A Trip to Syracuse and a Maple Syrup Farm!

A pretty low key week after all of the birthday happenings of the previous two weeks!  We did manage to go for  a walk on Saturday and went to a Maple Syrup farm on Sunday with Grandpa Chuck and Pama!  We hope all of our family and friends are doing well! We four are SO ready for spring!!!!!


Ayson in the booster seat since he can't seem to sit down while we eat dinner!


Addie when she was told that there were no more Samoa Girl Scout cookies (Mommy ate them! :)


Flip a switch - A smiling Addie (not two minutes later) wanted her picture taken while sitting in the booster seat :)


Friday night: Addie and Mommy playing with Sand Art - a birthday gift from one of her friends.




On Saturday, the family went gallivanting in Syracuse.  After a trip to Wegman's, we went for a walk along the Erie Canal in DeWitt: http://www.eriecanal.org/OECSHP.html





Afterwards, we went to Pet Smart (the kids wanted to pet the cats and Daddy needed fish tank supplies).  A Mason look a like!




Crazy kiddos!


Ayson and Addie checking on the new fish tank residents: snails!


Mommy and Addie played with dolls Saturday night.  Addie and Crystal Barbie (Mommy's friend, Robyn, gave Addie this Barbie and Mommy also had this Barbie when she was a little girl! :)


On Saturday, Grandpa Chuck and Pama came over for a visit and we all went to a Maple Syrup Open House just one valley to the east of us!  (We also celebrated the kiddos birthdays ONE last time!) Thanks Grandpa and Pama!!!
Learning how to make maple syrup.


The path to the syrup wagon!




The maple trees with their taps and lines!


A single tap


Addie playing a game: locating the letters under the syrup buckets


Pama and Ayson playing


Addie spelling MAPLE!



After our adventure to the Maple Syrup (and Christmas tree) farm, we played games while waiting for dinner:  Hand Bands :)  Hilarious game!


Daddy and Grandpa


If you make a silly face, Mommy WILL post it!


Grandpa, Pama, and the kiddos!  Thanks for the visit, Grandpa and Pama!!!

Happy Birthday, Addie!

Happy Birthday, Baby Doll!!  Wow, Mommy and Daddy can NOT believe that you are SIX years old! We have loved watching you grow into your very particular ("it's not a coat it's a JACKET") and caring personality.



Addie's front tooth fell out Tuesday morning.  She refused to let anyone pull the tooth and we were afraid that she swallowed the tooth in her sleep.  Luckily Mommy found the tooth in her sheets!


Happy Birthday, Addie!  Addie with her singing card and gift of $$ from Grandma Pat and Grandpa Roger!  Thank you!!


Calico Critter baby kitties that Addie picked out :)





The kiddos writing thank you cards :)  Thank you, Kathy, for thinking of the kiddos!!


Addie requested a white cake with particular pictures: Mason and his Mommy, KC, and green fish in blue water :)  :) 


Daddy did a fantastic job!!!!!


For Addie's party, she had 5 friends over for a princess party on Saturday afternoon. 


Window art




Not sure why Addie was not smiling while we sang Happy Birthday to her. 


The aftermath of a princess party with 6 little girls.


On Sunday, Grandma Collene came over for a visit and to wish the kiddos Happy Birthday.


Thanks for the visit and gifts, Grandma!!!


Ayson received a mini DRONE!!!!


Look at that smile :)

Happy Birthday, Ayson!

Happy Birthday to our BIG Boy, Ayson!!!  Hard to believe that 8 years have flown by!!  We love your kind spirit and your smiles, Ayson!  We love you tons, and tons, and TONS!!!


We had a fun week of birthday cards, Ayson's birthday on Thursday along with the school Open House, and a Birthday Party sleepover with 3 of Ayson's friends! After all of that fun, Ayson was sleeping by 7:20 pm on Sunday evening :)

Ayson with his light saber card and birthday gift of money from Grandma Pat and Grandpa Roger :)


Check out the light saber


Addie working on her card for Ms Linda (her birthday was March 10th).  Addie drew a picture of Ms Linda's dog, Mira :)


Ayson lighting his candles on Thursday.  Mommy told Ayson to turn the cupcake (to light the other candles) but Daddy said that Ayson needs to figure it out for himself...


Yes, his hand got a little too close to the lit front candles while he was trying to light the back candles (not enough to leave a burn :)


Presents!!!






Addie was given the option of opening up her gifts with Ayson or WAITING an entire week for her birthday.  She picked NOW :)


Thursday night was also Open House at the school and Ayson wanted to go, so we did!
Of course this picture is upside down - both pages are worth a read :)


Ayson showing Mommy his rope climbing abilities.  Mommy can't believe that she was allowed to climb to the top of the rope in her elementary school - yikes!


Ayson reading in the library.


Addie showing Daddy all of her work.


Gymnastics!


Daddy picked up a new wash machine on Friday.  Ayson: "can I keep the old machine for parts?"
Daddy" "NO!"  But he did allow Ayson to climb inside :)


The new machine has a see through lid and is high efficiency.  Both boys were fascinated with the process!


On Saturday, Daddy set up the race track for Ayson's sleep over birthday party and the Big Boys (Grady's Dad, Hugh) had to make sure it was working properly :)


Kids, snow, and cardboard boxes!  The goal was to try and tire the boys out so that they would not stay up too late.




Ayson trying to bust out the bottom of the big box


All five kiddos playing Minecraft in the same Minecraft world.  The boys were in heaven!


Ayson requested mini cupcakes - the candle is bigger than the dessert!
So sweet, Graham and Grady came up to give Ayson a hug while we were singing Happy Birthday and then everyone joined in on the hug :)




The boys getting ready for the night.  They were pretty low key at this point (9:30 pm).  Mommy and Daddy went to bed and all was quite.  However, Mommy woke up around 2:45 (which was really 3:45 due to the time change) and heard voices.  She wondered if the boys moved into the play room and left the TV on.  When she went downstairs to check, all four boys were awake and laughing/screeching/screaming - basically having fun.  Mommy told them that they needed to settle down and go to sleep if they wanted their parents to let them ever sleep over over again :)


This picture was taken at 8 am on Sunday and proves that they did eventually fall asleep :)