"I want...

a polar bear party!" That was Joshua's response when we asked him what kind of birthday party he wanted to have. This boy loves animals! So we spent his birthday morning at the zoo.

"Hello polar bear...it's my birthday today!"

...our boys...

...my special birthday boy!

Joshua riding the tree slide at the Zoo...in his own unique way I might add...

...Micaiah gaining some speed...but watch out here comes...

...Eli!

...Joshua we love you tons and are so thankful for you in our lives...

you bring such joy and personality to our family...Happy Birthday buddy!

Sudbrook Park Fourth of July Parade...

Here are the boys getting ready for the parade...

events like this make our neighborhood a very special place to grow up!

Wow, our Daddy is so special they have a parade and fireworks on his birthday!

Micaiah taking care of some very necessary business prior to the costume judging contest...

...I guess he wanted to make sure that "Partree Boogie" didn't make a guest appearance!

Micaiah racing around the bike track...

while Eli decides to take advantage of Daddy posing for a picture...

Mommy with her boys, minus...

her patriotic superman!

Fireworks...

we joined our neighbors at the local fireworks display...things are always more fun with friends!

Joshua enjoyed some special time with Daddy while the sky grew darker...

and then we gathered together for the fireworks display...this afternoon Micaiah and I were talking about watching the fireworks and he reminded me that he had been scared of fireworks before...I told him he could take his "drumming headphones" if he wanted to...and he said "Is Daddy going? I feel braver with Daddy."

I was so struck by those words...isn't that how it's supposed to be...

...what a glimpse of our relationship with our great big God.

Pee Wee Baseball...

is over and they're already getting ready for soccer season! Here are a few of the boys from our block going through a soccer drill with a Dad from the neighborhood.

Micaiah attempting a kick against the goalie...

...something tells me these boys will be ready when the season starts.

10 months and...

on the move!

he loves practicing going over the landing...the only problem is he hasn't learned that you don't go forward down a step so we have to keep turning him around!

He is also pulling up on everything now and even lets go to play with toys...

but his favorite place of all is at the front door...

because outside...

a whole new world awaits!

9th Annual Yough Lake Trip

This is one of our best yearly traditions...the only thing better than time on the lake is time on the lake with close friends. This year the "Yough Lake Board" decided to do a "couples only" trip...we missed some friends...

but we had a blast!

We decided to have a little "jumping contest"...

BP...a couple of months ago we would have never guessed he'd be performing stunts like this!

Nicka... showing off her "splayed finger jump!"

Justin...not only did he "rescue" this ball but he took one for the team with this jump!

Wes...also took one for the team!

I joined in the contest too!

Jason...AKA Mr. Miyagi!

but the winner was the creator of the contest...Erin with her incredible mountain leaping jump split!

A night out...

at the Boathouse at Breech Inlet between the Isle of Palms and Sullivans Island...here is the Jordan clan before dinner...

...Aunt Susan watched our boys so Wes and I could have a "night out"...she didn't realize that Folly would have a really bad storm with significant wind and rain that left them without power at the condo...

she did a great job of calming Micaiah's fears...and Joshua was only upset that "Peter Pan" wouldn't come back on!

Gotta love...

those curls!

Micaiah checking out his "minnow" he and Daddy caught in the tide pool...