Party...

We decided to have a little dessert party to celebrate Clays birthday! Saturday we headed to Costco and came home with too much a variety of desserts and were ready to party! We had fun with all of our friends and family who were able to come! The day was perfect and we were able to be outside as well!

Found the idea here!!!

Craig bought this bear for Clay for his birthday! He is huge! At least the kids love to wrestle with him I guess!

Addie

Johnny

Carie and Craig

Luke and Craig

Aubrey

Chandler

Chris, Clay, Daniel

Clay and Stephan

Wrestling with Chewy the Bear!

Luke enjoying a lolipop :)

Jenna and I

So after most of our guests had left we were inside talking with the Pedersens and noticed it was quiet. I decided to go look for Jack and Addie to see what they were up to and I found them outside like this! He told me they were playing 'dead' but I dont know! They talk about how they are both going to be firefighters when they grow up and then they are going to get married! Addie asks to borrow Jennas phone so she can text Jack! And they are always asking to play together. These two are going to be trouble I think!!!!! But they are so cute :)

Our day ended with a beautiful view of Mt. Rainier from our backyard!

Fathers Day/Birthday...

Clay and I are not really good about surprising each other and buying gifts. For example, Clay bought himself a suit that was on sale at Kohls a month or so ago and that was his Fathers Day gift! We are both fine with it, but sometimes I wish I could come up with cute and fun ideas to make these special days more special! Oh well!

Fathers Day was nice and quiet. We made him a card (found here) and Jack had made him something special at preschool. Clay requested that I make zupfa to go with our soup. I learned how to make it from his grandma Pratt over Christmas but havent attempted it since and was a little nervous. I think it turned out pretty well considering, and Clay is still eating it, so I guess that is a good thing!

His 30th birthday was yesterday! I really wanted to do something to make it extra special but that didnt happen. Again, I am so lame. Oh well. I had decided a while ago to take him flying with my good friend, Jenna, who happens to be a pilot, and her husband! He has wanted to go for a while but I am too scared of heights, etc. that I never ok'd it. So I thought it would be a fun surprise to take him! I had it all worked out and then he told me one day that he was going golfing that morning with his dad and brothers. So I had to tell him there was a surprise and he needed to switch days, which he did. I didnt tell him what the surprise was but it got him curious and I am pretty sure he figured it out. Lame. So I finally told him the night before. We were all ready, had a babysitter and woke up on Saturday to rain. I was so mad. We thought about still going but decided we wanted to go on a nice day so we could enjoy it more. I was so bummed. So we still havent gone flying, but I am planning on going in the next month or so. Anyways, we decided to go shopping since we still had a babysitter! It was quite nice! Clay was able to pick out a few things and we just walked around and then got lunch! I think we have found a new tradition on our birthdays!! Yesterday wasnt too exciting! We went out to 'the Queenie' (DQ) for blizzards per Clays request!

We love Clay! He works so hard and loves his boys and I feel so lucky to have such a great husband! Happy birthday Clay!!

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Fathers Day...

LOVE this picture!

Jacks gift to his dad!

 

My zupfa!!

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Birthday...

I didnt really think he would want to keep this (I think he is still deciding) but I was being cute and funny! I told him it was to keep him 'young!' It really was a good movie though!!!

 

Baby...

First of all, NO, this is not an announcement that I am pregnant...I am not!! Sorry :).

Brody has recently started carrying around our one cabbage patch doll (that used to be mine when I was younger)! He loves to give it kisses and hugs and is quite cute with him! He calls him *baby* and I love hearing him say baby (he says it more like bebe)! Not sure when this all started but I think it is so cute! Jack was never into babies or stuffed animals too much (other than ducky), you will notice he had to have a picture taken with Lightening McQueen!

Just some pictures I snapped of Brody with his baby (wrapped up in his little blue blankie)...

 

 

    

Phone Pictures...

These are just random pictures from my phone over the last month or two...

Brody loves playing at the playground by preschool. He is getting better at sitting in the big swing...he seems like such a big boy to me in this picture!

Such a ham for the camera! Sporting his IU shirt (we originally bought this for Jack...cant believe it fits Brody now!).

Ready for Zumba!

We were waiting for Jack to get back from preschool one day, enjoying the sun and warm weather!

 

This kid has tan lines from his sandals...and we rarely get to see the sun out here!

Another reason he is such a big boy...I am starting to feel comfortable enough to let him sit and eat his snacks on a regular chair at the table...he is so proud of himself for being able to climb up by himself!

Clay has been letting Jack watch some of the Star Wars movies and Jack loves them. He wanted the red light saber (because red is his favorite color), but it also happens to be Darth Vaders. Oh well. He came in with his own 'mask' the other day and told me he was Darth Vader! So creative!

Just waiting for dad to come home from work...typical scene at our house!

Preschool Program...

Jack had his preschool program Thursday night! Grandma and Grandpa Warren came up and after dinner we headed over to the church (Immanuel Lutheran) for the program! We didnt have a great spot and it was a little hard to hear the songs but Jack was singing and dancing his little heart out! They did a song/dance for each month of school and it was pretty cute to watch. (I tried to get some videos that will hopefully load...that will have to be another post) At one point, near the end, they called all of the kids names and had a certificate for each of the kids that they got to bring to their families. Jack was near the beginning of the stack and ran over to give us his certificate and then ran right back up front. All of the other kids stayed with their families, but not our Jack! He finally figured out (or maybe his teacher told him) that he was supposed to come hang out with us and eventually came back! I got a big kick out of that! They had a video at the end with pictures from the year and Jack was so excited to see pictures of himself (ok, I got excited to see him too!)! Then we got some ice cream and he got to show us his room and check his mailbox for a special prize...it was a memory book of some pictures of Jack throughout the year! We love it! It is so fun to see him growing and learning each and every day and we love his teachers and preschool so much!!

Before the program started...he was ok, but just so wiggly! He also kept yelling Johnnys name (his friend who was sitting a couple rows in front of us) for everyone to hear!

He was standing next to his friend, Micah, who lives in our neighborhood and we carpool with! Addie is down in front!

Empire State of Mind

I had the opportunity to travel to NYC for work last week for some inter-agency meetings. While I've traveled to some large cities including Sao Paulo, Chicago and San Francisco - NYC seemed even bigger and busier. Times Square was incredible and I was excited to chat with quite a few Brazilians and just sit in amazement of all the bright lights. Overall, it was a good trip and provided ample time for some pleasure as well.

Stayed right in Times Square.

View from Empire State Building