LOVE

As Chris is headed off to Baghdad for another few weeks we were super excited to see this sign show up in our little town center.  After Shane's party we all scooted over for a quick family photo

My family might be crazy, loud, active, sincere, it always acts as a unit and it always stronger

Together

Even a Drew smile!

This sign travels all throughout Virginia bringing a little bit of LOVE everywhere it goes.

Shane's Wipe out party....

What does a 4 year old boy want to do for his birthday party??  Hmm, how bout run like crazy through a bunch of obstacles....  Since our backyard wouldn't suffice, we took over a beautiful grassy area in our neighborhood park.  

You are looking at the Wipe out course constructors.

And the course MVP #2.  Fresh out of the box (from Aldi, dad)  Basically a kid climbs in there while the others roll him around - nauseating for us, perfect for them.

Here are the party participants.  Shane is 4 so his 4 buddies are Evan (Shane's MVP), Aidan, Wyland and Robbie - this is officially the FIRST ever birthday with cousins!!  It was AWESOME.  

We had to practice all the events before a true run through.

Wyland was tasked as the water balloon target - he gets the enthusiasm award for sure!

A little swing across the aligator pit

Rope swing for the more advanced - go Robbie!

A ball toss from the waterless pool (although it was 90 today - so if water transport was possible it might have been appreciated - by the kids only...

a bit of a ball bounce

And bean bag toss.

once the games began we paired up the kids so all brothers and ages were separated.  They had to help each other though the course (and learn eachother's name - which was perfect!)

After all that work we had to take a break for brats and snacks.

Love catching these 3 together.

After dinner, the kids got a bit of a 'free for all' with the obstacles.  I am forever amazed with what they can come up with when left to their own devices.  The Orange inflatable was a punching bag....  But now its a football.  Shane is 'hiking' it - seriously, I can't make this stuff up.

See, success!

not sure if this is a tackle, reception or fumble - they aren't sure either.

Hey there birthday boy!  Cake time?

You bet!  Looks YUMMY!

Shy guy getting attention

And rocking the gift department

More exhaustive playing for them all.  Great energy levels followed by an excellent night sleep =)!

Now onto the deflation process....  how many Leadbetters does it take - Nice supervisory role Drew.

Thank you Barbara and Wyland for all your help and participation.  Thanks to Shannon and Wyland for carving out a great afternoon to celebrate with us as finally catch up.

Happy birthday Shane - now we are officially 'wiped out'

Boys boys boys.... all the time - all day

So here are some photos of these little guys.

Drew at his first trip to the dentist....  We got to walk there - awesome.  This is his 'say AH' face

But this is his super cute face.

This is shane and his super cute face.

Something about Drews expressions really crack me up.  Seriously, where does he get this crap?

These guys are just too much - literally.  Most days I am just trying to get by 

chronos time (survival mode... regular time) 

but there are some moments that as my new friend (thanks to Farrah) would call---

 Kairos time(gods time, magical moments, time stands still).  This photo shows me some of that time

LOVE this kid - HE had an A+ kinda day,  How can you not - it was bow-tie day at school.  I don't normally dress him like this (mostly because he wouldn't let me) but he was the heartthrob at the bus stop by ALL THE MOMS.  So I had to take a photo - this one is for you Anna!

Happy Birthday Shane

Ah Shane - 4 years today!  Some thoughts on Shane - he has such a kind heart, loves bugs and all animals.  Out of no where he says - mom, I love you.  

He seems to have allergies here so we fight it every morning with Zyrtec but if I forget, his runny nose comes back and eventually he loses control of his appendages and cannot hear which is tough because he is so chatty.  He is in that earache phase of life.  

He loves to antagonize his little brother and hates it when drew fights back.  He TRIES to keep up with Nick but is 3 year behind - although you would NEVER know it.

He is a lefty, he sleeps late (also goes to bed late)

He loves feeling loved and this was him enjoying the writing on the mirror.

And SUPER excited about the inflatable pool filled with balloons.

This pool got more attention in this week than we gave it all summer!

A special surprise from his best friend Evan.  Love these 2 together.  Shane brought some yummy pumpkin muffins to school with little candy corns on them.  Yum!

After school, we took a special trip to Sweet frog with our special buddies.  Love the unwrapping face...

Sweet gifts, but the time with friends - sweeter.

someone finished his ice cream!

now onto a few more family gifts and a skype call from my folks in Italy and a super sweet video from his girlfriend in CA

4 so soon?  But in Shane's mind - it really took forever to get here - needless to say he is already planning for 5.

another day and his birthday continues - this boy loves it - now handmade steppers from Saranac lake.

Can you see the love that went into this gift??

Shane's pet bug - and the closest my sister is allowed to go towards a living thing....  bring a biology teacher - she makes me a little nervous in the gift department...this bug responds to clapping, light and dark (no food and no peeing - awesome!)

With the true birthday done, onto the planning.  He asks me EVERY day - which day is my party?  Sadly a calendar doesn't work with him.... YET.

We love you Shane.  Happy Birthday

a beautiful day for a party

As I was just about to start writing about Shane's party, Drew's birthday etc I realized I had started a different party post.  In September Chris's new company had a company party - it was at a swanky country club in the tyson's corner area - but the party was warm and family friendly.  It was my oppurtunity to meet some of the folks Chris spends his time with and his oppurutnity to see them and have them see him in a different light.  I truly enjoyed getting to talk with the man who hired him as well as get to hear their CEO speak.  Its amazing to think the CEO isn't much older than us and has 2 elementary school boys of his own.  He was very personal as was everyone there and gave us a better feeling of what the vision was - or at least what he could say at the moment.

What party isn't complete without a face painter??  Cheetah nick!

I have 'seen' this game a million times but never gotten to play it.  Look rather easy to make so a snapped some photos of my favorite opponent next to the apparatus.

scoring portion.

funny photos that could be Christmas card ready...

This photo of Chris's living conditions in Bagdad.  He never complains - but those are some startk walls.  Good thing he wasn't there too long.  His boss actually came up to me at the party to see if I was mad at him for Chris's lengthy time out there.  Nice of him to take the time and express the concern.  His wife was great too - oddly enough we take the same yoga class.  Since her kids are grown and having kids of their own - I am guessing our yoga mission is very different....

Shane snuck in later to get his face painted as CPT America - later that day I kept wondering where all that blue stuff was coming from...hmmm...

Thanks NoVa

I know its clear you aren't interested in making my hear grow fonder - but a long run in 85 degree heat for the fall is miserable.  The only reason I let you heat me up was the fact that i paid 2 separate places to take my kids for the morning and it was the only free time i had.  But if you opt to pull this SH!T for the 10 miler October 21 once completed I will grab my family and insulated tent and set up camp in Milwaukee WI.  Thank you Margaret Warner for making me finish those miles - I may not be able to talk to you as much as I would ever like - but you helped me finish today.  7 miles - less than 11 minutes per mile - BEARLY!  take that...;  Nice morning therapy - ya right!