Baranko's Hit Bonita + Matt's Birthday

Vacation time!  Last week the Baranko's and Carpenter's headed down to Bonita Springs, FL to spend the week at Mom & Dad's rental house.  They are there for 2 months trying out snowbird-dom in a beautiful house on one of the Gulf's canals.  We had an awesome time, swimming, eating, sunning, playing, boating, hiking, lounging & laughing.  Went by too fast!

PJ catching a ride in the airport on her Trunkee - worked like a charm!

The only way we got through containing Luke on a long flight - strap him in!  Matt enjoyed carrying the ginormous toddler car seat through the airport and on to the plane.

The snow birds welcome us to sunny FL.  Brunch on the water on our first full day.  

Hitting the beach for the first time - Barefoot Beach just five minutes from M&D's rental house

Family vacation photo!  Love Luke's Hawaiian outfit compliments of  Nikki & Brad Kurz

Checking out the swampy wildlife at the Corkscrew Sanctuary and Audubon Center

Luke wasn't quite into the 3 hour nature walk.  Matt spent most of the day trying to keep him quiet in the sanctuary, until he fell asleep on his shoulder in the nature center.

Beach day at Lover's Key 

Luke loved the beach and playing in the sand.  

The Dads went swimming with the kiddos.

Huge margarita for the boys at Coconut Jack's

Sisterly love.   Also huge love for all the alfresco dining.

Boat tour leaving out of Naples

Hanging at the pool back at the rental property.  Kid nap time = adult free time for pool lounging

Matt playing with Luke and PJ in the house.

Dad doing the finger touch with Lukers

We celebrated Matt's birthday early

Breakfast on Barefoot Beach, can't beat it!

Nice beach walk after the grub

Last full day was a pool day - we didn't want the day to end!

Last dinner at The Fishhouse, yum!

We walked home from dinner and caught this lovely sunset

On our last morning, we took a quick trip up to Sanibel Island  to see the bird sanctuary and grab some lunch.

Even though we were devastated to leave fun vacation for normal winter life, it made it slightly less sad to come back knowing that we would see the Richardson family the next day.  Joe had a conference in Chicago on Friday and Saturday, so Katie & Isabelle tagged along.  Sunday they came up from the city for a visit with us.  Matt was very eager to meet little Isabelle for the first time.  Look at that beauty!  So big already:)

Matt meeting Isabelle

Family picture:)

Then Monday was Matt's 34th birthday.  First day of work after vacation is always sort of a drag, but having Matt's birthday brightened it up a bit.  We celebrated with Isolene's famous spagehetti dinner and a homemade red velvet cake (made by Lukers and I).  Happy Birthday, Matt/Daddy!

Matt's birthday - 34 years!

Full after all that birthday cake

Grandpa Emil made this awesome puzzle jeep for Lukers, and one for PJ too!

Won't You Be My Valentine?

I had THREE Valentines this year, aren't I a lucky girl?  My Matty and Luker Dukerson, of course, but I'll always be a Daddy's girl, too.  My first Valentine:)  Makes me nostalgic for when I'd wake up on Valentine's Day to a beautiful corsage or flower bouquet from my Dad.  Can't wait to see you and Mom in Florida in just a couple days!

So not only did we have Valentine's Day to make this past week exciting, but we also were jam packed with activity over the weekend.  Saturday we had plans for breakfast, lunch and dinner!  Luke and I jetted downtown first thing to have brunch with my business school girlfriends.  Always a great time catching up with them, and Kathleen brought her daughter Jordan to keep Luke company.  

Right after breakfast we went to Valerie's house to have a luncheon playdate.  Her boys are adorable and getting so big.  What a treat to have Luis come over for a visit too, with his daughters in town from Rio de Janeiro.  Talk about getting big, we get to see them so rarely that I was shocked by how grown up they were!  They are so sweet.  I make Luis translate everything his girls say when they play (since they speak Portuguese) and it is funny to hear that they're saying the same things that any American kid would say when playing with toys.  It is such a small world.

Ben (2), Luke (1) and Nathan (4)

Luke loved the play guitar the best of all the toys, must be because he watches Daddy play all the time

Little imp Ben -  cutie pie

Luisa (5) and Isabela (3)

Valerie snuggling Luke

After a little nap at home we were back out headed to our dinner party at Aunt Diane and Uncle Garry's house in Antioch.  They hosted a very fun dinner for all of us because Dan & Amy were in town from Springfield with their kids.  Great combination of delicious food, catching up with everyone and watching the  cousins play together.

Lukers, Kate, John, Will

Sunday had no lack of fun either with a full day of activity with Kristin, Cory and PJ over for a visit.  I love our low key family days, they always go too fast.  Kristin brought a Valentine's Day cake as a fun group activity.  

Valentine's Day was Tuesday and we celebrated with an impromptu dinner out at our local fave chinese place, King Maa.  We were the only ones in the restaurant, which was fine by us, as we didn't want to interrupt anyone's romantic Valentine's Day dinner with screeches from Luke.  

Matt and I did "cheers" with our tea cups before eating and Luke wanted in on that action - it was the cutest

Eating his fortune cookie

Valentine's Day musical card and dancing puppy for Luke

Finally, I'll leave you with a couple shots of the Lukers.

Making Isolene a Valentine

Love to read my books and especially lift the flaps!

This was taking messiness to a whole new level - yes, that is broccoli, noodles and applesauce in his hair

Super Bowl & Baby Bowl

I was in Indy for most of the week working our Walgreens Super Bowl Village event, so Matt held down the fort again.  They had tons of fun, and I'm jealous that Matt got to introduce Luke to the Kohl Children's Museum for the first time on Saturday.  Luke loved all of the interactive activities, he didn't know what to do first.  Take a look for yourself below.  They had a fun dinner with G&G Baranko on Saturday night and on Sunday took a trip to the park, where Luke is increasingly independent on the playground equipment.  What a big boy, he is.  I'm happy to say that I have no more business trips planned for the near future!  I miss my boys:)  I feel like he grew up so much just in the time I was gone.  He learned how to climb up his high chair and get into his seat all by himself (not something we're encouraging, but kind of impressive nonetheless).  After a brief hiatus, he's starting to babble again.  Not anything coherent, but it is so fun to hear his little language.  Luke is really good at his puzzles, and can draw circles with his crayons.  What's next - law school?  Slow down, baby!

The one great thing about the timing of this business trip, though, was that I was able to meet Isabelle Anne only a week after she was born.  She is perfection!  Thanks to Katie & Joe for hosting me for a couple nights.  Isabelle is such a sweetie!!

Me with the Colts "Super Fan"

I got back Sunday night just in time to see Jeff and the Bullock's who were over watching the big game.  What a treat to meet beautiful Olivia Lyn, born just a few weeks ago.  So precious.

Finally, on Monday night I had dinner with a couple of my girlfriends from work.  Kristin had her daughter, Brinley, a couple months ago and I hadn't had the chance to meet her yet.  Another cutie pie!  It is baby fever around here folks!  We always love to see Patrice and Morgan, of course, especially since Morgan and Luke are just days apart in age.