Josh's Birthday 2018

Every year, I make sure that we make a big deal about Josh's birthday. Ok...so not a HUGE deal, but I want the kids to always make sure that it's a big deal so they always call him and shower him with love on his big day. I always make him a special dessert (not cake as he hates it) and whatever he wants for dinner. And then the kids get to make him cards and buy him gifts. They love it! And I can't get through the day without the same photo every year. It's a great tradition! Happy Birthday Josh!

Abbys 10th Birthday

 

Abby turned double digits this year. What? Nope. I'm not believin' it. This means I only have one kid left in the single digit range and that's just scary to think about. So Abby. Oh my. What can I say about her? She is a character and a fun one at that! She dreams of being a teacher so much that she will bring extra math homework home because "teachers need math, mom." Her words. Not mine. She will spend an hour outside in the bitter cold collecting snow even though we only had a trace of it that stuck, so she can make a snowman or the biggest snowball she can forge. (See picture below.) She's nearly impossible to punish as nothing effects her (except cleaning to an extent) and she will blow your mind with the levels of sarcasm she can reach. But that is what makes Abby...well...Abby. And we love her for every ounce of her amazingness!

This year, she wanted an emoji cake so picked one off the ol' google search and that's what she got. She had a few friends over to celebrate her big day and to top it all off, she wanted math cupcakes to celebrate her birthday at school. No. Don't go back and reread that. I said MATH cupcakes. For real. The kids had to solve the problems (that all equaled 10...her age) before they could eat them. And they were blue...her favorite color. She had a great birthday and we are so blessed to have the honor of watching her grow into the amazing young lady she's becoming. What an amazing ten years! Happy Birthday Abby!

 

Giant snow ball created from barely any snow on the ground. Dedication.

Posing for the most dramatic picture she could manage.

Math cupcakes. LOL!

Singing happy birthday in the class...in opera style. It was frightening!

Wendy's for birthday dinner: Her choice!

Celebrating the actual birthday with a blue/green stuffed animal she chose and dessert. And homemade hand warmers courtesy of her dead leggings she cut up.

Friends on her birthday party.

She REALLy wanted this sloth stuffed animal...if you can tell.

The giant emoji cake...with blue glasses.

December 2017

December was full of...well...everything. It always seems that way when the end of the year hits though. This year, Alex started band and is currently playing my old trumpet. He's coming along on his playing so well! And with band comes concert time. Alex has his bad concert on the same day that Abby had her 4th grade music concert. It was actually pretty funny when they played the ugly sweater song. Abby's favorite part? Making an ugly sweater to wear. And I never even got her to wear it for a picture other than in the group shot here.

Alex's band concert

After the band and vocal concerts with my three turkeys.

I got the pleasure of being treated to a pretty snazzy haircut courtesy of Mandy for my early birthday present. It was by far the fanciest haircut experience I've ever had.

Then we got to go to see Santa and enjoy our annual trolley and carriage ride around the town. This year Josh had to work, so I took the kids by myself. We still had plenty of fun and it wasn't too bad of weather for the occasion.

 

 Then of course we had to make gingerbread houses from our traditional graham crackers and buttload of sugary goodness. I'm the only one that didn't even nibble a single bite when it was done. The kids, however, devoured them entirely.

A proud moment incoming! Alex was chosen as a Top Dog student at school. This basically means that he shows all the requirements and characteristics needed to be the best student he can be at school. This is a big deal as only one boy and one girl is chosen each month out of the school year. I am super-duper proud of this kiddo. He's a great kid and an AWESOME student. That's means we're doing something right. He gets certain privileges throughout the year including helping out Mr. Reynold's (the gym teacher who is seriously the best) and missing school to help out at the end of the year. He got to bring home the trophy for a month and it was filled with all sorts of goodies to celebrate him. Go Alex!

Josh and I celebrated our 16th anniversary. Seriously. How has it been this long? Poof! Time gone. We celebrated by going to see Star Wars: The Last Jedi at the balcony in our theater. Great time and a great movie! Happy 16th to us and many more to come!  (P.S. We never take selfies together.)

 Then there was the annual trip to the city light display that is always a favorite. We go out to eat at Wendy's, go Christmas shopping and then enjoy the lights. It's not a great picture, but it was a wonderful time.

Evie had another round of gingerbread house making at school. *sniff* the last Christmas party in Pre-K. :(

Christmas cookie decorating. Yum

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And the last Christmas singing concert in pre-K . *sniff*

 Christmas is always one of my favorite times of the year and this year did not disappoint. We have lots of traditions and each one is special. This year, we had most of my brothers around too which was fun. It was a great holiday season and went by way too fast. I miss it when it's gone (even if the tree is messy and annoying at times). I feel like I will blink and these pictures will have grown children in them with families of their own. I enjoy every minute and love the time we spend as a family. Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas cookie decorating the night before Christmas. Yum!

Alex and his loot.

Evie and her goodies.

Abby and her treasures.

Christmas Day at Grandma's house. Love it!

Evie sure does love Great Grandma!

I spent forever making this quilt for mom with all of Dad's old t-shirts. She cried. I cried. And I made pillows for all my brothers. It was a lot of work, but turned out to be one of the  best gifts I've ever got the joy of giving.

Christmas Eve and the annual Jammies present they get. New jammies are always fun!

Evie's 5th Birthday

Evie turned five years old. What?!? How did my littlest baby already turn five? This year Evie had quite the week of celebrating. It seems that the more years that pass, the longer the celebration of birthdays go. Maybe that's because of school. Or maybe I just really enjoy celebrating my kiddos' birthdays. Evie had her last birthday at pre-k and she wanted to have Christmas tree cookies. Odd, but I just rolled with it.

 

She got to go out with daddy for her birthday too, which I think she enjoyed a whole lot by the look on her face and the slitherio toy that she came home with. She could talk him into anything.

 

For her birthday party on the weekend, she wanted to have a Cloud Guy cake (the funny dude from the Trolls movie). And once again, I whipped up another overly decorated cake. It turned out great and she was super excited about it.

 

As she shares her birthday with my brother, she got to celebrate it (now that they live close to us) with her uncle Jeremy. I love this picture. :-)

 

She even got to invite her BFF from school, Vayda. The day was lovely enough to be outside for the messy cake eating. And her cousins all got to come and enjoy the party as well.

 And last of all, Thou whose birthday it is, chooseth the dinner. And natually, Evie chose Wendy's. It was a great day and she most certainly felt loved and celebrated. I can't believe that five years ago, I had this sweet little baby that came into my life and now she's this wonderful little kid with a fun personality and the sweetest little thing (most of the time). I'm super proud of her and can't wait to see how she grows. Happy Birthday miss Evie! We love you!

 Oh, and did I mention the giant cat she named Cookie that she bought with her birthday money from Uncle Aaron and Aunt Michelle?