happy birthday wes

a most happy birthday to my love!  here's a list of 31 things we love about you on your 31st birthday. of course we could go on and on and on - but 31 on 31 it is! love you so and happy birthday from your adoring family! 

1. a most loving husband, father, son, brother, uncle and friend
2. your steadfast faith 
3. the serious coloring and bead skills you share with ella
4. not rolling your eyes at romantic comedy movie nights
5. your kettle corn
6. intense play with your niece and nephews
7. above and beyond patience
8. creative lunch box packing
9. impressive train track configurations
10. go-to-reliability...always
11. your pancake breakfasts
12. avid sports fan - even during the lows
13. consistent kitchen clean-up 
14. how you sing to the kids
15. your almost never late
16. flexibility even when things are stressful 
17. our tag-team efficiency
18. your pulse on the lastest news (keeping me informed)
19. rambunctious horsey rides and living room play 
20. our intense scrabble, cribbage and settler's game nights
21. your internet research skills - finding even the most obscure
22. handyman skills
23. wagon rides and bike rides with the kids
24. your stubborn nature - and when you get over it
25. all your snow removal this winter
26. competitive spirit
27. our prayer time
28. your chili and cole slaw
29. how you remind everyone of your dad
30. planning our vacations and adventures together
31. knowing and loving you for the past 15+ years

happy birthday calvin

celebrated our nephew calvin's 3rd birthday today with the family. a wonderful day of playing outside in the beautiful sunshine.

a morning at the museum

met up with justin, maggie and calvin for an outing to the providence children's museum.  a great morning (even bumped into the budka and mcfadden families too)!

valentine's sweetness

we've had much fun this valentine's season - and i think that making valentine's will continue for weeks to come (ella is enjoying it so). just a few of my favorite things from our february 14th. 

my sweet hubby (love him so)

kid cards (sweet cherubs)

school projects (and watching all of ella's classmates walk out of school with these on)

fondue (delicious & fun for all)

a & a visit

ashley and her sweet baby girl adalyn visited for the day.  ashley, one of my oldest and dearest friends - we did everything together our teen years, and now years later get to enjoy some good ol' "mommy-hood" talk.  addy is a happy little girl and of course quiet snuggly as well.  way to go ashley & joel - we are so happy for you guys!  

sweet girls...  wasn't it just yesterday that my little girl was meeting ashley?

chugga chugga choo, bennett is 2 party

we celebrated bennett's 2nd birthday with our family this weekend.  a fun day all around for our little train conductor and of course for us too!  check-out that cake!  wes, ella and i enjoyed making and decorating it... and everyone seemed to really enjoy their train car, hill or pond treat.

we hit the slopes for a little sledding adventure - and to get some fresh air.  bennett took in the sites from his snow throne (shown here). 

a big thanks to our sweet family for spending the day with us - and apologies for the several oven mishaps, including hockey puck nuggets and a brie & cranberry almond "soup"... at least wes' chili and the cake were good!

snow fort fun

 wes built the kids a fun snow fort today.  we are looking forward to enjoying it...though i think wes has had the most fun so far (look at that smile).

birthday blizzard

celebrated 31 with a doozy of a blizzard!  winter appears to like defoyd birthdays, as bennett had one too on 12/26. how wonderful it is to be snowed-in as a family - a great day!  wes & ella were busy little bakers in the kitchen making what ella called "a super special cake that i know you will love - no peeking mommy."   love that she wanted to put her signature rainbow on the masterpiece.

we enjoyed playing in the snow, climbing massive snow piles and sledding down the road.  ella thought it was "super awesome" and bennett thought it was "cold."

ended the day with a birthday kiss!  thank you wes, ella & bennett for making the day extra sweet!