70th Surprise!

My father-in-law, John's birthday was in March, and he turned 70!  10 years ago, his children threw him a 60th surprise birthday party- he had no idea... and 70th birthday was no different!  It was, once again, a surprise, and {{I think}} he enjoyed it! :)  I'll let the pictures do the talking...

They told him he was going to someone else's birthday party.  This is his face as he starts to come in...

And now he get's it... we all shout Surprise and Happy Birthday!

We had BBQ pork and asked everyone else to bring a side in lieu of a gift :)

**Hey- that's my dad!  With his arms crossed {{no hat}}.   Henry is peaking out from the side!  haha**

John's daughter, Carla, made the cakes- she did a great job!!!!

He was able to blow out all 70 candles before the Birthday song was over!!

John's children.  John, Carla, Jessie, Jennie, Robert, Brad, John, and Ben.

Then we had a fun-loving roast of John.  Lots of fun stories and LOTS of laughs!  John was a good sport and took it all in stride :)

So, there you have it- a successful surprise birthday party!  It seems like he gets one every ten years- so I'll be looking forward to a surprise 80th birthday in 10 years.  Happy 70th birthday to the best father-in-law I know! :)

Craft Kitchen

Anyone else addicted to Pinterest??!!  Well, my mom found this cutie idea to turn an entertainment center into a kids kitchen.  When my mom gets an idea- it's going to happen.  She has this motivation that can stop a train!

We asked around for an old entertainment unit (everyone has one- and no one needs one, right?  Everyone has flat screens now and no need for bulky units like these.)

So, we found one... FOR FREE  **Jackpot!!**

Anyway- here's how it turned out.  It has a refrigerator, oven, stove, and pantry!  cute!

She decorated it with old country chickens.  Cute touch :)

All it took was:

-an entertainment unit
-silver paint (for the oven and refrigerator)
-white paint (for the inside of the refrigerator)
-junk CDs spray painted black for the stove burners
-turning the bottom doors sideways so they pull down like an oven.
-tension rod for the curtain in the back
-some cheap vinyl stick-on tiles from a hardware store for the "countertop"
-milk jug lids spray painted black for the stove knobs
-oven pull handle and refrigerator pull handle
-groceries and such to stock your new kitchen!

She's thinking of pulling it out away from the wall and putting a flower box outside the window.  Otherwise, she'll just put a picture to look like outside up behind the curtains.

Way to go Mom!

Daddy Dearest

So my boys are blessed with a very involved, loving, and fun daddy :)  Here's some proof!

Ben made the boys a space suit.  Who knew a diaper box could provide hours and hours of entertainment!

Here's Ben teaching Wade how to read on some flashcards he found in our toy closet.

Henry is still trying to make the space suit work for him.  :)

Now they are reading a space book.  Ben LOVES planets, stars, and all things space.

Ben bought this basketball goal for the boys for Christmas.  Funny note:  I saw it wrapped under the tree, and got all giddy because I thought it was a surprise for ME!  haha, but it was just as fun to watch the boys open it :)  (Plus, he got me an iPod Touch, so I couldn't be too mad, right?)

He put together this train table my mom and dad got for the boys for Christmas.  He loved every minute hour(s) he spent building it! :)

 

Daddy and his "best best buddies."  

 

I love you Ben! :)

Half Cherokee and Choctaw

OK, so I think my boys may be part Indian with the way they name their stuffed animals.... it's hysterical :)  Let me give you a little glimpse:

I'm telling you, it's comical.  One time a cat showed up and our house and Wade named him "Open Doorie" because the garage door was open when he found the cat.  

Let me introduce you to some of their favorite stuffed animals...

Here's Henry's Chameleon

named:

MILLION.

Hippo named:

POTTOMUS

Sock Monkey named:

HERKULMUR  (pronounced Her-kul-mer)

My aunt named him that, and it stuck.  ha :)

A cow named

MOO

 

And my favorites:

 

Henry's o-o-o- ah-ah-ah (the sounds a monkey makes)

and

Wade's WakerUpper (because Wade's monkey wakes him up in the mornings...)

Henry also has Blue Puppy (do you even need a picture for that visual?!?!) and Wade has Bear-Bear (can you guess what kind of stuffed animal he is??!)

So, there you have it- my boys have embraced their Indian friends way of naming things... I just hope they outgrow it before I have grandkids named "Bald Head" or "Round Bottom"

Mommy loves you Wade and Henry!