Fathers Day weekend at Marion Forks.

So we decided 2 days before the weekend, that we would pack up and head camping for Fathers day weekend. We loaded up the car and headed out to Marion Forks fish hatchery/campground. It was great, only one other family was at the entire campground...so it was all ours to roam! As we pulled in I was going over the "rules" for camping by a fast river to the boys. I explained it in the scariest, and most child like way I could to ensure that they understood and that no little boys would get washed away with the river. What I told them was "you stay far away from the edge of the water so the big fish dont grab you and pull you into the water and wash you far far away from mommy and daddy and drown you". Haha...Im terrible. But it obviously worked well because as I backed into our camp spot Zach began freaking out and screaming, truly honestly FREAKING out... "dont fall us in the water with the fish moooooooommmmmmmy!" And the entire weekend they both stayed far away from the waters edge, except towards the end of the trip as Eli got more and more darring (and more and more sleep deprived) and realized that the fish probably wouldnt have pulled him in...so I had to tell him that the fish wouldnt, but the water WOULD. So luckily, no children were washed away this time. We spent the entire weekend relaxing and eating by the fire, visiting the fish in the hatchery, going for walks, sleeping, playing in the dirt, fishing, and even took a few hours out of the warm day to head back to Detroit Lake for a few hours of swim time. The water was VERY cold (because this has been a freaky year, and there was still snow on the ground in some places!!), but the boys enjoyed playing in the water anyways. It was a wonderful Fathers Day weekend, I think its exactly what daddy wanted as a gift. ...but of course we also made him a card, and got him two hat and shirt sets (one said "#1 Dad", and the other "Property of my family").

So I had to take pictures of the boys eating at the campground. Its totally funny how different their eating habbits are and who eats more like Jake and who like myself. So here we have Zachary...eating a bun, filled with tofu and some vegetable pasta salad...then you have Eli, eating a bun with a meat hotdog sour crout and lots of catsup. They couldnt be anymore different..but we love them both the same. :)

Kindergarten here I come!

Eli successfuly completed his year of preschool! He made some great friends along the way and learned a lot of new things to prepare him for Kindergarten. At the graduation ceremony they sang us songs, told us a little about their year, and then received their diplomas, awards, and graduation hats...and finished off the night with CAKE.

Some videos to go along with the postings I just blogged...

Eli dancing (ie...being himself) at the tea party birthday party

Mothers Day preschool program

Eli turns 5!

The boys' birthdays are always an emotionally trying time for me. Im excited to watch them grow up, but at the same time Im sad watching them grow up so fast. Turning 1 was hard for me, but I think that turning 5 has been the most emotional for me so far. Its such a big step! Now were on to kindergarten...crazy. Anyways, we always go above and beyond for the boys birthdays...but this year Eli was especially spoiled. We decided to have his friends from preschool over for a seperate birthday party. We ate lunch, smashed a pinata, and played with every toy in the house...it looked like 7 four and five year olds had been there for 3 hours....oh wait, they were! A few moms came and stayed at the party, but most of them left them in my care. It was so much fun, but definatley exhausting!

Then a few days later he got his "Red Robin birthday club" coupon in the mail so we went to dinner, he ordered his favorite dish Cheesey noodles, and then they sang to him with balloons on his ears and gave him an ice cream sundae. Boy was he one happpy birthday boy!

Then on his actual "birth" day we went to Calamity Janes for dinner. They gave him a cowboy hat, a sundae, and had him ride a toy horse around the room while they sang. It was so cute watching him run around on the horse, he wasnt shy at all about it!

And then to finish off his birthday series, was a very nice party at our house with family and friends. Eli's theme he picked this year, was monkeys. So we had monkeys everywhere! A good friend also brought along their blow up bouncy house and the kids bounced all afternoon. We are very blessed with such a healthy smart energetic fun 5 year old boy. And we are even more blessed to have such great family and friends to help us celebrate our childrens birthdays with. Thank you everyone who made this birthday so special for our big boy.

Happy 5th Birthday Eli!!!

Dare devil child.

Here, Eli volunteered his body as a jump for Uncle TJ and his skate board. Mommy was scared, but trusted Uncle TJ...or really, threatned him if he hurt my child. ;)

Bowling fun.

We recently attended a silent auction and won a basket that had gift cards in it to movies and bowling. So we decided one weekend that since they were both out in Cornelius, that we'd make a day of it and go use up both gift cards. We started the day with a movie, Nims Island (very cute!) and then headed over to some bowling. The boys had such a great time, and did really good! It was a fun family day.

Field trip to the zoo

We took a field trip to the zoo with ELi's preschool class. All the kids, plus some mommies and siblings and Ms Hannifan all came along. There were so many other schools on field trips the same day, and it was a pretty wet day...but the kids all had a great time. Were really sad that only a few of Eli's friends from preschool will be in kindergarden with him, he's made some really great friends.