Take Me Away: Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week 2013!

I know this isn't really about my 2 little Nichols, but it is definitely what i've been busy with for the past few weeks. I am so happy to have met a great group of moms at Logan's preschool and together we make cool things happen. This week was a great example.
Theme: Take Me Away. 
Overview: In appreciation of all the love our teachers and staff show our children, we dedicated a week to giving back with a trip around the world!!! We started the week at "Check-in" where they picked up Tickets to India, France, Hawaii and Italy, and were served an in-flight meal. Each day brought new treats. 


We finished with a lunch from each destination and "baggage claim" where the teachers got souvenirs from the destinations (spices from India, Champagne from France, Bags from Hawaii and Wine from Italy), gifts from the families (Lots of great stuff donated), a passport filled with loving notes and $50 TARGET GIFT CARDS!!!

Here are some pics from the week!

Happy Easter Egg

As Poppop Vince always said, "Happy Easter Egg to all!"
This year, instead of heading to PA/NJ for Good Friday, we staying here in VA and had visitors from CT (i just has a little too much fun using state abbreviations :) )
Saturday was fun at the SUMC Spring Festival and Easter Egg Hunt. And Sunday, Easter, we had our own Easter Egg Hunt and enjoyed the Fun baskets that the Easter Bunny left.
I went a little Carrot Crazy with dinner - check out my creations!

"Spring Break" treat

After Soccer camp Day 3 (which was Spring Break Day 4), we had some friends over to play, and enjoy a Spring Break Treat. I may be a little dorky, but check out my "Spring Break" treat.

SPRING BREAK! Get it?!?!?!? (Flowers because its Spring, Give me a Break (Kit Kat) because we are on a break)

I think all our friends (even moms) enjoyed the snacks as much as I enjoyed making them!!!

Soccer Day 2 > Day 1

Today was Day 2 of soccer camp. So. Much. Better. Not perfect, but the boys both got into the drills a lot more. Makes me really excited for tomorrow.

Logan having a catch with his Coach Dan

Objective: zigzag around cones, and shoot in goal

GOAL!!!

Obstacle Course Objective: Jump two times over row of cones, walk open-legged over line of tall cones, dribble, score

Hayden - Jump!

Hayden - Waddle

Hayden - SCORE!

Logan's turn - Jump 

Waddle.... SCORE!

As if soccer wasn't enough for one day, we left soccer and went straight to Heritage Farm Museum to visit with rabbits and Easter Bunnies. Then to Friendly's for lunch and ice-cream. Hmmm. I wonder why both boys are napping right now as I post :)

From Snow Day to Soccer Camp

Monday = Snow Day
Tuesday = rescheduled first day of Soccer Camp

The boys woke up this morning ready to go! Unfortunately for me, soccer camp is at 9am (earlier than the start of school on a normal week). But the excitement was strong here at the Nichols house and we barely noticed how early it was (for us at least). Dressed, fed, and ready to play - we all went to the fields.

If you know me, you know we don't go anywhere without a few pictures and the boys happily posed. In the car, i captured their excitement too.

Once on the field however, it was a whole new ballgame (ok - still soccer, but you know what i mean), Logan was shy.
Hayden was crazy!
It did take Logan some time to get our of his shell, but when he finally did, he blew me away by his interest in participating in all the drills and perfection to get it right. Turns out he might actually have gotten his daddy's soccer skills.
Hayden on the other hand - NO INTEREST in doing what everyone else was doing. He lapped the field, chased after his balls. Had a great time - by himself.
All in all, it was a great first practice. Looking forward to the rest of the week to see how it all plays out.

After working up a sweat (ok,not really, it was quite cold), Hayden went off to his daycare and Logan and I went to a movie together - PERFECT SPRING BREAK Tuesday! (and yes, he actually did fantastic in the theatre!)

Springtime Snow Day

It happens to fall in March every year when I teach my French 1 the months, seasons and weather. This year, seasons and weather are also a hot topic at home too with Logan and Hayden as they are learning "It snows in Winter", "the trees get leaves and its warm in Spring", etc etc. It's awfully difficult  however, to sound credible in these lessons, when we wake up on a late March, Spring break morning, to Canceled Soccer Camp and a yard covered in White Snow!!

Our exciting Spring break was set to start this morning with a 9am-10am soccer camp for both boys. I am excited to see how they both do. Logan has proved to be quite the academic, where Hayden is a hands-on boy who loves to JUMP, RUN, and THROW. He seems to be much more athletic than his (19 month) older brother, but they both were over-the-moon about starting camp today. We went out to buy sneakers yesterday and last night Logan was so excited that he begged to wear his "soccer outfit" to bed so he'd be ready for soccer camp in the morning. He even STAYED IN BED all night so he wouldn't get in trouble and miss camp!

Obviously, i woke up cringing at the disappointment I knew was to soon come when he learned that soccer camp was canceled today. To my great surprise, he woke up shouting, "LOOK MOM! There's snow! Can we play in the snow?!"We changed into snow clothes and ventured downstairs. As we walked down Logan remembered his original plans for the morning, "Mommy, can we play in the snow and then go to soccer camp?" We had a little talk about soccer and snow, and going tomorrow.... he took it well and is happy to have a snow day AND soccer camp tomorrow :)

Now, I don't know what is stranger, that I am on team Soccer Mom, or that I am NOT on team Snow Angel. I would happily sit on the soccer field with my mini-van and cooler of juice and oranges.... but please, please don't make me take the kids out in the snow. Enter Dad - since he was already taking the morning off for the first day of soccer camp, he just swapped activities and took the kids out. I sat warm and comfortable from the kitchen window and did what i love most. I took lots of pictures! ENJOY! (oh, and i made a cute breakfast of smiley-face pancakes and Hot Cocoa (like Curious George enjoys in our current favorite video).

Baseball with Snowballs

Easter Egg Hunt.... in the snow? Logan found a missed egg from this past weekend's Easter Egg Hunt while playing in the snow. A gorgeous, non-snowy, not-cold day I might add.

Three boys proud of their creation

***I will also add that I took a much needed break from adding to the blog. With a very full plate, i didn't take the time to update. But today, I feel relaxed (knowing i have a week off from work helps a lot) and happy to have a happy morning with my boys. I feel rejuvinated and ready to start again. Be on the look out for some events you've missed and the big Feature Presentation this year - the birth of #3 in JUNE!***