Laser Tag Fun!

On Sunday the 23rd of August, we held Braden's "friends" birthday party where 15 of his closest friends from football, baseball, Kids Country camp, and school, as well as Uncle Brett, Diana, Olivia, and Ethan, all came together for some fun playing Laser Tag. Braden had a blast seeing all of his friends from Kids Country and baseball since he doesn't really get to see and play with them much anymore. Diana stayed all night with us Saturday night and headed over to the arena with us Saturday early afternoon, where everyone else met us at. We had special ordered a Spongbob Squarepants cupcake cake (picked out by Mr. Braden himself), as well as served pizza and soda to all those in attendance. Here are some pictures from the event, I think they speak for themselves for all the fun had at the party!

Presents and the Spongebob Squarepants cupcakes

Blowing out the candles...the boys were ALL waiting for one of those cupcakes!

Cheese! This is before we all took off to the laser tag arena...they were SUPER excited!

Poor guy, this is the instructor trying to get ALL of these boys under control to tell them the rules and how to play the game...notice that my dad is in teh back there with a vest on! :)

Grandpa Mark wasn't the only grown up with a vest on...I think that somehow the grown men were enjoying this game with all the 7 year old boys, just as much as the kiddos were -ha!

Braden and Daddy are after each other...then compared scores when the game was over to see who ranked higher! I love watching them have their father/son moments!

Olivia and Ethan weren't into the whole laser tag thing...but they sure had fun running around the arena creating yet another obsitcal for all the boys playing laser tag :)

Present time...this picture just made me laugh because the boys got closer and closer to Braden each present he opened, it was so funny watching all their excitment of opening presents when Braden opened the one they picked out and brough

Once we got them home it was time for my boys to tear into them. Uncle Brett got Braden a nurf gun...and he has a few others already, so he had to go and grab another one while daddy was putting together this one so they could have a nurf gun fight...

Too bad daddy was quicker and got both guns...he looks like he is having WAY too much fun playing with Braden's toys!!!

Braden hiding from Daddy shotting all those nurf things at him...I think he was having just as much fun being the target as Daddy was at trying to hit the target! They have so much fun playing together.

Scrimmage Football Games

This past Saturday Braden's football season was kicked off with a day full of scrimmage games...four to be exact. Turns out, four football games in one day, one right after the other is WAY too much for a bunch of 6 year old boys. In fact, I am pretty sure it was WAY too much for all of the parents sitting on the sidelines. Game One was fabulous, they did awesome, Braden captured lots of flags and ran the ball down the field a couple of times...Game Two (which started 10 minutes after game one ended), not as great as game one but the boys did good and were eager to get out on the field...Game Three (which started 10 minutes after game two) was a little messier, the boys were running into each other (Braden got quite the knot on his face from one impact...they are starting to think that our boys need helmets for flag football -ha!), and starting before "HIKE" was bellowed by the quarterback resulting in LOTS of penalties for each team. Game four, was a disaster...the coach was begging boys (and one girl) to go out on the field and play, they were exhausted and didn't want any part of the running or throwing of a football. They just wanted to go and eat and sit in the a/c. The parents were feeling pretty much the same by the end of the day. All in all, we have a good team, the coach and all the parents were very proud of our boys (and girl) and I think it is going to be a great season - thanks goodness we only have one game per Saturday from here on out!

My little football player making sure he waves to me while gearing up for the play...yes Braden, I see you! :)

Sort of hard to tell, Braden is capturing the flag in this pic, all you can see is the backside of him...but notice, he is the only boy in grey and black around...where are his teammates?

This play the ball was passed off to him and he carried it down the field for a TD! :)

His team congratulating him after his TD, they were all so excited, the other team just wanted to touch the ball -ha!

Getting ready to run the field, he was so cute out there, his daddy was proud ;)

The throw was good, his teammate caught the ball and ran down and got a TD too, he had such a good game (well the first game anyway - ha!)

First Grade has Arrived!

Oh my gosh! I couldn't believe it when my alarm went off this morning...the first day of first grade has finally arrived for my baby. Now, I wasn't as bad this year as I was last year when he began kindergarten...by that I mean I didn't follow the bus to school and beat the kids getting off so I could snap more pictures of my little man arriving at school for his first day...but I did break out the camera and take some pictures of my little man heading to the bus stop, waiting for the bus, and then getting on the bus this morning. He was excited and nervous all at the same time...typical first of school jitters I believe...ahhh, remember the days! I cannot wait to get home this evening to hear all about his fabulous first day of school, I will keep you all posted :)

Eating his breakfast before his first day of school...Lucky Charms, yum!

Heading down to the corner of the street to the bus stop

Waiting for the bus, by now he was tired of the camera -ha!

Look at the little man, he looks and dresses just like his daddy! Braden tried to hurry up and get on the bus and sit down, but the bus driver saw my camera in hand and quickly stopped my speeding Braden for a snapshot - Thanks Mr. Bus Driver Man!

Ahhh, there he goes, off to his first day of first grade - tear in my eye!

Dentist Time

Yesterday Braden has a six month cleaning appointment at the dentist, he is so funny to watch while getting his teeth cleaned. He HATES it, he actually begged me to just go home and take a nap rather than going to the dentist -ha! What kid ASKS for a nap...well, mine especially when the dentist is involved. I have to admit, I too HATE going to the dentist, it is my least favorite place to go and I would rather go home and take a nap too - but that is pretty much over anything, I am missing those nap days! Here are a couple of pictures I snapped of Braden at the dentist office. The quality isn't too hot because they were taken with my phone. Just look at those pearly whites -ha!

Rinsing his mouth after getting the fluoride pasted onto his teeth...he said it was NASTY!

Showing off his cleaned grill when the appointment was all said and done...Mary just kept laughing at him!

1st Birthday Celebration with the Shelledy Clan

This past Sunday we had Braden's first 7th birthday party celebration. August is a big month for birthdays with the Shelledy clan, and we got together on Sunday at Aunt Jenein & Uncle Steve's house to celebrate Braden, Kaylea, & Uncle Steve. Each had their own cake, and their own pile of presents to open. Braden was excited to get another Webkinz for his Webkinz house (online of course), clothes, DS game, transformer, money, "credit card", and FROGS (yep, that is what I said F-R-O-G-S!). It was so funny when he opened his card from Jake, Priscilla, Khloe, and Emma. They got him a Wal-Mart gift card for his birthday, and as soon as Braden opened the card and the gift card fell out he was so excited and said "MOM, I got a credit card for my birthday!" I just shook my head, too funny! With that credit card, and the other cash he got in his cards, we made a trip to Wal-Mart (money was burning a hole in his pocket...that is more like his mom than his dad -ha!) to pick out some fancy new toys! He is in heaven with his new stuff! We have two more birthday celebrations scheduled, on this Sunday at Lazer Runner with his friends and then another one with the Allee clan on his actual birthday next Tuesday, the 25th. So much celebrating!

Aunt Jenein made a fabulous speghetti lunch for the crew, it was a BIG hit with the kiddos!

The present table...you see which "KID" made it there first :)

The "kids" and their cakes. Braden was the one to notice and ask how come Uncle Steve's cake was bigger - he is such a boy, everything is a competition to him!

Again, such a boy...there is no grace in opening up presents, let the paper rip!

Mario Cart, Mario Cart, Mario Cart...he has been asking for this game for his DS for what seems like an eternity! Grandma Jancey and Papa John hooked him up though.

Josh, Braden, and I bought this shirt for Uncle Steve for his birthday. I was literally laughing out loud in Bass Pro when I saw it, so I had to have it (this is the back of the shirt).

Braden opening his "credit card"

Kaylea & Braden waiting for their gift from Aunt Jenein & Uncle Steve

What is it, what is it!?!

FROGS - I cannot believe I have two frogs in my house - they are actually pretty cute :)

Daddy tearing into the toys...what grown man doesn't want to put together Transformers?!?

Braden playing Mario Cart! What a big hit that game has been :)

Football Season!

It is football season, and it is Braden's first year playing. In his age group, he is only able to play flag football, but that is to teach them the fundamentals of the game without having them all jumping on top of each other and tackling when they shouldn't be -ha! Braden says that all it seems like they do is exercise at practice, and he is right, there is lots of running, and blocking, and running, and jumping jacks, and running - ugh! He seems to enjoy it, he says that he likes it because the practices are shorter than when he played baseball or soccer. Actually, the practice for football is a half hour LONGER, but he doesn't notice at all, so that must mean he is enjoying it! When we went and registered him for football, alot of the coaches kept trying to get me to bypass the flag league and they would push him through to tackle due to his size. I was not crazy about that idea because Braden doesn't know the fundamentals of the game, after watching one practice I am REALLY glad we chose to stick with tackle for a season, he is very rough as it is already. He likes it, and the coach is great with the boys, very tough on the, lots of consequences for not listening and doing the exercises right, but it is good for them...Josh says the coach doesn't have anything on Pete Atkins - ha! Here are some pics of Braden at practice this evening.

Playing catch at the beginning of practice

Good throw buddy!

Here is a sample of some of that running!

...and there was a little goofing off going on too...which I am surprised didn't lead to more running!!

Learning to block, they have lots left to learn...good thing this is only practice number three for the season!

Ethan Ham Turns 2

When we returned from camping that last weekend in July, we unloaded, showered, and then headed straight over to Terri's for Ethan's second birthday celebration...which means eating MORE great food - one of my favorite pastimes -ha! The theme was none other than Sesame Street, and Grandma Judy did an awesome job making Ethan's school bus Sesame Street cake. The kiddos had a great time playing together, as always. I got some great shots of our wonderful kiddos, and that awesome cake!

Ethan's b-day cake, hand decorated and made by Grandma Judy

Look at that mess of toys, Ethan and the other boys are in heaven on that floor!

Terri, enjoying her little one's 2nd birthday party

Braden and Olivia, I just love this shot of the two of them looking at each other :)

Olivia attempting to climb the tree like the big boys...with baby brother not far behind Braden and Olivia posing by the tree...it was a popular spot to play

Look at the princess, she is just too adorable!

What an adorable young man as well, LOVE his cute little face!

My favorite picture of my little man from the evening!