The (actual) Big Day!

A FULL day!...

Banana Chocolate Chip pancakes with whip cream for breakfast (in bed)

School

Get picked up by Grammie

Eat Fazoli's for lunch

Go to The Children's Museum

Come home for dinner with Grammie and Grampa

menu: grilled cheese, macaroni and cheese, yogurt, milk and cake!

(She has simple taste.)

Always looking for a good reason to eat a Costco cake!

Photographer of the Year :)

Need some amazing pictures taken? I have just the lady for the job! Kelly Warner is fantastic... just one little example:

check out http://www.hisimageportraits.com/ for more!

EMMA IS 6!

I think she's been claiming to actually be 6 for a couple months now, but she is officially six! I tried to keep the "flower party" identity a secret, but she made me tell... and I'm not exactly known for my stellar secret keeping when it comes to birthdays. :) We had a few little girlfriends over in the morning for a pool party/sugar fiesta. We hopped the kids up on as much junk as we could in an hour and half's time and then sent them home and began our family party! It was such a great time with family and friends. Everyone brought Emma gorgeous flowers that were ALL hers and she was overjoyed. It was a beautiful day with perfect weather and we were thankful for all who came and we missed those who couldn't. :(

Movie Night

Refer to Kindergarten Update post below for details, but here is Emma walking into school for her Movie Night... we gave her this owl sleeping bag birthday present early so she would have one to bring along. What a big girl!!

Our fam in Saint Louis

Happy 7th birthday to cousin Asher! Seems like yesterday you were born, buddy! We were invited to his rockin' ninja party at their new place (aka: ski resort-like house) that God has so graciously blessed them with. 14 of us slept there... all in beds. Wow.

Asher's new skateboard. Better get those pads on first.

Even Lincoln sported his own ninja bandana...

And the girls were pretty fierce in theirs...

But have you ever seen an awesomer volcano cake with a ninja sword slashing through it?!

Visits from some favorite people...

Cousin Kristen came on a whim and we ALWAYS love her visits. She showers the kids with attention (and gifts)... and scrapbooks with me! Cousin Teresa has such a sweet way with the kids and loves to read to them. We look so forward to seeing her when she comes!

The kiddos with Grammie and Seth, our cousin from Iowa!

Lincoln with baby Paige (other Iowa cousin!)

Kindergarten Update

I forgot to update like I said I would! The first day: great, second day: awful, third and following: great. I think we had some unfamiliar feelings of insecurity, doubt and fear. Some girls were tough on her and I was ready to bust into the school and give those little girls a piece of my mind, but all is now well I am thankful to report. Her teacher is fabulous and she's made all sorts of friends and has even had a Friday night movie at the school where she got to take her sleeping bag and eat popcorn... when we dropped her off, she had NO friends there and the whole school was invited. You'd think a puny kindergartner would be terrified and change her mind completely about staying... not our Emma. She said, "I'll be fine, dad." And SHE WAS.

Kings Island Extravaganza :)

When I go this long without blogging, it gets more and more overwhelming! A little like scrapbooking... anyway, I finally put the pics from my camera onto my computer and got excited to post them. BUT it will have to be a shorthand version to get 'er done. :)

Kings Island trip with the Warners and Trombleys:

A CHAOTIC day, but we kept everyone alive and even managed to have lots of fun!

the boys

Just some cute pics of my sweet little boys...

The greasy, sweaty, exhausting STATE FAIR

What an awesome American tradition! Once again we had a super fantastic time at the fair- with BOTH grammies and 3 cousins! Plenty of rides and make-your-own slushies...

Can't wait til next year!!

Best buds

The moment he'd been waiting for... the dino ride!

Where's my ticket?