Surprise...Someone turns 60!

Last night Dan, Andy's Dad, turned 60.  For months his family has been planning a surprise birthday party for him...and the best part is that he never figured it out!   Dan "thought" that the family would be meeting at the Ballard Golf and Country Club for dinner and that we would all be coming back to their house for snacks and drinks.  But little did he know the real plan.  I bet there were over 50 people there last night to celebrate!  He really was surprised!  The first few pictures were taken before he got there. 

Yummy white sheet cake!  Who doesn't love a good piece of cake!

Lots of "60" decorations hanging all over the place.

The dinner was delicious...pulled pork sandwiches, cheesy potatoes, baked beans, and chips!

A collage of pictures...

...and more pictures from when Dan was younger.

I took a few pictures of the collage because I thought they were so cute.

This one REALLY reminds us all of Isaiah.  He has the same squinty eyes and smile as Isaiah does when he takes a picture. 

***I just published this post but had to go back and add another comment.  If you scroll down 4 more pictures you will see a picture of Isaiah, Ava, and Andy.  Look really closely at Isaiah and then scroll back up and look at this picture...identical!

I love this picture...it reminds me so much of Andy.

Daddy and his two goofy kids...they were enjoying potato chips before dinner. 

I wish this wasn't so blurry...but this is Dan walking down the stairs and realizing what is happening.

Aunt Deanna and Uncle Tim (Tim is Dan's youngest brother.)

Aunt Karen and Isaiah...she was trying to sneak chips away from Isaiah and he was laughing away.

Cousin Kirstin, Uncle Darrell (Dan's other younger brother), and his girlfriend Rayla

Grandma, Dan, and Grandpa

Cousin Leita and Cousin Brad (Tim and Deanna's daughter and son)

Grandma and Ava (Ava was very proud of her hair last night.  We used a hairdryer to dry it after her bath and I used my straightener along with my styling products.  She loved it.  Tonight she told me that she likes her hair straight and she wants me to do it after each bath. What have a gotten myself into!)

Tim (Jody's boyfriend Tim) and Uncle Tim

The brothers

Two lovebirds!

A family picture...Andy, Dan, Janet, Jody, me, and the kids.

Another family picture with Tim too!  He's such a great guy and makes a mean salsa!

Ava and Isaiah helping Grandpa unwrap his gifts.  The rule was supposed to be gag gifts only.  He got some prunes, prune juice, a flashlight finder, adult diapers, and some other cute things.

Happy 60th birthday Grandpa!  We love you!

My Three Happy's:

1) Dan's surprise birthday party was so fun.  The kids were excited that they got to come home with the "60" decorations and balloons.

2) The outside Christmas lights and decorations are ready to go!

3) Christmas music...there is a "Traditional Christmas Music" channel on the satellite this time of year that plays those old tunes that really make Christmas what it is. 

I Love These Kids!

...more pictures that have been sitting on my camera that I just had to share.  Our tree has massive amounts of leaves that fall down every year.  A few weeks ago we were out front trying to rake the up the 10+ bags that we had.  Saturdays at our house usually mean...numerous pajama changes...we're sometimes in pajamas ALL DAY, doing lots of things that we don't usually have time to do during the week, and just simply being together. 

Don't you love their outfit selections?!  Isaiah wanted his rocket pajamas along with his Jack Sparrow boots and hat.  Ava opted for a princess dress, heeled dress shoes, and a magic wand.  These two thought it was so fun jumping in the leaf piles and leaping on the filled bags.

Isaiah was off to do something "pirate related."

Someone loves posing!

I remember Isaiah saying, "Mom take a picture of me up by the light pole."  He really does love to be in most pictures now.  I'm so glad about that!

Ava took this picture of herself and I love it!

We have a long chain that we hook Jackson to so he can be with us in the front yard.  He can pretty much roam in most places in our front yard and loves to be where we are.  He's chewing up some old corn cobs that were left from the squirrels.  Andy's Uncle Alan and Aunt Karen gave us some corn for the squirrels.  The squirrels that live in our trees are so SPOILED! 

Mommy and her Boo!

A trip to Jordan Creek...we went there a while ago and the kids always love playing in the play area. 

Build-a-Bear...the kid's favorite store in the entire mall.  I think they are both addicted to this place.  All it takes is a little batting of the eyelashes and a please and we usually give in to letting them pick out a new bear.  The difference between a $100.00 bill and a $30.00 bill is NOT BUYING CLOTHES AND ACCESSORIES.  This time they were happy just picking out a new friend.

The kids know the drill...pick out the animal, stuff it, make a wish and put the heart inside, clean up the animal at the bath station, and finally make it's birth certificate on the computer.  Ava chose Bearamy.  The "mascot" of Build-a-Bear.

Isaiah was all smiles!  He loves this!

Isaiah pushing the pedal to add stuffing into his new friend "Isaiah."

I think this stuffing machine is so cute!

Cleaning up the bear with Daddy

Making a wish, giving the heart a kiss...

...and putting it into the bear.

Cleaning up too!

Each time they leave this place they always love telling us what they want to get next.  The store workers told us that they will be getting a gingerbread boy and girl for the holidays.  How cute would those be!

My happy's for the day are listed in the next blog...I actually had time tonight to do two blogs.  I put Ava to bed and she was asleep within five minutes of me reading her a story.  Isaiah on the other hand takes a little more time.  Andy's reading him stories right now.  I'm not sure if we'll be watching a Netflix movie or just watching the 4A playoff game tonight??? 

Happy Weekend to You!

Halloween Come and Gone...

Well, here I am again putting pictures on the blog that are LONG OVERDUE!  Last week was conferences and let me tell you that as a teacher...that about does you in.  I'm really going to try much harder to get back into posting on a more regular basis.  I had these pictures and I thought they were so fun.  Here you have it...a look at the Halloween Spooktacular events that were held at the Huxley 3C's center.

Ava and Isaiah posing in front of the ghosts they have.  I have the same picture of the kids last year in front of the same ghosts and my do they both look so much older now!

It seemed like we had to stop and pose with every Halloween creature we came upon.

The kids got a card and they had to complete different station activities to earn a stamp.  Once their card was complete they got to turn it in for a prize.  Here are the kids are doing the tire jumping station.

Pumpkin bowling...they threw little gourds and tried to knock over pop bottles that were decorated like ghosts.

Pumpkin golfing

Ring toss

This was like Bozo's "Grand Prize Game."  They tossed little balls into each Jack-o-lantern.

They had this station where the kids had to reach into the bag and feel different "creepy" things.  For example they had worms as the picture on the box...but inside was really just cooked spaghetti noodles.

I think this is Officer McGruff????  Is that right?  I'm completely drawing a blank on this one.  Regardless of what his name was, Ava wanted a picture with him.

Ava and her preschool friend Reagan

Ava picked out a Jonas Brother's storage container...I have NO idea how she even knows about them.  We've never listened to their music or seen them on TV.  I guess they are advertised everywhere around Target and I've told her a few times who they are. 

Isaiah picked out scuba gear.  He loves using this in the bathtub.

The next room had arts and crafts activities.  Here they are making fingerprint spiders.

Grandpa watching Isaiah make his craft

Grandma helping Ava make a Halloween picture frame

Grandma, Isaiah, and Grandpa

The cookie decorating station

I can't believe that Thanksgiving is a week and half away and that Christmas is coming up sooner than we think.  This house is ready.  I have most of the decorations up already.  We're missing our real tree that we cut down after Thanksgiving and a few odds and ends that I am still trying to find a place for.  I love looking at Christmas decorations for as long as I can. 

Happy Decorating!

My Three Happy's:

1) Tonight at dinner Isaiah had black olives on each finger on each hand.  I have no idea why...but that kid loves black olives! 

2) Ava was assigned a turkey project for preschool and we spent probably an hour working on it tonight.  I'll have to take a picture of it before we take it to school on Monday.  This turkey is decked out to the max!  Ava did pretty much all of it by herself.  It looks like something out of a Fancy Nancy book.  She was very proud!

3) It's Friday!  The weather was great today...let's not forget the snow we had on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning...and it's the weekend!  How much better can it get?