the party

We had a great time at Josef's party!

For the kids' party we have always had our families over for supper, cake 

and present opening.

I'm sure one of these days we will have to start having parties that include inviting 

other kids,

but they haven't asked and I kind of like the parties at home with them

celebrating with their cousins, aunts and uncles and grandparents.

We have purposely never taken the kids to Chuckie Cheese's to avoid them finding

out how much fun it is (mean, aren't we?) and asking to go all the time.

Josef will have his first experience today when he goes there for another

little boy's seventh birthday party.

I'm sure after we hear all his fun stories, everyone will want to go......blah:(

The kids had the day off school for Good Friday so Josef opened his presents from us in the afternoon.

The thing he wanted most of all was snorkeling gear to use at the pool and in Canada this summer.

Later the rest of the family showed up for the party.

Josef got lots of cool things!

Always got to have a little John Deere!

Baseball shoes for summer ball

A little bonding time between Mack and Uncle Brandt ( and on a sidenote, Mack asked me last night to make sure no one else took his spot on my lap.....so sweet:))

At every child's birthday party we always release balloons, even in the dead of winter.

Definitely a major tradition in our house!

It's the most fun when there's not a lot of wind and you can watch them go for a long time.

Unfortunately it was pretty windy last night so the balloons disappeared quickly

Cupcake time!!

Some kids devour their cupcakes....

Others lick the frosting first and then eat the cupcake......

(Josef's cousin Evan)

No wrong way to eat a cupcake:))

Shay initiated birthday spankings 

(ha Shay, you're on my blog!!)

Me and the birthday boy snugglin' it up!

Such a silly boy and I love him so much!!

One of the coolest gifts he received is this tabletop easel.....

way to go Uncle Brandt and Aunt Andrea......it's a hit!!

Wishing you all a happy and blessed Easter!

"i'd rather have flowers on my table than diamonds on my neck" ~~ Emma Goldman

happy birthday Josef!!

Happy 7th birthday Josef Lee!

You are awesome!

And I love being your mom!!

"you don't raise heroes, you raise sons. and if you treat them like sons,  they'll turn out to be heroes, even if it's just in your own eyes." ~~ unknown

peeps and more

how about these peeps?

so precious.....

Preparation for Josef's 7th birthday tomorrow is underway

and we are hoping the weather prediction is wrong!
I can't believe he's turning seven.....

time has flown

Amelia and I had some serious Peep projects to work on today

starting out with our Peep wreaths

So quick and easy, a little ribbon and a little hot glue and

VOILA!

This one looked good on our wall but made it's way to brighten up somebody else's home:))

So we made another one

We ran out of ribbon so we improvised by wrapping Easter grass around the wreath form

I love this one, too

Our next Peep adventure was to make S'meeps

I'll let the pictures do the explaining.....

(credit eighteen25.blogspot.com)

After the boys came home from school it was time for egg dyeing

My plan had been to do natural egg dyeing with onion skins, beets and other food 

and tie it into earth day but the dollar store kits just looked way easier

and less time consuming

Oh, girls and their pouty faces:((

Wouldn't be fun if Nash didn't get in on a little of the action!!

Interesting.....

I'm so surprised that this happened! Not!!

Seconds after this picture it ended up on the floor.

Egg dyeing done for one more year

(it never has been my favorite thing to do)

Happy Easter!!!

"you say, 'if i had a little more, i should be very satisfied.'  you make a mistake.  if you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled." ~~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon

nash's surgery

okay, so it was just tubes

minor surgery

but it's never minor when they take your baby out of your arms

and you watch them take him down the hall

away from you

while he's crying 

and reaching his arms back towards his mommy

the one who's supposed to keep him safe

and you know

everything will be okay

but you pace the hall while the seconds tick by 

slowly

and finally they bring you back your baby

and you are so grateful that they kept him safe

and returned him to you

healthy and healed

dramatic i know but it was hard for this momma

and why exactly do they put a boy in a lavender gown???

Nash made a friend Isaac while they both waited for surgery, the only part of the morning he was really happy

And you would have thought that he would have taken off this surgical cap and thrown it across the room

but he kept it on for a long time!

This is after surgery, he was doing everything he could to escape the room

Mad baby!

That kid can pull some hair!

Finally, finally we were home

I think he was staring outside trying to figure out this weather just like everyone else is!

Food makes Nash a much happier guy!

Wasn't long and he was chasing me around with a gun
Back home where he belongs

Looking forward to some PEEP projects later this week......

stay tuned!

"of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother" ~~ Lin Yutang