A Visit with Ms Linda, Sports Galore, and Happy Birthday, Mommy!!!!

On Monday, Mommy and Addie got dressed up and we had a dinner date with Ms Linda at Red Robin in Fayetteville.  We spent Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at sporting events and Addie and Mommy visited with Beverly Oliver on Thursday (she gave us fresh farm eggs), Friday at a friends house (Ayson also had a sleepover :), Saturday catching up on chores, and on Sunday we celebrated Mommy's birthday!

Dinner with Ms Linda at Red Robin!  Addie was so happy to see Ms Linda!  Lots of hugs and kisses!
Tic Tac Toe


Addie wanted Ms Linda to come home with us and sleep in Addie's room with her- hahaha!
Word search


The last lacrosse practice of the season was on Wednesday and involved an egg toss and a water balloon toss!  Afterwards, the kiddos pigged out on ice cream sandwiches, cookies, and Gatorade :)






Ayson had a sleep over at Grady's house on Friday night.  Apparently, Ayson and Grady did not go to sleep until close to midnight...and Ayson was up at 6 am!!!!


and he was useless on Saturday with only 6 hours of sleep...hahaha!  Ayson typically gets 8-10 hours of sleep.  Ayson vegged on the couch with Mason for most of the early afternoon.


On Saturday early evening, the kiddos were able to meet Max, Gianna's oldest brother new puppy!!


Max is a cute golden retriever!


Hahaha!  While we were all standing in the front yard, a flock of birds flew over and Neighbor Dave got pooped on!


The kids have been begging to make slime so we did on Saturday evening and it was super easy!






Great smile, Big Guy!


Smores time!!!


Pretty sunset!




A second Smore for Ayson!




On Sunday, we celebrated Mommy's birthday (which was on Aug 2 but we were busy with Daddy at football practice and Ayson at the last lacrosse practice).  Mommy was "surprised" with breakfast in bed, we then went for a walk at Baltimore Woods (with no complaining), and then Mommy had blueberry pie for her dessert!  What a great birthday!  Thanks Daddy, Ayson, and Addie for the special day!

Baltimore Woods:
Looking up at the trees!


Daddy walking through a trail of jewel weed (touch-me-knots) and stinging nettles.


The good


and the bad


We waded in the water and saw water bugs, fish, and crayfish!


Daddy having the kids smell skunk cabbage...pee phew!!!


A cool "nest" of branches!


The "Secret Garden" door!



Daddy showing the kids the nut in a horse chestnut.




The kiddos (Daddy too) singing Mommy happy birthday!!!


Daddy made two fabulous quiches from the eggs the Beverly gave us.  YUM! Thanks, Beverly :)

Too Busy To Write!!!!

A busy week AND weekend for A^4: sports, insects, TWO pool birthday parties, and an anniversary date (kayaking at Labrador Pond) for Mommy and Daddy :)  Mommy will add text on Tuesday or Wednesday as Monday will be a GIRLS dinner with Ms Linda, Addie, and Mommy (while the boys are at Lacrosse practice ;)

Mommy and Addie played games while Ayson was at lacrosse practice Monday evening


Mommy noticed a massive slug on the back porch Wednesday morning and called the kiddos to come take a closer look!




Ayson asked Mommy to send the picture to Grady's Mom so that Grady could see the slug too!


Friday pictures from the gardens


Mushrooms growing in the mulch


Our sunflowers are getting massive!!!


Saturday:
Daddy found a cicada that had not molted!  So we placed it inside one of our bug collectors to watch the process.


However, A^4 headed to 8th Annual Jone's Unbirthday Party Saturday afternoon.  Trisha had paint and patterns to make T-shirts...


Of course the kiddos swam


and there was a water balloon fight :)






The device used to make the patterns for the T-shirts


Addie chasing after the chickens


She was determined to catch one!


Yay!


We now have a chicken wrangler :)


Addie making a t-shirt




After dinner it was time for the pinata!




By the time the pinata was busted open, much of the candy had been smashed to pieces!


When we arrived back home Saturday evening, our cicada had molted!!!


So we set it out on the back porch so that it could fly away


On Sunday, we were invited to a pool birthday party for a friend of Addie's.
Addie loved the pool as it had a shallow end that allowed her to practice swimming with out a life jacket!


Homemade slushies


Matthew, Jacob, and Addie.  They were in Pre-K together and they all have Mrs Long for Kindergarten :)


Another birthday pinata!!!






The kiddos SO wanted to get back in the pool but we made them wait until AFTER Matthew blew our his birthday candles :)


Addie was sleeping within 2 minutes of leaving Matthew's house :)


Neighbor Denise came over on Sunday evening to watch the kiddos so that Mommy and Daddy could go on an anniversary date: kayaking at Labrador Pond!!!


We had a great time and enjoyed the peaceful scenery!


We even managed to kayak further back into the south end of the pond than we had never ventured to before!