Ike's birthday weekend

On the morning of Ike's birthday we headed out to the garage for one big birthday surprise!  An ATV!! Ike was over the moon excited!!  He rode it for hours and let all his neighbor buddies take a turn.  We had to stop all the ATV fun and head to the Collier's Hill pool for John's birthday party. 

Theo had a quick turn and boy was he a wild man.  He is only 2 and didn't last long before his mama had to call it quits after he almost ran into a car.

John's birthday is on the 20th and his party this year was on the 19th.  Ike and Via loved getting to celebrate with him.  Apparently Ike and Trin thought John needed a little help with the candles.  I love this pic!

Girls enjoying some cake.

Swimming fun!

After the pool it was off to Ike's birthday supper of choice, Red Robin.  

Sunday:  Kids awake and straight out the door for a few hours of ATV and jeep riding.

Joseph invited Ike down to play for a bit.

Then it was time to try out Casa Bonita for the first time for a family birthday celebration for both kids.  Derek, Meg, Rafa, Bill, Danielle, Krissy, Nanna, Papa and the four of us had a great time.

First Days of School & the Sandbox

And just like that summer is over and the kids are back in school.  Ike is a first grader at Erie Elementary and I am so excited that he has Mrs. Beamer as his teacher.  Last year we did not love his teacher and I have heard nothing but wonderful things about his teacher this year.  I am very optimistic that this will be a much better year for him and for us!

Ike and his neighborhood/bus stop BFF's John and Tanner

Here they come off the bus after the first day.

The next day was Oliva's first day of Preschool.  She went right in like a big girl and had a wonderful day.  I think that this being the second year will make it so much easier on her.

At the end of Via's first day we met Grace and Trin for ice cream.  It was Grace's last day of summer before she was starting Kinder the next day.

Everyday this week we have been at the neighborhood park.  We spent time there Monday (the last day of summer for the boys) and the rest of the week after the kids get off the bus.  They have spent HOURS digging in the sand box.  My house is full of sand, but we all loving the time together and the beautiful weather.

The kids Chuck E Cheese birthday party

What a fun way for my kids, a few of their friends and cousins to celebrate the beginning of a new year.  Ry, Linds, Jace and Kade were all in town this weekend so I wanted to have Ike and Via's birthday party while they were in town and I am so happy I did!  It was an early morning but so worth it!  We did a Chuck E Cheese birthday party this year.  The party was at 8-10 a.m. so we had the whole place all to ourselves!  Once our group was there they locked to doors and it would just us. No waiting in lines and no worries about loosing a kid.

This is the group minus Scarlett

The birthday kids go in the wind tunnel and try to get the golden ticket.

Thankfully, I did get one picture of Miss Scarlett.

I am still in shock that they are almost 7 and 5.  I love these two more than I can put into words!!

Opening presents when we got home

Also tearing apart the piñata when we made it home.  We didn't manage to fit it in at the party.

This morning the Julsons headed home.  :-(. I took one last pic with them in their chuck e cheese glasses with their new American flag fidget spinners and still in their sleeping attire.  Love, love this crew!!

Camping with the Tates

Denny had a South Dakota trip planned with my brother Ryan and the Tates invited the kids and I to join them camping.  I am so happy we went!  The kids had a wonderful time and so did I.

On the drive up we saw a Mama Moose and her baby strolling across the road.

All the kids took off exploring right when we arrived.  It was about a 3 hour drive so we were happy to get moving.

Ike and Via's first time shooting BB guns

Ike and John spent many hours riding and then shooting BB guns.

Ike LOVED the "ATV".  He rode it constantly while we were there.  It was his first time and he had some first timer stats:  stuck in one huge bush, stuck in one tree, and he was going to fast and dumped he and John off into a mud puddle.  He was in boy heaven.

Can't forget food.

Via went for a few rides.  She liked it but was not as into it as Ike.

Ike managed to dump himself off of Trin's four wheeler too.

Trin is the coolest 2yr old I know!  She thinks she is one of the big kids and won't take nonsense from anyone!

About to go out exploring.  My kids first time riding in the back of a truck.

Lily Lake

John was catching a lot of frogs.  He then helped Ike and Via hold one.

Olivia panicked and dropped them the first few times she tried, but she eventually was calm enough to hold onto one.

Then it was on to Teller City.  An old ghost town that was once a mining town.

snack break

Playing in the dirt

While playing bags I enjoyed hearing these two cracking up! It was so sweet to listen to.

S'MORES!

books by the fire

evening walk

bedtime books by the fire

camping art: paper, tape and "nature"

The girls spent a lot of time exploring by the water and through the bushes.

Ike turned his camping art into a racing badge

Via pretending to be an awesome dirt biker

Claredon taking the boys on an extended adventure.  John is a pro and Ike is very much a beginner.  Ike accidentally ran into John who was stopped bumping John off his bike.  Then he stalled in a large puddle and had a moment of panic.  I am thankful for Claredons patients with Ike so that he was able to have a new adventure.

While the boys were away the girls played with bubbles

and talked sweet Elizabeth into reading a bunch of books

Denny sent along a few pics of his trip too.