A Momentary Lapse of Reason

So remember how I mentioned a few posts back that Katie wanted to buy a baby chicken? Well, somehow Maddy and her decided that a hamster would be better. They combined their money and BEGGED me to take them to the pet store and look at the hamsters. I don't know what I was thinking. I do not like animals. They want attention, they stink, and... they stink. I think I must have fallen in the shower that day and hit my head because, we came home with a hamster!
Meet Fred. I admit he is cute...

I know there is poop and pee in that cage. I am obsessed with the idea that my house might smell like a hamster. I have Scentys all over the place - and, I swear, I can still smell him. Everyone that comes to my house says, "Wow, your house sure does smell like cinnamon." (Cinnamon and Clove Scentsy bars...)

Here are Fred's cage mates. I have recently added a Scentsy spray to the mix. Can a hamster die of candle fumes? Can you imagine it? DEATH BY SCENTSY... I had better be careful, my kids read this.

Look at those faces! After recovering from my mysterious head trauma, I still can't say no to these babies. (There is a 14 day return policy, I could give Fred the boot if I really wanted to), but I won't because I love my girls and they love Fred.

My Friend, Jen

This is my sweet friend, Jennifer Lambourne. She and I met a few years back at church and instantly hit it off. Which is funny in itself, because Jen is REALLY smart and I am, well, not. Our little ones were the same age, so it made it very convenient for us to get together and Jen would put up with all my craziness. We became Temple buddies and shared some cherished moments there. When her family moved to Utah, my heart broke, as did Bella's. We still keep in touch, but it is just never the same! I hate it when friends move. Anyway, she surprised me and showed up at my house one day and we spent the afternoon catching up. I miss her. Come back soon, Jen!!

Still Celebrating...

The girls and I like to celebrate birthdays with Grandma Lucy with just the four of us. We don't have to compete for her undivided attention and the girls ALWAYS want Grandma to go with us to the Dollar Store. She and Bella could spend hours there...
Maddy loves to tell Grandma Lucy all that is going on in her life and Mom just smiles and laughs. Katie wouldn't allow any picture taking, but after receiving MORE money all she could talk about was buying a baby chick from Zamzows. Um, not happenin', girlfriend.
I appreciate my mom because no matter what my girls do or say (of course there was another fight, this time over french fries) she always takes their side. Which I think she should. She is very patient with my monkeys, even when they don't want to talk - or hug. She allows them to be themselves and then she loves to go home and call her sisters and tell them all the funny things we did. Love you, Mom. Thanks for the fun birthday gifts (she always remembers to bring a present for everyone, so no one is left out, cute huh?)

XOXO,

Your favorite, smartest and most beautiful daughter, Selina

Happy Birthday to Everone - Almost!

As I said before, birthdays in our family all come within one month, except Bella's. (Thank Heavens!) So, every year to simplify things I have a joint birthday party with our extended families for Katie, Maddy and Pat. This year we had the party on Katie's actual birthday. Before the party, Pat and I gave her a very special present. A locket in which she can keep pieces of her blankie. She loved it. I mean, loved it. (See how she is trying to smell her blankie in the locket?)
To make Katie feel extra special that day, just me and the big girls went to lunch at Panda Express.

Then it was home to start the party. A pinata has always been a big "hit", so that was first on the list. Had I known the trouble it would cause I never would bought that dumb thing...

Anna busted that baby open after one hit and the kids went nuts scrambling for candy. Before I knew it, Maddy and Katie were going all out dukes over A PIECE OF CANDY. I couldn't stop them. They were behaving so badly they are lucky I didn't have the bat in my hand...

Maddy is so entirely ticked off in this picture it isn't even funny. I know my girls and I know Maddy is FUMING at the moment because Katie ended up with the candy.

That is why at cake time Katie looks so happy.

That is why at cake time Maddy is being a brat.

At least everyone else is having fun, except me, because I still want to beat my girls with the bat.

The really funny thing is while Maddy and Katie were wrestling, all the other kids made off with a haul.

There's my girl, Mariah. She always has fun.

I finally got Brian and Tami to pose for a picture to post on my blog. I should write all kinds of gossip about them, but I won't because they cooperated. Love you!

Maddy and our college student. Doesn't Alex look like an Academic?

I love this picture of Pat's parents because those are the looks they mostly wear on their faces. I have rarely seen a couple that meshes as well as they do. I am very lucky to be their daughter-in-law. They are a great example of how to love and LIVE.

Jessy and baby King. I am so proud of Jessy for supporting her babies on her own and working very hard to do it. XOXO from me to you, babe.

Ah... now we get to the goods. Notice all the presents, but one, are in the form of cards. My girls know what that means: Can you say money, money, money?

Oh Yeah.

Katie opened her second favorite gift of the day, a darling monkey blanket hand made by Grandma Diane. Katie loves this so much that it has been added to the shreds of her blankie and gets carried around while she sniffs her original and wears her locket.

Thanks, Grandma. We love you for all you do and for loving our monkeys as much as your dogs. (Ha. Ha.)

Maddy and Papa Bill.

Maddy and Granny Hanne.

Katie and Granny Hanne. Notice how Hanne always seems to avert her gaze from the camera.

Thanks everyone for coming and for the great birthday gifts. We love you. We feel so blessed to have such great families and are grateful for each and everyone of you.

XOXO

I just realized I didn't get one picture of Pat - it was his party also. Ooops. Sorry honey. I love you too.

Memories

I am one who is most alert at night, after my babies and hubby have gone to bed - no distractions and, ah... Silence. I was thinking that at this late hour I should update my blog. My camera is full of pictures just waiting for their own post. But after tucking my babies in bed, (yes, some were still up after midnight - and Quincy slept over) I thought this is a great photo-op. Bella and Quincy all snuggled up together, Buggie sound asleep with all her blankies and Maddy busy printing birthday invites at 12:45 a.m. (Poor girl, she is just like me). Then a memory came. After Katie was born, she and Maddy were lying on my bed holding hands - they are just about a week shy of being two years apart - it was such a tender moment with Pat and I both watching in silence. I wanted to grab the camera and capture that feeling forever, but my honey stopped me with these words, "Some things are to precious for pictures." I will say I have never forgotten what they looked like in that small frame of time, no picture could capture it more clearly than my mind. I am grateful for my husband's wise words and I am grateful I remember them! So, for tonight I will just enjoy the peace that is in my home and heart and pray that this night, too, will be forever imprinted in my memory.

Katie's 9th Birthday... Just Beginning to Party

This is Katie and her friend, Rachel, who share the same birthday and are in the same third grade class. It was fun, games and treats galore due to two birthdays and the last day of school before Spring Break.
Each birthday child is given a chance to play "The Claw" - my children and I have been blessed with the most phenomenal teachers. My motto always has been to nurture the child's self esteem and self-worth, the academics will follow. That has been our experience and I hope it to always be so.

Now we are on to the "friend" party. We have started a tradition that I can't seem to break, even though out of our five family members, four birthdays are celebrated between March 23rd and April 23rd. Each child is given a party for friends, then we celebrate with another party with our extended family. That's a lot of parties...

Katie hates to pose for pictures and, as you can tell, I love to take them. I am pinching her leg to smile for the camera. I am not going to all this work and not be rewarded with my photo -ops.

We are eating pizza, then cupcakes and then we are off to Build-A-Bear. That is where the real fun begins. Maddy is the oldest one attending, but she is a great helper.

Bella is having the time of her life, she doesn't know yet that her birthday does not fall into 30 day celebration.

Quincy came to celebrate her birthday and keep Bella company.

Nobody can take a bite of ANYTHING until Katie does. She loves her birthday because we have a rule at our house that whoever is the birthday girl (or boy) gets to be boss for the whole day. Well, this party isn't even on Katie's real birthday, but she is preparing her Hitler tactics.

Rachel and Lydia Walker - check out those blue eyes... We love the Walker's, our eternal friends.

Ok, here are all the March 23rd birthday girls. (L-R) Anna Nelson, Quincy Peterson, Katie Bug, and Rachel Pierce.

How cool of a mom am I? Build-a-Bear Birthday. You're welcome, Katie

It is very hard for Katie to be the center of attention, but she had a great time and participated in all the fun activities.

Hey, who's that big guy in the back?

Dang, I love this kid.

Aren't they so cute? The funniest thing was to watch Bella, she took everything so seriously. I have a feeling she will be asking for a B-a-B party in November...

Katie, surprisingly, picked a bear instead of a monkey and named him Kingston, after her second cousin.

The whole store sang Happy Birthday to Katie and, as her mama, I was the only one who knew how much she hated it!

Here's the gang with their goods and ready to go home. (Well, not really, they all BEGGED for a sleep over on the way home, but I was tired!)

And so was Katie. Happy early birthday, baby. I love you.

Quincy's Birthday

Katie Bug's birthday is March 23rd, and we have found that is a very popular date to have a birthday. Bella's best friend shares the same bday, so we I am there to document it with my camera. (yes, that is my Bella giving rabbit ears to Quincy)

Bella was being a real goofball that morning, but notice she is wearing a cute flower bow...

As a mom, my greatest moments come from watching my babies have fun. True joy is not seen as often in adults, but when watching children it is found in surplus.

Happy 5th birthday, Quincy Lou. We love you.

XOXO,

Selina, Bella and family