Happy Birthday Brady! (Which Actually Occurred In March)

So I really thought I was going to catch up on blogging this summer.  Then I started grad school.  So, every minute that I'm not hanging with the kids, I seem to be staring at the computer doing homework.  I really wish I would have taken care of my masters about 15 years ago, but I got busy with marriage, kids, coaching, and everything else...oh well.  It's going ok so far (after my initial almost mental breakdown and cry fest), just totally consuming the time I'd rather be using for something else.  Like blogging, for example.

So, on March 15, you know, over three months ago, our oldest son turned 7.  This year, this handsome stud requested a party at Chuck E. Cheese.  So, we booked a party, invited friends and fam, and got busy partying.

The birthday king.  Funny how I already think he looks older now than he does in this picture.

Payton and Arie.

Cohen playing some air hockey.

Uncle Bradley helping Lando whack at some moles.

Heathy loved the hungry dog that eats all the plastic balls.

Brady's two best school buds, Danny and Andrew.

Nolan and his horse.

Wes battling Danny in ping pong.

Most of the gang sitting down for some pizza.  It's so fun to watch Brady with all his buddies.

I think the highlight of the evening was when Brady got his chance in the ticket blaster.  For one minute, gale force winds blow tickets everywhere in a glass chamber.  Whatever tickets you can grab, you can keep.  I tried to tell Brady to shove the tickets in his shirt, but he couldn't here me and didn't have much of a strategy.  It didn't matter, he loved it anyway.

Sitting inside the ticket blaster is a coupon worth 1000 tickets.  The jackpot prize.  No, Brady did not actually catch the 1000 ticket coupon.  Our host happened to be one of my former students, so she nicely slipped the coupon into Brady's hand.  He was SO pumped!

Cousins.

After pizza, Chuck E. Cheese made an appearance for cake and singing.  The kids felt compelled to give him hugs.

And finally, it was time for some cake.  Brady requested a football field cake so he could put all of his favorite helmets on it.

Brady had a great time and was in heaven with video games, pizza, pop, cake, and his buddies.  What more could you want when you're a seven year old boy?

Happy Birthday Bradster.  We love you so much.

Photo Phun

Now that it's summer, I will attempt to catch up on the last few months of blogging...Brady's birthday, Easter, Payton's Birthday, Memorial Day...but for now, here's a few snapshots to whet your appetite:

Happy Birthday Wesley!

Now that it's been a month, I should probably post about Wes's birthday!  

We celebrated Wesley turning 37 with a weekend full of a few different fun celebrations.

Lindsay and Jeremy had been telling us about this really cool 20's style speak easy called Williams & Graham.  They had been there once before and really enjoyed it, so we headed down there together on Friday night.  The entrance looks like a book store, and when they are ready for you to come in, they open a secret door in the wall!

We waited in the "standing" area for a bit before a table was ready for us.  They don't really make standing bars that fit all sizes of people :)

It was SUPER dark inside, so these are my phone pics very altered to allow us to even show up.

We ordered some fun drinks and decided to try a few adventurous apps--bone marrow with bacon jam and buffalo frog legs!

After dinner we headed to another one of Lindsay and Jeremy's favorite restaurants--a Native American Chipotle-ish place called Tagabe.  It was really good!  Finally, we met up with Dana, Nate, and Trish for a few drinks.  It was a really fun night!

Saturday was Wes's actual birthday.  So, in the morning, the kids surprised Wes with breakfast in bed!\

Wes and Tim went ATVing for most of the day, which was Wes's birthday wish come true.  That night, although I didn't take any pictures, we hung out with Gwen and Tim and had dinner together.

Finally, on Sunday, after another round of ATVing with Jer, we celebrated at my mom and dad's house with the family.

Both Payton and Brady made homemade cards.  Payton came up with 37 reasons why she loves her dad, and Brady got to about 10 and then just said 'that's pretty old!'  But, it was so cute to read all of their personal reasons.

After a great hamburger lunch, we topped off the weekend with a birthday bundt cake.  Landon got to sing with the birthday boy!

Happy Birthday Babeski.  We love you so much!

President's Day At The Zoo.

Last Monday was President's Day, so the kids and I had the day off of school.  The weather was chilly but sunny, so we decided to head to the zoo.  We have a season pass that expires in a few months, so I've been trying to get our money's worth!  We've been to the zoo a few times when it's a little colder, and the animals are so much more active.  Monday was no exception.  Here are the three kiddos in front of the cheetahs.  Rare to get them all looking and smiling!

The cheetah was pacing back and forth, so we got to see him right up close!

Then we headed over to the primates.  My primates checking out the other primates behind the glass.  I thought these three were cuter, so I took more pics of them :)

Silly boys.

Love this shot.

Brady is by far our dirtiest kid...he can't eat a meal without getting food all over his face, the table, the floor, so he was right at home with these wild pigs!

We stayed for several hours and saw almost everything at the zoo.  I slowed down a bit on the photography and just enjoyed spending time with my kids.  It was really nice to not bring along any buddies and just let the kids runn around together.

Jumping in the wild bird area.  Brady and Payton argued about whether it was the Nurture Center or the Nature Center.

Some solo shots.

I'm so glad I ventured out with the kids for the day.  We had a great time and are so looking forward to the arrival of spring so we can be outside all the time!

Payton and the Junior Toms Take Three!

For the third year in a row, Payton has participated in the Arapahoe Junior Toms program.  On Thursday night for a few hours, Payton and a couple of her school friends got to know the high school Toms, learned a  cool dance routine, and ate pizza.  The next night, Valentine's Day, all of the girls performed what they learned at halftime of the boys basketball game.  

We arrived early to watch Uncle Bradley coach JV.  I also realized that they FINALLY put up our State Runner Up Volleyball Plaque.  You only get a plaque on the wall for state champion or state runner up, so this is the first ever volleyball plaque on the wall of the gym.  So cool!

At halftime, the girls all came out and got ready to dance.  Payton is as far away from us as possible.  She is under the basketball on the far door.  See her?

Here it is!

After the show, we had to wait in line to pick up our daughters.  This is Olivia, one of Payton's group leaders.  Her mom works at Twain.  Juliana is also in Payton's class.

Payton and Grace.

Brady brought his friend Danny along, and they met their buddy Andrew there as well.  They had a blast running around out in the hall.

Great job P!  You did awesome!