My boys...

Here is a recent cute pic I just wanted to share...

New mail post AGAIN!

Last year, ET and Jay worked on building a new mailbox.  It was a project that was long overdue since we had bought the house.  It looked so nice when it was finished, and both of them were pretty proud of it.  Then a few months back, some neighborhood boys decided to take a baseball bat to the thing. Grrrrr!
Luckily, the creeps hit the post and not the box.  Jay had cemented the new post in the ground so good, that he was confident they would have felt their punishment in their hands by taking a blow to it.  The post barely moved, but cracked down the center.  Anyway, the project needed to be redone again, and this time Nate was old enough to help.
So here is a pic of all three guys painting the new mailbox post.  I wanted to record that Nate DID help with this one.  It is something the boys can feel ownership towards knowing they helped. 

Father's Day Weekend...

This post is a little overdue.

We had a great Father's Day weekend.  Friday night was just spent at home relaxing.  Saturday morning was our town's yearly parade.  Luckily, the rain held out for us this year!  Nate enjoyed the parade, and did not act scared of any of the loud noises, trucks, people or costumes.  He did cover his ears a lot, but that is to be expected at this age.  ET was picking up candy the whole time.  He is now one of the fastest kids out there.  We now have waaaaay too much candy.  Luckily he has fogotten all about it and hasn't asked for one piece since. :)

After the parade we headed home for a quick bite to eat for lunch and then headed over to the Strawberry Festival. They had a new jumping trampoline ride for the kids, and both boys wanted to go on it.  Jay and I were utterly impressed with Nate's bravery, and ET's ability to do flips in the air!
We walked around a bit, and the kids went on a few more rides.  Saturday night, we ate dinner in and then headed over to Yo Joe's for a frozen yogurt treat!  YUM!

On Sunday, Jay, ET and Papa Bob all went to the Twins game.  The game went for 15 innings (I think), and they managed to stay through the 11th inning.  Wow!  They were rained on only a bit.  Nate and I went on a long bike ride, and played in the backyard until we were also rained on.  Then Nate laid down for a nap, and I sat peacefully on the couch listening to the rain...blissful!  When Jay and ET came home, we grilled marinated chicken for a wrap.  Afterward, the boys gave Jay their homemade gifts they made.

 This was utterly amazing to see Nate doing such a big kid thing...

 Here you can see ET and Nate both jumping...

 ET doing flips...

 Twins game...

 Nate and ET making their Father's Day gift...

I love this pic!  They are such handsome guys!  The boys made a footprint poem and painted treasure boxes filled with conversation starters.  Inside the box it said, "Spending time with Dad is a treasure to me!"

ET's 5th Birthday Party!

I have been asking ET what type of birthday party he would want for his 5th birthday party since January.  He told me he wanted a shark themed party, and he never once changed his mind.  He said he needed to have a "cool party, and sharks are cool."  :)
I thought long and hard how I wanted to spend our money this year, and when I saw this inflatable shark slide I knew right away it would be great for ET's party, as well as be something he and Nate could use for a long while (the weight limit per person is 150 pounds).
Because this slide took up a large portion of the budget, I also decided to make ET's party his first ever kid drop-off party.  I figured I would buy a few shark items, and make easy picnic food for the kids.  Jay and I kept the slide a surprise until the day of the party.  We only told ET that there will be a large surprise the day of his party that it would be bigger than Dad.  I think Jay and I were just as excited as he was for the big day!

The big reveal...check out that face!

 First time down...

Totally happy, and grinning from ear to ear...

The food table set-up...

Each child got their own shark lunch box, plate, picnic food, a shark necklace, a shark tooth candy necklace, and a make-your-own shark frame.  We took a group picture of everyone as soon as they all arrived.  Jay printed off the copies of the picture and we sent home the picture in each child's frame. 

Here is the shark frame the kids made with the picture Jay quickly printed off and sent home with them.  I think it was a fun little keepsake.

 Here is Nate being cute!  He never once went down the slide.  He also never once allowed anyone to say it was ET's birthday.  To him it was, "Nay-Nay's Baba!"  (Nathan's birthday.) :)

We also set up the wading pool.

Of course, I had to get a shark pinata...

You can't have a party without balloons!  Here is what 350 water balloons look like!  Jay and I were up late the night before filling them up.  Jay filled up the first 50 pack and said we were done.  I gave him that "Are you kidding me?" kind of look.  He wasn't too happy. :)

Here is the group picture of everyone!  All of ET's friends were able to come!  We had 13 children in all!  What a blessing!

Time for water balloons...

Ready, Set, GO!  They didn't last very long. :)

Lunch time!  For each kid I packed a PB&J sandwich, a banana, a baby bel cheese, a fruit leather bar, and kettle corn!  Yum!

Here are boys making goofy faces...

Cupcakes!  ET requested blue and green frosting, but I said I would just stick with blue...I had to go with the shark theme, ya know!

Everyone had a chance to hit the pinata.  ET started out, and by the second round ET successfully hit the pinata down! :)

Here is ET opening his presents.  He was very spoiled by so many great friends!

Luckily, the rain held out on us and the party was a complete success!  Everyone had a blast!