Hill Aerospace Museum

Kind of takes your breath away, everything is so immense!

{colossal, commodious, prodigious, I just looked in a thesaurus to find a better word than "big"}

These guys loved it.

This guy didn't.

Beyond nap time.

I hadn't been there since Freedom Academy when I was a high school Junior.

Which reminds me of the time they let us shoot some sort of M-16 type weapon. I got the best marks durring that exercise. It seemed like everyone wanted an explanation so I told them my Uncle took us shooting all the time, and had some sort of semi-automatic something that we shot an old toilet with. When it came time to drive the Hummer, the Officer said "Girl from Carbon County goes first, they know how to train em' down there!"

Too bad I am not known for my driving skills.

Busy Betsy

The 1st grade had their PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN program.

These little ones learned 12 (TWELVE) songs, and each had a speaking part.

I was holding back tears the whole time, but then they had the service men and women stand up and sang some song about laying safe in their beds at night because of them.....heart melting I tell ya!

The gym is not a good photo op location so here is our best picture of M finishing her part.

"No one can make you feel inferior without your permission"

-Eleanor Roosevelte

She also got to say another part because a little girl was gone that day. Apparently the teacher was going to say it but Miriam pipped up and said she had it memorized, and by golly, she did! {it wasn't a long line...something about being indivisible}

Piano Recital

She did great!

4 little songs completely memorized

M and her friend Ivy.

Mimi takes lessons from Ivy's cute Grandma {She has THE cutest South African accent}. In fact, the only reason we got in with her teacher is because we had an in with Ivy.

Pictures of the dance performance to come.....we have 3 Saturday's of performances left!

It's not all about Miriam, although sometimes it seems like it.

These boys are holding their own.

Bub is such a great help with Soren. He tackles him every time he gets a notion little S is even thinking about heading for the stairs. {gate will be up soon} So. Very. Helpful.

Bub has lately decided to be Cowboy when he grows up {he has even turned down a proposal of marriage to follow this dream}. Which makes me think he will probably grow up to be an Engineer since his dad felt the same way at his age.

I wish I could bottle up Bub at this age, and take him out whenever I want a laugh. I do want him to grow up to see who he becomes but he is soooooo entertaining right now. Although I would try to find someway to remove the whining from the bottle.

I am not going to lie 5 teeth in 4 months has given us plenty of demon baby moments.

Last night was a bit demonish.

But to day he was baaaack! My sweet smiley charmer.

I guess it's true that we need to go through the demon to truly appreciate the charmer.

Lovin It Up

Woke up to nutella strawberry crepes!

I can only buy that stuff once a year, otherwise veins might start pumping nutella. I can't stay away from it.

20 minuets before she had to leave Miriam reminded me about this hairstyle we had seen weeks ago when I said "we should try that for Valentines Day!". It was easy and cute but I need to watch what I say. Her memory is amazing.

We had drawn secret valentines earlier in the month. I had Bub so I let him paint on our sliding glass doors and left a "hot wheelie" which is Bub talk for a Hot Wheel car, on his pillow.

This was Bub's surprise in Miriam's lunch. His note said "I love Miriam because she reaches things I can't reach, she makes up fun games, and I love her"

The day included 2 valentine parties and lots of dinner prep with a 9 month old hanging on my legs.

Right before midnight, the night before, I asked Darin to fold our love notes to the kids into origami hearts. Because he supports me in all my crazy ideas, even if they keep us up past our bedtime, he figured it out.

We gave the kids their mailbox and notes during our "scary" dinner, which is what Bub thought of our candlelight.

Miriam read 'You Are Special" to us for FHE (bonus, it is on the AR reading list). Then the kids heart attacked a sweet neighbor.

Then we put those sugared up darlings to bed.

And this is the beauty of blogging. All my hard work has been recorded.

I do love my beautiful children. I think they are hilarious, unique, and wonderful. They were bound to be, just look at who their father is!

Happy Love Day!

Here are M's valentines this year. Little vinyl numbers sewn with ribbon. These were inspired by Stephanie's cute Mom. She made them at a Valentine Exchange I went to a few years back.

Bub's were store bought with animal tatoos! It was love at first sight.

We LOVE M's teacher so we upgraded her valentine. Much bigger, and peanut M&M's rather than conversation hearts (even if they are the sweet tart ones).

Busy Day ahead....

Nutella strawberry crepes for breakfast (oh mercy...this is a valentine treat for me)

Get my Valentines off to school and work with love notes hidden

Valentine Party play group for Bub

In charge of games at Mimi's class party

Valentine nap somewhere in between for Soren

Ballet for M

Valentine dinner with surprises (the dessert should be amazing if it turns out!)

FHE which I haven't fully planned yet...

Marcus's Baptism

Marcus was dashing in his new suit and grown up tie. He is such a cute fun loving guy.

It was fun to be together.

Hill-Billy cousins

I can't believe M will be 8 next year.

The cousins.

We are even steven at the moment 5 boys & 5 girls.

Budgets = LOVE

I don't know how these took me by surprise this year. Darin has brought me flowers for the last 7 years on Miriam's birthday. Plus, there was a note reminding him to buy them on our google calendar for weeks before he realized it. Never-the-less when we came home from dinner I gasped to see them on the table. The party, ballet, SEP's....it all occupied every last bit of my mind and I was just as surprised as Miriam's 1st birthday when he walked in the door with that first bouquet.

We are trying to be strict with our budget. We have some financial goals we are reaching for so we are really trying (I am REALLY trying, honey). Darin bought these flowers with his "blow fund" the little bit of unreported money we allocate for each other that we can do whatever we want with. Knowing these flowers weren't paid for with the "gift money" the "grocery money" the "recreation and leisure money", but came from Darin's very own stash of money makes my heart feel all warm and mushy.

Now that is love.

7 Things about the Birthday Girl

1. She gets up early. When I began putting Soren in the "nursery" with the other two, she would bring him in to me in the morning around 6:00 am so he could nurse. She would then take Bub downstairs, make cereal for breakfast and they would play until I could fully wake up around 7. Nowdays, Soren isn't always up so early but, she still wakes up 1/2 hour to and hour before the rest of us. She makes toast and listens to books on CD in the kitchen by herself till we join her.

2. She continues to LOVE books and stories. She loves to read, be read to, listen to stories, tell stories, write stories, watch plays and musicals. Whether its through dance, written word, music, song or speaking, I think communication is her "thing".

3. She loves sweets. She enjoys eating them, but enjoys making them even more. She loves all cooking shows. Cake Boss, of course, but anything on the food network and even you tube videos about cake decorating. She wants to be a pastry chef when she grows up. But watch out, she is a spatula and finger licker!

4. She is adventurous. Her American Girl Magazine came with a calendar where she could make a list of 10 fun things to do by December 31. Here is her list (in her own words):

1. Have Fun

2. Go on the zip line again

3. Go to G'ma's house for a week by myself

4. Pageant

5. Be in a Prad (parade)

6. Make and dakorate a cake

7. Sew an elephant

8. Go to the Tree House Museum

9. Go Skiing

10. Go to Aquariam

5. She can be extremely determined. A blessing and a curse I think.

6. She is not "into princesses" anymore. She likes American girl dolls, animals, insects, playing pretend anything and making crafts. She is always ALWAYS planning a party, wanting to direct a play, or put on an event.

7. I was so happy to hear at Mimi's parent/student/teacher conference that she is "kind to everyone" and "careful with others feelings". She can be a total stinker to the boys....actually more to Bub then Soren but I think she would attack a bear for both of them. Last week I split a smoothie between them, a rare and special treat around here. Bub dropped his on the way to the car and burst into tears. The first thing out of Miriam's mouth was "Oh Bub it's okay take mine!" no hesitation whatsoever.

We are all given love notes and surprises from Miriam on a regular basis.

We love that girl. So happy she is ours.

The Day

The Invitations

The Breakfast

{checked in on Puxatauny Phil...saw his shadow!}

The 7 year old

{Took the boys to M's class to hand out treats and read a story}

{Brought 7 girls back to our house}

The Craft

The Cake

The Food

The wish

The Baby and his cherrios

The Gifts

The Gift bags

{Ballet, Student Parent Educator meeting, In-N-Out Burger}

More gifts

The End

Birthday Eve

G'ma and G'pa Rass came up the night before our Ground hog's big day to tell her happy birthday. They took us out to Kneader's

where Grandpa bought Mimi that birthday cannoli she has been dreaming about since the episode of Cake Boss where they made thousands of them for a Disney World convention.

She wants to open a restaurant with her cousin Anna.

"M & A's"

where she will be the pastry chef, and Anna will run the restaurant as well as be in charge of general atmosphere.

Kneaders knew it was a special day and had the place decked out.

Here is the last picture ever taken of Mimi as a 6 year old.

6.9 if you will.