Melissa turns 16!

This is what 16 looks like!

Melissa has been anticipating her 16th birthday for a while now. She was up bright and early to curl her hair before school. We had some yummy Lumberjack pancakes for her birthday breakfast.

Melissa opened a few gifts before she left for school that morning and wouldn't you know it they were all clothes!

 

Melissa's friends at school really went all out for her this year. They painted the rock for her with a famous line from the sitcom "The Office." They also threw her a surprise party during speech and made a shirt for her to wear around school all day. They wished her "Happy Birthday" over the intercom and she recieved balloons and gifts throughout the day.

That evening we opened up more gifts.

Our two January birthday girls.

 

 

 

After a yummy dinner we had cake. Melissa managed to blow out all of her candles at once. Hope she made a good wish!

She told me later that night that it was the best birthday ever and that she had such great friends. Little did she know that I had been secretly planning a surprise birthday party for her the next night with her best friend, Kelsi. We had been swapping emails for the past couple of weeks and I told Kelsi that if she handed out the invitations and came with some games to play I would provide the food and a place to have the party. I thought for sure that one of Melissa's friends would have slipped up and told her but they managed to keep a tight lip about the party. The night of her party I told her that she needed to stay home from the girl's basketball game and babysit. She threw the biggest fit! It was then that I knew that she had no clue about what was going on. She was so mad at me and was giving me the silent treatment. I just thought it was so funny because I knew that she would later regret her actions. Hannah and I would go into a separate room and laugh at the silent treatment she was giving me. Before we left for the supposed "work party" at the office she came into the living room and with tears in her eyes and gritted teeth she said that she was so mad and why didn't Zach have to stay home and babysit. Alan and I just smiled at her and left while Zachary and Melissa fought about who was a better person. (Zach knew nothing about the party.) I felt bad for Zach but I didn't have time to referee their fight. We met a couple of Melissa's friends at the office and decorated it together. We had a ton of food and treats that we could have probably feed twice as many kids. ( A lot of her friends involved in basketball couldn't come). Melissa kept texting  Tom Crozier at the party and saying that she had to stay home to babysit and she was so mad. He texted her back and said he had to stay home too. Alan later called her and told her that we forgot a liter of pop in the refrigerator and asked if she would bring it to the office for him. When she arrived she was told to park in the front because they were resurfacing the parking lot but she peeked around anyway and there are just some cars that are as big as boats and everyone knows who it belongs to that she saw parked there and it was then she began to wonder. She entered the office and I could see her peering through the door into the conference room. She came around to the other end and saw me first and kept saying over and over, "no way." She of course felt bad about her behavior and apologized over and over again. We were quick to forgive but Zach wasn't as willing. She had such a good time with her friends, eating, playing games and watching "The Lion King." Alan and I sat in an office and watched movies until midnight. We heard them frequently laugh, clap and sing. They are such a great group of kids and it took very little to entertain them. Melissa was VERY surprised and I was glad to be able to do it for her because she is a great kid and I know how important turning 16 is to a girl. Now boys on the other hand could care less.

 

 

Happy Birthday Melissa - hope it is one birthday you will never forget...

My Baby is 5!

This is what 5 looks like!

Allison was up before I was so she didn't get breakfast in bed. She did enjoy a pancake with a whipped cream smiley face on the birthday "Wonder Bread" plate.

 

 

 

Allison was anticipating the bump on the head.

Allie got a baby that cooed and gurgled.  Its eyes moved up and down as it was sucking on its pacifier and its chest rose up and down when it was sleeping. Zach thought that the baby was creepy and it died about 4 days later (batteries no longer worked).They just don't make them like they used to!

We love this book and the movie is great too.

Allie got a jeep that is powered by a battery. It is a little small for her but she manages to go around and around in circles out on the basketball pad.

Later that day we went swimming at Thousand Springs. We met Steve, Jaime and kids there. Jaime has this cool camera that we could take under water pictures with. We all had red eyes after swimming for opening our eyes up under water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After we got home we had a yummy dinner and cake and ice cream. Allison wanted a ladybug cake. She especially liked all of the candy on it. Jane and Leon stopped by for a quick visit later that evening after a baptism.

 

Allison has been so much fun to raise and I am so glad that she is a part of our family. She is still my best little buddy at home and no one can do it quite like her mommy can. She told me the other day when I left for a basketball game that she hates it when I go because it is no fun and boring at home. What a character. This year she has some major dental work to get done that we are not looking forward to. Also, she will be starting kindergarten this fall. It is hard to believe that she is old enough to do that. It is even harder to believe that I am old enough to have six kids with my youngest entering kindergarten and my oldest graduating from High School.  Time Flies when you are having fun! Happy Birthday Allison, we love you!

Christmas 2009

We spent Christmas Eve and Day at home this year. We love staying at home on Christmas! Christmas Eve was spent with my mom and dad and Jaime and Steve and their kiddos. We had prime rib, a yummy salad rolls and a ice cream, sprite drink. The food was great as well as the company. We acted out the story of Christ's birth and our little angel (Allison) would not join us until the end. What a character!

We all snuggled up together in our new jammies before we headed off to bed to dream of sugar plums in our heads!

Christmas day we agreed upon a wake up time of 6:30 a.m. We were all laughing about the time that the power went out last year and everyone overslept! I had them poise with their mad faces below. Dad was the last to join us - surprise there! When I came downstairs everyone was up watching cartoons with grandma and grandpa. We couldn't make anyone cry this year.

We always make them come up the stairs in order of birth. Sorry Zach you are always last! Maybe next year we will change it up some.

The adults are as eager as the children to see what Santa brought.

I believe that the children were all pleasantly surprised with their gifts. I vowed to not get as many gifts next year! It was crazy! I think a vacation would be a fun way to go next year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Melissa really wanted a princess coloring book too!

 

 

Rachel got some Ronald Dahl books that she had all read before school began again!

 

 

 

I think that the package was outwitting my dad.

 

I got to paint everyone's fingernails with new polish and nail art pens. It was a lot of fun!

Alan's favorite part is burning the boxes!

We had a wonderful Christmas together and are grateful for our six beautiful children that we got to spend it with. It was also fun to have my mom and dad stay with us. Family - that is what is all about.