Back to School and Other Things!

Back to School! I can't believe it. I have a four year old now and he is starting his second year of preschool tomorrow. I love that feeling of starting a new year. I have always thought of the beginning of school as my kind of New Year, even through the years I have not been in school. It is when I start making my resolutions. Updating this blog regularly is at the top of my list. Travis will be going to school Monday through Thursday during the morning and I am hoping I will have more time to catch up on fun projects, like this blog. It really doesn't matter who reads this and who doesn't, I realize I need to do this as a record to look back on for our family. I love reading the posts that I actually made and remember the fun things we did. It seems that with all of the digital media you just never print out pictures or make photo albums so I need to do this. We may not have the most exciting blog, this is one reason I think I slacked in the past. We don't do a lot of elaborate projects and crafts, or go on a lot of trips, but we do have fun and enjoy our life and family!!! The next few updates will be about our newest addition to the family who is already 7 months old, crawling, eating, and being ornery! Boy do I have a lot of catching up to do.

Easter 2011

Wow, I can't believe I am posting about Easter on the last day of June! We did a lot of the normal Easter traditions....egg dying, yummy treats, Easter egg hunt, dinner, and the hunt for the Easter basket. I love holidays! It is so fun especially with Travis!

Backyard Part 2.....

We also put in a small patio in the back by the swing set. Travis had fun playing in the sand that was the base of the patio. I love that my husband is so handy and can do these projects on his own without hiring some to do it. It allows us to do so much more! He did an awesome job!

Finished patio! Good job Allen!!

We layed down sod and Travis made mud puddles!

All done!

Backyard Renovation

Early Spring we started a big project that involved pretty much redoing half of our backyard to accommodate a play set for Travis. We needed to do something back there anyway and this was the perfect reason to do it!

The before.....

Travis was such a good helper! He kept saying "I'm building!"

Three generations of MacDonald men....

Catching Up....AGAIN

I seriously can't believe the last time I updated this blog was exactly 5 months ago! Things get a little crazy for us in the spring and early summer but we have survived the first part of pool season and can now have a little R&R before the closing season starts again. I hope I can remember all of the important and fun stuff that has happened these past few months. It has been a really hard year full of trials but I think we have found the light at the end of the tunnel and I am so excited for our family's future! We have learned a lot and grown a lot but we are stronger than ever and I can't wait for what's to come. So let the updating begin......

Family time

So things are starting to finally settle down in our house. Allen went to his sister Beth's house for a little over a week to help her finish her basement. Of course we had three snow storms while he was gone so I had lots of snow shovel practice. I have to say I think I did a pretty good job! Travis had fun playing and "helping" me out too.  When he got back we finally went and had our family portraits taken. Here are some of my favorites

Did I mention how much I love my family?  I have been feeling a little down the past week. I can't help but to think about the baby we lost this summer.....this week would have been my due date. It's not something I tend to dwell on because I know there is reason for everything and Heavenly Father knows what he's doing.  It was one of the hardest things I have ever gone through and it just hurts to think that we could have bringing home a little baby if I hadn't had the miscarriage. I guess I thought that we would have another one on the way by now too. So we decided we need a family "get away". Allen, Travis, and I and our two dogs packed up the car Friday and headed down to my parents beach house on Indian River. That place is so beautiful, peaceful, and relaxing. It was the perfect medicine. Here was my view when I woke up Saturday morning

We went out to dinner to one of my favorite restaurants and had the best dinner ever. Saturday morning we decided to take Travis to Bonkersville in Lewes. That place was awesome! It sure did wear him out. He must have gone down each slide 20 times. I have to admit Allen and I went down the slides a few times too and it was really fun! Then Allen spoiled me with some retail therapy. I found some great deals too, which makes it even more fun! When it was time to come home we all felt so much better and I feel as good as new! We decided we need get away as a family more often.

 

Happy New Year!

This year we went over to our friends Ben and Meagan's house to celebrate. They did a awesome job putting together a party for the kids and parents. The adults played some "Minute to Win It" games, which I was horrible at. At 9:00 we had happy new year celebrations for the kids with silly string and poppers. Travis wasn't too crazy about the silly string, he doesn't like to get messy, lol, but he loved the poppers!

Serenading the crowd to his favorite....Twinkle, Twinkle.

Happy picture from a happy family...

Look at the hat, it is as tall as he is!

Minute to Win It oreo cookie drop in your mouth game. I'm not doing so well....

Allen is hanging in there better than I did.

Silly string wars!

I think this is hilarious! Ewww, it's messy!

Poppers are more his style, less mess.

Allen after I attacked him with Travis's leftover silly string!

This year we went over to our friends Ben and Meagan's house to celebrate. It was great because Travis got to hang out with his friends too! The adults played some "Minute to Win It" games, which I was horrible at. At 9:00 we had happy new year celebrations for the kids with silly string and poppers. Travis wasn't too crazy about the silly string, he doesn't like to get messy, lol, but he loved the poppers!