Winter Fun!!

Today, we got 8 inches of SNOW! We were hit a couple weeks back with about 4 inches of snow so THIS was sooo much more fun! I shoveled this morning. Then Grant and I used his snowball maker and had a snowball fight when I was done. We had a great time! Then this afternoon, I shoveled off the deck and made a hill for the boys (and Todd and myself as well...) to sled down! We had such a great time! Garrett even got all bundled up to go out on his very own sled! I fully expected that he was going to cry the entire time he was out there, but he enjoyed it! Todd and I walked him along this "track" I made through the back yard ... over and over and over ... and he just loved it! When we would make a turn, he would try to pick up snow to eat. He talked and laughed the whole time he was out there. Here are a few shots of the boys' having a great time in the snow!

It was quite a PARTY!

With Gavin and Garrett having birthdays so close to one another, we decided that the best thing to do was to have their parties together. We realize NOW that, perhaps, economically it wasn't the best for our guests, but we didn't want to have every one traveling the distances they travel three weeks apart.

We had quite a turn out ... about 35 people and the boys were super excited to see some cousins that we don't usually get to see too often throughout the year.

We had Gavin pick out the birthday cake design, and he did quite well. Garrett LOVES the music to Spongebob Squarepants and Gavin (Grant, too) loves to watch Spongebob, so ... that's what he picked. The cake, of course, came from Holiday Market, and it was fabulous! They always do such a great job on the boys' cakes!

We had a simple lunch, some great apps prepared by my cousin, Wendy, and, of course, cake and ice cream! I, personally, thought it was quite a smashing success! Now, granted, with that many people in our house, it was hard to visit with everyone. I would have liked to have "entertained" more, but everyone here is family ... so, I know that they weren't amongst strangers and feeling out of place.

Here are a few photos of the boys at their party ...



Unfortunately , I don't have a TON of pictures of Gavin ... he was off playing and when it came time to open presents, I didn't get any pictures. I'm getting some from my mom (who, thankfully, was taking pictures) so perhaps once I get those, I'll post some more ....

Gavin's Birthday Breakfast

Gavin turned four...yes, can you believe it?!?!? FOUR!!!

We started a tradition with Grant a couple years back that we make a birthday cake and have it for breakfast the morning of their birthday. They think that it's pretty neat that they get to have cake for breakfast! Definitely nothing that Todd or myself ever experienced as children!

I have a giant cupcake cake pan that I make and decorate how they want ... Gavin decided that he wanted it to be blue and orange. I made my own butter cream frosting and used my Pampered Chef decorating gun (Gavin, of course, made sure I used 4 of the attachments on his cake because he had to see what they all did!).

He had a great 4th birthday and he took in ice cream cone cupcakes to his class so they could celebrate his birthday at school! He had quite a day ....

Our Little Men and Their First Paczki

Fat Tuesday ... Pazcki Day .... We were surprised with some Hamtramck Paczki! Oh my goodness, I cannot even remember the last time I have had a REAL HAMTRAMCK PACZKI! Oh was it good!

The boys, yes, all three boys ... had their very first taste of these wonderful jelly filled softballs of goodness! They LOVED them! Grant and Gavin had two each! Garrett just nodded in agreement that, "yes, these are FABULOUS!!".

Here are a few shots of the boys are their very first paczki experience!