Great Wolf Lodge Birthday Weekend

Kate and Max decided they wanted to celebrate their birthday with a weekend at Great Wolf Lodge.  Liz, Brandon, Emma and Grandma Mary met us there for a total blast of fun!  We played hard in the water park area for the majority of the time in addition to the arcade and bowling.  We had an awesome room where we could all gather and eat pizza, have cupcakes, open gifts and meet again for breakfast. It was such a memorable weekend and an extra special way to celebrate our little loves' seventh birthday!

Water Park Highlights

Arcade Highlights

 Late Night Ice Cream!

Bowling

 Howlin' Birthday Fun!!!

Max is 7

Max is such a fun, loving little thinker, learner and doer. He has so much he wants to understand and do more of daily.

Max wakes up on his own with a fast paced mission to complete his morning routine first before the girls get up. He always does! Then he is off to work - on legos, reading, helping with stuff around the house, listening to stories on CD and playing with the girls.

Recently, Max has expressed hopes to be a soldier one day so he can "fight for his country."  He is also considering being a banker or a builder.

Max is our little entrepreneur. He is constantly finding new ways to earn and save (felt) money - collects taxes and creating things for purchase in his store (i.e. lego sets, drawings, crocheted items, gift cards).

Max really loves school. He loves the rules, schedules, routines, his teacher, his friends, media center and recess.  The minute off the bus he can not wait to report how long it took to "clip up to pink" (behavior chart) and who else clipped up/down.

He has enjoyed tennis this year. He is looking forward to a spring baseball season. He seems eager to do another swim team season this summer!

Max is so creative and curious. He makes the most of every minute of every day learning, sharing and creating new things.

Dear Max,
We love you to the moon! You challenge us with your "wonders" and move us forward with your curiosity. We love your independent ambitous nature that drives you to build, learn, read, question, and care for all that is around you past, present and future.  You are a kind, loving big brother and son. We are so proud of you Max!
XOXO
Mommio & Daddio

Kate is 7

Kate is such an outgoing, social, caring, passionate little girl.  She has so many interests, desires and dreams!

Kate wakes up (slowly) but she wakes up full of ideas about what projects she can do, things she can bake, homes she can make, animals she can care for, things she wants to draw and adventures she wants to go on.  She makes the most of her days and does so much creative thinking.

She hopes to have a farm one day filled with animals and gardens with fruits, vegetables, and flowers.

Kate enjoys school.  She especially loves the social aspect of school.  She loves working in groups, helping others, being a special helper in any way. Art, PE, lunch and recess are the highlights of most days!

Kate enjoyed doing gymnastics for the first half of the year.  Now, she has switched gears back to ballet and is excited about the end of year recital! Kate is thinking forward to swim team this summer.

She is a compassionate person about all things from her pink nose bunny to her baby brother. She loves teaching her siblings new things and encourages them. She has so much love for all things - living and nonliving! 

Dear Kate,

We love you with all our hearts.  From your creative energy to your boisterous self each and every day, our world as parents could not be more exciting or filled with more love for such a sweet, kind, loving, beautiful little girl.

Love,

Mommio and Daddio

Birthdays at School

The birthday fun has begun! 

Today I got to deliver special treats to Kate and Max's classrooms.  I think their "treat" choices are hilarious - munchkins for Max and Cheese Balls for Kate!

Birthday Buddies!

Escargot

Thank you Aunt Lana for the cute idea!

SUNSHINE!

Oh, these gorgeous sunny, warm days! Anna is a busy bee collecting and making homes for lizards, worms, and ladybugs.  Max is swinging from anything.  Kate loves the thrill of going higher and higher. Alex is on an all-time high walking around and climbing on everything!

Alex - 18 Months

Alexander is 1.5 years old! In the past month he has mastered walking and in the past week has realized that walking is more efficient than crawling! Now, he wants to carry things with him everywhere he goes.

He is adding words quickly to his repertoire.  The kids are having fun adding to his vocabulary and have a running list of words in the playroom that they have taught him. Kate is trying to teach him to spell words and Anna is teaching him songs.

Alexander is very curious about everything! He is into all the cupboards, toilets, closets, bins, baskets, bags, drawers, and bunks! He is ALWAYS waiting for an opportunity to sneak into Max's Lego room. Occasionally, I allow Max to indulge him with some Lego time and Alex gets right to work, dumping bins, organizing bricks and arranging figures!

He is getting into crafts more and more.  From coloring to play-dough. He has unrolled many washi tapes and been covered head-to-toe in stickers.  Dry-erase books and water painting are huge hits (and especially useful when trying to help other kids with homework).

Alexander loves being outside.  He is always up for a walk! Any opportunity to dig in the dirt and play with chalk is always a messy success! The thrill of the slides, bikes, plasma cars, sleds, and swings gets the biggest reaction out of him.

He works so hard to keep up with the kids, that he has worn holes through his jeans. He follows what he sees - screaming, playing games, being a pirate, eating like a big kid with a spoon, having tea parties, stirring the toilet water with a sword, hugging and kissing plush friends, brushing his teeth, reading books, spelling words, and dancing...keeps everyone giggling!

Alexander is such a dynamic little guy and fills our hearts and days with so much joy and laughter! Love you to pieces little Buddy Boo!