Jackson's 6 year old Birthday Party

Since Jackson's birthday is on Christmas Eve, this year we thought we would switch things up a bit for his birthday party. Our original plan was his half birthday this summer that got changed to August and well to make a long story short, we ended up doing it on Kelsey's birthday with her party. Dad has only so many free Saturday's and Kelsey could care less. Kelsey's party was in the morning and Jackson's was in the afternoon.

Jackson is just slightly obsessed with Star Wars so naturally that was our theme. He is more of an original Star Wars fan so we tried to keep to the traditional Star's Wars stuff. Having a birthday party right after Halloween is also helpful because you can get sweet Jedi costumes for 75% off.

Trying on the costume before the party.

While we were waiting for everyone to come,

they made space picture frames.

After all the guests arrived, I explained that they were going to do a Jedi training camp to test their skills. The first test was testing their force skills: they had to get the bean bag in the hole.

They were very serious about this.

Next was an obstacle course to test their speed skills. You can see the first part of it in the above picture and the second have in the picture below. They each did this several times.

Who wouldn't want to jump into a pile of leaves?

Next we had to test their light saber skills. We used foam swimming noodles cut in half as the weapons. It was a much safer alternative to the real thing. Each kid got a balloon and the goal was to keep it in the air.

10 kids with foam swords was a little crazy!!!!

Then Yoda arrived with some words of wisdom.

Well.. he didn't really speak but he looked cute.

What kind of Stars Wars party would this be with

out obliterating the Death Star in pinata form?

All this training had to lead up to something and that's when Darth Vader showed up. Each kid got to test his Jedi skills against the ultimate Sith Lord.

Love the look on this kid's face.

Jackson got on his Darth Vadar costume so the two Vadar's could fight it out.

After all this fighting, the kids took a break and came inside for some present opening.

All the kids were so excited to give Jackson their gift that

they were literally throwing them at him to open.

After the presents we finished things off with a light saber cake.

I think it's safe to say that everyone had a really good time and

that our birthday boy enjoyed himself.

Kelsey's 3rd Birthday Party

This year Kelsey had her first friend birthday party. She decided on a Tinker Bell party. We just invited a couple of friends so it was small but so much fun. The morning of the party Kelsey woke me up saying, "Mom, I don't have a tinker Bell costume!" The poor girl was so distraught over this fact that we gave her one of her gifts. She did not know she was getting a Tinker Bell costume but very excited when she got it.

When all her guests arrived, we sprinkled them with pixie dust and played musical flowers. When each child got out, the girls got fairy wings and the boys got pirate hats. Our boys abandoned ship on us: Jackson decided to rake leaves with dad and the other little boy was scared of the pixie dust.

We went on a treasure hunt for the lost Tinker Bells

and then played pin the Tinker Bell on the flower.

We helped Tinker Bell fly by tossing the balloons up that

had Tinker Bell and her friends inside.

After out games, we decorated picture frames

Kelsey and her friend Eden.

Kelsey and Asher

Kelsey and Maren

Her friends gave her some great presents.

Kelsey watched me decorate the cake the day before.

She wanted the fairies all together like that.

I thought it was a little busy but it

was her cake.

Blow out the candles and make a wish!

It was the perfect little party and so fun. It completely wiped

Kelsey out and she fell asleep at lunch.

She opened the rest of her presents later in the day.

Tinker Bell opening Thomas the Train tracks.

She is a versatile girl.

Happy Birthday Kelsey.

Look Who is 3

3 years ago today I gave birth to a very... well to put it mildly "strong willed" child. Even from birth she stood her ground and even made the doctor physically push her arm out of the birth canal and put her in place because that's not what she wanted to do. One day that strong will is going to pay off and get her the job she wants or into the school she wants but until then she will continue give us a run for our money. If it's not her determination that is getting us it's her silly sense of humor that is. She is quite the character and keeps us laughing with what she comes up with. She usually is a pleasant girl and quite polite. She is always the first to tell me thank you for dinner. She has a sense of style that's well.... just Kelsey. Who else would wear a tiara, a dance leotard, a tutu and pink cowboy boots to pick up Jackson from school? Kelsey. We love our wild bananini and glad she is our family. Happy Birthday Kelsey!

Kelsey's birthday

Kelsey's 1st birthday

Kelsey 2nd birthday

Kelsey's 3rd birthday

Bryce's First Two Teeth

I woke up this morning with my usual smile

But I have something new and it took awhile.

For no one noticed this change right away

but there was a tooth in my grin today!!!

Bryce actually broke his first tooth on

October 17 and the other tooth on the 19th.

I am just getting around to documenting, but now we

actually can see them better. I can't believe he is already

8 months old! He is growing up so fast.

Happy Haunting!

We thought we'd share some of our pictures from Halloween with you. Naturally, here in Hellertown they like to celebrate the spooky holiday by holding all the festivities on the last Friday of the month, regardless. That means that all the tricks can be out of the way by the time the little kids go back to school and the big kids go back to work! Not a bad idea, especially when the holiday lands on a Sunday!

Jackson in his school's (abbreviated) parade- it was for the morning kindergarten classes only.

Jackson's class photo. Pretty reasonable mix of characters... and their halloween costumes were diverse, too! Thankfully there were many parents there to help out with the festivities.

Princess sisters walking in Jocelyn's preschool parade. Kelsey thinks she actually attends school and just joins in the school's activity as if she's already enrolled. It is nice to see them enjoying each other's company.

Bubba the pumpkin. Don't you just want to pinch those cheeks!

Princesses in full royal gear, ready to roll out!

This princess somehow managed a personal bodyguard. He even has this toy that makes a bunch of Darth Vader sounds and quotes. The heavy breathing was a hit with the trick-or-treat crowd.

Here's our little crew. Don't ask me how Kathryn convinced me to let Bryce get stuffed into a chick costume, tights included. I'm sorry son, we'll have to try to make it up to you later by getting into weight lifting, football, cars and other manly things.

Don't his eyes just reach out to you, saying, "I'm helpless, and I'm a chick. What happened?"

After our group costume for a Saturday night party was changed 3 times in the week leading up to it, I naturally put off any extra effort until about 5 hours prior to the party starting. Kathryn had finally decided she would be a witch. So, if you'll notice the stuffed lion in my hand, I decided we'd go as a Lion, a Witch, and a Wardrobe. Yep, painted it myself. The multiple bewildered looks were kind of amusing at the party. Other costumes were quite extravagant and expensive. I guess that's what happens when a poor resident attends a party at an attending physician's home! 

 

Kathryn really living in the moment. She started early trying to cast a spell on me. Just look at those eyes- kinda creepy, really. Once again, she was the life of the party, even if she had to be seen with some guy in a painted cardboard box. It was nice to get out and get some type of date in while our kids were being babysat. Thanks, Honey, for a great time! You can cast your spell on me anytime!

My "exposure" to preschool

Whenever I move someplace new, it takes me awhile to feel that I have friends and that I fit in. I was really excited when the kids started school because it not only gave my kids an opportunity to meet new friends but for me to meet some as well. I feel in the last few weeks that I have made some real progress but unfortunately I am pretty sure all that progress went down the drain today.

Jocelyn's school has a lovely playground and when I pick her up from school, her class is outside playing on it. There are two classes of 15 kids each plus about 5 teachers so it can be busy outside during pick up time. I usually let Jackson and Kelsey join the other kids and play on the play ground for about 10 minutes. Well today while they were playing I got into a conversation with a mom I met last week and we were discussing an issue with a previous soccer game. We were really into our conversation so I am unaware of how many people were exactly around us. I was holding Bryce and Kelsey came up to me and tried to get my attention by pulling on my pants pretty hard to the point that the pants went down to the mid-thigh region including the under clothing. Did I mention I was holding Bryce? Yeah, one handed pants pulling up isn't very fast. I screamed when this happened but the lady I was talking to was close to 6 feet tall and I think Bryce blocked her view so I believe she was unaware of what had taken place. She gave me a funny look when I screamed and I think she was thinking I had turrets or something and carried on. I didn't want to look around too much to see who witnessed this flashing but I did make eye contact with another mom who I know saw it. She gave me that "You poor thing look". Needless to say after my indecent exposure incident parents are going think twice before they let their kid play with the flasher lady children.

Fall Photos

If you hate those blog posts that people put up that have a huge amount of photos of their children and commentary on the photos, then stop reading now because this is exactly what this is.

Now that I have my disclaimer out of the way, to the good stuff. I am obsessed with fall and because I am, every year I dress my kids up in matching outfits and take their pictures. I figure I have only a year or two left that I can do this before one of the older ones protests. For now I am good and I think they actually like it.

I am always in search of the picture fall location but most ones I find are in people's yards, which I am not about to knock on their doors asking if I can take a photo. I try to find a more public one. I don't think the leaves have quite peaked yet, but I am always afraid I am going to miss it so I end up doing it a little early. Jocelyn's preschool is located adjacent to a beautiful church and two old cemeteries. The trees around these areas are beautiful and I decided this might be a great place to try. Jackson made sure I wasn't going to take any pictures of the "stones" which I avoided taking any pictures of the headstones. We actually had a pretty fun time taking the photos and some of them even turned out pretty cute.

Bryce

Love the colorful leaves.

Happy Bubbas

Have you ever wondered what the Mona Lisa is

looking at? We wonder what Kelsey is looking at because in

almost every photo we ever take of her this is what we get.

Trying to take a photo of this girl smiling

and looking at the camera is hard.

We took lots of photos of this girl trying

to get a one. We got lots of silly pictures

out of instead.

Typical Kelsey

Finally a smiling Kelsey....

and she is looking at the camera.

Priceless!

Jocelyn

Jocelyn loved every moment of her

photo shoot. We had a hard time narrowing

our favorites down to a couple.

Jackson

He too loved the camera.

What vain children! :)

Jackson always wants a picture of him and Bryce.

My handsome boys.

Kelsey looks happy to be in this photo.

Aside from the fact the sun is the back ground and

Kelsey wouldn't take her coat off,

I love these photos. The looks on their

faces capture them.

I just like this photo for Bryce's double chin.

Who doesn't love that face?

Nothing like a dry leaf in between shots.

Of course this is one of the few photos Kelsey

is actually smiling and looking at the camera.

Probably my favorite.