Happenings

So once again, its been a while since we've blogged about life over here....so in no particular order here we go!


First, we sold our house! It took less than 2 weeks but we are so glad its over. Not only to have relief and peace of mind knowing we won't have a double mortgage but also knowing that I can leave the dinner plates on the table over night if I want to because I just don't feel like cleaning up! ;)

A funny little story...on the day we accepted the offer, Chad took Bryce in the stroller to pick up the For Sale signs that we had posted out on one of the busier streets of Altoona. Thinking nothing of it, Chad simply put the "For Sale" signs at the top of the stroller and started walking back. As he's walking he heard comments such as "How much for the kid?!" and "Will you accept a trade?" Not really knowing who these people were talking to, it wasn't until Chad got back to the house that he realized this is what he looked like walking back with Bryce. Who wouldnt want to buy that sweet little face?!


My sister and her family also made one last trip out to Altoona to visit us on their Spring Break. We SO appreciated them being willing to pack up 3 kids under the age of 5 and brave a 3 night stay on our third floor. We had such a great time and Brielle still talks about "seeing Grant and Brookey after her nap" (She still hasn't realized Grant and Brookey aren't around after she wakes up but it gets her to take a nap!)

Now...look at this picture...don't these two just look like the best of friends...so sweet and cute...holding hands and swinging together? Well...that was maybe 5% of the time. The rest of the time was spent trying to decide how they could do the opposite of whatever the other one wanted to do or wanting the exact thing the other was playing with. They were seriously either the best of friends...or the worst of enemies...such a girl thing to do!

While they were here, altoona held an Easter Egg hunt at one of the local baseball fields where there were over 11,000 eggs strewn around the field. Now, one would think that 11,000 eggs filled with candy would be enough to entice any 2 1/2 year old to want to collect as many as she possibly could...however there was also the obstacle of the Easter Bunny who was looming around the field.

Now she was able to collect more than enough for her liking, but

but all egg hunting stopped whenever the Easter Bunny might be making any attempt to walk in her direction (whether he was at home plate and Brielle was in center field)...off Brielle took in the opposite direction. (Notice not even 1 of the 11,000 eggs are in her vicinity as she's trying to put distance between her and the Easter Bunny)

Well, whew that Easter Hunt was over but then my parents had sent some Easter eggs along with the Petros to hide in our backyard and in our house for the kids to hunt for. This hunt was much more up Brielle's ally...no Easter bunny...just some ants she had to contend with. She was much improved this time around in looking for the eggs and getting a little help from her pal Grant

and of course opening them all up is the best part of all! Fruit snacks...grandparents know they're way to Brielle's heart!

Thanks Grandpa and Grandma! The kids had a great time!

Oh wait....a third Easter Egg Hunt! The child prep class Brielle goes to had an egg hunt for her. Well, Brielle certainly had the egg collecting experience since this was her third time and she was on a mission. Despite keeping the bunny in her sights she wouldn't let him hinder her from performing her best in collecting those eggs now knowing what those eggs might hold!

Showing off her eggs...but always with her eye on the bunny!

At least I could get one child to sit on the bunny's lap this year!

Ah...and in other action...we went to the mall to get Bryce's 9 month pictures taken. Despite all efforts, the kid just couldn't handle sitting and smiling for a stranger and took off every time he was sat down. So we attempted some pics at our house and these were the best we could get.

Not only were our attempts at getting Bryce's picture taken a bomb, but Brielle also decided to have a little "water bomb" of her own on the escalator which prompted a very quick and speeedy exit for the Carlsons (which totally disappointed this mom who hasn't stepped foot in a mall in ages!) And of course after all this it is the one time she wants to be in a picture with her brother! What do you think...framer?!

And as if three easter egg hunts weren't enough we thought we would add a fourth since our church put one on Saturday...and there was no easter bunny in sight. I did have a picture of Brielle collecting eggs except I accidently deleted it and don't have the energy to reload and move it to the spot it needs to be in. However...I do have a picture of what she collected...needless to say Chad and I have snuck more than our fair share of her collections!

While Brielle was doing all the collecting this little man was just content to sit and watch everyone.

But when he got his hand on the easter eggs and the basket he had a heyday!

Despite all the egg hunts and fun that went along with it, we also could not forget the true reason we celebrate Easter. For God's ultimate sacrifice of sending His son, Jesus Christ, to take upon himself all our faults, failures, and sins, to suffer on the cross, and to die...for each of us...He loved us that much. But to rise again so we could be forgiven and redeemed. Hoping you all had a blessed Easter full of celebration for the risen Savior!

Updates!

Whew...its been quite crazy since we posted last so here's a little update on the lives of the Carlsons lately!

First off, this little man turned 9 months last week...9 months!! What the world?! He is our Mr. Smiley. It is so funny when we compare what he does to strangers when we're out in public and what Brielle was like. Bryce flashes a quick smile to anyone that goes by while Brielle was as stoned faced as they come (and still is really shy when people approach her) While Bryce is a quick smiler to strangers, he is starting to getting the stranger danger if any of them try to hold him. He also has this "Mommy radar" where he could be playing perfectly fine with Brielle and Chad in the living room while Im out or getting dinner ready but the first sight or sound of me he suddenly starts whining and crying and crawling to me. What? Really? Somebody please tell me my child is not the only one that does this! :) All in all, he has such a great demeanor and loves getting into everything, crawling all over Brielle, climbing up steps, into the dishwasher, hanging around the toilet...you name it hes into it! He's always on the go so when he takes a quick second to lay his head on my shoulder during the course of a day it just melts my heart...love those tiny little moments!

For Chad's spring break, we took a trip back to Michigan to see family and friends. We celebrated Peyton's first birthday while we were there! And were also able to join him for a swimming class (which of course I forgot to take my camera to!)

Chad and I also took a mini trip "south" for 2 days. Now most people's idea of south might be Florida or Alabama...nope our "south" was to Charleston Illinois to do a little house hunting since we're moving this summer. It was a great little getaway for us...even though I would've totally taken a beach, an ocean, and a daquiri if it was offered! :)

One of afternoon we took Brielle to Laketown to check out the waves and just let her roam and release some energy. I totally forgot how many steps there are to get to the top...many of which were covered so high in sand that we couldn't even see them. But up we trudged to the top with Brielle on Chad's shoulders. Once we got to the top Brielle says "Whew....that hard work!" Yep girl...you totally exerted yourself on that hike up! Here's just a few pics from the afternoon

I think this might have been the only picture I took of any of the grandparents with the grandkids...horrible I know! But its a cute one none the less!

And here's just a few more pics of the kiddos

Oh, and what is time in Michigan without some fun with the Petroeljes! (Brielle and Brook Could either be found in their ballerina attire or their Snow White and Cinderella attire whenever they were together!)

Since we've been home we have been taking full advantage of this warm weather! I cannot believe this is March!

We even decided to do our annual car wash over the weekend! Who knows...maybe with this nice weather we'll actually wash our cars twice this year!

Yes, that is the refrigerator store standing wide open...you just have to drop everything when you have a picture worthy moment with 2 kids under the age of 3!

And right now we are in the "house selling" mode. we've cleaned the house from top to bottom and have been having showings, which is great...but I didn't realize how exhausting it is to keep a house clean when you have 2 tots whose goal for the day is to totally destroy it! I realized I don't really mind living in a little mess...its just easier! :)

Odds and Ends

Just playing a little catch up on things we've been up to!

A few weeks ago, the weather was so nice that I bundled the kids up and busted out the wagon they got for Christmas. It was so great to get outside...even if it was just for a day! Of course this is what a walk always does to a child!
And the other weekend, Chad and I took the kids to campus to roam around in the gym

A child has an entire gym to play with balls galore and of course her favorite thing to play with is the drinking fountain!

Brielle did have fun running down the court with her Dad...of course her idea of running is making Dad run while she rides on his shoulders!

And who doesn't wish every shot they did could be like this! (If only my lay ups could've been this close to the hoop...then I wouldn't have had any problems!)

Bryce had a good ole time too...just roaming and playing

And this little man turned 8 months old this past week. My goodness...how can that be?! He is crawling all over the place, standing and walking by all the furniture, and even conquering the stairs...ay yai yai...he is keeping us on our toes! But, oh man, this poor little boy has been struggling lately because of his teeth. He just hasn't been his normal happy self...2 teeth have popped through the surface...so hopefully that will give him some reprieve!

And we had a special Princess Valentine from our Prince Charming on Tuesday night...complete with cupcakes and candles!

And we start our kids with washing and drying dishes early in our household! Brielle's washing and Bryce is helping with drying!

Isn't this just the cutest?! (I'm bias I know!)

My parents were in town this past weekend and of course with everything going on these are the only 2 pictures I got the whole weekend! We had such a great time with them and, as always, Brielle continually asks to see Grandma and Grandpa just minutes after they leave!

Either my dad is boring company...or they tuckered her out!

A Visitor to My World!

So on most days I spend all day with the kids and by the end of the day my patience can run pretty thin. A lot of the time I get frustrated with them or short with them or I get impatient and snappy and I feel like the worst parent in the world.....especially since Chad is normally a patient, calm, and collected person even with the kids.

But.......Chad got firsthand experience of my world on Sunday. I suggested that he and Brielle make cookies together while I did some cleaning before the Super Bowl. It started off well.....but then I kind of enjoyed watching his fuse grow short (hee-hee) as Brielle:

1-stuck her hand in the flour in the mixing bowl

2-dumped an unknown amount of the teaspoon of baking powder on her feet (leaving Chad to guess how much to add)

3-demanded that she crack the eggs (and you can guess how that went)

4-violently stirred the dry mixture without being asked to do so sending a good bit of it to find a home on the floor.

5-ate "finger-fuls" of batter and picked out chocolate chips..........and (drum roll!)

6-sneezed in the batter

Oh, may I just say that witnessing this whole experience made me feel a whole lot better about myself and how I feel about the kids after a long day with them! Thank you Chad! And despite the sneeze...the cookies still turned out really good!

I think Chad was as hot as the oven by the end of it, but the cookies turned out great! Anyone want to try some?