McKenzie's Party

Josh was invited to Kenzie's Pet Shop party in September for Kenzie's 5th birthday. It was so fun! Anne-Marie had lots of fun things planned to do. The kids got to "adopt" a pet and name it and make it a "collar." Re also had a lot of fun activities planned for outside. They had to rescue frogs by leaping across the lily pads to the pool, feed the cat by fishing for a fish and dipping out water, and feeding a bunny his carrot (like pin the tail on the donkey, but with a carrot and rabbit).

Re explaining how to help the next animal.
Josh putting his carrot on (yes, he was blindfolded).
Wow...frosting on Caleb's face, and he wasn't even freaking out!! It was worth documenting!
Josh staying fairly clean, for him.
He loved wearing the party hat!
Some of the kids eating at the tables.
Josh having a quiet "spider spying" moment with Jim. If you look closely, you can see his "adopted pet" in his hand...
Grandmas are so great for snuggles...even when they're not your own! Sam was a big hit with the grandparents who were there!
Josh picked the unicorn with the pink sparkly mane and tail for his "pet..." I tried to convince him to get a dog or something slightly less...well, pink and sparkly, but he only wanted that unicorn! He named it Butterfly, and loved stringing the beads on his/her(??) collar!
What I hoped he'd pick...
Re had set up a table with grooming stuff and bows, and also a medical station to check their pets to be sure they were healthy. She's so creative! We had so much fun!

Josh's 3rd Birthday

Josh's birthday was on the 9th, a Wed. He had school that day, but we went to the store that morning and got him some birthday donuts (sang Happy Birthday in the parking lot), picked up the GIANT cookie cake that we'd ordered, and were going to go to Chick-a-flay that evening with Sydney. He also got his present from his Aunts, Uncles, and cousins. He loves his new Sit 'n' Spin!

Mmmm...frosting!
Taking out the candles.
Great job! Got them all!
Ready, set, blow!
Sydney is scared of lit candles. Josh was singing happy birthday to himself!
Silly kids!
Josh and Sydney...the first thing Josh wanted her to do as she walked in was put on her birthday hat...she wanted him to immediately open his present!
I went to Josh's school at lunch time and brought the cake. I ended up staying the rest of the day with him, which he loved. And apparently made him much more comfortable there, b/c ever since, he seems to like it (once he's there and I'm gone).
My big 3 year old birthday boy. Yes, he wore the ribbon and hat all day, even to school!

Cassanova

Sam just loved talking to Rachel one night at community group.

"Hey, do you mind, we're kinda in the middle of something here?"

Laura playing with the babies

AJ deploys

On Sunday Sept. 6, we dropped AJ off at the airport after a FULL morning. We had some friends, James and Rachel Riley, do a photo shoot with us at the park before church, the off to the church service, and after a lunch stop where both boys were asleep (AJ ran in), we had lunch, finished packing AJ up, and then headed to the airport. We had a little time when we got him checked in (finding out in the process that the boys and I were allowed to go to the gate with him), so we sat down and recorded AJ singing some nighttime songs for Josh, and took some pictures.

Josh loved wearing AJ's hat.
Posing

Aww...I love my guys!
My baby boy and my hubby

Love those smiles!
Family picture. A man who came through security with us, and offered to take our picture. Sweet!
All my guys! This is my favorite picture!
Josh waving goodbye to Daddy's plane
Our chain to count down the days. AJ wrote little notes on some of the links, and we cut one off before Josh goes to bed every night. He loves it!

We're doing well so far, and we get to talk to AJ pretty much every night on Skype. We really miss him though, and can't wait till he gets back!

Ice cream night

Sam had his ice cream in the form of a milk bottle

What cheesy grins...I love them!

Mmmmm...tasty!


Now that's coordination!

We did put a little sugar free cherry gelato on Sam's binky a couple of times...he seemed to enjoy it!


Yay for ice cream!!

Baby Dedication and First Day of School

Sam's dedication was the weekend before AJ left. It went pretty well...Sam fell asleep in the service right before we went up there, and slept through the entire thing! Josh had no clue he was on a stage with lots of people watching him...he kept turning around to look at us and grin.

(I tried to switch the pix around again, but it won't let me...I think it might be a Mac thing.)

Got some pics of Sam when we got home from church.
Josh's first day of school at Old Fort Baptist Church (Mother's Day Out). He was so excited he couldn't even eat his breakfast! Too bad he didn't really like it until the 3rd week. Oh, well...he mostly likes it now. Notice the lunch box...that was my Winnie-the-Pooh lunchbox...in high school!!
More after pics...I'm just glad I got a few before he pooped all over it.

Such a happy Sam!

The dedication