Brought to You by the Number 4

**Please excuse the ginormity of the pictures. We're making some changes around these parts.**

We've been celebrating the number 4 around here a lot in the past week. First, we had a wonderful 4th of July last Monday. We hung out around the house and then had a cook-out at the neighbors, followed by fire works!







All of the kids loved watching these smoke balls




Olivia was a trooper waiting for the fireworks to start. She's usually in bed by 7 and they didn't go off until after 9. She clapped and danced the whole time.





Our second celebration of the number 4 was a very special boy's birthday party!!! I can't believe Zachary is already 4. Each year seems to go by faster than the last. We had his party at our pool and it was a BLAST. All of the kids had so much fun swimming and we couldn't have asked for more perfect weather.

Cupcake treasure map






Swimming with Uncle Phil


Katelynn took some time out from swimming to relax in the swings


Can you see Collin? He jumped off of the high dive!


The best family picture we got


Make a wish!


Natalie enjoyed the blue cupcakes :)


Lily, Collin & Anna


Katelynn aka Minnie was a fan of the blue cupcake as well!


Gifts!


Trying out his leaf blower that he wanted REALLY bad.


Big thanks to everyone who made Z's birthday so special for him!!

Mr. Handsome

Mr. Silly

Mr. Cheese

Mr. Radiant

Mr. Sneaky

Mr. Goofball

Mr. Handsome

Oh he's handsome alright, and he knows it!

Christmas Train

Yesterday while Olivia was taking her morning nap I got to spend some one on one time with Z! Last year we built a Gingerbread (Man) House and I wanted to make it a tradition. This year I went with a train because he is choo choo for trains right now.

We had a great time and he got a nice sugar buzz off of the icing!

(sorry I uploaded the pics in the wrong order so you'll have to see the finished product first.)

The Amazing Wonder Boy and His Bike!

Today I asked Zachary if he wanted to try riding his bike without his training wheels. He was all for it so I took them off and helped him balance and off he went! It took a few tries to go anywhere but when he got the hang of it, he was off!! He even started riding and standing up - he's such a hot shot!

Here is a video. The other little boy lives across the street - he's almost 5 and when he saw Z without his training wheels he wanted his off too. haha!

Swamp Fox Farms

Zachary went on his first field trip yesterday with his preschool. Lucky him Rich was able to take time off of work to go!

He got to go on a hay ride, make a scarecrow and pick his very own pumpkin! It looks like he had a great time!

Big Things Are Happening

This:




and that:

more on both of those to come...

Short Lived Soccer

***Warning*** The pictures below are deceiving. What you see is a child appearing to have fun. What you don't see is a child whining, throwing fits and refusing to participate. 

I signed Z up for soccer camp. It's an hour a day for 1 week. Yesterday was his first day and he participated for maybe 5 minutes of the hour. Today, he participated for 2 minutes. The rest of the time he was hanging on me, the stroller, whining, complaining and just being a total crank a lank.

When I told him we'd just leave if he didn't want to participate he threw a bigger fit. Needless to say, we won't be going back a 3rd time. Sorry, not all stories have happy endings.

So here he is on the first day:

Sadly he will miss getting a t-shirt, trophy and group picture on Friday but apparently organized sports are not his thang. We'll try again in the Fall. 

Blue and Pink

The pictures below are the reason I am so thankful that Olivia is a girl. Not because I wouldn't have loved another boy. No, another boy would have been equally amazing. The reason is, when I'm 80 and looking through pictures of my kids I wouldn't have the slightest clue who I was looking at. Thank God for blue and pink clothes because my children couldn't look more similar if they tried.

These were all taken when Z was 4-5 months.