March Madness, Part 1

For the last week of February and the first week of March, Jim had a Command Leadership training to attend for the Navy in Newport, Rhode Island.  I actually even had a week long training during his second week, the beginning of March.  The week before I left (and Jim was already gone) was a REALLY tough and stressful week for me, getting everything ready to take a week off of work while also taking care of the boys.  But it was so worth it... it was a great week in Rhode Island, and a really great training!

Car packed up, both boys going to Jackson's school in Bellingham for the day.  Then heading to the SeaTac airport!

One stop and a hug and a kiss for both boy was pretty nice!
Jackson seemed happy to have Brother there too :)

Mason had a great day.  He didn't want to leave, and he gave the fish tank a few hugs and kisses and said goodbye.

Then we have a 2+ hour drive to SeaTac.  We stopped at the same McDonald's with the fun play area that we found after dropping Jim off at the airport the week prior.

We had a few good hours to play in the play area and ride the train "just because".

Jackson would look tired at times, but get these sweet bouts of energy, crawling away from me as fast as he could.

Good red-eye flight with both boys sleeping.
There was a guy on the other side of Mason, who didn't mind Mason's feet all over him, thankfully!

Neither boy wanted to wake up when we landed.

But when Mason woke up he was officially THREE years old!!

We flew to Boston, where Sass and Pops had come in the night prior and stayed in a hotel.
We met them at their hotel for breakfast before we all drove to Rhode Island.

Thankfully we had a hotel suite with two bedrooms... and lots of phones to play with :) 

And Lola came to spend the weekend with us as well!

There was LOTS of snow.

(that was a little too cold and annoying to play in)

Speaking of lots... all the grandparents brought LOTS of prezzies to celebrate the boys' birthdays!

Then we all went to Chuck E Cheese for a birthday lunch!

We met our friends Pete and Morgan there, with their one year old Logan

Chuck E came out with the cake and sang Happy Birthday!

Jackson was a *little* caught off guard, poor dude.
I should have thought more about how we had to ease Mason into seeing Chuck.

Mason certainly enjoyed it

And apparently since the cake smash he thinks it's acceptable to eat cake with his hands by the fistful!

3 buds in a hot chocolate cup

So much fun and so sleepy.
I was trying to keep him awake in the car, but he wouldn't even open his eyes as he giggled.

It takes a few grandmas to feed a toddler ;)

Jackson has been enjoying playing with our new stroller

Jim and Mason got a lot of good swimming time

Jackson finding the sunshine and standing on his own

A little snow time with Sass & Pops

One more fun, cold night downtown

Mason being silly at the airport, asking me to take his picture

We had quite a delay on the plane before taking off.
I was getting nervous and antsy... as was Jackson.
He was all over the place - in my lap, on the ground, and then asleep on my shoulder :)

While it was 10 pm PST when we landed, it would have been 1:00 am on the East Coast where we had just come from.  Yet the pilot pulled Mason into the cockpit and was showing him all the buttons and switches in the plane.  It was awesome!

That was week one of March.  Plenty of Madness to get the month started!