Birthdays 2015

We all had birthdays this year....funny how that works. Our birthday season always starts with Luke around here.

Luke turned 11 years old this year. He is growing and changing too fast. Next year he starts junior high. Ugh!!! This year for his birthday he had a few friends over to spend the night and go to Fun Friday at the gym. Talk about an easy party!! I fed the boys pizza and cake then dropped them off at the gym to burn it all off.  I was hoping they would be tired when they got home but not much slumbering happened that night.

Chris's is next in the line up. He had a BIG birthday this year!! The BIG 4-0!! We celebrated with family at the pizza parlor in C City. 

Chris requests a German Chocolate cake every year from Tony's Bakery. It is delicious!! I am so glad we had lots of help eating it this year. Aunt Johnnie also made ice cream to go with it. So good!!

Look at Mac helping blow out the candles.

Grandpa and his birthday boy.

Granny with her birthday boy.

Next comes Rachel. Rachel turned 14 this year.  We actually got to celebrate her birthday with her at home this year. Usually she is away at church camp. She picked a cookie cake and swimming with friends. The friends picture is on my phone.

I love how happy they all look.

Plenty of help blowing out the candles.

She wanted a new bedspread for her birthday.

And a guitar. She is trying to teach herself to play. She has learned a few songs and chords. She just needs more time in the day.

My birthday is next in the line up. There were no pictures taken. We will have to do better next year. Chris did cook me dinner and made a chocolate coke cake. It was yummy.

Katybug was next. My baby girl turned 8 years old. She is still sweet and smiley as ever. We had a swimming party planned with her cousin Caroline, but we had to cancel it due to rain. She had to settle for a party at home and a trip to Cinergy to do the ropes course. Those pictures are on my phone too.

Kate always asks for an ice cream cake for her birthday. She makes it easy on me.

So sweet!

Kate asked for a Barbie car.

And a pedal car.

To round out the birthday season, Wade turned 5 years old this year!! My baby is 5!!! Wade started with presents. He got some Batman bedding. He wanted it on his new bed in Luke's room right away. He has slept in there pretty much ever since. That was easy!

 He wanted a pedal car too.

Quite a pair.

I made his cake. He loved it!!

On Wade's birthday we met his cousins in Big Spring at the waterpark. He had a great day!! He still asks to go back to the waterpark. It is a little cold now.

Last Year's Pumpkins

We have had to buy a new computer. This has allowed me to download some pictures, finally. Now I can share some things I haven't been able to.

As always, we had a good time carving our pumpkins last year. Wade helped with more of the cleaning out and Kate did some more of the actual carving.

 The cleaning out is always the worst part.

Four happy pumpkin carvers.

You have to hold your face just right.

The finished product. Kate's is a silly face, Luke's is a Minecraft Creeper, Rachel's has musical notes, and Wade's was Batman.

The kids were proud of their pumpkins.

The Jack-O-Lanterns lighting up the front of the house.

It is already time for us to start thinking about our pumpkins this year. We always have a fun time with our pumpkins. I can't wait to see how they all turn out this time.

Trip to Sacramento

I have finally down loaded my pictures from our trip to see Aunt Dena in Sacramento, NM. It was exactly one year ago today. How is that for timing!!

This was our cabin where we stayed.  It was perfect!

Wade with pretty scenery in the background.

It was foggy and cold in the morning. It did warm up a little during the day.

Dena having fun on the pedal cars.

Our family overlooking all the trees. I really like this picture of all of us.

 Hiking in the woods.

 I think I remember Wade was not a fan of hiking. He liked hiking in the car!! Haha

 Group shot with Aunt Dena. This is the best we got from SEVERAL tries.

 Love the colors in this picture. The pedal boat was fun too. It was easier to maneuver than I thought it would be.

 Rachel thought it was a good idea to get Kate wet in the fountain in the middle of the pond. Unfortunately her plan backfired when they got stuck and both of them got soaking wet!!

 The highflying trampolines were fun. They weren't quite what we were expecting. They were kind of hard to get a really high bounce, but still fun to try out.

 Luke looks like Superman here.

 Wade was not a fan, but he at least tried.

 Momma had a turn too. I was actually brave enough to do a double back flip!!

 Good pictures of the boys on the pedal cars. The pedal cars were Wade's favorite thing to do at Sacramento.

More scenery pictures.

Wade with Aunt Dena. We were seeing if their hair was the same color. Wade's was a little brighter.

 We spent lots of time on the pedal cars.

 And with the canoes.

 We had a fun trip to see Dena. The kids are always asking to go back again. It has been a year, so it is time. Hopefully we can make it to see some snow next time.

Homecoming 2015

Wade has such a good big sister!! He has extra sensitive ears. Kate was willing to help out when his arms got tired.

 The Mighty Rebel Band

 Rachel was in a good spot for pictures.

 There she is with a smile.

 Wade liked the fire truck.

 And the limo.

 This was the cross country float. Our cousin and babysitter Matthew was on this float.

 He spotted us!!

 If Rachel had not been in the band, she would have been on the Orchestra float.

 Luke was on the Varsity Colts float.

 There he is with a smile. He knows what makes Momma happy.

The parade was fun for everybody. Kate and Wade enjoyed lots of candy, and Rachel and Luke had a good time being in the parade. Rachel had to walk/march the whole way and she thought that was a little long. Good practice for Washington DC this summer.

Wade's First Day of Preschool

Wade started his first day of preschool on August 31st. He is going to Heritage Preschool this year. He was very excited to start school! He was most excited about the massive amounts of sand on their playground.

Wade has been at school for over a month now. Everything is going great!! He really likes his teacher Miss Jessie. He is starting to write his letters and enjoy all the artwork. His favorite part is still the sand on the playground. He brings home plenty of it in his shoes everyday. So far so good, I hope he keeps up the good work!!