Happy Birthday Ayson and Addie!

We celebrated both Ayson (March 8) and Addie's (March 15) birthdays with family over the weekend. The kids were very excited for everyone to come over and play (and of course for presents!).  We all had a great time playing outside and inside AND cooking and eating yummy food. The boys are already planning the feast for NEXT weekend when Auntie Julie, Uncle Dan, and the cousins come back over to attend the kiddos "friend" party at a bounce house AND to celebrate St Patty's Day (break out the fat pants!).

Grandma Collene brushing Addie's hair Saturday morning.  So pretty!



Uncle Dan's birthday was on March 3 and Grandma made Dan a minky blanket (super soft material) and gave it to Uncle Dan on Saturday before all of the kid festivities began.  Gorgeous!!



Outside fun on Saturday.



Grandma and her girls.  Grandma was telling Kaela what to draw and then Kaela would make a picture for Grandma.  The girls look so grown up sitting on the bench (especially with Addie in her "party" dress).



The food theme for the birthday weekend was homemade pizzas.  The pizza selection included: cheese and peperoni, taco, margarita (garlic, mozzerella [fresh and shredded], basil, and sliced tomato), pico (garlic, onion, and tomato with just a bit of cheese to act as "glue"), meat lovers, and one last pizza that was an "everything but the kitchen sink"/meat lovers that also had anchovies (Mommy used to use anchovies as bait in feral cat/rat traps while in HI working with nesting turtles and now Mommy can NOT stand the smell of raw anchovies...ugh!)

Taco prep


Tada!


Margarita



Mommy in the kitchen and making something "involved"...quick, get your camera!  :)



Taco pizza is done!



AND since we can't do ANYTHING food related "halfway," what is a pizza party without chicken wings?!?!!!!  The boys deep fried 21 pounds of wings: ginger/garlic/honey and buffalo in varying degrees of hotness...the hotness factor went up with each batch :)







Anchovie pizza and bread.
Auntie Julie used the last bit of dough to make a cinnamon sugar bread roll.  It was yummy and perfect for breakfast for the next morning!!!



The spread.
Uncle Dan also gave a try at cooking a blooming onion (might as well since the oil was hot)...the brown blob at the bottom of the picture.



The kids had fun playing with Grandma Collene and Ruby, Grandpa Chuck, and Pama.



Ayson opening a Hot Wheels race car set from Mommy and Daddy.



Addie opening a jewelry making kit from Grandma Collene.



Mommy had to help Addie with the wrapping paper as Addie is painfully slow at unwrapping her gifts :)




Every time Addie would see what the present was, she would let out a little excited squeal.  It was so cute!  The kids received lots of great gifts, thanks Auntie Julie, Uncle Dan, kids, and Grandparents!!! So happy you could spend the day with us.



Cake time!  Addie was SO excited for the purple frosting on her cake.



A full/happy smile on Addie's face.



Cuddle time with Pama after Addie fell on the tile floor in the Boys Room.



The girls playing with Addie's new dollys.



Pama and Grandpa also got into the mix.



The cousins working on the lego sets that Ayson received.



Pama played hide and seek with the kids and Addie found Pama's hiding spot before it was time to be found!  Mommy made sure that Addie did not give away Pama's superb hiding spot :)



It took both Mommy and Pama to try and give up (and then for Mommy to try again) on understanding the picture instructions on how to put the race track together...but it was worth it. Mommy even loves to play with it...those cars move FAST :)



On Sunday, the adults went snow shoeing and each parent towed a child behind them on a sled. Mush! Daddy only tied his rope through one belt loop and ended up ripping the back of his pants from "top to bottom."



Mommy was the trail blazer because of her wide "traditional" style of snow shoe (Mommy rarely sinks in the snow) and blazed a nice wide trail.



The snow shoe and sled caravan.