Sharing Life Together

Time passes far too quickly.  We are so busy making memories, having fun and working hard there is little time left to contribute to the memory book.   I'll summarize.

Always on a quest to streamline the meal planning and preparation process, Ashley and I had a 5 hour cooking session one Saturday morning in September.  Mom graciously agreed to watch the kids while we cooked until our little hearts were content.   Using recipes from a great freezer meal cookbook we made 12 dozen homemade rolls, pizza crust, pork, chicken and beef dishes for our families.  We made enough for mom and dad too.  It was fun and very rewarding.  It is such a gift to walk out to the freezer on busy days and lay out a meal that allows us to sit down and share a great dinner together with minimal labor.  Yea us!

Brian and Brayden left in the wee hours of a Saturday morning to attend a Mizzou football game with another dad/son duo.  The daytrip included lots of driving, one very hot football game, a brief bout of car sickness and too very tired boys.  The quality time together was priceless.  

Grayson started 3-year old preschool and loves it.  He is learning so much.  Orange is his absolute favorite color and he wears it nearly everyday.  He is a sweet, curious, smart, thoughtful, energetic, sneaky, loving boy.  It is a joy and blessing to watch him grow and learn. 

Brayden turned 6 in mid-September.  We celebrated with two parties.  He loves being outside and talked all summer about having a camp out.  We worked together to pack everything up.  Despite a rainy, dreary day we had a great time camping at Brandon and Ashley's.  The boys ended up moving the tents into the barn and slept on the concrete floor.  The girls slept comfortably inside.  It was a simple celebration, but Brayden is still talking about it and we think that is what really matters.  Ashley surprised him with a camping theme birthday cake he absolutely loved. 

Instead of having a big friend birthday party we told Brayden he could choose anywhere to go for dinner.  He chose "throw your food up in the air" - also known as the japanese steakhouse.  He helped me make his cake the night before.  We had a great time.  He is really in to Captin America so the second party carried out the theme in decorations, costumes, cake and gifts. 

Our fall is off to a fun-filled, fabulous start because we are sharing it together making memories as a family.

Little, Big Man Turns 3

We celebrate birthday's for at least a full week around our house.  Grayson - being the sweet, charismatic boy he is - managed to celebrate for a full seven days and to have all three themes he loves the most. 
My little, big man is growing up fast. He is sweet as ever, but the sweetness fades ever so slightly as he is starting to stand up for himself against his older brother and taking a firm stance of resistance when we ask him to do something he is opposed to. He is passionate about his family, friends, tractors, animals, the color orange. He brings immeasurable joy to us every day.  

We kicked his celebration off the Saturday before the big day with a zoo themed birthday at our local zoo. He chose doughnuts with orange frosting in lieu of a cake.  He invited a couple of friends from his preschool class and his neighbor friends to join him for a special zoo class where we got to hold and learn about an exotic chicken, chinchilla, rare turtle, a tarantula (only Daddy held him), a hedge hog-looking-thing and a couple of other animals.  The kids loved it and Grayson absolutely ate it up.  He adores animals.  After the class, we fed the koi and visited the petting zoo and other animals before riding the train and playing on the playground. 

It was great hot, sticky fun.  The joy and excitement that Grayson showed was priceless. 

Monday we celebrated by seeing Cars 2.  Tuesday we went to a new pool with splash buckets, zero entry and corn dogs.  Wednesday he took special Mick*y Mouse treats for snack to his PDO class and we celebrated in the evening with a family party complete with a pizza party, strawberries and homemade ice cream.  We decked the place out with orange balloons and streamers in honor of Grayson's fav color. 

School Daze

May was a busy month filled with Mother's Day tea parties, field trips and end of the year school parties.  The boys ate up every moment and Kennon went along for the ride - as usual.  Brian even got to join us on a trip to the zoo and experience the fun  - and madness - that comes with dozens of 2 year olds, dozens of pre-k kids and wild mama's.

Grayson and Mama posing with the "ellie-ph-phants".

Proof that Brian was at the zoo with us wrestling Kennon. 

Brayden and Charlie being goofy.

Brayden with some of his classmates singing us a song for Mother's Day. 
They waited on us too by serving us snacks and drinks.

Grayson with his teacher - Ms. Trisha.
He adored her.  She made sure he had an orange sand bucket as an end of school gift.
Grayson loves orange. 

Grayson with his friend Eli.  Every day - all year - he talked about Eli.

Brayden's awards ceremony. 
He received the "Sweet Tart" award because, as Ms. Julie put it,
he is filled with a whole lot of sweet with a little bit of sass."
Amen!

Brayden and some of his classmates present Ms. Julie with a special art project just for her. 

Kennon looking sweet and happy at one of these many events.