Mackenzie's Birthday

 

After school on Friday, Sept. 17, Mackenzie helped make the cupcakes for her “cupcake decorating” birthday party the next day. Emma and I made yellow cake earlier in the day then, she and Jayten went to stay with Grandma Carla and Grandpa Mark, so we could have some Momma/Mackenzie time. We baked fresh strawberry and chocolate cupcakes. You got to stay up late that night. You helped get all the sprinkles and toppings organized. You were especially excited about the fondant and the little cookie cutters to use with it. I surprised you in the morning with one more flavor of cupcake-Orange Creamsicle! We made cream cheese, vanilla buttercream and chocolate buttercream. You invited 7 friends because you were turning 7 years old. Each of you decorated 7 cupcakes, one to eat at the party and six to take home. Once everyone arrived, you decorated your own cake boxes to carry your cupcakes. Everyone also received a chef’s apron to keep. You all had fun deciding what you might call a bakery if you had one. After your boxes were ready, it was time for the cupcakes. You all went to town on, using frosting, sprinkles, colored spray, chocolate chips, toffee bits, crushed Oreos, gummy worms and more. You created some very colorful cupcakes! Your friends Madison, Hannah,
Diego, Myah, Sarah and Gracie came. Chanler was unable to attend. After the cupcakes were finished, you opened presents, then had a pizza picnic out in the backyard. You spent the rest of the time
playing outside and in your room with your friends, then enjoyed a cupcake at the end of the party. You really enjoyedplaying at with the end and had some nice one-on-one time with your friends. You received a Barbie Repunzel Horse,Fancy Nancy Cupcake book, horse stickers, Easy Bake Oven
Mix, Pixos, Activity book and crafts, Furry Friends and a Glamour Barbie.

My Little Man and all his messes

I need to get this little guy on video because he's just so funny. He is my little cuddle bug, but he's also into cars, trucks, dirt, bugs and mud. He loves to play outside in the sand, pouring it in and out of plates and cups. He loves to climb up the swingset and dance around-makes me so nervous. Then, he slides down as fast as he can. He eats a ton most days. I sit by him at dinner and sometimes he just takes things off my plate-salad even!! He loves cuddling with his sisters or Daddy in the rocking chair. He's got the biggest grin and pretty big cheeks to go with it. I forget what little mimics they are at this age. He sees his sisters or someone doing something, and he just figures it out or tries to do it himself. He likes to put his shoes on himself and gets his pants on most of the time. They usually get hung up on his diaper. I just love having a son-he's the perfect compliment to his sisters, with a little of both their personalities. And a whole lot of his own. Ah, love him!!

Look at the ornery grin!

Uh-oh, left alone with peanut butter, apples and his sister. I think she's the one who gave him the Leap thing to play with. I'll give you once guess which sister. :0) Yuck! I finally got everything clean.

This morning it was oatmeal.

Yogurt was the culprit today. I think he needs a bath after every meal!

My birthday~ I am VERY blessed!

I celebrated my 32nd birthday yesterday and it was a great day. Jayten and I took Emma to school, then ran errands to the postal place and the bank. Then we went downtown to drop off some clothing at a women's/kid's consignment store. I also found a couple new-to-me items-new dark khaki pants, a cool black jacket and a fun brown plaid hat. I also found a pink corduroy skirt for Emma. It was the perfect find to go with some new-to-her funkie tights she got from friends of ours. A couple weeks ago I found a silver/gray vest for MJ. She had been wanting a puffy vest, and this one fits the dress code so she can wear it to school. Consignment store shopping can be annoying as you never know what you'll find, but it's also super fun when you find exactly what you were looking for in the right size, gently used or sometimes new and priced right. We stopped by to see a friend who was working nearby as well and had a nice chat. We picked up a few supplies at Staples, grabbed a quick lunch at Burger King, then went to the DMV to renew my driver's license. It had been eight years since I had a new one! After that, we made one more consignment store stop. Little J was such a good boy. He just sat on a rocking horse and hung out while I tried on a few items. The only time he whined was at the first store when the candy dispenser was at eye level and mom wouldn't give in. Other than that, he was great. At home, we waited for the bus, then took MJ to jazz (she started last week), then to a friend's to leave for religious ed. Josh had gone to town for groceries and when we got back, I started working and he prepared a delicious birthday dinner. He had baked a cake-yellow with chocolate frosting! (He's never baked me a cake, so this was a real treat.) He also made Caesar salad, breaksticks and shrimp alfredo. And he'd cleaned the house (not that it was that dirty to begin with) and did my laundry! I give him a bad time about not cooking dinner much, but he is really good at helping clean up and do laundry. After dinner, everyone sang Happy Birthday to me. The girls picked out a Denver Broncos zippered sweatshirt and J & J gave me some new shoes. Mackenzie made a very sweet little card. It was a wonderful day. I spent most of it thinking about how truly blessed I am. I also am wondering what this next year will bring. You know we are put on this Earth for a purpose-to know and serve God and others. I have been thinking a lot about where I am being called to serve. Of course, my family first, but where else might God want me to be using my talents? I will have to keep praying and discerning about it. Whatever this year brings, I am so thankful for my family, my great friends, my health and all we've been given. The older I get, the more I want to make sure I'm giving back as much as I've received. Here's to another 32 years!

Labor Day Weekend at the Cabin

We headed up to McCall for the holiday weekend, getting their late Friday night. Mark, Carla, Michelle, Jared, Stephanie and Mya were already there. That first night we enjoyed sitting around the fire visiting. The next day was absolutely beautiful and quite warm for September. We spend time on the beach, lying out on the dock and out in the boat. It was a perfect day. That night us adults stayed up and played Taboo. It made for lots of laughs! We took our usual walk to Charlie's Gardens and Stephanie went on a pretty good hike Saturday morning. The kids loved the sand and water. We are so thankful to have the cabin and love all the memories we've created up there. We all left Monday then gathered together that night for the BSU vs. Virginia Tech game. It was a wonderful family weekend!

I've been a little MIA or maybe a lot

Okay, wow, almost a whole month since a blog post. You're going to think I'm my sister. Haha! Love ya Lace! :0)

Let's see about catching up. Emma started school Sept. 1. She goes two afternoons a week. Last week she started a special P.E. class one day, so I take her in early and she gets to each lunch there. She rides the bus home with MJ. The bus comes to get her the next day. She seems to be really enjoying it again. She is speaking in full sentences now and very clearly. Her speech homework is getting progressively harder as she is mastering more sounds and tasks. She seems to know all her colors, and we're working on her alphabet and counting. I haven't been able to volunteer in her classroom yet, but look forward to that in the coming months. Here are some of her first day pics. And actually she got pictures taken the first two days. The first day I took her in to school, so I missed the photos of her getting on the bus; therefore the second day of shooting. And it may look like she wore the same thing both days. She wanted to wear school colors too, just like Kenzie, even though preschoolers don't have to wear the uniforms. They were essentially the same outfit, orange tshirt, capri pants, white sweater and sandals. But, they weren't the same clothes. Promise! By the second day, she was telling me to follow her all around the yard and, "Take a picture here Mom. Okay, now come over here. Just one more Mom." Such a little charmer she is.

First Week of School

Last Tuesday MJ and I went into school for her back-to-school conference. She met her teacher, found her desk and put in her school supplies. Her teacher and I visited about the upcoming year. She is so excited. She has a great teacher this year, and I know she'll do well. Her two best friends are in her class along with 13 classmates from last year. While we were waiting for her conference, we visited her Kindergarten teacher and a new Kindergarten teacher this year, who happens to be a good friend and neighbor. She used to teach 2nd grade. It was fun seeing both of them. The rest of the day, we worked on her scrapbook and played outside together.

Mackenzie was so excited for her first day of school, on Thursday (Aug. 26). We have to start getting up earlier now as she gets on the bus at 7:20. She had picked out her outfit the night before, had her usual oatmeal breakfast and was ready to go. After school, I got a play by play from the day. She loved eating lunch at the school. She had nachos. She didn't care for the cheese sauce so she just had chips. But they had refried beans, fruit, carrots and chocolate milk. She used to be such a good eater, but has turned a little picky on me. I was worried that she might not eat the lunch well, but so far so good. Friday was Canadian Bacon pizza-her favorite. Her friend Sharleen from dance road the bus into school with her. She had fun at recess and loves the learning workshops during school. In fact, she was quite sad on Friday when it was the weekend. She said she wanted to learn all weekend too. I told her to find the big notebook of worksheets she used to do, and that seemed to keep her occupied for awhile. Looks like she'll have another great year of school, which we're so thankful for.

Emma starts school on Wednesday and she is excited as well. Josh was gone all weekend to the Oregon State Fair so the kids and I have been playing outside and watching movies. I have also worked on editing and still have to finish my magazine issue.

On an unrelated note, I posted pics on the photo blog from Josh's birthday. I made him a homemade cheesecake. The two of us also went out with Jared and Stephanie that week. We had dinner at Goodwood BBQ. Josh had won a certificate there in a golf tournament he played in earlier this summer. Then, we went out for mini-golf. It was so much fun! We always have a great time double-dating with them. We want to make it a monthly thing. The putt-putt was hysterical too. I kick myself for not taking my camera in because we would have had some priceless photos from the night. But, we'll have the memories. It has also inspired me a little. I think it would be fabulous to do a family portrait session there. I already have the images in my head, so now I just need to find the right family who's up for a fun night playing putt-putt!

Here are just a few pics from MJ's first day...

He's All Boy

Me: Emma, where is Jayten?
E: He stayed outside.
Me: Jayten!! Look at you buddy! Are you playing in the dirt?!
J: Big grin