Zakky's Birthday Cakes!!

Here they are!! I think his cakes turned out cute. They aren't what I would call "professional" but they are fun. The top cake is a pull apart cupcake cake from a Wilton set I bought. It was very easy to put together and aside from some icing issues was very simple to do. The second cake is Z's own personal cake which I cut out of a 6" round cake and then built up the muzzle/nose portion with more cake. It was my firsst time trying a scuplted cake and I think I did pretty well.
Most importantly I hope Zach likes it. I can't wait till his party tomorrow to watch him dig in!!

Happy Birthday Bear!!

I cannot believe it is Zakky's 1st birthday! Actually yesterday was his big day but I didn't get a chance to post anything. Oh well, his party isn't until tomorrow so he still hasn't opened his presents or eaten his cake (I haven't even made his cake yet!). But that proves he is part DeGraff. We are known for stretching out our birthdays as long as possible!
So at 1 year, Zach loves to eat anything he can get, play with anything he can steal from his brother, say MaMa, Dada, Juice, No, This, and Ball. Oh and VVroom, vvroom and moooo!! He is starting the walking thing but he is still very wobbly and would much rather crawl or scoot. He loves to jump and he can now tackle his big brother and bring him to the ground! This is going to be fun!!
He grows more everyday and is going to outweigh Max very soon. I don't have his 1 yr stats yet but he's in 18 month clothes moving to a 2T!! Zakky is funny and easy going but very determined when he decides he wants something. He is learning to use his voice to get his point across and he still growls pretty regularly. I kind of hope he always does that.
Well we made it through the 1st year and now it's going to get very interesting. Zach and Max are going to be the best of friends and drive each other crazy, just like brothers should. And Jeff and I will be here to try and keep it under control!
Happy Birthday Bear! We love you!!

WE ARE READY!

"I have to wear this mask on my face to keep the germs from getting into my mouth." -Max

Hope that works out for you buddy!!

Theatrical Debute

Max gave his first stage performance in front of a live audience today. He was "Broken Arrow" the Navajo Indian in his preschools Native American presentation. His line was "I am Broken Arrow and I grow corn." Or something to that effect! He said his line very well and very loudly and he looked so grown up. Actually he looked really short compared to the other kids but he was big in spirit!!
All went well until he tried to walk off the stage the wrong way and was redirected and then got confused and panicked. And if you know Max, panic = tears. So he made it through is part and two songs before he was escorted to the back in tears. Poor little guy, he really did try and he was such a cute little Broken Arrow. He decorated his costume all by himself and was so excited.
I think a few more Primary programs and he'll be a regular professional! Great job Max!!

BTW--In the group shot, Max is the 2nd kid in the row.

Football Anyone??

Max has been asking for awhile if we could go to a football game so tonight we decided to take him to a local high school game as a tiny taste of live football. He was so excited all day to go. He took a nap and behaved at dinner all with the promise of a real live football game in a real stadium.

He was SOOOOOO into the game....for the first 5 minutes or so. Then he was more interested in walking up and down the bleachers and trying to get the mascots' attention. Then came the halftime show and he was hooked. Not on the players or the band or the music, not even on the cheerleaders. Nope, it was the flags! He watched those flags without blinking and begged for me to find a way to get one for him. Jeff was so annoyed! Ten bucks and an hour and a half of sitting in bleachers so Max can decide he wants to be a flag twirller. That boy never ceases to make me wonder!!

I Had A Dream...

Those of you who know me well, know that I very regularly have vivid dreams that I remember in the morning. I always have. Many of them are crude and violent in nature and they get worse when I am pregnant. I've dream everything from having my children repossessed by the hospital to giant green dogs swimming in my pool to my dad being a soldier in the Civil War.
Well last night I had a dream. It wasn't intense or vile but I woke up feeling as though I'd been crying all night. And this dream was about my mother-in-law, someone I don't recall ever having dreamed about. Anyway, the dream...
It was basically centered around the fact that my MIL recieved revelation from God that I was not supposed to be married to her son and we needed to divorce immediately. And the kicker was that I was in fact suppose to be married to my brother-in-law (my husband's sister's husband). No one in the dream seemed to think this was a good idea but it was understood that it must be done. Even Jeff, who seemed quite upset with me, agreed that it needed to happen but he refused to go to the wedding with me. I remember begging my MIL to find another way b/c I wanted to be an Orwin and she continually repeated that it wasn't meant to be.
So I wonder what this all means. Do dreams really mean anything or are they just what our minds do when we are sleeping? I think I have a very good relationship with my MIL and I can't imagine her wanting me out of the family. And I'd like to think Jeff wouldn't divorce me just b/c his mom said so. And I in no way have ever thought about trying to hook up with my SIL's husband--he's a great guy, but great for her not me.
Also am I the only one with Lifetime Movie quality dreams or is this a common secret of most?

Halloween-Part 3 Toy Story Style

HAPPY HALLOWEEN FROM THE ORWIN BOYS!

Halloween-Part 2 Trunk or Treat

Our church hosted its annual Trunk or Treat this year and I got to be the lucky one to organize it all. I thought it turned out pretty good and we had about 200 people so I'd call it a success. I also hope and pray I never have to do it again. After putting together last year's Christmas Extravaganza (3 weeks after Z was born) and then the Trunk or Treat this year I've learned one very important lesson--I don't like doing stuff like that!! I can't complain too much b/c I really did have a lot of help and everyone seemed to have a great time, but I'm not in a hurry to do it again. I was too busy at the party to take pictures--that was someone else's job--so here are some cute pics of Zakky instead. Enjoy!!

Halloween-Part 1 School Party

Max's Halloween Celebration began on Friday with his preschool Halloween parade and party. I left Zach at home with Jeff so Max could be the center of attention (not that he isn't anyway). The school put on a little program with singing and cheering. Then each kid got to introduce themselves and tell what they were pretending to be. Max did NOT have a problem with this at all. He said, "I'm Max and today I'm BUZZLIGHTYEAR!!!!" He did not have a problem projecting his voice either. I was so proud. TO INFINITYAND BEYOND!!

This is Max at his party with his newest bestest friend.

This is the loot he gathered (part of it). We got candy from the party, Trunk or Treat at church and regular Trick or Treating. It has now been hidden (except for the Reese's PB cups--Max's Mom took those)!

Ladies Man

Max was quite the Ladies Man at Tom and Evan's wedding. He thought he was very handsome in his new suit (and he was) so he was constantly going up to strangers and saying,"Do you like my suit? I look nice!" I tried to get him to tell the girls they looked pretty, but he was a little stuck on himself. He did get them all out on the dance floor at the reception though. Those Orwin boys can be such charmers!!

Sweet Boy!

Here are some pics of Zach at Tom and Evan's wedding last weekend. He is gonna be a heartbreaker!!