Happy Groundhogs day!

(and happy birthday to me!) I spent the day cleaning up our MONSTER of a mess from scraping the wallpaper and mudding the girls room and the stairway! Isn't that how every girl wants to spend her birthday? I don't even think I showered! But the good news is we are that much closer to being ready to paint...It WILL happen some time this week!

I've been so busy I don't even know what "the Groundhog" did this morning, but if he's anything like me he saw his shadow then climbed right back into his bed and went to sleep!

Look, he is like me! (Jeremy will tell you this is what I look like in the morning! Especially if he is trying to cuddle with me while I am trying to sleep!)

Wynnie's Wonderland Party!

Today we had Wynnie's birthday party! When we woke up it was snowing--perfect for a snowman birthday party, but then it kept on snowing, and snowing, and snowing--not so perfect if you want anyone to come to your party :) It's a good thing we invited a bunch of die hards who didn't let a little snow get in their way!

A couple of months ago Wynnie asked Mechelle if she could have her party at Mech's house. She was tired of ALWAYS having her party at our house...Hannah didn't have to have her party at our house (we usually have Hannah's at a park because it is warm) and Wynnie didn't want to have her party at our house anymore...so she made other arrangements...which made it easier on me! So after we got ready we packed up and headed to Mechelle's to decorate the cake and get things ready. After several failed attempts to make frosting for the cake (who knew it was so hard to make frosting) we threw the cake in the garbage...you don't NEED a cake at a birthday party right? Just kidding, luckily Mechelle had some store bought frosting (Betty Crocker, I'm a failure...but at least I keep you in business!) Although, the cake didn't turn out anything like the vision in my mind at least the kids all recognized it as a snowman which was a plus because on more than one occasion that day I felt like throwing the thing across the room!

Once the kids all arrived we made snowflakes out of flour tortillas (thanks to Nancy for the great idea...the kids all loved making the snowflakes....and eating the tortillas!)

After that we made treat bags, played pin the nose on the snowman (This was the one game Wynnie wanted to play and she even drew the snowman and all the noses!) We also played "Cold Snowman" our version of "Hot Potato."

Then Wynnie opened her presents and we had cake and ice cream. It was a great party...I know this because Wynnie had a smile on her face the whole time...that's what matters right?

Sophie turns TWO!!!

Happy Birthday Sophie!

We had a small (just her cousins) party for her today. It was a Pooh Bear theme...we colored pictures, played pin the tail on Eeyore, then had cupcakes (I think this was the favorite part as cupcakes kept disappearing through out the party!)



Gary and Nancy are in town (Ali is checking out collages so they are going to go up to USU...is she really that old...it seems like yesterday she was just an 8 year old at our wedding!) so they were able to stop by for a little while. It was nice that they were able to come (Nancy helped the girls decorate and get ready for the party) even if Sophie was having a melt down when they left and we had a house full of crazy kids hopped up on sugar running around (this is where all those "missing" cupcakes comes in to play...I'm learning...keep the cupcakes locked up until THE END of the party!) Despite all the craziness it was a fun party!

You can definately tell Sophie is 2! She is so hot or cold...she is being the sweetest little thing or she is throwing a fit...it seems there is no middle ground with her any more! As she was opening her presents she kept saying "Mine...Mine!" I have no idea where she learned this...I think it just comes with turning 2! She also didn't want to open all of her presents (I know this is weird--even for a 2 year old--what kid doesn't like to open presents?) I would try and get her interested in opening one and she would just scream at me! Hopefully she will grow out of it soon!

Here is a picture of her Pooh Bear cake:

Here is a picture of Sophie eating her cake:

And here is a cute video of Sophie singing Happy Birthday...she still knows how to make me smile!

Happy Birthday Bruce!

3 Years Old!! (not 2..I get it..now--I helped Mech with the invites and on the first batch I put 2 Years...Oops!)

Bruce loves all things train so he had a train party. We rode the Jupiter Express around downtown (the kids loved it!) then went back to Mech and Aaron's for cake and ice cream! It was a great birthday!

Happy Birthday Hannah!

I can't believe she is 6! Where does the time go?

This year Hannah wanted a bug/garden party. (Ever since Grandma Nancy gave the girls their bug collection they have been pretty much obsessed with bugs!)

Here's her cake and cupcakes for the party. We made the "bugs" out of edible play dough...the kids seemed to like them!

When the kids first arrived they each got a flower pot to decorate with stickers and markers.

Then we had a bug relay race. They each got bug catcher kits and they had to first catch some popcorn with their nets. Then they ran across the lawn holding a balloon caterpillar. They then grabbed some bandannas and had to be butterflies and "fly" back to a big pot of dirt that had bugs hidden in it. When they got to the pot they had to use their tweezers and pick up three bugs then the next person went.

Here's Hannah holding a balloon butterfly that the kids made.

After opening presents and having cake the kids just played.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Tonight we took my dad out sailing on the boat for his birthday. It is his new favorite past time. When we got there the water was low...REAL low...so low in fact that we all weren't able to go on the boat! We decided that those who hadn't been out before and Dad (of course) would be the ones to set sail! So that meant Jeremy and I (and Mechelle and Aaron) just stayed behind and watched them sail out. As soon as they got out of the harbor we saw the boat stop and knew they were probably stuck. Here they are talking with Aaron trying to figure it out. As soon as they got un-stuck they came right back...the lake was way too low (Aaron and Mech are going to move the boat this weekend.)

When they got back we got to watch the sunset...it was amazing. Then we headed back...not the fun filled night of sailing that we had planned but it was still fun to hang out with everyone!