Snow Day 2016

We thoroughly enjoyed our unscheduled snow day!  It was beautiful and unexpected.  I honestly debated on whether or not to make lunches, at 10:00 the night before, but with all the sleet that seemed to be falling outside, I decided I needn't bother.  That went in my favor yesterday morning when I started getting texts and phone calls from LRSD saying that school was closed.  I was thrilled and so were the boys!  Our backyard was a winter wonderland!

These are my cute little snow bunnies.

Ava Jane, where are you?

We enjoyed sledding, throwing snowballs and taking pictures with the neighbors snowman!

 

We decided, once Daddy got home from the hospital that we'd try to go sled down the huge hill on Rahling Road.  That was a big, fun, muddy mess (at the bottom)
, but the kids thought it was awesome!

A Cowboy Party, For Our Little Cowboy

Emerson turned five years old a week ago. If anyone knows him at all, they know how much he is captivated by cowboys.  He loves the hats, the boots, the chaps and the lasso.  So, for the last year he has been asking to have a "cowboy party" so I set about planning it just after Thanksgiving.

Emerson was dressed and ready for this party all day long.  To say he was excited would be a huge understatement.  He was thrilled!

I have to give a big shout out to Krista Wilson with Krista's Corral over off Hwy 300, she and her husband Bill did an awesome job with this party.  It was hands down, one of the best birthday parties I've ever done (and with four kids I've hosted many!)  They did it all, the games, the horseback riding, the photo booth and best of all, the cleanup.  If you're looking for a place to do a horseback riding party, you should contact them.

It all started with horseback rides on Dallas and Charlie Brown, this little guy was beside himself with excitement!

Emerson rode both Dallas and Charlie Brown just like a big boy would.  The first few times Krista asked the parents to walk around and keep a hand on the kiddos, eventually Emerson went around the whole corral without any help at all.  He had a blast; I think all the kids had a great time!

How cute are these two?

There was a a hayride out in the field, then games in the corral, a photo booth in the barn and a piñata full of sugary goodness that they successfully knocked down.

After the rides, games and fun, it was time for a snack.  We had trail mix, cupcakes, horse suckers and barrels of juice to top off the party.  I think this little boy had a very memorable day!  He's been talking about it night and day ever since.  I'm thrilled he had such a great time.   I love him so much, he truly has my whole heart!

Emerson's Birthday!

Today was Emerson's fifth birthday.  I can hardly believe that he will be starting Kindergarten this fall, it makes this Momma's heart a tad sad.  This little guy is such a blessing to our family, he is full of joy. Each morning he wakes up happy and chipper, ready to tackle another day.

He's a boy of routine.  Each night he lays out his clothes which always includes a pair of jeans, a "cowboy" shirt (possibly a Razorback shirt if he's feeling risky) and a pair of boots.   He even takes naps in his boots sometimes.   I tell him that he can wear them as long as he stays in the bed and rests (usually this compromise does the job.)  He's been asking for a cowboy party since his birthday last year, so I found a horseback riding barn near our house and we'd planned to celebrate his big day there today.  Unfortunately, there was a ton of rain today so we had to reschedule it for next week.

Emerson's our most musical child who loves to bounce and rock to the music and he keeps a perfect beat. Whether he's listening to music or singing his own song, he keeps absolutely perfect rhythm. He loves to sing almost anything, but his favorite songs right now are Home Grown by Darius Rucker and TobyMac's Steal My Show, if these songs come on, he wants the music cranked up!

He is generally a truly happy boy. He gets to laughing so hard at the dinner table sometimes that everyone else gets to laughing simply because he's laughing so hard.  We are so thankful that this little boy has been placed in our family.  He brings loads of laughter and joy to our home and we're thankful to get to celebrate him today!  Happy Birthday sweet boy!!

Picture credits go to Jenny McHam Photography.  Thanks so much for these!!