Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Cora Clare, 1 year old

presents!
Here are some snippets of Cora's first birthday party.  It was held yesterday, May 28, 2012 
(Memorial Day).

We had a lot of fun with lunch and presents and cake and ice cream.  It was a beautiful day!

This was my decoration station.  The gate is handy to keep the kids out of mommy's stuff!

Fruit kabobs!  We had these along with burgers and brats, potato salad, beans (pictured), lettuce salad from our garden, cucumber salad (that grandma Vonny made), homemade ice cream (that my mom made), and lots of
rainbow cake and candy.

Here is my rainbow table and decor

The birthday girl eating lunch (she loves those hot dog bites!)

kid table from grandma and grandpa Ridenour with Tierney, Jude, and Ashtyn.

Rainbow Cake!!!  How not to make a rainbow cake post to come soon.  But it actually turned out okay in the end:)

Happy Birthday Cora sign.  I also had a rainbow made out of her diapers above another window...picture of that to come too.

birthday girl in her rainbow tutu

not the easiest to get around in, but i could tell she felt like a princess!

This is our new sidewalk/flower bed/fire pit area!!!

family pictures.  Cora's dress courtesy of Aunt Minette.

Cora is about ready to walk!

The birthday girl taking a turn on the horsy swing

The Koester Family

The Ridenour grandparents

Carolyn, John, and Brittany helped out a lot!
My biggest regret is that I somehow neglected to get a picture of Brittany or Alissa (her godparents) with Cora.
Sorry girls!


Sunday, May 20, 2012

School is out for the summer!!!

Our niece/cousin Skyler Nadine was born on Mother's Day, May 13, 2012!

Here is Jude welding his basketball hoop with his goggles:)

We made a trip to the Tulip Festival to see our good friends the Schuiteman's last Thursday.  Here are the big three year olds (Bailey and Jude) holding hands all the way to the parade.

more hand holding!

This was about all the tulips we saw as they bloomed about a month ago.

The famous MOC marching band in their white Dutch wooden shoes.

And here are the two under one year olds (Mataya and Cora).

Cora loves to play outside and get dirty.  

And she loves the slide:)

She also loves the puppies and tolerates them well.

brother and sister

sibling love

Well...school is out for the summer (unfortunately not forever).  I am going to full time next year, so I am going to try to get the most I can out of this summer.  That means sleeping in (until 8 am or later if the kids cooperate!!!), lots and lots and lots of playing, some working outside, some pool time, lots of family time, watching TV at night, maybe starting to meal plan, and maybe even getting a little tan!