Craziest Weekend Ever

January had a pretty crazy (and fun) weekend for us.

We started by heading to Columbia on Saturday for a Mizzou basketball game. Our annual trip is less about the game and more about Elle having a chance to see Truman. She was so excited!

We loaded the bus to take us to the stadium and just riding the bus tipped off this girls excitement. Riding a bus...on her way to see Truman...big day!

She was looking out the window and I heard her whisper to herself, "I can't believe this is happening!"

To Truman's house we go!

Baby tiger.

Once inside Oliver ran over to this glass window and Elle gasped when he did, sweet thing thought he was going to fall through!

He looks like a well-behaved little boy sitting in his seat watching the game...but looks can be deceiving. :)

The big moment...Truman time!

He was greeted with a big hug by his #1 fan!

Oliver was not a fan.

Elle is about two months older than Oliver in this picture. She has always had this crazy love for this tiger and as of now that has not been passed on to her brother!

She was excited and a little bashful to get her picture with the Golden Girls.

MIZ Cookies and Cream!

Dip n' Dots are the primary reason Ollie and I attend the game.

Silly faces...I LOVE Elle's silly face!

After the game we went out for a super yummy dinner (where our kids were complimented by 2 different families on their great behavior....took that compliment with pride...and fear that they would soon turn to little monsters right before their eyes!) then checked into our hotel and hit the pool!

The next morning we had breakfast at the hotel then killed time in WalMart waiting for Mary to get to Columbia.

Oliver was looking at the toys and came across the game Operation and was terrified of the buzzer!

So once Mary got to Columbia we told Eric goodbye, loaded into her car and me, Mary and 4 kids hit the road for KC for a couple nights at Great Wolf Lodge!

We have arrived!

So thankful to be out of the car!

After some exploring we checked into our room and immediately got in our suits to hit the pool!

Cutest little mermaid ever!!!

Oliver insisted on donut time before pool time...I get it. 

Howling in the Wolf Den.

After swimming we cleaned up, got cozy in our jams and ordered food to our room...then hit up the dance party!

Super shy at first.

Oliver clearly doesn't understand the correct way to wear his wolf ears. ;)

And then my baby boy decided to go up to alllll the ladies and dance with them.

And Elle decided to throw in some somersaults.

After the dance party they had story-time then Wiley Wolf came out to see everyone.

I was so proud of Elle, she made friends with some little girls sitting near her. I can tell school is turning her into a social butterfly.

Bedtime in the Wolf Den.

The 3 of us all slept on this twin bottom bunk...let that sink in.

Day 2 we were up and ready for more swimming! The Hylton's got to the pool first so Elle, Ollie and I climbed the tunnels and did some exploring.  All was fun until that big green bucket poured water all over us. Both my babes wanted out of the tunnels after that. :)

The 3 of us pretty much stayed in the kiddie pool, which was perfect for us.

After swimming we headed to TRex Cafe for lunch.

This was the only dinosaur my kids were ok with.

This large TRex was moving and Elle had me keep repeating to her that it was just a robot. :)

So we found the way to making your kids behave at a restaurant...take them somewhere where they are scared the entire time. It ensures everyone stays in their seats and fairly quiet!

Both would jump in my lap anytime the dinosaurs started moving...which was just about every 15 minutes.

On the plus side Elle loved her lunch! Ollie didn't touch his. :)

After lunch it was most definitely nap-time!

Parts of our trip were chaos...this captures it perfectly.

After naps we went to the arcade!

Then to the gift shop so everyone could pick out a new toy.

Elle picked a unicorn and Oliver picked 2 new "guys"

We ate leftovers from lunch and the night before in our room and then got in our pj's and headed downstairs for night 2 of story time. 

The next morning we started the loooong ride home. 

The 2 little's fell asleep after we stopped for lunch but Elle and Henry were wide awake in the backseat rotating between having fun and fighting. ;)

I think next year we will be bringing Nick and Eric along for the fun. :)

Life Lately

Once Christmas season is over we are ready to move on directly to Spring. Elle has already asked if we can decorate for Easter. :)

Here is how we are spending our time this winter. 

Elle got Go Fish for Christmas and had so much fun staying up late one night playing round after round with Eric and I. 

Then showing me all the cool kicks and moves she can do. :) 

A couple days after Christmas when our house finally got healthy we took the kids to see Moana. This picture is terrible but I had to document Ollie's first time at the theatre. He LOVED it!

We have been listening to the Moana soundtrack in the car nonstop. 

The Russell's :)

  

Jumping in muddy puddles before heading into Target. 

Once inside Target I bought 3 new Christmas trees...for a combined total of $12!

Mary bought 4!

Our house is going to be oh so festive next Christmas!

Eric thinks I've lost my mind.

One of Ollie's favorite Christmas gifts, he LOVES his new Toy Story "guys".

He is starting to say new words everyday...he can now say "Buzz" and "Woody"

Since we missed the Hylton Christmas we celebrated with Grandma Chris one day. 

This boy loves to brush his teeth.  Any time we are in the bathroom he goes to his toothbrush drawer and gets it out and starts brushing. 

Some Saturday morning coloring. 

Elle is drinking her milk out of my "I Love Lucy"coffee mug. Like mother like daughter!

One night we ordered pizza and rented Finding Dory.  I was all about watching the movie...

and the kids were all about climbing on Eric, asking for horsey rides and to be swung in the air.

I ADORE the age Ollie is at right now. He is talking more, gives tons of hugs and kisses, pretends to sneeze ("ahh ahh choooo") and instead of calling donuts don dons he calls them non nons.

He will grab my hand, lead my to the pantry and say, "non non"

We had Elle's parent/teacher conference and girlfriend is doing so great in school!! We are working on her letter and number recognition so hopefully by the end of the school year we will have have a good handful that she recognizes. 

Ollie makes this face sometimes and it always reminds me of the movie Clifford.

Taking her doll Ashlynn for a walk around the neighborhood.  Elle loved doing this so much!

This was our first go at Lego building and even though the 2 direction pamphlets made it seem daunting we had a lot of fun!

Hot cocoa for night 2 of Lego building!

These two love playing in the dining room.  They knock all the chairs down and play under the table.  They call it their cave. 

Popcorn party!

So Ollie is obsessed with the book "Little Penguin Has the Hiccups"one night at dinner I got the hiccups and he kept saying "1...2...3...ROAR" to try to cure me of my hiccups...which is exactly what they do in the book.

Jumping on my bed and wrestling each other before bed is one of their favorite things.  And I'm always the crazy lady telling them to stop because I'm scared one of them will fall off the bed and break their arm. 

But how cute is this picture I snapped in the middle of the craziness.  These two love each other SOOO much!

Merry Mulligan Christmas!

Due to the Hylton family and Will being out with the stomach bug over Christmas we postponed our normal Christmas night celebration to New Years Eve. We all went to Mom and Dad's house to celebrate, open presents and have dinner.

Eric worked the night before so I left a smidge earlier than him so he could get some more sleep and the kids and I ran to the grocery store before heading to my parents house. We were all at my parents house waiting for Eric to arrive and we kept the kids occupied from the mound of presents by trying to get a picture of the 4 of them. 

Look at Ollie hugging Henry! He loves him some Hensy!

Best we could get.  And even T-Babe, the oldest of all the babies managed to sneak into the picture. :) 

This boy kept going over to the stockings and stealing candy canes. I have no idea how much candy he consumed this night but it was a lot. 

This year we tried to somewhat take turns with the kids opening presents so we could all actually see what they were opening. 

By chance this was the first present Ollie opened and it consumed all of his attention for the rest of present opening.

Will is a magnet for these babes.  They all love playing with him!

Ollie wanted to help MawMaw open this present.

After presents it is stocking time!

Henry was nice enough to let Elle try on one of his superhero outfits. 

These two, the best of friends but can fight and bicker like crazy!

Little missy passed out after presents (hallelujah, a nap was much needed) and she actually slept through us eating dinner.  I didn't dare wake her, she needed her rest. :) 

So Ollie enjoyed having his highchair pushed up to the table at Sissy's dinner spot. 

After dinner we opened their tub of clothes for each kid, they played and tried on new clothes, opened toys, colored and we were home and in bed before 10pm. 

As we were laying in bed I got a text from Mary with pictures of the boys baby dolls I got them. They both had tucked them in for bed. :)