Ryan's 4th Birthday Party

Ryan Michael-

This post is for you.  I hope your birthday party was everything you wanted it to be... Even though in the long run, you won't even remember this day at all.  That is something that always makes me sad.  Most of the things that have happened in your 4 years of life won't be remembered by you.  But you know momma, I have tons of pictures to remind you of so many memories your daddy and I have made for you.

Grandma was sweet enough to let us have your birthday party at your house.  You must have been pretty excited about it because you passed out in the car on the way over to her house.  Actually, I know you were excited about it because you have been talking about it for weeks!

While you were sleeping, we did everything we needed to do to set up.  A few minutes before the party, I went into Grandma's room to wake you up and get you dressed for your train party.

We walked around so that you could see all of your decorations and you loved every single party detail.  I think you loved your train cookies the most.  :)  Your cupcakes were pretty cute too, they all had a smoke puff on the top and said "Choo Choo."

Grammy made your rice krispy treats by dipping them into melted chocolate and sprinkling some sprinkles on them before they dried.

We had taco meat ready for the walking tacos.  Doritos for most of the people and fritos because some of our friends are gluten free.

Your gift table didn't take long to get filled with gifts!

Here is your very first piñata. We went to pick it up from party city and this was the only train piñata they had... it was falling apart so they only charged us a couple of bucks for them.

These Thomas boxes are probably the most ridiculous craft idea I've ever had, Thanks Pinterest.  They took so long to make.  Daddy made the Thomas face and the sides too and we spent way too long cutting them out.  Surprisingly, they were a huge hit and you and your little friends had so much fun just sitting in them!

After everyone ate, it was piñata time!  Your friend Wynter was the one to bust open the piñata!  It was filled with lots of chocolate candy.  Yum.

A couple of weeks before your birthday, we were at Grammy and Papa's house and I was giving you and your brother a bath.  I asked you what you wanted for your birthday and do you know what you told me?  "A green Thomas cake."  The only thing that you asked for was a green Thomas cake!  You are and always have been so easy to please!  So you know what I did, I searched and searched for a picture of a green Thomas cake and I found a cake baker to make it for you.

Singing "Happy Birthday" is always the most emotional part of your birthday.  Your sweet little face smiling looking around the room while everyone is staring at you.  & then your eyes meet mine and you have got to be the happiest I've ever seen you.  You are perfect.

Lots and lots of sweet and playing with your friends and it's finally time to open up all of your presents.  You always get so much that I don't even know what to do with all of your new stuff.  We don't have any more room for more toys.

Do you know what you say after each gift you open, no matter what it is?  "Oh, thank you!"  You love everything, always.  I love how big your heart is.  You walked around the room and you gave every single person a hug.

Oh baby, how I love you.  I love how big your heart is.  I am so glad that you chose me to be your momma.  I have loved every single day that I've spent with you.

Happy 4th birthday, baby!

Birthday Party Planning

Every year, I make things hard on myself with all of the birthday planning, decorations, cooking, and baking that I want to do for the kids' parties.  Thanks Pinterest!!  I don't even go fully overboard, I just mainly do everything myself... with the help from my mom, Tim, my niece Haley, and Elyse.

This picture of Elyse is still so weird to me.  It was the first time I let her sit in the front seat, and I kept looking over at her thinking "How is she old enough for the front seat."  Yeah yeah.. some people let their second graders sit in the front seat, but in this house we follow what's safest for the kids!

First thing on our list was ordering balloons.  Check!

Next was pick up all the food for the party.  Check.  Can you guess what we had??  Rice Krispy treats, yep.  &  walking tacos.  & we also needed a lot of candy for the goody bags and the piñata.

When we got home, Ryan's present from Aunt Loni, Peyton, and Marlo came in the mail.  I couldn't get over how cute it was and that's why I had to take a picture.

And try them on...

Can you guess what we did next?

You guessed it, we went swimming.  I kept staring at Ryan because he's way too cute in his new suit and his sunnies.

Next up was some serious party planning mode.  We had to make the decorations, stuff the piñata, make the goody bags, bake some brownies, make rice krispy treats on a stick... all sorts of fun stuff.  Thank goodness my mom always comes into town to help with all of that.

I decided to make it easier on myself this year and order the cake, cupcake, and cookies.  However, people are no joke about that kind of stuff.  They sure do come out pretty but they are expensive!

Ryan in his new sunnies and shirt.

Can't wait to celebrate him tomorrow.

My Favorite Day of the Year...

... is when Elyse comes to our house for the summer!  It's seriously a million times better than Christmas.  I put Ryan and Jake to bed on June 13th and laid in bed reading a book and scrolling through my phone.  It's almost feels like forever from the moment Elyse's plane lands to when she actually gets to my house!

She's here!  & she is all mine for the next 5 weeks.  When Elyse started coming to visit back in 2008, the first thing she does when she gets to our house is unzip her backpack and show me all of the stuff she brought.  This time was no different.  She was showing me all of her new clothes, the jewelry that she brought, the book that she was reading "The Selection." and we talk.  It's something that I hope she never grows out of.  She always gets in pretty late so Ryan and Jake were already sleeping, I knew they would be excited to see her when they woke up.

The next morning, Ryan and Jake were so excited to see her!!!  I was too.  It's always pretty surreal waking up the first morning that Elyse is here.  Ryan had his very last soccer game that morning. 

I will miss watching him run around and play.  He was always such a good sport and ran around and chased the ball wherever it went.  He's the smallest kid on the team so his actual possession of the ball time was pretty limited.  He didn't care.  

A couple hours later, everyone in Tim's family was going to go camping.  Tim's mom couldn't go because she's just not healthy enough for the elevation up there and her doctor didn't want her going.  We did miss her though.  The drive up to Site Greaves was probably 5 hours or so,  long but not bad.   All together there was 3 different RVs and 2 tents.  Tim, Ryan, Jake, and I were sharing a huge tent with Tom and Caitlyn and Elyse was staying inside of Tim's Uncle's RV.

We did lots of sitting, walking, fishing, quad riding, eating, snacking... oh you know how camping goes.

I rode a quad with Tim's Uncle Freddy.  Previously, I had only ever been a quad my junior year of high school with some friends when we were at the sand dunes.  So this was my first time driving one.  I was a little bit scared!  I don't like being out of my comfort zone.. but I ended up really enjoying it.  & come on, my 12 year old drove on it too!

The night before Ryan's birthday (Sunday,) we were all sitting around the campfire eating s'mores and talking and Ryan was sitting on my lap.  He eventually fell asleep and I just sat there snuggling and soaking it all in that this was the last night my baby would be 3.  ...Until my 2 year old turns 3 in 6.5 months!

Ryan woke up early and he was so excited it was his birthday!!  My baby is 4.

On our last morning, we ate a big breakfast and sat around talking with everyone and cleaned up the camp site because it was going to be time to head out soon.

We took lots of pictures with all of the different families.  & Here we all are!  There was maybe 20-25 of us.

Heading home was a bit of a bummer because I didn't want to spend so many hours of Ryan's birthday driving in a car.

4:55pm- Ryan is officially 4 years old!

Prior to our camping trip, Casey (Tim's mom) knew that I was bummed about driving home on Ryan's birthday.  We had to stop at her house on the way home because Al (Tim's dad) was the one driving and our car was at their house.  When we got to her house, she had totally decorated with everything Thomas the Train!  There were Thomas hats for Ryan and Jake and Happy Birthday hats for everyone else, tostadas for dinner and cupcakes.  

Check out my little man!

She made his birthday so special, and I couldn't be more thankful for that.  She sure does love my kids.  They are so blessed.

& that is how we spent our first weekend with Elyse!  & Ryan's 4th birthday.