Privacy

It's optional.

Ethan's first trip

Ethan turned 12.

That means he can go to the temple with the other youth and participate in baptisms for the dead.

Truth be told, it is still my favorite part of the temple.  I am so excited for him to go.

I wonder what he was thinking in this photo....

The deacon...Ethan turns 12

Birthday morning....a mylar balloon (lovingly chosen from those available at Price Chopper) and a cereal of choice.  Ethan got cocoa puffs.

It's the year of the friend party...which means there are 2 parties by default. I am pretty sure that his friends don't want to have dinner with us and watch him open his family gifts....and I have very little desire to play laser tag with 10 crazy 12 year olds....bless their hearts. 

So....2 parties!

For the family party Ethan chose a white cake with the best frosting in the world with sliced strawberries on top. 

His dinner of choice was BLTs, corn on the cob, sliced strawberries and garlic bread.

Nobody was arguing...

A little game of napkin on the head:

  

And it's time for cake!

As I looked through the photos I realized Ethan was true to the time-honored pre-teen tradition of conducting his own birthday song:

I really loves that hat.

For his "Friend Party"...he invited boys AND GIRLS over for pizza, soda, cake and Laser Tag. 

I can honestly say that Ethan had a great time. I recorded them laughing out loud and singing a song at the top of their lungs entirely in "Meows". 

It was VERY middle school HILARIOUS.

And I loved seeing him so happy and enjoying his friends.

I don't have pictures of Laser Tag...because...wait for it....

I didn't have to go!!!

Mark took them all and handled the whole shebang.

Wait.

Is it my birthday?

The running of the sprinklers

SPRING!!!

Sunshine

The talent show is upon us.

This year I may have used a few passive aggressive techniques to suggest to my children that they should team up for a brother/sister act.

They fell for it and they are performing "You are my sunshine" together. Mathew has practiced as much as he can...his fingers are KILLING him. And Megan has gotten good at listening to his playing to pace herself as she sings.

And I tell you what....it is the sweetest thing ever.

They sing together and they slither together....

When the day of the performance arrived, they did FANtastic!

And because Mat is in the upper grades and Meg is in the lower grades, they got to perform twice....

I believe those are the lips of confidence.

That's the stuff....

If you know me, you know I'm afraid of babies.

From the minute they send us home from the hospital to that unknown, undefinable moment that I realize that I'm not having mini panic attacks throughout the day...I live in fear.

Because seriously.  They can't talk...they cry...they are mad or sad or hungry....they need me to use both of my arms...they don't like it when I sit down....

I scares me.

So for quite awhile of each baby's life, THIS is the goal:

Bliss.

Sweet quiet sleeping bliss.

But then a little time passes and I start to feel less and less like I am going to randomly start sobbing and I realize that somehow meals get made and laundry gets done and the other 5 kids are receiving acceptable amounts of love and attention.

And then THIS happens.

One minute she's....

and suddenly she's...

And I'll tell you the honest-to-goodness truth.

I will give upTHIS

For THIS

ANY DAY OF THE WEEK.