Omaha Spring Break Trip Day 3

Day 3 was family picture day. With Great Grandpa's 90th birthday coming up this summer, we thought it would be nice to get some group photo's done. So we got up early and got dolled up to go take some pics. Here's a few of my favorites for the day.

After pictures the entire group got to have a nice lunch together at Mimi's Cafe. Then it was back to Sue's to relax a bit. Grandma Braska brought over some toy planes and a kite and Aunt Sue got out the chalks and we were able to spend some time outside for a bit before it got cold again.

Later that evening, us adult kids got to go to dinner with Grandma Braska at Old Chicago and then play some Apples to Apples together at her house while the littles stayed with Great Aunt Sue, Great Aunt Peg and Roberta. They had fun making little treasure boxes and couldn't wait to show us the next morning.  Here's some pics of that fun. Thanks for Sharing these Roberta.

What a crazy busy but super fun day!

Omaha Spring Break Trip Days 1 & 2

Once again this year we decided to take advantage of spring break as a time to make our annual trip to Omaha. This year, we decided to fly instead of drive which was so super nice. Here's a few pics of Day 1-  Travel Day:

The boys had school in the morning, so we took some time to say goodbye to our house guests who had stayed with us the previous night and to do some last minute packing. Once they were out of school, we headed to the airport for our afternoon flight. Here's a pic of Faith with her new baby backpack she had to have to take her Baby Phoebe along for the ride. It was so cute.

We had some lunch at the airport and then headed to our gate. At the gate Zaden came over with a tooth in his hand. He finally lost his first tooth! So we had to keep it safe on the plane so the Tooth Fairy could find him in Omaha.

And then it was finally time to fly. Faithy sat by me and we had a very calm flight for the most part with all of them. She even serenaded the entire plane with the song "Let it Go" from the movie Frozen for the first 15 minutes or so. Here she is all settled into her seat with her tablet and headphones.

Once we arrived, Grandma Braska and Aunt Kari met us at the airport to help with the kids while Mike and I took care of rental car arrangements and then went to Great Aunt Sue's for some dinner and to take it easy for the night.

Day 2  started off with a small road trip into Lincoln with Aunt Kari and Uncle Sean. We went to Morrill Hall to see the dinosaurs and other fun stuff and to walk around by the Huskers Stadium. It was a really fun time and we even had a laugh about the parking warnings we each received as a memento of our time spent there. Here's some pics to share.

Then we had a nice lunch together and headed back to Great Aunt Sue's for a break. Later that night, the kids wanted to spend the night with Grandma Braska and her dogs so they went there and we were able to have some fun with Mike's siblings Go-Karting and having a nice dinner together.

We then got to spend some time just chatting and hanging out in the quiet basement of Great Aunt Sue's house. It was a great start to our trip.

Happy St. Patrick's Day from Mike and Becca! 

Movies, Swings, Chefs and Swimmers

What a busy weekend this turned out to be. We originally had nothing planned this weekend, but that changed quickly. Mike came home on Friday with some movies he had borrowed from a co-worker, so we decided to make it a family night and opted to go out to dinner, do a little shopping then come home and make some popcorn and watch a movie together. It turned out really nice. The kids loved the movies and I loved me some  5 Guys and not cooking for dinner.

Saturday morning I was up early. So I got busy and made us some donut holes for breakfast. They were yummy (even if the kids still had to have cereal with them too). Then we were off for a quick errand. We came home and worked on some chores and then took a break to walk to a nearby park and get in some play time.

We came home and grilled some yummy burgers and hotdogs and had a relaxing evening together.
Sunday morning I got up and made some yummy cinnamon roll pancakes. Then the kids were all begging to go swimming so we hit the pool early and got to have the whole thing to ourselves including the slides for about the first 40 minutes. It was really fun. The boys could have played forever. Faith went in for a few minutes here and there. Mostly she wanted to sit on the bench and watch, where she eventually fell asleep. It was a lot of fun.

We came home and rustled up some lunch, then decided to whip up a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies with my 3 littlest chefs assisting. They turned out really good and as a bonus, we dyed them green for St. Patty's Day tomorrow.

Not too shabby of a weekend for having "nothing" to do, if I say so myself.

Flippers required

These two boys have been asking for a while now to take swim lessons, but we could never seem to fit it into our schedules. But I'm happy to say, we finally got them signed up for a first round. They started last week and have had 3 lessons so far. The first lesson was a little rough, but since then, they are both doing awesome. We are so impressed with them and all they have learned and are getting brave enough to try already.  I snuck a small camera along with us last night and snapped a few pics. I tried to do it when they weren't looking so as not to distract them and had them stop for one at the end. 

They are so funny and cute to watch and I love how much they are enjoying this. I've never seen them so excited to do any sort of sports activity. They can't quit talking about it and asking about it ever since they started. We've got a couple of little fish on our hands.

She's Here!

I'm excited to report that my new niece made it into the world safely early last week. I was fortunate enough to be able to go down for the day on Saturday and meet her for a little bit. She's so stinking cute! Welcome to the world Miss Bryndie!

5 Going on 6

Only a little over a month left until these boys turn 6! I'm enjoying their last few weeks of being 5 and they are really starting to get the hang of school and asking every day when they get to go to first grade because they want to have lunch at school.

They got to have a superhero day at school for white ribbon week. They of course chose their very most favorite people in the world to dress as. And got to wear them all day at school. They were stoked and to top of that awesome day, they got to have a pizza party in their class for winning the box top contest.  

Speaking of hero's,  Zaric also received an "Everyday Hero" award from his teacher and come home with some goodies and a certificate. He has made such a huge turn around this year from where we started. We still have a ways to go but we are so proud of them both.  Their reading is starting to bloom and numbers are flying for Zaden and really starting to improve for Zaric as well.

They make us laugh every single day and fill my heart when I listen to them play together and really, truly be each others best friend.  It's hard to describe how close these two are. Of course there are times they don't want to be anywhere near each other too. But that normally doesn't last long before they are back at it. 

Zaric has been really wanting to go to McDonald's lately and every day it's been the same story, we don't have time because the tutor is coming or we simply don't want to or we shouldn't etc etc. Well in a desperate plea on the way home as he looked at it longingly out the car window he said, "Mom, sometimes my heart just aches and tells me that I want Hot-Donald's (what he calls McD's) every week." hahahahahaha Well we didn't go that day, but I decided to surprise him the next day and pulled into the parking lot on the ride home to go through the drive up. How could I not make his heart happy once in a while? He was a little bummed that I didn't let them go in to play because sister was asleep in the car and let's face it, I also simply didn't want to.  But that sadness sure didn't last long. He was one happy boy once we got home to indulge.

What a great surprise. What was even more surprising it that later this same night, he was busy wrestling with his oldest brother when he lost his first tooth. Luckily Dad found it since he hadn't even noticed it missing (Mom did when putting him in the bath) and got it ready for the tooth fairy. He happily obliged my request then for a pic in the tub.

I think Zaden is a little jealous that Zaric lost a tooth first. But he'll get his day and I'm sure it will be soon as well. 

We are planning a Disney Planes themed birthday party. Dad is busy working on invites and decor and Mom is busy planning food and cake and details. They can't wait to turn 6 and talk about it every single day as well.

 My little boys are growing up too fast!