quick sum up of last week

all sides of our family pooled together and got the kids this swing set for Jackson's birthday. It took Jim a couple days to build it basically by himself but it was worth it. They are over the moon about it. OF COURSE it is to rain all week or I'd have a debut play date like I was planning! Maybe next week.

 other small happenings... The kids roller skated for the first time last week. I scored 2 pairs of the fisher price snap on kind at our consignment shop with my store credit for 4 bucks each. Not too bad. I have money just sitting there waiting for something I want to buy (I never find much clothes-wise for the kids) so its nice when I see something worth getting. Jackson was surprisingly great on them. A roller fanatic like his momma maybe? :)

 cupcakes my Mom asked me to make for my stepdad Bobby. Chocolate cake with peanut butter creme filling and  vanilla buttercream icing. I am on this creative baking kick and love it.

ballerina fun while Jackson and I enjoyed some farm fresh chocolate milk & snickerdoodles from the ice cream/dessert place next door.

there were other happenings *like Maris graduating preschool!* but thats for another post :)

Monster Bash!

 the cake. the cake I am most proud of as of yet I think.

 the pinata that lasted one whack... lol thicker next time!

 monster slime punch

 look how big he is now! little man :)

 Jackson and his "girlfriend" Sammie :)

 Look at his goobie smile :) :)

 monster lips lollipops

 adopt a monsters I made for all the kids

I don't think Jackson stopped smiling the whole time :) This party went so well! Lots of work on nights off and in spare time totally paid off to see all the kids (and adults!) enjoy the fruits of my labor haha

Wordless Wednesday

Happy 3rd Birthday Goober!

Happy 3rd Birthday to the sweetest little Goober, Jackson! He can be a handful... but what a love this kid is. Here are a few fave pics throughout the past 3 years. I really limited myself... or else I'd have thousands! :) We are taking a family trip to the American Museum of Natural History in the big city... even taking the train. He is so excited to see dinosaur bones and to ride the train. I wanted to take some birthday portraits today but the rain foiled my plans. They will have to be a day or so late.

Happy Earth Day

 We planted some herbs and flowers and veggies and strawberries  and a climbing ivy plant for Earth Day and spent most of the beautiful day outside cleaning up the yard and party prepping. Its almost the Goob's birthday and party!

Rock Painting, Bug Hunts & Toy Washes!

The kiddos have this new hobby of finding and collecting rocks. We had these piles of rocks accumulating outside and I brainstormed what we could do with them all. I vaguely remembered being at the Y summer camp and painting rocks with bright paint... I made a butterfly rock. This seemed like a great idea and it was! It kept the kids occupied for well over an hour and I was so inspired by the bright colors, I couldn't stop taking pictures! and a bonus note : NO Jackson fits today. We were outside almost all day minus maybe 2 hours before dinner and bath time.

I LOVE her watermelon rock! it had a rind and everything. She is getting so creative! I loove it. and Goober smiled the whole time.

Then we hunted some bugs... they have these new bug magnifiers I got at Target on Easter Clearance for .30 and we were itching to use them. They catch the bug and also have a magnifier on the bottom! So cool.

dirty feet ready for the bathtub - or hose!

Since I was spending all day outside, I felt the need to be doing something myself... so while they got into the sandbox, I started dragging everyhting out of the shed in hopes of weeding out the outgrown toys and wiping down the black dirt filth from the good ones. Then it dawned on me... its hot out... they are FILTHY... why not give them a bucket of soapy water and some sponges and let them go to town? let me tell you... it was great! all of their toys are clean and it helped rinse them down a bit too :) Maris sang the entire time like a maniac :)