March Birthday Boys

Henry turned 4 on March 13.  Here he is that very day with the balloons Uncle Dan and Aunt Wanda sent him. When we opened the door and the deliveryman told us they were for Henry.  He jumped up and down saying "Yes! Yes! Yes!"   He and the rest of the kids have had so much fun with them.

Opening his gift on the 13th, (it was Eye Brawl from Skylanders).  We kept the rest of his gifts for his party on Saturday.

Originally EyeBrawl was going on the top of this cake.  Then Henry wanted strawberries on it, but we didn't have any.  So we went downstairs together to get starwars guys and ended up choosing pirates instead.  Henry had definite ideas about how the toys should be arranged.   He told me excitedly, "Me wove it!" (Me love it).  When the older kids came home from school he happily showed them his cake.

A large part of the group  helping Henry celebrate. (l-r) Max, Randy, Sophia watching Henry, Timmy, Dale, Kathy and Alex.  Rebecca, Randy's co-worker came and is holding Luke at this point.

Alex requested ice cream sandwiches made with chocolate chip cookies, for his birthday celebration.

With his bd gift from all of us.

Watching Alex open his gifts.  Alex was lucky enough to have his cousin Madison, Aunt Audrey and Uncle Dale here to celebrate with him.

This year Alex's 12th birthday landed on Easter. Aunt Kathy made Alex an apple pie, just for him .  He wasn't able to shoot his arrow much because it rained most of the day. But there was lots of time for video games and other fun.

Beaver Lake

The 2nd weekend of March we decided to help Alex complete a 5 mile hike for an advancement requirement for boy scouts. As a family we did a 3 mile hike.  We took some breaks and Randy carried Timmy and Henry on his shoulders for quite awhile but Tim and Henry walked a lot more of it then I thought they would've.  The trails were still very snowy and a sled would've worked great, but we didn't have one with us. Here we go.

See any resemblance?  Timmy and Dad.

Alex with his hiking gear.

A little break.

Sophia had the camera and so took a self portrait.

Henry kicking snow in the  water while we take a little break.

At the end of our hike we found an unexpected surprise . . .

a Nativity!

Alex and Randy went on a 2 mile hike (to finish Alex's 5 miles), while the other kids and I ate a snack and played in the kids area at the Nature Center.  On their hike they came very close to a grouse.  It even followed them for a while.

They also came very close to 3 deer. 

The First Weekend in March

Way back on March 1st Luke got his first tastes of baby cereal.  Everyone wanted a turn feeding him.  (Henry didn't want his turn until the camera was put away.)  Sophia and Timmy were curious enough to try it themselves. Neither of them wanted a second bite.

Sophia taking her turn.

Max having a turn.

I thought this picture was posting first, but it didn't. Randy gave Luke his very first bite.

This is what he looked like after his first bite.  Actually for about a week and a half he gave me this look while eating.

The next day, Saturday, Alex had his first pancake breakfast fundraiser for boyscouts.  See him hard at work.

There he his taking our drink orders.

Aunt Kathy is such a trooper.  We all love her! I was so thankful she was there to help me!!!!

The next day on March 3 we made our ginger bread house! Better late than never has become my motto.  Back in December the day we left for Iowas our sweet neighbor brought the kids this ginger bread house kit.  It just seemed we didn't have an opportunity to put it together until now.  I'm so glad we went a head and made it because the kids had a great time doing it.