Mason is Five!!!

We finally have a computer!  WooHoo!  And a little more good news...I thought I lost about 5 months of our photos...but found out tonight that I still have them all on my memory card.  Whew!  I was getting a little sad about that!

 

Here are a few pictures from Jo's house:

 

Jo and Bryce's selfie!

So obsessed lately with cars, trucks, and trains!

Showing Avery how to stack the rings!

Another selfie!

Some outdoor fun with Kerrigan, Nicholas, and Arthur

Apparently this pink car is BRYCE's!  According to him...

Hat fun with Arthur

So...What Does the Fox Say...that song.  So annoying.  Especially because once you hear it you can't get it out of your head!  The boys LOVE this song...as most kids do...and the other night when we got home they locked themselves in their room.  When I asked what they were doing they said they were working on a project.  All of a sudden they came out, with the song playing, and these homemade costumes on:

Cutest little foxes I've ever seen!

Complete with tails...

I told them to look scary!

Friday the movie Catching Fire came out.  There are a bunch of teachers who have read the book, so we all went to the movie together.  We even had matching shirts made! 

Catching Fire!

Friday night we decorated Mason's floor with his birthday balloons.  He ended up in our bed halfway through the night, so Saturday morning I told him to go check his room and he said "I know.  There are balloons.  I saw them when I got up to come to your room."

 

After we got all packed up Saturday morning, we headed to Iowa to celebrate with the family!  The rest of this post is pictures from Mason's birthday!

 



Making the ice cream

He's five!  How did this happen?

He doesn't like crowds...so wanted Zane to be by him and help him open presents.

Celine and Keaton.  Celine drove all the way from K-State for Mason's party!  It was great to see her!

Keaton and Zane.  They both look so old!

The most popular present of the evening...Spiderman sweatshirt.  There are a few adults wanting this in their size!

Lots of love in this room!  But we need a bigger space!

 

Talking to Uncle Brent on the phone.  We really missed him and also Grandma Judy!  We know they were thinking of us!

Silly Corbyn!

His cake!

Bryce saw me taking pictures of Mason and said "Me.  Me" while pointing to himself!  He was feeling left out.  But then this was his picture face...ha!

Spidey!

His face while everyone was singing!

Make a wish!

He was NOT interested in putting his arm around Kenna...or hugging her...but she wasn't shy!

I'm 5!!!

Jake took the mound of cake and frosting the monster truck was on...and Celine bet him $5 he couldn't eat it.  Results:  Jake didn't make $5!

Keaton put his face in the cake/frosting mound!

Dear Mason,

I really can't believe that you are five and ready to head to kindergarten in the fall.  You make life colorful!  You are a very determined, stubborn, loving, helpful, smart little boy!  I know you will do great things in this world and can't wait to be there to cheer for you every step of the way.  You make everyone around you laugh and smile every single day!.  Keep being the inquisitive person you are!  We love you to God and back!!!

Love forever and always (and I love you MORE),

Mom

Bryce's First Haircut!

Bryce had his first haircut this week!  The other two had their hair cut long before now...but Bryce's hair is so lightly colored that I held off as long as I could!  It was growing over his ears and curling in the back, so it was time!  He sat still SO WELL and did amazing!  What a good boy he is!

 

First haircut!

Handsome even with longer hair!

Doing exactly what she asked him!

He barely moved!

Brenda and Bryce!

We had our family photos taken on Saturday.  It was a gorgeous day - I was even sweating with long sleeves on!  Zane was the easiest to photograph because he was the only one who would sit and smile on command.  Mason became his "shy" self in front of others, and Bryce wasn't having anything to do with smiling for her camera!  I'm hoping we at least got a picture for Christmas cards! 

 

Saturday night we had the Ottis family over.  It had been too long!  The kids had a ton of fun while we sat around taking and enjoying each others' company!  They are such great friends!

 



Mason and Nora acting silly!

Silly kids!

 

Poor Bryce with no playmate...Ottis family let's take care of this!

Madelyn and Zane enjoying some dessert!

Lights out!

3 down...Madelyn is the only one awake at this point!

Our home laptop died...so I have had to wait to do this post and am using my work laptop.  Guess we will be buying a new computer sooner than we thought...Merry early Christmas to us!

Happy Halloween, and JO says NO to Ovarian Cancer!

First and foremost, we had Zane's 2nd grade parent/teacher conference this week and it was a very good conference!  We have so many reasons to be proud of him!  His teacher had lots of good things to say about Zane!

 

Halloween!  I can't believe it's been here and now gone!  The boys all had Halloween parties at school/daycare.  Here are some photos from Jo's house:

 

Toilet paper bowling!

Happy Halloween from Jo's gang...Arthur, Nicholas, Avery, Bryce, Ethan (don't you love how the older boys have matching shirts - not done on purpose)!

Jo & Bryce making silly faces.

Bryce & Arthur hanging with the pumpkins

Bryce loving on the pumpkin

The boys were excited about trick or treating.  We just walked around our neighborhood.  It had rained the entire day before, and the whole day of Halloween, so we weren't sure what it would be like.  Luckily it cleared up and was a fantastic evening to be outside!

 

The only time they all had their entire costumes on...Darth, Spiderman, and Cow!

Silly Spiderman (Notice the boots...doesn't that make him seem tougher?)

As serious as I could get...

Fingers WERE in his mouth while he was saying "cheese" but I asked him to put his hand down and he did!

"Wait Mom, let me pose first..."

First house!  Every time we would have Bryce "moo" at the people!  He was a hit!

Waiting for more candy...

Wow, do you think you got enough?

Mason went for the Reese's...like Mother like Son!

Today I joined with some of the daycare families in a 5K Ovarian Cancer Awareness Run/Walk in honor of Jo, who beat ovarian cancer!  I walked the first two miles, and ran the last mile.  I ran the whole mile!  I couldn't believe I did it.  And I know it's only a mile, but my body is hurting!  I don't run.  I don't know how people run that times 26!  Man, I think I'll stick to the exercise bike!

 

Somer, Tara, me, Jo

Me with one of my students who was also there!  He really didn't want a picture with me, but I made him!

Last night my parents stayed the night at our house on their way to Branson.  It was a quick visit, but still nice to see them.

I almost hate to say this, because I think I'll jinx myself, but I feel like we have a fairly calm week ahead of us.  Have a great one!