6 years old!

We had a birthday this week! Our Sam is 6 (that is closer to 10 then being a baby!) He had a hockey cake--two blue guys (Toronto Maple Leafs) against two red guys (Detroit Red Wings), of course the Maple Leafs had the puck.



We had a little get together and some family came...(the guy who is almost not in the picture is not quite yet family...we can still cut him out)



Some water balloons were thrown around.






There were some pretty cool birthday presents (too bad the weather is still cold and rainy here...)

18 Months !!

Sam 18 mths: 32" and 29.5# (at that time he was 97th percentile)
Josh 18 mths: 31" and 26# (50th percentile)
Zeke 18 mths: 31" and 24# (50th percentile)

So, Sam was tallest and heaviest and Zeke is the smallest.

Zeke 18 months



Joshy 18 months



Sam 18 months (and Brendan almost 12 months!)

Local bands/singers at Meijer Gardens

Tuesday evenings in August local band/musicians perform at Meijer Gardens, and it is free for members. We always try to go to as many of these as we can. We listen to the music and it is a fun outing for the kids.

This is the first one we went too this year, and what a difference from last year! The boys were really into the music. I was amazed at how much they loved to dance! It was so great watching them too. They were completely uninhibited- not a care about who was watching or what they were doing. They were just having fun! I was praying they could stay like that forever- but I know it isn't possible. Already Sam has occasionally said are they laughing at me? It breaks my heart when I see them all self conscious about what they say or do. But tuesday night- they were completely care free! They can't wait until Aunt Sarah's WEDDING!!!

My apologies to the lady in this first picture who, um...has a bit showing. I do not know your name, but it was the only picture I had of them together!

Ever wonder...what is it like with 3 boys in the middle of August?

Swimming, or floating, at Nana's house! The boys love it...and they actually stop fighting for awhile!







We went to Tiger's game with our friends and Sam and Josh. HOTTEST day- but we survived! Josh was bit tired at the end...Zeke stayed with Nana and grandpa, and they said he was good, but just seemed lost without his brothers!









Was it a mouse?!?! NO- it was Zeke! Zeke says about three words, one of which is CHEESE. I had left this chunk of cheese on the counter, and somehow, standing on the tips of toes he reached it. I turned around and there he was holding this chunk of cheese and biting into like an apple. A true VanSchepen....



First time....Zeke lining up the cars in a row! ALL my boys did this and now Zeke is starting to do it too!



Zeke loves his brothers. This picture was funny because Sam was trying to hide behind the chair, so Zeke followed and plopped down beside him- trying to hide too!



Josh age 20 months lining up his cars....


Sam age 23 months lining up number tiles...(okay, so he is a little weird about numbers...)

Bike Race!

Today, Saturday August 8, started out rainy and stormy- Kevin and I were heavy hearted as our thoughts were on the Vedra's. But, we had signed the boys up for a bike race, and decided to go downtown and see if it was still happening. It was, and as race time approached, the rain stopped and the sun even came out a bit. Here is the pictures from the kids race.



Sam, practicing for the race.





Race # 811 ready to go. Sam was in Heat 3- once around the race- about 1 KM.



Go Sam Go!





Josh's Bike, race # 810, ready to go.



Josh rode around the practice area. Grandpa John helped show him exactly where he should go.




Ready for the race!? Josh was in Heat 4, the 3 and under age. They rode 100 Meters.



Go Josh! Go!

Everybody loooves....MARINELAND! (And engagement parties)

I think a good majority of my blog readers were actually with us all weekend and have already seen these photos. But yes, we went to Ontario for an engagement party and we spent a day at Marineland. Lot's of fun for the kiddo's! My kids had fun too =)