More new house photos

Aunt Kimmie reading Court’s new birthday books on the lawn

Can’t keep these boys out of the trees

First family photo at the new house

Picnic inside

These guys love to roam in the yard

The house in the woods

On August 15th, we accidentally bought a new house.  It will certainly be bittersweet to leave “The Money Pit.”  We weren’t on the market for a new house other than Scott had been interested in investing to flip a house with a buddy of his.  So I browsed the zillow.com website after he got done looking one night just to see how much a house with a few acres of land around us would cost…just for kicks.  We found a house that had been on the market for over a year, estate-type sale, that was much more reasonably priced than we anticipated and just happened to be having an open house that next Sunday.  So we went, again just for kicks.  I wouldn’t say we fell in love with the house because it definitely needs some updating – picture pastel pink and blue toilets, window treatments on the showers, elaborate (read: gaudy chandeliers), parquet flooring, salmon colored carpet, etc etc.  But it has potential or “opportunity” as our realtor and good friend, Joe Rempson puts it 🙂  But we did fall in love with the beautiful 4 acre lot that that house in on.  We gave our best offer and they took it!  I looked at Scott and said, “Holy crap, we just bought a house!”  It is only about 3 miles further from work than where we live now.  When we took Aiden and Court to see it for the first time, they just started running.   We didn’t tell them to.  They didn’t ask.  They just saw all that open grass and started running.  So it’ll be our new home (whenever the renovations are completed…which haven’t even started might I add).  Money pit #2?  Absolutely!  But the boys helped name it the house in the woods which is the title of a book they have.  It seems appropriate because there are trees all over the property and even some woods in the back yard.  So there you go, new digs.

Toasting our new house at our celebration dinner after closing

Pizza was the cuisine of choice of the boys, of course

Scott’s new favorite toy – the new tractor!

There is a long driveway where the boys love to ride bikes.

The love to climb the trees in the yard

Did I mention the pool? And a diving board with a huge crack…details, details…

We are trying to get as many swims in as possible before it gets too cold!

Scott has been entertaining the boys with funny pool tricks.

Here’s to yet another Williams family adventure!!!

First tooth

Yesterday, at the ripe old age of four and a half, Aiden lost his first tooth.  It has been loose for about a week or so now. His permanent tooth is coming in all snaggletooth and the dentist said that we needed to get the baby tooth out pronto so the adult tooth could straighten itself out.  (Translation: “Your kid will need braces by age 6.”)  So Scott made a deal with Aiden that if he couldn’t get the tooth out himself by next week that he would tie a string to the tooth and the door, slam the door, and wham!  No more tooth!  Of course, this scared Aiden to death.  After only one day into their deal, Aiden was wiggling that thing like a mad man trying to get it out.  I mentioned to Aiden casually that Big One could just pull the tooth out with his hands instead.  Aiden said, “Well, okay.”  I said, “You are sure you want Daddy to pull out your tooth right now with his hands?”  Aiden said, “Sure.”  So, Scott grabbed a napkin (for grip) and yanked that sucker right out in about 3 seconds flat.  No tears. No whimpering.  No protesting.  No crying.  And lots of blood too!  Aiden was an incredibly brave little boy.  Scott and I could not have been more proud!

Before

After!

Court was amazed by the whole process and now goes around talking about how his teeth are loose too.

The proof

The tooth fairy came and left a little bag with a quarter, a dime, a nickel, and a penny! Aiden was pumped!

Meet Court – age 3

Court’s birthday party

I guess it is becoming a trend in our family to have a pool party for your 3rd birthday.  Court chose to have his birthday party this year at Ray’s Splash Planet (just like Aiden did on his 3rd).  It was super crowded and kinda crazy but also super crazy fun! Court had invited some family and some friends to join him for some splash time and some cake time.  He chose to have a planes theme because he is obsessed with Disney Planes right now.  We had planes invitations, decorations, and a planes cake.  Good times all around. Thanks to everyone who was able to come and especially to all those who helped – especially Aunt Kimmie and Grandpa Wolford who carried a LOT of goodies to/from the car.  And a big thanks of course to Grandpa who was event photographer for all these wonderful photos below…because I didn’t take a singe one all day long!

This year, I tried to keep my cake baking simple. Couldn’t wrap my head around how to make an airplane shaped cake? A few drops of blue food coloring, a few toy airplanes and a little marshmallow fluff and voile! 

Aiden on the slide

Cousin Ryan on the slide

The birthday boy on the slide!

“Uncle” Dave and baby Mackenzie

Everyone loves a lazy river

Aunt Cara and Ryan

Court and Tucker, who loved the water park

Aiden, Court, and Tucker were the three musketeers by the end of the afternoon

Court and Sadie excited about something 🙂

Court was honored to host baby Mackenzie at her FIRST birthday party

Aunt Kimmie and baby Mackenzie rocking the party hat

Happy Birthday to Court

Make a wish!

His favorite – chocolate!

krispy kreme

Court’s favorite: glazed doughnut with chocolate icing AND sprinkles

Aiden’s favorite: glazed with chocolate icing. He can eat 3 in one sitting!

Court’s birthday

On August 24th, Court turned THREE!  Or as he says, “Free!”  Free from what, I am not sure but nevertheless, our little man is growing up for sure.  His teacher Ms. Emma says that he acts like he is 10 – so responsible, so independent, so headstrong (for better or for worse).  For Court’s actual birthday weekend, we traveled to Virginia to celebrate with the Newton family and so Scott and Bill could do a race together along with Scott Davis.  So with the Davis family, the Newton family, and the Williams family, it certainly made for a big celebration for Court.  

As for the race, Bill and the two Scotts said it was pretty terrible, basically crawling up and down the side of a muddy ski resort with obstacles in between.  No fun.  As for the kids, Jen, Jess Davis, and myself, we had a ball.  We took the kids to the children’s museum and out to lunch.  Afterwards, the boys and I got a tour of the local breweries as we chauffeured Jess to pick up some good brews for Scott after the race (what a great wife, right?!!) Then we bought the biggest pizza known to man – Aiden’s favorite part of the trip, he’s still talking about Benny’s pizza!!  

As for Court’s party, the Newtons were so gracious and creative.  Since we were leaving around lunchtime to head home, they created a birthday breakfast pirate party complete with costumes for the kids (and me), decorations, birthday cake pancakes, and lots of presents!  Thanks so much to the Newton and the Davis families for making our boy feel SO SO SO special on his 3rd birthday!! 

When we got home that night, Kimmie, Bub, and Pop took Court out to dinner for (shocker) MORE pizza – which was HIS choice for his birthday dinner.  Per usual, those three spoiled Court rotten with love just the way an aunt and grandparents should 🙂  Then we came back to our house for birthday cupcakes, ice cream, and more presents!  It was a wonderful end to Court’s birthday and a great start to what we hope is a great year!  Here’s to you Court-man!!

Night time stories read by Isley Newton

Cartoons in PJs

News anchor Court at the children’s museum

Reporter Aiden

Brek and Maella have a turn

Jess showing Court how to sort cards on this interactive table

Maybe Court should be a dairy farmer. He milked that cow about 1500 times

Aiden filling up Brek’s tractor with gas

Jess took this picture which I find hilarious. “How do you get this tire on here, kids?!”

LOTS and LOTS of dance parties!!

Court was surprised by the birthday festivities

Singing happy birthday with his pancake candles

Party time

The adults enjoyed the birthday cake pancakes just as much (if not more) than the kids!

Playing with his airplanes

I am not sure if Court found his first crush in Isley Ryan Newton or if he just thinks of her as a big sister to cuddle with. Either way, he stalked her the whole weekend until they eventually ended up in this position every time we found them. Thanks to Isley for being so SWEET!

The wrapping that Aiden made for Court’s gift

I love Court’s face here – “just give me the gift already, huh?!”

Another birthday serenade

A perfect end to a perfect 3rd birthday

NYC

The week after we returned from our annual beach weekend, Scott had to go out of town for business to New York City.  Then we found out that Scott’s parents were going to be there too at the same time.  So we decided to join the bandwagon and went to NYC too!  Aiden and Court and I flew up on Monday after work.  We had a 3 hour flight delay but the boys were absolute rockstars in the airport and entertained themselves with all the shops, food, and airplanes outside!  Aiden kept saying, “Mama, I am SO excited about riding the airplane!”  They were great on the flight and didn’t even complain about it being so late.  They kept commenting on all of the things that they could see and the clouds.  They even saw some lightening off in the distance.  But then they started asking when the plane was going to crash, as if that was the logical next step in typical air travel.  Um, not with Mama in this plane, boys!  Then they started in on conversations regarding parachuting, explosions, etc.  Luckily, we arrived safely.  We took a taxi to the hotel and finally got the kids in bed around 11:30 at night!  The next day we toured around NYC and then Pop and Bubba took us all the a Yankees game to see Derek Jeter play in his last season as a Yankee.  Very cool.  The boys loved every second (all the boys, that is!) We had one more full day to enjoy the sights of New York.  It was great but by the end, Court kept asking to go home.  I feel the same way, little man.  New York is great to visit but it’s always nice to come back home!

Aiden and Court in awe of the huge airplane mobile in the Charlotte airport

“Look at the fuel truck! Look at that propeller!”

Waiting for the Museum of Natural History to open

Looking at a LOT of things way beyond our intelligence level.  While all the other scholars were taking notes on genus and species and smart things like that, Aiden and Court kept laughing and pointing at “the monkey  with the penis”. 

Huge turtle

Then we got to the good stuff. Dinosaurs!!

T-Rex – Aiden’s favorite

Then Court set off the motion sensor on Brontosaurus. Oops

Their favorite exhibits had the stuffed animals from all the different continents. They were pretty amazing.

Off to the Yankees game!

Aiden and Bubba taking it all in

What an amazing experience – thanks Bubba and Pop!

Court loved the sculpture in Rockefeller center

We met the green M&M at the M&M factory.

Played in the Disney store

Rode the ferris wheel at the Toys R Us in Times Square

Got silly with some minions

Ate great New York pizza

Some of the folks at the Yankee stadium are friends of Pop’s and they surprised us with two Jeter jerseys! Amazing!

We rode the subway…at rush hour no less!

We made it to the carousel in Central Park for the last ride of the evening. Court says this was his favorite part of the trip.

Aiden did some break dancing in front of a fountain

And Court decided to get wet in the fountain instead. See you next time NYC!