Monday, April 25, 2011

10 days to go & ready to POP!

This was snapped at my nephews birthday party two days ago, which makes it my most recent, and also the only one I have at 9 months.
A friend of mine was nice enough to take some pictures for me a while back and though she had many things working against her (the weather, my kids not cooperating, the lighting, a makeshift studio with sheets in a room that was too small, etc.) I think, Jill, you did a fantastic job!  I'm always my own worst critic, so the fact that I'm posting these means a great deal!  It meant a lot that you took time out of your busy schedule to do this.  Thank you again!



 Yes, I have two other boys, but as mentioned above, they didn't cooperate, and therefore didn't make this post.

Friday, April 8, 2011

Tee Ball

All dressed for their first game EVER!  
 We love their styles!
 Coach suited Hayden up as the catcher and he loved wearing the "armor".  I was loving it too, being a catcher myself.
 Marcus' first time @ bat, ever.  He's so tiny and cute!

 SAFE!
 Ready to throw.  He means business.
 Our lefty @ bat for the first time ever.  Pay no attention to the ball still being on the tee.  He was just warming up!
He's his brother's biggest fan, and I quote,  "High five!  You did it!"  Love the love!
Ready at first.
 Silliness after the game.

@ practice, daddy teaching/playing.  Their ready stance. 
 Wishing he could play.
 A random shot at the playground.
Maga made each of these shirts and they turned out great!  So handsome!  Thanks Maga!  We miss you!

HAPPY 6TH BIRTHDAY HAYDEN!!!

Hayden has been talking about this haunted house costume birthday party for two years.  (He actually has the next 10 planned already) Sterling and I try our hardest to make their special day the best day ever, catering to their every wish and creative idea (within reason).  Here is a group picture of him and his friends who were able to make it.
 ...and another
 I tried to get a last minute idea out to everyone, inviting parents to dress up too.  Here's a pic of everyone present in costume.  The kids vote for their favorite adult costume went to our wench.  Congrats wench!!
Rock Star & Mario
 Can't believe he's SIX!!
 Upon arrival, birthday guests got a goody bag, a flashlight, a glow-in-the-dark bracelet, and 3 balloons taped to their backs.  The balloons were for our first game...
BALLOON BLITZ
 When the lights went out, and the music came on, using only their flashlights they had to find the kid in costume whose name was just announced & snatch his balloons.  When all three were taken, the lights would come back on, they'd trade the balloons they just took for a sticker and at the games end, stickers got you candy.  It was A LOT of fun!  Some of the kids were really fast and near impossible to catch.  Very entertaining!
 The other side of the gym was set up for dinner.  We served pizza (from Rachel's on the East Side, very delicious) juice and cupcakes.


  
 We designated a special table for just Hayden and his friends.  They had more fun that way...so grown up.
 This is not the best picture but the only one I have of the picture display in the back which I wanted to remember.

 This was our gift for Hayden this year.  Here is Sterling bringing it out for the first time.
Some of the kids reactions...
 The giant fun ball was used for our second game called
MONSTER BOWL
The kids climbed inside the ball and bowled for these monsters that my super talented husband painted.  We had 6 total, a skeleton, a mummy, Dracula, werewolf, a witch, and Frankenstein.  All this was done in the dark with a disco light and disco music.  


 Sterling painted them so they could mix & match.  What a great idea!
 Up to something?
We had a 3rd game that unfortunately we didn't get any pictures of but it was just as great as the last two!  It was called
CANDY CRAWL
It was a huge maze, in the dark, made up of stacked chairs and tablecloths.  The kids had to crawl through with their lights to find Frankensteins lost spiders, and hopefully trade him for some candy...if they dared approach him!  The mood was set with a black light and spooky Halloween music but the kids could go through with a buddy if they wanted.  In the shadows at the end of the maze we stuffed a life size Frankenstein who sat there with a bowl of candy on his lap.  This maze was pretty great.  In one corner of the maze we placed a HUGE brown hairy spider that the kids had to pass by to get out.  Only one kid screamed and only one kid cried! :)  This was actually, I think, the favorite game of all!  


Waiting their turn to bowl.


Our little lady bug had some super awesome hair!
We have pancakes seriously like four times a week around here, but what made his birthday breakfast special  was the size of these.  If you didn't know that huge pancakes are "REALLY COOL", now you do.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Valentine's Day

As I go through other blogs I see houses decorated with Valentines things, kids getting special heart shaped meals in appropriate colors, huge goody baskets, etc.  Around here however, we keep it simple.  This picture shows the extent of our Valentine's Day and honestly, Hayden and Marcus couldn't have been happier.  What's better than waking up to candy pooping toys?!  Inside the cards, were messages from mom and dad, complete with loving poems...

Roses are red
Violets are blue
Happy Valentine's Day
Enjoy your candy poo!
 We were able to attend a Valentine's party over at Penny's house.  Though Hayden and Marcus aren't into tea parties, princess dresses and pink being everywhere, they had a great time being surrounded by these cute little ladies, and of course eating cookies.  Thanks for the party girls!
Sterling and I celebrated our Valentine's Day the Saturday before, by going to the temple and then out to eat at Benihana's in Seattle.  So many things pull at you and make it difficult to get to the temple but we were very glad we made it, and thank you to my mom for watching our little guys.  As I sat there in the session, periodically glancing over at Sterling, I had this image of him and our four boys, all in white, filling up almost the whole row.  That day will be one of the greatest!  We are so blessed!
Dinner was great and as always, time together as spouses was very nice.

OTHER THINGS
 Trios Trios Trios.  Seriously can't get enough.  Here is a picture of Marcus and Hayden showing off one of their many, super awesome creations.  I am so impressed.
 Hayden lost another tooth.  His favorite dragon is Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon, but now he's taken it as a nickname.  Last time he lost a tooth, the tooth fairy forgot to visit and I woke up to a super crushed little boy standing at my bedside, holding his tooth and fighting back the tears.  Quickly I reassured him that she must have been REALLY busy and that she would surely come tonight.  Well, she must have felt guilty because the next day he woke up with a bag full of coins!  I think he forgave her, though she still feels bad, I'm sure.
And here is just a clip of my hilarious little guy who can't resist and loves the attention.