Memorial Day

Skylar and James met some new friends this weekend at the lake house. They live two houses down and have kids just their age. They spent all day together building a sand town. It should be a fun summer!

Charlotta is one!!!!!

Skylar thought that the birthday girl deserved an Oreo cookie for her birthday breakfast. She really loved it!

My last baby is one!

I will never have a first birthday party again. I am a little sad since this is one of my favorite stages, but also very excited to be entering a new phase in life. Anyway, Charlotta had a good time, but I think the older kids had the most fun. They just love parties!

Let's party!



Dinner first...lots of strawberries!


Time for cake. We had a crush cake this year (too bad Brenne got to it first!), so Charlotta could do whatever she wanted to her little cake and the rest of us could enjoy the other cake.



She was not a fan. She just kept spitting the cake out!

And then she would pick at the cake with her finger.

Investigate her findings...

I'm getting tired of this party\:(

Kellen to the rescue!

Time for presents. The kids opened them all for Charlotta, but they did let her enjoy them for a little bit before they took them over.


Family photo time!



A little tickle torture before bed...

The lake house is open!

This weekend was the first chance we have had to be at the lake house in a long time. The kids had so much fun! You could put your feet in the water (it wasn't that cold!) and the kids played on the beach most of the time. They built a rock circle for Charlotta to sit in and she played with them and loved it!





This was way too cute!

Skylar's Birthday Present (a little early!)

Skylar has been riding her bike to school now that the weather is warm and her old bike was a bit small and childish. She came home crying one day that the kids at school were making fun of her bike and she really, really NEEDS a new one! I was planning on getting her one for her birthday anyway, so I decided to let her get it a little early!! She picked a winner! It's retro, but oh so cool. Now, she came home from school saying that the girls who made fun of her, their jaws were dropping open! It is so cool that it can even ride two people. She puts James on the back rack and they happily ride to school together (it makes me feel so nostalgic that I want to cry-I'll get pictures of that later)! She has never been so happy!

Papa's home!

Papa left last Sunday and we have really been missing him! He was supposed to get home last night, but his flight from Chicago was cancelled. They then told him that there were no flights available on Sunday. He had promised Skylar waffles on Sunday morning, so he hopped in the car and drove all through the night to make it home for waffles in the morning! Now that is love!

A little Papa Lotta time!

What a difference a year makes!

This is Kellen last year at his preschool program...

And this was Kellen this year! He was the loudest singer this year and was all about participating! I was so proud!





Here is the video of him singing (I don't think he got enough sleep last night!):

http://thedeanslife.shutterfly.com/3408

An early mother's day!

Jt had to leave for Washington D.C. on Sunday, so we decided to celebrate a day early. We started with a family bike ride. We hooked up the tag-a-long that Mormor bought the kids for Christmas. James just loved it! He has been very afraid to learn how to ride bike, so we were really hoping this would give him a little confidence and I think it worked. Now he is excited to learn.


Then we headed to the park for some fun!


Me and my boys!

Charlotta was hilarious. She was terrified of the grass. The second she touched it, she would freak out!

Skylar finally got her calmed down as long every part of her body was off of the grass (see her feet tucked up?).

When we got home, JT made me a wonderful dinner-homemade gnocchi and pork loin. It was delicious!