run. splash. play. repeat.

the past 2 days we have kept very busy ...

(really ... what day DON'T we keep busy ... but anyway ...)

on tuesday alex had a doctors appointment so we met kelly and crew at the splash pad afterwards ...
it's amazing how a few buckets and some running water can keep 3 boys VERY busy!



they finished up at the park and drew was SO helpful -
alex and adison LOVED going down the slide OVER and OVER and OVER with him -
bonus for us -
he took them and we didn't have to :)



all 3 boys crashed on the way home -
and woke up just in time to end the day with a fundraising dinner for team mullen



(look at these 3 year olds!!
i can actually get a picture of them BOTH looking and smiling :)
as for alex and grabbing himself ... all i can say is ... we have a house full of boys!)

-----------------------------

today ...
we continued the fun with my friend julie and her boys.
she may live ALL THE WAY in wisconsin (*wink wink*) but it's still fun to make the drive and see them.



AND ...
an added bonus is that getting that many boys together is guaranteed to burn some energy!
all 5 boys were sleeping within 5 minutes of us leaving their house!
that's worth the drive right there ;)

a reason to celebrate!

alex turning 3 gave us the perfect reason for an afternoon at the beach!

we met up with a few friends and celebrated alex.



it was the PERFECT day!

we had ...
sun,
sand,
snacks,
drinks,
a park,
a lake,
friends ...



and ...
cupcakes!!!
mmmmmmmmmmmm :)

can't ask for much more!

hope you had a fun birthday, little buddy!

THREE!!!!

HAPPY 3rd BIRTHDAY ALEX!!!



i can't believe that you are already 3!

you were supposed to be my baby that didn't ever grow up ...
did you get that memo?!

apparently not because you are getting SO grown up!!

you are fully potty trained ...
you can count ...
and you even wrote your name for the first time this week ...

you are such a fun, and quirky, kid.
you know exactly what you want and won't back down until you get it.
you are either completely hilarious and loveable or really crabby and stubborn - there is no in between.
you say the funniest things and you know exactly when to say them.
you absolutely ADORE drew and ben -
and are completely lost without them.
you have become a little sponge and copycat -
which is a bit scary at times.

you love ...

hot dogs,
backyardigans,
chipotle,
chewy,
candy,
chocolate milk,
mickey mouse,
adison,
cars,
the trampoline,
cocoa puffs,
and
me (a lot)

i am loving watching you grow
and seeing how much you change each day.
although i remember and LOVE thinking about the 6 pound baby that i brought home from the hospital 3 years ago ...
(well the HAPPY side of that baby) ...
i wouldn't change where we are today.
you are loving...
you are loveable...
and you are the PERFECT littlest brother for this family.

we love you SO much baby alex .... or um ... 'regular alex'
happy birthday, buddy!

happy 4th of july!

our 4th of july fun started nice and early ...

we met up with the mullen kids and cheered mom and dad mullen on in the lakes 8k.
(i'm pretty sure alex and oliver, with their cowbells, won best cheerleaders ont he course)
they beat their goal ...
(and i have decided i can never run with deby because she'd kick my ... well you know ;))
NICE JOB GUYS!



we then split up for a few hours ...
stacey and drew had to try out drew's new clubs ...
and ben, alex, and i got to hit up the MOA for a bit.

we met back at home to finish up our laying mulch project
(FINALLY!!!)
and to chill out a bit before heading to the fireworks

we ended the night in the perfect firework watching spot ...
to find out where we watched,
you'll just have to come with us next year!!

all i will say is that it involved a bunch of people,
and a sprinkler system that was MUCH smarter than they were ;)

HAPPY 4th OF JULY 2009!!!

busy fun

this weekend we went to WI

it was busy
(as it always is when we go)
but ... it was a fun kind of busy ...

you know,
the kind of busy where ...

you send the kids hiking up the mountain and put the 8 yr old in charge ...



let the kids play basketball and HOPE that the basketballs don't roll ALL the way down the hill ...

you let the puppies run and fight NONSTOP the ENTIRE weekend ...
knowing full well they will sleep really well for the next 2 days!
(speaking of puppies ... do you think they still know they are brother and sister?!)



AND ...
where you see the cow truck and decide that you don't care how bad they are for you ...
there are not better cheese curds anywhere on the planet ...
and you MUST stop!
mmmmm......
(thinking the COW truck needs to come visit MN)



it was the kind of weekend that you wish could happen more often ...
but by sunday night realize that it's probably a good thing it doesn't ...
because 3 tired kids ... are only fun for so long ;)

a different chewy

last week chewy went in for his first puppy groom.

he did a really good job -
but when she came to bring him to me i seriously thought she had brought the wrong dog!

he lost almost all of his black coloring -
in fact, his head and face are actually pure golden retriever color!
(it happened on the same day michael jackson died .. maybe there's something to it ... going black to white ...)

when alex saw him for the first time he said 'OH a different chewy!'
and then proceeded to call him 'different chewy' for the rest of the night.



you're still cute, little guy.
you just really are ...
a different chewy!

backstage with the bible

the kids had SO much fun at VBS this week -
but sadly it is over :(

the go fish curriculum - backstage with the Bible - ROCKED!!
(if you have any say in your church's VBS curriculum - SERIOUSLY check it out!)

it was the perfect combination of strong bible basics with lots of go fish fun mixed in.
all of the kids loved it!!



drew got an extra special surprise when on the first day one of the kids that was in his cabin at camp last week showed up -
and was in his group!! (he's in the picture above)

alex got to spend time with his friends and LOVED the crafts -
but then freaked out EACH day because his paper never made it home without getting a wrinkle in it.

and

ben got to be in a crazy group with his friends - and says he really liked the games ;)
we had BEAUTIFUL weather so they were able to play games outside all week!

the weather also gave us the perfect opportunity to spend some time over at our friends' house on the lake.
a boys paradise.
and a mom's ;)

thanks, micki, for a fun day ;)

and

thanks, go fish (and the girls behind the curriculum ... *wink*) for an incredible week as well!!

just in case you were wondering ...

just in case you have ever asked yourself

'why you reek when you sweat' ...

according to ben ...

'there are germs in your sweat and germs fart. and that is what makes you smell'

happy fathers day!

happy father's day, stacey!



that's right ... it's your day ... now GET TO WORK!

ok kidding.
this is not today ... if you follow my 365, you would know friday was the day we worked on our mulch;)

BUT ... it does illustrate what i want to say ...

you are a great daddy.
you have 3 boys that look up to you,
that want to be like you,
and want to do what you do.

thank you for being the daddy that you are
and
thank you for working so hard and giving up what you do
so that we can be the family that we are.
(like not walking the 18 holes and taking a cart - JUST for the boys ;) te he he)

you are so special to them
and
to me.

i love you.

camp reflections

so i posted MY pictures from camp - but never got to drew's.
he had taken 3 the entire time he was there-
(obviously doesn't take after me quite yet in that area. i take 3 of one pose just to guarantee a good shot!)
one of his counselor, one of his CIT, and one of he and janel.

janel was their 'cabin buddy'.
janel came to tuck them in at night.
janel was the one that if you were missing your mom and dad (it's not called 'homesick) came and snuggled with you until you were feeling better.
basically janel was there to make sure that you were doing ok and that you felt comfortable at camp.



when i found out about janel and her 'role' at camp i was quite impressed.
how smart to have someone like that - especially during the weeks the younger campers are there!!!
drew loved her and has told us a lot about her so i wanted to 'remember her' on here
since ultimately this blog is 'my journal';)

another funny connection was that we found out that drew's counselor was from around here -
and went to school with the sons of the boy's preschool teacher, who we all miss and adore ...
it put my mind at ease when i found that she couldn't give me any dirt on him -
and that he came from a really good family :)

a week ago today i was sitting here thinking about missing drew.
and when i look back ...
at first thinking about leaving drew was tough -
but the more excited he got
and the more i found out about the people that were watching over him ...
the more at ease i got.
camp was DEFINITELY a good experience for all of us
and i am REALLY excited for when we can send him again.

(and no it's not JUST because the house gets 10 times quieter)