Connell's Birthday and the Zoo!

 Connell's 5th birthday was on July 8th, but we celebrated it on the 5th at Grandma and Grandpa Hebdon's house before we went to our Lloyd reunion by having cake and ice-cream and opening the presents we got for him. He was super excited! He's been asking me about his birthday since January and wanted to have a Thomas the Train cake, so I attempted to make one and it was a disaster! I baked it from scratch in Grandma Hebdon's kitchen, so I blame not being in my own kitchen. :) It tasted good though, so that's all that matters! And Connell loved it!

 I can't believe Connell is 5 years old! It still seems like yesterday that he was a new baby in our house in Idaho Falls, but since then JayC has joined the military and we've lived in several different places. He's always been so happy and deals well with all the change he's been through. We're thankful he's such a great traveler! Even through his struggles with speech and other things, he's always been content just to be at home with his mom and dad and baby brother and everything is just a new adventure for him. He's so excited to start Kindergarten in a few weeks! Even though he's been in preschool, I will have a hard time!

 He loved all of his presents and was so excited! I just have to laugh at the sheer joy that kids express! A lot of JayC's family was able to be there, so it was fun. I love to see the love that they have for my boys.

 Callister and Bella were totally into the opening of the presents!

 One of the days we were in Idaho Falls after our my family reunion, we decided to go to the zoo. It was so hot the whole time we were there, but this day it was nice and cloudy for most of the time we were at the zoo. (I guess the California heat had to follow us...but unfortunately it was still here when we got back!) The picture above is Jayc showing how big the parrot was. He says he wants one. :)

 Connell was showing me how big the parrot was!

 We borrowed a stroller from Cole and Candice, and it was a life-saver! (Hence the pink...) Callister had a great time looking at all the animals.

 The funny water fountain.

 Connell and his best-buddy cousin Bella! They were inseparable the whole time we were in Idaho Falls! He misses her like crazy! I'm so glad they had so much fun.

 The tiger was super hot from sitting in the sun, so that's why Connell looks so weird!

Cole and JayC helping the kids make a zoo penny. They had a lot of fun. My favorite is always the lions and the monkeys. We prefer this zoo to the ones in California that we've been to.