Busch Gardens ~ Sesame Street Safari

Yesterday we went to Busch Gardens and what a blast we had! Ken and I were teary eyed on the first ride that they did by themselves. Nothing can prepare you for the first time they do it by themselves! I had all these flashes of when they were infants, learning to sit, walk..etc..
I can't even begin to imagine what it will feel like when they go to school, first dates, college..BLAH!! I just have to cocoon them to stay this age somehow!

We stayed until 4:30 which was really good for them but a long day. No tantrums or meltdowns which was a beautiful thing (however today I paid for it -big time)! They did have one ride that wasn't the greatest, a plane ride that wouldn't fly, the one plane and my kids picked it. Everyone kept yelling "pull the level, pull the level", everyone cheering them on. But, when they came around - both leaning back, pulling the level and breaking a sweat from trying so hard..nope they stayed low to the ground. It was the one ride we actually had to wait in line for~ figures. Their favorite ride- the motorcycles!

Busch Gardens has a new area Sesame Street Safari which is all geared for little kids. It was cute, they got to go on a ton rides with no lines, we hit the jackpot except when we got ATTACKED by Peacocks at lunch as we tried eating at an outdoor restraraunt. I don't think the boys will ever look at a Peacock the same again. Ken and I were chasing them away, having heart attacks, then some bird attacked a ladies table next to us and we took off inside! IT was CRAZY!

The water log ride with alittle hill. Their first solo ride. I couldn't get a good shot but had to put it on because the ride is so cute!

The train ride (if you do this park - this ride is SLOW and takes about 45 minutes). They were good on it, they were just hot and tired by this point.

The "Count /Sesame Street" car ride. Boys were convienced they were making it move! They didn't stop smiling.The Big Bird Ferris Wheel.

Boys were first checking out Cookie Monster, Abbie, Grover and another character. Unsure but excited. Christian was terrified at first, especially of Cookie Monster as you can see him backing up into Ken for protection.

Finally ~ a success for Christian...we finally got him comfortable to sit with Grover! He refused the other ones!

Daddy and the boys!

This was ABSOLUTEY their most favorite ride - the "Motorcycles "! First they went together then immediately had to go on again because Christian wanted to drive it and Nicolas..well..Nicolas picked up a chic! :) This ride was crazy how fast it moved up and down!

Nicolas and his "girlfriend" well..at least for those two special minutes. LOL!

The lolly pop bribe to leave the park! Nothing like loading them up on sugar for a hour long car ride home!

A Sisters Bond

I just got off the phone with my sister and decided I had to do a quick blog on her. She is absolutely one the funniest, wittiest, smartest, classiest women I know and my rock. I know she will never read this so I can write all this about her- otherwise she would get pissed because it's all personal! Love you Sam!

I just told her I was going to my moms WITHOUT the kids for 4 days in May and immediately she was scheming and planning on how she could make her great escape!! We call it the great escape because my sister has 4 boys, all between the ages of 3-7, so you can imagine how hectic her life is. Yesterday when she called on my Anniversary, she sang some made up Anniversary song then said.."Hey 8 years ago, we were driving to your wedding and you were pissed off at me remember"? She said I kept saying on the way to MY WEDDING "Are you going to talk to me..Are you going to talk to me..it's my wedding day, it's supposed to be my happiest day and your being mean to me"! Of course 2 minutes later we were laughing hysterically that I said "Your being mean to me", as if we were back in middle school. We are like two peas in a pod, 18 months apart, fights or no fights, there is NEVER judgement between us no matter how wacky we get. It just makes me think, if we are this close at 18 months apart- can you imagine how close Nicolas and Christian are going to be!! It is just so cool to imagine! Twins has such an amazing bond and my dream in life is that they have this with each other!

Reasons my sister rocks:

1.) She has 4 boys - enough said.

2.) She does a boot camp at 5:30 am 3 days a week - again with 4 boys! And at 5:30 am, this is the girl that threw an alarm clock at me in high school because I woke her up with it. She definitely is not a morning person but kids help you over come that.

3.) She gets my sick sense of humor and has one!

4.) Is brilliant, she was a chemist and by nature is just a very rational, analytical person and can research anything with accurate stat's instead of just believing the hype of media.

5.) She prays, prays and prays and is so spiritually grounded.

6.) One of the best moms I know....even with 4 little boys.

7.) Everyday when we talk, we laugh so hard about the stupidest things - today's comedy- she has entered into the world of Facebook, after she has rejected it since it started but still says she is Anti-facebook. It's awesome because I see her getting addicted already, so I love to screw with her and leave random messages! Yet she doesn't want to write on it or people to comment on her page- that is what makes it so much fun to write on her page!

8.) I love that she tells it like it is, AT TIMES gentle if need be- but usually just matter of fact and has no problems confronting people, no problem speaking her mind on anything, anytime, especially when it comes to her family. She once told me : "Why not speak it if you do it gently and fair, then you never have to deal with drama, regret, gossip, resentment, pity and people know exactly where you stand". I think this is probably one of the most admirable gifts she has. That she can say NO to anyone at anytime and not worry about what they think of her, no guilt and yet she does it in a way that isn't mean to the other person or disrespectful. She respects others at all times, even if they disagree with her. Cool right? Yet the girl has class.

9.) Can easily admit on the days when she does feel insane with 4 boys, husband, 2 dogs and a diabetic cat.

10.) She and both our husbands went to college together in NY, so its pretty cool how it worked out- 2 sisters marrying 2 best friends ( I met my husband when he was 18 when I visited her at college but it DIDN'T click, then we met again at their wedding and the rest is history).

11.) We have the same old age dream-Once we all retire, we are going to live next to each other in NC, and be "The Biddies" on the front porch on the beach, drinking our cappuccino's, while the guys are out fishing and we want to recruit all our boys to be in the same town with their families, as well as my other siblings! One can dream right about our old age right?

Okay- here she is trying to train me from her boot camp when I was visiting her at Xmas. I used to be the one who would train her, so this was a CRAZY shift in roles! As you can see I am not putting much effort into it..hey I was on vacation!
My sister and her husband, true scientists (at a science museum for the kids) and they just couldn't help themselves.

Finally Relaxed

Wow what a difference a week will make! I feel like I can breath and had some GREAT family time with Cousin Donny in town, Aunt Dianna and Rich! We got to go visit them at Grandpas and then they came up for a visit last night! Is this really my little boy? I can't believe how big he is, sitting here eating a piece of Hersey's Chocolate he snuck!!! Sneaky little guy!

Other great reasons for my new charge of energy:

• Finished taxes and got all my paperwork upstairs in my office CLEANED up and filed! No piles of paperwork, no piles of paperwork, and no piles of paperwork! First time since boys were born!


• PUMPED the boys got into one of the best schools of our area.


• Cleaned house top/bottom, took almost a week, because we were supposed to have my best friend Kim in from Colorado with her two kids today, but unfortunately the trip got canceled at the last minute Monday. So sad about that part!!! However, on the only up side is I have a clean fresh smelling house.


• It was our 8 year anniversary yesterday and we went out and celebrated last night! It was so fun to get out and just have some great laughs.


• Had a garage sale which I ALWAYS LOVE and this time made some killer cash, best one yet! Ken made fun of me that morning because I straightened my hair, put on make up and he said "for a garage sale really?" I was like: "Hell yeah, this is serious sales today, I need to be on my A game and look the part"! What sales professional doesn't look good when they are selling!


• Boys and I have had a great week, especially with the time change, they are not getting out of bed until 7:45-8:00! Fabulous!! And for some reason for over a week now they have been taking 3 hour naps! Again...Fabulous. It just gives me more energy to go all the fun things with them without being burnt out! Loving it!


• Boys learned how to ride training bikes with training wheels at Grandpas Sunday!


• Decided no huge Birthday party this year because when we tallied friends/family this week- we were up to about 60 people - 30 family- 30 friends, boys have so many friends because alot of them are twins so it adds up fast. So now we are just doing a family party on Easter night since Easter is at our house this year...MAKES IT SO MUCH EASIER!!

Here is story time last night that ended up in our loft (office)...the family came upstairs and got blankets, pillows, food and books to snuggle up with before bedtime.
Nicolas cuddling with Grandpa- they are both beat after NOT napping!
Grandpa rocked the weekend with getting the boys yet another cool gift, remote control boats. Even Daddy was excited, I think more than the boys.

Dad couldn't resist playing with the remote boats...next is the helicopters according to Grandpa and Daddy!We couldn't call it the complete Fabulous Hughes weekend without a little GOLF involved. Boys got a new set - thanks grandpa! Kens sister plays too so it made it even that more special for the boys! Although on pavement- still fun.

Grandma Paula even came out in the Sun, which means she was really having a good time!

Gotta love that hat!!

What Day Is It

(Christian at a birthday party this weekend, decided to create his own dance floor and bust some moves).

These kids have it made! I love seeing them so happy and wish to god I could be a kid like this, living in the actual moment, expressing exactly how I feel at any time. I need to break out into a dance right like Christian because right now in this actual moment, I FEEL LIKE A MISERABLE ZOMBIE and out of it!! I seriously do not know what day is it...Tuesday, Wed or Thursday? That is how brain dead I am right now, actually all week since Saturday. I told Ken last night, it feels like this week I am lost, meaning I can't focus and moody. Boys both have colds, we have been inside all week and the boys have been rotating in their levels of CRANKINESS. Plus 3 years ago my dad passed away this week when I was 7 months pregnant with the boys. The boys have been asking a lot of questions lately like "Who is your daddy", "Is he coming over to play". It breaks my freaking heart this time of the year not having my dad here to see things like Christian busting a dance move or how happy these kids are.

I haven't gotten much sleep the past few days between Ken snoring, the dog snoring and the kids restless in their sleep. Maybe my happy pills need adjusting or I just need to get back into our normal schedule. At least I have a smile on my face right now because Christian just woke up and started saying out loud "Hey Nicolas, wake up, you like Bubble Guppies"? What the hell are bubble guppies?? Glad they are waking up happy ~ makes for a happy mommy!!

Here are a few snapshots of the boys from the "T-Rex"theme birthday party they went to. I will put more up soon!