Happy New Year!

On New Year's  Day the boys woke up coughing a lot.  We ended up staying home most of the day and then went up to Sioux Falls to pick up Mom and Dad Tintle from the airport!  We were excited to celebrate Christmas with them, excited that the boys could spend some quality time with them, and excited that we didn't have to travel this Christmas.  The boys were thrilled to ride on the moving ramps at the airport, see some planes, and to see Grandpa and Grandma!  We went out for supper at Granite City which was delicious, but it was evident that Dorian was wiped out from his cough and needed to get some rest. 
The next morning (Wednesday) we had a Christmas party together.  We ate delicious food (including some of the Christmas cookies that the boys decorated), opened gifts, listened to Christmas music, and enjoyed each others company.

The boys opened a new Beyblade dome and beyblades to go with it!  After getting it set up and figuring out how it worked, the boys were both having a lot of fun with it!!!

On Thursday, we went up to Sioux Falls to spend a couple of days there.  We stayed overnight at the Ramkota which had an indoor water park that was perfect for the ages that the boys are at.  They really enjoyed the big water slide!

On Friday, we went to the Science Center and Cinedome at the Washington Pavilion.  What a fun spot! 

On Saturday, we swam in the morning at the hotel and in the afternoon we went to the Butterfly House.  I decided it would be fun to touch a sting ray and also thought it would be good for my kids to see me being brave.  But the funny thing is that when I actually did touch it, I freaked out.  :) 

Nathan, Dorian and Levi each touched a baby shark!!!

The butterflies were beautiful and it was quite calming and relaxing to watch them.

Dorian and Levi had fun looking at the butterfly chart and identifying some of the different kinds they saw.

 

 

We enjoyed doing things together that the boys enjoyed doing!  However, we did not ever ask the boys where they wanted to eat because it would have been McDonalds, Chuck E. Cheese, etc.  Instead, Nathan looked up some fun new restaurants and we ate very well!!!  Nathan and I also got to enjoy 2 evenings of free childcare while his parents were visiting.  :)

 

It was a fun start to a new year!