A Fun Playdate and a First!

Our friend Henry came over to play a few weeks ago and I went a little picture crazy.

Luckily they were happy to comply (once I bribed them with  m and ms :))

They were obsessed with doing the self-timer and then going back to check the photo.  We need to get a tripod!!

The boys had fun playing with this car ramp.  I feel like Jackson is just in underwear pretty much all the time now! :)  (actually sometimes without even that, but he's getting better about putting it on himself...so hopefully this will change soon!)

Best buddies!

The "first" is Jackson went to the dentist for the first time!  Unfortunately this is the best photo I got, I made my appointment and Cooper's appointment all for the same time, and last year when I did that Cooper just sat with me and I could watch his entire appointment.  This time they had us working with three different people!  I started to get a little panicky that my two-year-old was by himself, not to mention for his first appointment so I thought he'd be scared, but luckily Ryan showed up after probably 10 minutes so I could relax.  He didn't take any pictures though!  I was sad I missed his first appointment, but I could hear them and it sounded like it went ok! :)

Visiting with Friends

While in Kansas we were very lucky to spend the night at our wonderful friends Gretchen and Darin's house.  The kids had a GREAT time playing together, and it was so fun for the adults to have more time to talk!

The kids relaxed in the afternoon with a show:  Cooper, Jackson, Nolan, Maya

Jackson was having fun playing with Maya's dollhouse!  Isn't that so cute!?!  I had to quick run and get my camera. 

My friend Megan and her husband Brandon came over with their kids Avery and Cade for dinner.  Here's Avery with our kids, Cade wasn't exactly wanting to pose for pictures :).

Here are the kids with the parents.

All three boys woke up very early so I put them in front of a show so I could sleep a little bit longer..works like a charm!  Cooper looks VERY into it doesn't he?  he he

While in KC we met with some friends at a really fun restaurant; a train restaurant where you order your food over the phone...

and the "train" delivers it!  Cooper and Jackson LOVED it.  Cooper still talks about it.

They had hats for kids so I of course had to get some photos of them with the hats.

Here's Ryan with his good friend Bill and son James.  Isn't he precious?

The last friend we were able to visit with is my good friend Jamie.  We met in grad school and have been friends ever since!  Here we are with her adorable kids Kaiden and Jaylen. 

I wish we could get back to KC more to see all of our family and friends!

Kansas Trip Cont...

 One of Cooper's favorite things to do in Kansas is go mini-golfing!  He remembers this particular course and the different holes that it has so he was excited to go.  It was REALLY hot but that never seems to bother the boys!

Jackson was really scared of this spider!  I kept trying to encourage him to get his ball out of the hole but NO WAY would he do it! :)

On the 4th we were very lucky to have our good friends stop over and say hi on the way to their family's house.  The kids look very coordinated don't they?  Ellie Kate, Jackson, Will, Patrick, and Cooper.  Ellie is a few months older than Jackson, and Will is a few months older than Cooper!

Justin and Patrick, I thought this picture was so cute of them!

Grandma and Grandpa have an electric jeep so we of course had to get it out and try it with our friends.

Riding that fire truck really makes you hungry!

Every time we get together we get a picture of the dads with the kids. 

Cooper loved Will's headscarf and Will let him try it on.

After they left we got a family picture.

I made this cake for the fourth.  It looks really cute but was disappointing to taste I thought, it wasn't very sweet!  I think next time I would just make it with cake mix, it probably would be much better! :)

The next morning we drove up to KC and were very lucky to see Great-Grandma and Grandpa S, plus Uncle Randy and Aunt Jeannie! 

The boys had lots of fun playing around with all of the relatives.

Next up, MORE Kansas!! 

Trip to Kansas

We went to Kansas to visit Grandma and Grandpa S over the 4th of July.  The boys always have fun while they're there, and they have lots of fun playing with the games from Ryan's childhood.  They always love to have Grandma read books to them!

The first day we were there we went bowling.  They quickly found a place to rest...

then of course I had them pose before they started bowling.  Sometimes the only way to keep Jackson in the picture is a choke-hold! :)

The boys loved to watch where their ball went.  Luckily they had the bumpers up... I wasn't so lucky and got lots of zeros!! 

Kind of scary but I can't really tell who is helping Jackson bowl!  It's Ryan or one of his two brothers...but honestly I can't tell for sure!  That's scary isn't it!?!

Jackson was a crazy boy and had a great time!

Now I do know that this is Uncle B.J. and Uncle Chris with the boys.  Don't they look like Ryan from the back?!? 

The boys decorated some cookies for fun later that day.

Then we started some fireworks.  Smoke bombs were a favorite!

Sparklers too!

Jackson was a little hesitant at first with the sparklers.

Watching for the parachute man with Uncle B.J.!

I had to snap a group photo with everyone outside doing fireworks!

We let Cooper stay up late that night and do fireworks at night.

Whew, it was a busy and fun day!!