Elizabeth turns 9

Elizabeth had a wonderful ninth birthday celebration with her friends today.
It's been a few years since she had a friend party so we planned one.  She invited all the girls her age from church and about four from school.  Her best friend from school, Sarah, got sick so we missed her!
Leah came home early from school to help decorate and do last minute prep even though she had things she wanted to do for her own friend's birthday the same day.  I was so grateful!  When the girls got here we made vanilla ice cream, made owl pillows and opened presents.  Leah did some spontaneous groups games; she'd be a great camp or EFY leader.
At the end of the night Elizabeth came in to our bedroom and said she wanted to show me everything her friends gave her (even though I watched her open them.). She went through each gift one by one with a big smile on her face and I just felt grateful.  Grateful she was happy, grateful others were kind to her, grateful we had the money and I had the energy to give her a party, grateful for Leah and my friend Natalie (crafter!) for helping me, and esp. grateful the Lord sent her to our family to be my daughter. 

Lexi-navy blue and white striped dress

Avery penguin shaped pillow kit

Juliana-butterfly shaped pillow kit and art adventure kit

Aya-Picture holder kit

Tala magnetic locker kit with the letter E

Sammy American girl doll book, cup and Skittles

Maya can you name 5 board game

Rachael shrink dinks

Lauren menchies gift card

Eliza $10

And from her actual birthday:

Isaac's first date: homecoming 2015

A bunch of boys from the cross country team asked some of the girls. It was Isaac's first date so going in a group with  kids he knows well was perfect. Her name is Megan and of course there are  some pictures with just Blaise and Isaac alone. Those two have been great friends now for about 3 1/2 years. Hopefully in a couple years they'll  be wearing missionary tags instead of boutonnieres. 

Apparently nobody here goes to the dance so after pictures they ate dinner at a nearby country club, played miniature golf and then had smore's at someone's home.  They didn't do the mum/garter exchange because they all had districts the day everyone wore them to school. 

Summer

The summer's at least halfway over and it has gone by quickly. We did swim team that is everyone except for Benjamin. We were on the memorial Marlins and it was Daniels first year to be on it. He was on the hope team which means he got to be assisted while he crossed the pool at the very beginning of the meet. He's a good little swimmer but hasn't quite figured out how to breathe and then put his head in the water again.  Leah got to swim all the events of the meet at champs and Elizabeth swim two or three and Isaac swim one. Isaac was up against 15 to 18-year-olds so it was a bit more competitive for his age group. People said Elizabeth had a good reach and a good kick for her freestyle. We didn't go every day this year like we usually push ourselves to do; maybe because I'm getting older and don't have the push and me. But it's always a thrill to watch these kids across the pool and do their best. It's inspiring to see anybody really try their best at anything.

Leah had the opportunity to fly to Tulsa and visit her good friend Emily Reynolds. Luckily she also got to attend a four stake youth conference event at one of the universities there.  She was gone for nearly 2 weeks and I wondered a little bit if she and Emily would have any annoyances or tips during the visit but we assured me after she got back that there was absolutely no problems or awkwardness or fighting. They just laughed and made good memories. It was her first dance at the youth conference and first dance ever actually. That night she got to dance with seven different boys, one was so sweaty she had to wash your hands afterwards. The last dance the night before she came home she met a boy who asked for her number and they texted throughout the night. The next morning they SyJet her again and enjoy talking for 20 minutes or so. After she got back and told me more about it she said how it was the first time she's been able to talk to a boy without any awkwardness. She also said she learned a lot from him about how a guy should respect a girl and make efforts to show interest. While there he had his 16th birthday and a bunch of the kids went to a dinner and movie, chaperoned by sister Reynolds since Leah and Emily are not yet dating age. They had a great time but she's not texting him much now that she's home. 

Benjamin went fishing last night with Jaden's family at Grabd Lakes. He would much prefer fishing over swimming despite the heat. Today the two littles were dying to help me make fruit salad. As a four-year-old Daniel has some fine fine motor skills. Afterward they took our neighbor David a heart shaped plate filled with the fruit they had cut up.  

Benjamin went out looking for ways to earn money and was able to earn $20 for washing and vacuuming out the neighbors car!! so far he's earned enough money to buy himself an iPhone but we haven't got it activated yet and he'll plan on using it as an iPod for now.

Paul took me to lunch today at our favorite restaurant in sugar land called Thai Siam. Our favorite is yellow curry and pad Thai and of course afterward we had to get their fresh coconut ice cream.

Tonight we took the kids to see the new store near church called Gallery furniture. We saw birds and fish send a giant chair but will have to go back to see the monkeys, they must've gone to bed early

Jesus' baptism according to Daniel

Tonight when I was putting Daniel to bed he told me Jesus was baptized in dirty water. He said the water didn't have any alligators or fish or spiky fish.  I asked him how he knew it and he said it was because he is a smart boy. 

Selfie at church

Yes, this is really how he has been wearing his hair for church.

6.5 week pups

With a week and a half before saying goodbye to our pups, if one of the kids gets up to hold one, someone else will inevitable say, "Grab me a couple!"  Each got to name two and Elizabeth esp is sad when 'her' pups have been chosen by families. 

Little stuff

Today I took benjamin and Elizabeth shopping for shoes. Neither ended up getting shoes but both found something to wear.  We went to a pest control place on the way and luckily Benjamin was with me bc he remembered  everything the guy explained about fleas. Isaac had an Ortho appt and afterwards we went to pet smart. Daniel loved the reptiles and it made me happy Isaac helped lifted him up to see. I felt grateful to spend time with the kids.