Air Conditioning

Since Sunday night we have had air conditioning!  It is a first for our household and we are all enjoying it quite a bit.  By "all" I mean my kitchen cabinets, my computer, the woodwork, the boys, the dogs, cat, the babysitter, Brad and I.  It is really only upstairs but it is having an affect downstairs!  The house has gone from a place we avoided on hot days to a spot everyone is begging to be.  The dogs stand at the door and don't even want to go in the basement anymore, which was formally the cool spot in the house.  We can now invite people over and not feel guilty about subjecting them to our hot house.  I do think the camper misses us a little!

Vince knows where the thermostat is for the air conditioning and how to change it.  The other day he changed it to 83 while I was taking a shower.  I didn't discover that for several hours later!  Vince also now has an obsession with the air conditioning unit, vents and all the components of it.  After Paul installed the air conditioning he showed Brad and Vince everything.  I am talking outside, inside, and everything they installed in the attic.  Vince soaked it all up.  Several times this week while we were outside he asked to go look at the air conditioning unit.  So we stop playing in the yard and walk over and stare at it.  Joel doesn't seem to be impressed, but Vince thinks it is wonderful.  He also tries to convince me that we need to go upstairs and look at all the air conditioning 'pipes' in the attic.  He does not like the word "no" or "why don't you ask Daddy when he gets home."  At night we need to discuss the vents in his room and why they are there and what they do.  I love his curiosity and the fact that he is no longer obsessed with the pipes in the basement, but it is getting a little old.  I am starting to think I should have gone on the tour with Paul so I could accurately tell Vince how everything works.  Right now I am half making things up, but as far as Vince and Joel know I am an expert in plumbing and air conditioning! 

Short stories from this weekend

Brad likes to joke around and when certain things happen on the farm, at home, or with the kids he will say "Oh that is bloggable" or "I bet you are going to write about that."  Most of the time he is correct!

Here are a few short stories that I just couldn't resist sharing.

Bristol getting special treatment

 Before we left for Michigan we stopped by the farm to drop Bristol off and fill the tires on the camper.  Brad decided to wash the truck too.  Joel and I went for a walk and Vince stayed back to help Brad.  When we came back I found two happy boys, but one of them was very wet!

Daddy's helper

On our way to Michigan this past weekend we had stopped to get dinner.  It was about 7:30pm.  The kids were tired of being in the car and needed to run around a little, they were hungry and excited to be on an adventure.  Brad gave Vince the choice between steak and fish.  Vince said he wanted steak.  We don't eat steak very often I don't think he really knew what steak was, but he wanted some.  The restaurant was decorated like a car repair shop and the boys enjoyed that, but it did not help them sit still.  Joel was crawling out of his highchair, Vince kept trying to leave the table and go see the games and Brad and I took turns chasing them or taking them to pretend to play the arcade games.  It resulted in only 1 adult being present at the table at a time surrounded by 3 empty seats.  The waitress thought it was odd, but I enjoyed eating my salad in peace.  Then we all ate dinner together.  When the boys were done eating then Brad got to finish his dinner in peace.  It was the most exhausting dinner I have ever had at a restaurant!  Once we have 3 children we are not going out for dinner unless Brad and I are on a date!  I am sure that will change when they get older but the thought of it is intimidating!

I wanted the boys to eat an early dinner before the wedding, because the wedding started at 6:30pm.  So I made some food took it outside to Brad and the boys and went back in the camper to get ready.  We didn't have a picnic table, so I told the boys to sit on the ground and have a picnic.  They look like little animals!

My little animals!

At the wedding Vince fell asleep before the dancing started.  He loves to dance, so I was sad that he missed out on it.  However, Brad brought Joel on the dance floor and he loved it!  Joel also stayed awake long enough for wedding cake.  He enjoyed himself!

Joel was pulling Vince's hair and Vince was trying to get away

On the way home we stopped by my work to pick up our cat and one of our dogs, Maisy.  Bristol our other dog was with my father-in-law for the weekend.  My work is in a small strip mall area.  We parked the truck and camper by a pizza place.  Placed our order and then walked across 3 parking lots to the opposite end to my clinic.  I wish I had a picture of us as we were walking back to the camper.  We probably looked homeless.  Brad was pushing the double stroller with a cat in a carrier on one side and a 50 lbs bag of dog food on the other side.  I had Joel in a carrier on my back and Vince was helping me walk Maisy.  Half way back Vince decided pushing the stroller would be easier.  We made it back to the camper with several funny stares from shoppers but no major mishaps and we were on time for our pizza order.

When we were unpacking the camper I decided to put the boys to work.  They are 1 and 3 and old enough to be helpful not usually, but this time they actually were.  I put them both in Vince's gator and told them to drive to the camper.  I would fill the back of the gator with things that needed to go to the house and they would drive to the back door where Brad would unload the gator.  Then they would drive back to the camper!  It actually went pretty well until one of the last loads when the tailgate opened up. 

Brad directing the boys

I will never understand

I will never understand the mind of a 3 year old.  I try and I try but ignorance may be bliss.  We went to Michigan this past weekend for Brad's cousin's wedding.  The wedding and reception were beautiful.  We left Friday night and encountered a lot of traffic, but we were not without entertainment.  Vince never stopped talking for most of the trip there and back, minus a couple hours for napping.

Finally quiet holding his balloon sword

On the way up there we were telling the boys about the campground we were planning on staying at for the weekend.  We told them they had paddle boats that you peddled like a bike with your feet.  Vince thought it was hilarious and Joel laughed because Vince was laughing.  We explained that we would do the peddling and Vince and Joel would just ride along.  Vince said "Someday when I big, I will peddle a boat and I will have a wife and she can peddle too."  After repeating this a couple times to make sure we all understood he added "Daddy, someday you can be my wife!"

Funny faces in the camper

Joel kept trying to jump in

Later on the car trip Vince was saying in a mean bad guy tone "Mommy I am going to flush your baby down the toilet.  Then I am going to flush Joelly down the toilet too.  Hahaha"  He then went on to repeat different versions of that for about 10 min.  We told him that it wasn't nice to say that, but he said he was a monster!  Brad and I had to control our laughing and warned Joel to stay away from any toilets for the weekend.

Mommy and her boys

When we were leaving the campground this weekend we talked about going to the zoo before heading home.  On the 25 min drive to the zoo both kids fell asleep.  Brad and I debated for 2 minutes about what to do and quickly decided that driving the 4 hour drive with the kids asleep for most likely 1/2 of it was a good idea and that we would make it up to the boys for the zoo trip later.  When Vince woke up 2 hours later he asked if we were almost to the zoo and we said no and stopped for ice cream.  Then after we stopped for dinner later Vince asked again about the zoo and we told him we would go a different day because he was napping when we got there so we just kept driving.  Vince's response was "But I am all rested up and now I have energy for the zoo."  Poor kid!  He will probably never fall asleep in the car again because he might miss going somewhere fun.

Joel loved swimming in the pond

Sunday night we arrived home after a long car ride.  It was nice in the yard and everyone was happy to be home and out of the car!  Brad, Vince and Joel were laying in the hammock together and I brought out some freeze pops.  Vince and Joel were thrilled!  After Vince finished his, he turned to Brad who still had part of his popsicle left and said "Daddy, God say to share with me."  Neither Brad nor I responded immediately, so Vince repeated himself.  "Daddy, God says to share."  Brad handed over the last bite of his popsicle and said "I can't argue with that."  Joel did not think it was very fair!

Vince finally relaxed and like swimming with Daddy

I was surprised Brad gave in so easily, but Vince said it in such a sweet tone that Brad just couldn't resist.  Truth be told I wouldn't have been able to resist either.  Vince called me his sweet golden princess all weekend and gave me hugs and kisses constantly and probably could have gotten anything he wanted from me as well.

Joel happy because he finally got a turn in the Cars chair.

It's Official

It is official...As of Thursday night all spraying for the year was finished in Farmer City!!!!  We were too busy trying to get out of town for a wedding, so I wasn't able to celebrate on Friday.

Brad still has a lot to do around home, but at least it is around home so we might be able to see him more often!  Brad has promised to write a post for me on fungicide and why it is important to our crop.  I would do it, but his version is slightly more detailed than mine and probably more accurate too.

1st trip to the dentist

Vince has his first trip to the dentist last week.  I had really talked up going to the dentist for the last month or so and he was excited!  He wanted to meet the dentist, see the tools and the water sucker.  I was still a little worried he would freak out, but he did wonderful!  He let them count his teeth, clean his teeth, floss his teeth and followed all the hygienist and dentist's directions the first time they asked.  A skill I wish he would work on at home, I am so tired of repeating myself all the time.  Here is a picture of him at the dentist!  They gave him sunglasses so the lights wouldn't bother his eyes and a brand new Lightning McQueen toothbrush.  Afterwards he got to pick out 2 prizes from the prize basket.  Unfortunately one of his brand new molars has a small cavity, so we are going back in a couple weeks to see some more tools.  Vince is thrilled and I am not!

Excited to be at the dentist!