Yard Work

For Mom's birthday (in October) we gave her an hour of family yard work. We told her that we would all do whatever she needed to improve her yard.What she really wanted was the trees and overgrown brush cut down in the back yard. We live on the edge of the woods, but in time the woods grow and grow and take over the yard. Jon didn't know much about chainsawing, so he asked his friend Eric if he would help.

This is Eric and Jon (in his skin cancer protective hat and long sleeves) cutting up branches from a tree that they chopped down.

I didn't get an pictures of the kids, but they were there.

We cut down tree after tree and drug them to a pile at the edge of the woods. The boys put in a good hour or two and Eric stayed as long as he could. Jon and Isaiah and I worked all afternoon. It was addicting. I love that sort of thing. I way over did it. I could hardly stand by the time we went in for dinner.

We have more to do another day and hopefully we will burn as much as we can before the "burn ban" takes effect in May.

1st grade chapel

There is nothing Isaiah loves more than being on stage...just kidding. Today the 1st grade did their chapel at school and I thought Isaiah might throw up. He made it though.You can see his excitement as they told the story of Daniel and the lion's den and talked about trusting God when we are afraid.
What scares us to death makes us stronger, right?
Good job Isaiah (and Daegan).

Sandbox Birthday

Today is Malachi's birthday and we decided to get him a sand box. Every day of the summer last year, Malachi and Ezra went outside and dug in the dirt. I figured if we could get a sandbox that he could stand next to, he wouldn't get so dirty playing in it. All of the table sandboxes were very expensive, so I decided to build my own.
I filled a big plastic box with sand and placed in on 4 cider blocks. He loves it.
As for staying clean, he still managed to get sand in his hair and his shoes.
But he loves it! Happy Birthday Malachi!
He and Ezra played in the sand box for 6 hours. Yes, you read that right, 6 hours.

Malachi's birthday cookies

Malachi did get a pile of cookies and a gift to open on his birthday.My big 3 year old.
One more Imaginext toy....
...a policeman with a motorcycle.

Malachi's Birthday

We celebrated Malachi's birthday after church today at Grandma and Grandpa's with some of the cousins and with Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa J and Granny.It was also cousin Daegan's 8th birthday.
Malachi got a "3" on top of a cake and Daegan got a pile of cookies.
We made sure that Malachi's gifts mimicked Ezra's. He got an Imaginext airplane from Grandma and Grandpa.

He got his first set of Star Wars Galactic Heroes--JarJar and Padme--from his brothers.
He also got a superhero Jet--Robin's jet--from Mimi and Papa.
And he was very excited to get an envelop full of balloons from Grandma and Grandpa J and a special card from Granny.
He had a fun afternoon of playing with his new toys.

Ezra's 5 year old birthday party

Today Ezra turned 5. This morning he had a few boys over for a play date.

Pictured below: Christopher, Ezra, Malachi, Nathan and Mac

The boys played for a while and then Ezra opened a few presents.
Of course, we had cake.
He had a great time (except that he missed his best friend, Josh, who came down with fever and couldn't make it). It was fun to have this special day for my big 5 year old.
Happy Birthday Ezra!

Celebrate!!!

Since my sister, Ruth, just got back from a year in Africa, so we decided to combine a celebration of Grandpa's (my dad) and Ezra's birthdays and her homecoming. Everyone came to Mom's house for dinner after church today.

My parent's table seats 24 and we sure fill it.
The oldest and the youngest sit in the dining room.
Some of the boy cousins get banished to the kitchen.
Need I say more?
After dinner we celebrated the birthdays. Ezra wanted to have party hats.
Ezra blew out his "5" and Grandpa blew out his "64".
Together, of course.
Then they opened presents (see Aunt Ruthie in the background?).
Grandma and Grandpa gave Ezra some Imaginext batman toys.
We gave Grandpa some cards and sugar free Bubble Gum (he loves bubble gum but he is diabetic).
Lots of fun and lots of interest in his gifts.
Ezra also opened his gifts from us -- an Imaginext rescue hero -- and from Mimi and Papa -- an Imaginext Green Lantern jet. He also got a card from Granny with a "gift" inside.

We all had a very fun day.