Happy Birthday, Dada!

It was Jason's birthday on Friday and although he said that he didn't want to do much in the celebrating department, we ended up having quite the birthday extravaganza. We couldn't even fit all of the festivities into just one day...and you guys thought I was the birthday Diva! Ha!



The preparations begin...the boys decide to get a little artsy in honor of good ol' Dad


Hayes wasn't afraid to get real creative


Jack is definitely proud of the finished product!


On to the next labor of love...the cake!


Can you tell that Jack takes his cake very seriously?


A little reward for all of his hard work!

As usual, Jack is very willing to show off any type of battle scar. This doozer came after Jack and I decided it would also be nice to draw Jason a birthday sign on the fence outside. Unfortunately, Jack wasn't a big fan of the way I wrote the "D" in "Dada" and tried to erase it with his hand. This resulted in no less than thirty splinters! Of course, I had no idea what to do so we just sat on the sink running his hand under cold water while he wailed and wailed for Dada! Thankfully, Jason was only about twenty minutes away!


The birthday boy with his two bambinos

Jack is making sure Jason doesn't have any more cake hiding in there...

I think the splinters are finally forgotten!

Yep, definitely a faint memory. What a good daddy we've got around here...



The next morning we went to a birthday breakfast with Jason's side of the family

Jack and Carson are chowing down

Somehow the kids found a tree to climb at the restaurant...go figure!

Jack is holding his own with his cousins

A photo op in front of the fountain...this restaurant has it all!


Moving on to celebration number three with Gigi and Grandad...as you can see, Hayes is still feeling very festive!

A family pic before dinner

Bring on the sketti!

Hayes and Grandad are in good spirits...even though Hayes is trying to play it cool

And the perfect ending to Mr. Sweet Tooth's big days...more cake!

Camo and Cupcakes!

Peyton invited Jason on a hunting trip to Mexico this past weekend! Jason was super excited to go especially since his hunting days have been pretty limited this fall. I will admit that he has handled his lack of hunting time rather maturely and has only whined about it once or twice. He has mentioned (repeatedly I might add) that if we have another baby than we need to do a better job of planning around the hunting season. I just smile and say sure thing, babe. But as a wife of a hunter and mother of two boys, I am well aware that my weekends where Jason is hunting and the boys stay behind with me will be very few and far between. When Jason talks about taking his boys hunting, his smile is from ear to ear! I have even seen the glimmer of a tear in his eye which is so sweet and only burns me up just a little (the man didn't shed even the thought of a tear on our wedding day). Jack has already been saying that he wants to go hunting with Dada and they have almost daily conversations about feeding the ducks some "steel shot crackers." So I figure that while I've still got the boys with me, we better have one heck of a good time. Luckily, Gigi and Grandad are here to help me compete with their future "no girls allowed" hunting trips. We filled this past weekend with making cupcakes, a trip to the park, an afternoon at Chucky Cheese, and some shopping for a brand new "Dinoco"! I think I might actually have a slight edge at this point...



Jason and Peyton after a morning of "work"


Grandad and Jack just relaxing back at home


Hayes also knows how to put his feet up (literally)


Jack taking one of many licks out of his unbaked cupcakes


Maybe not fat, but definitely full and happy!


Hayes is still trying to figure Gigi out


Call me crazy, but I think Jack might be having a good time!

A quick photo shoot before we head out for our big shopping trip...a car for Jack and a hat for my increasingly bald baby! Poor Hayesee!

We asked Jack to raise his hand if he likes new cars and I'd say that's a yes!

Sunday with the girls!

The lovely and talented JB has the lead role in "Love, Sex, and the IRS" which is playing at a little theater in Georgetown, Texas this month. Since most of the rest of us can neither sing nor dance, we always like to show our support and appreciation to Miss JB. Plus, it gives us a great reason to get together with just the girls. JB did a great job as usual and we had a fabulous time talking and brunching it up!


We decided it would be even more fun to surprise JB that we were coming. This is her surprised face if you couldn't tell!

My fellow road trippers!

Jennifer and Shawn stealing the spotlight for a minute

The LSC minus the star of the show, of course!

The whole gang!

Brrr Rabbit!

This weekend was the much anticipated Winterfest here in Pearland. Amazingly enough, it fell on one of the few days out of the year where it actually felt like winter in Houston. If we wouldn't have had so much fun last year, we probably would have just stayed warm and toasty at home. Instead, we bundled everybody up and headed out the door! Aren't we just so wild and crazy?? Although the cold forced us to make pretty quick work of the festival, we managed to fit most of it in and had a great time while we did. Maybe next year there will be a little less winter to the Winterfest!


Jason and Jack took Gigi on in a big race down the mountain!

"Aunt" Jan was down for a visit to meet Baby Hayes for the first time. She was quite the Winterfest trooper even though she was definitely freezing her buns off...

Jack decided it was time to go solo after Jason and his embarrassing loss to Gigi...

Three out of my five favorite guys!

Jason and Jack checking out some of the cool firefighter equipment. Notice the name on the helmet!

Our first family pic of the new year!

Of course, we couldn't pass up this photo op!

Jack and his #1 girl!

Jack and Jason taking a little gallop around and around and around!

Hayesers finally gets to emerge out from under his blanket!

Jack and Charlee just a cruisin!

Let's get serious!

Although we have all become very comfortable with the diaper train we are running around here, we've decided it's time to bite the bullet and really get serious about this potty training business with Jackaroo. How did we come to this decision? Well...after walking into Jack's first swim lesson this week, only to have him announce five seconds into it "I'M POOPING!" made me think that maybe now is the time. So that's that. Two little words and a stinky little swimmer later and we are now fully loaded with sticker charts, car undies, and portable potties. Wish us luck!



Jack introducing his new throne!

Nothing better than playing some cars in some car undies

Yeah, well...maybe we won't get too serious!

A Day for Butterflies!

Jack has been sick so we've been on lock down for the last few days. He seemed to be feeling a bit better today and our hermit lifestyle was beginning to make us all just a tad crazy so Jason got a pass to go watch football with Peyton and we headed to the butterfly museum with Gigi and Grandad. It seemed like everyone in Houston had the same idea, but we were not to be deterred by the long line. We had a great time, although Jack wasn't quite sure how he felt about the butterflies once they were up close and personal. I should have known since he has a thing about scary ladybugs too. : )


Hayes and I taking in the sights

Gigi, Grandad, and Hayes taking a ride on the giant caterpillar. When Grandad asked Jack if he would like a ride, he said "no, I'm sick." Quick thinking, buddy!

Jack and I getting a little artsy. We ridiculously both banged our heads on the glass wall more than once. Must be in the genes!

What a pretty, yet very scary butterfly! I'm with you, Jack...

Gigi and Hayes' turn to get a little artsy

Jack carefully eyeing the butterfly on Gigi's shoulder

Finally, the main attraction Jack had been waiting for...