Lincoln's Lego Bowling Party!

Saturday was Lincoln's birthday party!  This was his first big birthday party outside of our house, so we decided to have a bowling party.  Because of his love of Legos right now, we decided to have a Lego party!  Here is the birthday boy with some of his Lego creations.

I thoroughly enjoyed planning this party.  I made a Lego cake.  It was just 1 9x13 cake cut into 4 pieces.  Those are marshmallows on top.

I also found this cute cookie idea.  I made and froze the cookies a week ahead and then decorated them the night before the party!  Big thanks to Mimi for helping get the right royal icing consistency to ice these babies.

The party room at the bowling alley was wonderful.  It was nice and big with the perfect layout.  I was pleasantly surprised when we got there because I had not thought to check it out ahead of time.  

I made the Happy Birthday banner from Lego font that I downloaded and then cut out yellow and red poster board to glue the letters to.  It was fun.  I made hot ham sandwiches for the adults.  We had cheeseballs, water, and Dr. Pepper to go with the lunch.  The kids each got their own cheese pizza and drink. 

I found a Lego Iphone app and printed off this picture of Lincoln made out of Legos.

We decorated with/used our own Legos as well.  We spelled Linc with some big Legos we had.

I covered juice boxes with construction paper and dots to look like Legos.  Mimi helped make a little bowl to put the straws in out of Legos.

The favor bags I made to look like a Lego man head out of yellow paper sacks.

Inside there were stickers, a coloring book I made from Lego pictures I found online, a Lego minifigure, and some Lego block candy I found at a candy store in the mall.  You could even stack the candy like real Legos.  Loved that.

Here's Lincoln before the party.  He was so excited and really got into counting the days until his party!  He was ready to go!

We put Legos on the table as centerpieces too.  This was a good idea because as the kids started arriving, they all played with the Legos on the table and that was great to keep them preoccupied until they all got there.  We invited 6 friends from church and all 11 of his classmates at preschool.  All the church friends came and about 5 of his preschool friends came along with 2 of their siblings.  So we had 15 kids total.

Pappaw and Mimi were big helps!

This was a sweet moment I just loved.  When Harrison, one of Lincoln's school buddies showed up, he was so excited and quickly took Harrison over to introduce him to Jack and Jackson.  I was proud of him!

Boys will be boys!  Ha!  They were climbing the walls. (Not really, they were super good!)

Here they all are playing with the Legos on the table.

When everyone got there, it was time to get bowling!  Lincoln went first.  He's a good little bowler.

Love Hayden's expression.

Mike with Eden.

Giving each other high 5s.  The kids were all so good to cheer each other on!

Jackson taking a turn.

Hannah

Christopher

Jack--love his stance!

Carter

Paul

Such buddies--Jack and Lincoln.  They love each other so much!

Hayden and Linc.  Lincoln talks about Hayden a lot at home.

Love this picture of Harrison.  He was trying to get the ball to curve the other way.  Ha!

Paul was so funny!

The kids seemed to really have a good time bowling.  It was great!  Next it was time for pizza and then cake!

We sang "Happy Birthday" to Linc and he blew out the candles.  He had to blow...

and blow...

and blow...

and blow!!!  He liked his cake and asked for a second piece.  That made me happy!

He got lots of Legos...

and Transformers.

Mimi and Pappaw got him some much needed clothes.  Hannah made him a book.  It was super sweet and thoughtful.  She had Kris and I sign pages to go in it and then put it all together.  Love her!

Kris and I with our birthday boy!

Linc with Mimi and Pappaw!

When we got home, he wanted to open one of his Lego sets.  So he and Kris worked on one of them together.  He just loves them!  This afternoon as I have been trying to type this blog post, he has been working on another 130 piece set and has actually done most of it by himself (I had to help a couple of times).  He is getting good at following the picture directions!  So good for him!

He had a great party.  I am so glad he seemed to enjoy it and so did his friends.  I still can't believe he is 5 years old.  He is getting so big, learning so much, and growing out of his clothes!!!  Love you so much, Buddy!!!  Happy Birthday!!

Layton is 19 months!

Layton, if I were to title this month's post about you it would probably be something like "Climbing High" or "It's the Climb" or maybe even "Climb Every Mountain (or piece of furniture)".  You are climbing onto EVERYTHING and getting into EVERYTHING!!!  And you are loving every minute of it.  Check you out...

I have caught you numerous times in the bathroom sink, water running, feet wet, brushing your teeth with Hannah's toothbrush, and having a ball doing it.  It is a wonder you have not fallen and hurt yourself.  It is so hard to keep that bathroom door closed!

I caught you trying to escape out the front door one day.

You have learned how to pull chairs around in the kitchen to get to the counter.  You are especially interested in the phone and pushing all the buttons.

No pictures of you on the tables this time, but you are constantly being taken down from a table.  You like to get into people's drinks when you can find them.

Now you know how to take the stool to Lincoln's bed and climb onto it.  You laugh and laugh and play on the bed!

You are now climbing onto the piano in the playroom--again to get to the phone. You are a MESS!! :)

You want to try everything out.  You are interested in shoes, trying everyone's on, and getting very upset when they fall off.

I caught you and Dash having a stare down one day.  You like Dash and when you hear him outside, you say, "Da" for Dash.

Like I said, you are getting into everything.  I didn't get a picture of it, but if I leave the room for a minute, you will get the fireplace broom, open the doors to the fireplace, and start sweeping out ashes.  You get a spanking for this!  Can't have you in the fireplace.

One day while I was cooking dinner, you were needing some attention, so I taught you how to do "Ring Around the Rosie".  You LOVED this and we fell down over and over again.  I love to make you laugh.

You and Lincoln are playing better this month.  He is actually wanting to play with you more--finally.  You all had the best time playing in this cardboard house you got for Christmas.

I have been trying to read to you and Lincoln together in Linc's bed lately.  You just love this and get very excited when I tell you to get in the bed so we can read a story.

I have also started reading you a bible story before nap time out of this toddler bible I got.  You really like it and know exactly what we are going to do before taking a nap.  I love this sweet time with you.

You were saying "Bang Bang" with Lincoln's gun here.

We have been going to the park on many of the nice days we have been having lately.  You enjoy climbing up the big slide and sliding down!

You are still taking 2 naps most days.  I am going to let you do this as long as I can!  This day you had been running errands with me all morning and fell asleep before I met Daddy for lunch.  You stayed asleep most of the time we were eating.

I love to cuddle with you.  I especially love when you occasionally wake up in the middle of the night or a bit too early in the mornings and we put you in our bed.  You snuggle up to me and I just love it.

You are a funny little guy.  You are showing your personality so much these days.  You make the funniest faces sometimes.  I caught you on Daddy's laptop one day.  Cracked me up because it looked like you were trying to work just like Daddy.

You got your last eye tooth this month and I wonder if you aren't trying to get some molars.  You have had a cold or two as well and would be a little grumpy and have a hard time going to sleep.

You are still eating great!  One night I caught you helping yourself to a few cherry tomatoes that I had thrown in the trash can.  I told you no but I turned my back for a minute and then found you chomping down on them saying, "Yum!" the whole time.  You love tomatoes!  Ha!

Layton - 19 months

We love you, Layton!  Thanks for keeping me on my toes!

Happy 5th Birthday Lincoln!!!!

Today is Lincoln's 5th birthday!  It is hard to believe he is FIVE!!!  I will do a big post all about him after his 5 year check up in a couple of weeks.

He is going to have a big party this year.  It is really the first one that he will have had away from our house.  He is having a bowling party next Saturday.  He is very excited about it.  It is hard to understand that today he actually turned 5, but his party is still a few days away, so I made a countdown for him the other morning.  So we are counting down the days till his big bowling LEGO party!!

He is REALLY into LEGO's right now so that is what he decided he wanted to do for his birthday.  I have been having fun planning everything for the big day.  I love seeing all the things that he builds with his LEGOs.  He is so creative.

This morning he woke up to streamers hanging from his door and big "Happy Birthday's" from everybody!

 Then, we had donuts for breakfast which was a special treat!

We went to lunch at Chick-fil-a with his best buddy, Jack today.  Tonight we are going to all play the Wii!  He is really looking forward to this.  He wants to play Bowling!

 We love you so much, Lincoln!  You are one special boy!!!  Look forward to celebrating with you at your party!