Giddy Up!! It's a PARTY!!

It was party time folks!

This year Gavin and Grant chose a COWBOY - Shoot 'Em Up Party!

*OK, bring it!*

1.  We started with two birthday boys decked out in: Cowboy Hats, Bandanas, Sheriff Badges- Oriental Trading and a Cowboy vest and pants - Amazon.  Why?  Well, why not? 

 (All the little buckaroos recieved a hat, bandana and badge!)

 2.  The Food - We had cupcakes, cookies, S'mores for sweets.  Fruit, Chips and Veggies too!

 3.  Setting the stage(get it!!!)  - We made a Root Beer Saloon and Jail from freezer and dryer boxes.

We also had our water table filled with water and gold spray painted peat gravel so they panned with gold, saloon style doors on the way into the kitchen and a candle shoot out with squirt guns!!  FUN!!!  They loved it!

 4.  Getting crafty - I bought some scrapbooking paper (for banner and the back of these), white circles, twine, and a star stamp.  So cute and perfect for the cowboy day!

 5.  My intention was to write sheriff.  Hard to write much, so LAW did the trick.  Sugar cookie!

 6.  Bringing the Husband into help.  My hubby made the saloon doors.  He is the best!

 7.  The Costco Thomas Kemper pack was enjoyed by ALL.  Yum-O!

 8.  A couple of gifts for the Deputy and Sheriff!

 9.  Openning presents was fun!  They loved all the generous gifts.  Thanks ya'll!

 10.  Singing- Happy Birthday and then a WISH!!!

 11.  I tried making a banner as cowboy party stuff was hard to find, so a Bestie and I settled in and busted out the banner and cupcake toppers in 2.5 hours.  Oh yeah!  I loved the denim matting the pattern print!

 12.  The whole banner on the way outside to the candle/water gun shooting.

 Mama is happy.  Her boys were pleased and I can rest until March until the next birthday!

 You know what, the Jail and Saloon were the favorite and a great addition to the inside January party!  I would highly recommend making your props!  Fun for all!

"The Sheriff says Back to JAIL Cowboy!"

Gavin and Grant are Four.

WHAT?!?!  THEY ARE FOUR!  as in... ONE TWO THREE FOUR?

How did this happen?  They can't be that old, right??!!??  Well it is true.  And yes, it does just seem like yesterday that I was there, in that bed with TWIN  A - Gavin and TWIN B - Grant.

*please excuse the exhausted, pale lady in the bed, she just birthed two children and one wasn't cooperating (as in wanting to get out)  and so just look at the babies!  :)

 We went from having one precious boy to THREE precious boys.

 We jumped from a tiny family to an average or bigger family.

 We dedicated our boys to the Lord and asked for support from our church in raising these miracles.

 I dressed them alike and smothered them with love and kisses.

 Taught them about the park next door,

 and next thing I knew

THEY WERE ONE YEARS OLD!

 My sweet babies were 1.

 See, Gavin is ONE.

 Ready to party!

 That year flew by and I knew TWO would be upon us shortly so

we rode some trikes, played on bikes

watched a new "independence" emerge, so some naughty business, and we made some messes.

We played outside as much as we could!  We made some BIG messes too!  We loved mud, and bathes.  Boys wash, brothers bond, and mud pies are fun.  Twins are too funny!

It was coming though, the rush of Fall (Halloween, Thanksgiving, then Christmas followed immediately by my babies birthday.  yes.  You my precious boys are almost TWO!

Then came the Elmo and Cookie Monster Party.  Perfect for my twin boy's birthday.  Ahh...

I love parties.  I love celebrating you two.  My precious identical twin boys.  Not many mommy's get that gift from God, but I did and cherish it!

THREE, ugh, NOT THREE.  But yup it was coming next.  My outdoor boys.  Obsessed with Polar Bears for most of the year.  So that was the party- because well, why say no if it is harmless, and you two really LOVED polar bears.  Too cute....

What a fun Polar Bear Birthday party! 

So summer came for my two TWO YEAR OLDs.  We went to the fair and lived life BIG!

Then summer (TOO) quickly started ending and fall with its rush descended.

My darling boys were growing up, almost THREE!

Then, here it was a party, a celebration and then they were THREE!!

So, now that my little ones weren't so little we began traveling more, tried the theater (How I became a Pirate PLay)

It can be sad, your little ones growing up, but it just keeps getting more fun, and the memories keep growing and compounding!  Ahhh... the new things that we get to do are so easy and fun.  So maybe it is a little sad - them growing up - but it is also GREAT.  So fun to watch them grow.  To have new stages, to be freed from the all consuming BABY stage.  Kids grow, and that is good - so I am just purposeful in treasuring the moments, savoring the snuggles, remembering the giggles, forgetting the chores and playing cowboys instead.  Yes, I live in and for these daily moments.

These two little identical mirror images, so precious.  The same on the outside, but sooooooo different on the inside.  Wow have their own personalities emmerged!  They are so funny but that identical twin bond is real, tight and precious (and at times, just WEIRD).

Best Friends

Playmates

Buddies

Partner in Crime

Yes, those two are so precious, so dear.  Twins are a special gift blown from the hand of GOD.  I am so blessed that they were chosen for our little family.  We are blessed by these two precious lives.

Born with a best friend.  Yes, they were....  They are different, but they NEED, truly NEED each other.  How special.

I love you Grant.  I love you Gavin.