Reunited and it Feels So Good!!

Last year we had the PERFECT set up! Literally, I do not know how I could have adjusted so well to Arizona, having a new baby, no friends, no husband, etc. Without WONDERFUL friends! It just so happens that three of those wonderful families that we became so close to moved away last May/June. What kind of sick joke is that?! I guess it gives us the opportunity to have friends all over the country AND chance to get together, reunite and DOTE on each other:) We had two such opportunities this spring!
    Ike's best little friend who is a boy, was able to come visit (no pics, I know... lame). But, I didn't want the event to go unrecorded! Cohen and Isaac are great little playmates who spent an afternoon here in Phoenix going from one thing to the next to the next as they rekindled their friendship. I think they'll do the same every time we get together! It was so fun to see them fall back into their same little groove and get along as if nothing ever changed! They played farmer (and pulled some weeds, yay!), then they played fireman (and watered the weeds...) then onto trains, cars, astronauts, etc. We LOVE little Cohen, and of course, his sweet family! Please guys, come back and visit ANYTIME!! Maybe next time will have to be in Chicago...
     Our other reunion was with the Stumpe family. Chalece and I shared newborn baby/husband MIA/active 3 year old last year while Mike finished up Pharmacy school. We did almost everything together because, well, Chalece is just THAT enticing! We went on walks, worked out, let our kids play, made dinner, went on any random excursion, etc. together:) So, when the Stumpe's moved, they left a huge hole in our hearts. You can imagine our elation at the news that they were going to spend a week in Southern California during part of Ben's spring break! You guessed it, we jumped at the opportunity to hang out again!
     Since our budget didn't really allow, we didn't really tell Ike about Disneyland. We stayed at a hotel literally steps from disneyland and so he may have gotten the idea he went there... What he really did was spend a few days with the greatest friends chillin' in Orange County. What a Great time! Someday, we'll take him to the real disneyland, but for now, seeing these two reunited and spending time together with our "BFF's" and each other, THIS was the happiest place on earth!

chasing waves never gets old

LOVE:)

Yep, I could live here...

Mike and Ben on a romantic walk down the beach:)

Kyson and Jaylee LOVING the sand

Daddy and Zach catching the waves

Chalece's dream sandcastle... bucket list #47... check! :)

What California Dreamin is all about!

     Can't wait to reunite again:)

Spring! Here and Gone:)

Lunchtime Races... everyday. really.

This is to make you jealous... Spring training Rockies v. Padres. Suntans. Green Grass. March.

Ike the photographer. Finally someone in the family who might remember to take a pic!

Weird that the boys' fave place at the zoo is the farm. Ben just thinks that's ludicrous.

Yes, that's right! Ike is petting. Literally TOUCHING a live animal! AND SMILING!

We have spent the month of March LOVING life. The weather has been great (of course, we are well aware of what is to come...) we won't mention that... I made a goal to NOT turn on the AC until April and I am proud to say we are going to make it!! (Ben is NOT happy about that goal, but when he sees our electric bill, maybe he will... but probably not)! In fact, all he wants for his bday is to turn on the air! It actually has been SO NICE this past week though, we have spent every minute possible outside!
Here's a run down of March, just in case you were wondering...

   * several trips to the zoo, thanks to our pass (what a great idea)!
   * jogging- I LOVE this double jogger. LOVE!
   * Ike learned to ride his big boy bike (with training wheels)
   *Zach's physical therapy has turned into WALKING (when he wants to... grrr!) This started in February and now he can cross the whole room by himself, but ONLY when HE wants to:) I have to laugh. What kind of teenager is this going to be??
   *We are realizing how deep Zach's "mind of his own" runs. He is the sweetest baby EVER, but if he doesn't want to do it (walk) or if he KNOWS the word for strawberry is "blah blah" FORGET about teaching him otherwise! (Seriously, blah blahs are a real thing in our house now b/c he has taught the whole family that is the real name, not strawberries)!
   *Z is also speaking in 3-4 words at a time! His vocabulary is expanding daily and now he just repeats absolutely everything (which today included the word "bendadryl"!)
   * Ben started injecting his clinic partner with anesthesia and started coming home on Thursdays with numb jaws and not being able to open his mouth very far!
   * Watching March Madness- Ike has Butler in his final four again this year, so he is pleased, although we were all heartbroken to find out KU lost today... Now we're all rooting for Butler!!
   * Ike taught Zach (among other things) Rock Chalk Jayhawk! (I'm such a proud mama)!
   * Ike seems to be teaching Z more than I am... I'm pretty sure he had a hand in teaching him to count to 5 and all of his colors
   * Took in a couple spring training games (Go Royals and Rockies)!
   * Baked A TON of granola on the day it was below 70* (and the only day it rained all month)! That should keep us for a good part of the summer!
   * Weeded the yard a gillion times and played in the sand everyday
   * Toured all the parks in our area (there are a ton)! and played our little hearts out! Zach's favorite thing to do in the car is be on the lookout for parks. When he sees one, he yells "Tunnel!! Slide!!" over and over at the top of his lungs until you acknowledge it:)
   * Spring Cleaned!! Oh, come on, you know it's my favorite thing! :) Garage, deep cleaning carpets and grout, walls... ahhh! 
   * Ike started his second soccer season- so cute! He has some pretty good skills, we're relieved!
   *Ike also decided he is just like Jimmer:) Working pretty hard at those basketball skills (especially during commercial breaks during KU or Butler games)- he keeps singing "Teach me how to Jimmer"
   *Ben and I went to our second "Odontoblast" aka Dental Prom- so fun to get dressed up and out on the town.. Ok, and dancing wasn't so bad either:) Especially with Ben by my side!

    I guess that'll do for a March rundown. As I was jogging on Saturday with Zach and Ben was helping at Ike's soccer practice, it came to me how very blessed we have been. Life is so good to us. Even though there are struggles along the way everyday, and we are in no way even close to perfect, we are enjoying the journey. The kids are doing amazing things and I am just trying to hold on and remember all these little moments. They are so precious!