First "Camp Out"...

Over the summer Davis found a new interest in camping!  We wanted to try an take him sometime this fall but logistics were quite difficult for some reason.  Therefore, we decided one Saturday night to camp out in the backyard.  We started the evening with a little game of red light, green light that got a little out of control as you can see below...

 The we started setting up "camp".  Davis was very impressed we actually owned a tent- I'm going to miss when he isn't so easily impressed.

 You can't go camping without cooking over an open fire quickly followed by smores!  Unfortunately, Noah does not have quite enough fear of fire (I'm praying that it comes... soon)!  So we had to actually put him to bed inside the house (yes, camping at home does have it's conveniences) before smores.  Next time Noah, next time, I promise!  In the meantime enjoy these cute pictures of 2 out of 3 of my favorite boys!

 Since Noah was inside sleeping, Davis and I slept outside and Matt slept inside and came out to check on us a few times!  Surprisingly, it didn't take Davis long to fall asleep after I showed him my mad shadow puppet skills!

Though it was a bit more work than usual, it was worth every moment!  I can't wait to have countless more camp outs with ALL my boys!

Just Keep Swimming....

A few pictures from Davis' swim party!  He has such a love of swimming and has really enjoyed taking swim lessons this past summer!  He capped off the summer by jumping off the diving board!  A summer birthday just begs for a party at the pool.  We kept it small this year by just inviting family and my little 4 year old loved the intimate setting.

The Shark watermelon carved by yours truely!  Fairly easy but a little more time consuming than I orginally anticpated.

His very own buzz and woody sleeping bag!  Very excited!

My sweet hubby stepped up and made the cupcakes (long story about how this evolved but D was very satisified with the fish cupcakes)!

Davis' 4th Birthday Morning!

 Have you ever started a tradition that you think, why did we ever start that?  Well, we have!  Every year the night before Davis' birthday we blow up balloon, after balloon, so our gowing boy can wake up to a sea of balloons covering his floor.  I think we used approximatly 80 balloons this year!  That's a lot of air!  Fortunatly, we have an air compressor but its still rather time consuming.  And of course, what you do for one, you need to do for the other.

 However, the smiles we get when they wake up, and the joy that the boys have playing in the balloons for days afterwards is more than enough reward! 

Blueberry Birthday Muffins before going to school and celebrating his birthday among friends!  Not quite ure who is more excited, Davis or Noah!  ;)

More pictures to come from the big 4th Birthday!

Noah's First- "First Day of School"....

We have now survived two first days of school days this week... yesterday Davis', today Noah's!  Not only did we survive but I think we can chalk them up as a success!

 This little guy was in a good mood this morning, until we walked into the doorway of his school and crouched down like I'm not going a step further.  So after a few tears- I'm told he calmed down quite nicely and had a good day! 

 In fact, when I went to pick him up he and this other little boy were the only ones not crying!  They were playing cars in the back of the room.  However, upon seeing me Noah burst into tears but stopped once he was in my arms.  For some reason, I seem to find this endearing!

 I remember Davis doing the same thing close to that age, only I think Noah gets over it a little bit quicker.  He is a pretty jolly little fellow for the most part and a little less serious than his older brother (though you can't tell in the picture below).

 And he is ALWAYS on the move!

 And I ADORE him!  I'm so grateful that he has this opportunity to spend some time away from home with other kids, in a structured loving environment. 

We are blessed... and he is a mess! :)

Back to School....

Guess who started 4 year old Preschool today? 

You guessed it....

 Davis did!  He was pretty excited!  I was pretty emotional excited too.. no really it's time for some routine again!  However, I would like to suggest to the school systems that they avoid making the first day of school coincide with the children's birthday weeks- for the mother's sake.  Is that too much to ask?

Its just a double dose of the classic "My child is growing up way to fast" syndrome.  And that can be a pretty serious thing.  Especially if your child admittedly announces that he doesn't want his mother to walk him in on the very first day. Little Stinker....

It wasn't until I happened to tell him that other little boys and girls were being walked in the first day that he "allowed" me to do so too.  For once, peer pressure is my friend but I'm no fool- it won't be for long.

At one point this morning, I found Davis standing in front of Noah strutting his stuff with his chest puffed out, I asked him what he was doing.  He said "showing Noah my handsome first day of school outfit."  He picked out the shirt himself the night before :0)

So he was excited and confident.  He walked into his new teacher's room (who I happen to have fond memories of from my childhood because she worked the preschool I went too ages ago) and never looked back.  He had a pretty good day from what I could tell this afternoon and "can't wait to go back again tomorrow."  What more can i ask for?

And this little one simply enjoyed the murals on the wall- he was especially drawn to the elephant! :) 

He has his first day of Mother's Morning out tomorrow and I'm trying my hardest not to over think that one as well! Fortunately, it is required that I walk him in! :)

Lucky me- I now know to savor it!



For the Love of Trains...

July marked two years of this little boy's love of trains.  By far the most played with toys in our house.  Plus he has passed on his love of all things Thomas to his little brother!  Lucky us :0)

Annual 4th of July Tradition....

Here are a few pictures from a get together with college friends from the 4th of July weekend.  We don't get to see each nearly as often now that we have multiplied our kids, but when we get together we can pick up where we left off.  We have celebrated some amazing times with each other- college,  weddings, the birth of many children, and we have also supported each other through some of the toughest moments of our lives- lose of jobs, loss of close loved ones, and general life hardships.  Whether in good times or bad, I know this is a group of friends Matt and I can turn to and count on them to truly pray for us.  I hope our children build this type of friendship with each other as well.  Watching our kids play reminds me to live in the moment, enjoy the simple pleasures, and not stress to much (even if you leave the cute star-shaped watermelon you carved at home in your fridge!)   :)