Take 5 of Parker's 5th: Presents and LEGO cake

WoW- Parker turned 5 this weekend and I can hardly believe it! For some reason, 5 just seems so old.
Parker has always loved green AND ever since our visit to LEGOland... Parker has been hooked on LEGOS. So, here's my attempt to make a green LEGO with stackable candles! I don't know how people get icing to be smooth, but I was too tired to care after 3 days of Parker's bday festivities! Once again, Parker was thrilled with his cake- so easy to please.

We finally told Parker that we signed him up to be a true LEGO clubber! Since he is a member he gets sent a new LEGO set every other month. So, today he opened the 3 sets we've received since April.

Here's the brothers anticipating the other LEGO sets in these presents.

Thankfully, we had cousin Wade and Popeye to immediately help our li'l guys get their sets put together.

And, this is how Parker's 5th birthday ended... the 3 Kroon boys building with LEGOS.

We love you Parker- thanks for 5 full years of fun. You are a great BIG brother and a fabulous son.

Take 4 of Parker's 5th: Northstar Speedway

2 best buddies loving every minute of the Northstar Speedway. I hope they have this much fun together later in life because they are so stinkin' cute and entertaining to watch! Part of the reason they are both so happy is because they were given their own 20 oz. bottle of "POP" to sip throughout the races.

Well, the Speedway was a last minute edition to Parker's "Party like a 5 year old" birthday! For years, we have talked about going to a local car race but every summer we forget. Last night Popeye surprised our boys and picked them up in Uncle Tills' ragtop Jeep and drove them all to the Speedway. It was a gorgeous sunny night and Kep said the mountains were amazing. I don't think there are many speedways where you can sit and admire the view while cars are noisily zooming past! And, since Noah's whole little world revolves around cars.. this was a dream come true. :)

Noah and Popeye enjoying every minute!

Again, thanks Popeye for this fun surprise! We look forward to a few more races next summer.

Take 3 of Parker's 5th: Donut King in a Bugeye

Popeye, it's the most appropriate name for Loren, loves old cars and ever since Parker was a newborn... he has always wanted to give our children a spin in one of them. And then there is me, I think old cars are "cute" and cool but I have not wanted my children in a car with so little protection! Well, it's funny what 5 years later and 3 children will do to you... you relax and trust God to take care of them! ;) So, here's our very extatic 5 year old anticipating his ride ALL THE WAY TO TOWN for a donut with Popeye! Popeye and Momo treated us all to donuts at our fav... THE Donut King.

And, of course, Popeye would not leave Noah or sissy out of the fun. He took them for a spin around our neighborhood!

Thanks, Popeye and Momo for always making life so entertaining and memorable for our little guys!

Take 2 of Parker's 5th: 1st sleepover

These 3 cuties had such a blast at the fair that all of them did not want Quaid to go home. So, on the way home we made a call to Quaid's parents to see if Quaid could come over for our unexpected-1st-friend-sleepover. All 3 boys started hootin' and hollerin' when we told them Quaid could stay. They all stayed up late playing LEGOS and wearing off all the sweets from the fair!

And, this is how the next morning started... with LEGOS, of course! :)

Thanks Horsmans for allowing us to have Quaid for Parker's 1st sleepover- it will always be a fav memory for him. And, we are sure this is just the 1st of many sleepovers for our bunk/trundle bed set!

Take 1 of Parker's 5th: The Fair & Demo Derby

Parker turned 5 this weekend, the fair started and their was a Demolition Derby the night b4 his bday. So, we did it all and had a blast. Here's Parker, Noah, and Parker's fav 5 year-old buddy... Quaid. Every boy loves a tractor and especially one with "monster" tires!

This was the first year our boys actually enjoyed the fair rides... Legoland and Sea World must have been good preparation.

Quaid and Parker speeding along on their motorbikes.

Noah chose the cool li'l car!

Here's 3 happy boys at the Demolition Derby. What fun!

It was great to be at the fair with our good friends, the Bacons. While the boys cheered on the cars at the Derby, Savannah shared her ride with adorable Annika. I kept asking Savannah to look at the camera but she chose to lay on Annika's shoulder and grin- so sweet! Amanda and I had fun touring the animals with the girlies and savoring every last lick of our Denali Cream Puffs. mmm mmmmmm!

Both these li'l gals loved the petting zoo...

cute li'l chicks...

and the goats! We were fortunate to spend the whole day there without a drop of rain- that can be rare at the AK fair! Great times with friends and yummy fair foods! Happy 5th Parker!

Tour of Anchorage

I love this picture- so cool with the city in the background- even though Kep is in spandex! Not my first-choice attire but it goes with the sport and Kep LOVES it!

I am so proud of Kep for competing in "le tour de Anchorage"! We were his #1 fans and it was so exciting to cheer him on. I can't imagine completing 5 races in 4 days. One race was 9 miles up pure mountain, but Kep did it and ended it with a smile. And, then to wake up the next morning and ride HARD for 2 straight hours. Torture for me--- sheer thrill for Kep! These races made me appreciate how exciting and INtense this sport is... and Kep is now totally pumped about next season! Now, we just have to get him more up-to-date gear!

Good job, Kep, we can't wait to cheer you on, next year.

love you, sis

It's always a good time with my sister! I treasure any moment I get to spend with my family, and this visit with Abby was no different. I am blessed by our friendship and I treasure all of our silly memories! I have never had a belly ache from laughing during a pedicure- only with you, now pedicures will never be the same!!! Love you, Ab!

Mini train rides are always a hit with our boys so we had to make sure our li'l Malea could experience it, too!

Parker was thrilled to sit right behind the conductor!

And, this is the picture I will keep using as a "lesson" for Noah! We have already showed him many times how it's so much cuter to smile in a picture, instead of starting a fit!!! When, I showed him this picture the other day he said "oh, yah... yucky!" Noah usually does a very good job hamming it up for the camera with his multiple facial expressions. ;)

Savannah's new favorite playground equipment- the teeter-totter. She's also sporting the flower headband that cost me 75 cents to make, instead of buying it for $8 at a Farmer's Market in MT. We have to keep coming up with cutesy hairbands to cover up her mullet-due!

good old-fashioned fun at the playground

Our li'l girl is all-girl. She loves shoes and if she doesn't have a pair on, she'll find one!

Li'l cousins... Big cousins. Each time the Spears visit... we always make sure we get an updated Stahle/Spear/Kroon cousin picture.

This is my new favorite picture.

reindeers, elks and hiking with the cousins

It's been so fun to have my sister, Abby, and her family here in town. We had a fabulous time touring local AKan attractions and just hanging out with our "girl cousins". Here's the boys staying within a cautious distance of the reindeer. Parker actually was bullied around by one of the cows, so they had to shoo her off to her own penn. Savannah goes crazy anytime she sees an animal, up close, so the reindeer farm was very entertaining for her!

Our sweet "girl cousins" with the elk.

Then we ventured up the Butte for a gorgeous hike. Here's my ever-helpful Kiersten giving my back a break and loving on Savannah.

The butt (I mean butte) troop!

The girls attempt to have an "artsy" picture in the fireweed, it was prettier in person!

LOVE, love, love... to have my family visit. I am so thankful for the time we spent together- love you guys and I will miss you!

rafting family

So, what happens when you send your hubby and first-born out on a rafting trip with friends??? Well, they come home with huge smiles, stories, hungry tummies and then they jump on Craigslist to search for their own raft. Yep... Kep and Parker had an awesome day rafting with our good buddies, Rhett and Layne, down Matanuska River. So, we decided to sell our sea kayak, since it's been hanging from our garage ceiling the last couple years with minimal use, and buy a raft that can fit ALL of us! We hope to get our raft out on a couple trips before winter hits! Here's a few pics of their memorable day:
Rhett working hard while the 2 ding-a-lings bounce in the middle!

I love to see the pix when they come home from a fun adventure- especially when they're both ALL SMILES!

Does life get any better for 4 and 5 year old boys... I submit it can not! This is just the first of many more rafting adventures.

skate park bikers

We need to build a skate park in our backyard or live in a paved neighborhood! Our boys would spend every waking moment on their bikes, if they could. Noah has taken over Parker's li'l bike, ever since Parker moved on to a "2-wheeler" (that's what he calls his bikes to clarify that he does indeed ride without training wheels). And, he loves it!

So, Kep enjoys driving into Donut King for the fav Kroon breakfast and then taking the boys over to the Wasilla skate park. It works out perfect because all the skater dudes are still sleeping so we don't have to deal with our little guys picking up on skating lingo. Also, Parker is really good at reading 3-letter words so all the graffiti "yucky" words are too long for him to attempt!!!

On this particular morning, Savannah and I met them there and she used her walker as she wasn't quite walking. I don't think she'll be a regular there as she doesn't look too thrilled!!! That's fine, she can be my shopping buddy while the boys make their daddy proud on their "2-wheeler" and "4-wheeler"!

li'l miss ella

Ella is our CA Kroon cousin. She is 2 and cute as can be! We LOVED hanging out with Ella and her parents (ha, that's just how life is with young kids... we're known as their parents, not by our names!). Thanks guys for visiting, it's always a good time!
The AK Kroon boys with the CA Kroon girlie! The Kroon men thought it would be fun to take 3 of the 4 li'l Kroon cousins camping in Hatcher's Pass. Of course, I kept Savannah home with me since she is temporarily "not invited" on camping excursions until she learns to sleep in a tent or camper!;) The other 3 loved camping with just the men and this was Ella's first time camping!

This picture cracks me up because li'l Ella has these 3 grown men wrapped around her finger. Kep said they were snapping pix at Ella's every move- oh the life of a li'l princess!

Noah Hatcher hiking and camping in his namesake mountains!

We love that our 2 li'l men adore the outdoors as much as their dad- hopefully they always will!

We also took Ella to the Imaginarium on one of our rainy days. This bubble exhibit was the hit!

Our boys wrapped in a bubble. Noah was a little bothered that the wet/bubbly rope made his arm all slimy! Classic Noah face! Noah's fav thing- trying to catch the blue ball as I move the air around!

Next, we took Ella to Chuckie Cheese for more fun and excitement! Savannah drove Chuckie for many rides.

Here's our cute Noah riding with Bob in a tractor- life does not get any better for this li'l 2 year old!