5 year olds PARTY

We had a wonderful day on the fourth of July even though we were not up north. 

We went to the West Bend parade then over to my parents to swim. 

Even spent some time just chilling at home and watching movies together.  Great day.

Saturday was a Beautiful day and we had the Twins 5th Birthday Party.  Grandma Jane made the cakes!!!  They each got their own and she let them pick out whatever they wanted. 

(Except when Calvin wanted her to make a bunk bed cake)

They were a hit.

Here is Clayton with his Spiderman Cake!

Calvin and his Mater cake!

The boys saying Happy Birthday to each other.

These deserve a close up.  Way to go Grandma Jane. 

They turned out so GREAT!

Every year we take a picture of all the kids by the trees in our backyard.  Each year it grows.  Still waiting on our newest baby Rettler (Melissa and Ricky's little one is due soon) but still an impressive number of kids. 

Age order - Abby, Kenzie, Elsa, Kaylee, Calvin, Clayton, Isiah, Lauren, Xavier and Cameron

 And the wave!

 Clayton checking out his gifts.

Calvin loved everything!

 

Clayton in the back - Calvin in the front. 

Better watch out these guys are tough.

Time for some CAKE!!!!

What a great party and what a great family we have.  I just have to comment on the fact that it was also a great party because my wonderful husband, his very kind brother, and very talented father cooked up a meal fit for a king.  We had deep fried beer battered trout (that I caught on our fishing trip), Crappie and Northern caught by the family, and Salmon on the grill also caught by my father and my father in law.  AMAZING.  Just a plug for the husband and is wonderful plan of fish for the party. 

Recovered most of the day Sunday and now started another busy week of enjoying the summer. 

This week Kenzie, Calvin, and Clayton have t-ball clinic each day at the park for an hour.  After that we did some shopping, then went swimming by my mom, off to the batting cages with Cameron, Cam at practice, took the little ones to watch our neighbor play t-ball, then a short family fishing trip to a local park in Jackson.  That was just today. 

The fishing tonight was Cameron's idea and it was so worth it.  They all caught a couple but they were tiny so we were not keeping them.  Kenzie excitement was GREAT.  I will hopefully share the pictures from that next but now off to bed.  Tomorrow is another busy day!!

Cameron's Brewer debute, Twins turn 5

So Cameron was a lucky guy again.  Auntie Diane registered him at PNC bank to win a Major League Moment and they called to tell us he won.  4 tickets to the Brewers game and before the game he gets announced and gets to run onto the field into a position.  What an experience.  July 1st was the big day.  We invited Diane and the grandparents (Jane, Gerald, Grace and Dick) to join us and then also got 2 extra tickets to take the little kids too.  We got down to the game very early and tailgated with some subs and then headed into the game early. Cameron got to go in a special entrance, received a hat and shirt as well as a ball and even the Italian sausage bobble head.  Then he got to go with the other 8 lucky kids to the field.  He got the position of Short stop.  They had their names announced and were on the JUMBO tron.  Ben got to join him on the field but had to stay on the sidelines.  Once on the field the players (for Cameron it was Cody Randsom) were called out to their positions and then autographed the kids baseball and they got to stay out by the player for the National Anthem.   It was SOOOO cool and the experience of a lifetime for him. 

Cameron and Kenzie enjoying a free mini ice cream while they wait!

Cameron on the field waiting!

 Cameron and Randsom on the Jumbo tron during the National Anthem.

 Papa and Gigi enjoying the tailgating.

Grandma Jane and her sister Diane!!!

 The game was hot and sunny but fun.  And a really great win with a walk off stolen base on a double overthrown ball.  What a great experience!!

Then the 3rd of July was the Twins 5th Birthday!!!!!  Hard to believe they can be 5 already!!!!!

Calvin on the left and Clayton on the right!

 Calvin showing his 5!!

Clayton shows his 5!!!

Calvin loves his presents

 Clayton was also excited!

That night we went to Ben's Cousin Craig's house for the Kewaskum fireworks!  It was GREAT.  The twins thought that the party and the fireworks were all for their birthday.  What a Party! This was all the kids watching the fireworks! 

 Daddy and Kenzie - Kenzie did not like the sounds but she loved the fireworks!!!

 So I hope I do not offend anyone but I found this funny!!!  Clayton and Calvin got play guns for their birthday.  We are a hunting family and this is how Calvin feel asleep.  He is gonna get the big buck!!!

NOW WE ARE ALL CAUGHT UP.  LETS SEE HOW LONG THAT LASTS. 

PeeWee Sports, Up North, Races and Slinger Pond

Clayton, Calvin and Kenzie are all signed up for a Sporties for Shorties Class through the Rec center.  2 mornings a week and it is super cute. 

 Then another trip Up North for Fathers day.  Saw this cute park on the way home from church

Calvin, Clayton and Kenzie

Happy Fathers day DADDY!

 Mom and Daddy with the boys on the swings.

 Back to do some more fishing.  Kenzie's fishy. 

 Calvin's huge 14 inch Bass

Clayton and his toilet seat Rock bass

 Last weekend we went to the Races in Slinger to see the races and some fireworks.

Clayton and Cameron

Kenzie and Daddy

Calvin

 Kenzie wrapping her arm around Calvin.

Kenzie

Calvin

Clayton 

It was such a great time.  The kids loved it and so did we!  They even had rides in the bus before the races.  The fireworks were great and overall a great family night.

 Cameron

We also find time during the week to pack in some fun events.  Last week it was so hot that I took the kids to the Slinger Pond for the first time.  They had a great time! 

Kenzie enjoying the pond.

 Calvin tries the slide sideways.

Clayton knows how to do it!

Cameron and his cousin Noah!

 The twins even found their classmate Kaleb at the pond and they played great together.

Kaleb has a sister the same age as Kenzie so the two of them played also. 

 After wards we stopped at Jim's for some ice cream - This is what I took home after the adventure.

Clayton

 Kenzie

 Calvin

Cameron knows how to keep ice cream in his mouth.  No fun shots of him!   So that was June.  Now I am nearly caught up. We will see how long that lasts.

4k final day, 5th grade grad, parties and fishing!!

6-1-12 Calvin, Mrs. Arendt & Clayton on their last day of 4K for this year!

 6-2-12 First it was off to Cousin Isiah's 5th Birthday and Isiah's 7th Birthday party but I must have been to busy playing because I took no pictures there.  Then Kenzie had her cousin Emma staying over night for her first sleepover so we added to our kid count and took them all to Cousin Kaylee for her birthday party.  What a fun day.  Kaylee turned 4 and has a balloon party in her room!!! 

 Best Birthday EVER according to Kaylee - No surprise - there was cake, ice cream and Dilly bars.  Seriously Great Party.

Top it off with some dress up.  How fun! 

Calvin, Lauren, Kenzie, Emma, Kaylee, Elsa, & Clayton

 Kenzie~Cowgirl

Calvin~Race car driver kitty.

Clayton~Fireman

 Kenzie and Emma's sleepover. 

Kenzie read books to Emma - I think they were still up chatting when I feel asleep.

And let the party continue with dancing and dress up in the AM

Rock star Emma

Renaissance Kenzie

This year Ben has not been busy enough so he took on coaching 4 year old T-ball.  It is a mini Rettler team with Clayton, Cousin Kaylee, Calvin, and Cousin Lauren all on the team together. 

 Clayton ~ big number 5 ~ batting

 Calvin ~ number 1 ~ batting 

See brother Cameron in the background helping out!!!

 Cameron had his 5th grade graduation from St. Peters this year as well.  Here he is reading at the mass.

 The whole class of three with all 7 of their teachers and Father Rick. 

 The graduates (Kolten, Cali, & Cameron) with their gift from Father Rick - 2 liter bottles of mountain dew and huge Hersey's candy bars.  SUGAR!!!!

 Their cake!

After graduation we took the graduates to Country Springs water park and had a blast -

again I am not sure why I have no good photos of this but it was a blast.

The next day we took the graduates to Madison to tour the capital, go to the Frank Loyd Wright building and the museum.  Again a wonderful day with these three amazing kids. 

 Cameron, Cali and Kolten all enjoyed taking photos in the capital. 

 Cute picture of Cameron

Cameron, Cali and Kolten ~ What a wonderful day!

 Super cute picture of Calvin doing some fish lips.

June 9th we took our first ever Lake Michigan fishing trip.  The trip was for Ben's dad Gerald for father's day last year but it never worked out for us all to take him last year so we booked it for this year.  The plan was fool proof.  Ben's Mom and Dad, his brother Andy and his wife Sue, his sister Melissa and her husband Ricky and Ben, Cameron and I.  Turns out the fool proof plan of booking the trip in June and coordinating so that all 9 of us could go with two different boats that would go together was great until Melissa got put on bed rest 7 weeks before the baby was due.  So Melissa and Ricky were not able to make it and we will be doing this again with everyone!!!!  It was a great time but bummed that not all of us were able to make it.  This was the boat Ben, Cameron and I were on.

 Not sure what our captain was thinking but he even let Ben steer for a while.

 First fish on and Cameron is on the pole.  Fish spit the hook!  Bummer.

Ben on the pole.  Worked hard ~ reeled in a big one, right up to the boat ~ fish outsmarts us and dives under another line.  LOST IT.  Bummer again. 

Cameron on the pole again.  Another spit hook.  Man these big fish are tricky.  Definitely outsmarting us.  Ok ~ we gotta get a fish in this boat.  URGG.  Beautiful day though and wonderful trip. 

After a couple more attempts Mom reels in this MONSTER.  A 10 pound rainbow trout!!  There was a lot of high fives and excitement.  What a thrill.

 The boys were good sports even though mom was the only one who got a catch this time!!!

Back at the docks.  Grandpa Gerald and his big

King, Grandma and her Coho, Me and my Rainbow, Cameron and an little Coho that was caught on the other boat.  Not a big catch on either boat but a great experience and we all had a great time.  I would love to do it again!!!!!!



More June to come soon.