Carson Turns THREE!

Today our sweet youngest child turned 3!  He is getting big so fast!  He is a total character!  He adores his older brother and will follow him around constantly.  He thinks that he belongs in Mommy's lap; there is no hesitation, no matter how I am sitting he will work his way up into my arms and snuggle in.  One of the many benefits of having a summer birthday is the sunshine!  He showed an interest in two things for his birthday: chocolate cake and going out on the boat.  So Grandpa H and Daddy took a half day at work and out we all went on the boat. 

 Carson decided he wanted to try tubing with Mommy so this was the first turn!  He smiled and laughed almost the whole time!

 When I said almost the whole time this was that "almost".  We got outside our boat's wake just to run into another boats wake.  We got bouncing so well that right after this photo Carson literally started flying off the intertube.  I had to reach up with one hand and snag him around his waist and pull him back down.  He was pretty freaked out after that but we started going slowly again so he had a good time. 

 After that incident I had to criss-cross my legs over him so that I was "buckling" him in. 

 He got two rides in a row since Daddy wanted to ride with him too!

 

 Kayda was able to use her foot to kind of bounce herself back up onto the tube; she was almost in the water!

 I had to document the rainbows that kept showing up just behind the boat!

 When the ride was over Kayda decided to tumble into the water.

 

 Daddy vs.  Papa H

 There goes Daddy!  Papa won!
Right after this, Mommy had a turn only to be thrown off as well.  Mommy actually rolled across the water.

 

 Kodak moment!

 

 Carson decided he wanted to go swimming with Daddy.  While he was maneuvering to do that he tumbled in.  He was a little surprised but recovered quickly.  He had a great time pulling himself in on the tow rope.

 After the lake we grabbed Baba and headed to eat.

 

 The boys were playing rock paper scissors.  No matter what the other two did Carson always decided he won and would slap his hand over the top of everyone else. 

 

It was a fantastic day today!  Thanks Grandma and Papa H for getting us all out on the boat again. I'm fairly certain we'll be making another request soon!



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!