Ethan's 5th Birthday at Palasad

Ethan turned 5 years old this past June...

We had a party for him at Palasad

Bowling, pizza and arcade

A perfect combination for a fun time!

All together I think we had around 15 kids

It was fun seeing Ethan with all his buddies

Between school, church, neighbors and family 

he had a lot of friends he wanted to invite...

He asked to invite his whole class 

because he didn't want to leave anybody out...

I thought that was sweet but still gave a limit of five from school...

He wanted to give his teachers an invitation also...

He couldn't quite understand why this wasn't a good idea to me...

I tried to explain but to be honest I just love being a witness to Ethan's

pure innocence...Invite the teachers what the heck...lol

I say it every year but it is crazy how quickly time has past...
I really can't believe our first born little peanut is FIVE
Oh how I love this age...

Ethan is such a sweet little man...
I feel so lucky to be his mom

I love how Ethan...
wants me to lay with him at bedtime
insists that I tickle his back, arms, legs, feet and hands
(He's like his mom as I like that too)
loves kisses and hugs at the bus stop and waves to me from his seat
winks at me with "that look"
loves mommy-Ethan dates
can sound out words and will practice his reading with me
tells me randomly through the day that he loves me
likes to climb everything
likes to laugh and joke around
likes to wrestle and dance
loves to draw me pictures and do crafts
likes to help with setting table or cleaning
loves nature, bugs and trains
is quite logical for his age
speaks his mind
loves sports and not afraid to get dirty
loves his brothers
likes to read and watch movies
loves school and having friends
is such a handsome fella

 

Happy Birthday Little Man

We love you forever and ever

I made a birthday cake and we celebrated with the Hofstetter's at our house!

His birthday lasted for a least a week!

Present from the Campbell's...Yup he loved it!

With "Fairy Frog"...The stuffy Ethan has had since birth

I LOVE YOU ETHAN SOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ETHAN BEEFAN

 

Spring Strawberry Picking

My boys just love berries...

I have so many pictures of them with messy berry faces that make me laugh...

Since Ethan was a little toddler he has experienced berry picking

whether it is strawberries, raspberries or blueberries,

My boys just love it!

I remember my parents taking me when I was a young girl...

I love that I can create this fun tradition in my own family too...

There is something about picking (and eating) fruit right off the plant

After one of Ethan's soccer games we loaded in the car and went berry picking

We had a couple of red lips after this outing but I have to say 

Toddy and Ethan actually picked really well this year...

Ethan's Soccer

I missed soccer sign up by a few days this year with the league I wanted to put Ethan in so we went with Spectrum indoor soccer instead and it turned out great...Only about 8 kids in the group with two coaches...They learned drills and played soccer at the end of the class...With Ethan being so young I think this worked out better because he got way more one on one with the coaches and was always engaged in the play...So I guess me being a little tardy worked out this time...

And it was $26 compared to $70...Win Win I say!!!

Soccer was at Byron Recreation Center and outside was a park so it was perfect  for Toddy and Colton to play as they waited for Ethan...and more play for Ethan when he finished!

My cute husband

School trip to Greenview Aviaries Park and Zoo

My sweet little Ethan...So much love for this little guy!

Ethan's class learned a lot about animals this past school year

so for the year end trip they decided to go to 

Greenview Aviaries Park and Zoo!

As usual it was fun to get to spend the day with Ethan

I packed us some lunch and nibs as a treat...

(we had some fun being sneaky and eating them on the bus)

It is pretty cool to see Ethan around his school friends and teachers...

It is clear to me that he just loves his teachers...

He asked Ms Morley if he could sit with her on the bus ride home for a bit...

I peaked at them a few times and he and her were talking up a storm...

My heart was full...

Just love his teachers for being so good to my son...

Ethan you are very easy to love!

Very proud of you for doing so well this year at school!

On the yellow school bus with my boy
Best seat partner ever!

Ethan loves his teachers (Ms Spence and Ms Morley)
So thankful to these two amazing ladies for taking such good care of my boy

Ethan and Ema
(This little girl lives a couple of doors down on our street and in Ethan's class)

What a little monkey

One happy little fella

Our Apple Trees

We have tons of apples growing on our backyard trees this year...

The kids ran in the house all excited the other day saying...

"Mom, Mom...Come quick...I have a surprise for you"...

Todd and Ethan were so excited they ran to the trees jumping up and down saying

"look...look...look mom..."

I followed them to our apple trees and to my surprise I saw tons of little apples growing.

My eye grew and a big smile appeared on my face...

The kids were beaming!

Our trees are young and last year we only had a few apples

But this year our trees are full...

I guess all the pruning I did last fall was a good thing!

I am kicking myself for not getting a picture when the apple blossoms were out!

It was breath taking...So so beautiful!

Apple trees on the left, flower boxes and rose of sharon on the left

Colton's 1st Birthday

Our youngest little munchkin Colton turned a year on March 15th.  

He is such a sweet little boy and we are beyond blessed to have him in our life.

Colton brings so much love and peace to our family...

The boys just adore him and Nate and I get such a kick out of his sweet little spirit. 

Some things I want to remember about this little guy are:

-the funny way he gives kisses...he leans in, opens his mouth wide and yells.

-At 8 months he surprised me and decided he no longer needed to co sleep 

with me at night and transitioned quite nicely to a crib.

-Ethan and Todd just love to jump into his crib in the morning and play with him...

This was nice cause it gave Nate and I a few more minutes to sleep.  

I have to say the sounds of my boys playing and 

having fun together is beautiful music to my ears.

-He is a good little eater...He clears his tray toot sweet and screeches for more...

It just blows us away how much he can eat.

-When he first started to get around he did this cute little army crawl...

It was so awkward looking but he really mastered it...

He really had no interest for a while to get around any other way until recently...

Now all he wants to do is stand, walk around with the furniture and crawl on his knees.

-He gets a kick out of letting go of whatever is holding him up and standing on his own...

He looks at me with the proudest, cutest smile and laughs like crazy when he falls to the floor.

-Out of all my kiddos I would have to say Colton is ultra attached to me...

If I am around he will usually fuss until I am holding him.  It is not enough for me to simply be in the room...I have to be full on holding him...All The Time!!!

Although this can be slightly inconvenient at times...I secretly feel like the lucky one!

Considering Colton spent most of his first year in a mommy wrap it is no wonder he is so attached.  I I remember wearing him so much when he was tiny 

that I felt strangely naked when I was not holding him.

-Colton loves to be tickled, thrown up in the air and 

gets quite a laugh when daddy rubs his whiskers on his skin.

-He loves the hot tub, the green push car, stroller rides, being outside, being held, his green soo soo and milk in a baba, bath time, the park, nap time and playing downstairs in the toy room.  

He still likes to be nursed at night and sometime during the day.

We are so in love with this sweet little man...

Without a doubt he has completed our special family...

I could not be more honored to be his mommy.  

Love you forever little peanut!

Colton enjoyed his first cake
Picture taken at our house

And he loved it...Just crumbs left

"Ethan Befan"

Oh how I will miss that baby face one day...I LOVE YOU SOOOOOO MUCH!
This picture is at my mom and dads house

A bath then presents - He got this Thomas phone from pops and grandma