By request...
Grandpa Al got to attend Grandparent's Day with Cameron this year, and it was so cute when he came over with the camera and asked me if I wanted these pictures for my blog thingie that I do.
Cameron came home from school that day with a big smile on his face, telling him Grandpa Al gave him $10 for their field trip, that was the highlight of his day! So I had to pry further to see what they did! There were songs sang, activities accomplished, and some not so good food eaten!
Don't worry Grandpa Al, I'll show you the page these pictures make it on! Thanks for going with Cam on this very special day!

For 1 full year Ella has been talking about how she "needed" a Patrick cake. Last year she had Spongebob, so this year she "needed" a Patrick cake. I figured she would want something else as the time got closer, but she never changed her mind, so Gramma Aggie made this cake for her. Ask Jack how it tasted, he was doing some sampling.

A funny from this weekend...
My sis and her kids came to my moms and we decided to give my poor mommy a break and decided to take all the kids to the park, so me and Kris, with Jack, Ella, Cole, Aubrey and Addi. Gramma gave them popcycles before we left, it was a warm day, and neither of us moms remembered baby wipes (crazy eh?). I'm watching Jack's popcycle melt all over him and wondering what to do... when all of the sudden we come upon the perfect solution. Someone's house got TP'd! Perfect! I grab some TP to use to clean up Jack, Kris grabs some to clean up Addi, and we are standing there, then look at each other and start laughing at how very strange we must look! Gathering TP from someone's trees to clean up the kids! hehe
But even stranger was Aubrey grabbing a bunch and not sharing it with anyone and carrying it around all day. Silly girl! Now ask me why I got stuck with the bag full of TP in my house? And Ella is happy to have it!

Busy, busy, busy! That is the story of my life right now. Ella, Jack and I started to go to a playgroup at the library every Tuesday, and they had a get together at the pumpkin farm last week! The kids got to paint pumpkins, make a goody bag, go through the soy bean maze, go on a tractor train ride, paint spiders on a page, Jack got his face painted and then of course we had to get cider and doughnuts!
The soy bean maze was so funny cause Jack kept saying "this path" when he tried to lead the way! I do believe the kids had a blast!

I have been slacking with getting the layouts I am finishing up online, but I have NOT been slacking with getting them done! So here are 18! Yes 18! hehe! Enjoy!

Well it is now official, Ella is 4 today! She is currently getting ready for bed, so her special day is going to be over shortly, it is reading a book time with daddy, one of her fav times of the day!
Ella woke up a bit early this morn and asked me if she could come into bed with me, how could I resist? Then I remember it is her birthday! I snuggle her close and wish her a happy birthday which is followed by some sweet Ella giggles.
Ella's teachers stopped by today and I signed some papers and we talked a bit. They wished Ella a Happy Birthday and gave her some paper and crayons, she was very excited! Then off to Meijer's to pick out a Barbie and get a birthday cake with her name on it! And off to McDonald's to meet with her new friend Emma for a play date! We came home and Jack took a nap while I helped her build a room out of paper for her new Barbie. She wasn't feeling too hot so she watched a little tv and relaxed a bit. After dinner it was time to sing Happy Birthday and blow out her candle (ok, so it was a scented one, I couldn't find any birthday candles!)
I think she had a pretty good day!

Ella and Jack have a favorite spot in the front yard where they can always find roly polies. They teased this poor creature for quite awhile...















Then all of the sudden Jack stood up and he showed the roly poly just who was boss, and as Jack said "I stepped on it", Ella does not look too happy!















And of course the kids had to check out what kind of mess the roly poly left on Jack's shoe!

It is official, Ella is a big girl! She just left for school on the big Metro bus! That thing was huge, the kids look so tiny in it! So here is Ella with her new backpack! And Ella telling me enough with the pictures! And Ella getting on the big bus, the bus that lowers so you can get on, no steps on that bus! And look at the size of that bus! Of course Ella's first comment about it wasn't the size, but the color, it isn't a yellow bus like Cameron rides! The lady helping Ella on the bus is one of the teachers, and she helps with their seat belts. Only kids from her school get to ride this big bus!
I should be home to get more pics of her getting off, hehe! I can't believe she is in preschool today, doesn't seem right!

One more sleep until I am a big girl! That is what Ella told me today, it seems impossible that my little baby could be a big girl, but in her mind the start of preschool makes it official! She will be going 4 days a week for 2 1/2 hours a day, and the bus will pick her up and drop her off in front of my house! I'll take pictures tomorrow! I'm sure there will be tears (not from Ella, but from me).

Proof that Jack hasn't fully evolved from a monkey...






I swear there is no stopping that boy!!! What everyone else was afraid of at 2, but climbing by 3, Jack tries and accomplishes at 2. He wraps them little toes around the spider web (that is what he calls it) and climbs right up, stopping to talk to me, or get a sticker off his shirt, or check out some bugs. Of course he doesn't quite have his dismount down yet, as today he got a fat lip landing on his face!

Today was the first day of school!!! Well for Tay and Cam! Tay started the 9th grade today, and even though she said she wasn't excited, she was out of bed early and ready to go in record time, with a smile on her face!!! She got her schedule today and found out she is 1 of 2 freshman in the geometry class that is mostly sophomores! My smart girl!!! Cam was on the ball today after coming home from 5th grade, already getting me to sign papers and such! Hopefully we can keep that up through the year! Even though he said he wasn't ready to go back to school, he was running down the street, ready and raring!!! Oh and he does like his teacher this year, that is good!

Our last hoorah for the summer...
We headed to Grand Rapids to a place Jamie's aunt Kim has on the lake. They were sooo nice to let all 6 of us stay there, and feed us, and let us play on all of their cool toys! We had a blast! I think the fav thing the little ones got to do was go on the super mable, being pulled nice and slow by the pontoon boat, and then the big kids getting pulled on it by the speed boat! We were hanging on for our lives, my arms are killing me today from doing that! Tay did get thrown off once, and I laughed so hard! Watching her fly was funny, yes I am a mean mom! Cam also got to knee board, after we figured out some signs to show him when to get up, he had it figured out in no time! He was even trying some tricks and was all smiles! I think one of my fav things was the pontoon late at night, under the starry sky, it was beautiful! And when we got back we made smores by the campfire! Getting Ella and Jack to bed was rough, but they slept pretty good. I sure hope we get invited back, I had so much fun!!!! Kim, Gordon and Ally were great hosts!!!