Colin's school Christmas party

With having two children in school now, I am finding that I have to make extra effort to make things "equal" when it comes to being a room mother. Since I was a helper for Cameron's Thanksgiving Feast, I didn't help with his Christmas party so I could, in turn, help with Colin's!

We had a great time. I baked cupcakes (seems to be a highly loved, always requested treat of the kiddos!) and Ethan, Lola and I took them in and spent a while with Colin's second grade class.

Ethan always loves seeing the bigger kids and feeling like he is part of everything! 

Most of the children in Colin's class know him and always welcome him right in.

Colin and his friend and table mate (and neighbor!), Grace

Tyler and Olivia. Tyler and Colin have bonded over mutual love of Legos, and Olivia was the Prom 

Princess when Colin was the Prince last year. She and Colin are very good friends--but, I'm told, 

fight like cats and dogs sometimes! They are both so competitive, and most people that see them 

together compare them to brother and sister because of the love/hate relationship. *giggle*

Mercee and Kylie. 

I just love everything about what this picture says about how fun-loving second graders are!

Lola, enjoying her second-ever candy cane!

Mrs. Ducey is Colin's teacher. She is wonderful and loves Lola (just like everyone seems to!) 

We have been so blessed to have such wonderful, gifted, patient teachers who treat the 

children almost as if they were their own.

Enjoying some candy and cupcakes

Mrs. Ducey's second grade class!

(For my memory: Front, L to R: Kylie, Ellie, Sam, Colin, Emily, Destiny

Middle, L to R: Gavin, Madison, Grace, Maddie, Tyler, Olivia, Mercee

Back, L to R: Camden, Emma, Tiara, Kaelyn, Ethan, Mrs. Ducey)

Cameron's 4th Birthday party

This past Wednesday, we celebrated my sweet 2nd child's fourth birthday.

It is so hard for me to believe that he is four--I feel like I was just writing about his second and third birthdays. I wrote about his birth story (and posted a few birth pictures) here, if you haven't seen them before and would like to!

Cameron is amazing, and I thank God for him everyday. He is such a wonderful little man to have around, and one of the many attributes that I love about him is his keen sense of "all things fashion". He is always telling me that he likes the color polish on my toenails, or that my shirt is "so pretty Mommy!", or that he thinks the clip in my hair is "Cool Mom!" It is so funny to me that, while he is ALL boy, and a young one at that, he notices such things--but I love it! He has a knack for always making his Mommy feel good--even while she is wearing compression stockings *grin*.

We had a wonderful time at his party, and I wanted to share a few pictures!

His cake--CARS, of course

My big boy, looking extra handsome, and getting ready for his share of the sweets!

Ethan was not so happy at this point. Cameron had already been served his cake, and I think Ethan thought that he wasn't going to get any....so.....on turns the pouty face!

He quickly cheered up, once he realized that he wasn't going to be left out!

Cam, very happy once his cake was all gone....

....or, wait a minute--the icing was all gone, that is!
We discovered that apparently, that part was all Cameron thought was good enough to eat.

Two of my cousins :)

Love this picture....Ethan and Tony, having a "big boy" conversation!
I love the look on E's face.

My wonderful Aunt and Shane

Time for presents!

Oooh! A new, very cool dinosaur with sounds and movement!

Ethan quickly discovered just how cool this new dino was too....and
I'm pretty sure I know exactly what Cam was thinking here:
"Great. I suppose I have to share all of this stuff with you, too, don't I?"

A new tractor and grain hauler from Grandma 'Nette and
Grandpa--a great way to haul that new dino!

And a brand new, big-boy bike from Grandma Jane. Cam was so excited that, right then and there, he took off down the hallway--and has been riding around the house ever since! We got to try it out outside today for the first time, riding it in it's appropriate spot--the driveway. Cam loved it, and is already ready for the training wheels to come off!

Happy Birthday, sweet Cameron--Mommy and Daddy love you very much!

Ethan's birthday party, in pictures

Ethan's party was a wonderful mix of family and friends. We had a great day, celebrating my littlest little's 2nd birthday. The start and first half of our day, in pictures:

Mommy and Ethan--leaving their 20's and their....well....1's behind!
Playtime before the party
"Where's Ethan? Ethan.....Eeeeeethaaaaaaan?"

"There you are!"

{This went on this way for about another eight minutes....he loves 'peekie'}

Ethan's favorite non-family member--our Pastor. He loves him!

(I think it's solely because Pastor is like 6'5" -- E never gets a chance to be up

that high other than when he's hangin' with Pastor....)

*giggle*

Having some fun touching all of the lights on the ceiling.....

....literally. Every one.

To the cake!

Mmmmmmmmmmmm.....getting every last bit off the spoon

Ummmm....can anyone say "too young to know this technology"?

Brooklyn and Colin snapping some pics with their fake cell phones

Back to shoveling cake

Get it all in there, buddy

All the kids around the table sucking down the sugar *grin*

Next up: Presents!

New Year's Blast

We hosted a party here at our house for some friends on New Years. It was so much fun...we definitely decided that we could host this shindig every year!

We moved the couches and used a blank wall with Tom's projector to set up the Wii and the X-Box...as you can see by this picture, the screen was ginormous!

The kids had a great time playing....Brooklyn got tired early, so Cameron showed her somewhere she could have some down time. Playing led to.....
....resting.
Little Ethan was wired most of the night....he loved having all the people around!

Colin loved the Wii. It is all the kid has talked about for three days now!

The boys playing Carnival Games

I......love.....the.....
WII!!!!!

It seems I haven't lost my touch with a sleepy baby! (whoot whoot!)
Sophie--in Ethan's PJ's--was out in no time

Hangin' out--
Brooklyn, Steph, Matt, Cameron

Jen (Brooklyn's mommy) and baby Aiden

Pastor and Kathy

Ethan teasing Laura with the paddle --E loves her
All of us

Me and E, right before bedtime

Once the kids were all in bed (and that was an experience in and of itself!) we brought out Guitar Hero. Two guitars, a drum set, a mic....the fun just goes without saying.

We were up 'till the wee hours (wii hours?) of the night--most of the group left after our Battle of the Sexes game around 2 a.m. I went to bed a bit after 3, and Shane headed to bed once the rest of the guys left around 6 or so. Our boys were up at 7:30, so I grudgingly got up with them and let Shane sleep until around 11. Needless to say....two days later, I am still trying to catch up (which is why I haven't been out of my PJ's since the year started *giggle*) but, if I had to do it over again, I would do the same thing. Great food....lots of fun....awesome friends....what a great way to kick off 2009!