Brody's 1st "kid" birthday party...

Brody had his first kid party this year and he decided that he wanted to go bowling. So, he came up with the guest list. At first he wanted everyone in his class and when I told him that we couldn't fit everyone in the car if he wanted to go bowling he said that "daddy can drive, you can drive, grandma can drive and Mrs. Oyster can drive..." I then had to explain why all those people were not coming, especially his teacher! :( He finally tamed it down to the "wrestling boys and the hockey boy" and we were set. They came over on the bus to our house after school, ripped into the presents before they even made it into the house and we headed out for bowling... They were rowdy, as kindergarten boys often are, crazy and had a ton of fun!

opening presents on the front steps...

Seriously - not even in the house!


Ripping into the gifts...


Levi, Hank, Brody and Collin


Brody and his cake (and the bowling pin that they give the birthday kid as a souvenior! Very cool!!)


blowing out the candles...


Pizza time!

Crazy Kid!

I don't know if it is my blondies or what... Both Beau and Braxton have done the craziest thing - they pull their own hair! Beau would actually pull it so hard that he would make himself cry - Braxton isn't quite that bad, but when I looked over and saw him doing it too it made me giggle a little bit and I had to get a picture!

Braxton pulling his hair...


Our peanut! 9 pounds 1 ounce now! (still smaller then Bella when she was born!)

Easter!

Easter was a fabulous day once again for our family! We got up bright and early for church, headed to my mom's to hunt for goodies and then spent the rest of the day at my aunt and uncle's house with the relatives... After a full day of fun we came home, hunted for more eggs, played with the new bubble machine from the Easter Bunny and a rousing game of Hungry Hippos (what was the Easter Bunny thinking?)... It was a day packed full of family and fun and the kids went to bed great!!

Easter Egg Hunt

The group that I am a part of had our annual Easter Egg hunt at the park again this year. The rain held off long enough for the kids to run around and have some fun picking up eggs and meeting the Easter Bunny. Bella ran screaming and crying from the Easter Bunny but other then that the had a great time!

Meeting Grandpa Jerry

As usual our family is full of big news and the excitement never ends around here. Josh's mom decided to move to Minnesota while she was here visiting us when Braxton was born. So, she made the trek back to Arizona, picked up all her stuff and Jerry helped her move back out. So he got to meet his newest grandson for the first time!

Dying Easter Eggs

Everyone got into the act with dying our Easter eggs again this year. I love that the kids have so much fun doing it and that Brody is getting to the age that he can write stuff and decorate the egg before he dyes it. Beau was dye from fingers to elbows!! He left the spoon to the side and just used his hands...

Rainy Days

Spring is finally, sort of, here in Minnesota. We keep getting little patches of snow here and there, but mostly it has settled into rain. The kids, of course, love running and playing out in all the weather!!

Beau


Bella

School Barnyard!

Every year the FFA at our school puts on a barnyard for the elementary kids. Nothing huge, but it is still super fun for the kids and they enjoy it every year. This was Beau's first year to go and it fell during my maternity and on his day off from school. His teacher sent out an open invitation to all of her classes that anyone could join them if their parents came with! YAY!! So, I found someone to watch Bella and Braxton and we headed on our way. He was very excited and even asked if I thought that there would be lions there. I told him he would have to wait for Uncle Jimmy's circus for that one! :) He wanted to hold all the animals as soon as we walked in and then the bunny scratched him... He was much more tentative after that. His favorite animal - for the love of Pete - was the doggies! :) Go figure!!

Petting the horse!


Baby calf


One of our babysitters, Madison showing him a baby chick...


Feeding the horse, from a LONG ways a way!


A little closer! :)

Making cookies!

The boys were both at school the other morning so Bella and I decided to make cookies. I set her up on the counter and she helped to pour in the ingredients. This was her favorite part which was obvious by her saying "lick" after we added each ingredient. She did wait until the end to start licking, but I had to fend her off the whole time! :)

Spring Program

Brody had his spring program last Friday. He did a fantastic job singing his three songs and Grandma Cindy even got to be here to see him...

Silly puppies

Our dogs are definitely low maintenance, but this is the limit!! I was reading on the couch when Ruby jumped up and sat ON TOP of Oz so that she could have her place to look out the window. Oz just lifted his head, looked around and then laid back down like "whatever"...

Playing mama

Bella has always loved playing with her babies, but since Braxton has been born she is in overdrive!! She constantly walks around burping her babies, rocking them and every once in a while drags out the car seat and tries to "buckle" her babies into it. It is so cute!!

Toes!!

We had a 1920's murder mystery fundraising event this weekend and I was working on doing my toes when Bella plopped down next to me. Of course I HAD to paint her toes too! Josh was freaking out - I think that he is worried that his little girl is growing up too fast, but it was adorable! She ran around yelling "toes, toes" the rest of the night...

Our little squeak!

Braxton had his 2 week appointment on Friday and he is now 7 pounds, 7 ounces! Hard to believe that that is still about a pound and a half littler then the rest of mine have even come out! :) He is constantly making little squeaking noises and it cracks us all up... The funny noises that he makes started as soon as he came out - earning him the nickname "squeak" at our house!

Lazy Days...

We have been doing a lot of going, going, going now that the weather is nice and boy does it show! Beau is at that in between phase of needing a nap but not needing a nap - so on the weekends we let him skip the nap. This works sometimes! :) Obviously we kept them busy enough that he was tired and fell asleep on the couch while they were watching a movie...

Feeding time...

It doesn't matter what the kids are doing, every time that I bust out a bottle for Braxton they seem to congregate and ask for a turn to feed him... They don't last the whole time, but they all get their turns in! :)

Brody and Braxton

Beau and Braxton

Bella and Braxton - looking a little evil while feeding him...

1st Bath...

Can't believe how fast time is flying! Braxton's cord fell off already so we were able to do his first bath. I have to get some pictures of his hair now that I am able to wash it - sticking straight up all over the place... so adorable!!

What are you doing to me mom?

All cuddled up and warm again!