Of birthdays and more birthdays---

SURPRISE!!! I'm blogging! You very likely have given up on me and I don't blame you. I have almost given up on myself. But like everyone else, Facebook is my newest hobby. (if you can call that a hobby) But there is still something about xanga that I love and I love reading blogs. I keep reading, so in all fairness I better keep blogging too, right? If no one else reads this, my mom does and she keeps reminding me of that fact, so here we are. This is for you, Mom!

November and December are BUSY months for us. For reasons other than Thanksgiving and Christmas and all that goes with that. 3 out of our 4 children have birthdays- the 2 oldest share the same date- November 25 and the youngest is December 6. Think we planned that well, eh?

Because birthdays have been so much of our life the past month, this will be a birthday post, starting from the oldest to the youngest.

JASMINE turned 8 and TUCKER turned 6!!! I have no idea how that could possibly be. (Am I really that old?? )

 



We had to have a little party, but because we were going out of state on their birthday, and it was just way too crazy to try to have a bunch of little people over, we had a little party the evening before- just us as a family. They seemed fine with that. The cake and gifts is all that mattered anyway.





Now before I go one, let me just tell you. If there were an award given to the World's Worst Cake Decorater, I would win it- hands down. I.am.not.a.cake.decorator!! I had all these grand intentions of making them each a beautiful little cake and I knew in my mind exactly what I wanted them to look like. A princess cake for Jasmine and a football/sports themed cake for Tucker. They would be so pleased and I would feel like a good mom. Ha ha. They both flopped, but they were still pleased as punch and that made me feel good, because I tried- I really did. Jasmine told me while I was stressing out about it, that "Mom, it really doesn't matter. You TRIED!" That's my girl. Just what I needed to hear.



We gave her a Bible and a cover. She was so very tickled!!! She's been begging for a Bible of her own for quite a while, and she even spotted the one she wanted. When she went back to look at it again, it was gone. She was so disappointed. She even asked us about it. Meanwhile, we had bought it without her knowing and kept it hidden for several months. It was so much fun surprising her!



This gift was bugging her, too. My parents were here about a month before her birthday and had left a gift here. We kept it in our bedroom, and she saw the gift, but didn't know exactly who it was for. She was so suspicious tho. It was driving her nuts and she couldn't wait to open it- a cute little purse with pencils, candy, and a little stuffed poodle she has named Gans. She sleeps with him every night. Thanks, Mom and Dad!



Tucker boy got this tractor set. His daddy found these and knew it was the perfect gift. And it was. He was thrilled beyond words! He plays with them every day and carefully tucks them back into that plastic protector thing every time he's done playing. I may not trash that protector, oh no. It is HIS!




His gift from Pennsylvania Grandpas was an "I spy" book and a cute little panda bear he calls Sam. He also sleeps with him every night. He says, "Thank you, Grandma."

They liked all the gifts, including games and all sorts of treasures from their little friends. The report from them both was that "It was the best birthday ever." But Tucker is already asking how many days till his next birthday? He turned 6, now its time to be 7. Sigh! Wish I could be that excited about turning older.



This was my favorite gift.. and its not even mine. A Longaberger tea set from Grandpa Hostetlers. Isn't it d.a.r.l.i.n.g?? I think so. I just might use it myself someday.

Jade's party post will have to wait till next time.

I guess I should clue ya'll in on what's been happening in our lives.

JULY HAPPENINGS-
 We went camping twice in July. Over the 4th, it was "just us." That was fun. While we love camping with other people, it was good to go by ourselves. The children thought it couldn't be that there would be no one else there to play with or swim with or ride bike with, they soon found out that its not all horrible. We had a good weekend with some good quality time with each other and I think its safe to say that we would do it again.

We took them fishing one evening. Fishing is something they love!

Jasmine even caught a fish! She was so excited!



Erin caught one too.



Just chilling around the fire.



The Master Griller. I love camping for a couple reasons, but one reason I especially enjoy it is because Erin loves to grill and cook over the fire. That means all I have to do is make sure there is food there for him to cook. Then its basically up to him to make it. I certainly do not complain.



Ervins and Erics joined us on Saturday. They brought the boat and jet ski along, and we took rides and sat on the beach awhile. Then we all went back to the campsite for supper. The highlight was the smores. Campfire smores are the BEST!!!!



Dreaming of a ride...



Mr. Tucker Boy. This picture makes me laugh. I don't know why. It just does.



This is how little missy takes a bath when we camp.



A big thing for July was 2 weeks of swimming lessons for Jasmine and Tucker. Jasmine completed Level 2 and passed with flying colors. She is a little fishy.







Tucker also did so well. Last year he did not like it. At.all. There were many tears. This year there were none.



He completed Level 1. I am so proud of him!



Other noteworthy events last month were....

*A weekend with my former Kenya-ites. There was a reunion for anybody who has ever served in Kenya, Africa. Lots and lots of people. Amazing! Good times, tho.

*A Saturday with friends- couples only- shopping, (for the ladies), golfing (for the men) and eating out. Ahhh... refereshing!

*Another weekend of camping with a few of the church families.

August is packed!! More camping, (bet you can't tell that we like camping ) a few weddings, and just lots of fun times. It is after all the last month of school vacation. How can that be??? The summer went way too fast!

Ya'll enjoy the rest of your summer. I know I will!

You know you are too busy when:

*the bathroom and kitchen floor haven't been washed up for at least 3 weeks! (don't tell my mom. Oops, I just did.  )

*your first grader's teacher invites you to go along on a picnic and you can not because of other plans. So you promise them another picnic on another day. (What was I thinking??)

*  you spend an entire Saturday in town or outside working. (whatever happened to those low-key relaxing Saturdays where you woke up wondering what you should do today?)

*you actually manage to cook a half-decent meal for your family, when your 5 year old asks, Mom, who's that for? (could it be that maybe you were constantly making food for OTHER people or food to take along somewhere?)

*you make a mental note to "update xanga" about every day, but that is as far as it goes.

*you are gone for 3 days in a row.

*your children wake up in the morning, and the first thing they ask is- Where are we going today?

*you get a truckload of mulch and almost 2 weeks later, its STILL not all unloaded. 

*you have to plan an evening to stay at home.

*you do sit down to update xanga and you have a hundred and one interruptions.

*going to town is more than a weekly event.

*your garden doesn't get planted till the middle of May.

*Today is May 20, and your last xanga post is dated April 6.

You get it?? Life is a rat race right now. Maybe one of these days I can stop being the rat and actually sit down and do a real post. Believe you me-- I have LOTS to post about! But no promises. I first need to clean my floors, unload the mulch, finish planting the flowers, make phone calls, cook some decent meals FOR MY FAMILY, go on that promised picnic with the children, go to town once more, finish some started projects, etc etc. etc. Yeah, it could be awhile.

But the main excitement at our house is simply this....

SCHOOL IS OVER!!!!!!!

Bring on SUMMER VACATION!!!!! Whoo-hoo!!!!!

See you sometime.