HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRADY AND LEE

Brady turned 2 years old last Thursday, the 25th and Lee turned the BIG 3-0 on Friday the 26th! With the beginning of the school year, Brady's b-day, and Lee's b-day it was a very busy week. Guess that's how it's going to be every year for awhile, right! Brady and Lee both enjoyed their days and received many great gifts! We had a great party for Brady on Saturday, which we all enjoyed very much!

We always hang balloons on the ceiling in the living room for the boys' birthdays. They absolutely love it! Brady woke up a bit early on his b-day. Usually I would make him wait in his room until 6:30, but on his b-day I took him out and carried him into our room. When we got into our room, I asked him if I could sing Happy Birthday to him. He, of course, smiled and said yes. The second that I started to sing, he sang with me and continued to sing the whole song with me. It was the cutest thing and a great start to my day. I needed that good part of the day, as the rest of my day didn't go so well.
Our little train conductor. Party hat on first thing in the morning!

A very HAPPY two year old boy!

Thursday evening Brady opened up some gifts from myself, Lee, and Tyler. Brady absolutely loves Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. He loves it when I sing it to him at bedtime. I did one of those recordable books titled Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. He was very excited when he opened it up!

This is how excited he is everytime he opens the book up!

We also got him a baseball glove that he loves!

Birthday cupcakes for his actual birthday night.

With Dad's help, he is getting to that oreo in the middle of the cupcake!

I went straight upstairs and into bed right after the boys finished the cupcakes. I actually had a pretty scary migraine on Thursday. I spent an hour in the nurses office at school in pain and sobbing, before I was driven home by one of my co-workers. Lee came home early in the afternoon to take me to the Dr. I was given some pills that were supposed to help. I was still in very bad pain for the rest of the day and night on Thursday. I felt terrible that I wasn't able to really enjoy Brady's birthday. Friday morning, I woke up and still had a pretty bad headache. Throughout the day, Friday, my migraine would come and go, with the help of the medicine that I received on Thursday. Thankfully, I went to the chiropractor after school on Friday. It actually helped and I was starting to feel better. Most of the day on Saturday I was fine and then Sunday I didn't feel any signs of a headache at all! :) I went to the chiropractor, again, after school on Monday and have been doing well. I assume that this was all caused by stress! I just hope that I will never have to go through a migraine as bad as the one that I went through last Thursday!

Friday, Grandma Mary arrived and let the boys open up a present. They each got a train for their train table.

Celebrating Lee's birthday with cupcakes, candles, and singing Happy Birthday!

Saturday morning. My two birthday boys out at the smoker. The boys and I got Lee a smoker for his birthday. He was surprised and really likes it! We used it right away on Saturday for the b-day party. We had some great food!!!

Brady's Choo-Choo Train Birthday Cake. I made this cake on Saturday morning (with headache.) We thought that it turned out awesome and Brady loved his Choo-Choo Cake! It not only looks sweet, but it tasted extremely sweet as well!

Brady's Thomas the Train 2nd Birthday.

Opening up another train for the train table.

Among other things, Grandma Mary's big present to Brady was a mini bike that actually fits him and is a bike that he's able to pedal. He thinks he's pretty big stuff when he's out on his bike and can pedal to move it! :)

Here he is on his new bike.

Tyler's favorite part of the day was playing baseball with Grandpa Freese and Uncle Josh. I'm sure that playing baseball with the boys was Josh and Grandpa's favorite part of the day as well!

Singing to Brady once again! Blowing out his #2 candle is the most fun for him.

And singing to Lee once again!

ANOTHER BUSY WEEKEND

AUGUST 19-21
FRIDAY NIGHT.
We headed to the Newton Cardinal Football Scrimmage. We joined a couple other families at the game, let the kids run around and play, and tried to watch the scrimmage. Not sure how many games Lee will actually take both kids to this fall!

SATURDAY.
We took a day trip to Dysart. We hung out with my mom, Grandma, my Aunt and Uncle, and our little cousin, Ava. It was a beautiful summer day! After playing at Grandma's for awhile, we decided it would feel great to take a dip in a pool. A neighbor of my Aunt and Uncles, was out of town. My cousin was in charge of housesitting and taking care of the pool. There were many times when I was a kid that Josh and I would swim in this pool with all of our cousins. Since I wasn't aware that we would be swimming on this day, I did not pack swimsuits or swim diapers. Brady swam naked and Tyler in his undies. It's okay! I also have swam in this pool in just my underwear as a kid! Lee was the "chosen one" to swim with the kids. They had great fun and loved jumping into Lee and being thrown up into the air.

Tyler, Ava, Brady, and Lee.
Tyler being thrown.
Brady's turn!

Tyler had to pee. Instead of going into the house wet, we used the easy way. Brady thought he'd try as well!

The kids playing on Uncle Kendall's golf cart.

After dinner at Grandma's, we went over to Kendall and Brenda's house. Brady helped himself to cherry tomatoes from the garden.

I made him show me each one before he popped it into his mouth to make sure it was a good one to eat.

We had a bonfire and roasted marshmallows for smores!

SUNDAY. (Morning/Afternoon)

We took the kids to Blank Park Zoo. It was a great day! Last year, we visited the zoo 3 different times. This was our one and only trip this year! HAD to squeeze it in! Checking out the tiger.

Up close look at the giraffes.

They loved the dinosaur exhibit.

I feel like they could have stayed all day to watch the otter swim in circles.

Tyler did great at riding the camel.

Our crazy man, Brady.

SUNDAY. (night)

We went over to our friends house for a Back to School Bash. We had a wonderful dinner and enjoyed watching all of the kids play! Most of the kiddos on the playground.

This is a pretty good picture of all the kiddos, except Brady looks a bit sad. I think that Addie was trying to put her arm around him for the picture, but he did not want that!

' The Reynolds Boys'-Tyler and Brady, 'The White Kids'-Ella, Addie, and Ian, 'The Mattes Boys'-Adam, Caleb, Micah, and not pictured, Brennan, 'The Allen Kids'-Noah, Stella, and not pictured, Henry, Charlie, and Max, 'The Klein Kids'-Cody, Caden, and not pictured, Camryn.

5 Families. This picture shows 12 out of the 17 kids! YIKES!

The men and kids played baseball. I'm not sure who had more fun!

Tyler up to bat.

Waiting in line for their turn up to bat.

WHAT A TERRIFIC WEEKEND!!!

IT HAD TO COME TO AN END...

My summer is officially over. I had my first day of school with the kiddos today, Wednesday, Aug. 24. I officially went back last Friday, the 19th. We had a great summer on my time off. We did many fun things and stayed busy, busy, busy! It was a fulfilled summer, which made going back to work last Friday an OK thing. On our last day of summer, the boys and I went to the football field to run around and play. After the field, we headed to the park and then to pick up lunch for us and Lee. We then went to Lee's work and had a picnic lunch with him. It was a good last day of summer vacation!

One of our final evenings before going back to work. The boys would rather not wear clothes. Here they are, Brady in his diaper and Tyler in his undies, chasing Cali around.

Tyler, Brady, and Cali under the kitchen table. This was our last morning of lounging and not being in a rush to get out of the house. They like to use under the kitchen table as a little hideout.

Running around on the football field.

Having a picnic lunch with Dad at his work.

Since this sweet little child of mine needs to be with me at all times, this is a common scene at our house. I make dinner and he sits on the counter and watches me.