My big boys turned 5 and 3 this month and requested a John Deere birthday party. I was just happy they agreed and had no qualms about having another combined party. I set to work planning out a few things and was happy to discover pinterest this summer which definitely provided some great inspiration. Here are some pics of the party...

the food table...


some pinterest ideas...

corn on the cob!



the cake could have been better, but I am no expert at fondant - I may stick to the shaped cakes in the future!


other highlights included some wildflowers I had been eyeing in a field for a few weeks and a photo garland made from dollar store rope and mini clothespins...





we played several games including a bean bag toss through tractor wheels and friend finder using pictures of the guests. We also played a game where all the kids had a farm animal taped on their back and they had to figure out what it was by asking questions. Kids got tickets for playing the games and then turned them in for prizes at the prize table!





The party was a big success and most importantly, my boys had a great time and loved having so many of their friends there to celebrate with them!

What makes you happy?... toys

What makes you sad?... hitting

What do you like to do?... play toys

What is your favorite color?... red

What do you like to eat?... enchiladas and bampoo (we had just eaten enchiladas for dinner and I think he was trying to say bamboo - he had just watched a Diego episode about an animal eating bamboo :)

What is your favorite toy?.. green car that drives

When do you feel frustrated?... hitting

What are you excited about?... playing

Where do you like to go?... "Deanna Rose... I like Deanna Rose and Freddy's...lots of things... I like mommies...I like babies...baby Tanners"

what is your favorite song?... Itsy Bitsy Spider

Do you like to take naps?... yeah

Who is your best friend?... Mason

What is your favorite thing about preschool?... painting

What is your favorite animal?... lion...I don't like lions or "wolfs"...giraffe

What kind of job do you want to have when you grow up?...I will make a big circle...dirt...dig

When do you feel happy?... when dada tickles me

When do you feel sad?... when somebody leaves me alone

What do you like to do?... sometimes I like to wrestle with dada

What is your favorite color?... yellow

What do you like to eat?... apples, pears, suckers

What is your favorite toy?.. my helicopter (present from Tyson for his recent bday)

When do you feel frustrated?... when Brody does mean stuff to me

What do you really like?... I like to go to some playgrounds and Bass Pro Shop

What are you excited about?... my birthday party

Where do you like to go?... Chuck E Cheese

what is your favorite song?... Jumping in the House of God

What is your favorite thing to do at Preschool?... make stuff for you and dada and give it to you

What is the best part of being 5 years old?... getting presents

Who is your best friend?... Avery and Ethan

What kind of job do you want to have when you grow up?...I'm gonna drive a skid steer

Anything else you want to tell me?... I like to see construction sites

My little Brody turned 3 a few days ago and I wanted to take a few minutes to reflect on him and the wonderful little guy that he is. It has been so fun to see his littler personality come out more and more, especially over this past year. He is someone who just goes with things - he is easy-going, shy when he first meets someone or tries something, but then he is a little firecracker. He is a goofball who is always making us laugh. He is a talker - especially on the rare occasions where it is just me and him in the car - he comments about every single thing that we see and asks a million questions. He LOVES Mason and wants to do everything he does. On the one morning a week that Mason goes to preschool and Brody stays home with me, he is just lost without him. He is constantly asking if it is time to go get Mason. I can only hope and pray that they continue to be this close as they get older. Brody is a giver - he will always offer me a bite of his ice cream and is quick to share with Mason if he knows that Mason wants something he has. He LOVES to wrestle with his daddy and usually it is one of the first things out of his mouth when Andy gets home "Let's wrestle, dada!"

It is hard to keep a straight face with him when we are trying to discipline because he is so stinkin cute. He says the funniest things! He is so very smart. I asked his teacher the other day if she thought he was doing okay, being the youngest in the class. She said without a doubt he is doing great and is probably more artistically inclined and has better fine motor skills than many of the other kids. He knows most of his letters and can already spell his name (not write it, but knows the letters in it).

Happy Birthday to my sweet Brody boy - we love you and definitely laugh way more with you in our family!

It is so crazy to me that I have a 5 year old! All day, Andy and I have been commenting on how old Mason seems and how this year really seems to be different in the way it feels. Probably because 5 comes with a lot of changes - fortunately the biggest one is still a ways off (Kindergarten!) but when I look ahead to the next year and think about watching him learn to read, lose a tooth, and just become more and more independent, I am filled with excitement but also some sadness at how my time with him will start to shrink. I just wanted to take a few minutes to write about my sweet boy who turned 5 today...

Mason is probably the sweetest boy that most people have met. I often get comments from teachers and friends at how sweet and precious he is. I know God has given him a tender heart and I am excited to see what is in store for him in life. Obviously I do not see Mason at preschool or Sunday school, but I am pretty certain that he is the epitome of the "teacher's pet" but maybe not quite so annoyingly so (like I was!). I feel like Mason can be summed up by something he did last night/today that made me and Andy so proud of him...

Last night we were talking about today and how it was his birthday and what we were going to be doing. Opening presents was mentioned and Mason immediately said "What about Brody?" I explained that Brody's birthday is in a few days and then it would be his turn to open presents and have a special day. Mason looked a bit sad and said "But Brody will be sad!" I told him it was okay and that Brody would understand. He looked at me and said "I'm going to let Brody open some of my presents." My heart melted and I told him that was so sweet, but he did not have to do that. He went to bed and I wondered if he would think of it the next morning. Well this morning came and our 5 year old woke up, ate his cinnamon role in bed (our family tradition) and came down to open presents. I asked Brody to help me hand him the presents and Mason immediately said that he wanted Brody to help him open some and proceeded to have Brody open half of his presents. It was so sweet and thoughtful - Andy and I looked at each other and I think we were both a bit teary-eyed.

We are so proud of our boy and feel so privileged to be his parents!

At 4 months you are...

*rolling over from your tummy to back (started at about 3 1/2 months)
*very close to rolling from back to tummy - will go to your side
*sleeping through the night sometimes, but typically get up once - although you have been congested for the past week which has totally messed up your sleeping
*taking about four 45 minute naps during the day - if I hold you while you sleep, you will sleep longer so I usually end up doing this for at least one of them in the afternoon
*very entertained by your brothers (especially Mason who tries so hard to make you smile)
*starting to giggle/laugh - you have quite the silent laugh, but you are starting to let out actual noises lately:)
*definitely finding your voice - you have a squeal sound that you are not afraid to use
*15 pounds as of 2 weeks ago which was right at the 50th percentile. You are in the 75th percentile for height and holding true to the Garlich boys tradition, your head remains in the 90-95th percentile.
*still struggling with a clogged tear duct - we tried drops but they didn't work so I am just massaging the tear duct as often as possible and hoping it will go away soon!