Party crasher...

Saturday was busy busy.

(yes, that's a double busy)

After Rad's soccer game, we headed to the kids' school picnic where I haphazardly took pictures not-worth-posting. They had a grand time eating fried chicken, playing in sand, running around, and gorging on cookies. We headed home in time for naps and to get ready for an end-of-season party with his soccer buds. 

Sweet Ashtyn couldn't play in the game this week because she had been a running a fever the day before - but she was all smiles for the party! 

Landry likes putting on a show for the big kids. 

And of course Emmy needed a picture with her baby sister. 

We have had so much fun with this team since September. I have loved watching their little personalities emerge on the field and seeing the strengths that each brings to the team.

Radley and Cameron (or Rad and Cam as they refer to each other) have really hit it off. They are going to soccer camp together this summer - and Coach Amber is the coach! :) 

We didn't hear anything but laughter and giggles throughout the evening - which is a huge win in my book! 

She seems so big these days and can keep up with all the big kids so easily - and often tries to tell them what to do! Do not let her tiny exterior fool you!

And this one - she could sit in the swing for hours, which is fine actually. 

Entertained and contained is kind of my parental philosophy.

:)

Neil was the hero of the party because he brought POPSICLES (it was in this moment that I felt I had been depriving my children for years - I don't know if we have ever had Popsicles.  Cake? Yes. Cookies? Yes. Ice crem? OF COURSE. But never a Popsicle). 

And then the party took a turn.

I'll let you decide if it was for the better or worse.

(this is where I warn you that a story board of reptile pictures will follow .... so Mom, close your browser).

Seconds after I took the picture above we noticed that several mockingbirds had gathered in the tree and were going crazy. I knew that we had a nest up there but thought it was weird that birds would be "attacking" a nest. Then Kurt, Ashtyn's dad, nonchalantly says... "oh, its because you have a snake in your tree" in the way that one would say "the sky is blue" so naturally we didn't believe him.

Until we looked up.

And.

WE HAD A SNAKE IN OUR TREE.

A snake.

In our TREE.

Long story short.

Snake in tree trying to get baby birds.

We try to distract the snake from murder.

I am worried about my hostessing duties.

Snake eats poor baby bird. Feet clearly sticking out of snake mouth.

Ryan climbs a ladder - grabs snake - almost gets bit.

I scream.

Snake spits out baby bird.

I cry.

Snake tries to get away.

Ryan kicks it.

Snake meets its maker.

iPhone pictures ensue.

Dads google snake pictures to determine it's "just" a chicken snake.

I think about what Emily Post would do.

Ryan does a mini show-and-tell for the kids with snake head.

Kids think it's all SO AWESOME.

(A big shout out of thanks to Neil's dad who grabbed my camera to make sure we would have documentation of this blessed event).

We really do throw the best parties.