Scattered Thoughts

1.  Guard loves helping Greg make his lunch in the mornings.  Usually Guard is in charge of getting the ice packs from the freezer and the chocolate milk packet from the pantry.  But today, Guard was up early and decided to pack Greg's entire lunch.  Let's see - looks like Greg got some Nutri-grain bars, fishy crackers (in and out of a cup) and a can of pumpkin spice hot chocolate.  Yummy!  Greg is one lucky dad!

2. This week in my Primary class we had King Benjamin visit (Greg).  I brought my box of scripture costumes and let the kids decide if they wanted to dress up for our visitor.  They were so excited!  All the kids picked out their clothes, put them on and were so respectful for our visitor, who was also in authentic gear.  They are such a cute class.

3.  Lately, Kate has been very concerned that she doesn't have a sister.  She keeps telling me (almost daily) that she needs a sister because she has too many brothers.  While I understand her pain and concern, I try to tell her as nicely as possible that she isn't going to have a sister.  I've tried to do more fun girl things with her, just the two of us (and sometimes Guard, who gets dragged along.  Last time Guard said, "I hate girls!  Its a no win at our house.)  I wish things were different for Kate, but really, its not a bad deal being the only girl.  Someday she will appreciate it.

CupKate Party

Kate had a hard time deciding what she wanted to do for her birthday this year.  My kids only get friend parties every other year, so they want to make sure it is good.  She thought about swimming, she thought about the space center, she thought about Airborne.  She finally decided to have a party at home.  A cupcake party - or rather a cupKate party.

 After weeks of planning on my part, the party was finally here.  Thank goodness.  I think this may be the last time I plan a party for home.  It is so much work to come up with enough activities to entertain kids for two hours!
We started with a light breakfast of muffins and strawberry smoothies.

we decorated aprons with fabric markers,

we made cupcake liner initial crafts,

we decorated mini cupcakes (each girl had 15 cupcakes with their own cup of frosting and sprinkles - not a big fan of community frosting bowls with all the licking going on),

we played have Kate eat the cupcake with each girl coloring their own cupcakes (pin the tail on the donkey),

we  played cupcake bingo,

we colored cupcakes,

we opened presents,

and while the girls played outside for a bit, I packaged up all their decorated cupcakes to take home.

It was a bit exhausting.
But, the girls all had a fabulous time and Kate was very happy with her party, so it was worth it!

Fortune Cookies

Since the actual Chinese New Years fell on Kate's birthday, I delayed our family celebration one day.  Each person received a box of personalized felt fortune cookies.  Each fortune told of something that I loved about them.  We also ate Chinese that night.  Happy New Year! (wish I knew how to say that in Chinese).

When Kate was done, her cookies were put away all nice and neat.  She put her fortunes in a baggie and keeps them in her room.

Enoch's and Guard's cookies and fortunes were scattered all over the kitchen table and floor when they were done.  Gavin opened all his fortunes, stuffed them in his pocket and ran out the door to school.  I hope he read them eventually.  Greg kept his on his nightstand and would read a few each night for a week.
It was a fun thing for the family, and the best part  - these cookies will stay fresh until next year!

Kate's Birthday

The two things I knew I needed to have ready this morning for Kate's birthday were her plate present and pancakes.  Kate loves pancakes.  She eats them plain with no butter or syrup.  Just picks them up, tears pieces off and pops them in her mouth.
But before the fun, we have to measure.

 I knew she would love her plate present.  She was so excited to open it - and she did love it!

So much fun to have a new outfit to wear to school on your birthday.  Can't say the white pants have weathered recess very well, but they are so cute and sparkly!
Kate had a great day at school.  She took her birthday poster, handed out birthday bags of chocolate chip cookies and loved eating lunch with Dad.

That night was our Blue & Gold Banquet for Cubs.  We gave Kate the choice if she wanted to go with the boys or go to dinner with Mom.  She choose Blue & Gold, mainly because Enoch told her it was his last one and he really wanted her to go.  It was fun and everyone sang Happy Birthday to Kate.
Before Blue & Gold, Kate opened her presents.  She was so excited!  She got an Elsa journal, a new stuffed wolf, named Elsa,

a beanbag reading chair for her room, a reading lamp and book from Grandpa and Grandma Randall and a tape craft town from the Fords.

She also got a big bag of new winter clothes, that she got to pick out three new outfits to wear this winter.  And Enoch made her a wolf den from cardboard and duct tape.

It was a great day!  Happy Birthday, Kate!  We love you!

Kate's Seven-Year-Old Favorites

Kate is now seven.  Wow!  Lucky seven.  Hope this year is full of all the best things for Kate.

A few of her favorites include:
 Food:  pizza
Movie: Big Hero 6, Frozen
TV:  Odd Squad
Dessert:  chocolate cream pie
Place to go:  Subway, Arches National Park
Thing to do: be with family, gymnastics
Book:  Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree
Scripture story:  Jesus visiting the Nephites
Color:  white, royal blue, purple, dark pink, aqua
Friend: Taylor, Railey, Brynne, Enoch, Guard and Mom

Kate's personality is a great mix.  She loves her girly girl things like having her fingernails painted, getting her hair done, shopping for new clothes (especially shoes) and anything pink and purple.  She can also hold her own with the boys while riding bikes, climbing rocks, kayaking and playing chess.  She loves to snuggle in her soft, warm blankets, eat anything chocolate, give hugs and read.  She is an athlete and in the gym five hours a week.  She loves the summer, her family, school, texting, cowgirl boots, pancakes and her favorite - going on vacation in the RV!

We love you, Kate!

LHS Chinese New Year Celebration

Since Gavin is taking Chinese in school, our family has been able to celebrate Chinese New Year the last few years.  Lehi High School puts on a huge celebration, the entire community is invited and it is a big deal.  It was so busy and crowded this year - which is great.
This is the year of the ram.  All the Chinese students had their horns on. (Such bad lighting in the gym!)

 Gavin was in charge of the animal matching game, which involved animal stamps and Chinese characters that you had to match up.  The kids had fun with it and we didn't get any red ink on our clothes!
We skipped dinner because the lines were so long, but we did play with the dragon and wander through all the activities.

It was a fun night. I'm glad we made the effort to go.

Valentine's Day

I had plans for Valentine's Day.
I really did.
Only a few happened.
I did start out the morning with the fun breakfast.  Homemade pop-tarts, scrambled eggs and homemade hot chocolate.  The pop tarts were so easy.  I will never buy them again (not that I bought them that often before)!  We had three kinds - strawberry, nutella and strawberry nutella.  They were all very good.

After that things just happened for the rest of the day.  Greg and I asked the kids a few times if they wanted to go and do something, but they were having fun playing together and we just stayed home.
Luckily, school makes Valentine's fun.  The kids had their parties and came home with lots of candy and their bags (that they made at school.  Thank you Mrs. Jeppesen and Miss DeWitt for doing that and not making me put it together!).

The school also did Val-o-grams this year.  It was a great idea and the kids loved it.  One dollar got you five val-o-grams to send to whomever you wished at the school.  The kids were excited to give them away and get them.  (I read in their newsletter a few weeks later that the school made almost $1000!  That's a good fundraiser!)

I'm so happy to have so many amazing valentines in my life.  I love them all!

A Space Center Birthday Party

A few months ago, I asked Enoch and Kate what they wanted to do for their bi-yearly birthday parties.  I was really hoping that we could combine their parties for one last year.  After much discussion and vacillating, Enoch chose to have his party at the Space Center.  I was happy with that - let someone plan the fun.
The party started at 4:30 with pizza, brownies and playing.  Enoch invited Chase T., Chase Y., Reid, Jordan, Preston and David - and they were all able to make it.  The pizza and brownies went fast and the boys had fun playing in the backyard for awhile.

We were under a time crunch, so we hurried the boys in to open presents.  Enoch got some fun things; his favorite was the periodic table poster from Mom and Dad.

We rushed the boys into the car and Greg headed off for the Space Center.  None of the boys had been to the Space Center before, but most had heard about it and were so excited!  Since I didn't go with them, I'm not altogether sure what happened, but Enoch, Kate and Greg came home and said they had so much fun!

Thankfully, they all survived - even after inviting an alien-in-disguise onto their ship!
Captain Enoch and his crew.

Enoch and Kate both said they want their next parties at the Space Center.  I think that means it was successful!