Mike turns the big 3-0!

Yesterday was Mike's 30th birthday!  We celebrated with a quiet family party at home.  Mike's sister Emily and her two girls came over and had dinner and cake with us, it was laid back, but fun to spend this special time with family.

While Mike was at work yesterday I made this cake for him...he had no idea what my plan was, and was surprised, but this cake was a major pain in the rear (I really need to learn how to "crumb coat" better, or maybe I need to make cake that isn't so moist and holds up better...even frozen this cake was falling apart while I attempted to frost it):

For his presents this year he got a new tie (that the boys picked out), the fourth Harry Potter book on audio CD (we have been slowly building up his Harry Potter Audio CD collection since Christmas), a new movie, an audio book and an oil vial key chain from my mom, and a giant rapid-fire Nerf gun (he may be 30 but he is still a kid at heart!).

Noah's Fifth Birthday

Noah Andrew turned 5 years old on January 17 this year!  I cannot believe it has already been FIVE years since I first became a mom!  Every year he grows up more and more, and it seems like time is just flying by.  At five years old Noah is enjoying going to preschool.  He loves drawing, reading simple books, pointing out words he knows how to read on signs and packages, etc. He LOVES going to primary and he amazes me with how much he retains from church.  I love hearing him singing new songs they have learned or telling me what he learned in class.  He is an awesome big brother!  He loves playing with Ammon, and helping cheer him on with potty training.  He can always make McKenna smile and laugh by being his goofy little self.  He is very smart, and very loving.  He still is not embarrassed to give me, and Ammon, and McKenna hugs and kisses goodbye in front of all his friends at school, every single day.  He is a very special part of our family, and we love having him here with us!!

These are the cupcakes I made him to take to school :

Ammon's Second Birthday

Ammon turned 2 on August 30th, 2011. Obviously this is a more than a little late, but better late than never, right?  He has grown up so quickly from my little baby boy, into a rambunctious and wild toddler.  Every day with him is a new adventure. His favorite things lately are trains, (he calls them "A choo choo ride") dinosaurs, cars, and spiderman (well basically any little action figure, but he calls them all SPIDERMAN!).  He loves loves loves playing outside and going to the playground, playing with sticks, dirt and pine cones.  I am forever telling him he cannot bring sticks and rocks, etc. into the house.  He went through a period of time lately where he was very attached to mommy and daddy.  He would not stay in nursery, in fact he would cry as soon as he figured out we were walking towards that door, and he would have melt downs whenever daddy or I would leave.  He is (knock on wood) finally starting to out-grow this phase.  I am loving that he is talking more and more every day, and his little funny personality is shining through.  Lately his favorite phrases are, "What's going on, Momma?", "Thank you, Your Welcome!", and "Whatcha got there?"  He love to sing, but will only do it when HE wants to and not when he is prompted to.  His favorite songs to sing are "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam," "Once there was a Snowman," and the "ABC's."  He is a very sweet and loving little boy, he loves to give "squeeze" hugs and snuggle.  The boys share a room and have a bunk bed, with Noah on the top bunk and Ammon on the bottom, but a couple of weeks after we got it, Ammon gravitated to the top bunk because he likes to snuggle with Noah at night, and that is how they have slept ever since.  We are so grateful to have this little guy as a part of our family.  He definitely brings so much spunk and humor into our house, and our family simply would not be the same with out him! We love him so much!