Busy Boys with Birthdays, Building, Baseball, and Balloons!

This is going to be a SUPER long post!  Once again I am behind and it's not because I had nothing to blog about.  We have been BUSY!

Ready.  Set.  GO!

We had a few quiet nights a couple weeks ago.  It may have been the calm before the storm.  Storm meaning too many things to try to get to!  We had some coughs and fevers for about a day or two.  We took advantage of the couch snuggle time.

I even got Ashton to force a smile.  He wasn't feeling good at all!  We lucked out with only fevers though, as strep and pneumonia went through the daycare.

 There has been a lot of action by our house as they are preparing for the road to go to phase two of the development.  We go try to go back and see all the progress and look at this big trucks up close.  Most all other neighbors have the same idea.  The boys think it's pretty cool to go 4-wheeling with our neighbor Rob!

 This puts it into perspective of where the road is compared to our house.  We are the grey house past our neighbors fence.

 This is just not any dump truck.  It is an articulating dump truck... duh!

 As they clear for the road and some lots, they are logging about 6 acres.  Sad to see the trees go.  Some are close to our back area that we own, but there will be some BEAUTIFUL lots for sale!

 These two might as well live in the dirt.

 Those are some big tire tracks!

 It looks like a tornado went through where they are logging ;(

 These two little dirty boys were sliding down the dirt piles, face first on their bellies.  Can you imagine dirt in every little crack and pocket?  I can.

 When Aiden touched Rob, a cloud of dirt was on his knee...  dirty little boys!

 We lose track of time being outside, with our neighbors, and exploring.

 Heavy equipment and two little boys on their four wheelers.

 Two weekends ago, we had some help to build the boys' sandbox.  The kiddos needed a little snack.

 While Daddy, Grampa, and Uncle Dave did the hard work.

 There's a picture without their bike helmets on.  Looking back at pictures one would think the boys lived in these helmets.  Between biking and 4-wheeling they basically do live in them ;)

 Aiden likes to help and use tools.

 It's a pretty big sandbox, but will be built in stage to accommodate a tree fort and swing set.

 Two weeks ago, the boys had their very first friend birthday party to go to.  We know Jaxon's parents, but the boys also go to school with his younger sister, Tatum.  Jaxon is in the class ahead of the boys at school, but for some reason he LOVES seeing Adam when he takes and picks up the boys.  He wanted him to come to his party and said to bring Ashton and Aiden too.  ;)  It was a Batman theme, so the boys wore their capes Aunt Elly got them for Christmas.  So much fun!

 It was a beautiful day and a great group of kiddos!  The boys thought it was fun seeing some of their friends from school.

 Bouncing in the jump house.  Scary to just have seen on the news, the one that blew away with kids in it!!!  This one was staked down.  ;)

 Batman the Birthday boy... Jaxon turned 4.

 Ashton had fun being Superman AND Spider man.

Aiden liked being Batman.

 Lunch was great and playing was even better!

 Have you ever seen a Superhero swing?

 Batman and his cake.

 Tatum, Jaxon, Huntley, Monte, Ashton and Aiden.

Playing Superhero tag in the yard with their "Swords".

Jaxon had some fun toys to try out!

Suzie had Adam save some boxes and she created Gotham City!

Exhausted and ready for bed, but still wanting to be Spider man and Batman!

After climbing the dirt hills, the boys officially trashed their one and only pair of shoes.  They were not salvageable for school or "good" anymore, so off we went to the cities.  I like the Maplewood Mall for they have a kids footlocker and kids Journeys.  We have been talking a lot lately about being different and how it's okay to want different things.  Of course once it was down for them to make a decision on the shoes they wanted, both picked the same black Nikes.  Ashton's tie because he is in a size 11 (bigfoot) which pushes him to "youth".  Aiden's have Velcro because he is a size 10 and still in "toddler".  The spotted the Carousel and this was a real incentive to be good shoppers!

 I was almost certain Ashton would get scared when it started, but he didn't!  They both though it was pretty fun.  A great reward for two good little shoppers.

With the help of some very nice neighbors, we filled the sandbox this past week.  The boys were excited to get out their "Diggers" that have been in the basement in a box since January.  The Rueber's got them these for their birthday, and the LOVE them.

 With the weather getting warmer and night spent outside, what better than Nana stopping by with a cold treat?

 Last Wednesday was the last day of school picnic.  Don't ask where this last year went.  Next year the boys will do another year at Our Saviors in the 3/4 Room and then they are off to 4K in my school district.  They happened to be in the same class as Ryan, our cousin from my dad's side.  Tiana is older, but they also knew her from school.  It just so happened we also saw these two at my Grandma's 90th Birthday Party in the same week.  

 After the fact, I realized I forgot my camera AND I forgot to get a picture with the boys, me, and my Grandma.  Just a reason to visit again soon ;(

 The picnic was fun.  I snuck out of school on my prep and lunch to join Adam and the boys.  I feel left out as Adam was the flexible one to do both drop off and pick up two days of the week.  There are a lot of families that take their kiddos there that we know!  The boys though it was fun to see their teachers in a different setting.  They don't live in the basement at the school?!?!

 Bright t-shirts = easy to spot my kids in a park full of others!  They also like them because construction workers wear bright shirts.

 We were the parents to not bring their baseball stuff ;(

 Aiden can't be pushed high enough, and Ashton is getting a little more comfortable allowing you to push him.  "Just a baby push."

I had to leave early, but I got this text once I was back at work.

 This past Friday we had another Superhero birthday party.  Our friend Preston turned 4!  We went to his house for some Superhero Action.

 They had bunnies!!!  Nope - didn't bring anything home ;)

 They also had baby ducks.

 What could be more fun than a big trampoline.  I envisioned kids flying off and bloody lips from bumping heads, but they all jumped very safely!

 Trucks are always a hit.

 Getting some Batman ink from Reid, Preston's older brother.

  Before bedtimes and tired kids, we attempted a group picture.  It's so much fun watching all of our kids grow together!

 Ashton, Birthday Boy Preston, Aiden and Caz.

Friends.

 As the Littles were outside admiring Preston's toys...

 The Bigs were inside admiring Kevin's toys.

 Preston shared his truck...

 Before the end of the night, they rode around their neighborhood on the golf cart.  

Boys will be boys!

 Reid was great playing with the kids.  Volleyball!

 Scary thought of these three on a golf cart in 10ish years...

 Saturday we were invited out to some friends for a Memorial Day get-together.  How perfect was this?  

If you build it, they will come.

 The boys were in HEAVEN playing baseball with the "big kids."

 Two little blue shirts.  I could watch from far away and actually enjoy some adult conversation! 

 Brigs took care of Ashton and made sure he was included.

 Sedric made sure Aiden was taken care of.  They helped them bat, field, and run the bases.  

 We have not yet stopped hearing about "Sedric and Brigs" playing baseball with them.

Such good kids!

 So cool to have a full size baseball field in the middle of their farm!

 Such great kids, great friends we have, and great memories for the boys!

 Memorial Day we celebrated Nana's birthday with a grill out and a balloon fight.  Multiple balloon fights actually... we filled balloons three different times!  Finn joined us for the fun.

 The three littles going after Adam!

 I'm not sure is Ashton got Mike wet or if he caught it ;)

 While the balloons were being filled again for round two, there was some serious digging going on!

 Quiet, focused, playing together, and not fighting.  This could be a great summer!

 Aunt Elly was in on the second round of the balloon fight.

 Nana doesn't like to be in pictures, so these three little cuties posed for her.

 Finn, Ashton, and Aiden.  

They could be mistaken for triplets in our neighborhood.

Finn even calls Nana - Nana.

 Yum, Ice Cream cake!

 Gearing up for round three... the final round!

 We ended the night with some baseball played with Uncle Nate and Price, some s'mores on the fire, and bedtime.  Whew... exhausted!  Happy birthday Nana... we hope you wanted the excavators the boys picked out for you at Walmart, the balloon fight, and the sticky little kids eating your ice cream cake and making s'mores!  We love you.

In other news, pictures that are not cooperating from my phone...

*What do you do when an excavator gets stuck (just about buried) and you need another excavator to come dig it out?  Free entertainment, sitting in our neighbor's yard.

*What do you get when you have an awesome neighborhood and 3/4 being done with their school year (teachers and professors) and off for the summer?  Thursday night Cul-De-Sac Cocktails.  Don't drive down our road trying to be snoopy on Thursday nights... you will meet most of the neighborhood sitting in the cul-de-sac with lawn chairs having cocktails and watching the kids play!

I think that about sums it up... I'm sure I am missing most that I do not have pictures for.  Looking through pictures on my camera is often how I remember what we have done in the past few days!

8 more days left of school with kiddos in the classroom.  I survived yet another year at the Middle School, this being my first at 7th grade.  Next year I will be at 8th grade... scary.  Then loop back to 6th with a new buch of kiddos.

Thanks for continuing to check in... weekly posts are my goal but sometimes we get too busy creating these memories that I love to write about and share with you all!