Pump It Up!!

Ethan had his 6th birthday party yesterday at Pump It Up!! Besides the birthday boy, 26 other kids were there to help him celebrate!! I was so happy to have such a great turnout! His entire soccer team came (except for one girl), half of his class (8 out of 16), and several other friends. I think everyone including moms and dads had a great time jumping and sliding!! We had cake and ice cream in the party room and then came home to open up all the presents!!

Get 'em, Big Don!

Look out, Carter!!



Cheer up, Ethan! (I just got done telling him we didn't have time to open his presents there, we had to take them home).



Surrounded by presents and in his glory!

Ethan and Carter's First Soccer Game

Yesterday was Ethan's first soccer game (this is his 4th season) and Carter's very first soccer game. Ethan's team is called The Green Goblins and Carter's is The Pirates (not sure why!) The pictures we took at home were before their games--Ethan just happened to spill chocolate milk all over himself at breakfast. The excitement of having his first soccer game on the same day of his birthday party was just too much for him. They both did great!! Ethan scored the very first goal of the game and even though he didn't realize it at first, he got super excited after he figured out what happened!! He played hard and really went after the ball. Carter also did great for his first game. He went after the ball, and even got to kick it a few times! When he did, he looked over at me and Donnie and started jumping up and down yelling that he kicked the ball. At another point of the game, he looked over at me and just yelled, "I love you, Mommy!" He did a lot of jumping instead of running whenever he was in, and kept looking over and giving us thumbs up! But the most exciting part was that he didn't cry!!


I thought this was a cute picture! He told me he was tired of standing, so I gave him his ball to sit on.

Children's Museum

On Friday while Ethan was at school, I took Carter to the Children's Museum with a friend of mine and her little boy. There was a Curious George exhibit and many other fun things to do. But of course, they had the most fun in the play center just running around!!

This was in the Curious George's exhibit. You put a package on the conveyor belt...

then turn the wheel and watch it go up. When it gets to the top, you get to watch it fall down different levels.

Shopping in the mini-Krogers...

and scanning the items at checkout!

Listening to a story during story time

Practicing the technique of brushing teeth

Community Helper

Ethan has been learning about community helpers at school. So on Friday, he had to pick a community helper he wanted to be and dress up like them. When I asked Ethan who he wanted to dress up as, I thought for sure he'd say a policeman. No... A fireman? No... A doctor? No... So I asked him and he told me he wanted to be a builder. Here is a picture of him Friday morning before going to school. He thought he looked tough as nails (no pun intended). Beaming as he walked into school, several teachers stopped him and commented on his outfit. He gets so proud. I love this age where kids are not fully aware of what's cool and what's not!! He told me a lot of kids loved his outfit and noone else was a builder in his class. He also liked singing the song, "Efie the Builder" to the tune of "Bob the Builder"!!

Hunter in Training

I forgot to post Donnie's birthday gift to Ethan. Unfortunately for Donnie, I think this will be the closest Ethan comes to killing an animal. Carter, on the other hand,...

Carter's Hidden Talent

Carter has been doing this for the last several days and he's really good!! I'm so proud! He can even jump and it stays on his nose! (OK, I'm a little too proud!) I caught him watching TV today, just like this. Also notice the crayon crown--he wore it all day today!!

Ethan is SIX!!

Ethan has looked forward to this day for, well probably the last 364 days!!! But for the last 3 weeks, it's really been all he's talked about. We've been to Toys 'R Us, Kohl's, Wal-Mart, and Target and have a jam packed two page list of stuff that he wants for his birthday. He has talked about and planned what he wants at his party, in the goody bags, you name it, I'm sure he's thought about it!

Usually I have to wake him up for school, but not today! He came running down the stairs saying something about his birthday, but don't worry, he informed me the night before that I had to sing him happy birthday as soon as he got up! Carter was already up, so of course we both sang to him. We knew we better follow through with all the plans Efie had! After singing, he wanted to open my present to him. I told him to go out in the living room, and as he was walking away I heard him say, "Wow-I'm really six!!" He also said that before he came down, he was looking at himself in the mirror and thought he looked bigger. When he opened my present, he just started screaming and shaking!! I got him a complete Darth Vader outfit and he was so surprised. He even got tears in his eyes he was so happy!! His reaction was priceless, and of course I don't have it on film! However, I think I will remember it always! He kept thanking me and asking how I knew that's what he wanted.

On his way to school he told me he gets to be the boss of his class. The only thing he wasn't allowed to do was ask someone else to do his work. He loves to be the boss so this was right up his alley. I dropped him off, and as I glanced back at him walking in, he just had an incredible smile on his face!! (When he got home, he told me he decided he didn't want to be the boss at school. Oh how I wish that was the same here at home!)

Carter and I went to his school to have lunch with him. He was proudly wearing his birthday crown. I got him a McDonalds Happy Meal and brought cupcakes and cookies for his class. It was so cute to see him interacting with his class-he had a perma-smile on his face when he gave them each a cupcake.

When he got home, he put on his Darth Vader costume and ran up to his room. That is because he told me earlier to put any presents he gets in the mail up in his room. And of course I obeyed!! He opened them all up and was overly excited about everything. He played for a little, but then it was time for soccer practice. We had enough cupcakes and cookies left over, so I took them to practice and after it was over his team sang happy birthday and then ate their treats. I don't think Efie could've planned it any better himself! When we got home, Donnie gave him his presents, which I will write about later. I forgot to get pictures, so I will do that and write again tomorrow. If you know Donnie, I'm sure you can get some ideas as to what his presents dealt with! I also rented a Star Wars movie, but there was not time to watch that today. Luckily, we get to keep it until Sunday.

It was a fun-filled day and I think it all turned out how Ethan hoped it would. But I'm sure he'll be thinking about birthday #7 tomorrow morning!!!

Darth Vader!!

Opening presents from Grandma and Grandpa Darell, Kissy, Jamie, Hunter, Chase, and Theron, and Maga and Pap-Pap. He got Hulk Walkie-Talkies last week from Jack, Kristen, Gracie, and Emmie Juice

He got Kung Fu Panda and Scooby Doo Characters, Mystery Machine, Darth Vader, C3PO, his own Geoboard (b/c he loved playing with one on his first day of school), and a Spongebob stuffed animal

Efie saying "I love all my presents!"