PAW Patrol Party

Little Wryder Roo turned 3 last week – a monumental occasion for him!  He has been SO excited about his birthday (because birthdays are AWESOME) and has been asking for a Paw Patrol party since last year sometime.  We had a busy weekend (that got attacked by every child having the nasty cold/upper respiratory infection we’ve all been passing back and forth) so we didn’t plan him a big party, but we still pulled out all of the Paw Patrol garb I got on sale at Party City.

We set it all up on Thursday evening so that when he came downstairs on Friday, he’d have a good start to his day.  Sweet boy was so excited!

I'm THREE!
I’m THREE!

We made a quick trip to the clinic on Friday and then went to birthday lunch.  Originally, I had told him he could choose anywhere he wanted for lunch and, lo and behold, he chose McDonalds.  Now, I’m not one of those haters that just absolutely can’t stand the place because it’s non-ogranic or they serve GMOs or whatever…I just don’t like it because I don’t think it’s very good.  Except their fries.  Enough salt and grease makes ANYTHING good.

Thankfully, our sweet friend Traci got to talking about Mexican food and he decided he’d rather go there instead – hallelujah!

He made a good choice!

Free dessert!
Free dessert!
It was good.
It was good.

On the way to town, he opened the birthday card he got from GooGoo and inside was a ten dollar bill!  He was so excited and so we went shopping after lunch and he bought the one pup he was missing – Rocky!

Look at that face...
Look at that face…

He was so excited to pay for it and get his bag, all by himself!

Big boy!
Big boy!

He had a few dollars left and he used it to buy a root beer float!  Can you have too much sugar on your birthday?!  Nah.  Not when you’re three.  🙂

Fridays are usually long days so we waited until Saturday to open presents.  He is SO much fun to buy things for 1) because he has certain things he just REALLY, REALLY like and 2) he’s so expressive, it’s just flat fun to see how excited he gets!

A school bus!
A school bus!
The pickup and trailer he's been wanting!
The pickup and trailer he’s been wanting!
He was a happy camper!
He was a happy camper!

He loved the Air Patroller too but he was blurry with excitement so the pictures wouldn’t mean much to anyone but his parents.  🙂

PaPa and RaRa sent him one of his other favorite presents…

a wheelbarrow!
a wheelbarrow!

He used it all day today.  Pretty sure we’re gonna have dirt EVERYWHERE around this place…

Sayble was quite fond of the wrapping paper.

Isn't she cute?!
Isn’t she cute?!

Pretty sure her first birthday is gonna be a ball, too!

We had his “party” Saturday at lunch.  I always let the kids make their menus and he went back and forth between steak and hot dogs (quite the spectrum, I know) but finally settled on hot dogs, which worked well for the dog theme.  😉

PAW Patrol on a roll - get it?!
PAW Patrol on a roll – get it?!

He also wanted french fries, fruit (very specific about what berries), punch and pumpkin bread.  I turned the pumpkin bread into dog chow, so it worked out.

He got his pumpkin bread!
He got his pumpkin bread!
Pupcakes
Pupcakes
The spread
The spread
Official Pawty water
Official Pawty water
Birthday boy!
Birthday boy!
Sweet sister, representing Skye!
Sweet sister, representing Skye!
We even had Paw Patrol tattoos!
We even had Paw Patrol tattoos!
and masks
and masks
He's three!
He’s three!
and decided to eat his pupcake like a dog...of course.
and decided to eat his pupcake like a dog…of course.

I think he had a really good couple of days.  As he was eating one last cupcake on Saturday night, he said, “Mom?  Thank you so much for my party!”  Melt my heart.  Anytime, kiddo.  You are why I do what I do….

Later that afternoon, our sweet neighbor got married.  Despite the icky colds, we couldn’t say no to watching such a Godly couple vow their forevers to each other.  It’s so nice to attend a wedding where the couple really gets it, ya know?

The rain was relentless that afternoon and Sawyer didn’t want to mess up her cute hair so we did this:

A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do...
A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do…

And yes, I need to do laundry.  😉  I’m working on it, ok!?!

Wrexy had a pretty cute wedding date!

So sweet!
So sweet!

We came home and called it an early night.

I keep saying that I think three is his year!  Just today, he’s put on socks and pants by himself AND pooped somewhere other than his pants!  (It was outside on the sidewalk but it WASN’T in his pants!)  Seriously, I think it’s gonna be a good one…

WD is Three!

Wryder Douglas is THREE today!

Swoon.
Swoon.

As I logged on, I was thinking that it took my sweet boy to get me back on the blog (we’ve had a litttttttttle bit going on lately)…but as I had that thought, it was exactly right.  THEY are why I do this.  They are my legacy and my reward and why I keep this written history of His goodness in our lives.  And Wry Wry?  He IS good.

You came bounding into the world a little past 5 in the morning – momma’s quickest labor by a landslide – and you’ve been running circles around the rest of us since!

Just minutes old!
Just minutes old!

You are still in love with dirt and rocks and sticks and tractors and cannot be outside without coming in absolutely filthy.  (Today, you got into spray paint and painted your face and hands!)  You are constantly showing mom and dad where our attempts at safety have fallen short.  😉

You and Ernie!
WD and Ernie!

You love all things PAW Patrol and Marshall is your favorite!  Colors are no longer just green or blue…it’s Rocky green and Chase blue, etc.  You’ve been dreaming of an Air Patroller for weeks and I can’t wait to see your face tomorrow when you get your very own.

You have grown SO MUCH this winter!  You’re no longer a toddler, but a little boy – or so it seems.  I am constantly having to remind myself that you’re just 2…because sometimes you seem much older.

:)
Little man

You are still highly emotional – in good ways and bad.  😉  Your face is so expressive and I love when you ask questions that you’ve really been thinking about or stretch your mouth into an O when you’re excited.  I never have to wonder what kind of mood you’re in because it’s written all over your face.

Mischief
Mischief

You have stretched me and tested me and pushed my buttons and made me cling to Jesus more than just about anything in my life.  I really thought I had this parenting thing figured out until you came and walloped me.  I feel like I’m still learning how to navigate our lives – please don’t give up on me!

One of his favorite places to play
One of his favorite places to play

More than anything this birthday, I want you to know that you are oh so loved.  Truly.  All of our lives are better because you are in them.  And?  Jesus loves you, kiddo.  Unconditionally.  No matter how many times you go to time out or how many times you have to be corrected or how many times you take your shoes and socks off outside, He still loves you.  Perfectly.  Better than we ever could.

You are a gift to us on your birthday (kind of backwards, isn’t it?!) and as much I don’t want you to grow up, I’m excited to see the man you become.  I’m proud of ya, kiddo.  I truly believe three just might be your best year yet…

Here’s to PAW Patrol cupcakes, wedding dancing and miles on your knees with your new birthday surprises!

DSCF3057

Howloween

We don’t get to watch a ton of TV around these parts, but when we do, the kids’ FAVORITE show is Paw Patrol.  (It’s actually quite cute…and they don’t talk ugly to each other or whine…and the boy’s name is Ryder!!)

We had never heard of it until we had Wryder and someone at the clinic asked us if we named him after the Ryder on Paw Patrol.  We looked it up, Wrex and I checked it out and the rest is history!

I’m a sucker for a good, homemade costume so for $28, all five of us were, indeed, the Paw Patrol!  Wrex sewed the vests (come on, you know I can’t sew!!) and I made all the ears and hat details and collars…  They looked ADORABLE!

Skye...who tried so hard to eat that badge
Skye…who tried so hard to eat that badge
Chase
Chase
Rocky
Rocky
Marshall
Marshall
The whole crew!
The whole crew!
And with their tongues out!
And with their tongues out!

We carbo-loaded with some spooky spaghetti!  (I dyed the noodles with icing dye!)…

Spooooky
Spooooky

We went trick-or-treating downtown on Friday and then we met our sweet neighbors in town and took Wrex out for his first time trick-or-treating EVER (the kids’, too).   They had a ball!

IMG_5268IMG_5272IMG_5270

Double fisting it!
Double fisting it!

We came home, ate some candy (duh!), a few other fun snacks and had our annual camp in!

Boo-berries
Boo-berries
Booger balls
Booger balls
Witch's brooms (cheese sticks and pretzels)
Witch’s brooms (cheese sticks and pretzels)
A little something to offset all the sweets...
A little something to offset all the sweets…

The kids got to go to the pumpkin patch earlier in the week with the Christian school group in Grant.  They had a BALL there, too!

Gosh, she's gorgeous!
Gosh, she’s gorgeous!

IMG_5191IMG_5192IMG_5185IMG_5199With all of that partying, everyone was a little under the weather and VERY tired come Sunday.  No thanks to the time change, mind you…

We’re still adapting around here.  The 6:10 bedtime we’ll have tonight will be fun…the 6:40 (most likely) wake up call from upstairs in the morning?  Not so much…