J's 6th Birthday (and other stuff)!

We had a wonderful time celebrating our big 6 year old! But how can he be SIX?!?!

Oh my heart!

I swear he was just born. But, he insisted that we not just let his birthday pass by and make him stay 5. So, he's 6!

Feb 12-15 J had "Winter Break" at school, so he had off that Friday and Monday. We decided to take a weekend trip to Wisconsin to see Grandpa and Grandma for an early birthday celebration!

Friday we arrived in the late afternoon, had dinner at Chik-Fil-A (I love that place!!!), and then went to my cousin Maddy's basketball game. J thought that was REALLY cool to see all the "big kids."

J read a book to Grandpa all by himself!

Saturday we took the kids to a fun place to play called The Big Backyard. Since it was like the coldest day of the year, it was nice to let them run around and play inside! They both had a great time!

Hope monopolized this car for the majority of the time!

We never had a Cozy Coupe for J when he was little, surprisingly. I'm on the look out for one on Craigslist for H to play with this spring! She loved it!

Saturday night Uncle Ben came up from Chicago (it was kind of a joint b-day celebration for Ben on the 8th and J on the 18th) and we went out for dinner to the restaurant of Jeremiah's choice- Red Robin! Then it was back to Grandpa and Grandma's house for presents and cake!

He opened his presents from Grandpa and Grandma and Uncle Matt and Aunt Cheryl!

SIX!!!

The birthday boys. Ben is not 6.

Hope was around, too!

The blankie scarf is her new fashion statement.

Sunday (Valentine's Day!) we went to church and hung out with Grandpa and Grandma, and then headed back to MI on Monday. As soon as we got home, J wanted to get out his gear set and get it set up!! Daddy helped, of course.

Thursday the 18th was the big birthday!! J was very excited to bring a birthday treat and have the class sing "Happy Birthday" to him (WITH the cha-cha's, by the way).

I was surprised when I asked about birthday treats that his school allows homemade treats. Yippee! 

These cookies are to die for- I got the recipe from a former student's mom (always was a highlight to see her cookies in the lounge!). So I was excited to make them for J's treat, and they got rave reviews!

We let J open one gift before school, because he just could not wait!!!

The rest he opened after school.

He got to go out for a special birthday breakfast with Daddy before school, which I am quite sure was the highlight of the day for him. :) We also went out for dinner to the Pizza Ranch (his choice, of course!)

then did cake and ice cream when we got home.

I still can't believe he's 6! Love this boy so much!!

In other news, we got haircuts this past Friday night and decided it was time to get Hope's baby mullet trimmed- her first haircut!! It really kind of kills me that I didn't get a picture of just how long it was! :(  It was not growing very evenly, so I know it was time, but it was still sad (for me.... I don't think anyone else cared)!

She was pretty concerned about what the heck was going on, but she sat nicely especially after we gave her a sucker (which she has never had before, and which we had to pry from her death grip later). I think the haircut makes her look even older! 

Saturday was the Calvin/Hope basketball game. We didn't go to a satellite location this year because we were kind of disappointed last year, and why go out when you can lay on the couch and watch it on WGVU?! I did get H in her Calvin sweatshirt, though. 

Last year and this year!

H is just so darn cute, it is hard to not take pics of her all the time! So I pretty much do take pics of her ALL the time.

Flashing her big blue eyes at Daddy. The pigtails are kind of a pain to do, but just SO cute!!

Feeding baby George (Jo Jo, as H calls him!)

She loves books so much, and can entertain herself with them for quite awhile. I just love to catch her "reading" to herself!

That's about all we've been up to lately. We've had some pretty good weather lately (by MI winter standards) and all of our snow melted. It was so nice having a few days where we didn't have to send J to school with snow pants, etc! And tomorrow, more snow. Waahhhhh!!!!! We're so ready for spring!