Celebrating Anna...and Thanksgiving

Anna's birthday celebrations lasted all week. Her "party" was Saturday, Wednesday we had her birthday supper and dessert/candles at our house, Thursday we gave her a present from us in the morning...

...then after Thanksgiving dinner she had her birthday with my family...

 

...Friday we went to WV and there was ice cream cake and presents from Grandma and Grandpa...

 

...and Saturday Anna got to go on her Target birthday shopping trip with Aunt Brandi. Anna adores this tradition. Saturday night Anna did not want to go to bed and had a complete meltdown. Her birthday was officially over. (Finally. lol.)

 

We had really good time with both of our families. With my family living close together we often see each other in passing, but having a day set aside to visit and be together is really nice.

The weekend in WV was relaxing. No big events or expectations. For the kids, the memory will be playing Fortnite with Uncle Joel for the first time. It was actually their first time playing Fortnite. Joel has a special bond with his nieces and nephews--all of them.

Happy 8th Birthday Anna!

You are glitter and confetti, hair and makeup, nail polish and giggles. You tell me you would love me more if I was more patient. You make the biggest messes and dream up the most involved projects, but I couldn't love you more. 

What A Day!

It has turned into a birthday week for Anna! She decided that she wanted a mermaid birthday party. While looking for party supplies, we came across this mermaid dress on Amazon. It screamed "Anna" so loudly that I couldn't pass it up--the price was good too!

The last couple years Anna has decorated her own cakes and this year was no different. She wanted to pipe 2 tone frosting on the cupcakes. I was pretty pleased that it worked! One back was blue and pink, the other was blue and purple.

 Each cupcake was unique. We made mermaid tails and shells out of candy melts and molds. She was thrilled with her creations. I was too!

 After those cupcakes were decorated we loaded our party up to go to Janell's house. It was McDonald's for lunch and then swimming! What better thing to do for a mermaid party!

(Aliza purposely photo bombed this picture.)

 Meanwhile, Josiah was fishing with Grandad and Jeff. He says this is the first catch of the day, but later he got a "keeper."

 And then in the evening Aliza and I attended the Magi Choral Festival. The last 2 years, Aliza sang in the Children's Choir, but this year she didn't really want to sing and I thought it would be a great opportunity for her to hear a choir. She did enjoy the music. Somehow she managed to get me to stop at Cookout for a milkshake on the way home.

It was a really good day for everyone! Jeremy was a judge for a programming event at SU which he enjoyed too.

Remembering Last Weekend

Highlights of last weekend with Jeremy's siblings, aunts, uncles and a cousin:

These 4 girls were so happy to see each other. My girls could not tell their cousins NO so they spent a lot of time in Grandma's basement playing together.

We stayed at Joel and Brandi's house which is a highlight of this particular yearly visit. It was almost like a vacation rental in the mornings because Joel slept in and Brandi had other commitments. We made breakfast and then just hung out for a few hours.

Aunt Betsy brought desserts from a Dutch market in PA. Isaiah lived on whoopie pies that were as big as his face all weekend.

My children had the best attitudes all weekend. Josiah had another boy to play with--his second cousin.

Anna interacted with the adults which included her showing off her cartwheels and I'm not sure how it happened, but one of her great aunts did a cartwheel too. I understand that Anna was not that impressed. Anna showed another of her great aunts how to use snapchat face filters. Anna was laughing until she was crying.

Saturday evening I watched the movie Hidden Figures. Such a moving, true story. Everyone should watch it. 

Sarah and I had a memorable coffee outing. The drink was good. The coffee shop itself--Sarah said, "I was standing there in line, looking at the decor and thinking this probably wasn't the best place to bring Carla." 

I sat in the same chair in the dining room for hours on Sunday visiting with the aunts. Aliza sat with me a lot listening to the conversation. 

 

The comic relief of the whole weekend was this cow. He lives in the pasture behind Van and Karen's house and has found out how to get out of the fence. He showed up various times during the weekend. Van and an uncle repaired the place in the fence that was broken, but, sure enough, that cow took it's liberty to find another place. His name is now Liberty.

Sunday evening Anna came to me exhausted and saying she was cold. It was not at all cold in the house with that many people. Soon she was bundled up in a sweater with the hood up. I got her in bed and my midnight knew she had a fever. In the morning she started throwing up which made for a long drive home. Kind of a bummer end to the weekend. She was on the couch for 3 days, but she is back to her energetic, happy self again.

Joy Dare::October

5817. Cool morning
5818. Puzzle put together

5819. Josiah chatting and helping me in the flowerbed
5820. Visiting with friends
5821. Jeremy had supper ready when we got home
5822. So many years later and she is still watching the horses

5823. Drank caffeine and felt so much better
5824. Celebrating Isaiah today. 4 years old!
5825. Lingered longer in the rocking chair with a sleeping 4 year old
5826. 4 year old tea party=sugar cubes, ice cubes, stirring, and spills
5827. Surprise invitation
5828. Anna's sweet note on my dresser this morning
5829. Long talk with Brandi
5830. Anna's decorated cake
5831. Picking apples
5832. Serious pumpkin decorating
5833. Border on the flowerbed
5834. Dahlia's blooming
5835. Boys playing, friends talking
5836. Pumpkin pie ice cream
5837. Little boys in bath robes
5838. Disciplining my mind
5839. Surprised by another invitation
5840. Isaiah's rambling conversation
5841. Bulbs in the mail
5842. Josiah being a bit more independent in school
5843. Anna doing "I love Mommy" cheers
5844. Children old enough to be real help
5845. Talking to other moms and finding out how normal I am
5846. Rescuing dahlias after the storm
5847. The girls slept through the storm
5848. A tree fell, but it was away from the house
5849. Anna singing choir songs
5850. That moment Jeremy walks through the door in the evening
5851. Refreshments provided for the choir moms and kids by our host church
5852. Shopping for a shade for this lamp

 

5853. Mom time with MY mom
5854. Tea and dessert with Aliza
5855. First quarter grade figured
5856. Back in our church building
5857. Apple pie and ice cream
5858. Monday--school goes so well
5859. Dahlia bouquets
5860. The children were very positive about our plans
5861. Anna snuggles
5862. The weather calls the children outside
5863. Aliza totally made supper on her own
5864. Rediscovered a board game
5865. Anna super excited to have a pen pal
5866. Jeremy and my morning time
5867. Teaching discernment
5868. Sitting with another couple for supper
5869. Talked to Linda
5870. The last flowerbed bouquet
5871. Aliza made supper again! I don't know how to feel about this!
5872. Josiah so happy to go to boys Bible study
5873. The kindest words about my children
5874. Isaiah had the best 4 year well check
5875. Mom kept the boys during choir
5876. I went grocery shopping during choir
5877. Jeremy and I had so much fun at the Mercy Me concert
5878. We had a night alone! The kids had a cousin slumber party! I have the best sister!
5879. Slow, quiet morning
5880. Giving time to a friend
5881. Finding lyrics in a magazine

5882. Praying
5883. Lots of robins in the yard
5884. Successful turkey dinner
5885. Linda is home.
5886. The good stuff on facebook
5887. The best part of fall--the window air conditioner is put away
5888. Chick-Fil-A coupons
5889. Children making memories
5890. Clear night for a full moon
5891. My boys like to snuggle in the morning
5892. Doubly thankful for my husband and marriage
5893. Those sweet moments tucking Aliza in
5894. Afternoon snacks while visiting

5895. Jeremy's home!
5896. I was able to sleep while Jeremy was away
5897. Pear crisp
5898. Movie and candy night

5899. Collecting candy
5900. An afternoon with Janell's family
5901. Singing in the car
5902. Planted daffodils
5903. So much grace
5904. Dark fall mornings and the children sleep in
5905. Diffusers in bedrooms
5906. Josiah discovered a programming book
5907. Sorting and reducing toys
5908. Playing outside
5909. Learning about the Reformation
5910. I keep showing up for morning exercise