Luke's 5th B'day

Luke celebrated his 5th birthday at the tot lot this year. It was easy peasy for me. Watermelon, freezies and snack mix was on the menu. It was a beautiful day and the kids had a blast.

Miss Emma sporting her flowered halter bathing suit.

Birthday boy pretty excited to see all his friends!

Love these two pictures of Isaac.

Luke, Josiah and Travis.

Cousin Simone, Emma and Isaac.

Beach boy Jesse(Tracy's youngest) all decked out in his swimwear.

Presents: lego sets, nerf guns, bubble sword, craft stuff, candy

And from us he got a chess/checkers game, a bat, dirtbike gloves, and his own tackle box.

Luke at 5:

• weighs just over 40 pounds and is just over 3 1/2 feet tall.
• is such an affectionate boy who easily gives hugs and kisses to everyone. 
• he has a way of looking at you that can get him almost anything he wants. Those big eyes...he knows how to use them.
• he loves playing with Sam and Andrew but in the last month or two has really started playing more with Isaac. 
• just finished his first season of soccer which he loved. 
• is doing really awesome with his speech. We think the tongue snip has made a big difference but his eagerness to please really helps too.
• he has so many friends but is super close to Seth. Those two could be trouble together in Kindergarten. They giggle like little school girls when they get together. Worse than their mamas.
• We love our little Lukey!!

A Perfect Birthday

Ken did a super job planning my birthday again this year. My husband spoils me.

1st on the list was going to Park Lake in the morning for a bike ride with the kids. 

I'll have you know that Ken also offered to haul Emma and Isaac and their 60 pounds of weight but I wanted to. We did trade bikes after awhile when I realized it was a bit of an undertaking especially on the grass and bumpy trail.

Pretty Happy!

It was such a beautiful morning.

The next thing he had planned was for Tracy and her boys and Trish and her 3 boys and 2 girls to meet us there to play soccer and play at the playground. 

Next up a wiener roast and marshmallow roast.

Buddies.

The birthday boy(5) and girl (37).

Tracy and I showed the boys some of our skills too. Were they impressed? Probably not!

We weren't prepared to swim but the temptation was just too strong for the kids. We looked like a little colony or something. All those boys in their denim shorts and the girls in their pink underwear. I don't mean Tracy,Trish and I in pink undies....I mean Trish's girls.

For a week or so Emma was really cranky. this was her pouty face that she had on a lot of the time. We are happy to say that her smiles are back.

We headed home late afternoon and that night we had family and a few friends for a fire. The most wonderful thing about it all was that I didn't have to do anything. Ken planned it all and asked others to bring cake, drinks, appetizers etc. Like I said before...I'm pretty spoiled. Ken also made me a homemade card and gave me money to spend at the mall.

Luke's PRACTICE Kindergarten Day

On June 6th Luke had to miss his preschool so that he could have a practice Kindergarten Day at his new school. He was very, very excited. Excited to go on the bus, excited to be with his brothers, excited to go to Daddy's school and excited to meet his teacher and to be in class with all his friends.

We got his backpack ready and he automatically grabbed his hockey stick to take along just like his big brothers. Apparently he played hockey with a bunch of the big kids at recess and lunch.

Some of their friends with them waiting to catch the bus.

Sigh...they just keep growing up!!!

FYI

Keeping a family blog really helps you realize how blessed you are. Every time I do an update and scan pictures I think " we are so blessed". "Life is so good!"

2013 Coulee Cactus Crawl

 Our team "24 Kids & Counting"

 Waiting to start. Check out 113 next to me???

 close to halfway done.

Named "Puke Hill", I can understand why.

 Leg 1 -10km 59:46

 Leg 2 Mel mid picture.

 Leg 2 - 6km 35:15

Tracy heading out totally confidant!

 Leg 3 Tracy - 4.7km (roller coaster leg) 28:23

 Leg 4 - Jenn 6km - 34:38

Leg 5 - Tina 10km - 55:10

 1st place Women's team and 1st place in our age category for women.

On the ride home! "DONE"

This is the funnest race ever. Hanging out with your teammates and encouraging each other really makes this race awesome. Us mama's had such a great time cruising around in Mel's van "Bruno" and running in such a beautiful location. It really is breathtaking. Despite the distraction of running a race it's really quiet and peaceful on the run and the smells and views were superb. I have wanted to run 10km for a few years now and I did it and hills at that. Can't wait for next year!

May Recap

Quad ride with Cousin Kevin at Uncle Pete and Auntie Ang's.

Isaac's new favorite thing to do at Aunty Ang's is sneak into her craft room and dump out her bead jar.

close up his killer eyelashes.

Marshmellow roast

Andrew soccer.

Luke in the middle with purple on.

Sam is #2 in black.

Emma was sick a few times in May. Had a bath in the kitchen sink one day.

Cheering for her brothers at soccer.

These three are learning to play so well together. I love it!

Typical Luke.

Happy Isaac.

Long weekend at the cabin.

 Luke and Isaac off to catch bugs.

 Here comes Mr. Leffers and his class.

May highlights:

• Had Andi and Tara Lee for a thank you dinner. Spaghetti and meatballs.
• Annual school Bazaar
• Emma had an appointment with a specialist regarding her hips. (Thankfully results were great, no worries with her hips.)
• practice in the coulee's for an upcoming run.
• Emma's tongue tie snip was postponed again due to a cold.
• cabin for two nights
• Had an IPP meeting for Luke at his preschool and he assessed so well that he didn't qualify for funding for speech next year. This is great! He will still have pull out speech therapy but he is improving lots.
• cut out Isaac's naps which he is adjusting well to. Lots more time to learn and play now.
• started potty training Isaac and it's going better than expected. 
• Isaac had a occupational therapy assessment. Result was a moderate delay in his fine motor skills.
• We went with Ken's class on his wetland field trip.
• I enjoyed a day off to attend a women's league day at our church all about finding a balance in life.
• Isaac had a orientation at his preschool that he will attend next year.