Party time!

 

Look at these sweet babies all ready to go celebrate their 4th birthday party with their friends!

They were SO excited- singing "it's my birthday, it's my birthday..!"

We had the party in a big play area at the church where they go to school two days a week.  It was PERFECT!  Very stress-free for us and the kids had a BLAST playing!!

Family shot before our friends arrived!

Team Umi-Zoomi Cupcakes!

Lilly and Brynley- sweet friends! 

Show me a kid who would not LOVE this!

Making a wish!

With presents for two kids, we decided to take them back to the house this year and open them up on our own time.  So glad we did it that way.  It took us two days! It was nice just going at our own pace and having them stop and enjoy each toy before ripping into the next one!

Nate got some BIG BOY dress up stuff, including this cool cowboy hat!

Lilly got some dress up stuff too! (Can you tell she's worn out??)

Love their new grocery carts from Me-Ma!

I have some other pics from their actual birthday but I know I'm late, so I just wanted to get these up!  This year was definitely our best birthday party so far.  We invited all their friends from school, and all of our friends with little ones that we all love to see.  You could tell they just felt so special that so many people who loved them would come to celebrate their birthday.  They were happy, so I was happy.  :) 

My letters to the kids that I do each year and their birthday and more about having two FOUR year olds soon!!

N-A-T-E

Look who's been writing his name!

I think this was the very first time he had ever written it out, all together, like this.  I managed to catch a pic with my phone.  He was always afraid he would do it wrong, and I could never get him to even try.  When he would try, he would get frustrated SO easily.  Finally one day about a month ago, we were outside with sidewalk chalk and he just felt so good about finally getting his "N"s right, that he kept going, and it led to him wanting to try the rest of his name!

On the road.. to Aunt Stephie's Graduation!

Again, I'm so behind.. I know, I know!! 

We all headed up to Colorado Springs a few weeks ago to see Brian's sister Stephanie graduate from UCCS!  We are so proud of her- we wouldn't have missed it! 

There she is on stage shaking hands with important people!!

 Afterwards we had a little party at a park.. the kids were very entertained by a grubworm they found.. YUM!

 Lilly and Steph!

 Lots of sweet nieces and nephews

 Bye bye balloons!

The trip seemed super short, but it was a great one, and the kids did really good in the car (getting better every time), so that made it easier! 

 Now for all of my phone pics..These were on our way there.. they were so excited- we heard "Where is Colorado?" no less than fifty billion times!

 In the hotel room getting ready for the graduation!

 Back in Greeley, all the cousins (minus a shy Matthew) gathered together for a quick pic before we took off..

 Lilly got a little goofy on our way home.. I looked back and she had a wipe stuffed in her sunglasses.. like a little old lady!

Pool time and more backyard play pics!

Daddy loves to see that his hard work paid off!  The kids LOVE the swing set!

Nate giving his baby doll a hair cut!

Have I already put these on my blog??  I can't remember!!  She was so cute reading to her baby doll!

Went to a little splash park with friends a couple of days after we got back from Colorado.. first time in the water but we have been to the pool almost every day since then!!

First time at our community pool.. Nate just had to have goggles even though he won't go under water!

STUD. MUFFIN.

Lilly was so excited when Daddy could go with us on Saturday.  She remembers that he took her in the big pool last summer and she couldn't wait for more!!  She is MUCH more adventurous than Nate at this point!

Right after Daddy dunked her head under the water!

Last day of school!

Last Thursday was the last day of our Mother's Day Out school.  The kids have been going on Tues/Thurs since September.  I'm so grateful for this school.  They have music class, P.E. class, they went to chapel and learned about Jesus, they did arts and crafts and accomplished things that they didn't think they could.  They played with friends and opened up with teachers.  They came out of their shells so much, I just couldn't be happier with all they have learned!!

Of course, we are signed up for Tues/Thurs again starting in the fall, but we will have to fend for ourselves for the summer!  I have a feeling we will have lots of play dates, picnics and pool time!  Anything to keep us out of the house- I don't care if we have to walk up and down the aisles at Kroger- we are getting OUT!

So here are some attempts at pictures I took with my phone on their last day, last Thursday..

And just to refresh your memories, here are the pictures I took on their FIRST day, back in September (just 8 short months ago)..

How have they already grown up so much??  They have definitely gone from chubby babies to big kids :(  Someone stop the clock PLEASE!!

Fancy Nancy party!!

I'm a little late since this party was in April, but I keep forgetting because I didn't take any of my own pictures!  My girlfriend invited us to this GIRLY birthday party for her little girl, and I think I may have been more excited about it than Lilly!  This is our first "no boys allowed" birthday party, and I knew it would be good for Lilly and I to get out by ourselves!  This is a phone picture of another picture, so please excuse the quality.. 

That's my girl in the very middle, in the blue dresss, holding on to the front of it..  

 It was so fun, all the girls got to pick out dress up clothes and shoes, and then they got their hair done, and even got their nails painted! Lilly was pretty quiet, but I could tell she was loving it all..

Sorry- another picture of a picture..

They had all the girls walk down a little runway like models, then they had them do some fun little dances to music before cake and ice cream.  Quite a day- I had fun with my baby girl (and don't you worry about Nate- he and Daddy took a fun MANLY trip to Home Depot)! :)

Outside fun.. TONS of sweet pictures

I've been waiting to add words to this post, but then I thought, why not let the pictures just speak for themselves on this one?!  I think they say plenty!!  (I LOOOOVE the way the sun comes in behind our yard in the evenings.. )

They are really starting to enjoy being in front of the camera a little too much!