A VERY HAPPY 5th Birthday

Our dear sweet first born turned five years old today.  Where does the time go??!!  He is so big and tall he looks even older!

Jack had an incredibly happy birthday that was action packed.  It began with Oma and Opa bring over some Dunkin Donuts (a recently discovered favorite treat for the boys).  Before he even had donuts he ripped open his presents and had to put on his new shoes immediately.  My fashion guru was extremely pleased!!

Then he had preschool.  He always likes school, and today was no different.  He got a cool straw and sticker from his teachers that made his day.

After lunch he opened his presents from Grandma and Grandpa.  He was very generous and let his brothers help him open.  They all had fun checking everything out. 

Then we made frosting for his cake.  We put the frosting on and then Jack got to design the top...as in put whatever sprinkles he wanted on the cake.  The final masterpiece was a yellow cake with mini chocolate chips, yellow whipped cream frosting with two different silver ball sprinkles, crown sprinkles and blue sugar on top!!

After that creation we headed outside and played with his new airplane glider launcher he got from his grandparents (Sean and I went to Learning Express the other day and made our selections with his gift card).  Jack and Ewan LOVE these. 

Once play time was over it was nap time.  Jack and Ewan went to sleep relatively quickly.  Sean, however, never did go to sleep.  I tried FOREVER, but he just would not sleep (and he was up EXTREMELY early today).

I actually had to wake up Jack and Ewan to leave in time for the pumpkin patch.  We picked out some pumpkins, took a few pictures, met somebody to sell the pack 'n play and then we were off to Oma and Opa's.  We played there for a short while and then met Daddy at Sumo for a birthday celebration dinner.

To say the boys liked Sumo (it was their first time there) would be putting it mildly!!  Their eyes lit up when the chef came to the table and cooked for them.  Food, fire, SHRIMP, an aquarium....their first kiddie cocktails.  Ah, so many new and exciting experiences!!

After dinner we went back to Oma and Opa's to eat our cake.  We headed home and Jack opened his presents from Mommy, Daddy, Ewan and Sean.  The birthday boy is now in bed, a very happy five year old.

Happy Birthday to our big boy!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jack's Preschool Birthday Treats

Yesterday the boys helped me make Jack's treats for his birthday at preschool.  He took them today (he has the same birthday as another girl in his class and she will take her treats tomorrow, their actual birthday).  Jack chose the exact same cupcake he had last year, pumpkin cupcake with cream cheese frosting.  This year, however, he spied the witches hat topper in one of my cookbooks and had to have that.  So we baked and decorated.  They were VERY EXCITED, especially about the hats (a molded Tootsie Roll on top of and upside down fudge stripe cookie with star sprinkles and frosting).

Here are our results...

YUMMY!!

 

Two very excited boys!!

 

 

Sean was upset he missed the previous picture so I had to take another

with him too!!

Family Time Weekend

This weekend we managed to find a lot of quality family time.  Friday night we went to Country Adventures with our play group.  The boys enjoyed playing with the animals and their friends, the long hay ride, hot dog dinner and roasting marshmallows.  Then playing in the dark in the sand and dirt.  They were sticky and dirty, true signs of a fun night!!

Saturday I had the pleasure of "quality time" with Josh.  As in helping him build the garage!  He had one guy to help, but putting up the trusses is at least a three person job.  So I was volunteered.  And I must say I did pretty well.  It took a while to get into a groove, but we got a lot done.  It should only take one more day to put up the rest of the trusses.  The biggest challenge of this part of the day was keeping the boys out of trouble while we worked!!  They did get very dirty and had lots of fun, but no injuries and no potty accidents for Sean while under extreme minimal supervision is definitely a major success!!

Then Saturday after naps we went to Oktoberfest here in town.  It was so much fun.  The boys loved watching the dancers and dancing themselves.  They played in the bounce houses.  They played on the playground.  They ATE!!  We ate and drank.  It truly is a wonderful family event.

And then today it was yard work day.  Josh mowed and edged.  I weeded the garden.  The boys played and "helped" us.  We had a picnic for lunch.  The boys now like to take their lunch up the treehouse!

The rest of the day the boys played and napped.  I cleaned and cooked and did laundry.  Jack got a new tire on his bike (he wore through the last one skidding too much).  He is thrilled!!  He missed riding his bike for nearly two weeks now.

So now we are unwinding and getting ready for another crazy week.  Our big boy turns five on Thursday.  Where does the time go??

Jack in the covered wagon

 

Fun with friends

 

More fun

 

Taking a break near the animals

 

Sean peering down over the fence at the pot bellied pigs

 

Listening the the engine roar on the tractor

 

Sean being silly with the baby pumpkins

 

 

Goofball Daddy!!

Sean and his girlfriend

 

Sticky gooey marshmallow goodness!!

Flashback Friday - October 2010

 

 

Flashback Friday - October 2009

Time to get in the Halloween spirit!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another Productive Weekend

Josh is really testing my "handy" skills.  Saturday he recruited ME, as in not a bunch of big and strong men, to put up the first truss on the garage.  It is a good thing the boys can't take video and post to you tube!  It was quite the sight to be seen.

My dear sweet husband is rather tall, and I am not.  So when he started raising the truss he could go much faster than me.  He would keep going and I could not reach any higher!  Somehow we managed to get it up, but just as we thought we were about done we could tell it was going to fall.  Needless to say we ran back and out of the way!  Luckily it did not fall all the way to the ground, just back to the original position of hanging upside down.

At least this time I knew to find a different position and we got it up a little better.  Not came the "harder part".  ME holding it up for what seemed like AGES!!  Josh would get on the ladder only to discover it was not centered.  So he had to get the sledge hammer and move it.  I'm STILL holding it!  Then he had to put up some supports for it, moving the ladder and changing positions.  I don't know how long it was, but my shoulder was sore and I had had it.  In the end, we got it up, and three days later it is still up!!  I do not intend to help with the rest of the trusses!!!

The other project for the weekend was cutting down the willow trees around the deck.  This was a job the boys loved.  They helped hold the rope and pull the tree away from the house while Josh was at work with the chain saw.  They cheered when they helped pull the trees down.

The best part for them, however, was riding in the Stick of Butter (aka OLD RUSTY Subaru wagon) and pulling the trees to the side of the road.  They huddled in the back seat together and were screaming because they were so excited.  They also all got to take a turn sitting in Daddy's lap and "driving". 

Quite the backyard this weekend!!

Maybe someday we will have grass again.

I will work on garage pictures, but in the background you can see the

truss we put up!!!

The Stick of Butter hauling away the felled trees.

 

Three very excited boys!!

My Fashionista

I was working on updating Jack's Amazon wish list now that his birthday is coming up.  He was watching over my should and asking if he could get everything I was picking out, mostly pajamas, jeans, shoes and some other clothes. 

My big guy is quite obsessed with clothes and shoes.  Hopefully somebody will get him some or will be disappointed!!  I'm sure we will get him a few things he wants, just not sure what yet.  We already ordered him a bunch of books from school.  He really loves to read which is great.

Unfortunately, my fashionista now has an opinion too.  That means he won't always wear what I want him to wear!  Ah, I miss this good old days!!  This afternoon we were picking out clothes for school pictures tomorrow he at least he agreed with what I picked out.  It was not easy finding something for all three boys that they would agree upon and matched (they will also all get their pictures taken together).