My K-state boys

The day has FINALLY come...

The FATHER/SON K-State Basketball Camp!

I think Steve's smile is the biggest!  

The boys are excited, but I think dad might be the MOST excited about this camp!!

Thumbs UP!!

The boys packed cameras, toys, crayons, stuffed animals, 

way more stuff than they needed to be gone 36 hours!!!

Jaden was complaining that he didn't want to "go that far...my bottom hurts when we go to K-State"

(If only he knew we were going to drive 15 hours this summer to Michigan...

that will really make his bottom hurt!!)

Of course Paige had to get in a picture too!

The green piece of paper is a note that Tyler wrote for one of the players. 

The boys spent all morning making pictures and notes to give the players!  

Jaden is having a K-State birthday party, so we made his invitations and he took them to ALL the players.  He wrote each players name on an invitation all by himself, he was so proud.

Here's Steve and I's bright idea----

SHHH.....it's a SECRET!!!  

We are going to buy Jaden something K-State, box it up, and mail it to him with a card "from the K-State b-ball team."  I just don't think little Jaden will understand why none of the players came, if he invited them!  I know this is technically lying, but I think it might be ok in this situation! 

 Don't you think he would think this was AWESOME!!

 So---we can't wait to hear all the stories tomorrow night when the boys come home.  

Can't wait to see which boy had the most fun!

And, in the meantime, Paige and I are having "Girl Time"

Did you know...

Jaden---

Mom, did you know Reagon has way longer hair than Paige?

Paige--

Yeah, that's because God makes us all differenter

Jaden--

No, her hair just grew

Paige--

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

** I just left the room. I didn't want to get in the middle of this!  

The things they say sometimes just CRACK ME UP!!!

Tyler's Field Day

Field Day--2010--Tyler, First Grade

Jackson, Tyler, Jacob, Ethan R.--buddies!!

Team building-- it was quite difficult for them to move the ski's!

Jaeylnn is behind Tyler.  She's his friend too!!

Having FUN!!

Tyler does love to Hula-Hoop!  

Hula Hooping around Mrs. Adkins!

Tyler wrote Mrs. Adkins a "thank-you" note on the last day of school and said---

on his own, with no help...

"I wish you could be my teacher for 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th grades"

I guess he liked her!! 

The Boys---

With CJ in the blue and Brock in the white

The sun was a little bright!!

The 3-legged race with Jackson

A relay race...

The class--Mrs. Adkins, First grade

Cheering on the other classes during the tug of war challenges!!

I can't believe 1st grade is over.  

We are SO PROUD of Tyler.  He is reading 3rd grade level books. 

His math skills amaze me!

He loves school and is excelling in school.  

He is making "real" friends on his own.

He loved having us come eat lunch with him at school---

we would normally bring McD happy meals.

He is a good student.

I got to be the co-room mother for his class!

He stayed on GREEN all year (behavior point system)!!

He was in the highest reading group in his class.

Tyler got 3rd place in his class Spelling B, 

which made him the runner up to be in the school spelling B.

He still loves riding the bus.

He is still SUPER SLOW getting ready in the AM, but he did get better the last few months of school---it could be because he could wear flip-flops and we didn't have to hassle with socks and shoes!  Really....

Tyler has learned my cell phone # and will often call it when I am away from home---

without dad knowing he is calling me.  He whispers on the phone, "hi mom" --with a little giggle! It is so cute!

My little boy is growing up and growing his hair out.  We'll see low long this lasts!

We are super proud of you T-Bone!  

Never stop learning, never stop trying your best!

But, remember....being a good friend and nice to all is more important than anything!

And, remember to always THANK GOD for everything!!!

Jaden

Our J-Man --

Aunt Amanda got a new camera and was playing and learning one afternoon while Jaden was at her house!  

 She told me she took some pictures of Jaden, but  I didn't DREAM they would be this CUTE!!!

This is his sweet, genuine smile!!

We RARELY see this smile in pictures.  Instead we get the cheesy/show-off grin!

Any pictures we have of my boys with Mason--- they are trying to hold him.  

My boys just love Mason and trying to "Take care of him"!!!

Thanks Aunt Amanda for taking these cute pics.  Now---can you get our other 2 kids!!!  

Summer's here!!!

Summer started TODAY at 4:15pm

To get ready for summer...
**I went to the grocery store and bought LOTS OF FOOD!! Lots of SNACKS foods! (we'll see how long these snacks last!)
**have cleaned out closets--got rid of long-sleeve shirts/pants
**bought a few more summer clothes
**cleaned up the back-yard and replanted shrubs that had died!
**caught up on laundry today
to name just a few things!!

Yes---this is my pantry shelf.  I am so proud because we actually have it FULL!!!!!  I don't usually buy lots of "Snack" foods, but today I did.  So, at least for the first week of SUMMER, they'll eat good.

I also bought a watermelon...doesn't that signify summer!!!

Then, when Tyler got off the bus today...ready to go on to 2nd grade.  We ALL greeted him with a GIANT SUCKER (their last day of school treat).

Then, fudge-sicles outside

Swimsuits/slip n slide/sprinklers with the neighbor kids and a BBQ with Wilkinson's!  The kids played outside from 4-8pm and had a BLAST!  Then, in for baths!!

Paige, Leah, Jaden, Hallie, Tyler, and Jaycee

Tyler really was having fun---not sure why he is looking like he is!

Then, because that wasn't enough FUN for one day, we let the kids sleep in the tent in the basement and watch a movie.  We told them at 10pm we had to turn it off.  Tyler and Paige were asleep about 9:30pm.  Jaden made it til 10pm and then we turned off the movie, UP. (I wanted to set the tent up outside and camp in the back-yard---Steve was not up for that!!)

It was a FUN NIGHT!!!  
Summer's here, ready or NOT!!!

More Easter

I wasn't going to blog these pictures, because 3 blogs of Easter pictures is a lot.  

But, I want to always remember their little selves coloring Easter eggs. 

 We may not have many more years of doing this.

Working SO hard

Yes---the "cheesy smile"

Hmmm.....at what age do I have to make Paige keep her shirt on?

Steve had the great idea of coloring eggs with a paint-brush.  I made fun at first and then decided it was truly a good idea. Any time we can do something with a LITTLE less MESS, is good!!!

Easter egg hunts

I took over 100 pictures just for Easter.  

That's silly!

But, in my defense there's: coloring eggs at our house, coloring eggs at Grandma B., eating with Balzer's, eating with Roth's, Easter egg hunts at both grandparents, Easter morning pictures....

There were lots of different opportunities to take their pictures!!

I think Grandma Balzer is telling Tyler that he will never (in her mind) be too old for her hugs and kisses!

Tyler is already thinking he is getting too old for that.

Surely not....he's only 7!