Happy 7th Birthday Bradley!

On the 19th Bradley turned the big boy age of 7.  It was on a school day Wednesday so we kept it pretty simple and fun but just celebrated his amazing life thus far and all our sweet Bradley Bear is to us in this world. 

 

The table was decorated for him . 

 

It’s too early for pictures mom!! Breakfast before school.  Easton actually stole his birthday chair from him but Bradley did not mind.  He is so kind to his youngest brother. 

 

Daddy actually had an early work day that morning and late coming home so it was just the four of us.  He went to school and I brought him Cake Pops in the afternoon for his class. 

His teacher was so sweet and called him up and talked about how I must have felt when he was a born and I held him in my arms.  He was tickled but also embarrassed to have the spotlight on him since he is so modest and shy. She told the class he was good luck since he had red hair. 

All the kids loved them and the boys were so excited to get to go into Bradley’s class and have Cake Pops.  Gavin says he wants to go to big kid school like Bradley. 

 

Later that day when he got home from school after homework, Liz and the kids popped on over with Sonic food and to celebrate with us.  Sonic hot dogs was this Birthday kids request. 

Next was singing, wishing and cupcake time.  I froze my batter and icing and made more of the same kind he had for his party. 

His face still melts my heart just like when he was a baby. 

Ha-ha- he is trying to figure out the trick sparkler candles. 

Thanks for the great picture Bradley- how you looked and all or even wanted to take it!! Sheesh.  I love him but he is already getting to be a boy set in his own ways, he thinks he understands the world and will tell you all about it. He admits that he is “hard to handle” sometimes too.  But most of all he is a great hard working amazing boy.  We could not be more lucky, privileged or blessed to be called his parents. 

He got some cool new shirts from Sophia and family opened a gift from his brothers.  A Lego Movie book and movie.  Brad and I got him a Batman game for the PS3.  That was all Brad’s idea of course.  He is really into playing Batman in his downtime after school, sports, chores and homework with Brad. 

 

Thank Heaven for our Bradley Bear who is SEVEN! 

Our prayer as he gets older is for him to continue to do good in school, make the right choices as he has been doing.  We pray he continues to love Jesus and want to seek him like he does now and that he will continue to grow in the giftedness that God gave him.  That he will know he is always loved by his Lord and his whole family.  We pray he will be humble and never prideful but assertive and strong and never too shy or meek.  He knows that God has created him to work and be strong and conquer, to never give up and to just love!

We love you Bradley and loved celebrating your special day with you as you turned seven!

Kimmy’s Surprise Baby Shower!

The day after my Birthday I co-hosted a baby shower for my friend Kimmy.  I am so glad she is living in our neck of the woods now so I can do stuff like this for her and with her.  She welcomed her fourth baby into the world just a week after.  Aurora is now the Princess amongst her three big brothers.  The shower was at our friend Rayma’s house and we had the dads and kids there too.  We had two separate parties going!  The dads played with the kids, took them on a little boat ride, bobbed for apples and they had a piñata while the ladies do what ladies totally know how to do, have a baby shower! It was complete with blindfolded artwork, apples and alliteration, popping the cork game, “don’t say any A word!” and Rayma could not pass up that yucky guess what is in the diaper game.  I was so excited for Kimmy, she had tears in her eyes when we shouted surprise and threw confetti at her and that sweet Belly.  Not to mention the gifts that she got and needed for a girl this time around.  Our friends even had a surprise within a surprise.  Halfway through the shower they walked out with a cake and candles for me.  I even had a few gifts of my own.  Planning showers or any party are always a little bit of work but always so worth it.  It just goes to show how the blessings you bring to others will come back to you.  I am forever grateful for this day and all the fun and laughs everyone shared. 




  
 
And here she is! Sweet baby girl Aurora! I made my way to their house the day they got home to see this sweet angel.
Congrats MOUNTS Family!

Oktoberfest and Ducky’s Baby Shower

At the end of September the town puts on Oktoberfest in conjunction with Germany’s real one.  I won’t claim to know too much about it other than all the fun, music and beer but I imagine that there is some reason it is held in September.  Anyways, It was raining and Brad was sick at home eating his chicken noodle soup but we made the best of it. 

  

Bradley had fun climbing the rock wall and below Easton loved the bounce house and was flashing his crazy smile to the artist.  He was saying “sssss” for the snake she was making him. 

We ran into some friends and Gavin loves their little boy Parker.  They did the Gladiator style jousting.  It was all too heavy for Gavin to handle so he fell on his own and then got knocked out.  Made for a hilarious picture and then he asked for some more, “bring it on” and then was so upset when their turn was over.  Notice the pouting picture. 

 

Also in the end of September my two dear friends Megan and Manda Panda as the kids call Amanda threw a baby shower for our other lovely cool friend, Becky or “Ducky.” Mentioned in plenty of blogs before.  She is expecting her second child, a girl this go round.  I tried to stay out of the shower and let my friends handle it.  I love baby showers.  I don’t know if it is just all the babies in the womb forcing me to be involved in them or if baby showers are really my thing or happy place.  I just brought lots of hosting supplies for them and made a pretty sweet burlap banner for the first time.  I had made paper and ribbon banners before but this was my first with burlap and paint. I also coordinated everyone making DIY hair bows for baby Jaguar. That is her name given by her brother Carter until the real name is to be revealed when she is born. 

 

Becky is so happy and joyful all the time.  I love her smile.  It takes a lot to piss her off but I have seen it happen.

And this is ME, scoring all the tissue paper they were going to throw away.  I pulled it all out of the trash bag and folded it.

My crazy friends!

 

Lastly, the new sweet baby girls modeling the hair bows for their friend Baby Jaguar.

We had lots of fun and a great end to a wonderful month.  September.

A New Year ~ 2013

It has been pretty uneventful in the Woodward house so far this twenty -thirteen. Pretty much the only news to report is we have all been sick and are trying to get better.  Brad and I are both on antibiotics for a nasty upper respiratory infection.  Pretty much a bad cold.  The boys after I was thinking they were in the clear came down with the stomach bug that I got on Christmas day.  It happened over a week later though and it also happened the exact night before Bradley was supposed to return to school from his 17 day break.  So, with the weekend included we got to have him home for 4 more joyful days.  Making that 21 days with all three boys!! Mommy is ready to pull her hair out so I am glad tomorrow, Monday, starts a new week of school and productivity for us! Here is a few pictures of what we have been doing since New Years.

New Years day we spent with friends in Southern Pines.  I did the cupid shuffle in the cold and we missed the “pine cone” drop at 8 pm! Laugh now!! There was no countdown from 10 so literally if you blinked you missed it. 

We have done a lot of laying around…

 

We went to Fun Gym and the boys both climbed the rock wall for the first time. 

 

We have been watching lots of Football together.

Playing…….

And going to the park…..

Racing Daddy on the slide is so much fun!

The boys love to watch Brad punt the soccer ball or football really high up into the sky and then chase it and catch it all to have him do it all over again.  They think it is the coolest that he can get the ball that high in the air.  Well, there is a funny story this time.  Gavin, being the social creature he is went up to another couple at the park with their two boys and said “my Dad kick the ball way up high….” anyways he is talking a mile a minute to this couple and demonstrating and he went to show a kick and kicked his own legs clear out from under him and landed on his back.   He got up and said “whoa!” and giggled at himself and then ran away.  The couple any myself were busting out laughing!! He is a trip I tell ya, A trip!!

Remember God loves you this New Year as he always has! Look for how he shows you and count it as that instead of brushing it off.

I am excited for the possibilities this new year brings as I take the steps and aim for change to happen with God to lead the way and help me when life is tough.  We all know the tough stuff doesn’t fade but the good part is that God doesn’t either as long as we don’t let him. He’s got my back in 2013 just like he did in 2012!! Thank you Lord!