The cake says it all…

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We were blessed to have some friends and family join us after church Sunday to celebrate Katriel’s 2nd birthday.
I never seem to take photos of the food even though that is what takes the most TIME to PREP!  LOL.
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She fully grasps the concept of gifts…
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And made a new bunny friend.
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A hat for the summer.
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And cake.
She knew how to blow out the candles.  She’d done it on her own just a few days prior.  But, in the moment, she just couldn’t do it.  Marie tried to help, as did I.  But we were not doing it properly, it seems. 

SO – Hanny leaned in and got the job done.  That cake was taking WAY TOO LONG to get on her plate!
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Because I care about my guests, I did NOT post the pictures of the men in party crowns.  But they wore them well.  😉

Time and tacos

Marie and I had a rare chance to go shopping together.  We looked for, and found, bathing suits.  (Another provision of Jesus.)
We went to Taco Bell.  She’d never been there and we had fun trying to figure out what might be yummy on the menu.

We had a fun time together.  I’m so blessed.
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Laura Ingalls?

I crept to her room to tuck her in and kiss her goodnight after getting home moments after bedtime.
I found her “writing” by “candlelight”.
How do people not like kids?
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our sweet ducky is two

Birthdays start early in our house.  We “woke” Katriel with a birthday song and dressed her up in her “Minnie” clothes.
She was excited to see balloons and decorations, but was mostly hungry and asking for breakfast.
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Nan was over early and brought her present then.  Hanny volunteered to help her open it.
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It was pretty much a normal day from then on.  Dinner was pancakes and sausage.  It took ForEVer to make the pancakes as I had forgotten that I was down to one griddle.  It was a mess of a day, really…
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She enjoyed a birthday phone call.
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Then a few gifts. 
A microphone from Nene. 
And a dress, some sneakers, and GOLDFISH from Mommy and Daddy.
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I think the Goldfish were her favorite part.
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And cake.  There is always cake. 
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Singing Stew

I’m not sure which came first.
Stewart wanted to join the choir.
Stewart wanted a suit.

He got both.
The suit was a special gift from God.  After finding nothing that would work at Goodwill, and me not being willing to spend $80-150 on one, we’d all but given up.  Then, as I was walking out of Macy’s with him a thought popped in my head.  Amazon.
In about 3 minutes this was on the way to our house.  $33.  They only had one and it was his size.  Found it on the first hit.
Pretty cool. 
Thank you, Jesus.
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A jewel Stewart found…

Stewart likes to reread through the blog.

This morning he found this oldie.  We all got a chuckle out of it.

So I am reposting it.

Nice to know I hated snow as much 7 years ago!

Remember:
Beau is Stewart
Champ is Nigel
Skeezix is Marie
Angel is Tabitha

 

 

 

November 21, 2008

Snow and sisters!

There are a few rules in our house about the great outdoors.
Number one is you may not play outside without an adult before you are pushing four and then it has to be with your older sibling(s).
Number two is Mom doesn’t go out in the cold unless you are in trouble.

Every once in a while I have been known to bend the rules. Not often. You can count that on one hand. I’ve taken smaller kids outside a few times just to take a photo and say we did. I did it when Beau was pushing two. Did it when Beau was four, Champ was two and Skeezix was a few months old. That day (evening actually) was fantastic. We slid down the driveway on the ice in our sleds. We miss our cul-de-sac! And today was the third time.

So today I was feeling like I should let Angel experience some of the “joy” of winter.

The big kids have been playing out all week and I think she thought she was missing something.

So we ravaged the closed and found enough gear to properly dress her. Navy pants, pink coat, green gloves, Mickey Mouse boots, a royal blue snood. She was good to go.

What about Mom? It was a bit too cold for my driving jacket and leather gloves. I don’t own a hat of my own. I put on one of JB’s hats, one of Skeezix’s scarves (it mostly fit!) some of JB’s old mittens and two coats. What about my feet? Okay – I remember that I DO own boots. I usually just wear sneakers when I snowblow the driveway. But I do own some. They aren’t my size, but a few years ago I saw boots on sale at Kmart for $1.99 a pair. They didn’t have my size, but they did have some 1 – 1½ times larger. That is better than smaller! So I have boots that I think I have worn 2 or 3 times. But where are they? I headed to the basement to find them. Headed over to the shoe tote. I threw open the lid. And what I saw brought tears to my eyes.

WATERSHOES! Beautiful watershoes! And SANDALS. Lovely sun-faded sandals.

I am definitely a summer person.

*sigh*

I did find the boots. I slid them on and out we went. Boy was it fun — not.
Angel was not impressed. Granted there wasn’t enough snow for real sledding. She may like that better. The kids’ best fun is from going down the slide in their snow pants. They WHIP down that thing!



NOW before you judge me too harshly… remember I’m a good mom the other three seasons of the year! Remember those amazing cakes I make them on their birthdays? 😉

And here is a WONDERFUL sister story.

We have been going back and forth about the bedroom situation. I will spare the details. When to put the girls together, what kind of bed to get them, and when will Angel stop peeing herself at night? So last night after I read the girls a bunch of books on Skeezix’s bed and boy is that thing comfortable. It is a double bed recently given to us from my mom. I turned to Angel and asked her if she wanted to sleep with Skeezix. She LOVED the idea. Skeezix was a bit less enthusiastic. She likes to fall asleep the minute her head hits the pillow. So I put down a liner and got her pillow and to bed they went.

There were three interruptions.

The first one came a few minutes after light’s out. Skeezix came running down to tell me Angel was talking to her. I went back and reminded them the rules. I then stood outside the door to see if I heard anything.

About 90 seconds later Skeezix comes charging out in the hall and was surprised to see me. She tells me, “She’s talking again!” I don’t believe she was and I say so. I think her breathing was bugging Skeezix. Tucked back in.

About 5 minutes later, Skeezix comes out to say it happened again. So we put Angel back in her room. Or tried to. She went ballistic. Tears, sobbing, inability to breathe. She was out of control with sadness. I calmed her down and said we could try again tomorrow night. “No Mommee, now. I sleep wiff Rie. I doan talk no more. Wiwwy. I doan talk no more. Peeeez.” Sob. Sob. Sob.

Well, she is the baby of the family. I took her back in and tucked her in.

This morning I hear feet on the stairs at 6:10AM. Skeezix with her usual morning search for Daddy [see previous post about this.] But it really was WAY too early. Then I hear the feet come back up and into my room. Just as she opens the door to my room I faintly hear Angel’s voice down the hall. Skeezix stands there with her hands on her hips. Oblivious of the time, obviously. “SHE’S TALKING AGAIN MOM! PUT HER IN HER OWN ROOM! SHE SAYS SHE DON’T PEE ON ME.” Pee? Pee? That is code word for Mom-get-out-of-bed. So I jump out of bed and there is Angel in the doorway. Holding herself and saying, “I no pee on Rie Mommee. I no pee on Rie.” I said, “Do you have to pee now?” “YES!” she replied as she beelined for the bathroom!

She was so proud of herself. I tried to tuck them back in, but about 20 minutes later they were up for the day.