Beard Family of 5: The start of "party season"

I remember this time of year by my very crowded calendar! Tons of kids turn a year older, the sun stays out longer, throw in a baby or two, a wedding or two, some fireworks on the 4th, and now baseball for friends and family and it's a wonderful reminder of why I love Spring and Summer much better than winter!!

Saturday morning we had a shower for my wonderful friend Amber! Her and her husband Jim are welcoming their first baby girl due next month! Cheryl, Nicole, Becky and I were honored to have Amber's mom, daughters Madelyn & Morgan, and friends over to celebrate baby Brinley Claire Zabel's upcoming arrival!!!

Here are a few pictures.... the only thing that could have made it any better was a little bit of sunshine - ( and Kyla not busting her lip open on the swingset! )

The shower

One of the tables.... we all told Cheryl that we are going to start having all of our parties at her house and maybe even a renewal of vows some day!

Our pretty plates and favors. We had so much fun putting everything together

Amber's seeing the shower set up for the first time!

the whole group

14 years of the 5 of us, and by the end of 2009, there will be 14 kids between us!

3 generations (o:

The play-doh babies

Kyla and Megan were so happy to be part of the girly party!

Grandma and her beautiful grand daughters

The anxious daddy getting his "daddy dooty" apron!

Amber & Jim

After the shower, I rushed home and changed - grabbed the kids and made our way over to Jeana's to celebrate Abby turning 2! My camera died as we were taking the last of the pictures at the shower, and it's not the kind where you can just put in batteries so I didn't get any cute pictures of the kids.
Jack was enthralled with the bubbles that Jeana opened and I was so proud of Kade for interacting with Trevor and Brady so well in the jumber and playing basketball. It's so hit or miss how dramatic he is, and I just really enjoyed watching him play that day. It's hard to explain.... They didn't want to leave - but I was so tired ( maybe it was the several mimosas I had already had at the shower that day??? ) Jeana told them to take 2 party bags because she had extra and you would have thought they won the lottery!!

Sunday was Trevor's 4th birthday party. I don't normally nap the kids on Sunday's so I can get them down early to start the week. Well that was a HUGE mistake yesterday. Let's just say the party at Trevors did not bring me nearly as much pride in my children as the party at Abby's!! (o: There was a lot of anti-social whining and leg hugging going on! Kyla went from being so excited that her "best friend" from pre-school was there to announcing when we were getting in the car, that she is "NEVER going to a party at Trevor's house EVER again" ( I'm cracking up as I type that. ) It's because she only got 3 pieces of candy when the pinata broke. She fell asleep before we got on the major street...... hmmmm would have never guessed that would happen!

The birthday boy!!