Special Present

I told you in my last post that Hutch got to open one present on his birthday. 

Well, he did.

This is the story of that present!

He was surprised to find his penguin wrapped in the box!  (The boys constantly give me messages in these penguins.  Messages like,  "Mom, Where is the remote?"  "Can I go outside?"  "You R the best mom ever!" 

So he was shocked (he has such a poker face, though) that the penguin was giving him a message!

Papa Larry helped him figure it out.  The message told him to gather pieces of a puzzle throughout the house, as well as clues to the next piece. 

The clues sent him all over the house, gathering pieces of the puzzle

*I thought I'd pay him back by making HIM set off the penguin alarm for once (: 

Grandma Shirley was in on the action, too!

MORE CLUES!!!

Don't open yet!!  Go to the table and figure out the clues to get your Birthday present!!

The puzzle:  Hutch-Green Circle-Dad-Haydn-Blue Car-Eye-Monster Truck

Hmmmmm..

"Hutch" gets to "go" with "Dad" and "Haydn" in "Dad's Car" to "See" "Monster Trucks"!

"For real?"  That was Hutch's exact sentiment.

THEN it sunk in!!

and THEN Haydn realized that this was Hutch's coolest present EVERRRRRRR~

They're going tonight!!  I'm sending the camera with John! 

Birthday Weekend!

[note: this entry is edited to disguise innocent bystanders]

We had a *busy* weekend!  We had church, John had a men's retreat, and Hutch had 2 SpongeBob birthday parties!  I made a Krabby Patty cake for his party on Saturday night.  It was so much fun to make, and everyone enjoyed it! 

Saturday morning, my mom came and got Hutch so he could help her make his cake for his Sunday night birthday party.  I think they did a pretty stellar job myself!  She's becoming quite the cake lady! (:

Hutch with some of his presents

On his Birthday (Thursday night), we had Grandma Shirley and Papa Larry over for supper and a little celebration.  He opened one (special) present that night.  I'll tell you about that soon!

Our house was full of a bunch of wierdos!

[edited to disguise those not granting permission to be featured on my blog in such a manner (: ]

The kids had fun with a pinata!  This was a non-violent one.  The kids each got to pull a ribbon and only one opened the special "door"!

Hutch's new bicycle!  He also got a helmet and two ramps!!!

I just had to share John's balloon art! (:

Five?!!!

Hutch is 5 today!!  Wow, I can't believe it!

[it says "I'm turning 5"]

Hutch is my sweet, silly, snuggly, self-sufficient, sensitive, selfless, sometimes shy, smart, and super creative middle child.  He is such a fun kid to be around, and he adds such a cool dimension to our family.  I am so thankful for Hutch!!  Yesterday, Haydn and I were walking through the hallway, and Hutch was in the bathroom, and since it was so nice outside, I had the window open.  He said (in a very excited voice), "Haydn!  I'm going outside to play because I hear sounds of spring!"  He makes me smile!

Here's my birthday boy watching cartoons this morning

Yesterday he was a "wolf hunter"!

I thought I'd share a picture(or two) from each month this past year of Hutch!

FEBRUARY

JANUARY

DECEMBER

NOVEMBER

OCTOBER

SEPTEMBER

AUGUST

JULY

JUNE

MAY

APRIL

MARCH

We love you, Hutch! 

(a picture of his baseball cupcakes for his school "celebration" yesterday)

Trophy Mania!!

It seems like all I talk about are trophies and awards on here!!  I promise to talk about something different soon!

Haydn got 2nd place in the Pinewood Derby for Pack 98 in the Tiger Cubs last Saturday.  The derby was held at the High School's auditorium, which was really cool for the boys.  They had a photo finish set up at the end and everything.

John and Haydn put a lot of work into his car.  (I'd post a picture of it, but I didn't want to touch it, since he's still going to race it at Districts, which he qualified for) (:

This is serious stuff, people.

Anyway, here are some pictures of the day (I am a horrible "event" picture taker. Seriously)

Haydn, walking to the end to watch the race after placing his car on the track.  It was so cute because he was very serious and somber the whole time.  I love it!!

Waiting....

Getting his award!! Go Haydn!

Tricia's Excitement (:

I won a chili cook-off!!  Isn't that so fun?!  Our church had one last Sunday, and I entered the Alternative category with White Chili (recipe by Sharon-thanks!)

This is the rocking trophy I so happily received! (made by my mom!)

Lipstick!!

Gwyneth was coloring when she noticed a stray marker stuck in the crayon box.  Being quite the little lady, she knew how to put that marker to work for her!  She very expertly applied the "lipstick", and she was pretty proud of herself, too!  Girls!!!!!!!!

In Living Color

Haydn is into big cats.  He reads books about them.  We talk about them.  He likes to print pictures from the internet and hang them on his walls.  (That's the kind of stuff we do for fun!)  Anyway- we were looking up pictures the other day and we found the one below.  As I was printing it, I heard the boys orchestrating something and heard them digging in the dress up clothes.  They had decided to re-enact the picture!! 

[from hemmy.net]

This is what they came up with!!