Hot "Summer" Days

Well it is not offically summer yet these last couple days sure feels like it! We hauled out the pools to cool off and have some fun. This was Levi's first experience with the pool since he was a newborn last summer and he seemed to enjoy it. Her are two of my boys( the other was at school) enjoying the water in this warm weather.

He likes cords, he plays with the vaccum cord, the lamp cord,computer cords, air pump cord, the cord to the blinds and even when we were at Crazy Bounce he played with the cords there too.

11 Months

Man, 11 months- that means next month is your birthday and you will be one! Levi is constantly on the go and acting less and less like a baby each day. He is on all table food and still has 3 bottles a day, but he has also tried regular milk in a sippy and he loves it! He is getting more daring and pushing away from furniture and taking a few steps, but I wouldn't consider him walking yet, but I think very soon. He waves bye bye, but also for night night and hi. He says mama and dada but I have not heard much else. He has never been much of a talker. He loves being outside and is always putting stones, grass, whirlie birds, whatever he can find in his mouth. It's gonna be a busy summer keeping after him. He got his first big owie- he fell into the window ledge and still has a huge bump on his forehead. He also loves to play with trucks and push them around and make truck noises. It is so cute! He still has four teeth, the bottom two and his fangs on top, he may be working on some more b/c he has been a little crabbier lately. Hopefully his front two teeth. Love Him! He is growing into such a fun, happy, lovable little guy!

playing trucks

standing on his own

Best Buds

Last Friday I got to watch my niece Sophia and nephew Max. I snapped a few pictures of the boys. They are only 2 weeks apart. They don't play together much right now, but I hope as they grow up they become best buddies!

Meijer Deal...Free & Cheap

This may not seem like a great deal or much to write about, but I only paid .50 for these to items. The Nabisco snack packs(12 ct) are $4 at Meijer and if you purchased one of these you also got the mac' n cheese cup for free. You are only allowed 1 per transaction( to get the free mac'n cheese- if you don't care to have those you can purchase the snack packs all at once with all the coupons), so I did like 5 different transactions. Here is how you get the snack packs for .50- If you got the 5 pack of mac' n cheese a few weeks ago they also had coupons on them for $2.50 off a snack pack( and there are still some available on them in the store), so I used that plus Meijer Mealbox had a coupon for $1.00 off 1 off these packs. Combined them together and got pretty cheap stuff. These are great to use in Riley's lunch box, on the go snack, or like I am going to use them for the snack I have to bring for after one of his t-ball games.

Happy 7th Birthday Riley!!

My oldest boy is 7!! WOW!! Riley had a great b-day with lots of gifts recieved. He is obsessed with Mario on the Wii and even had a Mario theme party. He got Mario Cart and then recieved $50 and wanted to buy Mario Galaxy. He also got some Legos, Transformers, Rollerblades, Leapster game, water gun, and some other cool toys too. He definetly got a lot of loot this year. He is growing up way to fast but I look forward to watching him become a young man, he is already a great brother! We love you buddy!!

he wanted a mario theme b-day party at Crazy bounce so I carried the theme over into his other b-day party and made him this cake.

Riley really wanted a birthday party with the boys from his class, so we celebrated at Crazy Bounce. The boys had lots of energy and had lots of fun!

enjoying some pizza and cupcakes

Opening up his presents he got from his friend

Outdoor Discovery Center Field Trip

On Thursday I went on a field trip with Riley's class to the Outdoor Discovery Center. We first went and ate lunch at Timbertown and got to play for a little bit, then spent the afternoon exploring the trails and then learning about animals habitats and got to touch a few animals

Riley's first grade class

Out on the trails

They got to see and/or touch a snake, salamander, bunny, and a screech owl that was hit by a car and was missing an eye.

Busy, Busy

Nothing special about this post but just some things that have been going on lately. The title says it all. Its exactly how I feel this past month and the month to come. All my weekends for May are booked. Don't get me wrong I like keep busy, but it has been non-stop. Plus I do alot of the stuff with 3 kids on my own b/c the hubby is over the road trucking alot and it wears on you after awhile. I just feel like I have been running here and there and shuttling kids around, planning parties and sport events. I shouldn't complain I don't even have to get up to do a job on top of it all, they are my job. I am just tired and I have another month of this craziness.

Carter has turned 4, John is the BIG 3-0, I turned 28( these were all in a 2 week span) Riley is turning 7 on Saturday- we are having a party at Crazy Bounce with the boys from his class( pictures to come soon) and then a small family party the same day. At some point we as a family go to a fun place of their choice( Carter chose Chuckie Cheese, gotta love that pizza- not). He usually picks the Craigs Cruisers in GR its alot more fun than the Holland one, but the weather needs to cooperate to do the outdoor stuff. Then in June my baby turns 1 :( and we will have another big party! Anyway enough rambling. Here are some pictures of our past month....

The cake that I made him-sort of. I baked the cake and frosted it, but the picture was made of an edible icing by someone else and all I had to do was apply it to the top of the cake. I emailed her a picture of his truck and she was able to make this.

John the birthday guy. Not the best shot , but its all I had.

Some of the party guests and activities at John's 30th Birthday party

My sister-in-laws, Jen and Jen and my sister, Julie on the right

Levi being a little busy boy. Checking out the cupboards, he didn't make to big a mess. He has also started to climb the stairs, so its time to get the gates out again. He is really getting into everything!

Headed out to the Tulip Time Parade again this year and of course it rained as it usually does just before and then was fine the rest of the time.

Our neighbor Austin, nephew Trenton, Riley, and neice Sophia. Carter did not want to take part in the picture. I told him someday when he is older he is going to wonder why there are no pictures of him and I will tell him that he never wanted to be in them b/c he always had a little attitude. :)

My sister and her daughter dressed up in their Dutch costumes for the street scrubbing

My nephew Kody( 3rd from the left) got to hold the gun for the ZCS band during the Tulip Time Parade.

Levi LOVED the parade! The loud bands did not bother him at all.