Guess what we got this weekend!

This weekend Randy and Alex went on a boy scout camp out this weekend (I'll post pictures another day of that).  We didn't do anything as exciting as camping and hiking but we had a good time anyway.  The above video is of Timmy after a short grocery run.

Saturday night after doing some cleaning as a family, followed by some baths and cartoons, Max and I stayed up playing Trouble, Connect 4, and Othello. 

Sophia had an exciting day today (Sunday) she rode her bike without training wheels!! Friday one training wheel fell off, then today I took off the other per her request and. . . 

off she rode! In a dress no less!

Then her good friend Madison (and her parents) took Sophia apple picking, but she didn't come home with any apples, instead she brought home this pretty pumpkin and these beautiful farm fresh eggs.

Luke's Birthday

Lukey turned 1 today!  To celebrate we listened and danced to the Beatles Birthday song, as always, had birthday cake (flavored) ice cream, and he had a few presents from Grandma Steffen and aunts and uncles to open.

He liked the ice cream!

All done. Yum!

Opening gifts.

Happy Birthday!

Uncle Pat Visits

The day after Sara and her gang left, my Uncle Pat came for a visit.  He arrived late Thursday night, (Sept.19) and stayed until Wednesday morning (Sept.25).  While together we went to a play (at Randy's work) Friday night.   Pat and Randy golfed a few days.  He and I  got out for some nice walks around our neighborhood with the kids.  And here you see we went to Manlius to get some chocolate from my friend's shop and feed the ducks at the nearby pond.  Luke just took it all in as they swarmed him in his stroller.

Timmy getting a close up.

An action shot of Henry tossing duck food.  Both Henry and Timmy were so excited while they fed the ducks.  Laughing and talking and throwing duck food. It was a lot of fun.

Uncle Pat enjoying the ducks and the kids.  After throwing quite a bit of food at the ducks, Pat says to me,  "What does that sign say there?"  I went to look at it and read, "Don't feed the ducks."  Opps!!  We had a good laugh about it.

Checking out this beautiful little waterfall.  Fall leaves covered the cement the water rushed over.  The weather was perfect for walking and looking at ducks.

Timmy's Birthday and Julia's Birthday

Sara was brave enough to travel to New York with her 3 kids,who are 4 and under, while her husband, Eric, went to a conference for work.  While here from Sat. (Sept. 14) to Wed. morning (Sept.18) we had a lot of fun.   Sunday was Timmy's 3rd birthday.  Since he had already had his jungle party with Lucas I decided I'd just let the kids decorate cupcakes themselves.  They loved it!! It was a much bigger hit than I thought it would be.

Happy Birthday to you!

Some of the final products. (l-r Parker, Max, Alex)

Most of the kids including Sophia, thought the knives were as tasty as their cupcakes.

Oliver and Henry working very hard.

Parker showing how much fun it was decorating and eating the cupcakes.

Timothy concentrating, with Sophia's creation in the foreground.

A happy birthday boy.

Lucas and Julia.  They didn't decorate cupcakes. 

The next day was Julia's 1st birthday!

Make a wish.  (Sara and Parker helping her blow out the candle).

Sara, Oliver, Julia and Parker before we pass out birthday cake.  We did do more than celebrate birthdays while the Shooks were here.  Sara, Kathy and I played a lot of scrabble, the cousins did a lot of playing, and we got out and about a little bit.  Everyone had a good time just being together.

Sophia got a hair cut!

A very excited Sophia before,

during and,

after her hair cut.

Here's one Henry asked me to take the other day.  I'll have to look at it again, on a day everyone isn't all smiles together.

First Day of School

School started for everyone Sept. 4.  Max is in 4th grade, Sophia is in 1st grade and Alex is in 7th grade and  at a new school, Bishop Grimes .

Alex

Max

Sophia

No explanation needed.

Here's what Henry built while the school kids were away for the day.

Birthday Party for September Kids

Here are the two birthday boys.  Timmy turns 3 on Sept. 15 and Lucas turns 1 on Sept. 27.  Their cousin Julia was suppose to be celebrating with them, her birthday is Sept. 16 and she'll be 1.  Unfortunately, she was in the hospital all weekend with a mystery fever of 104, that it was later decided was pneumonia.  We missed having her and Sara and Eric celebrating with us. But it was so nice to have Aunt Coco and (cousins) Amy and Kelli come, and  pick up Oliver and Parker (Julia's brothers) to be with us.

Lucas opening a gift in his #1 onesie  made by Aunt Sara.

What could it be?

Amy, on the couch in blue, pregnant (due in Feb.) and still made the trip out to be with us!  Sitting next to her is Kelli, Oliver standing, and  all of our little monkeys.

Checking out his Jake and the Neverland Pirate telescope with gold deblooms 

in hand.

Luke chewing on packaging, not playing with the toys he's just been given.

Timmy and his new Lightening McQueen scooter he'd been talking about for weeks, maybe months before his birthday.

So we had to take it outside for a spin.

Here he goes with Sophia on her Princess scooter.  Yes, he is barefoot, seems painful to me, but he didn't mind one bit.

Luke watching the scootering with godmother, Aunt Coco,

and Uncle Dale,

and Aunt Kathy.

Time for cake!  Timmy did the honors of blowing out the candles.

Lukey with his cake.  Quite a bit of that cake was gone in no time.

Here's  the jungle birthday cake, with little cakes for the birthday kids.