Update on Preston Dean

Preston Dean is just growing so much. It is amazing. He is crawling every where - going upstairs and downstairs. Standing up and walking along the furniture and walls. Preston even tries to use the dog to stand up and walk with but the moving target makes it a little bit difficult. Preston now has two teeth - weighs 22 pounds and is constantly on the go. Someone once told me that he is just "full of life" that would describe him very well - full of life and doesn't want to miss anything. He "thinks" that he is so big and loves to do what ever his brother is doing. That is why when you come to our house and you hear him hollering usually it's at whatever Gunnar has. One of his favorite things is to talk on the phone - it is just a hoot to watch him. Usually it doesn't even have to be a real phone - he'll just take any toy and put it to his ear and start jabbering. We sure love our little Baby Deany!

The DUATHALON!

Yes that is right! Rhett Rhees was in his First DUATHALON on October 18th 2008. So here's some fun photos of the event!

First of course - prep. Rhett and Gunnar got the bike ready.

Gunnar was sure excited to help his Dad for the race!The time has come - get ready on your mark get set GO! Rhett first ran for 2 miles which he was awesome on and one of the first to get his bike. Here's our BIKER! They picked up their bikes and went for 10 miles - this is where Rhett had the hardest time but next year he'll be more ready.

Rhetter's G's Fan Club was on the side lines cheering him on.

And then back running for 3 more miles and to the finish line! Here are the boys posing with the finish line.
It was a fun day in Hagerstown and all who want to give it a try we'll be back next year for the Duathalon come with us. We hit the outlets on the way home and Harper's ferry it was all lots of fun!

New Camera and Two Children

Hello everyone - I have had a few people commented on if we were still alive and wondering when am I going to update my blog if I was alive. Well hello everyone we are alive! I do have two excuses for not blogging - one my camera broke but I did get a new one and now we have lots of pics with memories that I need to get on here but I have to figure out new software and the whole bit which is tough with the next excuse - two children. Yes Preston is older and mobile now and I have a whole new meaning to having two children. In the beginning it was easy - but now that he is moving I am constantly busy. I am now a referee between the two kids - Gunnar don't take the toy out of Prestons hands if he has it- Gunnar run if you don't want Preston to get your toy - Preston please stop knocking down the garbage can - between the two of you would one of you sleep through the night. So I hope that all of you can understand why I have been taking a break from blogging, in fact I rarely use the computer any more. But my life will get calm once again - things always get easier or you just learn how to get more on top of life! So give me another couple weeks maybe even three and I will hopefully have some new posts!

SUMMER FUN

Since I have slacked on blogging here is a quick update on the summer fun that we've been having!!

FIRST - of course SWIMMING!!

How to survive a summer with humidity - well you are wet already so just go swimming all day long! Here are some pictures of us having fun swimming at the Links pool.

Stanger's just got their pool working again too - so we've invaded them also - and they always say everyone is welcome so come on out too!!

SECOND - GirL's NiGhTs OUT to RiTa'S!

Leave the kids and have fun with the GIRLS! Deborah, Alisa and I had a blast at Rita's. There we lots of comments on how we all felt like teenagers again - we just would laugh about everything and really had a silly time!

Well one of the funny things was trying to get a picture with "the Hand Shot" and let's just say this is one that passed but believe me it was at least the hundreth picture which of course we still didn't all like - so we got someone to take a shot for us finally at the end :)

THIRD - CONCERTS in THE PARK!!

This is one of our FAVORITE things about living here - Rhett and I LOVE the concerts in the park during the summer. They are at a park real close by that we just walk to and bring blankets and lay and lounge and listen to the music, which is mostly good, of course some bands are better than others :)

Gunnar also loves the concerts - he runs and runs and laughs. Isn't this picture cute - you can really SEE how much FUN he is having!

Preston is caught dancing the only way he can right now - waving those arms!

FOURTH - CaRniVaL fuN!

It was both the boys first time to the carnival this summer as we hit the Sykesville Carnival. We all had a blast! Funnel Cakes, Rides, and BIG BIG Stuffed Animals!!

Yes that is right Rhett had to win at a game - so of course Basketball - he took two shots and Gunnar and him got to choose a stuffed animal.

Gunnar of course had to choose the BIGGEST one he could - so now we have TIGGER. Check out the size of him next to Preston - it was pretty funny! Preston really liked the tiger next to him in the stroller!

Last of ALL - BAUGHER'S

Yes, we went to baugher's for the first time this summer and now have been three times since! It is quite the place!!

We got to pick strawberries the first time we went and Gunnar ate more there then we actually brought home.

Then the next time we went it was mainly for the animals - Gunnar you can't get him away from them.

Now you can see Preston is at the grabbing stage where he grabs anything that he can and he too loved those animals!

We've gone with lots of friends too - here is Joshua and Suzanne on the teeter - taughter swing thing.

Oh and Deborah had a stroller that the donkey just loved or maybe he just really needed to scratch his bum ALL day Long!!

Preston's Half Birthday!

Yes I can't believe that my new born is already six months and growing every day. The time sure does fly alot faster with the second baby. Well for Preston's half birthday we had to party of course! Here's the Party Animals!!

Gunnar helped make Preston's cake and LOVED the sqaure pieces on the sides and ate every single one of them - I guess since it was basically his half birthday too what the heck they both can have half a cake :)

Preston was covered with chocolate sooo he too loved the chocolate. The dog also loved the chocolate as she would lick it off of Preston. It was pretty funny - Preston kept putting his hands out to get the dog to come over and then you would see him smile and Gunnar laughing and all of us having a good time!

Here's my two December boys!!

TRACTORS, TRACTORS!

With two boys - tractors are a favorite in our house. And luckily we have had sewer work done in the cultasac right next to us that Gunnar and Preston have gotten to get close! Every day Gunnar here's the noise and says TRACTOR Mom!! So we go for a little walk and see the tractors!

Now we have gotten to really know the tractor guys and they even let Gunnar on the tractor's - even asked if he wanted a ride, but Gunnar wasn't quite ready for that - but he climbed on board for a picture anyhow!

MY BOYS AND THEIR HARD HATS!

They really got to know us as we'd go down every day for the whole week or two they were here - so one guy brought the boys hard hats to go with the tractors. His name was Back Hoe Bill!! He was a 70 year old guy and they were just so sweet - we had to bring cookies to them before the job was done. We still go by the cultasac but now Gunnar says "where'd the rocks go, where's the tractors Mom"

Luckily highway 32 will never be done - so we still see tractors as we go on errands!

Our Camping Trip

Memorial Weekend, what should we do?? GO CAMPING, of course!

It was the first time that Rhett and I ever have gone camping with the KIDS and we had an awesome time! We went with the Linton's and Carter's from the Stake to the Greenbelt National Park Campsite right by DC, it was so beautiful - I diffenantly would recommend it!

Here we are setting up the tent - Gunnar enjoyed trying to put the sticks together!

The TENT is UP! YEAH!!!

Gunnar was excited to go camping and was pretty thrilled to have a tent and get to sleep in it. The first night was funny he had a little flashlight and kept getting out of his sleeping bag and going all around the tent - eventually he crashed - but it was fun to play games and watch from the outside this shadow constantly moving :)

Boys and their Cheetohs!
Braden and Gunnar sure had a fun time with one another! As long as cheetoh's are involved what else do you need. I think they ate almost the whole bag the first night!

What's Camping without WATERMELON and HOTDOGS!!!

These are just the cutest pictures of Preston eating a watermelon!

Rhett just kept laughing and laughing at him.

BIKING!
The Carters brought their bikes and let all of us take turns riding it! We had so much fun that Rhett now wants to get a bike hook up for us too!

We especially loved it because it was an easy way to get the kids to nap :) Aren't they sooo cute!

Here's Preston - lounging! The best thing about camping is the relaxation. Nothing to do but eat and hang out. Preston says "I'm a professional at this" and so dang cute at it too!

The worse thing about camping - I'd have to say TICKS!! We had at least five ticks each, except for Preston which had none thankfully! One morning I woke up and looked at Gunnar sleeping so nicely with a HUGE TICK on his Eyelid - no picture unfortunately but I am sure you have a pretty good picture in your mind anyways! It took a lot of tries to get that one out - but with Gunnar sleeping I could take a lot of tries - on the very last one he woke up! The Lord blessed us :) Rhett also got a tick in a funny place - but I'll let you just imagine where :)

Camping, Camping - lots of fun!