Communal With Grandpa Greg

Yesterday (Thanksgiving day) was grandpa Greg's birthday, so tonight our family took him out to eat at Communal, a nice restaurant in Provo. We tried lots of dishes that were shared. Like, Halibut, steak, scallops, lobster pasta, kale salad, meats and cheese plate, and brussel sprouts. The food was amazing and so fun to try all of those things with family.

Another Teenager In The House

For Lucy's birthday she wanted to invite some cousins over and just have fun together. Some of the things they did were make paper flower pens, played the squirt bottle game, had a photo shoot, and ate lunch. 

The girl's: Jacqueline, Chloey, Breanna, Kandus, Brynley, and Lucy.

Lucy was so excited to see her cousins. She especially missed Chloey and hadn't seen her since the 4th of July. For her birthday she asked for a 3D pen and absolutely loves it. It totally fits her creative personality. It was such a fun day.

Lucy Is Thirteen!

Lucy, I know you were kidding around in this picture, but I wanted you to know that you truly remind me of a rainbow, full of color and spark. Your happy personality brings so much life to our family. Just like a rainbow! Never stop being you, blunders and all. We need Lucy just the way she is.

I love you so much Luce and I am so proud that I get to be your mom.

Celebrating Lucy

Lucy's colorful personality

A Birthday Hat Surprise

Dae was surprised with birthday hats for his 45th birthday. Three of them. Plus one crown. He was a good sport trying them all on for a picture.

An Apple pie made by Lucy and I. She was so excited to help with his pie, she made me wait until after school and her piano lessons were over.

(The master on his throne)

A Long Time Sneaking And A Birthday

Lucy: "Mom, I woke up at 6:10 in the morning, but it took me a really long time to sneak out(one hour)."

As you can see something was planned here in advance. Lucy and Deac woke up bright and early on a Sunday to decorate for Skipper's birthday and make her things before she woke up. Lucy was able to sneak out of the room without waking Kandus up too early and make her curious.

 Lucy made the sweet 16 birthday banner and Deac made her a giant ninja star.

Saturday night, the day before her birthday, we went out to celebrate. She chose dinner at JCW's, the new Spider-Man- Homecoming movie at Watergardens, and cupcakes from Alisha's afterwards. It was a really fun night together as a family.

I hope, just what she wanted. 

Sixteen

Gifts and Red Lobster

The morning of my birthday I awoke to several notes from the kids. They mean so much to me. Deacon also made me these Spider-Man glasses which I am modeling.

 For dinner we went to Red Lobster as a family. I love that place.

 A chocolate cake for dessert, of course.

I'm Forty

In Preparation For My Birthday

When my mom asked for a recent picture of me for my birthday coming up, I realized that they were really sparse. It makes sense, I am usually the one behind the camera...

In fact, when I really thought about it, it had been a while since I had been involved in a dress up "occasion" like the kids and I used to do...I really miss that. I'm not going to lie, for a while I felt sad that I hadn't taken the time with them, at least being on the other end of the camera with them once in a while. When I mentioned it to the girls and told them that I couldn't find a recent picture besides a stupid duck face, they were all over the idea of dressing me up that very night. For my birthday.

I asked for a cool bird eye like Skipper did to Lucy a couple months ago, I thought it looked so cool. And for my short hair...I mentioned braids and that crazy hair was best. I could never make myself be serious all the time. Laughing is just way too fun. I ended up giving my mom a few pictures from a couple years ago and also this picture below.

I will be turning forty in a couple days. In case you were wondering, that's 280 in dog years.

Forty years old is monumental, right?...I may be getting older and hopefully wiser, but I definitely hope I will always hold on to my goofiness.

A Two Digit Birthday

For Deac's 10 year old birthday, he invited Noah to be his birthday comrade.

The plan for the evening was to play on the trampoline,

EAT PIZZA,

open presents(nerf gun from Noah, bunchems from Lucy, ornage disc from Dae, giant bubbles not shown from Kandus, and a skate board coming in the mail tomorrow...that I picked out a day too late:/)

go to Hang Time(one of his favorite places on earth),

and then come home and eat birthday doughnuts and ice cream!!

It was such a fun night!

Two Digits

Deac came up to me shortly after he woke up this morning, as happy as ever, and proudly announced, "Mom, I'm two digits!"

To Deac: Did you know, your dad and I BOTH remember saying that very same thing when we turned 10? I remember thinking it was the coolest thing ever to not be only one lowly number anymore. Two digits is monumental! 

Deac, I want you to know how much I love you. How much fun I have talking and laughing with you, and listening to all of your genius ideas for building and fixing things. You make our family a happy place that I love. It wouldn’t be the same without you. I am amazed by your kindness and desire to be a respectful person. Those things are so important. Don’t ever stop being you. We need you. Love you always, mom.