Back in the groove...

We got back on Wednesday and quickly got back into our routine here.  Colin watched Garet unpack the car...

I decided to clean out closets and drawers.  In Colin's room I had an empty box of wipes, which Colin sat in...

Ha!  Silly kid!

We had a good weekend.  We didn't do too much - Colin did come up with a new game while I was making dinner one night.  He loves balls - so he climed up on one chair, and tossed the ball into his highchair!

Then we yelled "YAY!" and he got down got the ball, climbed back up, threw it again... it was very entertaining!

When he missed it I said "oh man" then Colin started saying "oh minn", it was soo cute!  Love him!

 We have a little cut out upstairs that looks out into our dining room.  Colin loves to look over it at whoever is down there.  This is on his way to bed Sunday night =)

Our family time...

Garet got to Charlotte Friday night, so Saturday the Beane's were all together again!  It was soooo great to have Garet back!  I missed him so much!  And Colin was so excited to wake up to Daddy! 

So, we decided to have some family time!  We went to a nice area down the road from my parents and took Colin to a bounce house.  The area for kids his age was just these soft things that you could stack...

But with Garet with him we were able to take Colin on the "big" kids toys!

Colin LOVED it!  (so did Garet!)

Everything was a bouncy, blow up thing!  At the end was a BIG slide!  We weren't too sure how he would like it... here he is at the top...

... and on the way down!

HA!   He LOVED it!  And kept wanting to do it over again!  He is like a blur in these pictures!

There was also this basketball bounce thing... perfect for Colin!  He spent most of his time here.  None of the kids came close to getting the ball in this (super tall) net, but they had fun.  Colin would try to throw the ball to the other kids for them to shoot it. 

That night Garet and I went out.  We went downtown, which we never do!  And we had so much fun!  We had dinner, then went and got some frozen yogurt.  It was perfect.

On Monday we had another family outing... to Discovery Place!  Colin is still a bit young to enjoy everything there, but the things that were his age were awesome!  As I have mentioned, Colin loves water... so when we walked into the first area and there was a HUGE water table, he was in heaven!

It was pretty cold outside, so we took off his shirt so it wouldn't get soaked (then freeze him when we went out...) and they had these cute little aprons to put on.  He was so busy and into this water that he didn't notice us at all!

We finally got him to look around and discover that there were other things to do... like this light table...

... and there were tons of other fun, hands on activities in that area.  Then we walked down the hall some, and Colin got really excited to see these bears!

I mean he ran so fast to them!  It was hilarious - I mean  don't these look scary to you?! 
Then we got to the aquarium.  Colin was so interested in all the fish! 

There was a little rainforest that we could walk through... there was even a little net bridge that you could walk over.  I wasn't sure if Colin would do it... you could see through the net and it was high off the ground... but my boy seems fearless!

Upstairs was pretty much too old for him.  But he had a blast running around looking at everything!  There were lots of older kids that he liked to watch.  The next picture Colin was putting torn newspaper in this tube, and there was air that blew the paper up and out the top of the tube.  So simple, yet so interesting =)

We had so much fun!  There was even a few little computer monitors that Colin could look at...

After this we went out to lunch - where Colin filled up on two big cups of milk - then it was back to my parents house for a nap.  It was nice to get out as a family and play!  We had the best time!

Keeping busy...

We have been busy here in Charlotte!  On Thursday I really wanted to get out of the house, but it was raining and cold outside, so my mom and I decided to head to the mall.  Not for shopping (I am NOT a shopper!) but for the playground!

It was perfect!  Free and fun (dry and warm)!  Colin had soooo much fun!  He loved the car the most!  He kept coming back to it.  He also liked the slide that looked like a waterfall. 

The next day we headed to the library for storytime!  The lady in charge did a story then music/dance so it kept the kids entertained.  I don't think Colin sat down the entire time!

Colin kept wanting to walk around... so after one of the song/dances the storyteller got up to show cars on this bulletin board.  Colin saw a couple girls run to the front of the room, so he took advantage and joined them at the front of the room =)

Then we got to play with bubbles!  and then circles that were supposed to be wheels (the theme was cars and trucks) but it ended up being a hula hoop...

That night I got to go pick up Garet from the airport!  Because of everything that's going on, we had to rearrange our plans... sooooo we finally got to be together again! 

Gardening...

We are hanging out in Charlotte at my parents house and it is the time of the year that my dad plants some of his garden.  Good thing he had a good little helper around! 

Colin found my brother and my old Radio Flyer wagon!  (yes my parents still had it!)  He has been pulling it allllll over the yard, so he loaded up a tomato plant and pulled it to my dad's garden.

Colin had fun helping out!

He just used his hands to pick up dirt and put it on the plant. 

Almost finished!   Just a little more dirt...

And there it is!  A perfect tomato plant!

The last thing (and probably Colin's favorite) is to clean up...

Can't wait to see Colin's little plant grow!  Then he can eat the little tomatoes (it was the little grape tomato plant).

Day with Daddy...

Last Saturday, after we woke up and had breakfast, I realized that it had been a long time since: 1. we were home on the weekend; 2. Garet didn't have to work; 3. we had NO plans!  What a great combination!  Garet went to a yard sale and found this awesome basketball goal for Colin!

So, first up for the day was a little basketball!  Colin LOVED it!  He just loves to throw the ball around - most of the time if there is a net he will try to get it in...

You go boy!
He may be a little too small for it, but that just means it will last longer =)

By the time we were finished playing ball, it was lunch time followed by nap.  So Garet washed our cars (thanks honey!) and when Colin got up, I put him in his swimsuit!  And he got to play outside in the water!

What a cutie!!  He had sooo much fun!

All he had was a bucket, water bottle, and a couple easter eggs.  What else could a boy ask for?!  =)

Garet would refill the bucket everytime it got too low.  They were so cute together!  Busy, busy boys!

The weather was so great!  Hot and sunny, just the way I like it!  Colin kept his shades on the whole time, even though there were water drops on them!  And he hardly paid me any attention - there were far more important things going on!  I finally got him to look up...

Even though it was hot out... the water was still cold.  Every once in awhile, Garet would shake the water from the bottle on Colin!  Can't you just see him laughing while a little shiver went through his little body?  haha  He LOVED it!

I love my guys!  And I am so thankful for the days like this one!

Update...

I figured I should do a quick update on here - at the beginning of this week Garet went on a work conference for the week and I went to my parents house.  Right after I got there (Sunday) I had a miscarriage.  I don't feel like I need to explain the pain and hurt that surround us at this time.  Please just keep our family in your prayers.  Lift Garet up as he is out of town, and lift me up as I am recovering physically.  We are taking comfort in the fact that we know God makes no mistakes, and we still feel His strong hand on our family.  While at my parent's house I realized that I forgot my cell phone charger (which evidently they don't make anymore...) so my phone has been dead pretty much the whole time I've been here.  I am finding peace in the forced disconnect from the world.  I promise to be in touch with those of you that have called, I am just wrapping my mind around our new situation and enjoying my family right now.

Playing at the park...

We went to the park a couple days ago and as you can see Colin was super excited!  Anytime we put his shoes on, he knows he is going either on a ride in the car, or outside and he gets sooo excited!  At this park he had fun running over this little bridge:

and then running back around and stepping back up to the playground.  He did this over. and over. and over! 

We love seeing Colin have so much fun!  I wish so much that I could just capture each and every moment so I will never forget!!  He is just so much fun!!

Stop paparazzi!!

Every once in a while he likes the slide.  Depends on the day...

And then sometimes it is just more fun to go down on your belly...

What a fun day! 

Downgrade...

A couple weeks ago I downgraded my phone.  When we first moved here, Garet and I both got new phones and new phone numbers.  Garet got an iPhone, I got a "normal" phone... but then he kept talking about how cool the iPhone was, so I went back and got one too =)

Since finding out about our new addition, we have also been finding ways to save more money... and one of them was downgrading our phones.  So, I went first.  I used an old phone my cousin gave me.  And can I tell you that I feel a little more freedom?! 

When I had my iPhone, the Internet was accessible ALL the time.  Garet and I would be watching t.v. and a commercial would come on, so I would check facebook, or email... Colin would be eating a snack, so I would check my phone... we would get in the car to go somewhere and out came the phone...  I would check it allll the time!  Now, I check email and facebook maybe 3 times a day or so.  My iPhone still works - it's like an iPod now - but I leave it on my counter all day instead of having it attached to my hip. 

Ahhhh freedom!  =)  And because every post needs a cute picture...