Halloween 2019:

Before we get too much farther into November, 

I wanted to get in our Halloween recap! 

As excited as we were for Halloween to get here, we were beyond ready to see October go. It was not a good month for us at all... You know the saying "when it rains, it pours"... Yeah, that pretty much sums up how the month went. October, though you treated us very poorly, we were ready to end the month with the best Halloween for our kids! 

Towards the beginning of the month, I had one of the worst arthritis flares I have ever dealt with. It was flared in my SI Joint, which shoots pain to my back, hip, and down my leg. Needless to say I was bed ridden for 14 days, in such debilitating pain that I couldn't walk or move. I wound up in the Emergency Room it got that bad. I was so thankful for a husband who was home to help me and the kids, and for also children who understand their mommy's issues. I was so upset though, as it ruined a good few weeks for us where we had to cancel pretty much everything. So the last week of October we really tried to get in as much as we could with the kids and really try to make it fun! 

We hit up a few pumpkin patches to find the perfect pumpkins to carve! The kids have such opinions these days on what exactly they want their pumpkin to look like! So we just let them go, and loved what they chose! 

{though I still think I found the best ones in the patch ;)}

Halloween Eve arrived and I got everything set up outside so when Daddy got home they could get to carving! Crew still to this day does not like touching the inside of the pumpkins, so mommy pretty much cleaned his out! Charli on the other hand was very adamant that she do all her own work! 

For Halloween this year, the kids really wanted to be Superheroes! Crew has been obsessed with Batman since this Summer since he got to watch the LEGO Batman movie when we took them to LegoLand. Mommy tried to get her way with doing all Batman characters, but alas, Charli didn't want to be Robin, but instead Wonder Woman! 

The pure excitement on their little faces when Halloween night arrived and they could finally dress up was pure joy for us! This truly was the absolute best year with them trick or treating! Even though it was a very hot & humid 92 degrees, they had the absolute best night with their friends, and that is truly all we could ask for! Especially since we probably only have a few good years left with Charli for the innocence & magic that is the holiday season. So we are soaking up every single thing we can! 

Now that I have recapped Halloween... It's officially on to Thanksgiving & Christmas, and for a WAY better November!! 

Here's to Tuesday! 

Crew's Fifth Fiesta Birthday:

Happy Friday Friends! 

Before August gets away from me, I wanted to share some pictures from Crew's 5th Birthday Party! We celebrated our little guy right before the hustle & bustle of school starting {so if you saw, he started Kindergarten and was still 4}. It was a crazy hectic time, but I am so happy we were able to squeeze his birthday party in a couple days before school started! Ending Summer with a bang! 

We tried to really keep his Birthday on the smaller scale as well, and focused on the friends he asked for. It is crazy to me that our little babies are at the stage in life where they have their best friends and can really tell us who they want... {it feels like yesterday that they were in diapers, crawling, not talking, and we just invited all of OUR friends to their events ;)}. 

Crew's Birthday Party day arrived and he was so excited for his Fiesta! 

We kept his party super simple. All of the kids just played out in the backyard on the playground and waterpark. We had all the Mexican food and both a kids and an adult pinata! 

All in all, it was a really great day for our sweet boy! And the perfect end to Summer! 

Thank you to everyone who was able to make our little guy's celebration! He had the absolute best day {and is still talking about it!}. 

{also, the only family photo taken since Steven just had knee surgery. I was able to get him to crutch outside to sing}. 

Crew Benjamin: 5 Year Update:

Happy WHOLE HAND to our sweet boy! 

I honestly can't believe that I am sitting here typing out that our baby is FIVE. 

This is a big year for him {and for us}. You see, when it comes to August birthdays and School, they make the cut off for the School Year. Meaning Crew could start Kindergarten this year. The decision of how we would go about his schooling has always been in the back of our minds. We both agreed we would hold him back and that he should start Kindergarten at 6. Well here we are, our sweet boy started Kindergarten at 4 and turned 5 the very next day. We are using this year as a trial to see how he does and if we feel in our hearts that he should repeat Kindergarten next year. So yeah, its been a big start to this next year of life for our little guy but we have no doubt that he is going to rock this year and make us so proud! 

Crew Benjamin,

Oh our sweet boy, Mommy & Daddy cannot believe you are a big FIVE year old!! It feels like just yesterday you were born. Your Birthday always brings up so many emotions for your daddy and I because we though we were going to lose you. Your Birth Story felt like a roller coaster and we are so thankful that you are the happy healthy little boy that you are! We love you so much bubba and are so proud of you for starting Kindergarten. You were so shy and nervous on day 1 but you have now said you love your class and teacher and have made so many new friends. This couldn't make us happier for you! You are the sweetest of sweets dude, and your absolute favorite thing to do is cuddle {please don't change}. Though you are as sweet as can be, you also like to annoy and antagonize your sister. You sure know how to push her buttons and you think it is hilarious. You are certainly all boy. We can't wait to see how you grow and learn this year and we just pray that you continue to be the amazing person you are!  

Crew's Stats:

*Height: 46 inches
*Weight: 49 lbs
*School Year: Kindergarten
*Milestones: Starting Big Kid School!! 
*Favorite Things: Playing with his Lego figurines, Still loves all of his cars, trucks, trains, Loves playing Tennis, Golf, Soccer, antagonizing his sister, wrestling with his daddy, swinging Banks around, Swimming, and playing with all of his friends!  


The Yearly Birthday Survey:
*What is your favorite Color? Blue & Red
*What do you want to be when you grow up? A Police Officer on a Motorcycle 
*What is your Favorite Animal? Tiger & a Lion
*What is your Favorite Food? Olives & Pickles
*What is your Favorite thing to have for Breakfast? Bacon
*What is your Favorite thing to have for Lunch? Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches
*What is your Favorite thing to have for Dinner? Caesar Salad
*What is your Favorite Drink? Gatorade
*Who is your Best Friend? Brady and also Gwyneth & Gavin

{and at this point he has already left the room and has said "ugh, this is so long"}

*What is your Favorite thing to Play with? my legos 
*What is your Favorite Movie? Ferdinand 
*What is your Favorite TV Show? Roadster Racers
*What is your Favorite Book? "I don't like books" {uh oh... haha}... "actually I like surfing books" {which by the way we don't have any...}... "oh yeah and I also like my truck book"
*What is your Favorite thing to do? swimming
*What is your Favorite Family Activity? watch movies together
*What is your Favorite Holiday? Halloween 
*What is your Favorite thing to wear? my golf polos 

 Happy Birthday again little dude! 

We love you to the moon and back!

{and for your viewing pleasure... What it is really like with this boy of ours... He was as happy as can be punching his big balloon, that these were the last 2 pictures I got before he punched the balloon right off the string and it flew away in the sky... ohhhhh our bubs}

Crew's Corner: My First Day of Kindergarten:

from crew:

Today is finally here

A new chapter will begin

Today is my first day

Of Kindergarten

I'm a little nervous

And don't really want to go

There is no one in my class

That I will even know

Mommy said, you'll do great

Because you are so brave

As I then looked up at her

A hug & kiss she gave

Well here we go

The time is here

We're walking into School

Mommy said "be kind, be sweet"

And follow every rule

Hand in hand

We head to class

The sadness setting in

Mommy bends down and whispers

You're going to crush Kindergaten! 

{Oh sweet boy, you are going to do amazing things this year! Mommy & Daddy are so proud of the big boy you have become and we cannot wait to see you shine bright and soar high this year! We are so proud of you Crew and we pray you had the absolute best full day of Kindergarten!}

Crew's Fifth Birthday Invitation:

Happy Tuesday friends! I hope everyone is enjoying their last little bit of Summer. I still can't believe we are talking back to school and celebrating our last week of Summer over here... I swear it was just May. But before we head into the start of School and having a Kindergartner {separate sappy post for another day} it is all about a certain little boys birthday week!!! 

In exactly one week we will have a FIVE year old... holy smokes. We will be sending our FOUR year old off to his first day of Kindergarten before he even turns five, and I am not doing so well with all of it {but again, another post for another day}. In the meantime I am here to share his adorable 5th Birthday Invitation! 

This year, the one request Crew had for his Birthday was a Piñata... 

And that is how his theme came to life, a FIFTH Fiesta!!

He is so excited about his party and keeps saying "I can't wait for my fif fiesta"! We cannot wait to celebrate our sweet boy with some of his best little friends!  

So here is to celebrating the end of Summer the best way we know how... 

Daddy's famous enchiladas {and Margaritas for us parents} !

CHA CHA CHA! 

Charli's Lunch & Lemonade Birthday Party:

We celebrated our sweet 7 year old with the sweetest of parties and I am so excited to share it all with you! This year we did things a little different than the previous years, and focused on both Summer babies separately and with keeping things very small and intimate for them. With Charli being a little older now and really able to tell us who her best friends or good friends are, we let her pick who she wanted to invite to her birthday party. She kept it to 7 little girls {she was adamant that no boys were allowed} and thankfully almost everyone was able to attend! 

Charli's actual birthday was on a Friday and unfortunately I was really sick and felt so bad that we wouldn't be able to actually do much of anything. I tried my hardest to keep her day as special as I could... With her annual requested breakfast in bed! Daddy also got to come home early from work that day so she got to open all her presents and she requested fish for dinner. Though we couldn't see friends, or go to the pool, she gave me the biggest hug at one point and said "Mommy, thank you so much, this has been the BEST birthday ever". That right there is exactly what I wanted to hear!

The next morning was her party and she couldn't wait to see her friends and for Nana to get here! I'm pretty sure I heard "is it time yet" 478 times in the short 2 hours she waited. I set the dining room table for her and her girlfriends for their Luncheon. 

 Charli was so excited when she walked out and saw the table setting. She told me it was exactly what she wanted! I kept everything super simple, I even had Charli pick her menu for the day... She wanted egg salad sandwiches {I threw in the uncrustables as another option since I know not every child is like mine and will eat an egg salad sandwich, haha}, she picked pirate booty & veggie straws, some fruit, and some cheese... Like I said, SO simple, and all the kids approved! 

My favorite thing was of course her Lemonade Stand! I made Steven figure out how we were actually going to get it through the door, haha. It took a hot second but we managed to get it into the dining room, and it of course made for the perfect backdrop to her party! 

 The girls ate and then headed outside for some water fun on our blowup waterpark. Then it was time to open presents, sing happy birthday, and have some cake! Thank you to everyone who could come and make her day as special as it could be, she truly had a blast! 

And now that Mommy's Birthday is over, it is on to Crew's!