Fun with friends

We have been lucky to do lots of fun stuff so far this late spring/early summer with our friends. Here are some of the fun stuff I have actually gotten pictures of:

Going to a minor league hockey game with Claire and Owen (and parents). We adults even braved Outback steakhouse with all these kids and they did great! We are finally at that point where we can go to restaurants (or "rest-ra-nauts" as Dono still calls them) and actually all enjoy our meals and our time. It's lovely.

We went to Ian and Colin's house for their magic themed birthday. The magician also made balloon animals so Reese had him make... drumroll please... a kitty.

Hanging with their friend Abby. She never stops moving. Didn't get a pic of the birthday boys, they were too busy.

We went to Grant's farm with Owen and Claire and their cousins Ray and Sam. It was perfect because Reese and Claire were inseparable and Dono and Ray best buddies as well.

Both kids were really excited to get a map of the place. They were VERY territorial of these maps.

Dono and Ray rode the camel together and Reese and Claire rode together. Claire's mom said she didn't think that Claire would have been brave enough to ride the camel if it weren't for Reese so Reese's bravery rubbed off!

A post snow-cone smile picture if I ever saw one.

This past week Penelope (or "Pa-len-o-pee" to Donovan) had her 4th birthday at the bowling alley. Donovan was definitely the best bowler but Reese bowled about 4 frames and declared she was done. Not enough princess and make believe for that girl.

Dono's preschool graduation

May 16th was a very important date, Donovan's preschool graduation! He will still be going until late July, but they have the ceremony in May so they can include those kids who don't come to school during the summer. Donovan was very excited about his graduation ceremony. He practiced his songs and told Mimi and no one else about  a "special surprise" (it was a rose for the parents) and was super excited about his tie-dyed shirt they all made for the occasion. They even make their own graduation hats! The ceremony itself only lasted about 10 min and then afterwards we got to go upstairs to his room and visit where they gave us all a memory book the teacher had made for the kids with drawings and pictures and stories from their entire time at the the Berry Patch. Donovan started going there when he was just a tad under 3 so there were some pictures of a little squirt Dono. Very cute. All in all a good ceremony. One for the memory books!

Waiting in line for the ceremony to start. We only got videos of the ceremony so this is as close as you will get to the actual ceremony. Ameilia (wifey) is right behind Donovan

This might be my favorite picture of me and Dono ever. He was giving me a smooch after he gave me a rose. So happy my mother-in-law snapped this!

Dono had a pretty big cheering section. Toms parents and my dad were able to make it (my poor mom was working). I think he was pretty proud.

The happy couple!

Donovan and his teacher this year, Ms. Theresa.

My favorite of all Donovan's teachers, Ms. Carolyn. She made it up to the ceremony even though she had just had her first baby a couple weeks previously. She is a trooper!

Birthday parties

We did something different this year. We usually combine the kids b-day parties and just have one big one here. Now that there are so many kids and they are getting bigger every time we see them, we decided to do a really small family birthday party, with just our immediate family members and my grandparents, and then a kid party at an outside facility. We hadn't done this before because it just always seemed so expensive. But after this year, I don't think we will ever go back to having all the kids here. It was awesome!!

Not only did Donovan and Reese love it, but Tom and I loved it too because all we had to do was write the check. Seriously the easiest thing ever. We had it at Bounce-U and the nice thing is, is that our group gets the playrooms to themselves so no sharing with bratty kids we don't know who's parents are too busy playing on their phone to supervise them.  The party was a success and you can tell by Donovan's sweaty hair in some of these pics that the kids played hard. There were two party assistants that helped the kids play, took care of the cake and singing, and handled all the presents. Like I said, a dream for parents used to doing it all. Instead we just got to enjoy watching the kids and visiting with some of the parents for a little (aka our friends. Why do you think we invite their kids anyway? Just an excuse for the adults to get together).

These pics are in no particular order since the blog jumbled them all up when I downloaded them.  Enjoy!

Sticking their tongues out like true spawn of their father.

See the happy smiles on these parents? Heaven.

This was the whole crew minus Colin man, William, and Charlotte.

Reese and Claire were inseparable. Claire is 5.5 yrs old and wants a little sister (that she ain't getting says her parents) so her mom told her Reese could be her little sister. I think she really took to that because they are always hand in hand or right next to each other these last few times we have hung out together. Reese is pretty brave so she challenges Claire to do some things she normally wouldn't and Claire gives Reese all her too small clothes so it is a beautiful friendship.

See the above sweaty man! That's when you know the party was a winner!