Cliff's Notes 4: the rest of the birthday

What you have to know is that in our house, 1 party is just not enough to fully celebrate a birthday. So we have a small family party on the actual day, a friends party and a larger family party with grandparents. Depending on the year and day, we have been known to combine them, but then you get the mega party. Though it can be a little crazy, we are so thankful to be able celebrate our children in this way and so appreciate everyone who makes them special as well.
So above is Christopher's cake. He is always very specific about how his cake should be, and it always has a message written out. When he turned 4 he asked for a 4 layer chocalate cake with sprinkle frosting, crayon candles, and AR-MY GUY written on the top. This year he wanted a chocolate cake with white frosting with oreos on it with Star Wars legos on top and the side to read Webkinz Rule with all the names of his webkinz on it. I don't know where he gets it. But here it is.

He was so excited about his coonskin cap that Aunt Katie and Uncle Keith got for him, it also came with a pistol, and as you can see below Sammy got him a new pump action rifle. It was about time to stock the arsenal again. :)

And then, what birthday would be complete without a new webkinz. He ended up getting a new Cocker Spaniel and a Kangaroo. Thanks to everyone who made this day special. We love you all.

Cliff's Notes 3: The Birthday

Ok, so what do you get with 5 boys, Nascar Speedpark and shakes at the park? A great birthday party. They got to play a game of lasertag, do 1 race, and then took them to the park for shakes. Talk about easy and fun, they all had a great time. The funniest part was seeing the intense "I gotta win" looks on each of the boys faces as they went around the track.

Cliff's Notes 2

This is Ringo the Racoon, and Shasta the Husky. These are the pets of preference in our house, no shedding, vet bills, or food costs. Though it does cost my boys about 30 minutes a day of care in the virtual world. If you don't have a Webkinz in your house, you just don't know what you're missing.



Found these shirts and felt they were too good to pass up. If you have trouble reading the shirts, this is what they say:
Sammy- Getting in trouble, It's what I do best. (yes, we agree..)
Christopher- Whatever I did I'm sure I have a good excuse. (ain't that the truth)

Cliff's Notes

This post and the next, soon to follow, will give you just a quick glimpse into all the things I could blog about and forget to. So here you go...the cliff notes of blogging.


This is called "An Ode to Good Friends". Our good friends, the Whites, moved this spring leaving a pretty big void in our daily routine. The 2 o'clock door bell is sorely missed.








Then there was Easter, and who knows how many eggs. My in-laws always go all out for Easter with the boys. We are all so blessed by their generosity and love. (and so are the little animals that find the left over eggs that couldn't be found.)












2 little monkies hanging in a tree....T-R-O-U-B-L-E!!!!!
(This was taken on a tree in our soon to be yard.)

My Comedian

This is Sam. Sam is a comedian....or at least he is working on it. Yesterday I asked him to help rotate the laundry per these instructions. "Sam, can you take the clothes out of the dryer and put them on the floor in the hall and move the washer into the dryer." He cheerfully went and started doing what I asked. Then he calls me for help. So in I come and see him with his hands wrapped around the washer "trying" to lift it. I asked what he was doing, and his reply was "you asked me to put the washer in the dryer, but I can't pick it up..." Very funny my boy.

Humbled by the Sweetness

How kind it is of God to offer us reminders when in the midst of struggles. Today has been one of those very busy run around days which does not settle well with one of my children. As is the way of things, as the day went on he struggled more with his attitude which translates into my attitude. So when bedtime came and went and this child popped out of bed for the third time, I was about done. I was trying not to completely loose my temper, but as my child so apptly pointed out....I was not being very kind, and he did not like that. And then, and this is the best part, he stopped and turned to me and said, "Mommy, I think we need to pray for you, you are really struggling." . Then it gets better. He asked if I wanted to pray first, and just like an angry child, I said no. So he said ok, and this was the beginning of his prayer " Dear Jesus thank you for giving me such a wonderful mommy, please help her right now because she is really struggling. " At that point, I was just broken, and the Lord just softened my heart. (and yes, I did cry... which one of you wouldn't?) Afterwards, I prayed and asked him to forgive me for being angry, which he did. Then he went off to bed with a smile saying..." my prayers worked, Mommy is herself again". What more can I say. Sometimes the children we struggle with the most are the ones that God uses to bless us even more so.

Boys, and Tools, and Doors, Oh My..!

So one of my babies turned 9 on Friday. I just can't believe it...where has the time gone. It's so fun to watch them grow and change. Though some things probably never will. For instance a young boys' propensity to get into trouble. This is what I mean. Christopher got a great set of real tools for his birthday, which he was thrilled about. He decided Monday that he was the Lowe's guy and was looking for things to fix. All fine until I hear his calling me...."Mommmmmy, I need help" over and over again. No I don't run right away unless I hear pain, cause usually they are fine and need to help themselves anyway. On with the story, so I did decide to go and at least check because with tools and a boy, you just never know. Boy was I right. I found him in my bathroom with the door closed and locked and the doorknob on my side of the door on the floor and him looking through the hole where the knob belonged. At first my temptation was to be upset that he was taking apart my door, but then I was reminded that what can be taken apart can be put back together. So I told him to ask his brother for help on getting out. Not long after, I had a very proud boy, who had managed to rescue himself (with a little help from his brother), and learned how to install a doorknob.

So you probably thought it ended there. Well, you'd be wrong for you forgot that Tuesday was yesterday and said boy is still playing fixit guy. This time it was the toilet. They decided to take the lid off to see how it worked and see if any improvements could be made. Well, in the process, the lid fell on Christopher's hand, crushing his fingers, one in particular. After watching it swell up and turn all shades of blue and purple, we decided to splint it since it looked a bit like a break or fracture. He now has his first war wound and is happily sporting his "broken" finger for all to see. So for all of you boy owners out there, just be ready for the tools, because they will come.