Aida's Birthday Party

Aida had a great 4th birthday party. We had her party in our backyard with the banzai slide and a small bouncy house and other little games for the kids. It was SOOOOOO hot! Everyone was sweating, but we still had a great time! We ended up with a Tinkerbell/Fairy theme kind of by default - Aida pulled a fit on invitation picking day so she pretty much picked her invites while screaming at Wal-Mart - so Tinkerbell it was! It turned out great though!

Her cupcake "cakes" looked GREAT! Here are the Tinkerbell chocolate cupcakes.

These fairy cupcakes were my favorite! Sooo cute!

Getting set up for the party was a big undertaking mainly done by Nate and only Nate! He did a great job setting up the slides, pool, badminton, horseshoes, bouncy house, tables, etc.!

Aida opening presents.....She got some really fun presents! Thanks everyone!

Aida and Karen - I was so glad Karen could be at Aida's party. She and Aida are great friends, and I wish we could see Karen more!

Everyone enjoying cupcakes.

More cupcake enjoyment!

Aida kind of got embarrassed when candle blowing time came, so she had some help blowing out her candles!

This picture is really funny to me because at her last year's party, Karen was standing in the same spot beside Aida! How they have grown!

Some of the Daddys early on at the party! The Daddys really represented!

Henry did some filming that turned out funny and good for a 5 year old!

Marianne teaching little ones the basics of Badminton.

Makennah and Aida

Playing with Aida's new Belle doll and salon chair

Illinois Trip - July 4

Happy Fourth of July - a little late!

We went to Illinois over the fourth of July to visit Nate's Aunt Alice and Uncle Ron. Nate's first cousin Lisa and husband John was also there with her two kids, Jess and Alissa. I regret that I forgot my camera charger and my battery went out before I could take pics of them!! I did manage to get Jess and Alissa though! The kids had a GREAT time on the farm. They hadn't been on a farm when they could remember and it was a blast! We sat out in Alice's gazebo and relaxed. The kids played badminton, croquet and set off a ton of fireworks!! Alissa and Jess played so nicely with the kids! We miss you two already!

Henry climbing the fence near some of Alice's pretty flowers.

Aida picked one of Alice's pretty climatis (I think).

Henry and Gramp Gramps on the golf cart. Henry and Aida got plenty of driving time in on the cart around the farm!

More flower hunting... I put the kids up to this so I could get some good camera shots!

Aida playing with Grandma Oltman's old mailbox.

Henry learned to play croquet and badminton thanks to John and Jess.

Henry touching his croquet ball! Oops! Jess set him straight!

Henry, Alissa and Aida getting ready to watch day one of four nights of fireworks! Aida LOVED playing with Alissa as well as dressing like her and following her for five days straight!

We taught the kids how to boo for puny fireworks that Nate and John set off...Probably not a good teaching moment. You can tell Aida is booing in this picture!!

Aida oohing and ahhing over fireworks.

Jess, Henry, Alissa and Aida

We stopped at Branson on the way to Illinois to break up the trip. Henry posing at a fountain close to The Branson Landing. We also went to Silver Dollar City and had a great time, but I didn't want to worry with keeping up with the camera.

Aida at The Landing.