My Baby Turns 9!

How did this happen? My little baby turned 9 and I realized that my life with him living at home with his momma is half over! Time just goes by so fast. I love this kid SO much! He is so spunky and fun, almost always happy, and has a heart of gold. He treasures his family and friends and is always so open with his emotions and affection. Happy Birthday, Baby Cakes!

He wanted a football party this year (he's pretty sure he'll be a professional someday, for the 49ers, he's just not sure what position yet!). We had a blast playing games, having competions, etc with all his friends.
Myla, Boston, and Chase decorating a 20 foot sign. The kids later ripped through this when we started the football game!

Prizes and Party Favors

Cake

Chase is always just so crazy and animated. Most people get embarrassed when people sing to them - NOT Chase!

The football game! I had to remind Geoff, Bryan, Brett, and Cory that they were supossed to be coaching. It seemed to me that they were involved in many of the plays!

The winners of the competions:
Dub - punt (yes, he is just barely 6)
Boston - receiving
Callie - running
Chase - quarterback
Brogan - MVP of the game

Honorary Winners
Caden - CoMVP
Myla - Tough As Nails (she got rocked in the head, had a huge bump, and didn't even cry or complain!)

All His Friends

Crew and Makenzie

Chase was lucky enough to have all the Granums out here for his birthday. Here's a few of them at his football game. He said he had the best birthday ever and thanked me over and over again. Isn't he a sweetheart!

Ringling Brothers Comes to Town

The circus came into town today! We went to the Gateway for a parade followed by face painting, cotton candy, popcorn, and balloons. So basically, this was my way of doing the circus for free because we have such a busy weekend!

The parade was cute, but SO fast! If you blinked twice you would have missed the whole thing!

Cotton Candy!

Magic Tricks

Popcorn

Caden playing in the Tumbling Area while we waited in line to get their faces painted

The Fords met us up there for the action. This is little Bella getting her face painted. She is SO sweet! My whimpy Crew would not get his face done. He is usually up for anything but he was out of sorts today.

Caden (snake), Chase (flames), Bella (butterfly)

Meeting Brandon Mull

Last week The boys got to meet their favorite author, Brandon Mull! He is the author of the Fablehaven series (our summer book club) and also the Candy Shop Wars. A huge crowd turned out to see him at the public library. He answered questions for about a half hour and then signed away. We were fortunate enough to be in the first group to meet him and we still had to wait for an hour. The poor guy must have been there all night, but he couldn't have been nicer. He even took the time to pose with the kids for a picture and wrote personalized messages in their books!

Just part of the crowd

All the Book Club Kids with Brandon

Books and Book Marks

Baby Ivy!

7 pounds 6 ounces of angel! She is perfect and absolutely gorgeous! These pictures are before she'd even been cleaned up. Shannon says that she has a cute dimple on the right side when she eats. More details and pictures to come!

Super Saturday!

WOW! We have had a crazy busy weekend! It started Friday night with the Father/Son Campout. They didn't stay the night but the went up for some exploring, dinner, campfire, and fireside. They came home filthy and scared to death (thanks to Luke's vivid storytelling!)


Saturday morning Chase had his first flag football game. He has been so excited for this! He thinks he's going to be a professional football player so he has been anxious to test his skills. Although not quite professional status yet, he did great with a couple tackles (oops! it's supposed to be flag football), perfect snaps (he was a GREAT center) and he even had a go at quarterback and threw for a touchdown (very rare as most touchdowns were rushing)!



Next it was on to the BYU football game! What an awesome game! The weather was gorgeous and we just destroyed UCLA. It was 59-0 when we left! We went with Brett and his fiance, Shantelle. It was so much fun!
Seriously, what a gorgeous stadium! It has to be one of the best!




After the game we headed to Salt Lake for the Dew Tour! The boys love Ryan Sheckler and were so excited to see him in person. We watched all of the warm-ups as well as the whole competition (over 3 hours of skating). Crew was a trouper and it was worth it. Sheckler ended up with 2nd place and a 14-year-old newcomer, Chaz Ortiz just tore it up and amazed everyone, including his competitors to win 1st! I wish my pictures were better. All the action shots were SO blurry. I had my little camera with me all day.


The boys with Sheckler in the background (left side, white shirt). Caden yelled for him endlessly during warm ups until Ryan told him "I'll talk after the competition buddy. I have to skate now". The boys were just thrilled that he acknowledged them.

Enjoying the Outdoors

This is my favorite time of year in Utah. It's gorgeous, warm enough to be outside all day but not hot enough to be uncomfortable. This week we've really been taking advantage of the beautiful weather and scenery. I figured out a trail that takes us almost all the way from our house to the kids school and we rode it with the neighborhood on Tuesday. My boys loved it! Hopefully we can do it a few more times before the weather changes!

Tennis Anyone?

I LOVE tennis.
It is easily my favorite sport. These last couple of days, I have been taking my kids and some of their friends to play. It is a blast to have a sport the whole family can enjoy. Caden is my little athlete. He may be small but he is a coordinated little bugger!

Admiring his own shot! So much for humility!

Caden, Myla, Chase

Good thing he's cute! Tennis is not really his best sport!

My little helper!

KJ LOVED the ball machine!

They sat behind the fence when I hit!

Oh, these two....

Myla giving it a whapper!

Boston has really good form!

Like a lioness coiling before the strike, then.....
whamo!

Yes, this is my pregnant BFF who is due any day now! We figured it would be OK if she went into labor now so she is back active again!