***Homemade pinatas

This summer the kids wanted to learn to make homemade pinatas.  We saved cereal boxes, went to the dollar store and bought a ton of tissue paper and some bags of candy.  They each decided on a design and then cut, taped, glued and shaped their frames.  

We filled them with candy,

then sealed them up....

Then they took tissue paper, cut it into frayed strips and glued it on to decorate them.  They turned out so cute, the kids seriously did an awesome job.  I LOVE Hunter's taco pinata, the view from the side where you can see the meat, tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream and cheese on top is the best.

Here they all are, the finished products.

Avery's popsicle.....

Emma's rocket ship.....

Hudson's car.....

More pics of Hunter's taco.....

After getting back from Hard Rock Cafe on Ave's birthday Deke attached each one to a string in the garage and we let the kids bust them open.  Hudson's first pinata experience, he loved it.

Emma kept giggling so hard and I think she secretly didn't want to break hers so she would barely tap it.  When we reminded her that it was the only way to get the candy out she became a little more motivated.  I sort of understood where she was coming from though.  After all that time making it and it was so cute I don't think I would want to break it either.

Hudson actually wanted to get his open after watching the other kids candy come out everywhere.  We all laughed so hard watching him try his hardest to crack it.  When dad intervened and helped him out and the candy went flying he practically jumped out of Deke's arms trying to get down and go scoop up his loot

Ave of course was ready and came out swinging....

Poor taco didn't stand a chance and Hunter had it in two hits.

Honestly I don't think I would ever buy a pinata again.  They were easy to make and fun to be able to create your own ideas.  As we went to check it off the bucket list I felt so sad to see there are hardly anythings left on our board.  Summer is almost over and school is headed our way and I am not ready for it :(

Cousins: Elora, Zeke and Rondalynn

My kids were the only grand kids for a really long time and I am so excited that finally all my cousins are starting to have babies, it seems like there are babies everywhere.  Claudia just had her second and she is adorable.  Emma is in love with her and last Saturday we got to babysit her.  Emma couldn't get enough of her.  She wanted to hold her the whole time and and kept telling me over and over again how cute she is.  She then told me she really wants another sister :)

 All the kids enjoyed her and when I snapped this pic I couldn't help but think how sweet that little group of five looked.  Deke and I always talked about having five, I......may want another one :) :)

 Zeke and Hudson are at ages that crack me up as far as them playing together.  Most of the time they will play next to each other but not yet with each other really.  This time there was definitely the occasional spat over a car that they both wanted.

 When I asked them to hug each other for a picture, neither would drop their cars to actually hug, clutching their cars they sort of just leaned into each other like this....hilarious.

 It will be fun to watch them grow and as the older they get the more fun they will have together these two little golden boys :)

 In the same week Hudson got to hang out a little with Kassi's little girl Rondalynn.  She is still pretty little and so they couldn't really play yet but I am so excited for my kids, especially Hudson to finally have cousins to hang out with.

 There are two more cousins on the way as well.  Brittany's little guy is due in November and then Kassi is having #2 due in early February! I love it, I love having all these sweet babies around and watching our little group of cousins continue to grow.

thank you splash pad

It's well into the high 100's outside and my poor kids still want outside time regardless.  We live in the pool and the aquatic center but it is nice to switch things up a little bit.  They just built a small splash pad at a neighborhood just east of us.  It has been another fun way to stay cool and get some energy out on a hot summer day.  

***Mall photo scavenger hunt

We headed to Arizona mills mall to team up boys vs. girls on a mall photo scavenger hunt.  Each team had a list of items to get pictures of or with.  The bummer is that somehow all of Deke's photos of the boys team got erased off of his phone so we only have the pics from the girls.  We went around the mall going down the list trying to find everything.  A pic with someone that works in the food court....

A pair of crazy shoes...

Buying a gumball...

Find something that costs more than $50....

something with animal print.... the girls were seriously so cute.  They were so excited trying to find everything and loved trying stuff on and being silly.  We laughed so much during the whole thing.

Pic with every team member wearing sunglasses...Em kills me in this one :)

Pic with an animal...

Picture with sports equipment....

We spent two hours at the mall having fun then headed home to have dinner and watch slideshows of each teams pictures.  It was a really fun.