Bean Soup Festival 09

September has always meant the annual Bean Soup Festival in my home town. Its just a small carnival with rides and games for the kids. Oh, and lots of yummy food!

My mom likes to treat her grand kids to a night at the carnival every year and this year was no different. Needless to say, the kids had a blast!

My sister's son, Galen, riding the train.

Ethan, Jason and Grayson on a really fast, really high ride.
All 4 of the boys on the firetruck.

Ending the night with an ice cream cone.

The boys are already looking forward to going back next year!

A Day Out with Thomas 2009

This was our 4th trip to see Thomas and the kids still love it! Here are just some pics with captions!

Thomas is pulling into the station!

Ethan, Grayson and Jason in front of the caboose!

Little did they know that they were going to
be able to ride in Thomas' caboose!

The conductor punched their tickets like on

The Polar Express!

Looking out of the caboose.

We got to watch the engineer fill the engine up with water

on our second train ride! (The regular train)

Grayson and Ethan letting the wind blow

through their hair.

Charles (Chris' dad), Jason, Chris and Grayson.

The kids had a great day. I think it was one of our best trips to see Thomas! They got to ride in Thomas' caboose, watch the engineer put water in the number 90 and spend the day with Grandpop! They even got to go to Old Country Buffet for dinner (that's their favorite place to eat!)

Grayson's 1st day of Preschool

Grayson started preschool on Sept 9th. He goes Mon, Wed and Fri mornings. He also loves school. He, however, is not the student that every teacher wants a classroom full of. He's very lovable and adorable but its his only benefit! Fortunately he has the same teacher that his brother had for preschool. She's stern but is very good with the kids!

Here he is walking up the steps to his classroom.

"Cheesing" in the hallway for mom!

His first few weeks have been pretty good. He's lost a few tickets already (Jason never lost a single one the whole year in that class) but he is a different kid with a different personality! He will strive his way and on his terms! Anyone who knows Grayson will know that this is true!

Jason's a First Grader Now!

Jason is officially in first grade now! He loves school and is excited to go each day. I still have a hard time not having him at home all day. I love having my kids with me and I miss them when they are gone. But knowing that he is learning and having fun makes it easier for me to handle.

Yes, I am a dork! But when I am old I want to remember the date!

Here he is getting on the bus.

Jason actually told me one day that he had an incredible day at school. He is the kind of kid that every teacher wants a classroom full of so I could imagine that it is easy for him to like school. Its been very challenging for us to balance school with football but we make sure that he knows that school is a priority!

Trying to keep up...

Life has been crazy! Summer was crazy and now school has started for both of the boys so it's probably only going to get crazier! Plus Jason has decided to play football and yes, it was HIS decision! I'm getting tired of people asking me if Chris pushed him to do it. While Chris is a huge football fan, he did not force Jason to play.
At first Jason wasn't too sure if this was going to be for him. However, he has toughed it out. Now that he has been practicing hard and has learned more about the game he really likes it. He really enjoys watching football now too (which does make Chris happy) because now he knows what is going on. Jason has also made lots of new football friends. Though he's not very good (yet) he seems to be very popular among his football "mates" (thats what he calls them, its too cute!)

I just wish I had known how much havoc is football schedule was going to have on our family schedules. Before school started he was practicing 5 nights a week! Now that school has started he practices for 2hours 3nights a week. He pretty much gets off the bus, eats dinner and then we leave for practice. After practice it's a small snack, shower, story time and then bed! I am going to have to figure out when to fit in homework time when his teacher starts sending it home!

Jason Birthday and Party

Ok, so its been official for about a month and a half. My big baby is now 6! Jason's birthday was May 12th. He had school in the morning and Chris took cupcakes to school for Jason's class. He was really excited. Then after school we picked up him and his friend Conner. We then took them to Chuck E. Cheese! What kid doesn't want to go there for their birthday. Grayson and my nephew, Ethan, were also there. The adults were very out numbered but managed well!

That evening my sisters and my mom came down to our house for cake and ice cream. We also had Conner's family join us! Its like Jason had a mini party that night! Not that my kids are ever deprived but we really try to make them feel special on their birthday!

Jason blowing out the candles on his 2 cakes.

(Hey, I said we make them feel special!)

Then Saturday was his BIG party. Star Wars themed, of course. Jason wanted all of his friends to dress up as Star Wars characters. I wish I had been able to take a picture of all of them before they took their costumes off but I was so busy that just didn't happen.

Here is a picture of Jason's cake.

Jason blowing out the candles, best friend at his side.

Oh, did I mention that the kids found the water guns?

(explains why Conner has no shirt!)

He had such a fun day. Fortunately the weather held out and we could all stay outside. It started raining later that evening just as I was finishing the cleanup!

Chris reading a card to Jason as he opens a present

Family

I just found out that my cousin, Bob, passed away this morning. He had been battling stage 4 lung cancer for a little while now and succumb to his illness sometime this morning. I haven't seen him or talked to him in a very long time. I am not even sure I would have known who he was if he knocked on my door. Yet, at this time I am very sad for the loss of a family member I barely knew. I am also very sad for his family. For his father to lose a son on Father's Day and his children to lose their father on this day is a terrible ordeal and I can't express my sympathies enough. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers today.
Rest in Peace Robert Yetter.

It's Been a While

Yes, I know its been a while!

I will just post some quick photos and captions of what has been going on in our lives since March.

At the end of March we purchased a playset for the backyard. It took a few hours to prep and sort the wood and then a 14hr day to put it all together. My Uncle Reno, my dad and Chris did most of the work with a few hours of help from Chris' brother Ed. The kids absolutely love it!

Chris and the boys with their Tie Fighter Easter Egg. My mom and my sisters on Easter at our annual family Easter reunion.

In April Jason began playing T-Ball (and soccer). He likes it but has a lot of practicing to do. He practices with his team every Thursday and has a game every Saturday. Soccer practices are every Tuesday with games every Saturday. That means a busy week for all of us!

Playing goalie. Nobody scored on him in this game!

Also in April, Grayson's preschool had a week of dinosaur days. They did a lot of dinosaur projects and even went on a dinosaur hunt (with official dinosaur hunting licenses). They went to the sand box and dug for dinosaur eggs. Grayson was excited to find and orange one. There was a tiny baby dinosaur in each egg for the kids to keep.

There costumes for Jason's Star Wars birthday party!

At the beginning of May Chris and I traveled to the Coatesville VA hospital for a dedication ceremony in honor of his mother. She was the Administrative Assistant to the Chief of Staff at the hospital. There was a tree planted in her honor and the plaque is hanging in the chapel. It was a very nice ceremony and a great way to preserve her memory.

This is all I have time to put up right now. I will post more soon. I still have the photos from Jason's birthday and party on the camera. There will be lots to show this summer too so I am going to try my best to find the time to keep it updated!

Grayson's 4th Birthday - Feb 16th, 2009

I know its backwards but I am slow at getting stuff on here. I actually filled my camera's card at the party because I hadn't taken photos off of it since early January! Oops!

Grayson's birthday was actually the Monday before his party. We had quite an eventful day planned for him. When he woke up in the morning I had the living room floor covered in balloons. Both (ok, all 3) of the boys had fun hitting them and kicking them around all day.

Playing with the balloons.

We also had presents on the table for him to open. It was almost as exciting as Christmas morning! He had so much fun and he was so excited.

Opening his Speed Racer movie and game.

Then it was off to Chocolate World for more birthday fun. We saw the Really Big 3D show, went on the free chocolate factory tour, packaged chocolate in the Chocolate Works area and of course bought some chocolate. Did you know that Hershey made a mint Hershey Kiss for St Patty's Day? Unfortunately I have given up sugar for Lent, so half of the bag is sitting in my cupboard! No, you can't have them! I am saving them for Easter and I am going to make myself sick eating ALL of them! The boys and Chris each picked out something yummy as well.

At the Chocolate Works factory, doing the packaging dance.

Somehow I am not sure that's quite how it is really done at the factory.

Then we ended the day with friends and family. And of course it wouldn't be a birthday without cake, ice cream, singing and candle blowing.

I know the photo is fuzzy but its still a great one of him blowing out his candles.

Needless to say he is already planning his next birthday. Since he will be 5 next year he's planning something big!

Grayson's 4th Birthday Party

Saturday was Grayson's 4th birthday party. He decided that he wanted to have his party at his house so his friends could come over and play with his toys. Let me tell you that they really did play with his toys all day. You should see the toy room! I can't wait to see the floor again!

The party was a success. We started at 2 and we had people here up until almost 8pm. My poor little house was a mess when it was all over. Looking at the smile on Grayson's face made it all worth while.

Grayson's Speed Racer Cake: He put his cars on it.

Don't worry we washed them first.

Chris lighting the candles.

Opening his Speed Racer Lego's. It took Chris hours to

put them together. And yes, he read the directions!

Charles talking to Chris and his brother, Ron, about the

X-box 360's that he bought them for their birthdays.

Ron, Heather, Amanda, and Lona

Note the Speed Racer poster that Chris customized

for Grayson's party.

It's amazing how exhausting birthday parties can be. The planning, the cleaning, the cleaning again, the sugar high kids! It's hard to believe that I have to start planning Jason's party already. His birthday isn't until May but he wants a bowling party again. It's crazy that you have to book a party this far in advance. But at least I won't have to clean the toy room after that party!