4 x 4

Our 4 x 4
Westin, Kynlee, Brooklyn and Gage

To say that I have neglected the blog is an understatement.  I'm pretty sure most people have given up on it and honestly so had I, but I have been itching to get at it again.  I wish I had time to go back and document all of this last year, but . . . I don't.  I hardly have time to write this post.  I am so sad that I haven't documented all the fun times this last year.  I have been browsing the blog and it really does help me remember some of our fun, crazy and sometimes stressful adventures.  It is a life I love and I want to remember every moment . . . like Westin cracking up with a genuine giggle during prayers tonight and no one but him really knew what was funny, but his giggle was so contagious that soon we were all laughing.  I want these moments to be burned into my memory and obviously I just can't hold them all.  That's why I am going to try to pick this blog business back up, because it makes me happy.

The last year has been a rough one if I'm being honest.  I know that everyone always calls it the "Terrible Two's" but lets be honest, mom's know that what you should really be scared of are the "TREACHEROUS THREE'S."  It was rough with Jackson and I dreaded having 3 year olds quadrupled, but we survived it!!  It wasn't easy . . . I may have cried "uncle" and called super Granna to the rescue before we even got through the first two months of three, but we did all actually come out alive on the other side!  That's right, my little people are now a 4 x 4!  We have four FOUR year olds!  Yay!!  While there were things I loved about three year olds, I am looking forward to the increased reason that comes with four year olds.  I mean it's only a marginal improvement in reasoning capabilities, but it SERIOUSLY makes a difference.

We celebrated with a super fun Pirate and Princess Party.  The kids had a great time and they got so many fun new toys and games.  Among my favorite were 2 lite brites, Roc 'em Soc 'em, a Marble Run and some beautiful princess gowns made by . . . you guessed it, GRANNA (can you tell I love Classic toys) and so much more!  Clint and I got them skates, which they love, but since it has been raining for a month we haven't really gotten to use them much yet.  I'm not complaining, we need the rain, but man do we need to get outside.

The party was a blast (or at least I thought so).  We decorated homemade tiaras (made out of doilies, these were harder to find than I expected), made newspaper pirate hats and adorned the kids with eye patches, princess rings and tattoos.

Tiara making station

Ready to get those pirates off and running

Next up was a cannon ball fight between the pirates and the princesses, defending their respective ship and castle.  I'm not really sure who won, but I do know that "cannon balls" were flying everywhere.

The Princesses ready to defend their castle (you have to use your imagination to see the "castle")

The Pirates ready for their sea attack!

The boys got into it!

Finally, we enjoyed a treasure hunt, complete with spyglasses (this was Brooklyn and Kynlee's favorite, they were all about the spyglasses), that lead us to the treasure chest pinata filled with ring pops and chocolate coins!

A Princess, a bat and a pinata

Kynlee after she finished beating on the pinata

Wesin

Party Guests.  So cute!

Big brother helping to finish it off!

The "big" boys playing baseball with the pinata after the kiddos went inside.

It was chaos, but I loved every minute.  I know some moms say they hate birthday parties, but I genuinely love them.  My only regret is that I can't be everywhere at once and see everything everyone is doing.

Some of my favorite quotes/memories from the party were . . . Westin hoarding his toys.  He made a pile and kept them separate from everyone elses.  He may end up on one of those hoarder shows one day. . . Gage exclaiming his excitement over his new soccer ball and his indignation when he thought there was only one skate in the box.  He got very upset and shouted, "Hey, there is only one skate!  I need two!" . . . Brooklyn literally shrieking with excitement over almost every gift she opened and of course the spyglass . . and Kynlee's sassy looks in her tiara and her excitement over everything birthday!

Those of you returning to read again will remember what comes next . . . Picture overload of all of our fun!

The Cakes.  I did the pirate ship (notice how simple it is and somehow I still managed to split it in two, but we repaired it.).  Granna decorated the Castle, but I think she was a little flustered over my very limited cake decorating supplies!

Gage really wanted a Spiderman party, so this was the compromise.  He and Jackson had Spiderman spying on the Pirates.  I was willing to give Spiderman a more prominent position, but this is what they decided on.  We even had a couple of Spiderman napkins leftover from a past party that were put out expressly for Gage's use!

Gage took a couple of other artistic liberties with the set up too.  He thought that the pirate fight scene could use a few football players.

The outcome.

Tiara making

Gage.  He makes a good pirate!

My two little pirates getting their tats!

Kynlee, my sweet little princess!  At least I think that's supposed to be a sweet face.

Brooklyn and Katherine inspecting the mystery presents.

Brooklyn with her new Princess dress compliments of Granna

Kynlee with her new Princess dress compliments of Granna

Kynlee

Brooklyn

Kynlee

Ready to sing Happy Birthday and make a wish!  Westin, Gage, Brooklyn and Kynlee

Gage

Princess Kynlee looking a little partied out!

Kynlee and Uncle Jacob.  Roller Skate dancing!

Sweet sisters

Aunt Jessica, Westin and Aujehl

Gage

Brooklyn's Woopsie (this is Jackson's favorite word for mistakes and I love it)

Post party gaming!  Mommy and Westin

Kynlee and Westin

Brooklyn . . . she had to try out Kynlee's new Princess dress too!

Card game to unwind after the kids were in bed . . . the party after the party!

We have been so blessed these last four years.  It hasn't always been easy or fun, but it has always been an adventure (or in the words of Brooklyn " a babenture").  We love these little people so very much and I cannot wait to see what this next year brings . . . but I am in to rush to make it 5!  They are getting to big!!

Every year we take a picture of our kids in an adult sized Texas Tech shift to document their growth.  Here is the series of the group pictures.  As you can tell, picture taking is not a boring process at our house!
Westin, Kynlee, Brooklyn, Gage

And the photobombing starts . . . 

And continues!!

I realized after everyone left, we never got a picture of Clint and I with the kids like we do for every birthday, so we took a couple.  They don't all fit on my lap anymore, that's for sure!!
Kynlee, Westin, Gage and Brooklyn

Gage, Westin, Kynlee and Brooklyn (they were kind of done with pictures by this point!)