Unpacking & BEAUTIFUL Weather!

So, we are still unpacking and organizing. Well, not at this very moment, since I'm taking a moment to blog and enjoy some coffee. Chris started back this week, so it has just been the boys and me. I've had to balance the unpacking with some outdoor time as well - it's good for both the boys and me ... and plus, it has been BEAUTIFUL, even slightly chilly, which I guess I can't complain, since it's supposed to be back in the 90s next week. Plus, it's really hard unpacking boxes and staring outside at the beautiful, gorgeous sunshine that is just calling your name. HOWEVER, I do have the kitchen completely finished, which feels nice - and the boys' room is almost completely done as well, so we are really making lots of progress. The kitchen is always a big job ... trying to unwrap everything, wash it, and put it in its proper place, so that felt like a BIG accomplishment, especially after seeing the astronomical amount of paper that was used to wrap the dishes.....BUT only 1 glass was broken out of all of my dishes (and it wasn't even an important glass), so the packers can wrap away, if that's what it takes. Here are some pictures from this week ....

Look at all of that paper .... that was just for half of the china.

The boys LOVED playing in all of that paper....
as you can see :-)
LOTS of time has been spent on the playground (in fact, we are headed out there after we finish watching Yogi Bear) ;-)
Jake loves the "shaky shaky" bridge (with alligators underneath, of course).
1 of the 4 slides....
Cole having SO.MUCH.FUN!!!!!
We were playing hide-n-seek. Both boys love it. There aren't too many places to "hide" at the playground, but that's okay, b/c Jake and Cole have their favorite place. They want to hide there, and then they want ME to hide there when they are counting :-) It's hilarious, too, because even though Jake knows where I am hiding (since he has asked me nicely to please hide there), he still walks around like I do "pretending" to not know where I'm hiding. That boy is a riot!
You can see them hiding in their favorite spot - Cole loves it just as much. Just a side note about Cole, he isn't really saying many words yet, but it's fun how much he comprehends. For instance, if I say it's time for breakfast or bath or lunch or Yogi Bear, etc., he goes to the respective place. It's the same for when we say we are going to play hide-n-seek .... he does that sinister laugh he has and starts running to "hide". Every stage is just SO FUN!! (The boy still wakes up way before the sun, though)!
Racing up the bridge....
Cole hangs in there, though!
Jake wanted to learn what all of these signs mean, so we've been working on that at the playground, and I took a picture, so we could practice at home, too (and I needed to verify with Chris that I know what all of these signs mean....) :-) Yellow light means "hurry up and go faster", right?!
Jake with all of his signs...
Getting brave...

Jake in his room ... he found the window sill - and his cars!
He still likes lining them all up. These window sills will get more attention than they ever have in the past, I'm sure!
The boys watching a movie....

AND.... here are some videos.

Playing in the paper. Oh, the joys of being 1 and 3!

Enjoying the playground together! They really are interacting more and more together. I love that about them both being boys and being close in age. Such fun!

In case you are still reading .... I'll leave you with one last "Jake story". While we were at the playground the other day, he wanted to race laps around it (he's really into racing and tag, too - along with hide-n-seek). Well, after he did the whole "on your mark, get set, go" .... he leaned over and gave me a push. I said, "Jake, that's not really nice. You know you aren't supposed to push people." Inwardly, I thought it was somewhat clever that he was trying to slow me down to get a head start - not fair, yet clever, but Jake said, "I wasn't pushing you, I was CRASHING you.... like lightning McQueen." :-) He had failed to inform me that we were race cars racing - ha! That boy and his imagination. It gets me every day. I love it! Alright, well.... better get back to some more laundry and organizing.... and sunshine!

*not sure why the spacing is all messed up in this blog .... and don't have time to figure it out :-)