Okoboji 2014

 Well it's been almost a month since we went on our annual trip to Okoboji!  Time flies, and this summer has been absolutely insane!  We had two new babies for this trip, so it was 3-ring circus most of the time.  The weather wasn't picture perfect the entire time, but it could have been a lot worse!  All in all, it was a wonderful trip, and we're already counting down to next year!  I hope this is a tradition that can continue for many years.  Okoboji still remains one of my favorite places ever, and I hope it become this for my babies too!  Now, for some of the highlights...

The annual family photo at our favorite breakfast spot, the Dry Dock.  It was the first boat ride for the babies boys, and they both did pretty well!

Cooper tolerated his life jacket very well considering how uncomfortable that thing looked!  

Delaney LOVED the boat this year!  She was so excited very time she got to.  

We made a trip to Arnold's Park Amusement Park on one of the cooler days that week.  Both of the kids had so much fun!  Delaney rode pretty much every ride she good, and Craig rode a few along with her.  Cooper hung out in his stroller for the trip!

These two typically fight like brother and sister, but I caught this brief moment of peace one day before a boat ride.  

What else to do on a rainy morning, but dress the babies up like twins!  I'm sure they'll think we're nuts when they are older, but aren't they adorable!

Speaking of dress us, the boys declared a "Superhero Day"!

The cooler weather meant less opportunities for swimming, but one afternoon the stars aligned and the kiddos got to swim in the lake!  Delaney did so good considering how scared of swimming she's been this summer!  She learned to trust her life jacket and let go of Daddy.  She was swimming on her own between the boats in no time!  I was so proud.

So, I'd definitely call the 2014 trip a success!  Cooper was a rockstar for his first trip to the lake, and Delaney had a ball.  She has already started talking about moving there!  I wish sweetheart, I wish!

Until next year...

Okoboji 2012

A lakside family photo! 

Last week was our annual trip to Lake Okoboji, Iowa, for a week long family vacation with all of my immediate family!  The trip is a tradition, and shortly after arriving this year we discovered it was our 25th trip.  I'm 28, so we've only missed 3 years in my entire lifetime.  One year we went to Disney World, one year we did an extended weekend trip to Kansas City, and one year we got married!  I think it's pretty special to continue a tradition like this with all of us and now our own kids.  I hope we have another 25 years ahead of us!  All these pictures are from my phone...this week has gotten away from me, and I haven't gotten a chance to download the others on my camera!

All dressed up for dinner...the little diva was twirling!

As always, we make a big shopping trip on the first day to gather all the "necessities" for a week at the lake.  Now with the kids, it is easier & less-stressful for everyone to make more meals at the house versus fighting the heat and crowds at the local restaurants.  We still did a few meals out to give Mom a break and satisfy everyone's cravings for the Dry Dock breakfast (with Blood Mary's and beer chasers) and Tweeter's.  The rest of the time we ate at home having everything from BBQ Ribs to Filet Mignon to Honey BBQ Chicken Wings!  We ate better than anyone on that lake some nights!

A post-dinner sunset cruise!  Doesn't get much better than this!

We never know what to expect out of the kids, and this year was no exception!  Thankfully, we made it through without any major illnesses or trips to the ER.  Delaney's only major issue was not wanting to sleep.  We had to lay down in our bed next to hear for at least an hour at every naptime and bedtime just to get her to calm down enough to fall asleep.  She was also the family alarm clock every day, graciously waking EVERYONE up before 7 most days.  Chase was an early riser too, but he isn't nearly as vocal as Delaney in the mornings! 

The kid's first "lake swim"!

The kids both did great with the boat, water, and lake.  They tolerated their life jackets like champs in the suppressing heat!  I really don't remember either of them complaining about them at all.  Delaney loved the boat rides, she just had trouble understanding that she needed to stay in one spot when the boat was moving!  Chase loved the boat too, he got to dance with his Mommy and drive with his Daddy.  He even managed to squeeze in a few naps on the boat.  He looked some completely peaceful and uncomfortable passed out in his life jacket!  We even got the kids out in the lake for a little swim time.  Neither one of them liked to "free float" in their life jackets, but they both had a ball in the arms of Mommy & Daddy!

Chase needed a koozie for his drink, just like everyone else!  He thought he was pretty cool!

 It's hard to bring the entire family all under one roof for an entire week, so we really cherish this time.  This year was especially bittersweet since Jess & Nick are now officially living in Iowa.  The times when all of us can be together will probably be fewer and farther in between, so it was nice to spend some serious quality time with everyone!  Next year, Nick will have vacation and won't be commuting for vacation, so it will be even better!  Thanks Mom & Dad for starting & keeping the tradition alive, and thanks to my siblings for going with us!  We had a wonderful time and are already starting the countdown to next year's trip!

The kids had a lot of fun this night playing with Nick and a laundry basket!

Okoboji 2011

We spent last week at one of my favorite places...Lake Okoboji!  As always, we had a great time full of fun, food, and family time!  The crazy heat and humidity dealt us some fits, so Delaney and I spent a lot of time inside.  We thought Delaney had recovered from her ear infection before we left, but she rapidly became a crabby, clinging little girl.  We attributed it to the heat, lack of sleep, and teething.  By Wednesday she was getting progressively worse, so I decided I should have her checked out.  After being turned away by two different doctor's clinics, we headed to the ER.  Twenty minutes later we left with a double ear infection diagnosis and a prescription for antibiotics.  She didn't make a miraculous recovery overnight, but we slowly started down the road to recovery.  It was an exhausting trip, but I would go back tomorrow if I could!   Thanks to my wonderful family for a fabulous family vacation...can't wait until next year!

   Delaney took a couple of boat rides on Uncle Nick's boat!     Nick even let her drive!

 

Here's the whole Bryant clan lakeside after breakfast one morning!  

 

 We took Delaney swimming one afternoon in Aunt Leah's hotel pool!  It was crazy steamy in there, so this is the only picture that turned out!  D had quite the time swimming with her Daddy, Papa, and cousins Jacob & Trevor!  She sure is a water baby!

 In our attempts to keep Delaney happy, we offered Fruit popsicles!  Obviously, she enjoyed them!

 Of course, we have a few Baby Chase pictures!  Isn't he such a cutie?!?

 He's getting so big and changing so fast! 

 Here's Chase and his Mommy hanging out at the Barefoot Bar! 

 Delaney and I had a little fun at the Barefoot too, even though she wasn't feeling the greatest!  We got out of the house for a little while!

 Everyone getting a little cozy (and punchy) on the couch!

 We went on a Sunset Cruise with Jess and Nick Thursday night...Craig refused to take a nice picture with me...isn't this cute?

 Here are Grandma & Papa with there two grandbabies!  I'm sure they got home Saturday night and just collapsed after a week of helping us so much with these two! 

 We did an impromptu family photo before we left Saturday.  It was a little steamy hence the haze in the picture, but we'll take it! 

Okoboji 2010

After a week of being back to "normal" and getting into the swing of things, I decided I should tell you about our trip to Okoboji this year. I was so excited to take Delaney! I have been going up to Okoboji since I was a baby too, virtually every summer with just a couple exceptions! I hope that Delaney will have the opportunity to do this too and love it up there as much as I do!

We had perfect weather the entire time we were there. We got up there the morning after a serious storm that caused major damage to boats, docks, and trees. I'm so glad we missed that! It was warm enough to be out on the water and still be comfortable pretty much every day. It rained a few times, but always at night so it didn't change any of our plans. We went so many places and did so many things...it was a great getaway after a crazy few months at home, but man it is hard to travel and plan for a trip like this with a little one! We traveled with my parents, siblings, and my aunt & uncle and cousins. We had four vehicles packed to the top!


Delaney was spoiled the entire time by her grandparents and aunt and uncles. She loved all the attention, and seems to be a little disappointed when it's just us at home! She got to do a lot of shopping, go on a couple boat rides, and do a little swimming before she came down with her first cold and started working on her teeth! She loved the lake. She would sit outside with someone, and just watch the water. She also had quite the time in her little swimming pool. This was a great $6 investment of Grandma B's, and I'm sure we'll get a lot more use out of it at home!

Delaney had her first trip to the Barefoot Bar on Monday of that week. It was pretty hot that day, so we found a spot under a Tiki Hut in the shade. Delaney enjoyed an afternoon snack and was hanging out on Grandma when she had a massive #2 blow-out. Of course, being the genius, prepared mother that I am I had a back-up outfit in the bag, so we stripped her down and cleaned her up. We'll always be able to tell her that she got naked the first time she went to the Barefoot Bar! I'm sad we didn't document that experience properly, but I was elbow deep in clean up so stopping for a picture was not an option! I also got to enjoy the Rum Runner, I had been craving since last summer!
Delaney loved the boat rides she had. Because she wasn't feeling the best for a few days up there, she only got out on the boat twice. She loved it! She sat with Craig or I and gnawed on her life jacket. That thing was ridiculous, and I'm sure completely uncomfortable for her...but we have to have it! She didn't complain too much! The last night we were there was the annual fireworks show on the lake. She fell asleep before the show started, but the rest of us sure enjoyed it. I'd venture to say it was one of the top 3 fireworks shows I had ever seen. It's a whole different perspective seeing it from a boat over the water. So cool!

Craig had his share of ups and downs on the trip. His first morning of attempting to water ski was mildly successful. Witness accounts say he was "this" close to being up! He pulled a smooth move later that day by jumping on a tube with my cousin Trevor with his BlackBerry in his pocket. The phone spent the next few days in a bag of rice drying out. It's still functioning right now, but I'm not sure how long that will last. After getting his phone to dry land, Craig decide to tube solo and had a wicked crash. He's still sore two weeks later! He's getting too old for this stuff!I spent most of the trip with Delaney since she wasn't feeling the best. I did get out on the boat a couple afternoons while Grandma babysat, which was nice. I also did a little shopping during a couple of her naps! The rest of the week was spent eating, drinking, and relaxing! What more could you ask for?!? It was a nice break from the everyday grind, and I'm already looking forward to next year's trip!

4 Months...a little late

Our little Delaney Jo turned 4 months old almost 2 weeks ago, but I was without internet access at the time, so I'm a little late with this post. All of these pictures were taken on her actual 4 month birthday, July 19th. She was enjoying her first swimming experience lakeside in Okoboji! I think she's going to be a water baby. She had a great time just chilling in her little pool, splashing around! I'm planning to get her into the Float for Life classes as soon as she's old enough...I think they start around 9 months! Anyway, here's the latest in the wonderful world of Delaney at 4 months!
Just two days before her 4 months birthday, Delaney celebrated a major milestone...she rolled over! Of course, I have yet to catch this with a camera, but she had done it about 8 times now! While we were on vacation all we had was a tile floor, so she couldn't really get the hang of it there, but we're relearning now that we're back at home with carpet and so far she's doing great!
She had her official 4 month doctor's appointment last Monday, and boy has our little girl grown like a weed! She now weighs in at 13 pounds 10oz and measures about 24 1/2 inches long! She's in the 70th percentile for height. Looks like she might be tall like her daddy! She's exactly where she should be size and developmentally-wise. You'd never know that she was a whole month early! We also got the go ahead to try rice cereal on Monday. I plan to do that this weekend. I wanted her to get through all the potential side affects of her immunizations and also get over her first cold we've been battling before throwing "food" into the mix. I think by this weekend we should be good to go. We'll get out her high chair and wash up all her bowls & spoons. I can't believe my tiny little baby is ready for all of this!
Delaney is firmly in size 3 month clothes, except for anything that is footed...she's too long! There's that height again. She is just about ready to outgrow her size 1 diapers. They are "suddenly" tighter this week, so we are working our way through our last package. We'll move onto a box of Size 1-2 next week. Such a big girl! I think we are at the beginning stages of teething. She has really started some lovely drooling over the last couple weeks, along with her usual crazy amount of spit up. She also seems to be putting everything into her mouth and just gnawing away. The doctors says this can continue for quite awhile before we actually see a tooth, so we're just trying to keep her as comfortable as we can. We are now stocked up on teething rings, Baby Oralgel, and teething tablets!
She is still the best little sleeper we could ask for. She sleeps from about 10pm to 7am (give or take) every night and has since she was about 9 weeks old. She's still in her bassinet right now, but we will soon be transitioning to her crib in her own room. I wanted her to get through the immunizations and this cold before moving her. I will miss her being so close, but she's getting to the point where she doesn't look too comfortable in her small bassinet. She likes to sprawl out while she sleeps, and with her being so long that's getting harder to do in the bassinet! I hope to have her in her crib all night every night by 5 months...wish us luck!
She had more firsts this last month. Obviously she was baptized, but that's more of a one & only than a "first". She did attend her first movie, Despicable Me 3D, with her cousins. She slept through the whole thing. She also got her first pedicure...we found this great stuff called Piggy Paint. It's nail polish that is safe for little ones! Moms of baby girls, check it out! She got her first cold...boo! She was a pretty unhappy little girl for a couple days, but it seems to be getting better. I knew she would eventually get sick, but I didn't think it would happen this soon! She also took her first vacation to Okoboji last week! Aside from starting the teething stuff and getting her first cold, she did so well! We went to so many places and did so many things, and she was such a trooper. She also handled the long car ride so well! She also had her first boat ride last week on Uncle Nick's boat...she loved it! She is becoming so playful and vocal. She will just lay on the floor and kick & flail about. She is also finding her voice. She's starting to "talk" to herself more and more, and we're getting giggles out of her more often. That's now my favorite noise! She loves music and is becoming a TV addict. I need to get some Baby Einstein DVDs because I think she would really like them. I'm not sure how well she sees, but I think she likes the music and colors of the TV. We have such a good baby! I can't believe she's already 4 months old! We love you peanut!

Biggest Loser-Okoboji Style

A summer's evening conversation on the front porch has led to a little friendly competition in our household. As of today, we are starting a Biggest Loser competition with our Okoboji vacation as the end goal/weigh-in. Craig and I are competing with Chip & Lauren. We have made a wager of $100 to the biggest loser (percent weight loss). We also have a guys vs. girls side bet going.

We were sitting there talking about how we want to lose this much and do this and that. We decided it would be fun and help motivate us to start a Biggest Loser competition. We'll hold each other accountable, and the side bet gives a teammate to cheer on. Motivation is always the hardest part for me, so I think this will help! My post-baby weight loss has plateaued over the last few weeks, so I'm hoping to jump start it again.

My strategy is to pay attention to what I eat and how much I eat. I'm also going to dust off my 30 Day Shred DVD and try to complete at least one 30 day rotation during this competition. We have about 8 weeks between now and Okoboji, so we have enough time to make a difference. I'm also going to try to work in more walks and some Pilate's on the days I don't do 30 Day Shred.

I think Delaney & Izzy will also benefit from this as they will get to go on more walks/runs. They will also get healthier parents! We are weighing-in today, and every Monday until we go to Okoboji! Wish us luck!

Trips, Trips, & More Trips

Well, we now have 3 vacations to look forward in the next few months. Yay! I've been missing work alot for all the things that have been going on, but most of that wasn't really fun or vacation like...funerals, helping with graduation parties, etc. (The actual graduation parties were fun!)Now, we'll be going to fun places and doing fun things!

Our first trip is scheduled for the 4th of July weekend. We're going on a road trip out to Colorado Springs to visit Craig's brother & his family. We haven't seen the kids (or Brent & Buffye) since Christmas, so we're really looking forward to seeing them! It may also be Izzy's first road trip over 2 hours, so that will be interesting! She's a little crazy in the car sometimes! We always have a great time out there, it's so beautiful! What a great place to visit and what better excuse...to see our neices & nephew!

The next trip is at the end of July! We're going on the Annual Bryant Vacation to Okoboji! SWEET! I absolutely love it there...it's one of my favorite places! My whole immediate family is going, and this year we are renting out a lakefront condo versus staying at a resort like usual. It should be really fun! Oh, and Nick has a new boat for the trip, so we're all looking forward to breaking that in! We are seriously counting down the days to this one! Can't come soon enough! Last year, because of our wedding, nobody got to go to Okoboji...so we're all overdue for a trip up there!

The last trip (which we just planned last night) is to Las Vegas over Labor Day weekend! We went a few years ago during one of our college spring breaks, and we've been dying to go back ever since! This time we are going with some of our best friends, Ryan & Jill. We both have anniversaries in August, so we're calling it a "Joint-Anniversary" trip. We're staying at the Planet Hollywood Hotel & Casino. It wasn't even built the last time we were there, so it should be really nice considering it's brand new! We can't wait!

So while all this is super fun & exciting, this means I seriously need to figure out a way to lose weight & get in shape VERY fast! Yikes! If these trips aren't enough motivation for me, I don't know what will be! Wish me luck!