Punta Mita 2015 - Part 2A: Beach . . . err, Pool Time with Grant!!

Came across this pic late in the process and just loved it . . . no idea what they're discussing about, especially given Grant's involvement . . . could be brilliant advice as to how to best swim underwater from one end of the pool to the other, could be a new song with which to annoy Daddy and Pai, could even be how to burp the alphabet using the fewest number of breaths.

 

From the beginning, Grant (and Mia) has taken the time to relate to the boys and include them in all activities - the affection from Ethan and Noel is pure and deep and it's something we hope our boys are able to pay forward in the future . . . 

 

Punta Mita 2015 - Part 2: Beach time!!

Tons and tons of beach time during the early-middle part of our week's stay . . . perfect weather and growing confidence from the boys with the ocean . . . 

Noelly's pure joy splashing around . . . 

7 in the water, 1 enjoying the shade in a lounge chair . . . guess the 1??

Ethan, Noel, Mia and Grant enjoying some calm waters . . . 

Ethan, a bucket, and a big smile!

Master Sandcastle Builder, Pai Milam, and his helpers . . . 

Noelle enjoying some down time with Daddy (who is shockingly in the shade)

Punta Mita 2015 - Part 1: Arrival and First day

Since the boys were a year and a few months, we have made an annual spring break trip to Punta Mita . . . seeing the boys grow and embrace the various activities available have provided for great memories and we love that it's all captured in this blog . . . 

For 2015's trip, we had one of favorite families, the Shroyers, join us . . . Dan and I (Bruce) became great friends working together at HBK and we slowly introduced our respective families . . . lots of laughter and affection across the 8 of us, which made the basis for a fantastic trip . . . here's part I . . . 

Noelly on the plane enjoying his PB&J and a good video.

Incredibly adorable picture of an angelic Ethan . . . 

Noelly enjoying our annual immediate trip to the beach upon initial arrival

And Ethan, sporting his prized straw hat, which will come to see a lot of action over the coming week

Mia and Grant Shroyer, who are sooo incredibly great with and inclusive of the boys, getting in on the beach action.

Giant Sand Ethan!

Annual picture of Ethan and Daddy enjoying some warm towel time in the beach chairs

The Annual Dallas Freeze - 2015 Edition

Right on schedule, the snow and ice hit Dallas.   This almost feels like an exact replica of THIS post from a little over a year ago.  Bruce's departure was delayed two days, we almost didn't get to close on the house and school was shut down for most of the week.

Earlier in the week, we got loads of sleet and while the boys loved running around in it, the sleet was harder and less fun to play on.  And just as things looked like they were thawing out, today, the boys got their wish - fluffy, white, dry snow - great for snowballs, snow angels and some all around wintry fun.

Below are some pics from today's adventure:

Arriving at school he weather was fine

Three hours later, things look very different

Crooked Tree covered in snow

Noel making a Snow Angel

Ethan decided to do the same

Then some free form action - Noel trying a face down Snow Angel

From Snow Angel to Snow Devil - Noel dabbling in some anarchy with a little vandilsm 

Noel said, "I'm like something that cocoons in the ground."  I suggested Empire Strikes Back, he responded dryly with, "No, a Snow Fox".

Let's Go Bananas!

I think we've clearly established that one of the boys has a sweet tooth over the other (I mean, come on, his nickname is Noelly Cannoli - he was doomed from the start).

Well, Noel might have some competition on his hands - this week in Dallas, we were hit pretty hard with frozen temperatures and nothing warms you up on a cold night like ice cream.

We went in to Braum's and Ethan declared his desire for a banana split.  He's never had one, nor did we think he even had an awareness of it, but his desires ran deep and a banana split he would have ("split" with Pai, of course).

Ethan has never been so into sweets as he was in this moment.  Barely gasping for air in between bites, blocking my spoon from getting another bite - it was a truly primal moment as Bruce documented below:

39 Seconds in the Emotional Life of Ethan

Okay, so no, none of you have been blocked from our blog - there was a weird thing going on that wasn't allowing us to post and I just never got around to resolving it.  So, you'll probably start seeing us catch up on posts from last summer pretty soon.

This post is from today's adventures brought to you by Ethan's emotions.  We got home from school and he was a little cranky.  I didn't carry him in and he started crying.  I started taking pictures and told him to smile.  In the middle of his crying, he recommended that I tickle him and that might help and he immediately began laughing.

Behold the beauty of a child in touch with his full range of emotions and can express them all in under 60 seconds:

And scene........

Ethanoel turns 5!!!

We've had a lot going with the Bruce's new job in Seattle.  We're managing the travel back and forth quite well and at the same time trying to maintain a sense of connectedness and normalcy amongst the chaos.

So when then holidays came around, all of the Milam Men were digging on us being in the same location for an extended period of time and having friends and family around as well.

The boys' birthday was a great excuse to get everyone together for a fun time.  We opted for a fun bowling party - a rare setting where both the kids and adults to have a great time.  

Mini corndogs, cake and $2 mimosas were abound at the party and everyone had a great time:

Requisite Transformers Birthday Cake

Papa and Denise having a great time

Ethan ready to bowl

Noel got s strike!

Uncle Ronnie making Noel laugh

Mia, Teal and John rooting on Ethan

Avo and her boys!

Brudam Brigade Holidays

It was our last Christmas at Casa Versailles and it was probably the best so far.  The boys are in that sweet spot zone where the excitement of Christmas Eve is infectious,  They go to be super giddy at the notion of what's to come the next day.

In attendance were all the Milam Men, Gramma and Papa, Avo (a new addition), Ronnie (long time veteran) and Joanna (making her second appearance).

It's a nice, relaxed day, without a ton of chaos.  We wake up, the boys open a few presents, we eat breakfast, they open a few presents, we eat a late lunch, they open a few remaining presents and then eat some leftovers.  Good times all around.

A few highlights below:

The first presents of the day (after stockings, of course)

Noel modeling his new TMNT robe

TMNT in front of the door....

TMNT in front of the tree

Ethan taking in his stash

Uncle Ronnie schooling them on KerPlunk

Late lunch and holiday crackers

Noel opening his Christmas Cracker

Unsure of what's happening here - but loving Bruce's shirt the boys made for him

A nice shot of Ethan

Noel digging into Pai's famous Texas Sheet Cake

Ethan taking a different approach to same Texas Sheet Cake