March Photos

-Grant's huge Lego creation- Wyatt and a big pile of snow- Cousins bowling

-Catching snowflakes- Little People are out!- "I look cool with my lovey like this."

-Cuddles turned to the Dark Side- New hardwood floors!- First mow of the season!

-Blowing bubbles, climbing trees, playing water guns all while with the Flu

-Friends brought us Sonic- Family Rules- Sunset

-Preschool dropoff selfie- Attempting Super Mario 3- Box of Sunshine from Narducci's

Tooth Fairy Visit #3

It's been quite a while since Grant lost a tooth! I'm pretty sure his top teeth have been loose for MONTHS now, but he will not ever ever ever ever wiggle or it even think about pulling it out! So they've just dangled there for too long!! Finally, one of them fell out!! Grant and Wyatt were swinging on the circle swing, which they like to do together. As Grant was on, Wyatt tried hopping on his lap and wound up kneeing him in the mouth and popping his tooth out. FINALLY!! I was inside at the kitchen sink and I saw them running in, like they were on a mission. And as I turned around to tell them to go back outside, I see Grant's bloody mouth and a teeny tiny tooth he's holding out on his palm and he says, "I lost my tooth!" He's still weirded out and grossed out by the fact he has a gaping hole in his mouth and another tooth just dangling there by a thread!

Before bed, he put his teeny tiny tooth in one of his little treasure boxes so the Tooth Fairy would've have to dig under his pillow for it! He wrote her a little note and happily went to sleep!! 

It must've been his lucky night because he scored a $5 bill from the tooth fairy! I explained to him that she must not have had any dollar bills on hand ;-)  He even found a few spots of glitter on his money! Pretty awesome find!!! 

Now, I'm placing bets on how long his it takes before his "dangler" brings another visit from the Tooth Fairy. I'm giving it 19 more days. 

Easter Story, Lego Style

Last year, Grant made an impromptu Lego scene of the Easter story. I felt like last year was the first year Grant truly grasped the story of Jesus and the reason for Easter. His scene made perfect sense and I just loved that it was his own idea!! 

But this year, I thought it would be a fun challenge for them each to make their own scene of the Easter story and then tell it to me and I would "judge" the competition. They were so beyond excited and completely up for the challenge! (I did help Wyatt a tiny bit, not with the ideas, but with some of the execution.)

These are, by far, my most favorite creations have they ever made!!

Up first, is Grant's creation! He had a lot going on on one Lego plate!! He had all the events but in one place. 

 The man at the top of the tower is Pontius Pilate. He was addressing the crowd as to what should happen to Jesus. His guards are standing below him and the man in black is the devil. We watched the Passion episode of the miniseries, The Bible, and during this part they show the devil walking around feeding the "Crucify him!" thoughts to the people. The green thing on the top on the opposite side represents the lightning after Jesus died, when the sky became dark and was filled with the lightning. The tall thing its attached to represents the curtain in the temple that ripped in half when Jesus died.  Every detail Grant added was just spot-on!

 Above Jesus' cross is the King of the Jews sign. (I particularly like the gingerbread man body of the neighboring criminal.)

 The men in the blue are the guards who were casting lots for Jesus' garments. I like they are kneeling and looking towards Jesus. Talk about every last detail!

And now, for Wyatt's scene....

Out of this whole scene, I helped him make some of the 12 disciples and that table. The rest was all him.

 Wyatt chose to have an angel hovering over Jesus. He made Jesus' cross standing on a hill. He was very proud to point out Jesus' face....

 Here is the Last Supper. Wyatt carefully chose all their hair and the communion and wine.

Here is Jesus on the left and Peter on the right. These details just made me smile!!! Jesus' flowing locks and Peter's mustache! HA!! 

 And last but not least, the tomb. Here it is with Jesus inside. And here it is on Easter Sunday...

The fact that the boys truly grasp this whole story just makes me so proud and really overcome with emotion. Every last detail. They know it, they feel it, they get it. I am so thankful to be able to raise them to know and feel the love of Jesus in their hearts, the love God has for each of them, and the power behind the Resurrection. No doubt in my mind these boys have a heart for the Lord!

Easter Egg Lunch Hunt

This is our 4th year of doing our Easter Egg Lunch Hunt, and each year they are more and more excited than the year before!!! They had been asking and asking when it was time for our lunch hunt, but I never really gave them an answer. So one day, after I picked them up from school, I had their egg plates and baskets set out on the counter and they knew that it was lunch hunt day! The element of surprise made it that much better!!! So after I prepared lunch, I set them out to hunt! I didn't get any good pictures of them hunting because they were moving sooooo fast!!!! They're quite ravenous when they get home from school, so they were ready to eat!! After all the eggs were found, its time to sort! Using two kinds of eggs always make that a fun and easy task!

 They loved opening each egg to see what was inside. This was the first year they actually emptied the contents of their eggs onto their plates. But they both did it, so that was kind of funny. They just kept saying how much they love this lunch!!

 These little traditions may be simple, but they are so memorable and so special!! I love making holidays fun and festive for my fellas!!!

I'm Not Lucky, I'm Blessed!

1 John 4:4 says, "You, dear children, belong to God..."

While their shirts say lucky, I don't consider myself LUCKY to be their mom.

I have been CHOSEN to be their mom. They belong to God. He created them. He formed them in the womb. He gave them their personalities and gifted them according to His design. He set the days of their life before they were born. We, as their parents, have been given the incredible gift of raising these two amazingly handsome, smart, funny, caring, compassionate, loving, goofy, curious, messy, creative, smiley little boys. Each day that I wake up is a new gift, and I am given another chance to love them, be with them, and train them up. 

I have been BLESSED to be their mom.

The BIG Birthday Present

It had been on my mind for quite some time about what to get the boys for their birthday. We didn't need to buy them a single toy since we already had a million of those in the basement. They both have fitting bikes, plenty of clothes, and more books than a small library. What could we give these boys that wouldn't be outgrown in a year, but special just the same?  

And then it hit me- they need a trampoline!!!!!!!!!!!! They're at the perfect age, and could use it for years and years to come!!! 

My plan was to go buy it without them knowing and surprise them with it at their party. But sometimes things don't always go according to plan. While time was running out before their party, I decided I would just have to surprise them with it at the store!! So the day before their party, I told them we were going to pick up their present. They were so curious and excited!!! And as we walked down the aisle at Academy Sports and I pointed to their surprise, I think they were in shock!

 So on their party day, after presents and cake, we headed outside to figure it all out. And in case you're wondering how many people it takes to put a trampoline together- in our case, the answer is 6 adults, plus a few children! But worth every second and bloody fingers!!

 All the kids (and Uncle Zach!) had a great time and its already been used a dozen other times since then!! I think this is a present that will keep on giving!!! 

5 and 7 Year Stats

Wyatt's Stats

 Height: 40.5" (15th percentile)

Weight: 36lbs (10th percentile)

While you're still pretty tiny, I look at you and I see how big you're really getting! You will still probably wear most of your 4t clothes from last year, but I'll be able to add some of the 5t things into the mix. You're still a solid 9/10 shoe. But your personality is larger than your stature, and I 'm perfectly happy with that!!!!!!!!!

Grant's Stats

Height: 48" (50th percentile)

Weight: 53.5lbs (60th percentile)

I still feel like you are just so so big!! I'm always astonished to see you fall in the middle of the pack with your stats. Maybe its because I see you in relation to your brother and that's why you look so big!! I've had to buy you size 8 everything for this summer!! Slow down my big boy!!!

Wyatt's 5th Birthday Interview

1.  What is your favorite color? Red

2.  What is your favorite toy?  Legos

3.  What is your favorite fruit? Strawberries and Grapes

4.  What is your favorite TV show? Wallykazam

5.  What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Pizza Lunchable

6.  What is your favorite outfit? My Star Wars socks

7.  What is your favorite game? Lego Creationary

8.  What is your favorite snack? Fruit Snacks

9.  What is your favorite animal? Bears

10.  What is your favorite song? Our God is Greater

11. What is your favorite book? Bub's books (the readers Grant brings home from school)

12.  Who is your best friend? Bub

13. What is your favorite cereal? Lucky Charms

14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play

15. What is your favorite drink? Apple Juice

16. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas

17. What do you like to take to bed with you each night? Teddy Lovey and Babe (gloworm)

18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Chocolate granola bars

19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Birthday pancakes

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Fireman

Grant's 7th Birthday Interview

1.  What is your favorite color? I like all the colors.
2.  What is your favorite toy?  LEGOS!
3.  What is your favorite fruit? Strawberries
4.  What is your favorite TV show? Max and Ruby
5.  What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Cereal
6.  What is your favorite outfit? comfy clothes
7.  What is your favorite game? Catch the Wyatt
8.  What is your favorite snack? Popcorn
9.  What is your favorite animal? All the animals
10.  What is your favorite song? Imagination Movers
11. What is your favorite book? My Lego Star Wars Encyclopedia
12.  Who is your best friend? Jalen, Eli, Luca, Owen
13. What is your favorite cereal? Mini-Wheats
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play in the clubhouse
15. What is your favorite drink? My special chocolate milkshakes
16. What is your favorite holiday? Winter and Summer
17. What do you like to take to bed with you each night? Cuddles and Mimi Blanket and blue lovey
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Waffles
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Eat at home
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? A scientist

Star Wars Birthday

 The boys usually start planning their birthday as soon as Christmas is over. So for all of January and February, they were in party planning mode. They'd think of something they would see at a store and say, "We could use that for our party!" or they'd scour my Pinterest board and want to do EVERY idea I pinned. They were over-the-top excited for this party!!! So even though it was a small party, we had big plans!! (PS- We are so thankful that the Broeckelman and Harris families could come spend the weekend with us! And Mimi and PawPaw too! But we missed you VanAllen family!)

We had fun decorating the "party room" together! I printed off a banner and found a poster and tablecloth. They gathered some of their toys to use as decorations and they just went to town!! And after a trip to the grocery store, Grant spied the perfect balloons! They were so proud of the decor!!

 They were probably most excited for the food!!! They probably came up with 25 different food ideas incorporating a Star Wars word into the phrase. But since we were only having our families here, we didn't need that much. So we whittled it down to our favorites and our menu was made!

In tradition, I made their cakes again! Although this year, Grant chose cake pops instead of a cake!! He was missing out on our dear friends in Enid, who always have the best cakes pops at their birthdays. I have to say, they were mighty delicious! Thanks Lori for the recipe!!! They were initially going to be Death Star cake pops, but since they didn't resemble that whatsoever, they were Meteor cake pops. Grant was happy just the same!

 Wyatt wanted a Stormtrooper cake and I feel like if you know what a Stormtrooper looks like, you could probably tell what the cake was, but if not, it probably looked like one of those illusion pictures where you try to find the real picture in it. Anyway, he liked it, and that's all that matters!!! I just love giving them a special cake each year!!!

I also made their invitations as well, as usual!

After all the family showed up, it was time to get started!! We rolled right into presents and then cake! Because after they opened their presents, they needed to get outside and enjoy them!!! 

 Enjoying their cake with their cousins on their new picnic table from Grandma and Grandpa! It was enjoyed by all the kids, that's for sure!

 It was a special celebration for our special boys!! It was filled with family, outdoor fun, basketball (thank you Big XII tournament!), new toys, and lots of love and smiles!! 

More birthday posts still to come!

Legoland Birthday Adventure

Aunt Bre and Uncle Zach came up with the great idea to gift us all a trip to Legoland for the boys' birthday instead of gifts!! We were all super excited!! The boys had been begging to go to the Legoland in KC since we moved here!! We went to the one in Dallas about 2 years ago, but hadn't ventured to the local one yet. When we heard they had a new Star Wars exhibit, we knew it was perfect timing!!

The day after their party, on their actual birthday, all the Broeckelman's headed downtown to Legoland. It was a beautiful weekend and was quite crowded around there, but it didn't seem to stop the kids from having a fabulous time!! 

We strolled around Crown Center for a little while, checking out the toy store and the Crayola store! We also got a chance to see the fountain show just outside!! 

 Then we meandered our way into line. You have a window of time to show up to use your tickets, and they guide you in as a group. So we waited til it was our turn to Enter!

 Once we entered, we came in to the "factory" where they explain how Legos are made and kind of the history of how it all began. Because it was Grant and Wyatt's birthday and they were wearing their birthday ribbons, but both got chosen to help with the "making" of the Lego bricks. They thought this was VERY special!!!

 After all that, it was time to head into play!! First off was the Star Wars exhibit. They loved seeing the lifesize C3PO and R2D2, and countless other sets. Both of what they have and also of all the sets they've dreamed of having! It wasn't overly interactive, but definitely a sight to see!!!

 Then it was off to play, watch the movies, and play some more! It was VERY crowded so many of the exhibits, like the car building one, was almost impossible to enjoy- we couldn't even find any wheels!! But they loved the rides!! The Clutch Powers movie was a hit, and then playplace was a favorite. Well, maybe not for Haylie- she didn't want to go down the dark slide to get out. Lucky for her, her brave cousin Wyatt was there to help!

It was definitely a perfect birthday gift for these two Lego-loving little boys!! Spending it with family made it even more special!! Thanks Aunt Bre, Uncle Zach, Haylie, and Layton!