Beach fun

The kids and I recently went to Tampa to see my friend Tiffany(who is also my cousin's wife)because she was visiting from Arizona with her son Ty. We were able to get there just in time to crash Ty's birthday party, and then the next day we all went to the beach.

The water was really rocky once you walked into it, so Aidan didn't go in much.

Tiffany, Ty, and Nolan in the back.
This is probably really mean but I think it is hilarious to take pictures of my kids when they are throwing tantrums. Although it just seems to make them more mad. Weird.......Zoie was having one such episode here, and I just happened to have the camera ready. I am going to save pics like these and show them to my kids when they get older so they know what they put me through. Ha!
The tantrum didn't last long (fortunately they never do), so five minutes later everyone was as happy as ever to play in the sand.
Those two dots are Nolan and Ethan. They thought they were hot stuff because they could walk out far in the water (it wasn't deep and there was a sand bar out there).

Baseball

Nolan played his first year in the IL league, which is the pitching machine league. He had a lot of fun, and we had fun watching his coach fight with all the other coaches and even a parent. Of course we had fun watching Nolan too. he he

This year his team was the Marlins

I think the kids all enjoy going to the snack bar at the ball field the most. It seems we can't make it through a game with out it.

Zoie would not smile for me. She was hot and ready to leave.

Can't say that I blame her. The Florida sun is unforgiving.

Handy husband

Even though we have lived in our house for two years, it is still a work in progress. I think the reason I like having parties is that before we do, we scramble to get some more projects done. Before the birthday celebrating Jim decided to tile the front porch area. Although this project was not necessarily a top priority, it turned out really nice. And it looks so much better than before, which was yucky cement that had paint splatters all over it. Jim even took on this project with his broken wrist. What a trooper! I should have taken a daytime pic. Hopefully you can see it. By the way, that IS a Huskers shirt he is wearing! Yea!

The end is near!

Nolan's class had their awards party a few days before school got out so Jim and I were able to go and see him get all the awards he had earned for the year. He did really well in all areas, especially math (he takes after his Dad). By the way in case anyone is wondering from the picture, Jim fractured his wrist after falling during a basketball game at church. Nolan with his teacher Mrs. Constantine.
The children all sang some songs for the parents. Nolan was really excited about that. Ha!
Nolan earned the prestigious "best friend" award. All the children in the class voted for a boy and a girl that were the best friends to everyone. Cute huh?

Party Time!

This is the third and final installment of the birthday celebration. We had some friends come over to celebrate and had a great time.

It is great to have friends with stuff. My friend Jennifer is the proud owner of the great waterslide, so we were able to borrow it. Along with our redneck pool, there was plenty to entertain the kids. We didn't fill the pool up all the way which made it easier for the little ones to play too. The adults were all able to talk and just hang. It was a very casual party but I think sometime those are the best.

We had a ice cream theme, so the morning of the party I went searching for ice cream stuff. (Nothing like waiting till the last minute right.) I ended up finding the cutest ice cream cone pinata. Unfortunately when I got it home and we started filling it with candy it had already fallen apart. I would have returned it but alas, because of my last minute shopping there wasn't time. So we taped it together and it held up for about two hits. Oh well.

I was going to try to make an ice cream cone shaped cake but thankfully my mother-in-law, Elaine, went to Costco and got a balloon cake. We transformed the balloons into ice cream cones and ta da, a beautiful ice cream cone cake. Costco is the best (along with Elaine for having a membership there and always being willing to go for me, Thanks Elaine!)

Birthday at the park

I have just figured out this slide show thing and I am loving it. It is so much easier than uploading the pics one by one to blogger. Also, blogger is picky sometimes and won't upload my pics. I'll try not to go crazy with it though.

For more birthday fun we went the the park. Always a favorite. Zoie's friend Jocelyn met us there and all the kids had a great time.

Happy Birthday Aidan and Zoie!

Aidan and Zoie's birthday's are 4 days apart so they will often get shafted and end up celebrating together as we did this year. We ended up stretching the celebrating out for about a week though, so don't feel too badly for them.

We kicked off the birthday madness at where else? Nana and Papa's house! It started as just being for Aidan but then Zoie ended up getting an early present too. Zoie got a new Dora suitcase that came with the cutest set of fairy wings. She didn't love them, and tried unsucessfully to get them off very quickly. It was pretty funny to watch but we finally felt bad enough and helped her take them off.

Hangin' with the Ojukwus

We love it when our friends, the Ojukwus, come to visit us. We have all known each other since before we were married, so like forever. It was a sad day when between our two families we couldn't fit in one car anymore. Maybe one day one of us will upgrade to one of those nice 15 passenger vans. Ha ha We jokingly call Austin's computer his mistriss (DELL-A as we refer to her) because he takes her everywhere the family goes. This is Austin blowing DELL-A a kiss.

We had playgroup at our house one day, so all the kids got to come over and play together. This is Elizabeth, Naya, and Jennica.
The kids all seem to have a great time in our "redneck" pool. Isn't it funny how kids don't care what something looks like as long as its fun?
Nolan and Ethan got quite serious with the noodle wars.
Here is Nolan about to pummel Ethan from behind. Nice fair play is always the best. he heWhen everyone was in the pool, Jada got to enjoy some time by herself in the much coveted toy car. When all the kids are together they fight over the silly thing like it's made of gold. Weird.
Zoie isn't really one for fighting for a spot in the pool, she has better things to do. Check out that intensity, must be a good apple.

Shoe Surprise

Ah shoes... how do I love thee, let me count the ways... one pair, two pair, three pair.... Anyone who knows me well knows I love shoes, let me rephrase that, I LOVE SHOES!! They are the most fun thing to buy ever! I guess it's from having been pregnant three times and the only thing that can still fit easily is shoes.
Anyway, back to topic, my wonderful husband who knows all too well about my slight obsession, decided to suprise me one day while I was at work(my two days a month job). When I came home not knowing what to expect I found he had built me shoes shelves in my closet. Yea! I was so surprised! Now they are so pretty on display instead of in a pile on the floor. What a great hubby!

Easter 08

After church on Easter Sunday we headed back over to Bill and Elaine's for dinner and the good ol egg hunt. The kids were very excited. Of course they are excited any time we go to Nana and Papa's house, Easter was just a bonus to them.

I am not sure what Aidan was doing here, I don't know if he was really excited or really mad that I made him wear the bunny ears for a picture. Ha ha
The start of the hunt.
Nolan always gets the most eggs, of course he has had the most practice. This was also Zoie's first egg hunt with the family because last year she slept through it.
Aunt Keri had to help with the high eggs.

Zoie did really well until she noticed the dog next door,

then as far a she was concerned the hunt was over.Every year after the kids hunt then some of the big kids get to play. This year Keri brought her boyfriend Berk to Easter dinner so they got to hunt eggs after Jim and I hid them. I must say I am quite the egg hider, he he. Since our kids are not into crazy egg coloring yet, they are mostly all one color, so they are easier to hide. The green egg goes in the green plant, the pink egg goes in the pink plant, the gray egg goes in the gray rocks. How did we end up with a gray egg???

I have no idea.