Family BBQ

Daddy's family always try to get together around birthdays, usually just for cake.  Since Carson's birthday is in the summer we take full advantage of being able to play in the backyard.

Since they're growing so fast... Peyton, Carson, Brett, Dillon, Kayda and Ella.

Jarrett jumped on the trampoline with the younger kids and started a version of dodgeball, which the kids LOVED.

The kids squeezed as many of them as possible on the jumping step.

It was, of course, a great little get together.  The kids always have a great time with their local cousins.  The only thing that was not good was the wildfire smoke that drifted down from Canada.  It stuck around for a couple of weeks.  Fortunately, it didn't really smell by the time it got here, it just made it really hazy and everyone was advised to stay indoors as much as possible since the air quality was so poor.

Dillon Turns Nine!

Dillon turned nine this year!  This boy just keeps getting better.  He is such a sweet kid, he is so selfless and loving.  He cares about everyone and wants to be friends with everyone.  He is incredibly easy going and doesn't take anything personally.  We have to take extra care to make sure sometimes that he puts himself first.  His laugh is one of my favorite sounds in the entire world and it's readily available.  He is full of energy and joy!  I love this boy so much!  It makes my heart ache to know he is growing up (as much as I love watching it); he is only a few years from the teenage years and the separation it will undoubtedly bring.  

 We started out the morning with gifts! All our kids crack me up.  The three of them will shout and jump around every time a gift is opened and it's a box!  One of these days I'll have to wrap one with nothing in it just for kicks.

 We did cupcakes kind of early in the day.  Since we were going out to dinner it makes cupcakes impractical as everyone is too full.

Note the snow... It snowed a decent amount on New Year's and it stuck around for well over a week.  It was all ice chunks by his birthday though. 

We went out to dinner with Grandma and Papa H.  

It took almost another week for the snow to melt so he could play with his new soccer gear.  Of course Kayda and Carson were shooting from really close... Dillon ended up being nailed in the face and his enthusiasm was greatly diminished.  He bounced back later in the day though.  He has recently gotten really interested in sports.  Really any sport, he wants to play them all and he wants to watch them all.  I love watching him play soccer so I'm encouraging that a little more than the others.

Carson's 5th birthday!

Carson turned 5 this month!  Which means he can start kindergarten this year!  He is super excited though I'm apprehensive since he'll be one of the youngest kids.  What decided it was how much he wanted to be at school all day like brother and sister; he was SO bored without them!

Anyway.  We got to have Daddy's side of the family over to celebrate his birthday.  The plan was to swim and play outside but the weather didn't really cooperate.  They still had LOTS of fun inside! 

 We did his presents in the morning before Daddy headed to work.  Of course, because I told him we'd do that, he woke up really early!

That night we got to have dinner with Grandma Peggy and Grandma and Papa G.  I love how excited he is for his birthday!  He counted down for DAYS before it came!

2014 Kiddo Birthday Bananza

Yesterday we decided to celebrate ALL three kids' next birthdays together.  Winter kid parties are kind of lame so we did their party on a sunny beautiful summer day instead.  We'll still celebrate their birthdays on their actual birthdays and maybe they'll have a friend over to spend the night or something but this was FUN!  We had a blast from 2-10:30 yesterday (different people at different times of course)!

 Our neighbor Stefanie brought a puzzle picture.  Each kid paints a piece and then you let it dry and put it in the frame.  It's GREAT and the kids loved it!  It is now hanging in the playroom!

Here it is, drying.  It's not in the frame yet in this picture.  We had all but 6 kids paint a piece, 2 were under a year old, one was too preoccupied and three were too old and cool to do it!

 Aileena and Jarrett

 Brileigh from down the street

 Brett

 Mirian and her boys Lucas, Diego and Max

 Chase

 Ryan

 Ethan was being shy

 Peyton

 Mackenzie

 Ruby

 Jessica and Olivia

Uncle Scott, Nathan, Aileena, Jarrett (the three kids that were too cool ;P), Aunt Anna, Ella and of course Kayda.

 Uncle Scott looking normal!

 Me and Mirian

 Daddy and I

 Stefanie and I

 Mikey

 Ruby, Jess and I

 Dog pile on Nathan!

 Jarrett was joking he was going to jump on Nathan too... it kind of looks like he's thinking about peeing on him.  

 We tried to light candles but the wind wouldn't cooperate so they had to pretend they were blowing out candles!

 Dallon, Trevor, Braden and Landon

 Laurel and I

 Evening campfire with Auntie Kina!

 Auntie Kina and I!

It was a fantastic day!  So glad people could make it!  The kids had a blast in the pools and on the trampoline.... and in the sandbox and on the swings...  kid-topia as Jess called it.  We've got a lot of pretty awesome people in our lives.  Grandma and Papa H and Aunt Sarah and Uncle Pat also came by but had to take off to go to a wedding!  There were people we missed and people I wish lived close enough to invite (Aunt Kirsten especially).  

Side note - I know there is a crazy number of pictures of me in here... I am officially down over 100 pounds since having surgery back in November and I feel fantastic.  I gotta make up for the many years I would hide from the camera.  So be prepared for a bit too much of me.... I'm sure it'll wear out eventually!