Cavs in the Finals (4.4 years and 2.85 years)

The post season with the Cavs has been a lot of fun.  Austin and Sydney has really enjoyed it too. The Cavs being in the finals was awesome and exhausting.  All the home games did not start until 9pm.  A few away games started at 8 pm.  We took the kids to the watch parties.  It was a great opportunity for them to see the finals without the cost and really late nights.

The Cavs do a great job with the watch parties.  We really enjoy Fred McLeod and Austin Carr doing the commentary.  The kids get to get their hair painted and a Cavs tattoo.  The love all the snacks they get.  The snacks really help them be able to watch the entire game.  I find it amazing that a 2 and 4 year old can watch the entire game.  They have never watched an entire movie at one sitting yet but they can watch the Cavs game.

During the timeouts, the entertainment at the Q is just like regular games.  The have the T-Shirt toss.  Brian was holding Austin and a t-shirt was thrown right at Austin.  Brian was nervous if Austin was going to be able to catch it himself.  This was Austin's opportunity to get it.  If he dropped it, likely someone would get it.  Luckily Austin caught it himself.  He was so proud.  And so were we!

The watch party ended up going into overtime.  Austin started to fall asleep a little bit but Sydney was still pretty awake.  Brian told Austin if they won, he would be able to give strangers high fives.  Austin was really excited about that.  The Cavs ended up winning and Austin and Brian went all over the Q giving people high fives!

Brian and I went to all the home finals games ourselves.  Luckily our neighbor was able to watch the kids.  Since the games were so late, it worked out well for everyone.  The kids had fun with her and her kids.  

We were really sad the Cavs did not win the finals.  But given the injuries to Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving, it was impressive they made it so far.  It's great to live in Cleveland and be able to experience this. It was great family memories.  We can't wait to see what next year brings!

Our local library has a summer time reading program.  I read to the kids for at least 20 minutes a day and then the kids color in a clock.  Then each week, they get a prize, a popsicle, and a coupon for food somewhere.  The kids really love doing this.  They enjoy reading and picking out their books.  Now when I take the kids to the doctors I bring lots of library books.  We just sit and lobby or room just reading the books.  They are so good.  Before when I didn't have anything for them to do they would torment each other, scream or run around.  Now we just sit there and read.  It makes me so happy!  I'm so grateful for our great library and getting the kids to enjoy reading so much.

Last summer, we we were so desperate to get Austin to poop in the potty we got Austin a fireman's pole for his swing set.  Brian told him as soon as he did that they would put it up.  Well that never happened until Thanksgiving.  Since it was cold outside and he just did it because he wanted too not because of the fireman's pole, it was never put up.  Austin loves fireman poles at the parks.  Brian decided to put it up for him.  Austin loved helping put it up.  He also loves being able to play on it.  Sydney can't go down herself yet but Austin definitely can.  Kids still enjoy their swing set.  It's nice when I am making dinner that they can play on it and I can see them.  It was a lot of work to make but so glad Brian did that!

Also this year, Austin decided he wanted to grow some plants and/or flowers.  I was planning on getting a pot from the store and letting him do that.  Brian thought, "why don't we just make them a garden?"  Brian built them a garden on the side of the house.  He also made sure that the deer and rabbits won't be able to get in.  It has a door with a lock.  It's amazing.  It's a large garden that the kids planted corn, watermelon, cantaloupe, green beans, tomatoes, cucumber, and carrots.  They had fun with that. Hopefully we will actually grow something.  I don't have a green thumb so we'll see what happens.

We also took the kids strawberry picking twice.  They loved apple picking so much we decided to try strawberry picking.  The loved it too!  It is cool to get fresh fruit and watch them pick their own.

Hello Spring and Welcome Summer

The month of May is already over, I cannot believe it!  We have been so busy enjoying this beautiful spring I didn't have time to blog.  Spring came on suddenly this year and it became hot quick.  It was awesome!  We love the seasons of the year but when the warm weather finally comes it's amazing!

My mom went to Alaska for the month of May to visit with Aunt Betty.  The kids miss her.  We still have been visiting Papa every week.  He has come along to some of our activities too.  The kids enjoy the Sunday breakfasts at their house.  They get pancakes, eggs, chocolate milk, and donuts.  What could be better?  Since the weather has been nice, we have been walking to the park after breakfast.  Austin and Sydney really like walking Gizmo.  He's a great dog for that.  He never pulls them and everyone enjoys their walk.

I had a great Mother's day!  Their school also does muffins with mom.  It's great they do that but I always feel horrible because it's difficult for me to go. I get to work between 7-7:30 am.  Brian always takes them to school.  I talked with Austin about the muffins with mom since he understands. We decided to buy our own muffins at home and have them together. I am so glad it worked out.  The school does a nice job making gifts for us.  Austin made a key chain with his fingerprint on it and Sydney has a picture of her in a frame holding flowers.  They were both very cute.  Brian made me a photo book of the past year of pictures with just me and the kids.  It's always great to look at those pictures nicely in a book.

We went to a Cavs watch party on Mother's day.  Lebron James hit a buzzer beater to win the game against Chicago.  It was quite exciting and everyone went crazy.  The Cavs do a great job with the watch parties.  Austin and Sydney like them too.  They have become huge Cavs fans.  They can watch the entire games now.  They need a lot of snacks to entertain them but they do sit in their seats.  At the watch parties, Austin caught a t-shirt all by himself they were throwing out too.  He was so proud!

The Cavs post season run has been unbelievable.  We are so excited about it.  Brian and I have went to all the home games.  Austin and Sydney went to 2-3 playoff games and numerous watch parties.  They really likes it.  Because of the price of tickets and it being crowded we had to sit separate with the kids at the home games.  We realized the kids act better when they are separate though.  It's great the Cavs are going to the NBA finals.  We are really hoping for a championship this year.  The kids would love to go to the parade!

In May, we went to see Thomas the Train.  The weather wasn't the best but it didn't rain.  We arrived early so we could get the kids picture with Thomas.  Then they jumped in the bouncy houses for a while. Kaitlyn's family joined us on Thomas.  My dad came too however he couldn't go on the train because I didn't have enough tickets and couldn't get more on the same train.  He was okay with that.  He got to watch the people while we rode the train.  After our Thomas adventure we went to McDonald's for lunch.  The kids were excited about that.

On Memorial Day weekend, we went to the zoo for kids day. It was extremely busy however the kids had fun.  They enjoy the zoo.  Brian does not get to go often.  It was a nice family morning there.  We left the zoo because we were planning on buying a camper.  Unfortunately the camper did not work out.  Brian and I were bummed but we believe everything happens for a reason. It's not our time to have a camper.  We are planning on buying one next year.  Brian needs to get a bigger vehicle first to be able to pull it,

On Memorial day, Austin had a friend's birthday party.  It was really nice because they invited Sydney.  It was at a local park.  Spider-man even showed up.  The party was great.  Everyone had a great time.  I really like the kids childcare school.  We have met some great people and the kids have learned a lot.  I am so lucky to be able to work part time to allow the kids to go to school while I can continue my career.  I am truly grateful.  It has been the best for our family to have the best of both worlds of staying home versus working.

Austin and Sydney did tot soccer though our rec center this month.  It was every Tuesday night.  It was nice because it was the first year that Sydney could play too. They had fun with it.  Austin did a great job participating.  He did what he was told and didn't need us to be right with him like last year.  It was refreshing to see.

Austin now completely buckle his 5 point car seat now by himself in a timely manner.  It's great. He buckles himself while I buckle Sydney.