Turtle Power

This year the boys giant birthday-palooza was once again a huge event.  Brodie turned six and my little Luke turned three.  I asked them what kind of party they wanted, and they agreed on Ninja Turtles.  I really didn't want to do a generic ninja turtle party so I decided that I would make everything, it would look like ninja turtles with a homemade twist.

We used Chinese lanterns for decorations instead of balloons

I made forty turtle costumes for all the kids coming to their party

My boys approved of the costumes

 

we made ninja turtle cupakes

 

and even our own green punch AKA Mutant OOZE

We got our traditional roasted pig

and lots of other goodies

 

 

 

Once again we got lucky with the weather and the kids bounced all day

I'm pretty sure they were all happy by the time they left

Kindergarten



Well, it happened.  My little Brodie grew up overnight and started Kindergarten.  He goes to school all day till 3:45.  Being the social little guy that he is, he walked right in without hesitation.  When we picked him up I asked him if he made any friends.  Then I asked what their names were, his response, "mom, there are too many to remember.  Everyone loves me." 

 Poor little guy, we got home from Saratoga the night before.  When I woke up I realized I had nothing to make him for lunch.  So we had to leave early for school and stop by the store on the way.  I made his lunch in the parking lot.  What a way to start your first day of school.

Official first day of school picture.  He is so handsome

 It's going on three years now, but he still wants to be a race car driver.  I guess it's not a phase.

 First day of school orientation

 We found his desk

Luke immediately jumped into the seat across from Brodie.  When he found out that he wasn't going to able to stay, he balled his eyes out.  Then when we left, he screamed all the way down the hall, "don't leave my Bro-Bro." 

Saratoga Summer

This summer we went back up to Saratoga and did so much that looking back on it, it all just seems like one big blur.  We changed campgrounds this year, we found one with much more activities for the kids.  This was our campsite at the lake.  It was so beautiful and quiet, we absolutely loved it.

 

They had a small beach area

A great playground

A splash zone

and swimming pool

They also made a friend named Michael.  Which worked out nicely since his family was also staying for the whole summer

Their truck made them very popular with all the kids

Every few days new kids would come in and Luke and Brodie would become fast friends with them

 

every once in a while one of them would also bring a vehicle and then the camp ground would become a race course

Most mornings the kids would bring out their toys and it would start like this

by noon it would look like this

Except on rainy days when they were confined to the RV

At night the glow sticks would come out

but for most of the camp sites it just looked like this

 

The boys got really good at swimming

 

We attended and participated in the annual Hudson River duck race

 sadly our ducks placed no where

 We also explored the Howe Caverns

Found a drive in to take the boys to and saw Planes

 

 visited the County Fair

 and took our annual ride on the famous Saratoga Carousel

 Brodie helped Joe and his group practice for Jockey Karaoke

 They preformed YMCA

 and WON!!!

 and we made the trip back home just in time for Brodie to start his first day of Kindergarten the next day.  Needless to say the summer had wiped the three of them out for the whole 13 hour drive home.  I actually got to listen to the radio.