"Watch out!"

"Look out boys - you're going down."

"No chance, girls!"

We had to play a few games while were there.

Skeet ball is a favorite (but watch out if you're near the lanes).

We also got to ride in bumper cars.

The boys are out of control.

Woods Laser Tag was awesome!

"Be afraid, very afraid!"

Kai won 75 tickets so we got to "buy" some treasures.

Chevys for dinner.

The boys are gloating over their scores.

The girls claimed victory (not based on scores).

We let Kai and Sierra have a soda to celebrate (a rare treat).

Kai and Sierra both chose root beer.

The parents weren't allowed to go in to help setup. We waited like weirdoes gawking in the windows.

Sierra was the test subject for the experiment. Dad is taking a sample of her unwashed hands (it wasn't a stretch for her to go a day and forget to wash her hands). They then washed with soap and water (took a sample) and antibacterial and took a sample.

After the petri dishes sat for a week, it was obvious which one "won."

We had to type up our question, hypothesis, experimentation...

... show how we organized the data and make a conclusion. The anti-bacterial won!

Kai and Sierra got blue ribbons (so did all the children that participated).

"Wash your nasty hands."

Congrats to the Higgins' team.

I wish we could say the nasty petri dishes cured the hand washing problem... not so lucky.

The over 40 and under 7 crowd!

Kathy, Amanda and Kerrigan.

Dan, Arlen and Scott.

Karen, Amanda, Kathy, and Carla.

Jim got Fatty Patty in the never ending rotation of gag gifts. She was driving our car when we left the laser tag place. We were grateful the "gifters" put a t-shirt on her (the kids wanted to keep her to play with).

Jim got a great Borat Mankini (wonder who will get that one next?)

The Hole Captain (Jim's upcoming job at Bay Hill).

The crew at a local pizza joint!

Say cheese boys!

Scott and Amanda.

Happy 40th Jim.

Jim and the cake.

"Karen, I can't hear you."

The weekend before Jim's birthday, we not only had our little "party" but we played golf at Orange County National.

It was a beautiful day!

Ladies turn.

Great shot Kai!

Afterwards, we went to Texas Roadhouse for a very unhealthy meal.

Nice faces.

On the night of Jim's actual birthday, Dick and Cathy took us out for a great meal at Stonewood.

It was a great night and a nice way to end the birthday festivities.

After dinner, we went back to the house for presents and cake.

Kai and Sierra helped.

Say cheese!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

"Hurry up and take the picture so we can eat."

The birthday guys.

"Check out the coy fish."

They came to the table and sang to Kerrigan and Kai. And for the 2nd row in a year, Kai got a Kobe hat.

Kai got his own cupcake.

Kerrigan was kind enough to humor us for a "hat picture."

"Yum."

Posing on the bridge.

Crazy face.

Kai's birthday was on a Saturday this year, and school was out the day before, so he celebrated at school on St. Patrick's Day. He got his picture with Ms. Miller, his first grade teacher.

Kai chose to take brownies in for his class birthday treat. They had them at recess.

Kai's class on his "school birthday."

The "big day" was Saturday. Kai invited a couple of his buddies to go to Wonderworks for lasertag.

Jared, Kai and Jack are ready for action.

Sierra came too.

We played games.

Jared and Sierra played a mean game of air hockey.

Sierra was concentrating hard at this game.

Kai took a turn.

The kids did the obstacle course on the ceiling. Jared and Sierra weren't up for it so they played games while Jack and Kai climbed like monkeys.

This picture makes him look closer to the ground than he is... fortunately, he was tethered in the entire time.

Air hockey fun!

"You're almost there."

Kai got a little help from the worker to move on to the next section.

After the obstacle course, everyone went into watch the 4D movie.

We had pizza and cupcakes in the Cafe afterwards.

Kai wanted strawberry cupcakes (didn't even mind the pink icing... neither did his friends).

Gift time is always so exciting for everyone.

Happy Birthday Buddy!

Bye Wonderworks!

When we got home, we opened Kai's "family gifts."

His big gift was laser tag guns.

We played outside until we couldn't take the mosquitoes any more.

"Run for your life!"

"You're going down."

The winner (at least she thought she was)!

"Don't tickle me."

After wallowing in the dirt, getting weeds in her hair etc., Sierra finally settled down and still looked presentable.

Our pretty girl!

Cool shades!

Eddie and Ligia.

Here comes the happy couple!

Sierra wrote Ligia and Brandon a little note for their tree.

Ligia and Brandon were kind enough to let us interrupt their dinner for a picture... aren't they all so cute?

Kai, spinning Sierra on the dance floor.

Sierra's got some serious moves.

"Check out my robot dance."

"Oh yeah - shake what your mama gave ya!"

"I love my Mama!"

Love this picture!

Rebecca finally stopped for some food (and a picture with us).

The Dragons and their Power Ranger.

"Oooh bubbles" (they never get old).

Natalie even got her own pool.

Kai and Katey.

Natalie is a cutie.

Kai and Sierra.

"Whack it harder"

"Katey - thanks for positioning the 7 in the perfect position for a picture."

"Come on Kai, hit is harder."

"Woah, almost got it."

The magic whack has cracked it open.

Happy Birthday Kai and Sierra.

Katey got to blow out a candle too.

Present time!

Thanks Grandma Nancy!

The Dragon twins.

"Hey Kyle, your goggles are crooked."

Uncle Bob, Cousin Michael and Carla (Cathy in the background).

Cake time.

Sierra chose a Funfetti cake and we decorated it with all the Chipmunk figurines (thanks Memaw for the ebay find).

Aunt Bunny sent 20 $1 bills... she thought she was rich.

"Look at my loot!"

We couldn't find cheeseballs but everyone settled for cheese doodles instead.

We made and decorated Alvin tambourines.

This was our Alvin Tambourine station.

We decorated with a few balloons which Kai and Sierra blew up the night before (and played with the week after).

Sierra used her Chipmunk animals to decorate.

Mom and Sierra drew more chipmunk pictures to hang around.

More pics and balloons.

The "Pin the A on Alvin" game.

The "Gotta Love Cheeseballs" game (toss the cheeseballs - aka little basketballs - in Theodore's mouth).

We played Sierra's Alvin and the Chipmunks Wii game.

"Whose turn is it."

Kai used his hand to find the target.

"Good shot Sierra."

Sierra collected the "cheeseballs" behind the game.

Not a party station but Sierra decided we needed some bubbles.

Now, it's time for the "Find Alvin" scavenger hunt.

The kids had to find clues. Each clue had another letter to fill in on their game card. After they found all the clues (and letters), they would know the location of Alvin.

It was hard to keep everyone together since everyone reads now and doesn't need an adult to help.

After cake, it was present time. Mia was very excited for Sierra to open her gift.

Jade is Sierra's good friend from school this year.

Jade brought her sister Jasmine - Kai actually had a good time since most of the girls were tomboys and liked to play beyblades.

The girls decided to play dress up. Nia and Mia finally put some of the dress up clothes to use.

The kids destroyed our play room. Mom worked extra hard to not freak out!

Sierra soaking all the attention in.

Miss Hanna really was enjoying herself.

The girls finally settled down long enough for mom to get a quick picture.

Sierra and Jade.

It was time to go... big hugs.

Nia is finally taller than Sierra (she used to be the one friend that was a little shorter).

Hanna gave Sierra a good bye hug.

Sierra posed for some pictures beside her birthday games.

"Look how easy it is when I'm standing this close."

One of the goodie bag favors was Simon glasses which Sierra wears all the time now.

Sierra's cake with the last scavenger hunt clue.

"Check me out - I'm Simon."

On Sierra's actual birthday, she took cupcakes into class. Mom couldn't stay since FCAT testing was going on, but Ms Crenshaw let us get a quick picture. Here is Sierra with her first grade class.

Sierra with her funfetti cupcakes (and Chipette shirt).

The night of Sierra's birthday, we went out to Gators (her favorite local restaurant to get Kraft Macaroni and cheese). She opened her presents there.

Sierra got the Brittany beanie buddy.

She also got her own CD walkman and new Alvin and the Chipmunks CDs ... a big hit.

Hola Mommy!

"Wonder what's in this box."

Yeah - the Chipettes.

Sierra talking to Memaw.

Sierra got a gift certificate for a horse back riding lesson.

"Check me out in my new Alvin night shirt listening to my tunes."

The day after, Sierra wearing her new Alvin t-shirt to school and listening to her headphones.

Sierra used her birthday money from Uncle Jeffrey/Aunt Kit and Aunt Bunny/Uncle Ken to buy this new guitar.

Kai and Sierra waiting on their age groups turn at our neighborhood Easter egg hunt.

Every year the creepy Easter Bunny comes through the neighborhood on a fire engine. It throws candy to the kids.

"What are you looking at?"

The race is on!

1st successful hunt down!

Sierra opened her loot.

Kai counted his eggs to make sure he got more than Sierra.

We met Mia up at the park. She's 6 months younger than Sierra so she went in the age group below ours.

Our annual picture with the creepy neighborhood Easter bunny.

Sierra was happy with her stash.

After the hunt, we met Daddy to go play golf (on his new golf cart).

The day before Easter, we went to the zoo's Easter Hippity Hop Adventure. Sierra wore her bunny ears and they gave her a tail to pin on.

Kai even wore the tail this year so Mom could get a picture.

Sierra even sat still in the morning for Mom to give her french braids. She made a cute bunny.

Kai tried out the new playground equipment at the zoo.

Check out the big Savanna Monitor over their shoulder.

Go, go, go (the Easter egg hunt at the zoo).

We found a less frightening Easter bunny to get our picture with.

Time to dye the eggs!

We've got one of each color brewing.

"Let's make a blue one."

"How about a green one!"

We prepared a nice plate for the Easter bunny.

Our family Easter egg.

We made a dozen for the Easter bunny to hide at the house.

We're ready to go!

Sierra made a cartoon for the Easter Bunny.

Yeah - the Easter bunny came!

Cool stuff!

Happy Easter!

Thanks Memaw and Pawpaw for the extra Easter loot.

"I love my Diary of the Wimpy Kid movie book."

I guess the Easter bunny liked our food.

We found 4 so far, keep looking!

The chipmunks decided to play piano Easter morning.

Our handsome boy!

"Aren't they the cutest kids you've ever seen?"

Now - make a funny face!

Sassy Sierra.

Easter afternoon Sierra floated in her new raft (the Easter bunny gave her).

Chillin' out in the pool.

"Check us out."

We went to Kathy and Bills for dinner and our annual Higgins' Easter egg hunt.

"Run, before all the eggs are gone."

"My basket is getting full."

"There is one in the tail pipe."

"I found one in the flower bed."

"Time to open up and see what we got."

"I love this."

"This one is hard to get into."

A few of the eggs had "Golden tickets" in them. The kids cashed them in for a bigger prize. This year, it was a movie bucket.

The movie bucket had a Sierra Mist (a treat because it's soda and Sierra's name).

We finished the day off playing in Kathy's pool.

"I'm just hangin' around."

Nethead.

"Check out my muscles."

We had our movie bucket on our family movie night (outside by the pool).

"Mmm, twizzlers, cracker jacks and Sierra Mist, yum!!!"

It was a great night for our movie.

My beautiful babies.

They're not so little any more.

"Give me a hug, big brother."

Hanging with the lions.

"Take a picture of just me, Mama."

Dick joined us for our Mother's Day brunch. It was quite a spread.

Thanks for taking the pictures, Dick.

The Higgins'

Kai and Sierra both made great gifts at school.

Mom's gift was a manicure and pedicure with Sierra.

We had a great afternoon together.

And now have beautiful nails.

The pool was finally warm enough for Mom.

Say cheese everyone!

Sierra and her shield.

"Good kick, Kai."

Cool picture of Sierra "walking on water."

Kai used his raft as a shield in the water gun fight.

Peace out!

"Let's see what patterns we can make with these light sticks."

This campsite had a great layout.. nice privacy.

We went to the old mill for a pancake breakfast. You make breakfast yourself - right on the table.

"Let's add a few more chocolate chips to this one."

Before our hike, Kai was educating us on the poisonous snakes to look out for.

We stopped for a break and to check the map.

Florida in the winter.

"Daddy, don't tickle me."

"I found me a varmint in the woods."

We helped out with an air potato raid. The air potatoes aren't native to Florida and they choke out the trees and plants. The county has volunteer events periodically to get rid of the potatoes before they sprout.

Team Higgins' (Kai, Sierra and mom) won the prize for the biggest air potato.

We went to a festival at one of the local elementary schools. Kai got a creepy snake painted on his face.

Sierra (in her Alvin shirt) got a cute lady bug.