Pre-Halloween Festivities

At Matthew's Halloween Birthday Party
Blake whacking the Frankenstein pinata--that thing was HUGE!!!
"You're making me aaannnngggrrrryyyyy!!!"

Matthew's fifth birthday party was today and it was a Halloween party! Blake really wanted to be The Incredible Hulk, so Grandma Charla found him a cool costume at Target. We were going to try to make it ourselves, but we couldn't find the things we needed, so we settled for a store-bought costume. I actually think it's pretty cute! Kendall is a little punkin this year! She didn't mind wearing the costume at all. Every so often, the hat would fall and cover her eyes and she'd have a freak out moment, but other than that, she didn't mind at all.

Dinner

Happy baby!

So sweet, isn't he?
Grandma Charla and Kendall

We went out to dinner last night and had the restaurant to ourselves, so why not use that opportunity to take some candid shots?

Grandma Charla was here this past week. We had a nice time with her!!!Yeah, let me pull his hair--he won't notice!
Not very lady like, missy!!!

More Blake Birthday

Kendall's showing some interest in learning how to drink out of a cup
Buddies! Ryan and Blake
Blake's birthday cake on his actual birthday

Gramma Pam got Blake a bigger 4 wheeler than he had for his birthday...he's so excited about it! His favorite color is red, so he really likes this "Big Red 4 wheeler".

Blake & Aaron
In action
Kicking the ball in
Mimi & Kendall

Not only was last Saturday Blake's big party, he had his first soccer game--as if I didn't have enough on my plate that day! Grampy, Patty and Mimi all got to come to his first game! He doesn't really quite get soccer just like he didn't really get T Ball or basketball, but oh, well. His friend Aaron from school is on his team as well. They have to be next to each other--sometimes I wonder if they're more interested in being around each other than playing the game!

Happy Birthday, Blake

AAwwwwwww....such a sweet, goofy boy! I hope he's always as happy as he is now...Such a big personality!

Today is Blake's fourth birthday!!!! This time four years ago, I was well into my induction at St. David's Hospital. Progress was slow but sure. After trying and trying and trying to get Blake out, we went into t he OR for a c-section and Blake Adam was born at 7:56pm weighing 8lbs 15ozs (no wonder we had to have a c-section!)! Now my first born is four years old--I can't believe how quickly the time has passed! HAPPY FOURTH BIRTHDAY, BABY BLAKE!!!!

Blake's Super Sweet Fourth Bday

Blake riding the pony
Even Grampy led a horse around! Thanks, Grampy!
Blake's cowboy outfit--we went to a Western store and bought him a Wrangler shirt and he even had a little pair of black cowboy boots!
Kendall's Western outfit before the party....I got her little red boots, but she was more interested in eating them than she was wearing them....they didn't last long!
Well....I tried. Blake didn't really want to pose for a picture, so this is the best I could do. You can kind of see the badges I made for all of the kids. Each one had their name on it.

Well, the paty was a hit!!! Somehow we all survived! We had about 22 kids and their parents come out for our Western-themed party! A few kids had to be dragged out kicking and screaming after the party was over. There were three ponies that the kids all took turns riding around the yard for the first hour. They had so much fun to see how much the kids enjoyed riding the horses! Blake was a bit scared at first, but was an old pro by the time was all said and done. After the ponies left, we had the kids pan for gold--my dad spray painted some pebbles gold and we hid the "gold" in the sand and had them sift through the sand with pie tins that had holes poked in the bottom. I had no idea they'd have so much fun doing this, but they loved it! I also had a farm-themed bean bag toss set up. Shortly after the horses left, we had hamburgers and hot dogs, then cut the cake and Grampy's homemade ice cream then it was time for presents. Blake got SO MUCH stuff!!! He's been reminding me every day that we haven't opened all of the boxes for his new toys....we have no where to put it all!!!! We all had such a fun time! The horses were the main attraction, so I didn't feel like I had to work hard for the kids to have a fun time! I didn't have to decorate much, either--I made a few cacti out of cardboard boxes that I painted green and then had a few things here and there, but that's about it. Anywhoo....enjoy the pics!

Cowboy Blake's grand entrance
Blake's "girlfriend" Haley dressed up for the party--she was too cute!
Even Bryce led a horse around the yard
Panning for gold
who knew kids would love panning for gold nuggets as much as they did--it was a hit!

The cake
The kids swarmed the cake--they were so excited for it!

Presents time!
Blake and Kendall in front of one of the cacti I made out of cardboard boxes

Kendall was happy as a clam sitting on the kitchen counter playing with spoons
Opening MORE gifts!
Patty, Grampy, Kendall and Blake
Gramma Pam and Blake post party
The goodie bags--Pam sewed the fabric for me

I started boot camp last Monday. I left my camera at Bryce's mom's house last weekend or else I'd have a picture of me making an ugly face...lol!!! My boss Chris and my coworker Ashley are in the class with me. The class we originally signed up for was four weeks, three one-hour classes per week. Well, when we got there Monday night, the teacher said she had to go on vacation and that the class was going to be three weeks, four nights a week! Yikes!!!! Well, I made it through the first week--somehow! I am sssoooo out of shape! I did NOTHING when I was pregnant with Kendall, so I'm really paying the price now. We do a ton of running, which is not very easy after being sedentary for so long. Hopefully this will kick start me getting my booty back into shape. I'm tired of wearing my maternity jeans!!!! Anyway, just wanted to post something different. I'll have some pictures after I get my camera back. One more week until Blake's party--I'm trying to get everything taken care of that I need to have ready for next weekend. We should have a nice crowd, so hopefully I can pull everything off as I see it in my mind! Having the pony rides takes some pressure off me--no one is going to care about anything other than riding the horses! Ok, hope everyone's doing well! Everything's good here at our house!