Colby's Family Birthday

This year on Colby's actual birth-day, we had a fun family dinner to help celebrate. Nana, Papa, Honey, Grandma Marilyn and Grandpa Mac were all there! Plus Colby got his first set of presents that he was actually old enough to appreciate. He got his first set of tools and tool box, a walking roaring dinosaur, and an official Louisville Slugger bat and hat! Nana had gotten then from Louisville herself! Cool huh?!? Colby was excited about all his toys, but we were a little concered about the new "weapons"-

First Day of School

I can hardly believe it, but today was the first day of school. Jade started 4th grade, Cambrie started 2nd grade and Hailey started Kindergarten. All three of my girls in the same school! I can't believe how fast the time has flown! It was a little strange since they just got out of school a week and a half ago, but that's what we get for year round school. They are in school for 3 weeks in July and then they have 5 weeks off in August and they go back again in Sept. Crazy I know, but I really do like it! They also get 6 almost 7 weeks off in December and then they are off the month of April. For now it's great because we can travel during the holidays to see family. - Or at least we could when gas was reasonable!
Anyway it was a precious first day. Hailey was so excited to be going to the same school as her sisters. She has always seen herself at the same level as her sisters, now she can actually be there. They all seem to have good teachers. I do really like Miss Ellerson, Hailey's kindergarten teacher, she is super sweet and attentive. I think Hailey will do well with her! Jade's teacher is Mrs. Price. Jade was excited because they combined the two 3rd grade glasses to make 1 4th grade class. There are 32 kids in her class. That seems like a lot to me, but she is happy because almost all her friends are in the same class. Cambrie's teacher is Mrs. Semple. I don't know much about her but Cambrie was excited. Jade said she dressed cute. I don't know it that can make her a good teacher, but here's hoping! This should be a fun year.

When my friend Karen and I took the kindergarteners to school- her son A.J. is in Hailey's class, we had Callie and Colby with us, of course. I think that they thought they were going to school too. Colby was so excited, he tried to hold Callie's hand, but she didn't like it much. When we got to the class room, they jumped right in there with the other kids and started playing with the puzzles and the toys that were laid out. When the class began to gather, Colby and Callie had found thier happy place in the reading corner with books and chairs just thier size. This is going to be interesting!

All about Teddy Bears

For his birthday Grandma Stacey gave Colby a super cuddly teddy bear and a book about the history of Teddy Bears. A couple of days later I found Colby and Jade together in the green chair. He had been packing around the teddy bear and the book, and Jade offered to read to him. So loving books as he does, he and teddy climbed right up there with her. I love stumbling upon these tender moments!

4th of July

This 4th of July was unlike any we had ever had before because we had Frank and Thelma and Brett and Sherri and their kids staying with us, which made everything more fun. We really love having them around, so to have them over a holiday was just an added bonus! During the day we mostly just hung out around the house and let the kids play while Sherri and I scrapbooked and the others relaxed. Then that evening we headed over to the Evan's house for a BBQ potluck, water fun and fireworks. There was great food and great company and I think everyone had a good time.

Colby was up to his usual scavenger antics, cruising around eating his own food and any other food he could get his hands on. What a little scrounge! At least he's cute right? I think in the end he got a little taste of everything.

One of the main attractions of the evening was the bike wash that Todd Pace built. How cool is that?!? The kids started out riding bikes through it, but eventually they just ran through it. That way they could all run together instead of having to go one by one. Bike wash/Kid wash. Later they also played water limbo. I was impressed how low Cambrie could go. She was one of the few who could do a true limbo. That's my girl!!


After it got dark we broke out the fireworks. We let the kids start with some sparklers, which was a little scary. Imagine 13 little kids running around with sticks of fire trying to swirl and whirl them all around.- Watch out! Then when it got all the way dark, we started the fireworks! It was a pretty good little show too! We all lined up at the edge of the driveway to watch the show. It was a great ending to a great day!

The Stacey's come to visit!

It was a big treat to have Grandma and Grandpa Stacey, Uncle Brett and Aunt Sherri, Jacob and Gavin out to visit this year. For Grandma and Grandpa this is only the second time in the 7 years we have lived here that they have been able to make it out. Brett and Sherri have been out a few more times, for which we are extremely grateful. It is so fun to have family around. The boys really loved cuddling up to with the grandparents, and it seemed that where ever one was the other one had to be also.


It was great weather while they were here so we spent lots of time outside BBQing, and hanging out while the kids were swimming, which they did almost everyday. Sometimes the "big kids" got in to swim as well.

Of course the kids had to get some Green Machine time. Jacob has always loved playing on the John Deer and this time he was big enough that he could drive it himself. He and Hailey had a blast cruising around the court, and every once in a while they would slow down enough to give Gavin and Colby a ride. (When strongly persuaded by parents) We love seeing them play together, especially since they get along so great.

Guitar Hero

Just before Brian's family came we decided to make the leap into the gaming world. We've had a bunch of skymiles that we haven't had time to use, and so we decided to cash them in for Best Buy certificates. So in one failing swoop we purchased an 80 gig PS3, Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Sing Star and Metal Gear Solid 4 (whatever that is). Thank you Visa skymiles! Anyway it has been a blast. I think my favorite is Guitar Hero. Check out Brett and Brian... they are in position and they are intense. So much for rocking out, you have to pay attention when playing this game!! In this pic Jade is our pink rocker! At the rate the kids are going they will be kicking our rears in no time at all!

Arrr Matey! It's Pirate Jade's birthday party

This year Jade wanted to have a pirate birthday party. (we do friend parties every other year). This party was actually a lot of fun to do, and thanks to oriental trading it wasn't to hard either! It all started with a message in a bottle! Jade was almost as excited about doing the invitations as she was for the party. She burned each invitation by hand over a candle, going for that authenic aged paper look.

Pirate Jade and her crew mates were all adorned with fun pirate attire. They had necklaces, bandanas, and lots of other fun pirate loot. We even had a plank for the naughty pirates to walk. Of course everyone wanted to walk the plank, but what can you say they're pirates, they unpredictable! Thanks to Daddy, Uncle Brett and Aunt Sherri for manning the plank so no one got hurt.

Then we had a pirate duck race, where you could only use a straw to get your duck to the other side of pool. That was interesting... thank goodness for chlorine right?

I know Jade had a lot of fun with her friends and the presents of course are just a bonus! Then to keep with our theme, I made a treasure map cake. Jade was full of suggestions, on how it should look, and in the end she said she was happy with the results. I think she was just being nice. But I'll take it. It was her birthday so her opinion is the only one that counted right!?! Jade went after her cake in true pirate form, with no manners and no cares. Nice Jade. Colby was anxious to try that style out as well, although that is how he goes after most things! All in all it was a fun party and it was great that Grandma and Grandpa Stacey and Uncle Brett, Aunt Sherri, Jacob and Gavin were able to be there too.