Happy Birthday Ian

How DID you get to be 14?

I really don't know where the time went but 14 years have speed by and you turned 14 today.  I am such a lucky mom to have you for a son. I love the conversations we have together.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

Dear Emily, 

My little baby turned 8 today and I don’t know where the years went. It feels like yesterday that you were going into Kindergarten and now you will be entering the 3^rd grade in the fall. You are such a wonderful mix of little girl and tom-boy, wanting to wear dresses with all the frilly things on them playing Pokémon, loving reptiles and asking for play dates and even sleepovers with the boys in your class.

You are ready and willing to give a hug or a kiss and a helping hand around the house. You have a sense of style all your own, putting together quite the interesting outfits.

You love the color pink, animals, and Dragons and draw them almost every day.

 You spend most of your time drawing or working on something creative and I love to watch you as your mind works.

I’m not sure what your most favorite thing to eat is these days but you’re willing to try just about anything and everything and have recently really enjoyed eating Cesar salad.

I can’t get over how much you have grown, both physically and emotionally over the last year but I see it by how much you do all on your own. And when you put you mind to something there is no stopping you, like learning to ride your bike. You made up your mind you would learn to do it and so you did!

These days if you get into trouble it is usually because you are fighting with Sarah but a littler separation and maybe time out dose wonders for the both of you. You two girls have been sleeping in the same room and bed with each other for over two years now with only an occasional night in you respective beds. This year when Sarah went to camp you were a little lost and wanted to sleep on the couch every night.

 When you turn into a couch potato you like to watch iCarley or Dragon Ball Z Kai and you also enjoy playing games on the computer or your game boy.

Your bedroom hasn’t changed since we moved into this house. The walls are painted green and your bedding is pink and green and quite girly. You asked today if you could redecorate you room with a dog theme, which was what all your party plates, had on them for your party.

Your best characteristic is you loving heart. You care deeply for people and animals and show that love on a daily basis.

I am so proud of the little girl you are becoming. I love you so much and am so blessed to have you as my baby.

I love you to the moon Emily.

Xoxo

Mom

Lizards, Snakes, & Spiders Oh My!

Emily was given the choice of having a dress-up diva party or a Critter Cabana animal party and she chose Critter Cabana hands down. She didn't even have to think about it and was NOT going to be swayed by me to choose the other. Not only did she want the animals for her party but she requested mostly reptiles. Yep, Emily marches to her own beat and I love her independence. 

Sarah's Birthday Celebration

The kids had a half day at school on Sarah's birthday so when I picked them up I said I would take them to lunch for her b-day and let her pick where we would go. She chose The Tin Shed. A friend of Auntie Laura's owns it and we had gone to it recently with her on a visit but for breakfast. 

It was cold out but the restaurant only has a small inside seating area so we sat outside under heat lamps with blankets and the kids had a blast.

After lunch we ordered a "Banana-split-your-pants" for dessert

Make a wish!

it was gone in a matter of seconds!

 We had such a fun afternoon!

{Oct. 27, 2010 - bloging phone photos}

My Handsome Man turns 12

Ian turned 12 on October 7th and we had a Game Truck birthday party

I drove 7 boys home in my car {and they were very loud} and once we were at our house the boys entertained themselves by finding the culvert that goes from one side of our property to the other side and crawling through it while waiting for the pizza to arrive.

The kids waiting to get in to the truck to start playing games

and Olive wasn't allowed in so she waited outside for all the kids

Everyone played very well together and even Sarah and Emily got to play their own game on one of the TV's

The requested ice cream cake

Ian had a fantastic time and got enough gift cards to add to the money he had been saving to buy the much wanted Xbox.

Nuts about Voodoo Doughnuts

Ian requested Voodoo Doughnuts for his birthday snack.

He really wanted me to get 30 of his favorite doughnuts which are Miami Vice Berry {the blue and pink ones} but they didn't have enough so I had to get some Grape Apes and Double Bubble. When I picked Ian up at the end of the day his teacher said I owed her big time ~ I guess the kids were a little hyper. Oops!

Game Truck Birthday

For Ian's 12th birthday he had a "Game Truck" party. It is a truck with big screens and enough game controllers for 16 kids to play the same game all at once.

 The kids all waiting to be let into the truck and Olive very sad because she isn't allowed

 Inside the truck the boys are all mesmerized 

 Even the girls got to play their own game

Most of the boys came right after school and played in the field while we waited for the game truck and before I knew it several of them were crawling through the metal covert that runs through our yard. Even Emily and Sarah crawled through. 

Ian's Birthday Treat

Ian asked for Voodoo Doughnuts for his school birthday treat at school so I made the trip downtown to pick them up and off to school he went with his very sweet treat. Mrs. Gonzales was not exactly happy with me at the end of the day - oops!

Happy Birthday to me

I turned 44 this summer. I have such mixed feelings about it. On the one hand I am in the best shape I have been in a very long time and I appreciate it way more than I did in my 20's. I worked hard for it and I like the way it feels but on the other hand the signs of ageing are catching up with me. I'm grey {but you will never see it}, my eyes are going and I now need to read with readers much to my dismay and things are just not as firm as they were when I was younger. I think for the most part I am ok with 44. The thing that I have thought about a lot is the fact that my dad died at the very young age of 51. I knew it was young at the time but as I am a short 7 years away from that age it is so much more profound and on that point I am happy to be 44 and look forward to 54, 74 & even 94 and all the wrinkles, grey hair and poor eye sight that comes along with it ~ BRING IT ON is what I have to say about it.

A fantastic group of ladies gathered to help me celebrate my birthday

Aideen & Kim

Kim is giving me lessons on how to stand and look "hot" when being photographed

Jane, Aideen & Julie

Jane & Aideen

Jean & I

Cheryl & Liz