Happy Birthday Kyler!!!

Can my baby really be 6? It's crazy?...right? I think he had a pretty good day! This is our year for family birthdays...{we switch so every other year is parties with friends} He wanted to go get doughnuts for breakfast. We did that at the little doughnut shop down the street and I let him and Ty go a little late to school. Then I brought him Chik-Fil-A for lunch and got to eat with both him and Ty since they have the same lunch time. Then back to the school at 2:00pm to help Ms. Rigling with cupcakes and juice for his class. When he got home from school we let him open presents so we could go to an early dinner. He wanted and needed a new bike...I found a really cool Transformer bike online...unfortunately it hasn't quite made it here yet so I printed off a picture of the bike and put it in a card. When Kyler opened the card and saw the picture he immediately threw it to the side to open a present! I said "Wait, Kyler why do you think I gave you that picture?" He said "Cuz I like Transformers?" I had to explain about the bike and then it clicked and he was excited...to think I could've gotten away with just a picture of a bike...not a real one! :) After gifts we went to dinner and Texas Roadhouse...Kyler picked this place cuz he really likes that you can throw all your garbage on the ground! {not really just the peanut shells...but I think he likes the idea of not having to be very clean} He ordered a very special birthday dinner of mac and cheese and french fries and chocolate milk! {that is different from every other day how?} He announced that it was his birthday as soon as we walked into the restaurant to every worker that came our way...so after we were finished eating he got to get on the"horse" and have a happy birthday and yee-haw from the workers.

When we came home we had chocolate cupcakes and sang Happy Birthday...his wish this year is that the Transformers will become real! Shawn's thing is to always give out the birthday spankings and usually when he announces this, the kids run to hide and get chased, they love it more than they let on! Shawn told Kyler "Ok time for some birthday spankings and Kyler did this {see picture above} He is such a goof!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY KYLER!!!

**This morning (March 12th) he told me I can't wait till March 11th to come! Oh brother!

Here is a picture of Kyler's birthday banner...I just did his name so he can hang it in his room...there are more pics on my stamp blog if you want to see more. :)

Rodeos, Career Day and Cub Scouts

Kyler had career day at school last week. He dressed up as a builder...as you might have guessed! Let me just clarify though...he is not just any kind of builder...he had a story! He is a builder of Transformers and Robots. {was there any doubt in your mind?} He will be working underground "Oh so mom I won't be able to be a dad and you can't be a grandma from me...cuz when you work underground you can't have kids!" out of the mouths of babes!

This is Kyler and Kami...Kami is a friend of Kylers. She did the mutton bustin at the rodeo...Kyler was a little jealous, he says he wants to try that too! We'll see about next year. Kami did a great job mutton bustin!! :)

friends...Austin and Josh

loved, loved, loved the bulls! I love the rodeo! The Katy Rodeo is perfect! The weather was perfect, it's local so no huge crowds and it has it all! This is the 2nd year we have gone and we will definitely be going every year!! It was sooo much fun!

Kyler doing the stick horse race...there he goes!

ahead of the crowd!

yeah he won! If you talk to him...he won. It's not worth explaining that everyone gets a ribbon for participating and he didn't actually come in "1st"! He did run fast and was one of the first kids down to the finish line! :) So in our house...he won!

The Buckin' Bronco! They were sooo fun to watch...those guys get whipped all over!

These dogs have kapoochi monkeys on their backs and they heard the goats into the pen. Then they all get in and onto the truck to ride off! It was pretty funny! :)

This is the calf scramble. They let loos the calves and the high school kids have to get them to the ground and hold them there until the last one is down! It's hilarious!

there they go! Some of the young men and women from our ward do this although none of them did it the night we were there.

The day after the Rodeo we had Tyson's first Blue and Gold Banquet. He and Shawn had to make a "feller" cake. They did a great job! it was chocolate cake with chocolate frosting...crushed oreo cookies for the dirt and then worms and flowers! Some little kids came up to Shawn and said "May I please have seconds, your cake is so moist!" Shawn is feeling pretty good about his cooking sckills! :) Ty won the award for the dirtiest cake which he thought was awesome! :) He got lots of belt loops and pins. He has been a hard working cub scout! I promise that when we first showed up he looked presentable. He was tucked in and his face was clean! What are ya gonna do?...he is an eight year old boy who loves to play and staying appropriately dressed is not top on his priority list! {insert my shoulders shrugging here} Austin is the Den Chief for the Wolves and the Den Leaders gave him a special pin and recognized him for all his hard work and help. They said he was helpful and kind and a terrific example to the younger boys! {Austin you rock bud!!}

My sweet boys

Austin has always been a good big brother but it seems like in the last few months that he is really stepping up and playing the part of "big brother" well. He is always willing and usually volunteers to get the boys from school each day. They love to have Austie pick them up. Most days without Ty and Kyler even having to ask he offers to carry their backpacks home. Today as I was watching them walk home from the front window I was so touched by Austin's kindness to his brothers. I raced out and snapped a picture as they were coming into the yard. Of course Ty is too quick for me and he hid! :) ...little stinker... Austin always plays with his little brothers so well. The three of them can often be found in the backyard making huge dirty "boy" messes in the sandbox/mudbox. I don't seem to mind that they get dirty up to 5 times a day...cuz they always are out there having such a good time. Austin is always willing to help Kyler get lunch or a snack or a drink...he is Kyler's go-to man. Austin has been extremely patient in teaching Kyler to play the Wii games. Most kids just want to play and be left alone...but he is very encouraging to Kyler. :)

This is the "Here boys, take your bags and go in and get your snack" schpill he says when they are coming to the front door. {hmmm....looks like Kyler already got his!}

...little stinker again....he is too quick...he is laughing behind that backpack though...he thinks he is pretty clever!This must be the victory dance...yeah everyone got home safe! :)
Austin...you are a FANTASTIC big brother...You Rock!!!

This is what Kyler made the other day when he got home from school. He got his money container out and spelled his name...looks like about $4.30...so if you have that laying around then you can spell Kyler's name too! :) Also this sweet little thing got up and bore his testimony yesterday in sacrament meeting. Of course after he saw Austin get up there he needed to go to...another reason Austin is such an incredible brother...he is always an example to them. So Kyler proudly walked up when is was his turn and dragged the step stool over to the podium and he said "My name is Kyler Fullmer if you don't know me. I want to bear my testimony that Jesus is true. God is true. I know that Jesus made this earth for us." Great testimony huh!! :)

Shawn's Birthday Cake

Shawn's birthday was February 1st. This year he celebrated in Indonesia...alone. Poor guy! I hated that he was alone on his birthday. Although the hotel had a cake and card wishing him a happy birthday in his room when he got back from work that day. I knew I wanted to do something different and special for Shawners when he got home. He doesn't really like chocolate or sweets. He doesn't have a favorite cake...so when I found this idea, I knew that this was perfect for him. One of the few sweets Shawn does like is Hershey Nuggets with Almonds...preferably frozen...then he doesn't taste as much of chocolate. So I made him a Hershey's Nuggets with Almonds birthday cake. He loved it!! It took him a couple days to start eating it...he thought it looked to cool to start pullin' off candies. I told him to just go for it!! It's the cake that lasts and lasts....he is still working on it! Happy Birthday Shawners! We love you!!! :)

Pinewood Derby, Campouts, and Rockets Game

checking in his car

making sure his car is just right

here they come almost to the finish line...Ty's is the orangish one with a blue rock on top

Most Rockin' Car

Tyson participated in his first Pinewood Derby last weekend! He had such a great time. We knew ahead of time that Shawn wouldn't be here so Ty and him cut the car out a few weeks ago and Tyson went to town painting it. Shawn got the wheels on and then the rest was up to me! I added the weights and Ty did the rest. He insisted that this was HIS car and he would do the work, which thrilled me!...and he did. On Saturday morning before the derby he decided to add a rock to the top of his car...he said "I want everyone to know that this is my car...if it had a rock on it they will know!" He was right! He raced well and was a great sport. He came home with the award for the most Rockin' Car. He was so super excited about that! We had a really fun night.
Austin had his first Boy Scout Campout as a Deacon. He totally packed himself, made his own tin foil dinner and he did great. He said he was fine the next day when I picked him up. He had a lot of great things to say about camping and can't wait till the next one! :)

**Kailee was invited with about 20 other students to go sing at the Houston Rockets Game on Saturday. We watched and watched to catch her on TV singing the National Anthem. All they ended up showing was when they lined up on the court and then they went to commercial. Bummer...so we didn't get to see her on TV. Oh well...she had a blast. She called me and told me that Yao Ming is a giant cuz she stood by him and that she got to high-5 all the Golden State Warrior players! :)

Wizard of Oz

The Lollipop Guild Munchkin

The Teacher Munchkin

"flowers" on opening night It was actually hershey kisses and lollipops, which was very appropriate for Ty

Little Stinkers went and changed so fast we didn't get pics of opening night in costume. Oh well...Kailee did a different hair style for each performance. She had a lot of fun with it!

backstage in the black box with dad...
We went to see them at intermission on their last performance and make sure they were holding up ok. They had an 11:30am call on Saturday and they had to stay all day with a quick break for dinner...they didn't get home till 11:00pm

I know I am way late in posting these...sorry to those of you that have asked to see these! {Let me break away for a minute to give you my sob story...Shawn left town, actually the country, the day after the Oz craziness and it has been non-stop since. I have been major taxi mom the last 10 days. Seems like the kids have needed to be everywhere! Also poor little Kyler came down with Tonsillitis this last weekend and was down for 4 days.} Ok sobbing over! Thanks to everyone who came...the kids were so thrilled that there were friends in the audience!! :) They had such a great time...Tyson has been bitten by the acting bug too. He can't wait till he can act again...it is definitely right up his ally!