Reptile Birthday Party

Erick and Evan's birthday is two days after Christmas.
Jessi and Isaac hired Scales and Tails to come and do a reptile show during their birthday party.
She asked me to stay and do pictures, and I think we all agreed, the show was better than any of us expected. The guy was animated and funny, the animals were cool, and the kids loved it.

We made my mom smile for a picture to send to my Dad....
When it started moving, she wasn't a fan.

Tyler was not interested in holding the snake...
Tim may or may not have paid him a dollar to hold it for a picture. 

I don't think he minded too much. 

I can't believe these little monsters are already four!

Madee slept through the whole dang thing. 

Jessi posted more pictures here.

Hey There Delilah

My adorable niece, Delilah, turned one in August. I took these pictures mostly for Jessi to use, but I thought I'd share a few of them. To celebrate her birthday they had a low key barbeque in their backyard (which made me desperately want grass *sigh*).

These are some classic David and Kati faces.

My children are blindingly white. Especially when you see them next to their cousins.  

Don't get the wrong idea. I don't think they are baby hungry yet.

(My babies are just far too cute to resist snuggling them a bit)

It looks like they are having a really intelligent conversation.

Madee and her Grandma. 

I sure love this girl

Kati might be too big (and too old) to sit on my mom's lap, but we haven't told her yet.

I pawned my camera off on David and Kati for a good share of the night....

So I guess I can't take credit for all of the photos. 

Jaxen was coveting Delilah's cake. 

Do you see the longing in his eyes?

He seemed very relieved to have a piece of his own.

The birthday girl eating cake in an appropriate first birthday fashion. 

Madee and Delilah are bound to be good friends some day. 

But Delilah seems skeptical. 

Tyler and Hazel looked somewhat similar on Hazels first birthday:

Delilah looks so much like Hazel.

After the party festivities, the adults played the newlywed game. The winners got a chocolate pie.

Who were the winners, you ask?

We were of course!

Have I mentioned that I love chocolate pie?

You can see more pictures of the birthday festivities here. 

It was a good day.

On Wednesday, Jessi and I met at my parents house and our kids had hours and hours of uninterrupted play time.

Our lives are so busy, that it has been a really long time since we've gotten together just to play.

No errands to run, or things to do.

Just sunshine, the kiddie pool, otter pops, sand, pancakes, sprinklers and cousins. 

It was lovely.

My boys were in heaven.

Delilah started crying soon after I took this picture.

Jax ran over to her saying, "It's okay Lila, I'm coming!"

Once he got there he wasn't sure what to do, so he just patted her shoulder.

Evan's swimsuit kept malfunctioning. 

Kati got off work and wanted to join the kids in the pool.

When she got out there, they had moved over to the sandbox.

I thought she looked rather silly in there all by herself 

(until the kids realized their beloved Aunt Kati was going to swim with them and abandoned the sandbox).

At some point the kids decided to try and build a dam.

If you know Tyler, you know how brave he is being.

Water is not his forte. 

Darn swim suit. 

They have so much fun together.

My Dad still climbs on roof tops like he's 20.

By the way... he built that ladder. 

There's no better place to dry off than the warm cement. . . .

Me and my sisters snuck away to Five Guys Burgers and Fries while the kids were drying and their grandparents supplied them with popsicles.

Like I said... it was a very good day. 

(and my kids slept wonderfully that night)