Thanksgiving

I am feeling horrible that I never did a post for Thanksgiving. Of course now it is a little blurry, but I will give it my best. Cathy, my mother in law, hosted thanksgiving this year. I have to say that is the first thing I am thankful for. How nice it was to not have to scrub and clean my house before, cook, and then scrub and clean after. Thanks Cathy! I decided to have a small family birthday for Eli that day. There was family there that usually can not make it for these things, so I thought it would be nice for him. I made him turkey cupcakes for the day. Side note: Aunt Jacque decorated them because I was so far behind in everything else! Thank you...they turned out cute! That was another fun surprise. Jacque and Jennie came from Oregon for the weekend. They stayed with us and the kids just loved it!!!

After all the fun festivities we came home to take a nap. Why is that you ask? We thought it would be fun to go shopping at 11pm to get the deals. We shopped until we dropped and got home at 4am! Just look at how beautiful we look in this picture! We had fun and I am still so excited that they came down for a visit and shopped with me!

My birthday

Do you ever have an event in your life that really makes you sit back and reevaluate who you are and what kind of friend you are to others around you?

Well I just did. This entry is by no means a brag entry about what happened, but more for me to look back on and read to remind me what kind of a person and friend I need to be for others.

Yesterday was my birthday. It seems that the more I have, the less enthusiastic I get about them. I do look forward to the automatic night out I get with my husband, but I always stress about what he will buy me or others for that matter. You see, I have a very hard time letting other people spend money on me or spending money on myself. There are many reasons why this is, but the biggest reason is because I don't know how to show my gratitude back to them for making my birthday just that more special for me.

This is how my day went. I woke up with the plan to go to Costco with all 5 (remember we are off track) kids. My husband overheard that plan and said, "Hey just get the babysitter to come earlier and we will go alone before we go out." Who can turn that one down!? So, I decided I wasn't going to sit at home until 3:30 and go crazy. I decided to take all the kids to Target instead! But before I could get out the door my friend called me and said lets go to lunch. You know somewhere with a play place and chicken nuggets. So, after Target it was Chick Fila! The kids were excited and I was just grateful to prolong my time out of the house. Besides I got to have some adult conversation! When I got there, there was 3 other women from the ward (by coincidence) also eating lunch with their kids. As we are sitting there one of them (I have decided to with hold names, but you know who you are!) hands me a gift card to Dos Lagos (a shopping area). They also gave me a coupon for 2 movie tickets to the theatre over there. Three women went in on this and I just can't tell you how excited I was for this. Remember how I said I don't spend money on myself and I feel awkward when others present me with gifts because I don't know what to do or say now. I am just so excited to go get the bras at Victorias Secret that everyone keeps talking about! After four kids I need all the help I can get in that department. The other woman who took me out to lunch gave me the cutest apron that she made. I just love it and had been wanting one that had character to it and not just white. After getting home there was a card under my door mat with another visa gift card. All of this was totally unexpected, but very much appreciated. When I got home I had just enough time to get things in order and then grab the babysitter so I could start my evening of Costco shopping, eating dinner and movie watching with just my wonderful husband. Just him and I with NO interruptions!

Then today my friend planned to take me out to lunch for my birthday. She picks me up and takes me to BJ's. When we walk in there was 8 more of my friends there! What a surprise. Of course they had to shower me with gifts too.

Words can not explain how loved I feel. I absolutely love where we live. I love our ward and our school. For the first time I completely feel home. All the women in my ward are so much fun! They are always looking for another "excuse" to get together (whether it is at someones house or going out). They are so good at making each other feel great and proud to be a woman. They love to celebrate life and I love them for it. They have no idea the impact they have already had in my life. And for that alone I am eternally grateful for. You ladies no who you are and I love you and I thank you form the bottom of my heart.

The party....

So, here it is. I promised Tricia I would post a picture of Eli's cake tonight. This is his year to have a family party. We had pasta for dinner and a yummy Buzz Lightyear cake and ice cream for dessert. He got all kinds of presents that he was so excited about. I do have to say it was pretty funny, every time he opened a toy he held it up and smiled. Every time he opened an article of clothing he threw it on the floor and reached for another present. i tried to get a few pictures of him with his new clothes, but he just wasn't excited about that as the toys. Here are a few pictures of his BIG night!

Don't look to close to the slanting cake. One day I will take cake decorating classes. That is Eli's half brother standing next to him.

I said hold up the clothes and smile. What do ya think?

He loved the snow globe!

Happy Birthday Eli!!!

Today Eli turns 4. We now have two 4 year olds in our house for another 8 months! It was so easier when I could say one was 3 and one was 4. We celebrated Eli's birthday on Thanksgiving (pictures to come). Of course we have to do something special on his BIG day! He requested fruit loops for breakfast (mom doesn't buy those kinds of cereals except for special occasions) and noodles for dinner. He LOVES to slurp up spaghetti! Grandma Nana and Papa Rees will be joining us for dinner tonight. He asked for a Buzz Lightyear cake. We'll see how that one goes, picture later because I have not frosted it yet.

4 Reasons we are so happy to have Eli with us:

1. His smile. Even when he is in trouble he crinkles his eyes and his nose along with a great big smile and hopes that will get him out of trouble!

2. He loves to socialize. He is everyones friend. When I say everyone, I mean everyone! He loves every person old or young, but preferably female! At school, at home, at the park, at church, at the store, in the elevator, the list goes on and on. He talks to everyone!


3. He is a GREAT listener. Of all my kids he is the ONLY one that on the first time I ask he does it!!!!

4. They way he slurps his noodles. Totally a kid through and through. Give this kid any long noodle and guaranteed he WILL slurp it. My grandpa used to teach this to all the kids when they were little. Eli never had a chance to meet him, but he continues on the legacy of noodle slurping!

We love you Eli and hope your birthday is a good one!!!