Crazy Lucky

Things have been crazy in our household lately. Shawn starting school again, Me starting my new job, and sam about to turn two. Plus I just found out a week ago that I won a trip to london, England for myself and three guest to see the world premerie of the movie the christmas carol starring Jim Carey. I still can't believe it. I am super excited especially now that all of our paper work is in and it is all offical. Shawn and I waited in line for three hours a few weeks ago to see the Christmas Carol Disney train when it came to Bargersville, In. I never thought in a million years that I would be the grande prize winner. The train travelled all over the U.S. all summer long. I think Indiana was one of its last stops. It was the type of contest that you could have entered your name in every day all summer long. And I entered my name in the contest on the last day, only once. I am a little worried about how sammy will do with us both gone for a full week now that he is two. It will be a lot different than when we were gone on our honeymoon last year and he was only one. But it will be a trip of a lifetime. Can't wait.

Vacation

We just got back from Outer Banks NC last sunday. We had a lot of fun. We went with my family, my sister Jessica and her husband Brandon, my brother Timmy, his wife Kendra, my nephews Grant and Garrett and my mom. And a few dogs. Sammy didn't like the sand at first. He just stood there and cried and wouldn't move. Once we got out his bucket and shoveles, he was ok. But he still didn't like it when the sand got on him too much. He liked going for walks along the shore to look for shells to put in his bucket. He didn't like the water because it was cold and the waves scared him. But he loved all the room to run wherever he pleased. Shawn and I had a nice relaxing time. We layed out in the sun in the morning and napped all afternoon when sammy napped. It was perfect. One day the water was warm so Shawn and I got in and rode the waves with the boogy boards. The ride there and back with sammy was a little rough. Sammy did really good though. He only got whiny or fussy when he was tried. Mostly he played with his cars in his seat, in his own litte world. All we heard the whole way there was "car, car-car, cool car, good car, car". So that got a little old, but very cute. We went put-putting, I took sammy up the light house, we drove our car on the beach to look for the wild horses, and we went on nature walks. Shawn and I had off two whole weeks together. It was nice to have so much family time. When we got home shawn switched to Days. We have made dinner together as a family for once and that is nice. Hope everyone is doing well.

Busy and Sick

The Tinkham family has been very busy and sick this winter. Sammy has had three ear infections. I had bronchitis, sinus infection and ear infect a week and a half ago. And shawn has had a GI bug recently. We have been busy working on our house lately. Painting, organizing, cleaning out trash and clutter. We bought a new washer because ours broke. We bought a new engine for our HVAC because it broke. And we bought new couches because ours were falling apart. Our house is looking much nicer. It is crazy what a little paint will do. We painted most of the house a light green and two walls a darker forest green. I'm sure in a few years I will hate it but right now I love it. Sammy has been busy learning all kinds of things lately. He knows mostly all his body parts. He will point to them if you ask him. He says "car" about 500 times a day. We are very obsessed with them. He can also say "good dog". And he learned how to walk last month. Now he is getting much quicker. It is cute. Some times he does the "superman walk" were he puts his arms behind himself to balance as he walks and he looks like he is going to take off. Lately though he hasn't been doing it much. He has learned to stick his tummy out instead. He is throwing more trantrums when he doesn't get what he wants. I get embarassed sometimes but I try to stand my ground. I'd rather be a little embarassed now then have a bratty kid later. Mostly though he is a very good boy and he does what we ask. It is crazy how much he has learned in such a short time. He learned all his body parts in less than two weeks. And he can eat with a fork and spoon and I only showed him once and he knew what I was asking him to do. We will be getting ready for a garage sale, and easter soon. Hope everyone is doing well and not getting sick like us.

Children's Museum

Last sunday the 18th we took sammy to the children's museum for the first time. We went with our friends Matt, Jessica and Josh Recuppito. Josh is just a few months younger than sammy. The boys had a great time. First we took them to the playscape area. I remember my mom taking me to this a lot when I was a kid. I have fond memories of the dry erase markers. I remember I thought they were magic, how they could just disappear like that. Sammy and Josh loved the water area. After a few minutes they were soaked so we moved them along to the area where they could crawl around. They both moved around like they owned the joint. After they wore us mom's out chasing them we had a snack in the food court. Then we went to check out the comic area for the dad's. Then we rode on the carosel. Sammy of course again was terrified. I don't know why he is so frighten of them. We just sat on one of the benches and he did ok. But he didn't want anything to do with the horses. I can't wait to take him again to explore more.

Honeymoon

For everyone we haven't talked to since the wedding. We had a blast in New York on our honey moon. The first day we were there we checked out the statue of liberty. And for anyone planning on seeing this in the future, it is an all day thing. We already had tickets and we waited about 2 hours to get through a security check point before getting on the ferry. Then when we were on Liberty Island we had to wait another 2 hours to get through another security check point to get to go up the lower part of the statue. They don't let you go all the way up anymore. Not since 9/11. Because of security reasons. But it was high enough for shawn who is afraid of heights. She was big, beautiful, and very green. It was awe inspiring to see. We also went to ground zero that day. It was only a few blocks away from where we were staying. There really wasn't a lot to see though. They were doing construction on the memorial building already. The next day we went ice skating at rockefeller center. This was probably my favorite part of the week. We also went up the "Top of the Rock". I think it was 70 stories high. The next day we slept in and then went to the top of the Empire State Building. We had express tickets for this, which was totally worth every penny. We got to cut all the lines. And then when we were ready to go back down, we got to cut again. I think the ESB was 86 stories. Can't remember exactly but it was higher than the "top of the rock". Then shawn helped me to find the Sanrio Luxe store. Which was so cool. Then it was around 3pm so we headed for times square to wait and wait and wait some more. It was around 2 degrees and we stood in one spot for 9 and a half hours for the ball to drop. We met some really nice people though. One couple from D.C. and a mom and her 12 yr old son from california. My legs were completely numb from the knees down. It wasn't like we expected it to be. Nobody was drunk or crazy. Everyone was sober, cold, hungry, tired and had to go the bathroom. Luckly the nice lady we met from california was staying at the mariot which was right on times square. And the police officers were letting the people staying in the marriot to go into their hotel and back into the baracades. So all of us borrowed her room key to use the rest room. It was very nice of her to be so trusting. When the ball dropped it was so worth the wait. I would trade that memory for anything. The conffetti was crazy. Shawn and I danced and kissed. Then we were like ok lets get the hell out of here and go warm up. Everyone else did the same. The next day we didn't really have plans. We slept in then later we went to eat at Serendipity 3. It was a 3 hour wait because they are famous for their frozen hot chocolate. It was good. But waiting everywhere we went was starting to get old. Especially on our feet. Friday we went out at a really nice steak restaurant called Gallaghers. Then we saw Avenue Q. It is an adult comedy with muppets. It was hillarious. Saturday we walked all over central park and snuck into the Natural History Meusum for free. It was so crowded they didn't see us slip by. It was nice being able to see each other all week. It felt like the good old times we had in california. We normal don't see each other that much with our schedules the way they are for sammy. And if we do then sammy is always there with us of course. We both missed sammy. But by the third gone day I really missed him. There was so much to see and do, we definitely weren't ever bored. We will have to go back sometime though to see the stuff we missed. We had such a wonderful time and thanks so much to everyone who helped us finance it. Much Love, The Tinkhams

Snow Days

Sammy played in the snow for the second time today. I took him out once last week and he didn't like it. Last week he wouldn't even move. Today he was less scared. He crawled all over and patted the snow down. He kept looking up at it when it was falling. He loved it. Well he loved it until he fell over and it covered his face. We didn't do much else today. Shawn went to work tonight. And I am going to get started on the wedding "thank you" letters.