Back to Normal, Whatever that Is

I have no pictures to share.  My floor is clean.  The clothes are clean.  The kids bedrooms are clean.  The toliets are clean.  A hula hoop fort is finally made.  The I Spy bags are finally made.  We went to Cabela's last night for family home evening and got some catfish bait and hooks... and maybe a new pole.  Spring is in the air.  Then we had a lesson on talking kindly and now they are trying to fill up a goldfish bowls with "warm fuzzies" from talking kindly to earn a pet goldfish.  I think it will be a help.  I am so glad to have birthday fun over and now back to real life.  This week I need to make the boys bow ties for Jessica's wedding.  I am going to try and new chicken chili recipe and a savory breakfast muffin recipe.  I am hoping Jake can finish the lego table.  The weather should be fabulous so I am planning on taking the kids to Thanksgiving point barn on Friday... Jake is working late.  I took Isaac and Sam last week and they had a blast.  I lied... I do have pictures.   

Tomorrow starts spring.  Happy Spring!

Isaac's Birthday Party

Isaac's birthday party was the Wednesday after his birthday.  He was really ready for all the fun.  He wanted a rocket party.  The weather was lovely so the kids played outside shooting their rockets the majority of the time.  He had cupcakes with aliens and rockets on them.  It was mostly family and two boys from church and of course the Waites who I consider family.  I think Isaac had a blast.  I tried to keep it simple.... I'll do better next time. Thanks Trisa for icing the cupcakes, Katrina for cutting veggies, Heather and Ruth for tying parachute men and keeping the party rolling.  I couldn't have made Isaac's dreams come true without you all.  Isaac is such a sweet boy with a tender heart.  He loves making friends (he asks kids their phone numbers everywhere we go so we can call them to play).  He is so curious and creative.  We are lucky to have him in our family.

Happy Birthday, Birthday Boy

Isaac woke up birthday morning to yarn... all over.  No it wasn't because we hadn't cleaned up a mess from the day before.  Jake tied one end of a string to his bed and then wove them all over the house to end at a present.  It was a little scavenger hunt, Isaac style.  He just did three strings but one led all the way to the basement.  The streamers and balloons were up and these time I got around to making a birthday banner.  Isaac was pretty excited.

I was alittle worried because when I asked Isaac what he wanted for birthday breakfast (which I always tell them they can have WHATEVER they want), he said he wanted salmon.  Not doughnuts, not bacon, not waffles...   and for dinner he wanted spinach.

Finally Jake convinced him to have doughnuts for breakfast, and salmon and spinach for dinner.  he is such a sweet boy and I hated to not give him just what he asked for... He did get a bug house to make with Jake, which they did, right then.  He also got an electric current experiment thing, also to be done with a little assistance and a water gun.  (I ordered him a stomp rocket to play with at his birthday party, two days later, but it hadn't come yet.)  Isaac opened his present from Marmee which was a press dough kit.  (It is like playdough stuff for cookie dough.)  Thomas, Jackson and baby Jake came over to play and the weather was nice so they played with the water gun outside.  Then Isaac wanted to watch cartoons and have pizza for lunch.  We ran to the store and picked up some cookie dough and salmon.  Then we went home to make some great cookies.  Allison arrived just in time to provide us with some awesome frosting, sprinkles and the hit! candy eyes!!!!  (candy eyes make any glop of frosting purposeful)  Thanks Allie!

Dad came home and we got dinner underway: salmon, steak, spinach salad, and roasted potatoes.  Isaac loved his dinner.  Then he picked his favorite cookie and we sang happy birthday to him.  (I made cupcakes for his party.)  Thats not all folks! The weather was so lovely we went on a bike ride/walk.  Isaac took a moment to throw rocks in the water and Sam took a turn pulling me in the wagon.  What a lovely way to spend a birthday!

Bedtime I devoted to Isaac.  He is an introvert so at bedtime, when it is quiet, he has all of these things stored up inside that he wants to share.  Usually I listen a little and then have to go off to do Grace's routine or clean up.  On his birthday, I just listened... until he stopped.  It was helpful that he wanted to sleep on the floor.  I just layed down beside him and listen to ideas of forts, moats, inventions, ideas, and, finally, sweet dreams.

Say What?

I was doing Grace's bedtime routine: prayer, song, and kiss goodnight when Ruby came in the room (the dog).  Grace asked if she could sleep with her, which is a no, but I let her put Ruby in the bed while I sang to her.  After I finished singing, Grace was snugging Ruby and said, "I bet with someone sleeping beside you, you never have any bad dreams."   I thought my heart would melt and Ruby almost found a place in Grace's bed that night....

Grace is 7

A few weeks ago Grace said, "It is my favorite time of the year.  It is my birthday time of the year."  A few days ago she said, "The birthday elves are going to have to work extra hard this year.  Not the elves like Santa's.  It means you, Mom."  Every year I wonder if Grace's birthday will live up to the memory of the year before.  I realize I do it to myself trying to make year birthday extra special.  As Grace grows, her birthday wishes change making each year the beginning of the best year ever in Grace's life.  This year she didn't even know what to ask for...  She doesn't play with toys and she has everything she could need. She did want a new night gown so we passed that wish along which I didn't think would be hard to find until she tacked on the wish of a bird night gown so Marmee took that on.  I have been eye-ing these bird wings on pinterest so I passed that wish to Ruth.  Since we have recently moved and Grace doesn't have alot of close friends, I decided she could just invite two friends to go some place with her.  She decided on the aquarium and then out to lunch at Cafe Rio and then to get frozen yogurt.  She took her best friend who she rides the bus with and a friend from our new ward. But I am getting ahead of myself, all of that happened on Saturday.  On friday, she wanted eggs and bacon before school and we let her open her presents from us, clay, an idea book, and clay press, from the boys, a bag she could color, and also a Dr Suess book, which is a tradition.   She was having a read-a-thon, which she had been trying to sneek books to school for it all week, so she brought her blanket to school and two Dr. Suess books.  After school she made a clay dragon and we got ready to meet the cousins at McDonalds and then we were going to see The Lorax.  (I was madly cleaning with Allison who came to say happy Birthday to grace,  to get ready for Jessica's bridal shower which was also the next day.)  McDonald's was a crazy house but Trisa and kids, Jesse, Kelby and Liam, Heather, Josh and Cason, Justin and Wendy, Grandma and Grandpa, and the funnest birthday surprise.... It worked out that Joanie and kids were in town!, all braved McDonalds.  (I won't do that again.)  She recieved many wonderful presents, puzzles, how to train your dragon books, Dr Suess all about me book,  butterfly net, craft stuff and basically everything she could want.  Thanks to all those who came and let Grace know she has many wonderful people who love her.   She liked the movie and all in all it was a great time to celebrate Grace: fun, creative, growing and working hard.  We Love YOU, Grace!