Daddy’s Birthday

On September 15th Brad turned one year older and wiser! It was a Sunday so we went to church and then went out to eat Mexican food. The boys were so excited about his Birthday that they had him open one gift before church which was clothes. Then he opened his last gift after dinner.  It is pretty bad that I don’t even remember what else we did that day or what I made him for his dinner.  I did have a cake and “31” number candle for his bid day though.  His card had 31 reasons why we love him and we got him a really nice baseball glove.  He didn’t have one left over or around from growing up and we just never had gotten around to it since with the boys throws he can catch with his hand.  We figured it was still past time and overdue.  With three boys a glove is must! Bradley was really excited because it was just in time for the fall season of baseball ( his third baseball team/season) and he was ready to play catch.  They immediately went out that night!

Bradley wrote in the bottom of the sign.  This is one of their silly names they each say to each other.  This along with turkey biscuits, little ham sandwiches.  You know, all the normal animal and food combo names. 
 

Ready?

Get set….

Blow!! He is the coolest and let them all blow out the candles with him.  I mean honestly, that will not be happening on my birthday!


His card with his three “cool beans” for each of the boys.  The boys and Brad love edemame beans so the card looked like that and was fitting.

He was a good sport with his “old fart” paper and his Mickey “Happy Birthday” sticker we had him wear. 

His new glove!

Lastly we all ate his cake for him! He is such a little party pooper and wouldn’t even indulge himself for his own birthday.  His own cake! I am going to have to attack him and shove junk food in his mouth one day soon.  You have been warned hun! Happy 31st Birthday to our guy! We each love you so much. 

We love our TriAthlete!

The last weekend in September, Brad, was in an Ironman competition in Augusta, Georgia.  We all went a long to support our triathlete in his first ever triathlon event!

     

   

We went on Friday and on Saturday he had a lot of pre race meetings and check points to attend. Sunday morning was the big day! This Ironman was called a 70.3 which is the distance.  This was considered a “half” instead of a “full” distance tri which he will be doing this weekend. He started where those orange things are in the water.  He swam  1.2 miles in the Savannah river and then he ran out and stripped off his wetsuit and then got on his bike.  He rode a route that took him 56 miles throughout Georgia and into South Carolina as well. After that he dropped his bike off and took off running 13.1 miles to finish.  All of that together equals 70.3 miles of distance covered. Crazy right?!

Here Daddy is smiling at the boys as he runs by us.  I bought them these little red bells with the Ironman logo on them and they were waving them frantically for him and yelling “Go, Daddy!”

Some post race pictures with the boys and his Finisher Medal. We are so proud of him! He is so disciplined, determined and just awesome!

It was a really amazing event to witness and be a part of by supporting Brad.  I got a shirt that says Ironmate and the boys even though they don’t have shirts are his little Ironkids!

I guess it was a racing theme.  We went to the go cart track on Saturday evening before the race.  Just a little fun for the boys.

There was a park right in front of where Brad started his swim.  The Riverwalk was really cool and the boys and I walked it many times.  Stopping at the park, the marina, an old ferry boat wheel and the farmers market. 

For family reading, you can check out more pictures of Brad that the photographers took at http://www.shopfinisherpix.com/photos/my-photos/pctrl/Photos/paction/search/pevent/esi-ironman-703-augusta-2012/pcpt/2611911/pbib/2406.html This may be my only way of sharing them as they are pretty expensive to buy.

 

On Monday we headed to Destin, Florida from Georgia.  More to come on our week vacation at the beach.

Daddy’s Birthday. He’s 30!

Brad was out of town on a work trip and got home at 1 am to start off his Birthday, September 15th!

Here the boys are that night before bed.  Getting all cleaned up for Daddy coming home, his Birthday and another TRIP!

Bradley likes to take baths on his own mostly now so these two are hilarious together!
 
A banner I was making at 10 at night before he got home!
 
I absolutely did not stress the fact that he was 30 and I am still in my twenties ;)
Boy am I not looking forward to payback!

The boys were so excited to give them the cards they made him right when they woke up. 

While unpacking and repacking the boys climbed inside!
 
For Brad’s Birthday we left that afternoon and headed to our friend the Blankenship’s home.  Jen had a cake picked up for me since there was no way I could have pulled that off with getting there at 6.  We were there to hang out but also Brad was entertaining some Vietnam PJ’s that were stopping there as a meeting point for the longer trip to NY for the annual PJ reunion.  This year was the first year Brad has gone to it.  They drove there on Monday and Brad flew out on Wednesday and just got back again last night ( I know, it is hard to keep up.  I barely can either!).

Back to that cake that is being set on fire!

Do I even have to say the kids loved it!

Brad was absolutely surprised! Awesome that I pulled that off since the boys were wanting to blab.

 
30 Candles! Happy 30th to my man!

The start to his 30’s with one big happy family!

Other than that the boys played! You put 6 boys together and so much fun and madness was going on.
Brad entertained the old guy PJ’s and Jen and I even got to slip away for getting our eyebrows waxed and acting like giggly teenagers.  We went to Rite Aid and bought make up and candy! Now, doesn’t that sound like fun?!


This is at their Lake House down the street where we cooked dinner for the PJ vets!

We drove home Monday after lunch.  By the look of these feet they had a bit of fun on Monday too before we left.
We will be going to the beach with this wonderful family the first week of October so we are excited about that!
Brad had a great 30th and said turning 30 did not bother him at all! We love him and loved celebrating his life. Even if it was the “little things” that was all I managed to pull off, it meant a lot to him!

Bath and Books

It looks like a little three ring circus most of the time in our house and the bathtub is no exception.  The boys look like the clown skit where they jump into a tiny bucket of water.  Putting all three of them in a standard size tub makes you realize how small that actually is.  They are bumping elbows, sitting on each other and throwing toys out to make room for Easton.  He no longer will sit in the bath seat.  He just climbs out of it and wants to walk around in the bathtub and climb the walls.  You would think the splashing of the water would be enough but NO…he has to be on the move these days.  It has happened already.  He will always be our families baby but he does not want to act like that.  He wants to hang with the big boys!

A tackle hug.

 

One playing, one being silly and one walking. 

 

Daddy will be home tomorrow from Vegas to read us more stories like this which was taken the night before he left. 

They are very excited Daddy ;)

 

Yesterday Liz and the kids came over for a lunch play date.  You know the kind where the kids barely eat lunch because they are so excited about playing.  That kind!

 

It was a little play date for Liz and I too.  We have both become such busy women lately that we had to make a point to catch up!

We decided to celebrate our second year of Project Life and swap books while we oooh’d and ahhh’d at our pictures and each others creativity. 

The kids played outside and then enjoyed popsicles on a fabulous 85 degree day. 

The sign of a good day is being all dirty!

These boys have a lot of good days around here with the dirt to show for it! My house must have a lot of good days too! I have a happy house (wink)!