A SUPER Saturday - Celebrating Cousins

Today was a super fun Saturday celebrating the boys' cousins - a brand new one and ones that are turning one. Let's get this party started......

Of course, a new baby cousin has to have a flannel rag blanket made by Auntie Evia

So excited to meet Baby Connor!

Today was about meeting Baby Connor and celebrating the twin cousins Keegan and Kaleb's 1st birthday. We left home semi-early Saturday morning with plans to stop by Build-A-Bear at Concord Mills (ours is closed for renovation) so we could build bears for the K's. As always, Eli and Cole had fun picking out animals and "building" them. 

Eli picked out a dog for Keegan (his baby)

Cole picked out a bear for Kaleb (his baby)

Stuffed love for their cousins - I wish I could remember the animal's names. I think one was Zeke but can't remember the other. Bummer!

After we finished at Build-A-Bear, we headed to Uncle Billy & Aunt Niki's house to meet Baby Connor. Connor was born August 29th so this was our first chance to see him. 

"Is it legal to carry guns this big?" - Hilarious!

My baby brother holding his baby - am I really that old?! I remember when Billy was born!!

Cole loves little baby feet

My brother, me and Baby Connor

Looks like he likes his blanket!

Cousins!! 

Aunt Niki aka Proud Mommy!!

After meeting Baby Connor, we headed to Keegan & Kaleb's house to celebrate their 1st birthday. They had quite the rockin' birthday party! Lots of kids for the boys to play with and they had a great time. It was great to see Jeff (my brother) and Erin and friends / family. There was lots of food, playing, hanging out and cake! You have to have cake for your birthday!

Decorated cookies I made for the party - it was a train theme

One of the cupcake towers

Erin had such cute decorations - she had gifts for them inside this train and also had a train going around the tracks. 

Goodies for party guests - a bandana, conductor hat, train whistle and train cookie (made by yours truly!).

Thank you note on the back of the cookie.

The train cookie

Picture trains of each boy. Erin also made them cute signs of their likes / dislikes and stats of them being a one year old. She's super crafty!

The birthday boys themselves!

Hard to believe a year ago they were such little babies. 

"Enough already Aunt Evia. We want to party with our guests!"

My brother and friends cutting bbq.

Hanging in the back yard. 

Grandma is SO happy to have five healthy grandsons. 

Ready for cake

I love my brother's face in this picture. 

Keegan didn't waste any time getting into his cake. 

Such a sweet family!

Mmmmmm.......Cake!

Keegan was hilarious how he just went for it!

Kaleb was a little more reserved and used his manners. =)

Tried to get a picture of all the kiddos. BIG party!

Eli and Cole with their cute little cousins. It's going to be so much fun watching them all play together. 

Monday = Mommy / Cole night

Since Eli does Scouts with Daddy on Monday nights, Cole and I have our date night together. Tonight we went to the lake and fed the ducks. Cole loved riding in the front seat of my truck (shhhh!) and looking for turtles. We don't get much one on one time with each boy so Cole & I are loving it. 

Here's my "cheese" face Mommy! 

Some of the turtles we found. We tried to feed some of the big ones in the water but the ducks are just too fast! Or the turtles too slow. Or both!

Boys 1st sleepover!

This weekend we expanded our household from two boys to FOUR boys!! Eli and Cole had their friends Matthew and Jack (same ages and brother!) over for a sleepover. It was part of a well-thought out plan to see how sleepovers with brothers would work so that we could swap kids from time to time and get a break. Great idea huh? It also helped that the boys have known each other and been friends since they were just a few months old. 

So yesterday afternoon, Matthew & Jack's parents dropped them off for what we hoped would be a great sleepover. And it totally was!! Saturday afternoon, the boys played soccer in the back yard and rode bikes in the front. Pizza for dinner and lots of fun playing until they finally fell asleep. 

Sunday morning, I was going to make them muffins for breakfast and Jack informed me that he wanted chocolate muffins with chocolate chips. I'm not one to disappoint so a recipe was found and muffins were made! I must admit, he made a good call because they were yummy!! We then managed to get everyone dressed and to church on time. I was Cole and Jack's teacher so we had to be there a little early. Everyone was so well behaved and we had a great time together. 

It was amazing after Matthew & Jack left how quiet it sounded to only have two boys in the house. We really enjoyed their visit and look forward to more sleep overs - here AND there!!

Eli and Matthew had fun playing soccer

They took turns at goalie

It's amazing how "in to" sports they've become

Such big boys!

Pizza dinner - nice and civilized at the table

Post dinner bike riding

Buds!

Cole and Jack preferred to have their own variety of wheeled races - here it was dump truck versus scooter.

It was all fun and games until Cole's gear blew out - faking a crash. =)

Somehow the little boys got scratched up....thank goodness for Neosporin wound wash

Making up elaborate secret handshakes....oh the silly boys!

Big boys sleeping!

Little boys sleeping - SUCCESS!!

Chocolate muffins for breakfast (not quite as bad as doughnuts!)

Love this picture from church. Such great fun with friends!

Just a normal Saturday morning...

climbing the walls.....

Cole's 1st day of 4K!

Our little Cole-Man started 4K today!! We're so thankful that he has the same teachers that Eli had - Ms. Denise and Ms. Laura. It's amazing and awesome all at the same time that he's in 4K. Hard to believe he is growing so fast. He got his backpack and is super ready! I just hope his teachers are!!

First Day of 4K!

Big boy backpack with his name on it

Love this boy!

Planking

Ummmm......yea - that's Cole....planking this afternoon in a puddle in the road. 

Family bike ride

What else would we do on the Labor Day holiday at home together? We headed out for a family bike ride around the lake. Cole rode on the Trail-a-Bike with Daddy and Eli rode on his own power while Mommy enjoyed it all and took pictures!

Ready to go!

Cole sure looks cute back there but he doesn't always pedal! 

My family! Check out Eli's standing climbing skills. 

Water break

For all of us

Daddy loves his biking boys 

Family self-photo

My little descender - he looks like a pro here getting all aero so he can go fast down the hill. 

High-Five for bike ride (almost) done!

Taking a break on a long climb

Nothing finishes off a hot ride like a popsicle!

Mountain Biking boys

Today Eli and his buddy Valentino (along with Daddies!) went out to Umstead for some single track mountain biking. Eli can not get enough of it. He loved riding the "pump track" and, according to Daddy, he did some pretty rocking climbing on the hills as well. He's going to be awesome one day when we have our own little mountain bike team. =) 

Biking Buds