Anthony turns 6!

It's true. Our baby boy, Anthony Jr.,turned 6 years old and I am not sure how I feel about it exactly. My youngest child turning 6 means that A) I am getting old and B) I am old enough to have my "baby" be 6. I am not excited about either of these realizations and I would gladly turn back time and have him be 3 again (if I could take what I know now with me!) Oh Anthony, AJ, or Antonio (as you are now being called in kindergarten) where has the time gone? And what goes on in that brain of yours?

After much discussion about a birthday party theme we agreed that a camping party would be lots of fun. We invited 20 of your closest friends to help us destroy celebrate with you in our back yard. We had jumbo checkers, tent, board games, coloring, trail mix bar, and scavenger hunt. We had a giant duck to go with our giant canoe. It was a crazy, chaotic, sugar filled party that was perfect for crazy, chaotic, sugar filled boy!

Camp AJ

Camp Before It Became Chaotic

Tony and our Neighbor Demonstrating Air Paddling

My Attempt At A Pinterest Campfire Cake

As we begun to sing "Happy Birthday" to AJ, he had a Kardashian moment where he started yelling "everyone isn't over here mom! Everyone isn't signing Happy Birthday to me!" We eventually got most of his followers friends to participate in the moment which allowed AJ to focus all of his energy on making a wish and blowing out the candles! Whew!

The scavenger hunt was the highlight of the party, where we broke the kids up into 3 groups with adult chaperons and ran a muck throughout the neighborhood. They trampled landscaping, scared most people over the age of 70 (we had a few doors slammed in our face) and had several falls. After getting our final item, I blew out my flip flop and told my kids to run for their lives as I hobbled home with one shoe. They ran 6 houses in the wrong direction before they heard me screaming to "COME BACK!" but we won! I am not sure the prizes were worth the bloodshed but it sure wore everyone out!

As the party was coming to a close I was able to get a picture of most of the kids in the canoe. And a random duck. It was awesome.

We sent everyone home with smores in a bag. We felt it best NOT to introduce fire into the mix especially with how many injuries resulted from the scavenger hunt. With age comes wisdom (or at least that is what I hear.)

Camp AJ 2015 was a success!

At 6 years old you love:

Minecraft
Skylanders
Legos
Sharks
Catching grasshoppers and lizards (and then sometimes feeding them to "80" our box turtle)
Playing Soccer
Jumping on the trampoline
Hanging with your friends at the pool (but not necessarily swimming in the pool)
Cheeseburgers with just meat, cheese and bun
Chicken strips
Mac N Cheese
"That Good Milk" Horizon LOL
Saying "I Love U 2" in the cutest, raspiest voice I have ever heard
Playing on the iPad (this may be an addiction not just love)
Wearing Flip Flops
Saying "why not can I?" and "I want mama" OK...and "poop butt"
Reading books with mom
Being great one day and being not great the next day. You always keep us on our toes!

We love you Anthony, AJ, Antonio! Here is to many, many more fun birthdays to come!

Schools In!

School is officially back in session and that means more free time for me during the day to prepare myself for the epic homework meltdowns come 3pm. Only this year I get to prepare for 2 epic meltdowns instead of 1...because AJ is now a kinderbaby!

Cienna's 1st Day of 3rd Grade

AJ's 1st Day of Kindergarten

Our 2 Little Honorable Caballeros!

Let their adventure in learning Spanish so that mom and dad don't know what they are plotting begin!

Summer Lovin'

Summer lovin, had us a blast....summer lovin, happened so fast! For real, this summer went by in the blink of an eye. It may be due to the fact that we were more scheduled than that 19 And Counting! family on TLC (used to be.) With Cienna in golf camp and both of the kids in tennis, swimming and gymnastics, we were running around like crazy people just trying to get it all done. We did find time to have some fun, see some friends and family and get a tan. That's what summer is all about, right?

A Visit From Uncle Jay

And Granny!

And while she was here.....we visited

Carlsbad Caverns

And the Nuclear Museum!

We had many fun times....

Rafting

Hangin' at Parades

Snake Hunting

Hiking With Friends

Winning Dance Contents (and Guitars!) at Rhythms on the Rio

And Excelled At Lots of Sports...

AJ Won Best 6 and Under Boys Tennis Player

Cienna Was Asked To Swim Both Relays in Sundance

And They Attempted Golf!

Cienna Nailed The Look of Golf!

It was a fast but fun summer in 2015. Next stop...school!