Happy 2nd Birthday, Big Boy Sawyer!

WOW! I can hardly believe my little boy turned 2 years old on Monday the 21st. To look at him as I post these pictures, I see him change from that baby into a little boy. And, if I do say so myself...what an adorable little boy he is! :) Sawyer certainly blesses our life daily. He smiles so easily and is so happy. He is energetic, climbing and maneuvering in whichever way possible to get whatever he has his little mind set out to achieve. His little giggle is certainly infectious. However, don't let that little smile fool you either...he is as ornery as all get out. He's 100% boy...well, until he dons that tu-tu when the radio comes on (previous post). :) I can't say enough about Sawyer except that I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE him!!!

Look at this cutie..enjoying a birthday cupcake.

Sawyer running through our traditional streamers on his bedroom door.

His birthday cupcakes...he had a soccer ball too...but it mysteriously disappeared. :)

Happy Birthday, Dear Sawyer! Happy Birthday to you!

Yummy!

This is becoming Sawyer's new smile of choice. ChEEEEEse!

The girls colored wrapping paper for Sawyer. It was so special...not that he appreciated it...but I sure did! :)

Even Sawyer's barber gave him a special gift. What a lucky boy!

Sawyer has been flying around our house lately in his superman shirt and cape from Aunt Kim and Uncle Brian.

Lucky little Sawyer not only celebrated ON his birthday at our house and in Kearney (previous post)...he also got to celebrate over the weekend in Wallace with Matt's family in conjunction with Wallace Fall Festival (fun!). It was the most gorgeous day! The kids enjoyed jumping on the trampoline with balloons (well, until the balloons blew away or popped). :)

They played the unroll the toilet paper game...which I know you saw in Sophie's Birthday post. It has become one of their favorite birthday party games. Sawyer and the kids' cousin, Aldyn, are just trying to stay on! :)

Lainey and Sophie with their cousin, Aldyn.

Sawyer blowing out his candles on the birthday cake Grammy Ruth made him and Sophie for their birthday celebration in Wallace.

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I just can't say it enough....Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Dear God for this precious little boy you have entrusted to us! What a gift he is!!!!

Happy 4th Birthday to Our Precious Gift!!!!

Sophie turned 4 years old on Saturday, September 12th. I can hardly believe it. She celebrated with a party with some of her friends. We were lucky there wasn't any rain as she just wanted to play lots of games outside for her party. We had to move the games to the driveways rather than the backyard, but the kids had a great time!

Sophie waking up to birthday streamers in her doorway...a tradition at our house.

With our BIG 4 year old. Photo courtesy of Lainey. :)

The birthday kids on a scavenger hunt.

Sophie playing the unroll the toilet paper roll game...a big party favorite! (inspired by Sawyer) :)

Pin the Tail on the Donkey...Sophie pointing to her tail.

The girls competing in the "gumball on a spoon" race.

Sophie with her birthday cake.

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Sunday, I drove with the kids to Kearney (while Matt worked on staining the fence) and celebrated Sophie and Sawyer's birthdays. My mom recently had rotator cuff surgery, and I didn't want her to make the uncomfortable trip to Omaha. So, we brought the party to her for the day. Of course, the kids had a great time celebrating with everyone and loved getting to play with their cousin, Keaton.

Keaton climbing through the tunnel.

Lainey climbing through the tunnel.

Lainey and Sophie unrolling their toilet paper rolls.

Sawyer trying to pop his balloon. That silly thing just would not pop.

Keaton and Sawyer popping their balloons.

Sophie with her cake at mom and dad's. It was a hit with the kids because of all the bubblegum.

We celebrated with Sawyer too since his birthday is the 21st.

We came home Sunday night from Kearney. The kids were exhausted after a full day of FUN!

We are so thankful to God for our spirited, fun-loving, ever-joyful (albeit now with a new found 4-year-old attitude) :) little girl, Sophie!

WE LOVE YOU, SWEETHEART!!!!!

And Your Next American Idol Is....

Sophie + Preschool = Bliss!

Sophie started Wee Lambs Preschool on Tuesday. She couldn't be happier (or more ready). :) She just goes Tuesday and Thursday mornings this year. Sawyer cried the morning we dropped her off and continued crying the whole way out to the car. Since then though, he has warmed up to the idea of being an only child for a couple hours. :)

First Day of Wee Lambs Preschool! Sept. 1, 2009

New Dora backpack

Getting so grown-up

Mom and Sawyer and Sophie on the first morning

Sophie with Cohen (classmate) and my cousin's son.

Sophie wanted another picture on the first day with her teacher, Mrs. Knihal. We LOVE her! (Lainey's teacher too.)

After school on the first day with Sawyer...Sophie mothering him. :)

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A little backwards on the posting here, but it's too much work to move all the pictures. Here are pictures from Open House night...

Sophie heading into Wee Lambs Preschool on Open House night with a backpack full of school supplies.

Unloading her school supplies.

If this isn't a look of pride...I don't know what is!

Sophie is ready for school! She wanted to keep posing infront of the calendar. :)

State Fair and Weekend

We had a fun weekend. Lainey made her State Fair Pedal Tractor Pull debut on Saturday morning. She did well going a little over 28' competing against 36 girls in the 5-year-old division. She had fun! We checked in at 8:30AM and didn't leave the fairgrounds until a little after 5PM. We had the most gorgeous weather to enjoy the fair...and this is the last year the State Fair is to be held in Lincoln...next year it'll be in Grand Island. So, we all really just enjoyed the day.

There is just something about being at the fair...at least for me. We didn't do the rides. We looked at the animals, watched the shows, made the crafts, looked at the displays, checked on the 4-H ribbon winners, meandered along, just enjoyed the day. It was just simple...rooted...good.

Matt's parents came down Friday and were able to cheer Lainey on in the tractor pull and enjoy the fair with us on Saturday.

Sunday Matt and his dad finished power-washing our fence (which Matt hopes to stain this weekend)...KEEP your fingers crossed! :) Ruth and I were going to take the kids to the Offutt Air Show, but Sawyer woke up not feeling so great Saturday night and was up almost all night with that...so the girls enjoyed the AMAZING air show with Grammy.

Tractor Pedal-Pull Ribbon, Food, Fun, Fair, Airplanes, and completing a huge project...what more could one ask of a weekend?


Grandpa Monte reading bedtime stories Friday night.

Lainey starting her pedal pull contest Saturday morning at the Nebraska State Fair.

Go, Lainey!!!!

A ribbon was all she needed. Lainey had fun!

Sophie holding a baby chick at the Birthing Barn.

Sawyer petting the baby chick. We really had to watch, so he didn't squeeze the poor little thing too hard!

Lainey and the baby chick. :)

Grammy and Sawyer watching the high-dive act.

Sophie and Daddy waiting for the high-dive show to begin.

Sawyer was called out of the crowd to receive a little chair the lumberjacks carved. I couldn't believe he willingly walked out there!

Sawyer showing off his new chair...signed by the creator and other lumberjacks.

I don't know if I've ever seen Sawyer sit as still as he did while getting the football painted on his cheek in the KidZone tent.

Matt and his dad after completing the fence power washing project! Yippee! :)