Our 3 year old continues his tradition of giving to the Theresa House on his birthday. Obviously this is his 3rd donation and this year he had the help of his Aunt Heather, Papa, and Grandma along with Mom and Dad. On Monday he went to the Theresa House with 2 boxes filled with urgent items that they need for the women and children they help at their shelter.
We are very proud of you Charles Timothy and hope you continue giving on your birthday and throughout the rest of your life!
We headed to Sioux Falls on Friday afternoon to get together with the Haggars to remember two very influential, important people in our lives, Grandpa Ed and Grandma Arlene. This is the second annual celebration but the first for us and it was wonderful to be apart of it. Why do we release balloons you ask, well I'm more than happy to explain. Every birthday we all had with our grandparents we did the traditional balloon popping to get to our dollars. Grandpa would put dollar bills in each balloon and we would pop them to get our $$. You got as many balloons as years old you were that birthday. So every year we plan to send our balloons up to remember our grandparents, one balloon for each family member. This year we sent 52 balloons!
While we were there we celebrated Charlie and Kyra's birthdays with some of our family, visited the Great Plains Zoo (last time we were there we went with Grandpa Ed and Charlie), and got NO sleep what so ever. As we drove into town on Sunday afternoon we went straight to Urgent Care. The twins both have double ear infections once again and on their way to needed tubes (says our Peds doc).
Charlie couldn't believe that his chicken came in a bucket
The boys couldn't be happier to see Papa again and of course Aunt Tina
"How Big Is Lincoln?"
Love this picture of Maxwell George
Aunt Tina and Kyra spinning like crazy loons
Thanks Grandma for getting Charlie another Dragon Cake! (Kyra got a pony cake)
Kyra kept telling her Dad how hot the candle was
Tim's neices love to flirt with him
Checking out their birthday presents with Gran
Thanking Papa for his gifts
Max and Papa telling secrets as usual. Grandma Arlene use to tell us secrets weren't allowed in her house.
Charles T. the Engineer
The Three Amigos on the slide
Edward and I. Arlene Haggar
The Famous Picture of my Beautiful Grandmother and Handsome Grandfather
This is the picture we had printed on the balloons this year
So many of the Haggars showed for this year's celebration of our grandparents lives.
Their 6 children + 5 spouses, 11 grandchildren + 3 spouses, and 8 great grandchildren in attendance.
We were missing 7 grandchildren and their 5 spouses + 6 great grandchildren.
I doubt Grandpa and Grandma saw their family getting this big when they started their lives together on March 12, 1945!
A few of the Haggars meeting the baby boys for the first time (Ted, Glenda, and Julie)
Cousin Steve loves to tease Charlie - especially when balloons are involved
Cousins Steve, Mike, and Papa getting ready for the balloon release
Uncle aka Paster Tom said a nice prayer for the family gathering
Charlie captured tons of pictures with my camera - obviously this was one of them
Papa loves to show off his grandchildren - just don't try to take them out of his arms!
Cousin Tony and Uncle Tony chatting with Papa and Gran
52 balloons sending a message of our family's unity
Love this picture of my cousin Amanda with her husband Tim and daughter Sloane
Grandma, Charlie, Lincoln, and Papa tracking their balloons
The boys' Great Aunt Colleen and Great Uncle Terry with Max at the lunch after the cemetary
A picture of the some of the crowd enjoying lunch, especially my mom's famous meat pies
Max and cousin Sloane playing together. It was hilarious when Sloane let out a girly screech - Max was thinking "Linc doesn't make that noise"
Mom and Charlie in the museum part (Tim graciously took the babies back to the hotel for some down time)
Papa and Charlie looking at the Black Bears (Papa's favorite)
Wanted to see all the animals - didn't stay too long to look at one
"Hurry Tina, there are more over there!"
Bringing Kyra and Gran to the next animal
The giraffes were my favorite - so pretty
Of course these two found the sand pit. Are you kiddin?!
Kyra couldn't figure out why Charlie liked this hard, rocky stuff
Cute Story - So Charlie is watching the brown bears and says to the group "Well if the bear eats Papa then we could play with it because he won't be hungry anymore!" Can't believe Papa was the one to be sacrificed.
Dad had the babies happy and relaxed when we returned to the hotel
And CT came home with 4 new puzzles - now this kid is putting together 48 piece puzzles!
Well I think Tim had a good time at the park :)
Great Aunt Debbie playing at the park with us
My favorite new picture of these two goofballs (always matching hats on)
Something the babies could do and LOVED
Walking on giant legos
Swinging peacefully
The painful goodbye - I think the babies already know what that hug feels like :(
Kyra didn't want to get into the truck for their very long ride home - Miss you Kiwi!
Aunt Heather and Charlie filled Tina Fey and Steve Carrell's shoes last Wednesday on their date for Charlie's birthday. She took him for some chicken and ice cream, to Dad's office to get into trouble, and then to Target to do birthday shopping. They had lots of fun and then returned to the house to play with the babies and play with the new toys. Charlie's Nama came down for dinner that night and to see Charlie for some birthday fun as well. He had lots of fun and felt very special as he enjoyed being the center of attention.
Charlie at lunch with Aunt Heather
Aunt Heather playing with the babes
Getting some Max love
She had Linc laughing hard - always a good sign everyone is having a great time!
Taken by the photographer Charles Olson
Loves his new book from Nama
More dragon toys - couldn't be happier about that!
Snuggle Buddies