Christian is 5... well, almost!


Yesterday we had Christian's family birthday party. His actual birthday is on the 17th but we celebrated a little early. Aunt Missy was in town and we wanted her to be able to celebrate with us - and we wanted to take advantage of her FABULOUS cake decorating skills~

I know the pictures say 8-15, but they were all taken yesterday 8-13... thanks Daddy for fixing Mommy's camera! Love you!

Auntie Kimberly and Christian play with the dinosaurs in the classroom. Christian's hair is a little funny today because he had juice in it so if dried funny after Daddy washed it. Mattie is getting so tan. Here he is taking care of his froggy.
Nick and Aunt Missy.
Christian's spaceship cake. If you don't know, Christian IS Buzz Lightyear and this is his yellow spaceship that he takes when he goes back to Star Command. Yellow is Christian's favorite color - everything yellow!
Christian got the Tie A Bow book from Aunt Missy and he loves books.
Aunt Missy plays with Gabey who won't sit still and smile. That's okay, this is much better anyways.
Aunt Missy and Christian. It was so nice to have her here again.

More of Missy trying to get Gabey to cooperate - I love it.
Gabey came into the kitchen and got right into his highchair seat wearing these beads and this headset. Combined with his crazy sticking up hair (that we really can't tame, but who wants too???) it was quite a sight. He is just so much fun!!!
We had a really nice little party yesterday. Nicolas scored big by giving Christian a game boy with a bag and some little kid games. We had a busy week just getting back from our camping trip with our friends Joe, Laurel and their son Jacob. It is always good to be home but we love the vacation. Nick met a friend, Lucas, and they played together for several days. We got an email from Lucas yesterday so it will be nice for them to be able to keep in contact. Steve goes back to work tomorrow and we are back to business as usual. School starts soon for all the kids and I am so NOT ready for the school year to start again! We have one more camping trip planned before then but I am just not looking forward to the change in our own schedule when the schoolkids go back. This is a busy season for us. First we have Christian's birthday on the 17th and then Steve's on the 24th. Mine follows on the 15th of September and then our anniversary is a week later and two weeks later Nick has his birthday. Ahhhh, I will miss summer! I have got to run, more later.

Love,
Kaira

Summer Fun


I took the boys (Christian, Mattie and Gabriel) to the Meijer Gardens this week. Steve and Nicolas stayed home to get some things done around the house while we went out to play. Christian's school friends met us and the boys had fun playing in the "Great Lakes" and also at the Tree House. I on the other hand was about as hot as I could possibly be and just wanted to lie down in the Great Lakes. Well, I caught Mattie playing with his boat and I just love watching the boys play. HIGH 5 GRANDPA!

Tee-Ball ended Tuesday night for Christian. I was really glad because he had games on both Monday and Tuesday and I think it had to be 100 degrees out. And then Wednesday night Grandpa had his last softball game... out we went! Thankfully, it was not that hot and we had a really great time being at his game. Grandma Baker came over and we drove together. The boys were SUPER excited to see their grandpa playing and cheered him on. Here they stop him on his way to bat so Christian can give him a HIGH 5.


Gabriel, 19 months... is it just me or is he so cute??? Don't say it is just me. I love my babies!!!

Lots to tell...


I have some time tonight to ramble on about what is going on with us so I want to make sure to do so right away. I also am personally motivated a little so this might be a long one. If you are new, bear with me, I talk alot. And, I am glad you are visiting. Well, lets see, Nicolas is doing okay. He has had one of his best friends, Dalton, over a few times this summer. That is a big event here because he and Dalton became best friends on the first day of kindergarten and those boys get along great. We love to get the boys together to play. As you will see in the next posting, from earlier today, I put the boys to work a few weeks ago. Dalton and Nick had been riding their scooters and playing but I thought it was time to get a little help out of them. I have been working at cleaning up the backyard this summer and I really needed that tree out. Steve works all the time and I knew it would be a while before he had a chance to get it out. So, I got the boys 2 shovels and water bottles and put them to work. In about 3 hours we had that old apple tree out of the ground. It was very exciting and it encouraged them in their budding manhood. I was so proud and took lots of pictures. Nick's other best friend, Tristan, has been gone all summer. That is simply a total drag. We can't wait to have "brother" over again. We call him that because he and Nicolas call each other "brothers from another mother". Goofs, that is what they are.


Let it be known: Christian is not 4 anymore... he is almost 5. And, don't make the mistake of THINKING that he is still 4 - he is simply in the land of almost 5. He is so happy that school is out. Well, preschool that is. Homeschool on the other hand thrills him and he is eager to learn. Tonight we (he, Nick and I) were reading Pocahontas and the Strangers (a 4th grade book) and he was loving it. We read a part about when Pocahontas rescued an eagle and he right away jumped up and found another book with an eagle in it. He is just so very smart. Christian thinks he is Buzz Lightyear, really! He thinks Christian is just his "pretend" name. Today I was making myself a salad and he wanted one (funny, huh?) - see he really likes croutons but I told him those are for eating with salad so he wanted a salad for dinner. Anyways, I was cutting lettuce and he explained in a very serious way that "lettuce" is just the "pretend" name for salad. If you know Christian well, you know that he is serious about everything. Thank God we have him to keep us in line! Steve often says, "Is this what I was like as a kid?" That explains a lot!!! We love the skinny little pig ("Piggy" being our pet name for Christian, aka Buzz Lightyear). He has a great message on our answering machine, call and listen to it sometime. Also, Christian has a group of imaginary friends, his Worker Friends, they live in a yellow house (Christian's favorite color) and they are very smart. They pretty much teach him how to do everything. They communicate by their wrist computers. Another thing, Christian has kept himself busy this summer with T-ball, Soccer and Basketball. He loves sports like his daddy.


"Matthew James", that is what I say about 25 times a day, Matthew James!!! Have you ever watched Arrested Development? Okay, well, you have to watch the show from the first season and never miss an episode to really get it, but Mattie is our little Bluth. He concerns me a little but he is the cutest of them all and the most playful and silly and he sings songs all day long. He is a very endearing child, until... he isn't. When the Bluth in him comes out - God help us. If you aren't familiar with the defeated Bluth walk, that Mattie does better than them any day, without question. If you are not familiar with the dysfunctional Bluths then you can picture Linus with his blue blankie. One time we actually went shopping with Mattie and a twin sized blue flat sheet trailing behind him. The thumb stuck in his mouth and the "fabric" (really any piece of clothing will do) wrapped around his finger. Matthew's fabric is NOT a blanket of any kind, clothing only (and when necessary sheets work well). He really has a fondness for clothing pulled out of the laundry and especially my pink shirts and nightgowns. Today Steve caught him standing next to me sucking on that thumb with his hang holding my shirt - that I was wearing! He has in the past asked me to take off my shirt so he could have a "fabric" - like I said, issues to come with him. Irregardless, when Mattie isn't being a big, fat baby he is wonderful and fun and a true joy. He also has an incredible throwing arm and a killer smile and he packs a good punch.


Gabriel, our little 20 month old. He is the laziest talker ever but very cute and cheerful. He works hard to keep up with his big brothers and he works even harder to show them he isn't going to be pushed around. No question, when Gabey wants something, he doesn't back down. He is strong and even stronger-willed. If only he would talk... One more thing, Gabey does not like linens in his crib. I repeatedly make his crib with a mattress pad and sheets and blankets - only to have him remove all of them when he goes to bed and throw them on the floor. Steve and I have gone in durning the night, picked him up, remade the bed, only to have him remove everything and sleep on the vinyl. I hate it. Gabriel wakes up sweaty and I fought it for a while. I give up, now he sleeps soundly on a vinyl mattress?!?


Oh, almost forgot, Lily, my little girl. In case you don't know... Steve bought me Lily as some sort of pathetic substitution for the daughter I never had. God wouldn't give me a girl because I think He knew I could not exercise self control if I actually could go shopping for a daughter at some point. So, 4 boys later, Steve bought me a little tri-colored corgi. Our dog, Auggie, another corgi, died a few years ago. So, my little Lily, pink sparkly collar and all - she got big. I just wanted her to stay small and cute and wear pink bows but NO, she got big and she drives me crazy. She doesn't act like a girl and she loves me SO much but I have no time for her. I can't pet her and play with her... but she still loves me. DOG FOR SALE... not really, but Lily is NO little girl!


The 3 cats are up for grabs too... only in my dreams.

Thanks for checking in, hope your summer is going well and I will post again soon. We have another camping trip coming up so lots of pictures to follow. Ethan, your cousins and I miss you!!! Call us sometime.

Love,
Kaira

Cathching Up


Nicolas and Gabriel play at the sprinkler park . Gabriel and Matthew - Gabriel is mad about something?
Christian's 1st day at T-Ball. Coach Mike is trying to hit the ball FORWARD!
We spent an afternoon riding our bikes around downtown Grand Rapids. We visited all of the Tom Otterness sculptures and this one Boy and His Dog was Nick's favorite.
Nicolas hanging out on Gulliver.
The boys posing with the bank robbers. Christian??? we don't really know what he is doing? Notice, Nick has a mohawk, but only for a week.
Gabriel and Nicolas, waiting for the movie to start at the drive-in.
All the boys, waiting for the movie to start.
Climbing the dunes while we were camping at Hoffmaster State Park.
Daddy and Gabriel, trying to keep up.
Dalton came over to play, but we put him to work taking out a pesky tree.

Now you see it... 3 hours later Nick and Dalton had taken that tree out. BIG and STRONG!!!
Wow, we picked 16 quarts of strawberries. Yum.

Hello Friends,

I have been terribly behind in my communication, as usual. I have meant to get this post up for months and just have been so busy I haven't gotten around to it. Here is a brief photographic history of Butler Family Highlights since November 2005. I just want to say a quick HAPPY BIRTHDAY ETHAN, we love you!

Christian's School went on a field trip to a ice cream shop recently. They had a fun time making sundaes and seeing how the food is made.

Nick and Mattie go along for the tour. And the ice cream.

CRAZY HAIR!!! Nicolas had two friends over this week. He ended up not feeling well so I had a "playdate" with the girls. We played Beauty Shop and then the girls kind of went to town on the boys. The kids all really liked their crazy hairstyles. Gabriel even got in on the action.

AWANA NIGHTS

Christian graduates from "Cubbies" to "Sparks" at the end of the year award ceremonies. Awana is a great program that the boys are in . The boys attend their groups once a week and are expected to memorize bible verses and through their groups they develop a better understanding of Bible teachings. It has been a great benefit to them over the past 3 years. Next year Mattie becomes a "Cubbie".

Nick gets his award for his group, TNT (Truth in Training).

THE AWANA GRAND PRIX... Nick's favorite event of the year. He and Dad make a new car each year. This year Dad couldn't get out of work so he was "On Call" for updates as Nick raced.
There is Nick's car... #38, THE GOD RACER!

Christian's Cubbies group has their own little race. He picked a yellow car, of course, it is his FAVORITE color. Grandma and Grandpa got to come see the races. It was fun.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my Mom. The boys brought grandma a really good cake for her birthday. Grandma and Grandpa LOVE cake! And so do the boys!
Speaking of cake... my friend Rachel made this fantastic Buzz Lightyear cake for Mattie's birthday. He turned 3 and we all loved the cake. See, Matthew and Christian both think they are Buzz Lightyear!
Gabey likes cake, too.
Matthew opens Christian's present. Christian fills up this funny pumpkin with toys from the toybox (they don't even have to belong to him) whenever his brothers have a birthday. Then, he gives them the pumpkin. The really funny thing is that he gave some of these things to Gabriel for his birthday. It is so cute and Mattie was very happy with his "new" used toys, that he plays with everyday already.
Christmas at Grandma's. Nicolas loves to play chess at grandma's house. Nick and Dad get a game in after Christmas dinner.
Christian - 4 years old
Matthew - almost 3 years old.
I just like the Christmas morning picture, taken before everything gets REALLY messy. Stockings are hung, left to right...

Dad, Mom, Nicolas, Christian, Matthew, and Gabriel

Clean Babies is a group that I started with a few friends in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Through much hard work and many generous individuals we were able to collect, purchase, pack and send 205 kits to affected areas. In addition we also sent 68 extra packages of diaper wipes. Each kit included a diaper bag, diaper changing pad, diaper rash ointment, a complete package of diapers and a complete package of wipes. It was a great success.

Packing up the items for the trailer pickup Saturday morning was crazy and fun. We had diapers and stuff all over our kitchen and living room. Rachel was/is amazing in all she does. I couldn't have done it without her. She exemplifies the meaning of the word, "Friend".
We are only halfway there and the 6 boys running around are getting tired and cranky. We got them off to bed and finished in the wee hours of morning. Luckily the trailer came early because we couldn't even walk through the living room!

That's all for now, Steve is waiting for me to come to bed. Goodnight.

K.