A Visit From My Parents: Part 2 (Birthday Edition)

Happy 3rd Birthday Party McKenzie!!

(round two!)

Like I had mentioned in my earlier post here about my parents visit, we were so excited to have them here to celebrate McKenzie's birthday with us this year!  And at 3 they know what's going on as far as birthdays go!  They're excited about them and look forward to all the celebrations and cake! 

We celebrated her birthday on Saturday and had a fun filled day that started out with our birthday tradition of waking up to a house filled with balloons!  We all headed into town for some fun play time in the water at our indoor water park, enjoyed lunch out, cupcakes and a nap because we wore them out playing in the water.  Then we continued the celebration that evening with a special dinner and gifts. 

My sweet McKenzie girl had such a special day and the best part about it was that Grandma and Papa were there with her to celebrate turning 3!

Birthday tradition...

McKenzie's birthday party started the night before for all of us (adults) by blowing up balloons.

blowing...

And yes there was a competition for who could make the biggest balloon without popping it!

Even Grandma got in on it...

Where was I you ask?  In the kitchen making dessert, I was the smart one, and of course taking pictures of everyone else!

The mound of balloons!

Spread all out and waiting for Kenzie...

the birthday girl!

Balloons!  One happy girl!

Daddy knew, she would love the little one!

Papa watching all the action!

Having fun playing!

Grandma and Janessa also watching all the action.

And Zeke found the biggest one and thought it was the coolest!

Playing with Daddy!

In the end, these 2 were her favorite balloons.

Her special birthday straw.

Makes drinking water pretty fun!

Birthday breakfast, donuts!

Yum, Yum!

And then there was water park fun!!

Head first is way more fun!

Even Janessa got in on it...

She got her toes wet but that was about it, she was done after that!

Having such a great time!

Janessa was much happier to be snuggled up on Papa's lap.

Safe and warm and content to watch the action.

When you block one hole it makes the water shoot out farther from the others...

Dad can block them all and get Zeke!!

Grandma got in on the action too, playing with the kids in the water and taking photos.

Then the big slides.  McKenzie was the one to come to us and tell us she wanted to go down them!

This was a first, all four of us got to go on the slides together!  It was fun and special.  Prior, I was either pregnant or one of the kids didn't want to go.

Daddy going down with Kenzie.

Zeke and Dad!

Going in...

So much fun!

Mommy and Kenzie!

She was loving it, and kept asking to go again and again!

In the meantime this is what happened on the homefront...

She got so cozy she just passed out.  I love it, soooo sweet!

And we finished up with some hot tub time to warm up!  Always a fun time at the water park!

Then we went out to lunch for the birthday happy birthday girl!

They were loving their Papa and Grandma time!

Happy Birthday to my sweetest Kenzie girl!

And home for cupcakes!

So happy!

What a sweet smile!

Our beautiful 3 year old!

We love you McKenzie!

And who was getting all these great smiles from our sweet girl, no one else but Daddy!

Singing happy birthday!

And of course, blowing out her candles!

Finally getting to eat her birthday cupcakes!

Ymmie!

And then there's Zeke who has to eat everything separately!  Silly boy!

And opening up gifts in the evening.

This girl loves bags, bottles, baggies anything that you can put something into.  She'll sit for hours and fill up a bag with toys, take them out and put them back in again, over and over.

So the perfect gift for her was a purse full of fun little goodies!

And lots of hair accessories!

Everybody hanging out playing with all the new toys!

Janessa getting in on all the action.

She loved it all! 

Thanks Great Grandma and Great Grandpa for the gifts!!!

And some of her cards from family! 

She is one blessed little girl!

Happy Birthday McKenzie!

A Visit From My Parents: Part 1

Sorry, I know it's been a couple weeks since my last post but I needed a bit of a break.  That and I accumulated a lot of photos from my parents being here and I was a bit overwhelmed at the thought of sitting down to edit and blog them.  It all takes time and nights are usually the time when I work on that and sometimes I just want to enjoy the evenings with my hubby.  Which I did!

But I should have known that more pictures would pile up and now I'm even more behind so here we go again at playing catch-up.

My parents were able to fly out the first week of march to celebrate McKenzie's birthday with us.  Everyone was so excited and we are beyond blessed that my parents have the means and make the opportunity to come out as often as they do.  We love it!  And I was especially grateful that they came out for Kenzie's birthday.  Zeke's birthdays have always been special, it seems October has been a good month for travel, whether we're the ones traveling, like on his second birthday, or my parents are able to make it out our way.  And then there's February... and McKenzie's birthday seems to get missed or something big ends up happening.  Her first birthday was spent at Nate's bedside in the hospital while he was battling cellulitis and for her second birthday we were right smack dab in the middle of selling our home and getting ready to move everything into storage.  Grandma and Papa weren't able to make it out for either.  So this time it was extra special.  The weekend was hers!

And let me just inform you, our weather this winter has been a-maz-ing!  But the second big winter storm that we get comes the one weekend my parents are here, they actually hit the first one as well right after Christmas!  Great timing.  But we made due and enjoyed playing inside and made a special trip to our indoor water parck to celebrate Kenzie's birthday.  All in all in was a great 3 day weekend with my parents!

McKenzie's favorite part of Grandma & Papa's visit: playing Candy Land with Grandma!

It was one of her birthday gifts from dad and mom that she got on her actual birthday.

Well, at least playing her version of the game with Grandma!

Ezekiel's favorite part of Papa & Grandma's visit: playing trains with Papa!

They spent hours in there building!

Janessa's favorite part of Papa and Grandma's visit: extra arms to hold her!

Extra lovin is always a good thing!

And we made our traditional Pizza Hut buffet visit with Papa and Grandma.

Except this time we had to wait 20 minutes before there was any pizza available... really great all you can eat (if you can find anything to eat) buffet...

My silly girl, this is normally what I get if I ask to get a picture of her, that is if she'll even look at the camera.

Love my silly girl!

Yep, that would be snow, we hadn't had any for a long time.  We blame them for bringing it with them!  Just kidding! 

Yes, this happens often in our home.  Nate balances Janessa on one hand.  It works because she'll stand completely straight.

And she loves it, we get such big smiles and squeals from her!

He can balance her for up to a minute usually, it's pretty cute to watch.

And we try to get the other 2 to do it (he did it with them when they were babies) but they don't want to stand straight anymore.

That's one buff dad!! 

The kids had fun helping out in the kitchen.  Zeke was learning that it takes a bit of muscle to grate cheese.

And some snuggling at naptime (Kenzie and Grandma)

My baby is getting big fast, standing on her own!

So proud of herself!

Sweet!!

The view of the sunset from our dining room window.

I was trying to capture the blowing snow.  It can get pretty intense up here on the hill.

And then there was our dance party...

Nate and I have been taking dance classes recently and we were practicing and everyone got in on the action!

Well, Zeke and Kenzie got Grandma in on the action.  It was Kenzie's one request for her birthday, that Grandma would dance with her!

Daddy always takes things to a whole new level!

Bible time!

Playing cards with Papa.

Best Buddies!

These have been some awesome blocks, my kids have had them for a few years and still love playing with them!

Building...

and breaking!