Maryann's First Birthday Party

We celebrated Maryann's Birthday the weekend before her birthday over at MayMay and PopPop's house.  She was gracious enough to share the party with her Daddy.  She got all dressed up and ready to go, wearing the same outfit that Lauralee wore to her first birthday party.

I made Adam a Mississippi Mud Pie...

And I made MK a strawberry cake...  She was pretty interested in the candle but had no idea she was supposed to blow it out.

...SO... her brother and sister stepped in, took one for the team, and blew it out for her.  She also had no interest in eating the cake, craziness.

After the kids came down off of their sugar high....

...we opened presents.  This is the wrapping paper designed by Hogan and Lauralee for MK.  They worked so hard on it.  They love their little sister SO very much.

Maryann enjoyed seeing what was inside the gifts but had no interest in opening them so once again H and L stepped in and saved the day :)

They also commandeered her new toys the first chance they got.

We had so much fun celebrating the little girl who has brought so much joy, laughter, and love to our family, almost one year ago.  We love you Maryann Katherine.   

Bill the Bull Frog

There is this huge bull frog, Bill, that lives in the elephant pond right outside MayMay and PopPop's kitchen window.  Adam and the kids first saw it a couple of months ago.  Adam was on a mission to catch that thing since the moment he layed eyes on it.  Every time we went over there he and the kids would bring nets and spend a good amount of time looking for Bill.  Well, they finally mastered the art of catching Bill, he is a tricky little escape artist, and now they are able to catch him and hold him almost every time they try.  

Meet Bill.

Even MK thinks Bill is pretty interesting.

Hogan the Five Year Old

Here is Hogan's Five Year Old Birthday Interview.  A lot of his answers were pretty random and not REALLY his true favorites... but here are his answers...

Favorite Food: Vegetable Pizza (He had tried vegetable pizza from Luigi's the night before because I made him and he ended up liking it.  His favorite food is really pepperoni pizza or "buzzert", though.)

Favorite Sport to Play:  Soccer

Favorite Song:  The Super Hero Squad

Favorite Thing to Do with Mama:  Go to that Yogurt Place (A frozen yogurt shop I took him to on our date a few weeks earlier.)

Favorite Thing to Do with Daddy:  Eat Ice Cream at the Ice Cream Shop, Go Fishing

Favorite Thing to Do wtih Lauralee:  Play with the plastic toy animals (I would say they like to play Mama and Daddy or ride bikes together.)

Favorite Thing to Do with Maryann:  Play with the plastic toy animals

Who is your Best Friend:  Lauralee and Maryann

What do you want to be when you grow up?  a Doctor (and work with his Daddy)

Favorite Bible Verse:  God loved us and sent his son.  1 John 4:10

Favorite Color:  Green and Blue

What is the thing that you do the most awesomely?  Fight with Daddy

When I was little, I used to... crawl and put stuff in my mouth.

What is one food that you really dislike?  Cucumber

If you had one wish, what would it be?  To be a Transformer when I grow up.

What is your best memory?  My favorite memory, that makes me laugh, is when I was little I called chicken nuggets "bock-bock".

What is a book that you are loving right now?  Superheroes Books

Favorite Chapter Book:  The Indian in the Cupboard

What is something that makes you happy?  Surprises

What is your favorite animal?  Patches and Patches

What is your favorite thing to do?  Play Ants in my Pants

What is your favorite movie?  Robinhood

What is something you are really good at?  Doing School Work

Where is your favorite place to go?  The Ice Cream Shop

Favorite Bug:  Spider

Happy Halloween!!!

Optimus Prime, Princess Lauralee, and the Little Monkey had a blast this Halloween.  We went to a Halloween Party over at a friends house and went Trick-or-Treating around their neighborhood.  Adam pushed Lauralee and MK around in the stroller and Lauralee made it into her very own princess chariot, insisting on being dropped off and picked up at each door and walking as little as possible.  Hogan ran from house to house the entire time... a man on a mission.  

Could they possibly be ANY cuter???  Nope :)