Party Party Party

These are our pipe cleaner fireworks we make for New Years. We also made cute little noise makers,  had a treasure hunt in the dark with glow sticks, played a balloon stomp game, and wrote down some personal goals for the year. We had a balloon drop and had a fun countdown with all the kids around 10pm. It was nice to spend New Years Eve together.

January is one party after another for us. It goes, Ezra, then Jacob, then Jane and then mine.

All of a sudden I don't mind getting older. Apparently I'm over it. What a relief. Or maybe it's just that this year my birthday was so fun! I felt so loved from all the thoughtful birthday surprises this year. I was amazed people remember my random birthday with all the busyness going on in every ones lives.

Tim was very determined to make me a cake. He found a recipe and got his ingredients and it turned out to be a birthday miracle! Nutella Banana- can't go wrong I guess. I got to spend an evening with my two pals- and this included chocolate avocado cupcakes. We had a happy catch up. Linds even made me a beautiful fruit pizza and I got a phone call from a long lost bestie. So many good friends and yummy treats!

Mark and Mariah had all of us over to their shiny new house for tacos and festivities and it was SO nice to see them all settled and married and hosting all of us. My mom and Linda planned some fun snacks and gifts and it was nice to share the day with Jared for his birthday. Mariah of course crafted the scarf of my birthday dreams :)

It was extra special to have a cozy evening with Amber and some dandelion tea- Amber makes tea an art form. Just when I think it's the tea she buys that's the secret, I soon find out it tastes so good simply because she made it. Steeped with love I guess. A cute pink sweater and my best birthday ever was complete :)

Jane surprised me with this gift. It's so lovely.

 I feel like it's my sheperdess, just 

like Ma in Little House.

My mom made these little drawings and poems for each of the January birthday kids. I just realized I want one! I love the artwork and the words. What a talented Grammy! I'd like to frame them eventually.

I made a hideous train cake for Ez. He turned three!

Then he got a train conductor costume and train whistle for his train ride. 

The kids sewed him a cute stuffy monster with a pillow.

He calls woodpeckers, "woodcrackers". 

He loves to put his hands in his coat pockets.

He loves smoothies, eggs, pita and feta, avocados, mints,quesadillas, celery, all Persian food,

peanut butter and pretzels.

He's obsessed with the alphabet. He knows it like a pro already.

He really likes music.

He doesn't humor anyone.

His love of trains is still going strong.

He likes to talk about getting baptized.

When he wakes up in the morning he toddles down the the boys room and hops in their bed for a snuggle. I can't stand that he goes down to them and not to our room! I try and convince him to come to us but every morning it's the same.

He's a little off balance in general. He tips over...

We all smother him with love hourly!

Jacob had an important one- his 8th birthday which means he got baptized. 

Grammy and Baba surprised him with the Perplexus he wanted.

Jacob is our apple lover! So we had fancy apple slushies, and apple cake 

and every variety of apples I could find for his birthday.

The kids also sewed up a monster stuffy for him.

He got some new laces for his skates and a hockey stick.

Jacob is still our easiest boy. He does his work without ever complaining. He's happy to help and always a peacemaker in our home. He's patient with the littles. He loves to play games, in any form. He and Scarlet play their pretend game "Harry" for hours and hours and hours and hours. He's excelling in his piano lessons he just started this year and he's grades ahead in all his subjects. He's go with the flow and quiet and happy.

We all LOVE Cubby.

All Jane's dreams came true this year with an American doll from Grammy and Baba. 

She turned 11.

She even has cute doll skates!

Jane is a dreamy age right now. She's so pleasant and happy. She helps a lot with the littles and enjoys all her crafty projects. She writes us lovable notes almost daily. I still hear her from downstairs calling good night to the boys' room from across the hall. They have a routine that goes, "Goodnight, love you, have a good sleep, sweet dreams, remember your prayers and read a verse." They says this back and forth to each other every night. 

Tim and I will hear it and look at each other and read each others minds. We're both thinking, how can we pause life and just stay in this stage forever.

Charlie wrote her a darling story.

Scarlet made her a boardgame about books.

Our sweet neighbour friend had a January birthday too so Jane made her a giant cupcake and they smooshed their faces in it :)

So many fun parties!!