No More Paci's!!!

I know I posted this pic on my last blog, however I just wanted to take note that this was the last day Will had his pacifier, EVER!!!! Brett and I said after our vacations this summer the paci was gone. Brett really keeps me in check with keeping the same milestones for the 2 kiddos. Example.... move to the big boy/girl bed: 21 months, drop the paci... 23 months.
So this is how we did it for both kids. Will came home on August 9th to find all of his pacifiers (that's 12 to be exact!!! Hey you always want lots of spares for those crazy nights!!) lying on top of his bed with the nipple cut in half!!!! Here he is discovering that they all "broke."

Okay, I don't know how to rotate photos and my hubby is busy studying for his board exams so we'll have to deal with it. Here Will is repeatedly stating "Paci broke...Paci broke!"

Finally, he took each paci 1 at a time and threw them away in the trash. This obviously took a while with 12 reps, however I think I've heard you have to do something 12 times to make it a habit. And it must have worked!! He cried for 30 minutes the first night after I put him in his bed. The next night.... no crying. Occasionally every once in a while he would ask "Paci?" and we'd reinforce that it broke. Eventually training led to a little brainwashing as now he tells everyone he sees " No paci, BIG BOY!!!"

Yea for Will! Next on the list..... drinking from a big boy cup at meals without spilling all over the table!!!

Annual Von Ahsen Lake Getaway!

A week after the Schaefer lake vacation we turned around and went down to Osage Beach again for the 13th annual Von Ahsen Lake getaway. It's hard to believe that I took my first vacation to that Lake the summer before my senior yr. of high school. Brett and I were just starting to date ( and I think we were the same height! ) and my kids were just a twinkle in my eye!!!
Go Carting has always been part of the big event. This year Will got to ride along. I couldn't believe the operators of the track let a 1 yr. old with a pacifier ride, but when they gave Brett the nod...... he was all about it!!

And here they are at the gate waiting for the ready set go!! Kate is in the M&M car with Papa G. You just can't see her. But if you ask her.... she was driving!

We spent a few of the days at Frankie and Louie's thanks to a great recommendation from our Yearian friends. Will loved this pirate!

Kate once again loved to fish off the dock with Daddy! She is so not my daughter in many ways. She loves to rip the worms in half and hand them to Brett to help bait the hooks! GROSS!!! But it works, she always seems to catch some fish.

This little man tried the fishing thing for about 2 minutes. His idea of fishing was shoving his pole down into the water to try and stab a fish swimming by. Then proceed to wisk the pole out sharply into the air with a hook flying and everyone else ducking!

This was Kate and Will's first experience on the beach this yr. Will loved walking into the water without a life jacket on. The poor little guy only weighs 24 lbs. and his life jacket's minimum weight is 30 lbs. Consequently it is more of a hazard than a life saving device as it topples him over into the water face down!

Of course we had to make a trip to Andy's Frozen Custard. Brett and I had many dates in college that led us to Andy's for a turtle brownie sundae! So bad for you but so worth it!

This yr's trip was a total blast! Unfortunately, we don't get to see my 2 brothers very often since they moved to Phoenix a few yrs ago, so we are so thrilled when they join us each summer. And even better, my aunt Cindy also came along. She is always such a spark plug and always has us laughing!!

Finally, I took this pic maybe 10 minutes after we pulled away for the long trip back to West Des Moines. The kids usually don't sleep very well in the car, but the vacation was so exhausting that they passed out for the first 2 hrs home! Brett and I got a little P & Q before the unpacking and jump back into reality began. Until next year......