A 6th birthday and some "just because they're cute" pictures

jake had a great time at his party on saturday. i didn't intend for it to have a theme really, but it ended up being sort of a sports inspired theme....all initiated by a few packages of half price napkins. they were printed with soccer balls, footballs and baseballs....so a theme was born. i then decided, after fruitlessly searching through four different stores, that i would make a pinata instead of buying one. i couldn't find one that fit my newfound theme and really didn't want to spend 20 dollars on something that was going to be smashed to bits anyway. have you seen those cute little monkeys and dinosaurs that they use as pinatas? i had a mildly disturbing image of ten 5 year olds beating the poor monkey senseless all for the sake of a few lollipops...needless to say, i created my own pinata. now it certainly wasn't a work of art, but the kids didn't care and it served it's purpose. even i took a swing at it and couldn't break it open. it eventually broke free from it's string so we just tore into it a flung candy like there was no tomorrow! the kids went wild and the end result was the same...good times. the cake was made by me with a little help from betty crocker and duncan hines...oh yeah..i like to cheat a little. i figured i'd keep the sports theme going and make the cake into a baseball. it was already round and white, so i just added the red stitching...and voila! baseball cake! very tasty.

The kids...dallas, jake, maddie, karson, luke, hayley, chelsea, aiden and emily:)

opening the presents

awesome star wars book

a little pin the tail on the donkey...or should i say stick the tail on the donkey:)

6 candles!

pinata...ain't it a grand masterpiece? hey it was free:)

karson was the winner of the game.

and that's how we do it...nice and simple. and thank you to the weather for not being to hot and not raining on us!

here's a few cute pictures just because they are too cute not to be shared....

APD family fun day at mill lake

our mr. jakers

Jaden and his little pouty face

chelsea and amy having some girl time....

hayley, amy and chelsea going for a ride...

oh...you don't like it when someone throws grass clippings at you? me neither!

amy doll...sweetest little face...

NZ Division visits...so far

The cousins are coming! The cousins are coming! We hear these words spoken excitedly every year by Jake as he waits for Karson, Luke and Hayley to arrive for their visit. Everyone arrived on Wednesday and here's a few pictures of the fun we've had so far since they got here:

Playing in front of the house waiting anxiously for them to arrive:)

Watching out for his little sister....

The little playhouse Grandma bought for the girls

Go Karson! Go!

Jason and Jaden

Luke and Jake shooting the rocket

Mommy and Amy playing with the wagon...she just had to stand up in it:)

Checkers!

Amy wanted to wear mommy's necklace...

She loved walking up and down the path at Grandmas:)

More pictures to come...stay tuned for our trip to the Zoo and Jake's 6th birthday party! Oh..and some pictures that have Hayley in them! Was she napping during this or what?

Kelly

Summer!

The first day of summer has arrived! But where's the sun?? I used to really dislike summer....the heat, the sweating, the stickyness, but now I look forward to it every year. I usually look forward to each season as it approaches. Summer means more to me now that I have kids. I suppose it's because there's more time in the day to do things. There's a different smell in the air and it brings back memories of my own childhood. Spending days in our bathing suits or sundresses, eating ice cream and giant freezies, fresh juicy watermelon, and drinking lemonade! The smell of sunscreen and the beach. Running barefoot in the grass all day and trying to keep it from getting in the Mr. Turtle pool as we jumped in and out of it and ran through the sprinkler for hours on end.


I hope to re-create a part of my childhood for my own kids. Or, at least create some memories for them that they will remember when they are parents themselves someday. It really is the little things that we remember most isn't it? I love the anticipation of the new season approaching. I always look at it as an opportunity to make a change. A change for the better. To do more fun activities, visit more with family and friends, learn some new things (like gardening and how to put together a swing set!!) I can't wait to see what the next few months brings!


Here's a few pictures from last summer to get us in the mood!




Waterslides!



Dinotown! Rowing with Grandma!

Sliding! Backyard pool.

Mmmm...Lime snowcone at the Agrifair.



Sweet baby girl...:)



Awww I love sleeping babies in the summertime...




Fresh, hot buttered corn at the Lynden Fair!


Slurpee at the PNE!



Ferris Wheel at Dusk...Playland 2009.

Waiting in line for a ride at Playland:)




Fisgard Lighthouse....one of my new favorite places to visit.





Beacon Hill Park Petting Zoo, Victoria, BC




Summer Sunset....

Kelly

The 5 year old way...

I think it's so funny how a five year old thinks. I bought a little pool for the kids to play in in our yard. I set it up and filled it. It was on a bit of a slope, which I couldn't tell until the water was in it. So of course, the water was deeper on one side than the other. Well, Jake just couldn't have that! So he kept getting the hose, turning it on and trying to fill the "shallow" end of the pool. I didn't even bother trying to explain it to him. I started to, but then realized he thought he was being smart by topping up the water on the one side, so I let him carry on.

A little while later, a jet flew over. He said "I'm going to splash it!". So, he scooped up the water and flung it up into the air. It came down all over him and he just wiped the water out of his eyes, blinked at me and said "did I hit it?" Again, I didn't have the heart to explain it to him that there was no possible way the water would reach that high. He looked so proud of himself for getting that water so high in the air I just said "yes Jake, you soaked that plane!" He looked pretty happy about that.

Later on, I was having a power nap on the couch (not planned) and when I woke up I realized I had fallen asleep with my feet crossed over each other on the ottoman. I couldn't even bend one of my ankles it hurt so bad! Jake just walked over to me, bent down and said "Here mommy, I'll kiss it better. Where does it hurt?". So cute...what a little man....:)

Amy was in the pool too today. She loved it. She kept trying to climb the slide. She has no fear. She even climbed the ladder without much help. She's so strong and determined! We are amazed at how smart she is too. She knows how to put her shoes on already, and can even get one arm into a coat! She's so cute...she's just a doll.

We're looking forward to Jennifer, KC and the kids visit in a week or so. Jake loves to see his cousins!!

K