Jack O' Lantern

Cole's other front tooth came out yesterday.  He was so unenthused by this that he didn't even put his tooth under his pillow for the tooth fairy.  I guess when you've lost so many teeth, the fifth time around just isn't that exciting. Shanna said he looks like a jack o' lantern, and I agree.  A super cute one!

I love this toothless boy!

Jungle Par-tay

We celebrated Chase's 4th birthday on June 19th, a day before his actual birthday since it landed on Father's Day this year.  We started the day with our tradition of allowing the birthday boy to choose his own breakfast.  Little do the boys know (I'm sure they'll figure this out some day), but I would seriously honor whatever request they have for their birthday breakfast.  If they wanted pizza or ice cream, I would actually allow that.  No one has tested this yet; so far Chase chose the most outlandish breakfast with a box of Trix.  This required a special trip to the grocery store for Chase to pick the exact right treat.  I mention this because of my last post about how much cereal we eat...it's normally HEALTHY, I promise! 

Birthday Breakfast

We followed up breakfast with a bubble bath.  We had to be squeaky clean for our party!

Birthday Bubble Bath!

This year we had a jungle party at Gammy and Poppy's house.  This was Chase's invitation that I made in Photoshop using a scrapbook kit I got from Scrapping Sisters.  Isn't it so cute!

It was a very rainy day for an outdoor birthday party, but fortunately all the kids were game to get wet, and so were the parents.  (Thank you, parents!  I know this made lots of extra work for everyone with the baths and laundry that were required after the very wet party.)  Here are some highlights from our jungle par-tay!

Bouncy House

Grampa and Gramma made this jungle cake...AMAZING!

It's Chase's party and he'll cry if he wants to...

But he'll smile and laugh too...

Party Animals!

I took so many pictures of this day and have so many cute ones of our friends, that there is no way to pick and choose for blogging purposes.  But I will be printing them out and sending them to their respective parents in our thank you notes.

Happy 4th Birthday to Chase Ryan Boyd.  We LOVE you so much!

Goodbye, Dangling Tooth!

Hello, crooked smile!

I know I said I wouldn't post anything until I had Chase's birthday blog finished, but I'm doing this because Cole is so excited to blog about his dangling tooth finally coming out.  (Thank goodness for that...it was well overdue!)

Click here to watch his video!

And now I proclaim once again, I won't post anything else until Chase's birthday blog is finished.  We'll see if this holds true.

Happy Birthday To Chase

Today is Chase's FOURTH birthday!  You know how I like to keep my blog in chronological sequence?  Well, Chase's party was on Saturday and Father's Day is today.  I have 201 pictures (literally!) to sort through from Chase's party, but I can't have his actual birthday go by without making a proclomation via blog, and I can't have Father's Day pass without a post until Chase's blog is authored.  What would become of my blog if I went out of order??   So until I get a chance to go through all those pictures and post a proper blog honoring Chase, here is a BIG happy birthday to my sweet boy!  (These pictures were taken TODAY, on his ACTUAL birthday...oh how I love chronological order.)

I LOVE YOU, CHASE RYAN! (Stay tuned for an upcoming birthday blog. Until then, I won't post anything else...must keep the proper sequence...must keep the proper sequence. Can anyone say OCD?)

100th Post!

It's my 100th Blog Post! Happy Blog Centennial To Me!

It's been a year since I began my blogging endeavors, and I just want to say thank you to my friends, family, followers, lurkers, and all other general readers for taking the time to see what we've been up to.  I appreciate it so much. Chaddy has told me many, many times that I needed a hobby (as if raising three boy children isn't hobby enough, and doesn't Twilight count for something?), and I consider my blog to be one of my favorite extra-curricular activities. It's free and I don't have to leave the house to enjoy it...how perfect is that for my current state of affairs! People who know me, know how much I love my blog. I truly and deeply love it. I mean, I love it so much that, at the moment, I'm actually blogging about my blog. I love decorating it, redecorating it, thinking about it, reading it, decorating it again, etc. Mostly I love that I'll get to look back on our adventures and remember what was going on in our lives. And I love that other people want to read about what we're doing too.

So thank you, thank you, thank you, to my readers!

<------One of my new tricks, because that's how much I enjoy blogging.

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all the dads in our lives! 

We love you, Daddy!  And Grampa and Poppy too!  Thank you for everything you do for us!

My First Grader

Cole had his last day of school as a kindergartener on Thursday.  I met this day with mixed emotions.  I am ecstatic, and I mean ECSTATIC to have a break from the running around that PM kindergarten generates - quick lunches, interrupted naps for the little guys, etc.  But I am sad that he's growing up so quickly, and that next year he'll spend more time with his teacher than with me.  It's just a bizarre phenomenon to get to this stage in his life since we've spent the majority of our time together for the last six and a half years.  Now he'll be spending most of his day away from home.  (Sniff, sniff)  Cole is truly an absolute pleasure and a joy in my life.  I am going to miss him so much next year!  But before this emotive blogging turns into real life waterworks, lets get on with the last day of school extravaganza!

First day (9-15)                                                                                                                   Last (6-17)

As he was walking into his classroom for the last time, Miss Gregg said, "He's coming in a kindergartener, and will go out a first grader."  Somebody feels more tears coming on while remembering this.  Lets move on one more time.

Kindergartener going in...                                                                                       ...First grader coming out

I got Cole and Bryce some celebratory treats to enjoy on our last ride home, and these super cute reading journals.  We're going to use ours' for the books we get from the library this summer.  This is seriously the cutest thing ever, so if you're interested in having your little one keep a reading log, this is the book for you.  Target!

TREATS!                                                                                                               (I love this "ohhh" face!)

Although I'm crying in my Cheerios (or more accurately - on my keyboard) that my first born is growing up, I am so proud and excited for him!  He is super stoked to be a first grader because they get TWO recesses.  And yesterday he said to me after getting himself a drink of water, "There's nothing like a refreshing drink of water on a terrific day when you're a first grader!"  I think that says it all.  I LOVE YOU, COLE ROBERT!

Cereal Guilt

Cereal guilt.  Has anyone else ever experienced this?  That's what you feel when your kids have eaten cereal for breakfast three days in a row. So to make up for three days of lame breakfasts (and to keep the accompanying cereal guilt at bay), here is our endulgent chocolate chip pancake breakfast that we just enjoyed. 

Goodbye, cereal guilt.  Hello, unhealthy breakfast guilt.

Good Times And Noodle Salad

Yesterday one of my favorite people in the world got married after 36 years of waiting for the right girl to come along.  Gavin and Faith had the most unique ceremony I've ever been to, but it was totally appropriate and perfectly befitting of Gavin's eclectic nature.  And it was beautiful.

Gavin and his sweet mom.

Friends from junior high, high school, and college were there, that's always fun!

Jackie and Jeremy                                                                                                               Paul and Mandy

Of course, I was there with my boo.  (Chad absolutely LOVES it when I call him my boo.  He just loves it to death.  It is his favorite thing ever.  HE LOVES IT.)

Isn't my boo so handsome!

Congratulations to my very good friend and his new, beautiful wife.  I could not be happier.  Kisses from my elipses to you and Faith, Gav.  It's finally good times and noodle salad for you. 

Dangling Tooth

My little CoCo Puff is about to lose his tooth any second.  Here's a glimpse of what we lovingly refer to as the "dangling tooth".  We call it that because, well, that's what it is.  Dangling...and I want it to stop.  Come out already, Dangling Tooth.  It just isn't cute anymore.