The Nystrom's: March 2011

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Cell phone download

Like my friend Kylie says, cell phone pictures really capture a "moment" so much more than you get by the time you go and grab the real deal camera. Thought it would be a good idea to download some of mine over the past year. Not sure how they got all out of order, but nonetheless, they capture some fun moments.

Matt & Charlie coloring sometime this winter on a weekend morning trying to kill some time when it wasn't so pretty outside.

Matt swinging the first time at our neighborhood park. I think this was probably about Feb 2010

Will coloring. Plus decorating his face with green marker. Why do they love markers so much more than crayons?

Will swinging... circa Feb 2010

Will & Matt peeking out the window at a schoolbus or trash truck probably. You have to watch out in the morning when they come around and make sure you don't flash the whole street!

Goldfish snacktime.

Costco ends happy when you get smoothie -Charlie

Charlie building a damn near our house - circa March 2010. Can't believe how much he has grown since then.

Will & Matt agree. Shopping is so much more pleasant when you have a smoothie. We must have gone through 20 straws that day b/c they kept pulling them out.

3 brothers on the infamous fire truck.

Took this shot just to show how crazy the family room can turn in a matter of 30 minutes. Notice new hobby, moving the train table across the floor.

brotherly concern - can't quite remember what Will did, but thought it was awfully sweet when Charlie came to the rescue with bandaids and Matt looked on. Circa Jan 2011

Matt and star sunglasses.

M & W's favorite spot to hide or try and escape - the top of the suitcase in the master closet under my clothes.

the only time I can really get a picture of all 3 kids still - snacktime. This is at the beach. circa Feb 2011

again, snack time capture all 3. This is a "movie" night with popcorn, plus Greta. Popcorn is her favorite too.

Will & Matt demonstrating their climbing skills on the sand table. Circa March 2010

Our newest parent saver - the crib tent. Will demonstrating day 1.

A good trip to the beach - exhaustion on the trip home, 3 sleeping kids. sometime 2010

Will watching Hokie Basketball. Not so happy with the outcome. Sunday.

Will & Matt, day 1 of last year's beach trip 2010.

Impromptu trip up to Cafe Catura with the girls during last summer's visit. I like this picture, b/c I can tell how far we have come since then.

I've wised up. This was a popcorn night in my bed. Not such a good idea, although it was a very peaceful evening.

2010 Football season kick off. Unfortunately, that game did not go so well, but a great fan base.

Shannigans

Well, not that this is a shocker to anyone, but 2 two year olds can get in a lot of trouble in just a very short period of time.

This is becoming more evident with each passing day. Let me provide a shortened recap of a couple good examples.

March 17. I was requested to provide green jello for Charlie's preschool class. Being a mother of equality and opportunity for all, I thought Matt & Will should have some green jello for lunch too. Well, let's just say they enjoyed it, but not the way I intended. After one of Jon's "minutes" away, he came back to find the green jello removed from the refridgerator and dumped in the living room corner behind our new double chair. Thankfully on the hardwoods, not the carpet. Oh, and an unopened gogurt.

Today. Jon is gone for a "minute" to talk to a contractor. He comes back to a wide open fridge. 2 2 year olds riding around in a firetruck with about 20 gogurt sticks loaded in the seat (this is the 1st place to look for something if you are missing keys, cell phone or milk sippy in our house) minus 1 gogurt that is cut up (yes with scissors) in the middle of the living room floor.

Next "minute" break, Jon returns to find 2 kids pushed up against the kitchen sink, scrubbing dishes soaking wet. After already drenching themselves with the water dispensor on the fridge.

Guess what was on the target list today? A lock for the fridge. More child locks. Now if we could just find more high spots that they can't reach when they climb on the kitchen chairs.

Friday, March 11, 2011

2011-03-05 Jamaica

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Jamaica Mon!

Truth be told, we have planning a trip since my 30th birthday. For our 30th birthdays, the girls and I each celebrated the big year someplace different. The Outer Banks, Blacksburg, etc... While we liked celebrating, we thought, why don't we just plan something big for our 35th birthdays and do 1 trip.

Hence, the planning began. 3 couples and 9 kids = need for: very relaxing, close & inexpensive as possible yet warm, & all inclusive. After some research (mostly done by everyone but me), we landed at trip to The Jewel, Dunn's River, Ochos Rios, Jamaica.

We had an amazing time. If I've said it once, I've said 100 times... we kept saying, "we have no idea what time it is! We eat when we want to eat, we sleep when we want to sleep and get up when we want to get up." No schedules whatsoever. To each their own to satisfy their own needs and wants. The weather was nice and sunny - we did have rain twice for about 20 min. each, but everyone can take a little break.

The 4 days met my goal. Relaxing, sunny, warm, tropical drinks, swim up bars and great food.
Things we are missing right about now: jerk chicken, stone oven pizzas, Red Stripe, our boat rides on the Hobie Cat and hanging with the best of friends.