Happy Birthday Boys! 2014

In June Biggest Brother turned 12 and Lil' Chunkers turned 3!  Since their birthdays are three days apart we celebrate both birthdays on one day.  If you want to know what Biggest Brother looked like at age 3, just take a good look at Lil' Chunkers.  I call him Biggest Brother's mini-me.

The theme this year was supposed to be How to Train Your Dragon but I didn't realize I'd have to order the party supplies online until it was too late to order the party supplies online.  So we went with choice number two: Monsters University.

(These pictures are somewhat grainy as I used my iPhone and not my digital camera.)

Lil' Chunkers had a special outfit for the day

We grilled out and had a delicious birthday dinner

After dinner there were two yummy store bought cakes!

After the birthday cake there were birthday speeches and a table heaping with gifts waiting to be opened. It was noted in the speeches that Biggest Brother has matured quite a bit in the last year and is a great helper to the family.  He's Dad's first choice as a helper on fix-it jobs at our rental properties and he often helps his grandparents carry packages or trim weeds.  He's improved his lawn mowing technique and both Dad and I have commented on how neat his lawns are looking these days. He's even garnered a couple of lawn mowing jobs on our block!  He's a careful thinker and keeps his cool in just about any situation. 

And what could we all say about Lil' Chunkers?  He brings so much sweetness and laughter to our family. He is VERY generous with his kisses and a wonderful caretaker of his stuffed animals.  His ability to repeat just about anything anyone has ever said--and in context--has provided so many moments of comic relief.  Some of his favorite phrases? "Awkward!", "Are you serious?", and any song from the movie Frozen ("Let It Go" anyone?)!

Trying to get Lil' Chunkers to sit still for a photo was quite the challenge

He was ready to dig into the gift bags

with helpers of course!

Biggest Brother was a little more methodical about opening his gifts

Lil' Chunkers loves the How to Train Your Dragon movies so it came as no surprise that his favorite gift was a large, stuffed Toothless that growls when it is squeezed.

Every viking needs a helmet and an axe!

Vikings don't like to take pictures

Saying goodbye to our guests

It's sobering to see how fast our boys are growing up!  We thank the Lord for His lovingkindness in bringing them through another year.