We're leaving on a jet plane, hopefully!

Well we're finally doing it! Matt and I have been wanting to take a Mediterranean cruise for two years and now we've decided to go. We are leaving this Friday for Barcelona and flying standby the whole way! This is just crazy!! We have to fly on Delta because we fly completely free. Also, if there are open seats in first class, they have to bump us up! We're just focusing on getting on the plane and then I can dream about being upgraded! The current plan is to fly to one of Delta's big hubs, JFK, and then from there determining if the direct Barcelona flight is open or taking a flight to Madrid and then to Barcelona. It's going to be CRAZY!! Once we finally get on the ship, we're going to the Almafi coast of Italy, Rome, Florence, Monte Carlo, Eze France, and finally Toulon, France. We're so excited! I have been planning our itineraries for the day trips for months! I simply can not wait! We were so nervous that we were going to have to cancel the trip due to the volcano in Iceland. Flights were canceled for close to 6 days in some areas of Europe. We've been looking at the flight loads and they seem to be better, so we're going to take our chances and go! There's nothing like living on the edge!

Because we're flying standby, I can't check a bag. Can you imagine?! Traveling for 9 days with only two carry on bags! I've already packed and even have some room left for shopping! It can be done, my friends!!

Matt's parents are coming to stay with Roman for part of the time and then my mom is staying with him the remaining time. He will be still going to school as usual and we are going to try to keep his routine exactly as normal, except for mommy and daddy being gone. I'm so sad and scared to leave him for this long, but I know it will all work out and be a good thing for Matt and me to spend some quality time together.

So for the meantime, Arrivederci amici (goodbye friends)!!

Roman is thirteen months old!

Our big boy turned thirteen months on April 12th.

This past month, he has grown up a lot! I can tell he is really becoming a toddler! He now drinks tons of his milk in his sippy cup! He is eating like a champ! Literally, he has been eating as much as I eat!! I weighed him the other night and it said 26 lbs (naked)!! All that eating has paid off! I think the growth spurt is starting to slow down now.

Roman loves reading his books and playing with his toys. He is literally almost running now! We chase him everywhere! He loves to play outside in the back yard. We are just having a blast chasing him around.

I'm trying to work with him on talking more. He babbles a lot, but everything is still dada! I have started letting him watch Elmo's world at 11:45 on days that we're home. He is already showing that he loves Elmo. So cute!! We're having such a great time with our little toddler!

Love this t-shirt!

He's smiling hard for the camera!!!
The blocks are his favorite toy now!!
Daddy don't leave us!!
Roman is telling daddy that he must take him with him to work!
Sweet Captain loves playing with Roman too!!

"I'm a big boy!!!"

Picnics!

We love packing up and going to the park for family picnics! It's so much fun to enjoy this perfect Spring weather before it gets too hot!

Daddy loves tricking Roman and running and jumping over him. Silly!!

Feeding daddy!

Roman loves his milk!

I have to chase him now!

Our Garden!

Matt has worked so hard on our back yard garden. He has created an organic vegetable garden for the family. He's read a few books and dedicated a lot of time to it. We're so excited and can't wait to watch the veggies grow!! This is a great learning tool for Roman too! I always go water the the plants every morning and explain to Roman that they need their water to grow big and then we can eat them!!

These are some of our azaleas!

The netting is for the tomatoes and will be covered up soon!!
The pretty flowers!


I just love Spring!!!

Easter Weekend!

Matt and I decided to travel to Tulsa and then the family lake house for Easter this year. It's a hard decision for us because we absolutely love being around the family, but there are no Easter services at the lake, so Matt and I listened to "Christian talk radio" on the way home. Ha!

Jumping on the trampoline at Grandma and Pa's house!

Daddy threw Roman high in the air!

Trampoline hair!

Love my Cappy!
My boys!

Cousins!! They each took turns hugging Roman!

Friday, we got to the lake. It was a rainy day so we played inside.

Roman loves the lake!!

There's nothing like sunset on the porch! The house is on a peninsula! So beautiful!

Roman loves his grandma!

Hanging out on the porch!

Mike and Meg! Love her! We are hoping she will be our new sister-in-law soon!

3 generations!

Roman got a new ride!

Mommy and Roman just having fun!

Roman's other new ride! He LOVED this car!

Mike and Meg

We all celebrated Mike's birthday. It was really in January, we're just late in celebrating!

Grandma with her Grandsons

The whole Franks family is together!!!

All of the Easter baskets are lined up!
Roman loved searching for his eggs!

Grumpy boy!

Mark and Matt and their families!

Mark and Whitney and the triplets!

Pam and Grandma.

We had such a great time visiting with family! We are so fortunate to have such a wonderful family! Thank you Jesus for the Cross and your Resurrection, which is the true meaning of Easter!