Puerto Rico (a little belated)

So I realized that our biggest vacation of the year got barely a mention on the blog, so I am here to correct that mishap. In February, Corey's mom took us and his sister's family to Puerto Rico for a week. What a fun time!!! We rented a condo, so we had a kitchen and living area to spread out in -- way better than a hotel! Corey was our 'travel agent', a job he loves/hates. He can't help but be the planner, but agonizes over the details -- hoping everyone has a good time. Here are some of our pictures.

The Kokee Frog - all over in Puerto Rico, but this is the only one we saw. We certainly heard them, though. They make a sort of island music that reminds us that we were far from home.

We spent a whole day on a sailboat that took us to a couple different islands to snorkel and explore. I couldn't believe that the water was really that color blue! I thought that the movies just made it look like that, but the Caribbean really is this amazing color of aqua, just incredible.

Here's Corey and I swimming off to go look at fish... Our backs were fried by the end of the day, but so worth it!

Addie and two of her cousins, Emma and Sophie, swimming at the condo we stayed at.

Corey and Max enjoying the water! Don't worry, Corey's not really trying to squish Max... it just looks like that.

Corey and I took the kids and Corey's mom driving to check out different beaches. Let's just say the smiles on their faces in the picture are mostly out of relief from finally getting out of the car! We spent the whole day driving around, and the beach the 'travel book' guided us to was a total bust! Then, the drive home was even crazier. From seeing a guy riding two bicycles while talking to the invisible passenger of the other bicycle, to passing the guy holding up a live lobster to passing cars, to driving on a one lane mountain road so narrow we had to pull in our sideview mirror so as to not scrape it on the mountainside, all the while praying we wouldn't have to pass another vehicle coming the other way. The best part was coming to the end of this road, only to pass a sedan driving up the other way sporting a passenger riding on the hood of the car, and one sitting upright in the open trunk. Puerto Ricans can be strange!

One of the best parts of going to a new place is trying new food. This is octopus salad, garnished with smashed plantains. We had tons of great seafood, but the best dinner I had was whole fried snapper. I wish I had my camera that night, because it shocked the whole table! It even came with it's eyeballs intact, although I am not adventurous enough to try eating eyeballs.

Corey was able to squeeze out a couple rounds of golf, which is a staple in any vacation we take -- including our honeymoon.

One day, we hiked in the rainforest down to this waterfall in the middle of a rainstorm. We wanted to swim at the bottom, but cameras and phones were in danger of getting soaked.

Us getting soaked...

Like I said, we were a long way from home, but we were able to find their version of a basketball hoop. I thought this was a fitting photo to define our trip.


We had tons of fun, and being there with family made it wonderful.

Catching up

I'm a terrible slacker. I am constantly checking my friends blogs, eagerly looking for the new updates, and I haven't posted in nearly a month! I guess it's something I need to make a habit. Anyways, here are a few pics that show you what's up in our lively household.



This funny guy LOVES this doll! Addie has many dolls, and they are always laying around. Max got hold of this one and I was a little shocked at the intensity of his feelings. I tried to get a picture of him 'kissing' the doll, but you know how digital cameras are. They have that 2-3 second delay, so I kept missing it. But know that I will be on the watch out for more evidence of this love affair.


Speaking of love affairs, Addie has a serious love of stickers. Probably no more than any other two year old, but I find them everywhere! Including here! Don't let that look on his face fool you, he is loving the attention she is giving him. He absolutely adores his big sister, thinks she is the best thing in his life. He's always grabbing at her toys, her clothes, her hair, her giggles... and she is such a performer! I see this same relationship between Corey and his older sister, so it's exciting to see. I know they will be great friends... but probably not without some major wars along the way.


Weaning is HARD!!! I have a 'girls weekend' planned at the end of May, and decided it was time to wean Max. I made it to seven months nursing, and it was getting more and more difficult. So, when this trip was presented, I decided this was perfect timing. I didn't want to leave Corey with a nursing baby for the weekend...I wanted to have a happy husband when I came home. So I tried a bottle of formula. NO! Not even a little. Okay, maybe I'll try pumped breast milk. Nada. Finally I tried water with a little bit of juice mixed in, and still he wouldn't take it. Not until the second time I tried, at least. I had put it in the fridge, and he took it cold. Okay, this is a start. Lets try the breast milk again. No! Aarrgghh!! Hmmm, maybe I'll try it cold. What do you know, he likes it!! My son, that's soooo easy going about everything, will only take a cold bottle!! He's a little strange, I know. But we're down to nursing once a day, and by the time I leave for my trip, all should be well.

This is the best!!! Obviously she gets her rhythm from me... ha, but I'm not quite sure where she learned about interpretive expression. You can't quite tell in the video, but her little hips are really swaying!