Sweet Friends

**Warning: This is going to be long.**  Get a drink, have a seat!  I couldn't pick any to leave out! : )

I'll start at the beginning.  Sandra was the monogrammed tumbler winner (!), and she requested her monogram, so here is her super cute pink and chocolate toile cup:

Very Hard to get all the letters on a round cup! Congratulations, Sandra!!

The first event this weekend was Ethan's Fourth Birthday Party at Boingo Bounce.

We had a Toy Story theme, so I wanted lots of toys out for the kids to play with.  (I remember when Clay was at a friend's birthday when he was three, and he was having a COW to play with the other kid's toys!) There were blocks, tinker toys, army men, potato heads, crayons, and paper, etc.  Here are a couple pictures of before the party: 

Yes, the water bottles were decoration-Ha!

Instead of just blank paper to draw on, they said, "Can you draw your favorite toy?"

Ana and Nora-both absolutely adorable!

My precious birthday boy (wish I'd gotten a better picture of his shirt!  It's three eyeballs and a necktie-so cute!)

Could Sophia BE any cuter??

I like this one of all the kids going up the "stairs" together!

In Motion.  Looks happy!

I always forget to take pictures of the background-this is Boingo Bounce.  They were wonderful! Supplied plates, napkins, spoons, cake cutters, aim-a-flame, balloon weights, fabric table cloths!  And so sweet!

This is the other side-all SLIDES!!!  WooHoo!

My precious Isabella.  My child in another life.

I know it's an awful picture, but I had so much fun on those big steep slides!  I couldn't stop laughing, good for the soul!  : )

Aren't they precious?  Doc even had a broken arm like Mary Claire!

I know it's a little blurry, but these girls were adorable.  They sat at the top for a while getting "linked", made a plan, then came down together-I loved it, off-center and all.  Love you Ana and Mary Ella!

Trevor, do it again! : )  He had an absolute ball with his daddy!  He couldn't get enough! : )

Are you in love with her hair yet?  Precious.

Don't. Laugh.  (don't turn us into Cake Wrecks!)

Ethan loved it, and that's what counts! : )

(Had to teach him about the Making Wishes part of birthday cake.

Sweet friends! and butchering the cake.

(he even had to have green ice cream-mint chocolate chip!  Mmm..we taught him well.)

Danielle took some pictures for me-she did an awesome job-thanks girl!!!

Aren't moms good sports? : )  What would we do without them?

Of course-Danielle took it! : )  So sweet!

Opening of The Presents!!  He asked for a globe, and Angie ReMeMBeReD!!!

His cuddly, soft, warm blankie with green bumpy dots!

Love this picture of them being so good.  Just checking things out.

Super Cool Toy: Tackle Box (and it's already full of toys!) (it has little organizer sections, perfect for cars, blocks, Thomas trains, and all his little people!!)

I really have to say, he had a wonderful party.  It was awesome-from amazing friends (Angie got to come down for Joplin!!) to sweet, sweet kids taking turns, to super-thoughtful gifts, I was so happy for him.  I pray he continues to have precious friends to bless all his days.

And we had one more event (which made me happy/sad-Angie left since we were going to be so long, and I really wished I'd had more time with her and Andalynn.  We just don't get enough time with them).  Our Girl Scout Cookie Kick-Off was Saturday afternoon!

 

The girls are all lined up, ready to present their cookies.  Mary Claire was introducing the Tagalong: a chocolate-covered peanut butter cookie-Yum!

And for the afternoon, I played the role of Photographer!  (yes, really!)  I took individuals of each girl, and troop group pictures.

Yeah, lots of girls took two tries.  Here she is with her legs together, un-jumpy, and still so cute!

Bless you, Troop 5807!

After the picture, all chatty!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also had church today, an exciting baby shower for Tiffany from church (won't tell you all the details, suffice it to say we've had one exciting, adventurous day!), and then a Girl Scout meeting and some grocery shopping.  I was so tired, I picked up a fresh (cooked!) chicken at the store, and added some fresh green beans (sauteed with garlic and olive oil), and bread.  Very Fast.
There was time for baths, and a game of Apples to Apples.  I think we've established traditions-they happen without you even planning them.  In the summer, they swim every night, and in the winter, we play a game every night.  There you have it, a Jones Tradition.  I'd like to think our friends are traditions too.