Par-Tee

I certainly hope the boys never accuse us of having a favorite child. It's that concern that rarely causes me to deviate from past routines and traditions, but in this case, I just had to. We didn't throw true birthday parties for Jaxon or Baylor until they turned five years old. Why? They have always had every toy they could ever want or need thanks to Grandfather, and honestly, birthday parties are a lot of work! That doesn't mean we didn't celebrate the boys' special days. We always have family parties at home, and on most birthdays, we've taken treats to school to share with their classmates. We just never put ourselves through the stress of a birthday party with friends before the age of five.

Well...until now! Grant lucked out. He's the baby which means he's the last shot. I figured, why not celebrate the baby turning one? It is a big deal. We're saying farewell to babies and hello to toddlers a.k.a. "big boys!" I decided on a golf theme since we have a beautiful clubhouse in the neighborhood, and I also knew Jaxon & Baylor would enjoy the theme.  Grant is only one. He certainly didn't care as long as there was cake!

So, I guess we've officially ventured on to a slippery slope. One where we must tread carefully or risk creating a sibling rivalry.  Luckily, our sweet boys seem to operate with a team mentality. Let's hope it stays that way!

The Cutest Cake & Cupcakes EVER! I love my baker!

Donut Holes - "Bucket of Balls" Party Favor

Custom Balls with Grant's Name & Birthday

Decorate Your Own Golf Visor

Golf Club Favors

Ready to Sing!

No tears this time! I guess the Birthday Boy decided to display some patience!

Happy Birthday, Grant! We'll try not to spoil you rotten!

ONE in a Million

The title says it all, and these pictures back it up. Grant is ONE!!! Yes, you're about to be subjected to picture overload, but to me there is no narration needed. The pictures say it all & they are priceless to me.

Happy birthday, Grant! You are loved by so many! It has only been a year, but it's hard to remember life without you!

Christmas Cheer

Merry Christmas!!!

The out-of-town family arrived and brought with them loads of good cheer...and presents! Grandfather & Grandma were their usual overboard selves. The United States thanks them for singlehandedly saving the nation from a recession. I'm also fairly certain that Toys R Us stock rose as a result of beating their projected sales goals. I know 3 little "wise" men that weren't complaining!

After Christmas Mass, we made our way back to the house to enjoy our traditional Christmas eve wine tasting! This year, we sampled wines from 3 different price points and determined that our palates are simply not sophisticated enough to differentiate. I guess that's a good thing, right? Bring on the cheap wine! Ha!

The boys passed on the wine, but not the presents.  Grant's new wagon was a HUGE hit! Good job, Grandfather & Grandma!

Even the bike left by Santa couldn't top the wagon!

Jaxon & Baylor received the much coveted Wii U. They disappeared within seconds after this picture, and I don't think they reappeared for a number of days.  I'd say Santa did good!

The other half of the family arrived the following day extending the Christmas celebration. Again, no complaints about the good cheer, great cooking, and additional presents. Life is good!

We tried our hand at cookie decorating this year. Some of us are better than others, but a little competition definitely yielded some impressive results!

The Jayhawk cookies were the most popular to eat. Probably because of their MASSIVE size!

I much preferred the ninjabread men!

This year brought us so many blessings. The greatest blessing being Grant, of course! We may lose control with the presents and overindulge in the wine & treats, but the true meaning of Christmas is never lost. As we celebrate the birth of our Lord, we are united as a family. Memories are created and traditions formed.  This amazing life and the people in it are the greatest gift! Don't ever forget it!