Annie is 3!!!

My sweet little girl is already 3. It really seems like just yesterday I was eating steak at my parents' before calling the Dr. back. Then we head to the hospital because I thought my water had broken. It hadn't, but the baby was no longer breech, I was dilated to a four and she was engaged, so they induced labor around 5:30 pm. Annie was born at 12:11 the next morning. What a fabulous blessing she has been in our lives. She is seriously the sweetest little person with a huge heart - including the full range of emotions that go with that!

Here she is about 14 hours old...3 days - this was our announcement picture we sent out (or one like this; we have about 30)
Tummy time with big brother. Ben could never keeps his hands off her - constantly wanting to touch and love her.
Annie is one!

Annie is 2! (this was the picture I learned that birthday children should have clean clothes on for pictures - even if it is 30 minutes before bed and they are going to get dirty again!)

Here is my sweet princess's 3rd birthday. A wonderful friend passed down this jeep when her grandson outgrew it. To say the kids have loved it is a complete and utter understatement. Notice the friends tied to the front cover - I think they were going camping on this trip.

Emily loves to sit in the Jeep but doesn't like when Ben drives because he pushes the pedal all the way down. Annie hasn't figured out how to go that fast yet!
We had pancakes for breakfast, went to the gym, then headed for the park in the first nice day in the last week. We meet up with our church playgroup and fed the fish and turtles...and the small children that don't yet understand the reason for stale bread to be thrown into the water...

We came home for Emily's nap and watched the Barbie rendition of Rapunzel (pretty good - I didn't fall asleep!) before playing outside more. Then we got our stuff read y to swim at Grandma and Grandpa Doerk's pool because it was HOT!!! The kids and I swam until Dad came over and he swam with them while I made Annie's requested dinner (chicken nuggets). Then we had pink ice cream and opened presents.

We are waiting to have her birthday party until a little friend gets back in town and after labor day. Pictures to follow in a few more weeks!!! Happy birthday Annie!

"But she wasn't!"

Tonight was Meet the Teacher night at Ben's school. Yesterday we got a letter in the mail telling us who his teacher was. I actually met her in March at Ben's ARD meeting. So, we talked to her, looked around the room, bought the prepackaged school supplies, and headed back to the car. As we're getting in Ben says, "She wasn't old and ugly with glasses and a wart. I thought she was going to be, but she wasn't! She's young and pretty." I don't know where he got that idea although he does seem a bit happier about school starting now. 4 more days!!! Maybe we shouldn't read Miss Nelson is Missing for a few days...

Ben's Texas Ranger Party

Ben decided about 3 months ago that he wanted to have a Texas Rangers birthday party, but not the baseball players - the REAL Texas Rangers that ride horses and carry guns. So, we created a party for him. The plan for the cake was a Texas Ranger badge in the shape of a star, but the Monday before his birthday, he decided he wanted a white frosted cake with a cowboy and cowgirl on it. I told him I didn't think I could do that. "That's okay Mom. You just frost it white and I'll draw on the cowboy and cowgirl." "Ben, don't you want a Texas Ranger star? That would look so great?" "No, I want a cowboy and a cowgirl. If you can't do it I will. You just paint it white and I'll frost the rest!" Of course being the controlling mother I am, I couldn't NOT do it the way he requested, so here I am at 11:30 the night before the party filling in the traced cowboy and cowgirl! (BTW the cake was very yummy - two layers of strawberry cake with homemade strawberry jam in the middle layer. The frosting even turned out okay even though I had to use Smart Balance instead of real butter because we were out!) My handsome cowboy!
Explaining to Ben's friends the plan. We had 4 different stations that they rotated while at Texas Ranger camp. First, learning to rope. Second, learning to ride a horse. Third, learning to jump over snakes. Fourth, shooting a target.
Josh learning to rope

Gabe at target practice
We are a happy family!
Alex, Bennett and William meeting the horse they are to ride

Annie was still a little bit young for the activities, so Grandpa kept her busy!

Dad teaching the roping skills
Then we lined up all the potential Rangers to do their final test - using that sixth sense to pin the badge on the Texas Ranger! After they completed that, they were pinned and completed Texas Ranger Camp!!!


We celebrated with a cake...obviously...

Emily just enjoyed eating. Pretzels, chex mix, and about 6 different people's leftover cake...


No Texas Ranger should be left unchallenged! As the kid were finishing the celebration cake, our dear friend came over looking very distraught! See, she lost her hat and couldn't find it anywhere! Would Ben and his Texas Ranger friends PLEASE help her find her missing hat? So, we followed Mrs. Morrison's clues to retrace her steps, while shooting red eyes in the distance, jumping over poisonous rattlesnakes, walking the thin edge of a cliff and galloping on our horses!

Silly Mrs. Morrison, she left her hat in the garage!



Then everyone got a chance to hit the hat twice before the Big Guns came out to play...DAD!

Mad dash for candy and other little trinkets...

It was a fun party. Everyone was so polite and patient. Later that afternoon Ben did a big sigh and said, "My party was really fun." Yes dear, it was! Thanks so much to the many hands that helped make it happen!!!! As soon as all the party pictures get posted to our Picasa sight I'll let parents know. I'm pretty sure we have at least one of each guest!!! What a great birthday!!!