Puppy

Remember that

Giant Puppy

that now lives at our house?

Sometimes that Giant Puppy

goes with us on little outings...

 

We just kinda plop the puppy down...

like bringing a giant puppy 

everywhere with you is a completely normal thing.

On this night,

we were waiting for some Fireworks to start...

I think the Puppy enjoyed the 

Fireworks.

Baby Girl...

My children just keep on growing up...

I keep trying to figure out how to make 

time stand still...

I want to cherish this short time of childhood...

 

Last weekend Baby turned 

10 Months old!

2 short months till we are celebrating her first birthday!

crazy how time flies!

~

Angelina is now close to 19 lbs...

a growing girl!

~

Her new trick is giving high fives...

if you put your had out and ask for a 5...

she will put her hand over yours 

and smile!

~

Crawling is a thing of the past...

this girl walks everywhere now!

~

She loves to explore...

she opens the kitchen cabinet doors and takes stuff out...

and she loves to pull all 

Daddy's clothes off the closet shelves!

~

She has a deep love for her brother and sister...

she will cry her little heart out 

if they are playing in the bedroom with the 

door closed.

Good thing they always take pity on her and 

let her play with them!

~

Angelina is quite a Daddy's girl...

she sees Daddy and she breaks out in giggles and smiles!

~

Love this girl to pieces...

We Have a 3 Year Old!

James is three!

It seems like just yesterday that boy was a newborn baby!

Time flies, I guess.

{His birthday isn't really for a week after 

the fourth...but we have always

celebrated on the 4th since everyone is already at our house!}

 

One day James 

{without me knowing!}

told Grandma B. about this giant puppy

he saw at Costco and that he wanted it 

for his birthday.

She made his wish come true!

{Jon and I were...ummm...speechless!}

James was thrilled!

His "big Gift"

from Mommy and Daddy 

required eyes closed 

until Daddy put the gift in front of him...

He was SO excited...

he didn't even peek!

He saw the gift...

he couldn't contain himself...

He was happy...

A fancy battery operated car!

He had been begging for one for a long time!

A long time ago while shopping at 

Big Lots,

Elsie had found a play fishing pole and fish...

she though it was the perfect gift for her brother...

a few months later,

she remembered about the little pole and 

insisted on going to Big Lots to 

get it for him for his Birthday!

Such a thoughtful big sister!

This picture kills me!

He looks so much like his Daddy, 

its crazy!

He was beyond happy with his little red car!

A little Red car the really goes,

a giant puppy...

what more could possible make him happier...

Oh yeah,

being naked and driving the little car!

I'm not really sure how he came about being naked,

but he thought is was pretty funny...

Then Daddy came and made him put clothes on.

Fun spoiler!

After  the little man donned some clothes,

it was pinata time!

It was way more thrilling to roll down the hill,

then jump up and start whacking the pinata...

And a sure way to achieve the more damage

to the pinata,

is to hold it in place while whacking it!

My boy knows how to do it!

In the end,

Elsie was the one who 

whacked it hard enough to break it open!

{Must have taken a while to open it up 

and Uncle Colter got tired of standing and 

thought he could squeeze a nap in!}

Happy squeals 

seeing all that candy falling!

Then is was time for cake...

James requested Orange Frosting 

and a Monster Truck!

And just like that...

My boy had his 3rd Birthday Party.

Shocking to think he is 3!

{Super Long} 4th of July Post...

that's right...

This is a Super Long post...

And it's late when I am typing this...

and my brain is getting a bit mushy...

so it will be mostly pictures and few words.

Seriously pictures are far more

fun than words anyhow...

at least that's what I think!

~

We are lucky that we live just one block off the 

parade route...

so we simply walk down the alley and enjoy the parade!

Jon gets up super early though and goes and 

puts out our chairs to 

reserve our spot. 

Some people set theirs out the night before...

the parade is a pretty big thing around here!

 

 Angelina was a super girl through the parade...

she didn't even flinch when the LOUD firetrucks 

went by...

the curse of being the 3rd born, I guess!

 After the parade everyone walked back 

down the alley for the 

big BBQ at our house.

I love hosting the 4th!

 Last year we had the Jump Castle...

this year we went a little more low key

and simply bough 

several cans of shaving cream!

Like about 12 cans!

The kids all voted that the shaving cream

was way more fun

than the jump castle!

{not to mention about $100 cheaper too!}

 I think James probably had an entire can

of shaving cream on his back!

 They had a blast!

We had shaving cream all over!

Good thing it washes off with a little dish soap!

 While the kids were on the lower part of the lawn

with the shaving cream,

the adults were able to relax in the shade at the 

top of the hill!

 My favorite thing about the 4th is 

the laid-back kind of day that it is...

This year all of we girls got a 

burst of energy mid-day and 

walked up town...

just to bring my sister's boyfriend

a piece of cake.

 Some of the cousins...

and the little aunties.

 We spray painted stars on the entire lawn...

how festive is that!?

 Love our cook!

Jon is the BBQ king...

he looks for any excuse to use the grill.

And if a beer can be in his hand,

its even better!

 After round 2 of eating...

we all head up to fireworks!

 Every year our group gets a 

little bit bigger!

Last year the fire works were cut short because

of tornado sirens...

this year the weather was perfect!

 It was a very full and fun day!