Double Digits!!!

I can't believe it's been 10 years since I was in the hospital waiting for 27 hours for Jayke to arrive!!  The Boy is still poky so I guess that should have told me something.  Apparently by age 10 you start to forget your child's birthday. On the day of his actual birthday, the 23rd,  I didn't say it on my way out the door  so when I called to tell him, he gave me a disgusted, "About time!"  In my defense, the party is today and he got his gift early so I was either in the mind set that it had already happened or was happening Saturday.  Regardless, I STILL told him, just a little later than he expected.

This year we had the party at the bowling alley and invited his AAU team, plus Zach and Mason.  It was his best turn out yet and I even let him bring 4 boys home to spend the night, something I've never done before.  I had Jeff there to help me though.  He is used to a house full so I thought it was the perfect time to do it, while I had someone experienced with chaos there!

Zach, Mason Neal, Walker, Justin, Landon, Jayke, Mason, Zack Jeffers, and Adam.  Meemaw and Ppa in the background talking to Landon's dad.  Matthew was also there for a while but I didn't get a pic of him.  Jayke thought he was pretty cool being there with his basketball team and having someone from the Delta freshman basketball team there for him.  Alec would have been there too if he wasn't busy.  I love that these older boys will still show up for Jayke's and Mason's birthday parties.

Mason got Jayke Madden 25 for his xbox...we couldn't believe it.  I am going to have to do something extra special for Mason next year on his birthday!  

Can't Call It A Christmas Party???

I don't know why we have our Christmas party in January and call it a "Holiday Party" but...we do.  This year we went to Fuji.  Here is Neil trying to get us all drunk on Sake.  

The Ball State Family

Some people built this snow family in front of the Ball State University sign at the football stadium.  They got a lot of attention for them because the next day they all went out and posed in front of them in their bathing suits when it was negative 10 degrees out!  I ended up knowing one of them, imagine that. Ha!

What's Better...

....than getting a new snowblower for Christmas???  Getting someone to run it for you!!!  Thanks, Jeff!

Snowpacalypse 2014!!!

My mom always has the same advice when there is a big snow predicted..."Make sure you have gas in your car and plenty of toilet paper!"  I'm not sure if I'm supposed to keep the toilet paper in my car or what, but I listened.  Pictured are the necessities I thought pertinent to surviving Snowpacalypse 2014.  The weather people keep throwing around the word blizzard.  It's been many years since we have had an actual blizzard and I can't imagine us getting enough snow that anyone would be stuck for very long, at least not now that these days every monkey and his brother has a snow plow mounted on the front of his F-150.

About 12 inches..no big deal, although it is the most snow on the ground that Jayke has ever seen in is lifetime.  He was thrilled especially when the snow days started mounting up!  He had a nice little break, he isn't going to like that though when they are going to school on the 4th of July!

Jeff and the boys made it over and these two couldn't' wait to get out in it!  Jayke and Zach made some huge snowballs with this perfect packing snow.

I made colored ice balls...here they are still in the balloons waiting to freeze.  We also threw the hot water up in the air to watch it turn to frosty mist.  The Boy particularly liked this and wanted to keep doing it.  Next winter I'm going to be more prepared and have a Super Soaker water gun to try this with.

Obviously we survived the snow storm with just minimal boredom.  I just thank God that the cable didn't or internet didn't go out!