Zach turns FIVE!

(these pictures are in no particular order, blogger jumbled them up and I dont have the patience today to organize them back because I was so behind on my blogging that Ive been blogging all morning and Im burnt out on organizing....sorry!)

FIVE YEARS OLD!?? Where has the time gone? My baby turned 5! We celebrated for days, alien style.

Zach opening some of his gifts. Thank you everyone for spoiling our little man, he was one happy little birthday boy!

The kids picking beans durring the party. Yum Yum!

Bustin out the hoola hoops! Nice job Eli.

Zach and HIS friend Jacob, making up a game with the hoola hoops and frisbees. Cute little buddies. Zach is so excited to have his own friends now, and to tell anyone who will listen that Jacob and Dylan are HIS friends, not Eli's. Poor little brother, always been the tagalong and having to share friends...but not anymore, now that he's found his own.

Eli and good friend Jenna. They are just so stinkin cute.

Cupcake time! mmmm mmmmm

Zach blowing out all FIVE candles. (It did take a few tries though, and no they were NOT trick candles...he just didnt blow hard enough)

Alien cupcakes....

Zach is known for his tricks... he'll bust them out at any given moment, usually with no notice at all.

The kids all lined up eating some dinner in the grass.

Alien cupcakes, and Zachs alien cake.

The alien table! Cake, cupcakes and goodie bags!

Zach's alien breakfast....green alien eggs and toast.

Zach opening a gift from Mommy and Daddy on his REAL birthday. (and yes he's in trick motion in the picture)

Red Robin....YUM! What a good brother, sharing his birthday ice cream with his big brother.

The Bird and Crew singing happy birthday to our big boy.

Im five now, I can cut my own melon...

I still cant believe how big the boys are getting so fast. Five and seven years old already, really? booooo. Its a sad reality that they grow up on us so fast, but we're enjoying watching every moment of it. They have become such amazing smart funny talented sweet carring boys. I enjoy every moment of being their Mommy.

And if you havent seen our measurements of the boys on our pantry door latley, look next time you visit. Its pretty funny to see their growth over the years. Eli continues to tower over little Zach every year. Infact we just measured and marked Zach for year 5, and he's not quite as tall now as Eli was at 4...yes you read that right. My cute short little Zachy isnt even as tall as Eli was at 4 years old...and he's FIVE.

Happy 5th Birthday to (my baby) Zach! We love you.

Hertel campout at Fishermens Bend

3 days full of fun with family at Fishermens Bend campground.

Grandma Rita brought a sprinkler, the kids had a blast!

Zach taking a little break in the sunshine to warm up with Ina. Notice his not so comfy place he chose to sit on. (horse shoe pole? OUCH!)

Grandma Rita giving Eli and Raymond a push on the tire swing at the park.

The most famous part of the campout every year...TREASURE TRUNK!

Eli and his buddies, Raymond and Ina.

Eli stop jumping on the rocks they are slippery!!!

See, we told you they are slippery!!

Eli the bubble boy.

Zach blowing up a balloon rocket. Aunt Jen always has the coolest toys.

Looking for a geocache. Ben, Eli and Raymond.

Geocaching. Eli, Raymond, Zach and Clem.

This picture is sort of hard to see on the blog, but I LOVE it. All weekend Id catch Eli in deep conversation with Aunt Maxine. I told Jake once that Ive never seen Eli sit for as long and as serious in conversation as he did with Jakes Aunt Maxine. It was adorable, I think he really took a liking to her on this trip. I was sitting behind him at the campfire one night listening to him talk to her. He was telling her all about something he did once and ended it with "I must have the smartest brain ever". So cute.

Jake trying to win the best time at the M&M sorting game.

Tin can stilts were a big hit, even for the big kids!

I still cant believe Eli didnt break an ankle...

Eli and Ray racing.

Stomp rockets!

Zach giving the stilts a try. He did pretty good too!

and this picture explains why I cant believe still that Eli didnt break an ankle. He fell alot.

We had such a great time as always, and look foward to next years campout!

Zach graduates from Safety Town camp.

Zach has been looking foward to going to Safety Town Camp since Eli attended his first year before he started Kindergarten. So when the time came a couple of weeks ago for Zachs turn, he was oh so proud.


My little professor pondering the seriousness of safety.

The morning of his first day he was a little nervous. He told me that he would try not to be afraid of the "teenagers" (counselors for each group are middle and high school kids). I guess he thought teenagers were scary? I explained to him that teenagers were not all bad, the ones at camp would be nice and would help teach them all week. I told him that they would be nice just like the really sweet teenager who watches the kids in the gym at school durring parent club meetings that he knows. So when we walked up to safety camp and he was assigned to his group, he was all to happy to see that one of his counselors was a funny guy that Eli had last year also (Gabe) and the other was none other than the sweet teenager who watches them durring parent club meetings (Mackenzie). He immediatley was at ease and ok with me leaving him in the hands of the "teenagers".

Mackenzie teaching Zach to buckle up and about traffic and road safety.

Eli trying to get into the picture. Zach was very upset.."this isnt your Safety camp anymore Eli, its mine!"

Zach is already looking foward to his final year next summer...and Eli's informed me he cant wait to be a counselor when he's in middle school. We LOVE Safety Town Camp!

Hertel potluck