Birthday Bash Weekend


We had a fun week/end celebrating both Reilly and Kameron's birthdays. Because their birthdays fell during the week we did most of our celebrating on the weekend...but not all.

Reilly on her actual birthday...those Oreo Cakesters come in handy!!

I got to attend Reilly's Middle School for their Veteran's Day Assembly. Reilly's Honor Choir was performing. They did a great job. Reilly was a soloist on the song "American Tears" and did a beautiful job. I don't know how she does it. She also sang with the Young Women in Sacrament Meeting on Sunday and her voice was just gorgeous. I can't believe she is a Mia Maid now. Stake Dances here she comes!!

Kameron lucked out in that his birthday falls on Veteran's Day...which means...NO SCHOOL!! The kids got a four day weekend which was fun.

Reilly made this cake for Kameron...on his actual birthday

Kameron's birthday also fell on "flu shot day" but things worked out ok because the big kids were able to get the nasal spray...and only Elle, Tyler and Bryn got the shots. Then it was off for ice cream at Baskin-Robbins.

Check out these two attempting to break into the ice cream freezer.

TEAMWORK!!

Earlier that day Elle and Bryn had a little play date and they were so cute!! They were parading around in their "high heels" and purses.

Even while watching their "movies" the high heels and purses were in their clutches!!

We had a family birthday dinner yesterday to celebrate Reilly and Kameron. Their dinner requests were:

Broccoli Divan
Over-the-Rainbow Macaroni and Cheese
7-Layer Dip
Dr. Pepper
Grape Crush
White Birthday Cake with Lemon Filling and Cream Cheese Frosting
Lemon Meringue Pie

(Yes...we are still recovering from this dinner!!)

And...just in case you thought all the birthday fun was over...WRONG!! We still have our big Harry Potter Extravaganza next weekend. Can't wait!!

Tyler and I also managed to squeeze in about 75% of our Christmas Shopping, Family Pictures, Cub Scout Food Drive, YW Fundraiser, take the kids out for breakfast, go out to dinner with our friends the Thumstedters, and do a few home repairs. It was a very productive and fun weekend!!

Happy Birthday you two!!

Happy 10th Birthday To the COOLEST Kid I Know!!



Today is Kameron's 10th birthday...double digits. How much do I love this kid? More than he will ever know. I am so thankful for this boy. He is such a calm in the middle of the whirlwind. He is always easy-going and laid back...as the drama swirls around him...he just kicks back and grins. I love this quality about Kameron. I love how thoughtful and kind he is...he is such a great brother and friend. His sisters adore him. He and Reilly have a fun time hanging out together; Ailey thinks he hung the moon (she has stopped calling him "her prince" at Kameron's request but is still trying to figure out why she can't marry him--HA!!); and Bryn is absolutely smitten. There are many times when he is the only one she wants. He is Tyler's buddy and right-hand man and my precious son. This is one boy who is truly sweet to his momma...EXCEPT when you wake him up in the morning...then not so much!! He is NOT a morning person.

Kameron, you exude coolness in all that you do. I hope someday to be as cool as you!!

Kameron also earned his Bear in Cubscouts and is now a Webelo. So exciting!!

Kamers you ROCK and we love you VERY MUCH!!

A song for my Roni (as in Kameroni)-- You know you love it. Don't even try to deny it. :)

K is for Kameron Hooray!! Hooray!!
Kameron was born on Veteran's Day
And Mommy and Daddy and Reilly (and Ailey and Bryn all say)
Hooray!! Hooray!! Hooray!!

K is for Kameron Hooray!! Hooray!!
Kameron is smiley all of the day
And Mommy and Daddy and Reilly (and Ailey and Bryn all say)
Hooray!! Hooray!! Hooray!!

Happy 14th Birthday Reilly



Your 13th year nearly killed Dad and I but we SURVIVED and so did you!! Miracle. So now you are a year older and Dad and I are more senile and haggard but you have broken us in for your brother and sisters. We are happy to say that so far things are looking good for #14. You have matured a lot in the past few month and we are so proud of the delightful young woman you are becoming. We are proud of all that you have accomplished and are continuing to accomplish.

If there is anything that is your special gift in life it is bringing laughter and humor into our lives. So while there may never be a dull moment with you...usually you have us laughing. As I looked at your beautiful face this morning and thought about how fast 14 years has gone it caused me to have a slight panic attack...just thinking that next year you will be in high school. Wow. You are a gift in our lives and we love you VERY MUCH!!

FYI--even though Dad put the gag order on me when I began regaling you about how much I enjoyed being fourteen and why...just know...Fourteen was fun!! ;)

Trip Down Memory Lane:


I dedicate this song to you...sung in falsetto...as I know you enjoy.

I love-a-love-you
Yes I do
love-a-love-you
Yes I do
Love-a-love-you


Happy Birthday Rye!!

Pigs Are Flying


Okay...so I just had the most bizarre experience occur...one I thought would NEVER happen. I called the temple today to have a name added to the prayer roll and the lady I was talking to was rude. Is that even possible? If there is one thing that can always be counted on...like the sun coming up in the morning...it is that temple workers are nice and friendly. Apparently not always.

I called the temple this afternoon to add the name of someone who could use a few extra prayers right now. I called while driving but was using my hands-free device...no laws were broken here. Now when the lady answered I could barely hear her and assumed we had a bad connection. Don't ever assume...as the old adage goes. I attempted to speak clearly so as to convey my information despite our connection issues.

Here is our conversation:

Temple Worker Lady: Thank you for calling the ________ Temple. How may I help you?

Me: I would like to have a name added to the prayer roll please.

Her: Silence.

Me: The name is _________.

Her: Silence

I then began spelling the first name.

I was half way through spelling this person's name when Temple Worker Lady interrupted me and said:

"Ma'am!! COULD YOU SPEAK MORE QUIETLY!!" (The capital letters indicate her extreme annoyance with me.)

I was shocked into silence. I wasn't speaking loudly...but I was attempting to aim my voice up at the viser where the hands-free device is located and to speak clearly. Apparently a big mistake!! Huge.

Me (in an embarrassed hushed voice): I am SO SORRY!! I am talking on my cell-phone and had no idea. I apologize.

Her: Silence.

Me: Thank you.

Her: Good-Bye.

Egads!! I think I have done the impossible...provoked a temple worker to rage. I have never ever seen one show one iota of irritation EVER. And believe me I can be trying...I am continually turned around, confused and going in the wrong direction...and they are always so sweet.

Who knew that someone calling the temple...on the other end of the line...could be so loud as to disturb the reverence of the temple?

So now you know...when you call the temple WHISPER!!

Temple Worker Lady I humbly apologize!!

Halloween 2010

It's the Halloween Hangover at our house this morning. Exhausted parents, cranky kids, candy wrappers everywhere and I'm covered in hives. PAR-TAY. Halloween has been a three day event this year.

This year we had:

A Twilight Volturi Vampiress

Darth Maul

A cheerleader

A ballerina...having a meltdown. Bryn wasn't loving our little photo shoot.

I spent Friday at the elementary school running madly from Kameron's room to Ailey's room. I helped set up and decorate Kameron's room and I was in his class for the first part of the afternoon. Then I ran over to Ailey's classroom where I was in charge of pumpkin bowling. It was fun to be able to help with both parties. I particularly love the Halloween Parade. All the kids were so cute in their costumes.

Crystal...room mother extraordinaire

Kameron's class

Kam and two of his buddies

Ailey and her buddy Max

Then Friday night was the Halloween Carnival at the Church

There was a cake walk, fish pond, face-painting, games, crafts and trick-or-treating inside. The kids had a great time!!

Reilly and the Young Women were in charge of face painting...Doesn't she look thrilled? Is she strangling Ailey or painting her face?

Ailey and her friend Taryn

Once Bryn got into the festivities there was no stopping her

Once she figured out that people were giving her CANDY she was a madwoman!!

My friend Janyse in her costume. Her husband is a P.A. and she WILLINGLY put that cast on. Just looking at it made me hyperventilate.

Then Saturday Tyler and I were running around madly getting birthday presents...Reilly and Kameron's birthdays are right around the corner. We did manage to squeeze in a much needed early sushi dinner date before it was time for Trunk-or-Treat. Reilly ditched us this year and went to a Halloween Party with her friends. She got to stay out until 11pm. Her latest curfew yet.

This was probably the best Trunk-or-Treat of all time. We crashed the trunk-or-treat of another ward in our stake...as did quite A LOT of other people. There were probably about 4 different wards represented...with Halloween on a Sunday we had to squeeze in all the trick-or-treating we could get!! The kids scored big in the candy department.

Tyler

Hands down the best costumes of the night!! Our friends Chris and Valynn.

Then we headed over to Kelley's house for a visit and to drop off a little treat for Elle. Kelley-Post some pictures of Elle in her butterfly costume.

Sunday was the Primary Program which turned out fantastic. One of the best ones I've ever seen. All the kids were singing their hearts out and almost everyone had their parts memorized. My cute little class of darling four year-olds did a great job. Kameron and Ailey were AWESOME. They both had their parts memorized and spoke loudly and clearly. It was a great program.

Sunday night we had our spooky Halloween dinner of:

Ghost Lasagna
Witch fingers dipped in the blood of disobedient children
Pumpkin Juice
Baby Pumpkins for Dessert

Now it's time to clean the house, hide the candy, take a nap, and go to my doctor's appointment. I hope your Halloween was as wild and eventful as ours was...now onto two birthdays, Thanksgiving, and...gulp...Christmas!!

Weekend at Grandma's


This past weekend we spent Friday night and Saturday at my mom's house. We were joined by Stacey and her kids, Kelley and Elle. My mom and her husband Ken live in such a great house in a gorgeous area of the Pacific Northwest. Walking into my mom's home is like walking into a magazine. It is beautifully decorated, lots of fantastic food to eat, fun things to do and great company. We love spending time there.

Here's a little peek inside:

Kitchen

Check out her cool hanging pot rack made from a sled.

And...the banquette Ken made for their dining room. Very cozy.

I love the shelves on the end for my mom's cookbooks.

Look at their amazing garden...and you can see part of their fire pit.

The weekend was cold and rainy. When we arrived on Friday we had homemade pizza and my mom made personal huckleberry pies in little canning jars. So good. She also had fun glow bracelets for the kids, and when it stopped raining our kids had a ball running around outside playing night games and and so did Tyler and I. She has a great yard for night time "hide and seek"...with woods directly behind the house. Perfect for a cold spooky October night!!

We got up early the next morning and walked the long bridge over beautiful Lake Pend Oreille.

Ken, Mom, Me and Reilly

So beautiful even on a cold and gray morning

The purpose for our visit was a warehouse antiques sale that one of our vendor friends was having. My mom and I did find some great items for our next sale which will be a Christmas Sale in Palouse, WA the first Saturday in December. We also hit a few other places and found enough stuff to fill the back of her car. Woohoo.

When we got back Stacey, Kelley, their kids and my grandma had arrived. We had a fun day together, eating and catching up. It was fun to have a family dinner. When we all lived in Utah we had a family dinner every Sunday night. We all miss it. My grandma looked good and stayed cozy by a crackling fire.

Bryn, Tyler and Elle. These girls are growing up so fast!!

All my mom's costume/dress-up boxes were raided and some fun Halloween costumes were put together. My mom fashioned a fantastic Twilight inspired Illuminati Vampire costume for Reilly.

River and Ailey

Bryn, River and Ailey

We headed home late Saturday night and then on Sunday night Tyler and the kids carved their pumpkins.

The Jack-O-lanterns turned out very cool and spooky. Halloween is in the air!!