Chris is 30!!!

Chris is like a Scrooge when it comes to his own birthday. He doesn't like it at all and this year was the big 3-0. All year I've been fretting over what to give him to make it special and memorable. I mentioned to my mom that the thing he'd like most would be a get away with me but I wasn't sure who I could get to watch my kids. She volunteered to come out and make a visit to us around that time, perfect! Now work... Who would I talk to? Ideally I'd like to take him away and fly somewhere warm. I'd been feeling him out for awhile trying to see how much time he could take off from work and it wasn't looking good so I opted to stay local and do a one night escape.

I had everything set for a Friday. I'd go into his work around 2 or 3:00 and steal him away for a romantic dinner and night:). Well, the day before he started feeling sick with chills and sore throat. It reminded me of my strep throat I'd had earlier in November so I immediately insisted on taking him in to be checked. Sure enough it was strep. We got him on antibiotics and he should be feeling better and not contagious within 24 hours. Bummer, I couldn't surprise him from work but at least we caught it in time.

All day Friday he looked and felt horrible. I kept waiting for him to turn a corner but he never did. I called the place we were staying at to see if we could move our reservations to Saturday instead and they said yes. So I left it up to Chris. Said, "surprise" told him my initial plans and asked him his preference. He chose to defer to Saturday.

By then he still wasn't feeling the greatest. His throat still hurt so he didn't really enjoy dinner but we still had a wonderful night and slept til our natural alarm clocks woke us up (8:00).

For his actual birthday it started with gifts then off to work.

At work I had a surprise lunch party set up for him and some of his closer co-workers. Chris was surprised and didn't suspect it at all. Our getaway distracted any thought he may have had towards a "party". His reaction wasn't big and I only got a little clip before the camera died, but here's what I got

I had 30 pictures up of him where people could guess his age in each picture. It was fun to see Chris through the years.

Michelle, Jason, and Landon (Goose Island root beers:)

Omar, Angela, and Anne

Keith

Last year Chris requested Boston Cream Pie and he seemed to like it so I made it again this year.

Later that night he wanted to go to Zoo Lights. It was a beautiful evening and we all enjoyed.

You've still got it at 30 Babe! I love you!

Jared Turned Six!

This little/big guy is six!!!

His birthday was at the beginning of December and he was so excited. So excited that he ran right past his presents and didn't notice them at all.

When riding his bike this summer it was apparent that he needed a new bike. Whenever we went on family bike rides he would be pedaling quickly non stop just to keep up to Chris and my coasting speed. Now instead of his little 12" bike he now has a 20" bike. We've taken it out a few times and it's a little big making it difficult to start and stop but he'll figure out soon...hopefully:). He wasn't as excited about the bike as I thought he'd be, he was much more into his legos and dagedar stuff.

At school I was excited to bring in his treat. His teacher said I could make the treat as long as it didn't have peanuts. I knew immediately what I wanted to make and it didn't take too much convincing to get Jared on board. My favorite birthday treat that my mom made as a child was her carmel popcorn around a sucker. We arrived at Jared's school just as they were coming in from recess.

For the most part it was well liked, but I may need to reconsider what age is appropriate to serve this dessert to. It took the kids a long time to eat and it was really sticky.

After school we came home to get ready for his party. Over two months before his party Jared knew he wanted a rock and roll party. I really liked how Spencer's homemade invites had turned out and wanted to do something "homemade" as well. As I was trying to figure it out Chris was totally instrumental in helping my pull it off. He gave me the idea of making a backstage pass and then as I was making it he pretty much told me what graphic and font to use. I got so many compliments from them to which I took no credit and gave it all to Chris.

For his cake I made a guitar cake... twice. I was just finishing up the guitar strings when I hit the corner of the pan and it flipped right on the floor.

The kids were in bed, I screamed felt like crying but what do you do... Make another one. I was crunched for time so Chris suggested I buy a cake to which I immediately refused (you can't buy a guitar cake!)

We invited only the boys from his class. I thought this would help on the numbers game. We still had 10 boys show up. Crazy? Um... Yes! But they all had a blast and it was a success. They went crazy when the pinata broke, they ate lots of pizza, and danced and rocked out with their inflatable guitars.

Right after the pinata broke. No picture of the pinata, it was boring and not cool at all.

The completed guitar cake second round.
Then after everyone had left we headed over to our neighbor's house to trim her tree. What a fun filled day. Success? You bet!
Jared's favorite things these days are video games, Captain Underpants, and legos. He loves sports and dancing. I love how he interacts with his siblings. Little Miles mimics everything he does and looks up to him so much. I love his energy, laugh, smile, hugs, and love for little children. He loves babies and wouldn't mind another sibling, as many or more than his cousin scottie (7 kids), but I've informed him that's not happening any time soon. He's a good first child... forgiving and full of love:) Love you J-Rod!

Spencer is FOUR!!!

Birthdays stress me out. My kids are at the age where they want birthday parties and I can't just give them anything without them caring. I worry about the party and what I'm going to do, who I'm going to invite, having a plan and making sure I have everything. And for presents I stress about getting them something just right. I hate spending money on items that are played with for a day and thrown to the side in less than a month or worse a week.

I wasn't keen on inviting all of Spencer's class but who should I invite from the class. There are only four other boys (of whom I don't talk much with their mom's) so I didn't want to just do boys. So the whole class it was! But I learned my lesson with Jared's party last year. Presents are welcome! I really don't like having kids bring presents but honestly if I would've said no presents we'd have 15 kids +parents in our home. (I have not yet been able to justify $200-500 parties held at a "cool" facility).

I wanted to have the party on his birthday but back in September he got an invite to a birthday party on his birthday. Seriously! Some people are on top of things. Three weeks early! So we had his party on Friday. I bought pirate invitations and after paying $15 I decided I could do better and cheaper too:) Here was the outcome:

I also made his pirate cake:

And a pirate pinata:

The decor for the party:

Action shots at the party:

Take note of the girl in brown with polka dots at the head of the table. I will refer to her later in the post:)

His actual birthday was packed! I slept in til 7:15 when the boys woke up, made waffles, opened presents:
Went to a party from a girl, Abbey, in Spencer's class. They had a magician there and it was entertaining and the kids loved it.
When leaving the party Abbey ran up to Spencer and gave him a hug good-bye, ran away, and then ran back and gave him a kiss on the cheek to which Spencer wiped his cheek off with his sleeve.

Then we were on our way to a boy's birthday party, Sean, from Jared's class at Lil' Kickers. Traffic was bad and we were already running late. It took us about 30 mins to get to our next location to which Jared was relentless in talking about the kiss Spencer received. "Why did she kiss him?" "Spencer do you want to kiss her back? On the lips?" "Do you want to marry her?" "I think I may have been kissed before." etc...

We finally arrived 30 mins late. Jared played soccer with friends while Spencer, Miles and I watched. While eating pizza they got the inflatables out. Spencer and Miles joined in on the action this time. They had a blast! Below is Jared, Tadgh, and Spencer on a giant slide (the favorite).

Then we came home, played with presents (legos, Dagedars, Phineas and Ferb figurines, balls, and walkie talkies). I only made one cake and Chris picked up four gourmet cupcakes that we ate on his birthday.
We all went to bed exhausted and happy. Happy birthday little Man!

And real quick I wanted to post a little more about Spencer... This man has turned a corner this past four to six months and he is so much enjoyable! Not that I didn't enjoy Spencer before, he just whined all the time. And I don't know why, but nothing gets to my nerves more than whining. He still whines but it's more normal and not excessive. He talks so much more. I love his conversations, I love his expressions, I love his giggles, I LOVE being his mom.

Somethings I want to remember about Spencer:

"Mom, I like you"

"Will you play with me? Say yes"

"Can I have some candy, say yes"

He loves school. Never has he complained or not wanted to go.

He likes to tell you what to say when playing with him.

Gets along wonderfully with girls, seriously!

Loves lasagna and lasagna bread (french bread)

Loves his primary teacher at church Sister Monson and therefore so do I!

Loves candy, always asking for it and is he my child that will sneak it and hide and eat it

Loves Wild Kratts

Everyday he asks for a frozen strawberry

Can't wait to pick up Jared from school

One of his favorite books is the chapter book of Peter Pan

He's a cuddle bug. He loves me to hold him and just snuggle.

Very sensitive, sweet hearted, tender little man:)

I love you Spencer James!

Jared's Four!

I can't believe he really is four. I miss those days when he was a baby but love him as a little boy. Chris and I looked at each other one day and it hit us that Jared is no longer a toddler but a little boy! I love how I can talk with him and have conversations.

The last few days I've had little conversations here and there that I've loved. One I was asking him questions about school and asking him the rules he has to follow. He was telling me a bunch of the rules and got to one,
"Don't throw rocks... or blocks cause then you have to go to the thinking chair."
I then asked, "Did you have to go to the thinking chair?"
Jared, "Yeah, I threw a block at Bryan."
Me, "Oh, that's not very nice I hope you didn't mean to. Do you have to go to the thinking chair often?"
Jared, "No, I don't like it."
Me silently, "few!"

Some other not so cute conversations but cute at the same time:
Jared, "You're a bad mom!"
Me, "I'm sorry, why am I a bad mom."
Jared, "You say bad words and put me in time out."
Me, "What bad words do I say."
Jared, "You say no, and that's a bad word."
Me with inner chuckle or relief, "I'm sorry Jared but I have to try and teach you sometimes."

I don't like to say no too much, I'd rather say yes but I guess I say maybe or later a lot because whenever Jared asks for something or to do something he hates it when I say later or maybe. He replies, "No not maybe either yes or no!"

This little boy is my little boy and still after four years sometimes it strikes me as weird that I'm a mom and that he really loves me as his mom and doesn't want anyone else to be his mom. Even when he's mad at me for being a bad mom. When he tells me I'm a bad mom I ask him if he wants someone else to be his mom and I name a few of his friends mom's names. He says he doesn't want any of them. In fact one time he told me, "You're a bad mom. But you can still be my mom." I love you Jared and will always love you and I hope you always love me just like you do now, even when you think I'm a bad mom:)

Birthday Day: Opening Presents Eating Chocolate Waffles Eating Cupcakes at school Day 2: Party!

You'd think a home made pinata would break! They ended up punching it and Chris helped it out a bit. (It also didn't help that we couldn't find Jared's bat so they used this stick with a pony on one end. A little awkward for three and four-year-olds.) The loot.

And of course cake and ice cream. Jared chose an airplane and has his 5 and 6 year birthday cakes picked out too. (I need to stop doing chocolate cakes, they look horrible with the icing.)

Jared's taught me a lot. I really do need to become as a little child and be like Jared. I'm going to share a story that I'm so, so ashamed of myself but proud of Jared.

When getting ready for his party I thought it'd be fun to make a pinata together. After the second of three coatings of newspaper and goop Jared was playing around with it while it was drying and punched it and dented it which also popped the balloon inside. Needless to say I was not very happy. I got after him in not the kindest way to which he replied sadly with his head down, "I guess I won't get a pinata. Sorry mom. It's my fault." And how did I respond? "You bet you won't!" I continued to be frustrated and not very nice to which I'm so ashamed of myself.

Later I repented and felt HORRIBLE! We decided to try and fix it. That too was a little frustrating as I tried to apply the third coat as it kept con caving in everywhere without the pressure of the balloon, but I was able to be a little better. So Jared got a funky looking pinata and I got taught a huge lesson. I love you Jared and ALWAYS will!