Over the Hedge Party
Last Saturday we had a friend Birthday party for Hunter. The batteries in my camera died so I don’t have any pictures. He invited his six closest friends to see “Over the Hedge.” We got a babysitter for the two little girls and the rest of us went to the movie theater too. I thought it almost was going to turn out a tragedy because I got in the car and it wouldn’t start. I had five kids in the van and Rob had three the the Galant and I’m thinking – oh no, please start. I gave it four tries and the fourth one it finally started. Thank goodness. We all swarmed the theater and the kids had a great time eating popcorn and candy bars as they watched the show. Of course I smuggled the candy bars in and I would have done the popcorn too if I could! The movie was actually pretty good, not quite as good as Dreamworks big success, Shrek, but the kids were all well behaved and we had a great time. Afterwards we drove back to the house for a pinata and cupcakes. On the way home I called Rob who was following behind me on my cell and told him I had no electricity! The car was running, but the AC didn’t work, the window wouldn’t roll down, and no radio or clock. So weird. (After the party Rob looked at it and apparently the key was stuck in the ignition in the farthest position. Now we have to jiggle the key to get it to click down to the regular spot. I don’t want to buy an new car, please don’t die.) The pinata was a big hit, no pun intended. It was one of those pull-the-ribbons kind, my favorite. We had cupcakes, opened presents and that was it. The easiest birthday party ever! It was perfect for the stage of life I’m in right now, but it was the first time I didn’t make a cake for my kid’s birthday. Kind of sad for me, but there will be lots of other chances. Thank goodness for all of the “Over the Hedge” corporate tie-ins at the party store! Do kids in your areas have regular back yard birthday parties? We have hardly any here, and if they have them at home they get a magician or bounce house or something. Then there are the Build-a-bear, Libby Lu, Bowling, Chuck E Cheese parties too. It is enough to make a parent feel guilty about a simple party at home. Are those days over, or is it just here?
Read MorePoor Squiggy
Emma found a caterpillar out in the front yard and decided we should keep it as a pet because she doesn’t have any pets. We put it in an empty water bottle with a little water, some leaves and sticks and then she and Hunter continued to run through the front sprinklers. When they had finished with that, she came back to see the little caterpillar she had named Squiggy. He wasn’t anywhere in the bottle. Oh no Mom he’s gone! And then the tears began to flow. “He was the cutest thing ever and now he’s gone.” So we looked all over and finally found him a few feet away from the bottle slowly making his escape to freedom. She thought he needed a better home so she moved him to a pot with some dirt in it and we added some water and leaves for him to crawl around on. That night she went to see him again before going to bed and he had escaped again. So I assured her I would find him and tucked her into bed. I started searching all over the room with a flashlight for the one inch caterpillar. After a thorough search I checked the pot again and there he was, on the back side of a leaf. Thank goodness. The relief I felt was short lived when the next morning I noticed that Squiggy was in the exact spot I had seen him in the night before. Emma noticed it too. She again burst into tears and begged to know when we could get another pet. I told her I didn’t dare get one because she would be so upset if anything happened to it. We have already lost 2 fish in our past, and I think I might be jinxed when it comes to pets. Well, Emma made a heart out of a pipe cleaner and put it in a drinking glass. Then she buried Squiggy in the front lawn and placed the marker on top. I think it helped her to have some closure for her beloved Squiggy. He had such a short life, but made such a memory for us.
Read MoreHunter Turns 8
Hunter had a great birthday. He got lots of attention from the family and his class even went on a field trip to an art museum. In the morning before he left for school he got his big, totally tough, bike. The next day there was a BMX assembly at the school for kids that completed a reading challenge and he came home all excited about the tricks they were doing on bikes just like his. After school we had some friends come over to go swimming, which was a blast for all of the kids. The evening of his birthday Dad took him to the church for a baptism interview. He is very excited to be baptized and had a nice talk with the Bishop. Then he came home and opened his other presents. He got lots of thoughtful things from the family and there are pictures and thank yous from him in the gallery. We’re looking forward to the baptism now on July 1, and anyone who would like to come is welcome. Contact me for details.
Emma’s Recital
Emma was so pretty all dressed up for her ballet recital. The pictures didn’t turn out very well, but she did a great job! First she did a tap routine with her class which was so cute. Emma was all smiles and very confident. Then, they all got on their pretty white swan outifts and did a ballet dance. Of course Emma did the best job of anyone and we were so proud of her!
The Butcher in the Family
I have so much to write about lately, and some new photos to post, so be sure to check back here. I don’t have time to do it all right now, but wanted to add a story about our little Hannah. The other day I was making cookies (and by the way they turned out pretty good in spite of our wacky little oven) when I turned around and started talking to Hannah. She was waving her hand around saying, “Haw, haw” (that’s hot, hot). I thought she was talking about the cookies and said yes that’s right sweetie. Then I realized that her hand was all red. I went to get a closer look and noticed that she had cuts on top of her middle and pointer fingers. It was bleeding pretty constantly and didn’t look very deep or jagged, so I tried to just pinch it to stop the bleeding. She hated that and pulled her hand out of mine and kept poking at the cuts with her other hand trying to figure out what was going on. She wasn’t crying or upset except when I tried to squeeze her fingers. I watched it and started to get a little freaked out because it wasn’t stopping. My mind was racing, “what time is it? I need to get Emma to a ballet practice and then the family to the church for the talent show, should I just take her straight to the doctor’s office or go to the ER? I wonder if she will need stitches…” Then I got the idea to call my neighbor down the street who has 5 older children and is a nurse. I asked her to come take a look and tell me if I needed to worry. She came over a couple of minutes later and we got some band-aids wrapped tightly around it and put a sock over the top so she wouldn’t pull the band- aids off. That seemed to work, and no doctor visit needed! Thank goodness for great neighbors. I’m still not sure what Hannah did. I think she may have gotten a hold of some scissors that were on the counter. She can work the step stool like a pro, and is so quick… The very next day I was helping one of the older kids clear the table after dinner and turned around to see Hannah with a steak knife in each hand. She must have grabbed them off our plates when we weren’t looking. As if this weren’t scary enough, she was poking one of them into the plug socket!! Ahhhh, that curiosity of hers is trouble.
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