Easton is 3!

This was the first year that we threw Easton his own birthday party.  I took him to the party store and let him pick out the theme.  He wanted a Diego Jungle party. 

My very talented friend Emily came over to start the party off with some face painting.

We ended up with a turtle, a monkey, and 2 bats.  Two of Easton’s buddies weren’t interested in getting anything on their faces but they are still adorable partiers! 

Our jungle rations included Safari Sandwiches, Python Punch, Chimp Chips, Diego Dip, Gorilla Grapes, Health Nuts, Tiger Tails, Monkey Mix, and Wiggly Worms.  I totally get that the kids didn’t appreciate my little labels for the food but I thought the parents that stayed might want to tell them the fun names that we made up for the food.

I missed getting pictures of our Animal Rescue.  The kids each got a list with pictures of all the animals that needed to be rescued outside.  They all had fun finding the animals that were stranded in the rocks, bushes and trees.

Everyone got a turn whacking the pinata with Easton’s plastic blue bat and they had all had enough turns hitting the paper cake Camden took over with a real bat to spill the candy.

Of course Easton wanted a Diego cake so I set out to make a cake with lots of animals (that surely Diego has rescued) and a volcano and waterfall. 

Later the night Easton opened some presents from family.

Sunday Easton’s face was still stained from his turtle. 

Easton loved his party!  It’s hard to believe that he’s already 3.  He was just my baby and now he seems so big!  His well check was this week and he’s on the 25th percentile for weight and the 11th percentile for height.  Maybe he’ll grow when he gets to high school.

Easton is such a great boy.  He loves to play with his friends, Londyn included.  He misses her while she goes to Kindergarten.   Easton is going to be such a good husband because he’s always giving Londyn and I compliments; things like, “You’re cute” and “You look beautiful”.  He loves to be played with and is really patient with me while I help Brittyn.  Caiden, Camden, Londyn and Brittyn all love Easton, are so proud of him and love to show him off to their friends.  Easton is so smart and so observant.  We all love him and I’m so glad that he is my little buddy while his brothers and sisters are at school. 

Easton you are such an amazing part of our family.  Thanks for making us laugh and for giving us all of your love.  We love you so much Little Guy!  MWAH!!!

Londyn is Learning to Ride

A couple of Saturdays ago Ryan took off Londyn’s training wheels to see if she was ready to ride without them.  She loved practicing without her wheels on but she needs a little more practice before she can be considered to have mastered it.

Brittyn was chillin’ in her bouncy chair in the garage during the bike action.

Easton

The boys were showing off their tricks.

Sweetest Little Thing

This little princess has made us so happy.  She is such a sweet girl and we are all so in love with her.  Unfortunately she wasn’t willing to give out any smiles during this photo shoot about a month ago.  This dress is the one that Londyn picked out when we found out that Brittyn was a girl. 

These next two pictures were attempts to get pictures similar to Londyn’s baby blessing pictures.  They came out pretty close.  This headband was made by my sweet friend Mandy.  I was in love with the pink one just like it that she made me as a gift and so I asked her to make one in white to go with her blessing dress.  I just LOVE it!

A week after we got her blessing pictures I received an unexpected gift from my friend Stacy.  I’ve always loved pictures with the baby girls all dolled up but had not yet bought anything this fun for Brittyn.  The cute skirt, wings and headband were totally worth another day at the picture studio.  Brittyn did NOT feel the same at first.  I had to buy this picture because I couldn’t look at it without laughing.

And this next picture we had to work pretty hard for.  Brittyn loves to go to sleep by being swaddled so it was a little extra work for me getting her to sleep on this fuzzy rug.  The photographers thought it was pretty comical the way I had her laying on the rug with the cushion underneath it, holding all of that in the air so I could bounce her to sleep.  It worked and I think the picture is perfect!

First Day of School 2011

It’s hard to believe that it is already time for school to start!  It just started feeling like Summer here a few weeks ago!  This year we’ve got a 5th Grader, a 2nd Grader and a KINDERGARTENER!

We got to the school plenty early so we could make sure the kids knew where they were going.  I think I was more worried than them.  I really don’t like that they had to change schools. 

Brittyn’s first time wearing jeans and her corduroy jacket. 

Such good boys.  It’s funny how different the boys are than Londyn.  She was thrilled to go shopping for some school clothes but the boys wouldn’t have cared a bit if I hadn’t bought them each a new t-shirt.

Easton was wishing he could go to school like the big kids.

The boys hanging out before school started.

Londyn couldn’t wait until it was time for Kindergarten to start.  All morning she kept asking when it was time.  She thought that she should have lunch around 10 because she knew she couldn’t go to school until she’d had lunch.  (Noticed the mark under her left eye?  A few days before school we were sharpening pencils and somehow Camden accidently scratched Lon’s face with a pencil.  I called the doctor’s office and they said not to worry but that it might leave a little tattoo under her skin.  I’m really crossing my fingers that it starts to fade!)

Londyn was posing up a storm.                             Londyn walking down the stairs with her teacher.

Waving from the playground.

We wouldn’t expect anything other than skipping for Londyn to get from one location to the next.

Easton was trying to blend in with the kindergarteners while they waited for the rest of the kids that rode the bus.  He REALLY wanted to stay at school!

Waving goodbye as they headed to class. 

Just a couple of short hours later Easton, Brittyn and I walked to the bus stop to meet the kids.  Easton was enjoying the comfy, cool grass.

Easton and his best buddy Luke.

Londyn made it through her first day of Kindergarten!

She absolutely loved it!  On the way home she asked me, “Do I get to go back to school today?”

Camden trying to look as unthrilled as possible.

Caiden survived too.  Doesn’t he looks so grown up??

So far the kids seem to be really enjoying school.  It wasn’t fun for them to have to change schools but I think they’ve adjusted well.  Caiden has a male teacher this year and is so excited that every Wednesday is “Mug Day”.  The kids get to have hot chocolate (or whatever hot beverage they prefer) while they have silent reading.  Camden is super jealous and has convinced me that every Wednesday he should also be allowed to have hot chocolate upon arrival home from school.

While Londyn was getting ready for her second day of school she told me about a dream she had.  She said that in her dream her teacher gave every one in the class (in her dream there were only girls) one of the mermaid dolls that she saw on my friend Niki’s blog.  I thought it was so funny that she remembered the dolls Niki had made and that she was already dreaming about school.  Hopefully she’ll get to see one of those dolls for Christmas or her birthday.