Jack's Birthday Party

We had our first pool party this year and it was a hit! The boys loved it and it was one of the easiest parties we have ever had...I think we'll do a pool party again next year.

We invited all of the boys from Jack's class and a few friends from the neighborhood. After 3 weeks of summer, these friends were all happy to see each other. So everyone played, swam, and jumped.


When the lifeguards called adult swim, the kids ate pizza.


Then it was kid swim again and everyone jumped back into the pool. A spontaneous hula hoop contest broke out!


At the next adult swim, it was time for cake and ice cream.


After cake and ice cream, we passed out the party favors: light sabors complete with lights and sounds, silly bands and candy. As you can imagine, the boys enjoyed wacking each other with the light sabors until it was time to go home.

Jack declared it the best party ever! So that is good enough for this mama! =)

Happy Birthday Jack!

Happy Birthday, Jack!

Today, Jack turned 7! He has been counting down the days all week (2 more days until my birthday!), could not have been more excited, and could hardly sleep last night anticipating the excitement of today!

It is our family's tradition to have a special family celebration on their actual birthday, and a party with their friends at a later date. Brent likes to call it the "birthday season". Well, Jack had his family day all planned out, and this is how it went.

First, we started with a special breakfast...cupcakes! We stuck a candle in Jack's cupcake, sang "Happy Birthday" to him, and let him make a wish to start the day. He opened up his presents...Lego Star Wars Luke's Landspeeder from Will, Lego Toy Story 3 Western Train Chase from Gramma & Granddaddy, and a Nintendo DS with the Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga game from Mommy & Daddy. Do you see a theme here? Legos and Star Wars make this child happy! The really fun part about the whole day was that Will was just as excited about Jack's birthday as Jack was. He was thanking us for Jack's presents right along with Jack.

Then it was off to swim team practice. Jack told the coaches that it was his birthday, so they let him 'run' practice; he got to decide what drills they would do. And if you know Jack, he was on Cloud 9 getting to be the instructor to a group of his peers.

We came home and started the countdown to 11:10 am, the exact moment that Jack was born and would now be 7. We also played with the DS trying to learn the Star Wars game. Although we didn't have time to start building the train before lunch, Jack just had to get the Toy Story Lego characters out to start playing with them.

We all got cleaned up and headed to California Pizza Kitchen for lunch.

Enjoying Kiwi Twists


Jack's favorite pizza, BBQ chicken!


The cheeseburger pizza was delicious, too!

Next, it was time for the main attraction...

We have been looking forward to this movie for months. When we found out that the opening day was on Jack's birthday, we just knew we had to go! The movie was cute and both boys enjoyed it, but it was not as good as the original in my opinion. There were some scarier parts in Toy Story 3 than I remember in the previous two, but neither one of mine seemed scared at all.

Kicked back spending a little time with Buzz & Woody

As I was cooking Jack's favorite dinner, Spaghetti and Meatballs, he could wait no longer to get his hands on that Lego Train set!

Jack has been interested in Legos for 6 months now, and his building abilities have really improved. Six months ago, he needed help in building the different sets. Today, he was pretty much independent, building the caboose by himself. I say "pretty much" because I have discovered that I love Legos, too, so I can't help myself in wanting to be involved!

While I was cleaning up and getting the cake ready, we had a little after dinner entertainment.

Lookin' good at 7!

This is what 3 looks like!

Yes, normally they do wear shirts to the dinner table...except on Spaghetti night. I find it much easier to wipe spaghetti sauce off of bare chests, then trying to scrub it out of white shirts. And I am all about the easy.

We also opened up the cards from Honey & Happy and Mimi, and they came with a Toys R Us gift card and money! WOO HOO!


And finally the big moment....

Turning 7!

Today, Jack said the sweetest thing, "Mommy, thank you for my life." I told him how thankful I was for his life, that my life wouldn't be filled with the joy and happiness that it is without him, and how very blessed I am to be his mother.

Happy Birthday, Jack!

We love you more than you will ever know.
You make us so proud each and every day.
XXX & OOO

Love,
Mommy & Daddy

This Is Where You'll Find Us

every afternoon in the summer...at our neighborhood pool!

For the next two weeks, Will is taking swimming lessons and he loves it! I think the reason he loves taking lessons so much is that only he gets to take lessons; Will has watched Jack go off to camps and do swim team, activities that only Jack gets to do, so swim lessons are "his" activity and every afternoon, he couldn't be happier when it is time to head to the pool.

Mr. John demonstrating how your hands are to be over your head when you start swimming

And he's off!

I love the splash on the way back to the stairs.

Then they practice kicking by playing the game Red Light, Green Light. Mr. John getting splashed during green light.

The instructors are also teaching a bit of pool safety. Here the children are walking the wall to get safely back to the steps. This is in the form of the Choo Choo game. They are yelling out "Chugga Chugga Choo Choo" as they go along. Will is the loudest one and can be heard Choo-chooing above the rest; the other mothers just laugh!

Another important safety skill is being able to get yourself out of the pool, just in case you fall in.

More swimming to Miss Clarice.

Will floating on his back. Jack likes to tell Will that he is learning to do backstroke, and really, knowing how to float on your back is the first step!

Great job, little fish!
Will loves his new goggles. I put them on him for swim lessons and he wouldn't take them off all afternoon, even when he wasn't swimming!

After swim lessons, Will decided that he wanted to jump off of the diving board for the first time. Jack was so excited in his role as big brother to show Will just how it was done.

Jack demonstrating "advanced jumping" via the ever popular can opener.

Will's first jump! He loved it!

Jack was waiting in the water for Will, and Will popped up out of the water shouting, "I did it! I did it! That was awesome!" Jack was just as excited for him!

Will told Jack that even waiting in line was fun.
Welcome to the big kid club, little man!

These two jumped off of the diving board non stop for 2 hours. Over and over and over again, loving every single minute.

Back for more tomorrow!

Kindergarten Graduation

Unbelievable that Kindergarten is over! Jack had a great year; loved his teacher, Mrs. G, and his assistant teacher, Mrs. W, made some great friends, learned alot, and had alot of fun along the way! Couldn't ask for anything more!

On Wednesday, June 2nd, the 48 kindergarteners officially became first graders. All of the families and friends enjoyed a wonderful program.

First, they sang the song "Where It Really Counts" from Charlotte's Web.

Then they recited the ABCs of Kindergarten. Most of the children recited their lines in pairs, but Jack recited the B line all by himself. "B, Buddies! We have 2nd and 6th. Lucky us!" He did a great job.

The final song the children sang was "We're Going to Be Friends" by Jack Johnson and I could hardly keep myself together (thus, no pictures); scenes from Jack's kindergarten year kept flashing through my mind. It is amazing how much growth and maturity happened this year, happened right before my very eyes, and there are times when I just want time to stop so that I can soak in every single detail. Does that happen to you? Do you ever get a nudging that you need to pay close attention and memorize every detail because far too soon, they'll have babies of their own? I just don't want to feel like I missed anything, big or small.

Certificates of Achievement were awarded.

Congratulations from the principal, Mrs. C.

Receiving his certificate from Mrs. W

The happy graduate

The program concluded with a slide show highlighting the whole year. And if I thought the "Friends" song was going to do me in....

There was time to take group pictures after the program and this one was my favorite:

The silly graduates

After the program, we enjoyed a reception honoring the graduates. There was cake, punch, and these special cookies for the graduates.

Normally, Will is all over cake, but he was so put out that there wasn't a cookie for him. Big crocodile tears. He wouldn't even touch his cake until Jack graciously shared some of his cookie with Will. And Will may or may not have nibbled on the edge of Gracie's cookie before Mom caught him.

Jack with his fabulous teacher, Mrs. G. If I could talk her into teaching 1st grade, I sure would do it.

Jack and his best friend, M. M is so cute...every time I saw him this year he would say, "Mrs. B, Jack and I need to have a play date!" And so we would!

I am so proud of my kindergartner and he is so excited to be a first grader!

Watch out First Grade, here we come! And you have alot to live up to!

Hello, Again!

Wow, it has almost been a month since I have updated! A very unintentional blogging break =(. May was crazy busy, but we are starting to settle into our slower summer routine.

In early May, I enjoyed being honored at both Jack's and Will's Mother's Tea. At Will's Tea, we enjoyed some yummy snacks with our children and they gave us a precious flowerpot decorated with bugs and flowers made from their fingerprints. Will was most excited about the fact that he planted the yellow marigolds in the pot. Jack's Tea was such a special party. The children made the centerpieces which were flowers with their picture in the center. At my seat was a book Jack had made detailing all of the things that were special about me and pictures he had drawn of us together. We enjoyed fruit, cheese and crackers, punch, sweet tea, and cookies together. It was so cute to see him so excited to serve me. After refreshments, the children sang a few songs for us. I had tears in my eyes as I watched Jack sing with such joy. Pure joy and happiness on his sweet little face. Then we got to dance with our children, and Jack told me later that this was his favorite part. He spun me around under his arm a couple of times and thought that was the best thing!

We spent Memorial Day at the lake and this is the only picture that I took:

Granddaddy and the big boys gathering around the fire for s'mores

However, someone else got ahold of my camera and took a few pics of Memorial Day weekend.

Some of Will's lovies...but it also shows off the new leather sofa.

Will's piggies, and the new rug as well!

The power popper which provided lots of shooting entertainment.

The little culprit!

More recaps coming this week...Kindergarten graduation, Will is potty trained, and Jack's theater camp!