Family Day

Our family is very unique in the fact that all of our birthdays fall in the month of February and all within 18 days of one another!  This if fun unless you consider the fact that we then have no one to celebrate the rest of the year.  So, we decided to create our own holiday!  The last Friday in July, right before Daddy goes back to work and school starts, is now officially "Family Day".  "What is Family Day?" you may ask.  Well, it is a day where we do something fun just the four of us, go out to eat somewhere special, exchange gifts, and spend the day enjoying each other and celebrating what a great family we have.  We started the first annual Family Day off right by decorating the house and getting ready for the festivities.

Daddy went and got us one of our favorite, special breakfasts-donuts and kolaches!  Yum!  We also ate breakfast in the living room so we could watch Mary Poppins together.  It was Caleb's first time watching the movie and he LOVED it.

Ethan was a good sport while the rest of us ate and played in his swing with his beloved football.

Sometimes he kicks so hard the whole swing shakes.  Yes, we've started belting him in now since he arches his back to reach up and touch the mobile birds.  So active!

One of the gifts Caleb picked out for Ethan was a stuffed crab.  It's name tag read "Caleb the Cute Crab" and when you squeeze one of its claws you can hear fun castanet music.  Ethan loves this toy.  Especially all the fun places to grab and chew.  Caleb thinks it especially funny when Ethan chews on one of the crab's eyeballs.

Dada and Momma got Caleb a fun lego set that he put together later that afternoon.

Though Momma and Dada got Ethan an adorable outfit to wear, he was much more excited to play (and try to chew) the tissue paper!

Ethan got Caleb a couple of books as well as a magnetic calendar so he can see what's coming up.  (Maybe he'll give his parents a little break asking us continually what we're going to do next, maybe!)

Some brotherly love!

The boys got Momma a new rug for the laundry room since our other one was disintegrating.

The boys gave Dada a new jig-saw so he can make new and fun projects.

Ah, to be content with just the packaging.  What an age to be!

Caleb enjoyed the packaging too, though not eating it.  He threw it up in the air all over the living room.

After Ethan's nap we headed over to the mall.  Neither of our boys have ever been to a mall before and it was a fun experience for both of them.  (We had to stick with an inside activity since Caleb was still getting over a VERY severe sunburn and couldn't be outside.)  Though this mall didn't really have a lot of fun stores for kids, it did have the Disney store and Build-a-Bear.  Both of which were really fun.  At lunch we ate at the food court.  Another first for Caleb, at least the first time when he remembers.  There were so many yummy choices to pick from.  We all decided to try out the Japanese food (which was yummy!)

Caleb even got a yummy drink!  A blueberry, pineapple smoothie.  Though it may not sound so good it was quite delicious!

Making wishes in the fountain was also fun.  Caleb wished for Chick-fil-A to be closer to our house so we could eat there ALL the time (I agree!) and another baby (nope!  not going to happen!)

Ethan REALLY enjoyed the mall as well!  There were so many fun things to see and so many people to look at.  He was fascinated with the food court ceiling.  Maybe it was the numbers of fan, the skylights, or the palm trees.  Whatever it was he had fun.

 Our mall has a little play area in it so kiddos can let off some energy after shopping with their parents.  The small climbing structures were really too young for Caleb, but since we had never been there before, the novelty made it fun.

What a cutie!

Back at home that evening Dada was pretending to sleep on Ethan which made Ethan giggle.  It also made Caleb laugh really hard.  And because Caleb thought it was funny Ethan thought it was even funnier!

Here's a little video of the fun!

This is Ethan's "happy laughing face".

We also spent time just playing with one another.  Here Caleb is giving Ethan a shoulder ride.  Not sure if Ethan liked the ride, or just liked grabbing Caleb's hair. 

Thank you, God for the gift of a wonderful family!  You have blessed us a hundred times over!!