all the happiness in the world and best wishes for her new and exciting journey!

 

Mom, Jess, and me.

 

 

 

I never realized how much work went into hosting a shower for 30 people. I have been planning this for months. After the day was wrapped up, house cleaned and put back together, I was beyond exhausted!!! BUT, of course it was worth every minute to see how happy Jess was.

 

3 more months until wedding bells!!!

 

 

 

 

Red White & Blue

Last weekend, we decided to host a 4th of July party. We had so much fun!!!

Accompanied by old friends, some new friends, and family, it was really nice to spend time with everyone we love. (We missed our friends and family who couldn't be here!)

The weather ended up being perfect. It rained earlier in the day (a lot!) and I was getting worried. But sure enough, the sky cleared, the temperatures dropped, and there was a nice cool breeze.

Since we had 5 little ones running around, I made sure to keep those kiddos entertained. You know what they say...happy kid=happy mother. Well, I know the saying doesn't exactly go like that but you get my drift. We had a sand table, a water table, balls, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, and plenty of other toys. The kids had an absolute blast. Ethan didn't bother me once. :)

There was so much yummy food to choose from. There were two dessert dishes though that require special attention. My friend Stephanie baked 2 amazing desserts to share. Since her baking skills are quite stellar, she knew I would request a special treat...or two. :) Since she knows I have a weakness for anything peanut butter and chocolate, she whipped up some pretty amazing peanut butter brownies which had nutter butters, and reese's pieces in them. In addition she made some pretty amazing cookies. I will not mention how many I ate...or how many pounds I gained the next morning. :) Oh yeah, and they make a pretty good morning treat (when you come downstairs looking for breakfast) too. I wish I had taken a picture of them...yeah, I know I say that a lot.

One of my contributions to the party was a new Pinterest recipe. "Buzzed Cherry Bombs". They were delicious, strong, and harder to make then they appeared. What makes them buzzed? You soak them in vanilla vodka overnight.  They were a huge hit, and I would definitely make them again.

 

 

In my best attempts to get a decent 4th of July shot of Ethan before he got all sweaty and dirty...this is what I got. Not too shabby.

 

 

 

 

 

I tried to get pictures of the kids...they had so much fun. I figured the kids wouldn't mind being photographed since most adults don't. :)

 

 

 

 

 

The night ended with some pretty great fireworks that all of our surrounding neighbors were setting off.  Ethan got his first dose of fireworks, and he really loved them. Little man didn't get to bed until 10:30pm and was up at normal time...go figure. But, it was all worth it...what a great day!

 







Father's Day

We had a wonderful Father's Day celebrating both  my dad and Evan.

Our day started off by letting Evan sleep in a bit. As part of my gift to Evan, I ordered him a 26 week subscription to the News and Observer. Ethan and I woke Evan up and gave him his paper in bed-which he was thrilled about. You know who else was thrilled about the paper? None other than Ethan of course. He sat in bed with his daddy and read the paper with him for an entire hour. I see a great father/son tradition in the making. Oh yeah, and that hour of quiet meant I could get ready with no distractions. A win-win for us all. :)

 

 

 

Once everyone was dressed and ready to go, we made our way over to my mom and dad's house where we cooked a big breakfast for my dad. One thing is for sure about this family...we love a good breakfast. We had blueberry, chocolate chip, and plain pancakes, eggs, English muffins, fruit salad, and sausages. It was delish. You know what else is great about eating a big, mid morning breakfast? It keeps you full for most of the day which means you don't have to worry about what's for lunch.

 

I wish I would have gotten a picture of all us eating our breakfast- but I didn't think of it at the time.

 

Evan's second Father's Day surprise was that we got him Holly Springs Salamander baseball tickets for that evening. For those of you that don't know- Holly Springs just recently opened a beautiful baseball stadium, which in my opinion has been great for this little town.

 

Evan was so excited. The man lives for baseball. He got to take Ethan to his first ever baseball game. How much better can it get?

 

 

Don't let the gloomy face fool you. He was having a great time.

 

Yes, that is sweat. It was really, really hot.

 

 

 

I bought these tickets knowing good and well Ethan wasn't going to make it a full 9 innings. I mean let's just be honest here...I can barely make 4. Baseball....well....it's just too slow for me. Not to mention my intense fear of getting hit in the face by a foul ball.

 

Ethan made it through 4 innings, which in  my opinion was perfect since it was blistering hot, and we were getting hungry. 





We enjoyed pampering Evan and being thankful and grateful he is on our lives, and does so much for us. He is an amazing father!