Surfin USA!!

The boys had a surfin' birthday party yesterday and we all had a great time!! As always with a big party there was a lot of work to get ready so i was very thankful to have John home(for the first birthdays in 3 years) and to have Meemi (my grandma) here to help! We had about 19 kids there including the birthday boys and the weather was gorgeous...couldn't have asked for better! The party was at a waterfront park with a playground and spacious building for eating and opening gifts. Things were hectic so i know there were things i missed getting pictures of but i did manage to take quite a few!

Brayden and his buddy Annabelle

Grumpy Brayden and his lil friend Jack


Me and a few of the mom's at the party were talking yesterday about how it always seems that the birthday child gets so worked up with anticipation before the party that it is just too much when the party actually happens and they tend to be the one child crying at the party! "It's my party and i'll cry if i want to......" was Brayden's theme song yesterday! It all started when he fell down and skinned his knee pretty badly and went downhill from there! We tried everything to help him settle down and it became apparent that he just needed to get away from all the excitement for a while so Daddy took him for a drive, and of course he fell asleep. SOOO...Brayden slept through most of his "happy birday party"! =( Poor buddy.... we saved his cake and presents and did them with him when we got home.

Just after getting his boo boo.....eating some pizza

quick pic w/ the cake before heading out w/ Daddy

this is Brayden during the party!

blowing out the candle at home!

opening Brayden's presents at home

Colby and his buddies from soccer, school and church all had a great time! They ran, played on the playground, explored, enjoyed the pinata, got dirty and just plain had a good ole time! I loved seeing the pure joy on his face just being a boy and having fun!

Ethan, Colby & Jack

Colby's cake

About to cut the cake!

Colby taking a swing at the pinata

Colby opening gifts


Each of the boys got a big surprise gift this year that John and I along with some of their grandparents all pitched in on!! Colby has been saving every dime he can to buy a nintendo ds, so he was beyond excited when he opened his...you guessed it.....nintendo ds!!!! He did have to use his own saved money for a game which we took him to get after the party! Brayden came home to find his big surprise waiting...a new ride on power motorcycle!!!! Brayden LOVES "motokicles".....LOVES them. And he loves HIS motorcycle!

Brayden on his new motorcycle

Colby realizing what he just opened!

All in all it was a great afternoon with lots of wonderful memories made as a family! We were blessed to get to spend time with lots of our friends and even some out of town family and we were very excited to get to share birthday festivities with Daddy for the first time in a long time!!!