my boys

i think military man deserves a shout out on here!! this man is just amazing to me, he's so wonderful with our son and he supports me and does things just to make me happy (like leaving the house at 8:50 last night for a mad dash to the liquor store b/c he knew i had had a rough day and we were out of my favorite wine--so when i emerged from booderbeans room and he was soundly asleep, there was a glass for me!)

thought i would post some wonderfully funny pics from our recent vacation of

booderbean and military man!

booderbean has an infatuation with water fountains lately, much to my dismay b/c if you know me, then you know my fear of nasty germs from strangers on public things like this...BUT military man made him happy and indulged him while i turned my eyes :)

here booderbean is wearing daddy's favorite and most proud shirt Led Zeppelin baby.

enjoying an early morning breakfast at the condo and i had to pause for a photo!

my boys having fun in the pool. notice their coordinating flowered swim trunks...military man said it's ok for him to wear flowers b/c it's black! haha

while at Basin Park in Eureka, there was a strange man with a monkey in a dress on a leash...the monkey was begging for quarters that she would then stick in her pocket. military man gave the monkey a dollar. this photo was taken about 30 seconds before booderbean lost it and was screaming for me to save him from the crazy monkey.

military man got booderbean his first airbrushed tattoo! those two couldn't have been prouder!

fun in the sun

Poor booderbean had too much vacation!

well have sucessfuly survived our first "Krout Family Vacation"! even though we didn't get to go very far, nor spend a very long time away from home... we still had so much fun hanging out and just relaxing!

My folks lent us their condo right off Table Rock lake in Eureka Springs and it was the most perfect vacation for us to have! Waking up to a glassy lake view, the pool right across our drive and fun shopping only miles away.

Maybe when booderbean is old enough to remember a vacation we will do more and plan more, but for right now lazy days of playing and late nights of drinking, swimming , and grilling were right up our alley!

I of course took way too many photos (thanks military man for posing for yet another photo in the 100+ degree weather and humoring me!)

here are a few favorites...but i think i may be posting more of them since i just couldn't choose!

after an early morning at the farmers market we hit the park, i just love the look on his faceat Basin Park in downtown Eureka, they had the coolest painted benchesFunny man and momma in the pool, couldn't get him to smile at the camera though!not so sure about jumping in to us in the water though

the Mr. and Mrs. at the gazeboo cookin' out...think we had a little wine or beer???

Ready to Relax

I'm so excited, our first family vacation and road trip is about to begin! We are leaving today for the family condo in Eureka Springs and the fact that i get to do nothing but relax, swim with my boys, drinks some wine by the pool, and take in the scenery is oh so enticing!
My folks have had our condo since their honeymoon nearly 30 years ago, family tradition has always been to vacay at the condo. So i am oh so excited to take military man and booderbean. Not sure how much antiquing and shopping I'll get in with baby in toe but I'm sure I'll fit in a few stops.

On another note, can i send out a prayer request!! My spunky, wine drinking, pool swimming, yard working, busy fun, Nanna, is very ill. She is in the hospital with some very serious heart problems and will be undergoing a quadruple bypass very soon. For those of you who know her, you know this is nothing to keep her down. She's the most active 81 year old I've met, the very morning she got ill she was out back washing her pool! So please shoot a prayer on up when you get a moment. I know God will take good care of her.

I'll be MIA till next week so hope y'all have a fabulous week!

if you need a laugh today...

Here is a little peak at our funny funny booderbean!

He found these goggles of his cousin's at my parents house and insisted on wearing them, then he hopped on the (very loud and annoying) musical fire truck and rode all over the house!

I thought he was even going to sleep in them that night!

a little late on the fireworks...

So i know it's not actually Independence Day anymore...

but i figured i'd post a few pictures of our 4th of July weekend anyway!

Military man is still gone training so it was just me and the booderbean this year. We had a wonderful, fun, busy, tiring weekend in Ponca City. Since booderbean slept through the fireworks displays last year I was so looking forward to his reaction this year...but when it doesn't' get dark till almost 10:00pm, a toddler just can't hang. He was out like a light on the way to the lake to see fireworks. He did however get to shoot off a few at nanas house that afternoon after a full day of hanging out in the pool and grilling out. He wasn't a big fan of sparklers (probably b/c momma wouldn't' let him hold it on his own and he had to stand still and just stare, maybe when your older buddy, this momma is just a nervous wreck around quick toddler hands!) but LOVED the poppers. You know, those white little poppers you throw on the ground...well if one didn't pop you better believe he was on a mission to stomp it out! it was quite hilarious. Booderbean also got to find out this weekend that he is quite talented at eating corn ON the cob...nervous momma didn't even cut it up for him, and he's a big big fan of "pink fluff salad", my cousin made this amazing salad that i'm pretty sure booderbean ate 3/4 of!!
well this post is boring i'm sure but i'd really just like to get to the pictures. so enjoy!

Booderbean and Momma swimming

Sparklers with momma and poppers with pappa

enjoying his pink fluff with a spoon all by himself!! and of course diving into the corn on the cobb!

the boy loooves his fruit snacks!!

to travel or not to travel...

well i'm FIANLLY posting about this...A little under a month ago I traveled abroad with my work to London and France (woohoo right!). Part of my job is to coordinate and plan out the Study Abroad programs for the School of Business. Since i was so new to the position as it grew closer for the students to go on their trip, i was given the chance to go with them (along with professors and another coordinator). It was great, I was able to finally meet all the people i had been e-mailing and video conferenceing with and now when i tell a student we need to order them a Eurial pass I will actually know what the heck i'm talking about! I've allready started the planning process for summer 2009 Study Abroad (such a big big task) but i wanted to post and share some pictures from this years. I took so many pictures that by the time the trip was over my camera was was left with 3 spaces on the memory card! If you want to see more I'll have to send them to you, there's no way anyone wants to see this post filled up. I do highly reccomend international travel to everyone, it was the most eye opening experience ever.

Here's a short list of my favorites (no particular order):

1. people watching

2. sipping wine outside in Paris

3. attending Mass at Notre Dame Catholic Church

4. Eiffel Tower

5. taking the Tubes (transportation) all over London

6. the War Cabinet Museum (absolutly wonderful!)

7. the Queens Rose Garden at Regents Park in Londo

8. the long plane ride (i know, i'm crazy but i love to fly!)

And a short list of my not so favorites:

1. baggett sandwiches-i have a story on why

2. paying to use the potty

3. the language barrier (my fault, i really shoulda learned french)

4. paying way too much for an over strong cup of coffee

5. missing my booderbean so much i couldnt' even look at a child with out literally tearing up.