Smile!

In the last week or so Fiona has gotten so smiley!  Its pretty easy to get her to smile now, so the boys love getting her to smile at them.  These are a few pictures I got on my phone last week, and I feel like her smile has changed and gotten bigger just since I took these.

Starting out so serious:

 Thinking about maybe smiling for me:

 There it is!

I love seeing her smile!

More Baseball

Here are a some photos from Leyton's baseball game last week.  It was a wet muddy night, but I think the kids just thought that made it that much more fun!  

Up to bat:

 Running for first!

 Playing third base:

 And this is what Cal does lately when I tell him to smile... 

 He puffs his cheeks up with air for some reason!

Visiting our Cousins

On Monday the kids and I headed up to Rice Lake to hang out with Jessie and their cousins.  Dan works late on Monday's so it was a nice way to pass the long day.  We stayed over night and left at nap time Tuesday.  Then Tuesday night Leyton had a baseball game. We hadn't been up to Rice Lake to see them since Evelyn was born in February, which is a shame since its only an hour and we're both home with the kids all day everyday! Anyhow, it was fun for Jessie and I, and for the kids.  Cal and Luca are becoming good buddies, who like to get into mischief together!  They are always off on their own doing something... This trip they learned to ride the Gator- Cal steered and Luca controlled the gas!  It was cute and frightening at the same time :)

It was HOT the days we were there- perfect for outside water time.

 The little stinkers, pretty proud of themselves for getting that Gator going:

 Jessie with the little babies, and one big one :)

 Fiona was sleeping so cute like this, but by the time I came back with the camera I had a quivering chin on my hands:

 The kids being a train (Ella put her dress on herself... For a kid that doesn't like tight fitting things she sure didn't mind being choked by her dress!)

 The Twins!  Ok, they may only look alike in size, but its cute to see them next to each other in the double stroller!

 Luca and Cal excited for the walk:

 Jessie made a stop at Hanna Andersson last week and got our favorite pj's for the kids.  Leyton was excited to match Luca:

 One of Cal and Luca's other favorite spots besides the Gator was the freezer in the garage... They figured out where the popsicles were and how to open them themselves.  (I think we can assume Cal was probably the instigator with the freezer opening...)

 Cal loves Mischa!

 And an ice cream treat before we hit the road:

on

Basketball Camp!

Last week Leyton was in a Community Ed basketball camp Monday- Thursday.  He really enjoyed it and was excited to go back each day.  On the last day they each got a basketball, which he was pretty pumped about too. :)

Here he is working on his dribbling:

 Listening to the next instructions:

 Getting more direction:

 His favorite part- shooting some hoops! (as he calls it)

 Cal wanted to wear basketball clothes too.  Here he is waving to Leyton, trying to get his attention.

 Leyton wanted a picture with one of his coaches:

 Fiona was a trooper again, hanging out in her car seat while we ran her brother around:

Leyton is 5!

Last Sunday we celebrated Leyton's 5th birthday, along with Father's Day, and Tina and Dan's birthdays are also in the same week as Leyton's.  We had a pool party at Kelly and Dave's, and for how cold this spring has been we sure got a great day for swimming.  I still cant believe how fast the time has gone, and that he is really five already.  He is shy and wild at the same time, loves doing anything outside, still loves his arts and crafts, and says he wants to be a basketball player and a police officer when he grows up.  

Happy 5th birthday buddy, we love you!

He wanted a cars theme for his party- "Not like the movie, but like real race cars mom."  We went with Hot Wheels decorations. 

 Grace, Leyton and Lucy, ready to get the party started.

 Grace, Leyton, Aunt Tina and Lucy having fun in the pool:

 Fiona in her first swimsuit:

 Lucy and Fiona in their matching hot pink:

 As you can tell Fiona was really in the mood for getting her picture taken.

 Luca loved the water!  Here he is waving to me from the Alligator:

 Aunt Kelly taking Cal and Ella on a tour around the pool:

 Tina and her twin Tommy:

 Maggie having fun on the Shark:

 Snack break!

 Lauren doing a cool star jump for us:

 Pinata time!  Leyton loves getting a pinata every year:

 Cal taking a whack at it:

 Ready to open presents:

 Cool new sneakers from Grandma:

 "Monster Mitts" for the pool were a hit:

 He loves all the hot wheels stuff:

 Ok, so these are suppose to be helmet masks, like they are race car drivers... They look a little scary on! This is Lucy, Leyton and Lauren:

 Maggie, Grace, Leyton, Lucy, Ella, Lauren, Cal:

 Some kids weren't aware they could take their masks off :)

 Leyton really wanted a swim cap so we got him one for his birthday.  Him and Lucy love wearing them!

 Cal would jump off the side all day long:

Lucy, Lauren and Leyton ready to show us some tricks:

 Eric did some flips for us:

Dad and the birthday boy!

Fiona and I hanging out pool side:

 All of the kids loved riding this new Gator Aunt Kelly got:

Fiona taking a swim break:

And looking cute in her party dress:

Another attempt at a smiling photo.  As soon as I stick that big camera in her face she doesn't feel so much like smiling:

 Monday was Leyton's actual birthday.  He was excited to get a card in the mail from Grandma B:

 We got him a playmobil ambulance he'd been wanting:

Cake time:

 And this is what Fiona did during the Monday night festivities:

 Happy Birthday Leyton Thomas!