Thursday, May 31, 2012

Week 168

May 16-22

Jack and Abel got spoiled rotten this week with LOTS of visitors!  Pap and May May came to South Carolina for a visit and spent lots of time with them.  Since they live in Pittsburgh, PA we don't get to see them very often and we make the most of our week.  Ed and I had just started Insanity the week before, but when his Dad and Mary Ann are here they are on vacation and we gladly dropped our diet and partook in the fun!  I must say, we got spoiled too because we got to eat out quite a few times with them and we never eat out anymore.  Yum!!

This kid is always so stinking happy!


Milking the cow with Daddy.
Silly baby!  :)
They drove down here in their shiny new black Jeep.  Jack was OBSESSED!  He refers to all traditional Jeeps as "Army Jeeps."  A couple of times he convinced Ed to strap his car seat in the back and Pap to take down the top and the sides so he could go for a ride.  He loved it!  Everyone thought it was so funny that he called it an Army Jeep.

Jack and the RR Crossing sign before the train!
May May and her goat friend!  MUAHH!
This kid doesn't look like he's having fun or anything.
One of the days they were here we stopped in the Riverbanks Zoo and paid a visit.  We hadn't been there in awhile and it was refreshing to see animals and walk around.  In Columbia you have to get your zoo time when you can, because even though it is mostly shaded it can be HOT and MISERABLE in the summer months.  We were lucky, it was a nice warm day.  Luckily we go pretty early in the morning when it is still cool.  By the time we were walking out it was starting to warm up.  There are all kinds of things to do and of course Jack convinced Pap to let him do every single thing.  He rode the pony, rode the train, rode the carousel, and fed every animal that could be fed.  The last time we were at the zoo he waited in line for the pony and then freaked out at the last second and didn't want to get on it, this time he was a pro.  As the lady led the horse around the little trail we all watched Jack talking to her.  I have no idea what they were talking about, but he was into it.  It was so funny!

The pro on the horse!


Pap supervising at the playground.
He even posed for me!  :)
This was when Jack would only hold May May's hand.
We thought this was appropriate for Abel the hoss!

"Come here birds!"
Jack has always been a pro at feeding the birds!
LOVE these dimples!!!!
Pap maneuvering the stroller!
Another fun activity was stopping by Frankie's Fun Park for some go-cart fun!  Ed thought Jack would love to ride the big go-carts.  Jack was plenty tall enough to ride them, but kind of made me nervous.  He waited patiently in line and seemed excited enough. They rode around and around together and when Jack got out he told Ed, "that was too fast!"  Apparently it scared him a little bit.  He wasn't upset or anything, but just thought it was a little fast for him.  Maybe this means he will be reasonable when he gets older.  LOL.

Walking towards the go-carts!
Waiting for their turn.
This kid LOVES his daddy!!
His "Char-wee Bwown" shirt!
Getting strapped in!
"Ready, Set, GO!"
May May, Abel, and Pap watching Jack and Daddy.
HI!  He looks so tiny!
Wahoo!
Chewing on that finger.
LOVE him!
This week was jam packed!  Jack and Abel also got visits from Uncle Andy, Uncle Will, and Aunt Caroline!!  One afternoon Aunt Caroline and Haley came by and we took the boys to the local park.  Jack loved playing with them.  He got to run around and we played silly games like "tag."  Aunt Caroline also recently taught him how to play "hide and seek" and he actually understands it.  It's too cute when he counts to 10 and says, "Weady or not, here I come!"  He cracks me up the things he says.

Jack and Haley racing on the double slide!
Jack, Caroline, and Haley on the Hippo!
Big boy!
Uncle Andy and Sarah came over one afternoon on Andy's day off.  Jack loves to play with Uncle Andy because he takes him exploring through the yard and they look for animals, bugs, lizards, and worms.  Uncle Andy has taught him how to look under rocks for things.  Jack now proudly finds me worms and other disgusting creatures in the yard.  Thanks Uncle Andy!  :)

Uncle Andy and Jack in his house!
Playing in the back yard!
To top off the week Uncle Will texted me one morning and told me he was working at the fire station by our house.  I had to make a quick run to the grocery store so I brought Jack along and we stopped by to visit.  I feel like no matter how many times we go to the fire station Jack never gets tired of it.  He was a little confused though because he kept asking Will where the "fishies" were.  At Wills home station there is a fish tank.  He was floated to this station, and they didn't have a fish tank.  Uncle Will did his usual tour of all the trucks.  Jack had to climb into every cabin and sit in every seat.  Will shows him the lights and lets him play with some of the equipment.  Jack is lucky to have these perks!  When we were saying bye to Will his alarm went off and they had to go to a call!  Jack and I went to the front of the station and waited as all the firemen got in their gear and jumped on the trucks!  The lights and sirens were going loudly and the truck pulled out of the station!!!!  Jack was SO EXCITED! He kept saying, "Uncle Will has to go to the fire, they have to put out the fire and rescue all the people!"  Can you tell this kid has played 'fireman' one too many times?  LOL.  He knows the whole scenario.  It is so funny!
Jack learning about the fire trucks with Uncle Will
Well it's the end of our fun week and back to reality.  Time to jump back into Insanity.  We are just going to start over.  Please let the next 63 days go by quickly!!!  :)  Have a great week!

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Week 167

May 9-15

We had a typical Storch week.  It seems like spring is starting to turn into summer and the weather is quickly heating up.  Before you know it, we will be moving into our new house!!  I have been trying to pick up as many extra shifts as possible so lots of time was spent working. Ed is still taking classes, but it is summer school so it is not quite as busy as the regular semester.  He only has to take two classes instead of four, but they are at a faster pace and crammed into a shorter amount of time.  It hasn't been too bad working an extra shift a week, and it will definitely be worth it when we have extra money to spend on stuff for the new house.


We have really been trying to go through all of our stuff and get rid of as much excess as possible. I feel  like we have been holding on to things for years.  Less is more as far as I'm concerned.  It is time for some new things.  Now that we will finally have our own house we can invest in higher quality things that will last awhile.



Abel cut two teeth this week!  The first one was the bottom left/middle and right behind it is the bottom right/middle.  He is going to look so different with teeth!  Here is a picture of them barely poking through, when they grow in I will be able to get a better view for you.  There was definitely some pain involved and he was slightly cranky, but it was easily fixed with Motrin.  He is seriously getting so big all of a sudden.  He is trying to crawl.  He doesn't quite have a coordinated effort, but he is definitely able to move from point A to point B.  Especially when his big brother is around and he wants to see what he is up to!  I've noticed that sometimes when they think no one is looking they actually will play with each other.  :)



Summer also means that Aunt Caroline is home from Clemson.  She came to visit us twice last week.  Jack was happy to get some extra attention.  It freed me up to get some things done around the house and make dinner on the nights Ed had class.  We strapped Abel into the baby bike seat and they played outside for awhile.  Jack is also getting suddenly big.  He can efficiently pedal both of his bikes and he loves to go around in the cul-de-sac.











On one of my many days of working, I was fortunate enough to stop in and eat dinner with my little brother.  He was working downtown at the Fire Station on Devine Street.  It was cool to hang out with the fire fighters and share a meal.  I got a picture because I thought it was cool to see us both in our "uniforms."  Our jobs are so similar in the sense that we serve the community.  We also both work shift work, which takes a certain personality.  I'm still so proud of him for becoming a fire fighter.  He really seems to enjoy it!


At the end of the week it was Mother's Day!  This is my 3rd Mother's Day and my only request was a home made card.  Ed must have done some crafts with the boys while I was sleeping because when I woke up I found this on the table.  It is a Mother's Day card shaped like a vase with homemade paper flowers!!  It had Jack's hand prints as well.  So, so precious!  The whole house was cleaned (yay!) so we spent the afternoon as a family.  I love those days where we just hang out and enjoy each other's company.  After we fed the kids dinner, gave them baths, put them in pajamas, and they fell asleep Ed made me a delicious dinner.  He had taken the boys to the Fresh Market and bought delicious filets to cook for dinner.  It was AWESOME!  I had a perfect Mother's Day.  :)