Birthday Boy!!!

Joseph is six!!! He is so excited. One of the first things he tells everyone is that last Thursday he was five and then on Friday he was six! He had cupcakes at school and then he got to pick what he wanted for dinner. Any guesses???? McDonalds with a twist. We didn't have to eat it there. He wanted to bring it home and eat it on a blanket on the floor in the family room. So that was what we did. He opened a couple of presents from the girls and ate cupcakes that night and then the next day he took a friend to Chuck E Cheese. This is a BIG deal for us as it is an hour and a half away from here. The kids had the time of their lives and it was TOTALLY worth the drive.

Janie gave Joseph this Batman mask that he has been wanting for months and he wore it all that night and the whole next day except for at Chuck E Cheese because we made him take it off and leave it in the car. Here is Batman himself opening his Megatron from Jessie. He told everyone he talked to that he was getting Megatron for his birthday so I sure am glad there was one at Wal-Mart the night before!!Last but not least is the bike!!! When we left Okinawa we left Joseph's bike there because it had been outside for three years and was old and rusty. We promised we'd buy him a new one when we moved. While Jeremy and I were away for a few days this summer Joseph taught himself to ride a bike without training wheels while staying at his grandma and grandpa's house! We decided we'd better get that bike we'd promised him!!! We told him we would get it for his birthday so, after school on his birthday he asked if we could go get his bike. I told him that later that night after daddy got home from work we'd go and look. Jeremy picked the bike up on his way home from work and we put a big red bow on in and parked it on the front porch. While the kids and I were inside Jeremy went out and rang the doorbell, I had Joseph go and get it. He was quite shocked to see a fancy new bike parked there. He had just taken one of his shoes off (we were reading books on the couch) and he said, "Mommy, go get my shoe and my helmet!" Anyway, we spent the next hour or so out in the street riding bikes. He loves it and wants to ride it everyday!!

The other favorite birthday surprise for Joseph was an email he got from his cousins Addison, Logan, and Landon singing "Happy Birthday!" I think we watched that at least 7 times!! Thanks guys!

WE HOPE YOU HAVE A HAPPY YEAR AS A SIX YEAR OLD, JOSEPH!! WE LOVE YOU!!!

Rodeo

We had the opportunity to go to a rodeo that was here in town a couple of weeks ago. This was definitely a new experience for us as the kids kept asking us all day when we were going to the 'radio.' The kids had a blast with the pony rides, bouncy castle, food, snacks and friends. We met up with about 5 or 6 other families from our ward and just hung out for the evening. The weather was perfect with just a small breeze, but not cool enough for jackets.

A rodeo wouldn't be a rodeo without a cowboy hat right???

Jessie fell in love with the ponies. In fact, she had quite a meltdown on the way out when we wouldn't buy her a little stuffed pony. I guess she thought that was all a part of the deal. We tried to explain that she got the cowboy hat and a RIDE on a pony, but she was not going to have that. We all got to listen to her sob the whole way home. I don't really remember how we got her to bed, but I DO remember the first thing she asked me when she woke up the next morning. She asked if we could go back to the radio to buy her pony.

I LOVE this picture of Janie. She was excited to ride the pony, but she sure looks skeptical doesn't she? Not quite sure what sort of stunt this guy might pull on her!

All in all it was a fun evening for everyone. The kids (and daddy) have actually decided that they'd like to take up horseback riding after watching the young kids in the rodeo that night.

The First Day of School

What an exciting day for Joseph and Jessie!! The first day of school! This was actually a few weeks ago, it isn't so new anymore, but they are still enjoying it (thank goodness)! Jeremy was able to go with me to drop the kids off. Jessie's school starts 10 minutes earlier than Joseph's this year so we got to visit her school first and then his next. Look at their sweet, happy little faces!

Here is Jessie in her little classroom with her teachers Mrs. Wood and Mrs. Wanda. I'm not even sure she said goodbye to us that morning, she just ran into the room, smiled for a picture and ran straight to her seat! I hope she'll always be like that with school. Wouldn't it be GREAT??!!!

Joseph loves, loves, loves his teacher!! She is great. She is so calm with the students and explains things in such an amazing way to these kids. I can't believe my little boy is in the first grade!

Did I mention that this was an exciting day for the kids? It was exciting for me as well!!! Janie and I didn't even know what to do with ourselves when we got home from dropping them off. She just kept asking me, "Mommy, where's Jessie?" "Where's Joseph?" In fact, she still asks me everyday after we drop them off where they are. We've had lots of time to play blocks and do some fun things just the two of us!!!

Our Superheroes!!!

Ever since we got the "dress-up" box out the kids spend much of their time dressed up as characters other than themselves. It keeps them entertained for hours!! This day Jeremy happened to be home at lunch and decided to take some shots of our superheroes!!