Jackson's Friend Birthday Party

Jackson had a Angry Birds themed birthday party. 

The kids colored Angry Bird pictures while we waited for everyone to show up.

Jackson wanted to do a pinata. 

We blindfolded the kids for the first round, but for the next 2 or 3 we just let them hit it. 

It was a tough pinata.

She was sad didn't get any of the candy the first couple of times some spilled out. 

Alli

All the kids getting candy.

He loved all his presents!

He had all his candles on 1 cupcake.

The flames combined to make one super flame. Apparently it was pretty smelly. 

They were hard to blow out.

Then they threw birds at the tower that had pigs on it. 

Doug rebuilt it each time.

Jackson wanted to play a game he called Hide the Pig. One person would hide the pig and another person would find it. We also said hot and cold to help them find it. 

Kenzie and Alli sitting so cute together.

Happy Anniversary!

Doug and I celebrated out 9th wedding anniversary this year! For some reason 9 years seems so long to me. Much longer than 8. Maybe just because it's close to an entire decade :) I was planning on scanning a picture of us from our wedding day, but I didn't. Instead I'll make a list of 9 things Doug does to make our marriage happy:

1. He's the best muddy buddy maker and makes them for me often.
2. He always supports me in all my outside the family activities (volleyball, garage sales, girls' nights...)
3. He's a great back rub giver.
4. He likes to be with the kids and me.
5. He does the dishes most nights.
6. He'll eat and be grateful for most any food I make him... He's just happy when I cook :)
7. He always takes care of the garbage, bugs that come in our house, and stinky diapers (when he's home.)
8. He's a very hard worker and always does the best at everything he does.
9. He supports me homeschooling our kiddos. 

Taylor Mountain Hike

We started hiking again this year. Our homeschool group has been doing them for awhile, but I was waiting for warmer/dryer weather. Jackson, Jordan, and Mackenzie all did great. Kenzie only cried/whined when she wanted to catch up with boys but they were too far ahead and when her shoe got muddy. This was a great improvement from last year. When we did this same hike before I remember her whining/crying most of the way. And the boys didn't whine at all. Hopefully all are hikes will be like this. Coleman didn't do as well. I was hoping he'd walk most of it. But at the beginning he was going to slow. Since I didn't want to get left behind (and my bigger kids had run ahead) I picked him up so we could catch up to the others. After that he wanted to be carried the whole time. I made him walk a little, but he just cried when I did that and would walk in front of me, turn around, put his little arms up at me and tell me he doesn't like to walk. I just told myself it was better exercise for me. I was sore the next couple days... Next time I'll probably bring my baby carrier so my arms at least have a break.

Retirement Center

We went to a retirement center and decorated cookies and made cards with some of the retired ladies. 

 The lady in the top right was telling us she went zip lining recently. There were some pictures of her doing it hanging in the room we were in. She said she loved it. She's more adventurous than me :)

They told me to "take a picture of all your kids."

Saltwater State Park

We met some friends at Saltwater State Park. We looked at tide pools, played in the sand, built forts out of logs, and climbed on the logs. The kids loved it! I think we ended up staying there 5-6 hours and they could have stayed longer if they weren't starting to get hungry :)

This child loves throwing things. When I tell him not to throw something he usually does it anyways. Then he tells me he didn't throw it, he sprinklered it.

We saw lots of little crabs.

It was a perfect to be there. It was overcast, but warm so we weren't too hot and we weren't cold.

There's a dog in the background that had brown fluffy, curly hair. Jordan said it looked like a gorilla. A little later Colie said "The gorilla is eating the rocks." Haha. He also saw a little furry dog that he insisted was actually a cat.

Some of this fort was there before we got there and some of it the kids built.

Jackson built a little house of sticks.

Kenzie built a sandcastle. All the rocks are windows.

Baseball

Last Thursday when we got home from piano I told Coleman it was nap time. He ran outside, closed the door, sat down, and leaned against the door to try to prevent me from putting him to bed. 

Then he turned around and told me to stop taking pictures of him because he was sitting outside the window.

But eventually he smiled.

It was hot that day and Kenzie brought her winter hat to Jack's first baseball game of the season. Coleman ended up wearing it for most of the game.

Jackson played catcher one inning.

He also hit a home run to right field! He was super excited!

Michelle's Birthday

Michelle's birthday is the day after mine. We skyped with her, Kenna, and Nati. We miss them.

Kenzie took some pictures of us skyping :)

We watched Camryn.

I love when Kenzie takes pictures of her feet or her hands. 

Cam peaking around Jackson.

This picture makes me laugh. It appears that Jackson through his angry bird just as Kenzie was taking a picture and so it looks like Cam has it over her head. :)