Hello May

 It is already May and Maris is out of school until fall when she starts KINDERGARTEN. It has been a week since preschool ended and we are already searching for ways to fill our days. We have had soo much rain lately that playing on the new swing set has been difficult, but yesterday the rain dried up and it was hot out. Kids Bowl Free starts today so we have a summer of bowling ahead of us as well. Time to start ticking things of the summer bucket list!

Maris and Jackson posing for a picture, Maris spotting a bee, and Maris protecting her brother from said bee :)






We went for a walk and I took some pics *surprised?*

                     Maris being BOSSY

We're Not In Preschool Anymore!

our sweet Maris  graduated preschool this week! Onto kindergarten in the fall! *deep breath!*

 her grandparents got her a few gifts... a sweet book and also a notebook (she loves writing - constantly "how do you spell this or that...")

 I took her outside to snap a few pics of her in her ensemble before the cap and gown. She's a ham!

Maris and her 3 BFFS with their matching Dorothy shoes.

the jump we heard so much about before the big day :)

 The school unfortunately has a rule prohibiting children under 4 to attend the festivities held there due to a previous year... someone didnt watch their kid and he destroyed the decorations before the kids got to perform... so now they are banned. It stinks that everyone suffers bc of a lazy parent but I do understand. A lot of work goes into the productions as you can see from the photos... Id be pissed if I did all that work... but Goober is good. He may throw a fit here and there annoyingly but he would never ruin decorations... He got to stay home with Grandpa and his uncles and had a great time :) Plus we all came back and had yellow brick road cake and some lunch food.

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