The Kies Family: September Birthday Celebrations....3, 36, 65!!

Aunt Brooke flying on of Grandpa Jim's toys with Maddox and Carter

So most of you know that we had a fabulous birthday celebration last week for Dad's 65th birthday. We also celebrated my birthday and Maddox's 3rd birthday. It was a beautiful weekend, weather wise, and we really had just a fabulous time. Dad wanted to do a Buffalo Troll for his party and luckily he was willing to dig the ditch for the fire pit to roast the steaks. The steaks marinated in a speacial sauce from Thursday until Saturday afternoon and then after the fire burned down to just coals you put the steak right on the coals themselves. A pretty cool trick. They call it a Buffalo Troll because in the 'olden days' the settlers actually used buffalo chips in the fire intead of wood :) We opted not to do that...thank you for not making us be too authentic Dad. The kids had a GRAND time playing on all of Grandpa Jim and Grandma Jean's 'toys'....golf cart, John Deere tractor, 4 wheeler. Kenno was happy just running about the HUGE yard and playing with all the cool kites, airplanes, and yard games that Dad and Jean had so graciously collected for party fun. NO party is complete without a cake so of course we had birthday cake for Dad and then icecream cake on Sunday for Maddox....and ice cream sundaes for me on Friday night. Grandma Jean got the kids matching shirts to wear to the party and the Hawkeyes won so it was a GREAT day. Thanks to Grandpa Jim and Grandma Jean for all the great party preparations and to Uncle Tyler, Aunt Brooke and Carter for getting the marinade and the steaks going before

Maddox playing the golf ball game

Carter getting Grandpa Jim's lawn ready for the party

Go Hawks!

Maddox and Carter checking out the baby boxelder bugs on the tree.

Maddox meeting 'Teddy' Aunt Kathy and Uncle Dave's new yellow lab puppy from Colorado

The 'Buffalo Troll' fire burning down to coals getting ready for the steak

Grandma Jean reading to the grandkids

Carter and Maddox 'snack time'

Time for a golf cart ride on Grandma Reta's old golf cart!! It gots lots of miles in over the weekend

Kennon getting Grandpa Jim's yard ready for the party.

Aunt Brooke and Aunt Kathy playing the golf ball game with Uncle Tyler and Uncle Dave

The Crew

We listened to the Hawkeye game on the radio of Darryl and Mary's bike.

Kenno taking up chochette

Tyler, Bret, Dad and Mark conferring on how the Buffalo Troll cooking process is going to go. The marinade is already cooking in the pot.

Kennon playing a little Bags game against himself :)

Carter and Maddox using the golf game bars as gynmnastics bars

The FIRST steak....a trial run!1

Uncle Tyler keeping watch on the 'trial run' steak

Ol' Deuce and Maddox

Jaci playing sidewalk chalk with Maddox. Aunt Veta and Great Grandma Reta look on

Why are these golf balls stuck together??...... on strings

Thanks for the matching shirts Grandma Jean

Carter capitalized on the motorcycle, or 'Mo Mo' as he calls them, from the top of Grandpa Jim's cake

Kennon in cake action...he ate more and made a bigger mess of this cake than he did at his 1st birthday

Grandpa Jim getting out Maddox's big birthday present....a BIKE. We had her close her eyes for the big surprise.

'A BIKE' she exclaimed before she even opened the bag...she kinda knew she was getting one.

'Like this Dad??'

Carter was not too happy that the bike was for Maddox and not him. But, they soon started sharing.

Kennon even got in on the action. I'm pretty certain he is going to grab the 'pedal free' bike when Maddox isn't looking and take off with it. He loves outdoors toys and is all boy.