The Eve of 9

Here we are about to celebrate another Birthday. My sweet boy turns 9 tomorrow! Yesterday J.J. fell and broke his new little toy gun. This sweetie, without hesitating, told J.J. that he could have his that he had just gotten. On Friday after the last day of school for the break he came home with some candy canes he had gotten. There were 3 little ones and one big one. He handed out the 3 little ones to everyone and put the big one up for himself. Pipi immediately dropped hers and started to cry. He went and got the big candy cane that he was saving and gave it to her. This boy is always doing things like that. I have to say that they definitely broke the mold with this one. He is such an amazing kid, and makes my heart smile daily. On this day 9 years ago we had to leave the movie theater just after purchasing tickets because my water broke. We were so nervous about becoming first time parents, and were amazed when they let us leave the hospital with this little baby on Christmas day. Now here we are 4 kids later and couldn't love being parents more!

We are spies!

Those of you who know us, know that we can't just have an ordinary simple birthday party. My kids start planning their next party as soon as we finish the current one. No-Bo wanted a spy party this year, so we were spies in training. Once everyone showed up at the house the doorbell rang and there was a folder that said the presents had been stolen and if he wanted them back we had to follow all directions. We blind folded the kids, and drove them to the secret spy training academy (AKA the community room at the high school). There they were lead through a series of spy training activities. They had fingerprints made, came up with spy names, worked on disguises, and had to identify the missing spy object from a tray full.

Apparently being a sneaky spy means you can't look at the camera.

Can you recognize these incognito spies???

After their spy training they had to follow the clues that were written in invisible ink to lead them to the presents. These were the lasers that they had to navigate through to the next clue which was inside this room (which by the way when we got home we had to make laser beams in the hall because they loved this part so much). That room had balloons scattered all over which were "bombs" that they had to "detonate" in order to find a clue inside one of them which of course was written in magic ink. Once they found the presents there was a safe on top of them which had explosives inside. They had to use the clue they found in the balloons to open the safe, and then each child had to set off an "explosive" (party popper that had confetti) to protect the presents.

If you can't tell the cake is supposed to be a magnifying glass, and my sister Lindsey decorated the bomb cake for me!




Gotta love trick candles especially on a bomb cake!

This is it...

...a picture on his last day as a 5 year old! Why does time go by so quickly the older we get? I don't like it one bit, and I am not ready for my babies to grow up. STOP, STOP, STOP!!!

My Pipi

Oh that girl. She definitely keeps us on our feet. She is just so cute, and has been saying and doing the cutest things lately. Her little personality is just something else. I have to say that she runs the show around here and keeps those boys in line with her commands. What's funny is that they usually listen and do what she says. Everyone keeps saying that she is going to give us a run for our money...not sure why! I have been writing them down to share...ENJOY!

This is one of her most recent acts...this is her bedroom wall when you first walk in her room. Should I really be upset since she was practicing her "R's" . There were also a couple of "J's". Never mind that I spent almost a month painting this room!!!

One day she said "Don't cry over spilled milk J.J." just after he knocked over his glass and began to cry.



"Mom, I love you all the way to GOD". What more could I ask for!

For a while I would say something and she would just give me the thumbs up.

"Our house is a disaster!" (watch what you say little girl or I will put you to work)

One night we there was a big storm moving through, and it woke Pipi up screaming. I went upstairs to console her. I picked her up,walked to the window, and showed her the lightening and we listened to the thunder. Then talked to her about God. I was telling her how God was up late bowling and was using his flashlight to see. This seemed to calm her down, and she went back to sleep. The next day she was repeating what I had said to her...well kinda

Pipi- "God was up late last night shining his light that was so bright, and he was playing with his balls!"

"I love myself"


When my Dad was visiting she asked him why his belly looked like he was having a baby.

She is getting excited about the upcoming season, and she always says Christmas instead of Santa Clause...I LOVE IT!

"When I grow up, I want to be Christmas...then I can go down everyones chimney and give them presents."

It is never ending, and I don't wish it to be!!!

Merry Dreams

He has worn this hat to bed the last two nights. This precious boy only has 2 more days left to be 5 years old! Can I stop him from growing up so he will always go to sleep in a Santa hat??!!