Cousins Dinner!

Another non-planned event!  We invited Cioci Kimmy, Uncle Jason and the girls over along with Auntie Lauren, Uncle Matt and Molly for a chicken wing feast!  We figured it was the last weekend of summer before school started so why not get the cousins together for a fun dinner and playdate!

Yummy dinner!

Jason isn't too thrilled about this picture, but it's the only picture I have of Molly eating!

Maddie and Chloe playing.

Cioci Kimmy brought big cookies for the kiddos.. I'd like to 

think they're excited about them perhaps?!

Reading time. 

Cousin Time!

While the big little kiddos had a sleepover at Baba and Dziadzi's tonight, the original cousins (minus Kristin out in CA!) went out to dinner at Fat Cat Grill in Norwich and then had a girls night at my house.  Cousin time is always so much fun for all of us! 

I couldn't drop off AJ without some niece time!  

Thanks for the hairdo kiddos!

These two adore each other.  

Allie wanted me to have perfect hair for cousins dinner tonight!  

We had a little girl accompany us to dinner tonight too!

Chloe sure enjoyed being an only child at dinner!

The original four - minus Kristin cause she's out in CA!

Swimming with the cousins

I couldn't take it anymore - I had to bring the kiddos over to Cioci Kimmy's to cool off in their awesome pool!  (And it's a good excuse to get the cousins together!)  After a little playtime in the living room, we put the two littlest down for a nap and then headed out to the pool.  I took the big kids in the pool while Cioci Kimmy got some mowing done.  I'd say it was a productive afternoon!

Playing inside before the pool time fun begins!

Someone was a little afraid to jump in.

I was attacked by this little kiddo and his water shooter the entire time in the pool!

And he's done with the pool!

So the deck selfies started!

Being silly!

Yay - Cioci Kimmy finally joined us!

Getting them to both look is impossible!

When you get one, the other one looks in the opposite direction.

Kinda sorta got this one!

Sisters!

We tried to get a cousins picture, which is like herding cats.  It's not an easy task1

Crying ensued.  Kids not looking happened.

More crying.

But wait.. maybe...just maybe...

We did it!!!  They're all looking..no tears.. and mostly smiles!

I'd say someone had a good time with his cousins today - passed out! 

AJ's 3rd Birthday Celebration

What a difference a day makes!  From thunderstorms and no power yesterday to a gorgeous (and not humid!) sunny day today... we really lucked out when we rescheduled AJ's party to today!  Family and friends gathered to celebrate our little man, dino style!  My heart is full from all of the love we had surrounding us today...  Thanks to everyone who came to celebrate our first born!

The birthday boy!

Classic picture.. the birthday boy picking his nose! 

Katie showing off her dinosaur skeletons from the dino dig!

The dino dig was a big hit - as well as the dinosaur glaciers, which lasted 

all about two seconds in the hot summer sun in the water table!

Everyone got involved!

Next up was the dino bubble maker!

This picture makes me laugh... Both AJ and Laurie have the exact same expression on their face!

The dino bubble makers were awesome!  All the kiddos loved them!

AJ loves his Laurie!

T-Rex made a visit for some pictures... First up was Katie..

Then Mel!

Kaleigh wasn't too into playing the scared card... but then the wind blew and Mr. T-Rex started to fall into her and the next picture is priceless...

She legitimately got scared and thought he was trying to get her!  It was so funny!

Even Uncle Steve wanted to take a picture with T-Rex.

Riley wasn't too phased that there was a T-Rex behind her!

Cioci Kimmy tried to get AJ to take a picture because he wasn't so interested at first...

But he started to warm up a little bit... luckily Mr. T-Rex is friendly and doesn't bite!

Maddie wanted in on the fun too. 

AJ playing camera shy and not wanting to be seen with Mr. T-Rex for a picture...

Molly wasn't scared at all!

Neither was Xavier!

But I think Daddy was trying to get him a bit scared...

The dino-riffic cake!

The birthday boy taking a rest before cake time!

Blowing out the candles with some help from Katie

The two blondies.

We asked the kids to get together and roar and this is what we got! 

I absolutely love seeing all the kiddos together having fun!

Traditional birthday family picture.  I love how Chloe is intrigued with her brother!

Our little family.

We couldn't leave Mr. T-Rex out from our family picture!

For the late stayers at the party, we had a special surprise - fireworks!

Michael working his magic!

I promise they looked more like fireworks in person than just a big blob of fire!

A perfect end to a perfect day for our big boy!