Let the countdown begin....

With summer finally coming to a close, KJ and I decided to make a list of 15 fun things that we wanted to do before school started (we're going to try to do at least one everyday). It is to make the most out of the last 2 weeks of summer break and to kind of 'celebrate' the last of our 'freedom' until school starts and we have to stick to a routine schedule :( So I'm planning on blogging a few highlight pictures of our last remaining play days!

Here are the first 5 things we checked off:

1. - Sleep-Over -

KJ has been wanting to have a couple of cousins his age come for a sleep-over since we moved here and we finally coordinated a night that worked for everyone. They had a blast and we all had very little sleep!! Those boys are FULL of energy when they get together, I love it!

2. - Camel's Back Park -

Going up....(that's KJ)

Coming down!

I remember going to this park a long time ago and I wanted to show the kids, so we drove around Boise until we found it. We ate lunch, hiked the sandy hill and played at the park! It was a lot of fun, especially sliding down the hill.

3. - Best park EVER! -

I didn't know there was water at the park, we didn't have our swim-suits, but we made-do!

Look at Jack doing his happy dance! He was in heaven!

My mom invited us to go to a new park that just opened up this year with some other kids from her ward. We all fell in love with this park, it is our new FAVORITE! It has a little bit of everything; a water play area, a musical instrument area and Huge play structures! (there was also a snow-cone stand, which was a big bonus for me!)

4 & 5 - The Zoo and Rose Garden! -

(click collage to enlarge)

One thing the kids loved doing earlier this summer was taking a trip to the Boise Zoo, so they were so excited to get to go again. They all LOVE the animals! The best part is that it is super cheap on Thursdays. We all got in for $6.75! Now that's a cheap play day! After the zoo we had a picnic at the Rose Garden, it smelled soo yummy, it was peaceful and quiet and we each found our favorite color of roses!

Tomorrow will be #6!

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From The Tree!!!

Yesterday I was running errands all day with the kids and Jack was just being, shall I say, WILD. I was joking with my mom that I should send him to boarding school cause he obviously doesn't listen to me. So today, I got an email from my mom with some pictures of me when I was Jack's age that she had scanned into her computer. All I could do was laugh because right then, I realized that Jack is exactly how I was as a child! I guess the phrase, "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree" is totally true! From now on I'll have to remember that when he's driving me nuts, it's just payback from when I was a wild child! Sorry mom and dad....I now feel your pain! Here are some old pictures of me compared to some pictures of cute little Jack!

Then.....and now!

Can you guess which one is me?!

(My sister was always the sweet one, me....not so much)

Are you starting to see the similarities??

Again....the wild one!

I guess you could also say that 'he's a chip off the old block'!

Memory Lane...

 

This past weekend I was able to go up to Couer d'Alene for my 10 year high school reunion!  I signed up for it last year and when it came right down to it, I wasn't sure if I even wanted to go, but once I got there I was so glad I did.  It was so great playing 'catch-up' with so many people that I haven't seen since we graduated and especially chatting with the people I still continue to talk to!  It was as if we picked up where we left off (well, add a few kids and a husband to the mix!)  Some of them haven't aged/changed a bit and we all laughed at our old pictures and yearbooks, it's a great thing for pictures because I had forgotten that most of those 'memories' even existed!  I can't believe all the wild and crazy stuff we used to do together!  I had totally forgotten about all those 'so-called' talent shows and lip sync contests, and oh, the prom pics were priceless!  We also had a family day at the Fort Sherman park to let our kids get together to play, it was fun to meet some of my friend's children.  

I must say, after this being my 3rd reunion in a month....I am all reunioned out for the year!  It was well worth the trip....and the bonus was that I got to stay at Nana and Pops house along with my 'great Aunt Lala and Uncle Homer' who were visiting from San Diego!    

 

The other 'Highlight' of our weekend trip was that we got to go to Silverwood for a whole day!  For anyone who doesn't know what Silverwood is, you are missing out!  It's the NW's largest theme park/water park and it is a total blast.  The kids were in complete heaven.  (I can only imagine how much they'd love Disneyland!)  We rode all kinds of rides, cooled off at Boulder Beach water park, did carnival games, had ICEE's, corn dogs and fries, rode the train and witnessed a 'train robbery' (KJ thought it was real at first!), and best of all, the kids finally got to experience the thrill of putting their hands up during the roller coaster ride (the kiddie one, of course)!  I'd say it was a successful weekend, one that I'd love to do again....maybe in another 10 years!

sEvEn YeArS oLd!!!

Happy 7th Birthday to our Keaton!

Keaton's actual BIRTHday!  I cannot believe that 7 years has flown by so fast, it seems like yesterday....but then, I also have a hard time remembering life without our KJ!  We drove KJ by the hospital he was born in, it flooded me with memories!  This boy put me through 21 hours of labor and then we had to go C-Section, but he was worth it in the end!!!

 

1st Birthday!

2nd Birthday

3rd Birthday!

4th Birthday!

5th Birthday!

6th Birthday!

And today....the big 7th Birthday!

Man...things change fast in the world of motherhood.  Where has the time gone??

Keaton has had 'kind-of' 2 birthdays this year.  We did his Birthday party and big celebration last Saturday (while Dan was in town) and then today we mainly just had a family day (which is just as much fun!)  So he's been double spoiled and has really gotten to do the whole birthday dessert 3 times....how lucky is he?!!

Tonight at bed-time I asked Keaton, what's the best part about birthday's, and he said,  "I love birthdays because it's my favorite holiday.  It's the only holiday that is ALL MINE!"  I thought that was so cute!  

We feel so blessed to have little Keaton in our lives.  Our family definitely wouldn't be the same without him in it, he fills a HUGE spot and we all love him for it.  Some things that describe Keaton are that he is:

Curious about all things in life, he loves to ask question after question until he is satisfied with the answer.  This is also the reason he is so smart, he retains anything that is said to him.  He is super knowledgeable and remembers and learns very quickly.  I think he's smart beyond his years!!

He's a HUGE helper around the house.  He plays so well with his little brother and sister and they think he's the best!  He loves to help out in the kitchen.  In fact...he'd like to be a chef someday.  As he would say, "I'm going to be a chef and an astronaut, so I can cook up in the spaceship for everyone."

He's loved doing the 'boy' things this year.  He played on soccer and baseball teams this year and he really enjoyed it.  His new favorite thing is swimming and he's become quite the little fish this year.  He also loves to do anything outside...rollerblading, scooters, trampoline, bicycle, and slip-n-slide, to name a few!

Best of all....he's very kind and sensitive.  He still likes to be cuddled and bundled up with mom and dad.  We hope that lasts for years to come!  Our day doesn't feel complete unless we've had some down time to read and cuddle with our sweet little KJ.

Here are a few photos that we took of his '2' Birthdays this year!  Keaton was very good at picking EXACTLY what he wanted to do on 'HIS' days!  He chose some unique things, but we all had fun!

He wanted to go to Cracker Barrel for his birthday party dinner!  I had never been there before, but it was kind of fun!  The kids loved getting breakfast for dinner!

Here is the dessert number 1 that I mentioned!

These are KJ's cousins that he wanted to have come to dinner and a movie with us!

All the 'boys' sporting their 3D shades. 

We took them all to see Ice Age 3....in 3D!  It was really cute!

Here is the best part about birthday's.... the presents!  He got totally spoiled, thanks everyone!

One of the great things about living by family is that they can take the kids out on special dates!  Today Ninny and Papa took KJ out to his choice of lunch (Fudruckers) and then to the toy store to pick out a couple of toys!  He loved it!

We spent a lot of  today at the Boise Zoo.  It was SUPER hot, but it was fun.  The kids really loved seeing all the animals.  I haven't been to the zoo in years, so it was fun for me too!

KJ was most excited to see the lions!

After the zoo and a stop at Toys r Us, we went to Red Robin for dinner and KJ's 2nd dessert!

We finished the night by making a cake for home (dessert #3), blowing out the candles time after time, and watching Coraline.  It was a great day for a GREAT boy!   I'm sure we will all sleep well tonight!  Big thanks to Keaton for being the best boy he can be!  We love you and look forward to what your seventh year will bring!