bye bye baby

Tyson's artwork is getting better and better.  Here is a picture of me, his mom!

He knows he's that good!  I love this picture!

Here's Christian :)

On his birthday, he chose to have waffles for breakfast!

He got a huge blanket from Grandma and Grandpa Coltrin--thank you!

We went to the library to play and read books.  He refused to take off his Superman costume and yet still wanted to wear his new buzz lightyear shirt.  It was his birthday, so he got to wear both :)

His birthday party was so chaotic and fun!  Tyson, Miles, Gretchen, Tyson, Heidi, David, Nathan, Kaysen, Eli, and Canyon!  So many superheroes!

They were playing, "What time is it Mr. Superman?"

They decorated goody bags to put their piñata candy in!  Instead of a bat, they punched it.  Then they got to pull the strings and out came the candy!  Tyson's friends shared with him :)  Here's his cupcake--unfortunately it wasn't quite like the picture he picked out from pinterest, but he still liked it!  It's better than the football cake :)

He Loved opening gifts!

Thank you friends!!

His favorite toy was the superman slingshots.  He was so happy.  I can't believe how big he is getting.  Happy birthday my darling 5 year old~!

Every morning, Austin eats his own breakfast...then anyone else's who will let him!

This is usually Dad!

First day of school!

He was so excited and I was just trying not to cry so he wouldn't think anything was wrong.  It's just crazy the first time he would be under someone else's influence for more awake hours of the day than me.  I miss him!  The teacher did provide tissues, kisses, and a poem to make you cry, even if you weren't already going to...darn teachers!

Austin and I went out to Orange leaf...that was fun!

It was nice to have just time with him before the baby came!

Karyann came over to do foot baths since my feet and ankles were so swollen.  Then we went swimming.  She is such a kind friend!

My mom came and we cleaned the cars in the rain before this baby came!  It was pouring!

I love our Kentucky home!  See the everblooming roses?  And the crazy tree fort tree? And the pumpkin plant crawling out of the garden and into the yard?  And the sprinkler toy we got for a dollar at a garage sale?  And the two most wonderful little boys in the world?  Life is beautiful!

Independance Day!

The fourth of July was super fun!  We had a pancake breakfast with balloons!

When we got back from the fingerlakes our garden grew what we thought was a bad-tasting cucumber...eventually we figured out it was a zucchini!  Luckily we didn't turn it into a huge cucumber tomato salad for our dinner guests that night--thanks Christian :)

We went to the worst parade I've ever seen!  The boys got one piece of candy each...taped to an advertisement.  Mostly it was motorcycle gangs and belly dancers.

On a better note, we found this bird on the way back to the car!  The boys (and I) were thrilled!

Setting up for our party!  We had brownies and ice cream--yum!

The best frog tent ever!  The parade wasn't a total waste since we did score these plastic flags---not worth it!

Christian was in charge of lighting the fireworks!

Our friends! (and our tent still drying in the background...and our batman clock we got for free in the way background!)

Like father, like son.

Isn't this the most gorgeous double rainbow ever?  This was right outside our front door.  It was beautiful! (this did not happen on the fourth...)

 Once it became apparent Christian was not a pyro--our friends got involved!)  We love them!

 One of the launchers launched into the garage!  It was crazy!

Happy Fourth of July!!  We are so incredibly grateful for the freedoms we have and the beautiful country we live in.  I'm so grateful especially for the freedom of religion and how that made it possible for the boy Joseph Smith to be called as a prophet on the earth and make way for the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We are so lucky!

The other half!

We had a baby!

He used to look like this:

 then we took him to a football game...

 and now he looks more like this:

In related news, his name is Neal.  And we like him.  Sorry for the quality of this post--if you couldn't guess, Shannon didn't write this one!

Tengelsen Reunion!!!

So just a week after getting back from New York, we drove up to Pittsburgh for the second ever "Tengelsen Kid's Reunion"  It was awesome!  Luckily for me my most fabulous little sister, Tenille, had the foresight to get her ticket to Lexington so she could help with the drive.  Thank goodness she did!  We ended up driving through basically a flood and hurricane and Tenille did all the hard stuff!  She also helped every thirty seconds when the kids needed something in the back.  She is awesome!  Thank you Tenille!

 

The first day we got there, the power was out, so we just hung out with our flashlights in the dark.  The next day, we woke up and it was so much fun to see everyone!  Laura planned out this awesome pirate birthday party where we exploded watermelons, busted piñatas, went on a treasure hunt and made mentos/coke volcanos.  It was complete with mini fruit pizzas for dessert and sweet gifts for all.  I think she can plan all birthday parties for our family from now on :)  Thanks Laura!

Ben and Jake were the only one's to brave the actual explosion.  I watched from a distance...a VERY safe distance!

Sack races for the boys!

That is my brother Jake on the right--can you believe his hops?

Austin LOVED being with his cousins when he wasn't sleeping!

Tyson was in Heaven as well with two cousins exactly his age and older cousins who were willing to share their electronics with him :)

Tyson and his cousins went out in the field only for Tyson to break out in hives.  Luckily my sister noticed and let me know!  The other two got stung by bees, but that was earlier this day!

Thomas and Tyson--six weeks apart in age, 12,000 miles apart in distance :(

The three muskateers!  Eli has quite the handsome face :)

Stan and Alisha set up an amazing fireworks display--Stan almost got blown up!

The kids (and adults) were both terrified and delighted alike!

On Friday we went to downtown Pittsburgh and went to an oyster shop, played in the fountains (which my boys LOVED) and went to a Pirates baseball game.  It was incredible!

We were lucky enough to have the Crists and Swintons buy popcorn, icees, cotton candy, and everything a little boy could imagine being fun and exciting about a baseball game.  Even I thought it was magical!  We won in quadruple (or something like that) overtime.  It was so much fun!

We took family pictures--and my mom wasn't even here to coordinate it!

Of course, the goofy shots!

Here's our family!

Aunt Tenille!  I love her!

My skinny sisters!

My seriously crazy family!

I love them all!

My brothers who I look up to in every way!

We roasted marshmellows, made smores, chased lightning bugs--it really was amazing!

The last day we were there we spent it at the lake.  Stan got a pontoon and it was SO amazing!

It was absolutely the most wonderful kids run reunion ever.  Thank you to Ben and Laura!