It's Party Time!

We celebrated Annie turning (gasp!) 5, and Austin turning 3 with a family party at home this year. I already blogged their super fun skating party, and also a little about Austin's birthday, but somehow missed showing some of Annie's pics from the family party. So here goes!

The Cake! Pirate and Ariel!


YUM! :-)




Opening gifts!



Love that face!



Annie with all her gifts!



5!


And a few more of Austin...

Rock 'n Roll!

Picture this...Pink poodle skirts, black leather jackets, roller skates, and 50's music...Oh My Word, I had so much fun planning Annie and Austin's birthday party this year! We invited our friends and close family to celebrate Annie's 5th birthday and Austin's 3rd birthday at a Fabulous Fifties Rock 'n Roll Party! We rented to local skating rink for the afternoon, and it was SO much fun!!!


warning: you're about to see A LOT of pictures!

Daddy and I and the Birthday Girl on skates!


My man and my big girl! What cuties!

Nana and the Birthday Boy! He was glued to her side all day!

Me and my (getting tired!) Birthday Boy!

We did the Hokey Pokey!

Birthday kids in the GIANT skate! That thing is cool!

Yo Wingman! Nice ride dude!

We limboed!

We skated, and by we, I mean ME! Yeah baby!

And Michelle!


And the birthday kids opened some gifts! This is one of the sweetest pictures ever of Austin and his buddy Bear!

And Grammie and the awesome plane!

And of course! A family pic! What a fun day this was!

Unexpected Fun!

Okay, here's the deal, I am not a nature girl. There, I said it. Hiking, not my thing. Rock climbing, No thank you. I do enjoy a good canoe trip, but then there's not a whole lot of intense physical labor involved with that, now is there?! So when Michelle called one Saturday morning and suggested we go take a Nature walk, I was not so sure. I mean, isn't there a mall we could walk at instead? But Austin and Malls don't mix all that well right now, so I reluctantly agreed to go spend some time in Nature. Yay.

My mood lifted a little as we took this picture. I mean, how cute are they?! Five cousins ready to walk by the lake!




Off they went, hand in hand!



I think we did pretty good! We walked about 2 miles, with just one snack break!

And when we got back, the kids all schemed against us and convinced us to let them "wade" in the lake.

I had no idea wading could turn into a full on splash fest! Okay, maybe I had a little idea, but they had a blast!

So I am still not Nature Girl. However, on the whole, this was actually quite a fun day! Thanks Michelle, for pulling me out of my comfort zone and spending the day with us! Oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU today! You are so much more than a sister-in-law to me, you are one of my best friends!

Slug Bug!

Or...BANANA!!! (Thanks to cousin Lane, that's what I get to hear everysingletime one of the kids sees a yellow vehicle!)




How cute are they though??!!



Oh mercy. Watch out! :-)



(Disclaimer: none of the kids actually drove a car. I don't even think this one worked. :)

Shelley

Peter Pan!

Branson got a treat when Cathy Rigby came and starred in Peter Pan! We took the girls and they LOVED it!  Ellie's friend Mackenzie (far right) was even in the play! Definitely a special night!

Delilah

So, this little dog found us last month. She appeared at the back of our backyard fence, just dying to get to us. She is quite sweet, however I was determined to find her family, convinced someone had lost her.  But after a month of putting up flyers, calling vets, radio station and pet stores...and no leads....we have adopted her. :)  She's been a perfect angel, house trained, well behaved, great with the kids, I can't figure out where she came from or who wouldn't want her.  Of course we fell in love with her quickly! I suppose it was inevitable considering the girls and J had named her Delilah within an hour of finding her. Welcome to the family, Delilah.

Annie and Delilah the day she adopted us, August 23, 2009.

Wordless Wendsday...I think this picture speaks for itself!

Austin's BIG day!

My little man is THREE today! I am trying not to dwell on the fact that my baby isn't such a baby...but to just totally soak up his little "man-ness!" He is awesome. Full of life, full of fun, and yes, full of Mischief!


He loves cars, boats, motorcycles...anything with a motor! And for that he makes his daddy proud. :)

He can wrap you around his little manly fingers in about 2 seconds. He can capture your attention with his sweetness, as he grabs your hand and pulls you to where he wants you. This is what he did to "Mama Ellie", as he calls our Grandma Ellie, at his family birthday party a few weeks ago. He needed her to help him fix his wheelbarrow with him.

He is just adorable, of course! Last night he insisted on having three cars and one motorcycle go to sleep with him. So cute! I had to lay them on his pillow, and give them all kisses goodnight! I love his budding imagination.

Not only is today his birthday, but also....drum roll please...it's his FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!! That's right, my baby is going to preschool today! He's starting a preschool two mornings a week, where he gets speech therapy at school! I am so excited for him, because I just know he's going to grow leaps and bounds! I hope they're ready for him! :)