Farewell February

This has been a month!  For being the shortest one of the dozen, it sure has packed one massive punch.  Almost every single day in February has had one {or multiple} things going on, and I for one am glad to say goodbye.  From doctor's appointments to dentist appointments to birthdays and school stuff -- not to mention almost 20 hours of community service that needed to be completed by a certain firstborn child who may or may not have waited until the last possible month to get everything done for the National Junior Honor Society -- it has been BUSY.

With today being the last day AND my birthday, I decided to buck the trend of the month and do absolutely nothing!  {Aside from starting my day with cleaning up an overflowed toilet in the kids' bathroom and ending my day with cleaning up a massively messy kitchen, that is.}  I filled the in between with things I wanted to do and didn't bother with much else.  And it was glorious.  :)  Hahaha.  I let Alex play on the Wii all morning long {don't judge} so I could enjoy several episodes of the Great British Baking Show on Netflix while Isaac was napping.  Then, when the baby woke up, we ran over to my favorite cupcake shop to get some birthday samplings for my special day.  And finally, once all the kids were home from school, I convinced them to watch Isaac for me so I could test out my brand new Garmin 235 birthday present with an inaugural run outdoors!  I managed to make it about 7 minutes into my run before the skies opened and a torrential downpour rained on me, but it was all good, because I turned around and scurried home feeling much better with running than I have in a LONG time {thanks to a janky hip that's been preventing me from being able to do any kind of intense lifting or running for the last couple of months}.  I got drenched, but it was amazing and I loved looking at my run analytics from my watch when I was done.

 L - R, Top to Bottom:

White Chocolate Raspberry, Hibiscus, Cookies and Cream

Coconut Cream, S'mores, Salted Caramel Apple Pie

{You can't even really tell, but I was literally soaking wet.}

It was a good day.  And the perfect note on which to end the month.  Farewell February!  We're now starting the downward slope towards end-of-school-year...

Birthday Wishes

{HAPPY BIRTHDAY WEEK!!!!!  I hope you like your Bracelet!  If there's an inconvenience with how SMALL it is, talk to me.  (The bracelet says, "I_Love_You_) (The glitter glue may not be dry by the time you see this.)}

Today is my last day as a 36 year old.  And this weekend found me crying to Scott about how last year was such a flop, with the kids completely hijacking the show for my birthday and being uncooperative and un-celebratory-ish for my big day.  And how I go to so much effort for each of their birthdays to make a big deal out of it and to shower them with love and appreciation so that they know just how much they mean to me and how glad I am that they were born into our family.  And all I want in return is for them to show me the same kind of love and appreciation on MY day.  

So imagine my surprise on Sunday after church, when Sophie informed me that she was going to turn my birthday celebration into a weeklong event with a little gift each day, just like I did for them for the Five Days of Valentine.  I assumed Scott had talked to the kids about making a big deal for me, but apparently he hadn't said anything yet!  It was a tender mercy, with another one coming last night when I went to bed and found a note and present on my nightstand for her first installment of Birthday Week 2017.  And then, EVERYONE conspired to make me happy when we went out to dinner as a family tonight for my official celebration, since tomorrow will be too busy.  With nary a complaint, we ate and chatted and had fun together with hardly any issues! Which is pretty much the best birthday present I could have asked for.  :)  We finished off the evening at the candy store then headed home for Book of Mormon, prayers, and bedtime for all the little ones.  All in all, it was a pretty magical way to end my year.  

 Jane's card --

Dear Mom, I love you.  You are the funniest person I know.  You are my best, amazing, loving friend.  Here are some words I describe you: loving, amazing, awsome, pretty, exciting.  Love, Jane

Sophie's card/gift for today --

Happy Birthday!  WE LOVE YOU! Isaac + Sophie

Best Day Ever

Or at least it was until mom spoiled all the fun and made him go home.  Hahaha.  This kid!  He is a man on a mission.  Nothing makes him happier than being able to get out of the house and go outside.  And when it's 75* in February and the next day is supposed to be freezing cold again, you get that kid outside and let him play.  :)

As we walked down to the neighborhood playground today, after naptime, I couldn't help but flashback 12 years ago, to when I was walking a similarly single-minded and determined little toddler down to a playground in our neighborhood in Provo.  I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again, but Isaac reminds me SO much of Ethan.  It's funny how life comes around full circle.

Watching Isaac march {with a mind of his own} down the sidewalk with his chubby little toddler legs, was kind of the highlight of my day.  It's such a cliche, but the time really does go by so fast.  And knowing that it was practically yesterday that I was following after Ethan with his chubby little toddler legs, makes me want to freeze time that much more to scoop Isaac up and squeeze him extra tight.

{I just love them.}

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Several years ago, I stumbled across a "bottled rainbow" quilt pattern on the interwebs, and knew immediately that I wanted to make one for my little Rainbow Brite.  :)  At the time, I ran all around town trying to track down the solid fabric colors I would need to get to work...and then ended up tabling the project, because I decided it would make more sense to wait and make it for her baptism quilt, rather than a random quilt for a 3 year old.  Hahahaha.  ;)

{Kona solid colors, L to R:

Crocus, Eggplant, Nightfall, Surf

Candy Pink, Cerise, Teal, Peacock

Pomegranate, Tangerine, Basil Green, Grass

Rich Red, Papaya, Canary, Chartreuse}

{A few of the gorgeous fabrics I pulled for the quilt.}

Fast forward 4 years or so, and I've been re-bitten by the bug now that her big day is getting closer!  I love how much Jane loves rainbows, and honestly --  seeing the gorgeous rainbow of colors in this quilt makes my heart sing, too.  As I said above, I've had the solid colors for the quilt for a few years now.  The challenge now was to decide what exactly I wanted to do with the pattern.  In the end, I decided to get Jane's input, and the result is even more beautiful than I could have imagined!  I modified things slightly from the original idea -- both in shape and pattern -- and in order to fill out the "starburst" pattern in the center of each block, I ended up needing to beef up my fabric stash to have enough options to match each of the colors.

{Jane's mock-up of the quilt, that she created during church a few Sundays ago.}

Like I said, I'm so excited about this quilt, that I just couldn't wait any longer to get started.  Even though, yes -- I know there's still another 6 months or so before she turns 8 and gets baptized.  {As Ethan and the others have pointed out over and over again.  Hahaha.}  Now that I've finished all the blocks, though, EVERYONE has enjoyed oohing and aahing over the quilt and pointing out their favorite colors and favorite fabric prints in each of the collections.  Like seriously.  More time than you would think has been spent poring over the blocks and finding favorites.  :)

Obviously, the quilt is not finished yet -- I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do for the back and how I want to quilt it -- but I've clearly got some time to get that done.  Jane is over the moon about it -- or perhaps over the rainbow?  Hahahahaha.  And it's always so gratifying to see my efforts appreciated and enjoyed.  

To finish off this Jane-centric post, I just have to include the latest and the greatest in her project world.  First off, we have her finished Timeline {with the most fantastic title ever} with a picture and description for each age of her life, and second we have the final product of her All-Star Student week poster.

 When I was a baby, I was born at .... I was born on August 28, 2009.  We moved to ... when I was almost 1 year old.  I went to Aspen Grove.

 I started to walk at 13 months old.  When I started to walk, my sister Sophie chopped off some of my hair.  My brother Alex was born right before I turned two.

 When I was two I had my first hospital stay for asthma, it happened a couple of months after I turned two.  We went to visit my granny in New Orleans for Mardi Gras.  It was so fun!  My second hospital stay for asthma happened on Father's Day in 2012.

 When I was three years old I went to Utah for Christmas break to visit my Grandma and Grandpa and other family.  We moved back to ... in the summer.  I visited my cousins in North Carolina.

 When I was four years old I got to go to Great Wolf Lodge for the first time.  I started Kindergarten.  I accidentally bit a chunk out of my lip when I was still numb from the dentist.

 When I was five I went to the children's museum in Indianapolis.  I got to go to my sister Sophie's baptism.  I got to go to a beach in Alabama.

 When I was six my baby brother Isaac was born.  I also started 1st grade.  I went on a road trip out west with my family.

When I was seven I got my ears pierced for my birthday.  I used my summer reading money to buy my brother's old iPod.  I started reading Harry Potter with my mom.

I Have Plans for the Future!

When I'm in sixth grade, I hope I learn division.

When I'm in high school, I would like to learn hard stuff.

When I'm 25, I hope I will be married.

When I grow up, I would really like to be a teacher.

If I could have three wishes for my future, I would wish for...

I wish I could go to BYU for college.

I wish I could get a iPhone when I'm older.

Get all A's when I am older.

{Favorite part? I'm her hero.}

The last project is still in the works, so you'll just have to stay tuned to find out how Jane's "Sacagawea" biography report and presentation goes.  :)

{Unrelated, but I just loved the outfit she put together for Valentine's Day SO MUCH!}

At the Sock Hop

Last Friday night, I had a sweet date with a MUCH younger man.  Hahaha.  This year's "Mother Son" dance had a sock hop theme, and even though we didn't go full-out in the costuming department, we did our best to get festive and fun for our first annual dancing date.  Although -- spoiler alert -- there was not much dancing that happened.  Hahahaha.  We stayed exactly long enough to get our pictures taken, partake of the chocolate fountain, and say hi to some friends before Alex was asking if we could go home.  That kid!  I think the dancing portion made him SUPER uncomfortable because he's so self-conscious, and all he managed were some nervous half-dance-moves with me on the sidelines before he definitively called it quits. Hopefully next year we'll actually stay a little longer and get our full money's worth.  ;)  Hahaha.

Alex wanted to get a picture of me with the boy cut out.  Hahahaha.

In other, SUPER exciting news, Alex finally filled out his dentist chart!!!  What this meant for the Lover Boy was that he finally got to pick out a new game for the Wii at Game Stop.  Which consequently is his new favorite place to shop.  The game he picked out was Super Mario Brothers, and to say he's obsessed would be an understatement.  Haha.

His dentist appointment was on Valentine's Day, and the only unfortunate thing about that was that he wasn't quite up for going to school once he was done.  Which meant that all those last minute Valentines he worked on went to waste.  {To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if the Valentines were half the reason he didn't want to go to school -- his self-consciousness runs REALLY deep.}  Being able to play Super Mario Bros. once he got home, however, more than made up for the numbness and the nuisance of his newest silver crown.

Oh well!  Valentine's Day (and another Mother Son Dance) will come around again.  :)

Sophie is 10!

Saturday was one BUSY day.  Between Ethan's church basketball game in the morning {and his procrastinated service hours for National Junior Honor Society in the afternoon}, a quick shopping trip to Target to pick out Sophie's birthday presents, and the time spent creating her requested custom "Wonder" cake, we barely had time to have her actual party and go on her much begged for ice skating outing!

 I traced the picture on the cover of the book and then cut out a white fondant version to put on top.

I covered her Rice Krispie treat cake with blue fondant, then stuck the face on top and piped the details on with icing.

Since it wasn't a friend party year, things were pretty low key once we got our celebration started, but we still managed to make some magic happen.  Sophie was super happy with the way her cake turned out -- and I was pretty happy myself -- and she really loved all the gifts the kids picked out.

Once Ethan was back from his community service that afternoon, I took the older four to the ice skating rink and the kids had far more fun than I ever thought possible before I finally managed to pry them away so that we could get some dinner on the way home.  Stopping at a Big Boy's near our house pushed the evening EXTRA long thanks to super slow service and the kids' insistence on ordering dessert at the end, but Sophie was so happy and appreciative of all that we did for her big day that it totally made it worth it.  :)

To close, I'll leave you with 10 Fun Facts about my favorite little 10 year old:

1.)   She is almost constantly singing

2.)   She dreams of becoming a pop star

3.)    She loves Project Runway Junior and baking shows on the Food Network

4.)    I think she'd LOVE to star in her very own Disney show series

5.)    She's sharp as a tack

6.)    She loves to ride her bike

7.)    She dabbles in piano playing

8.)    She's really into cooking

9.)    She loves school

10.)  She's a voracious reader

Happy Birthday Sophie!!!