Happy Birthday TuTu!!!

I'm a few days behind, but want to make sure I post a good birthday tribute to Tyler. Tyler turned 7 on Monday, and what a great guy he is. He is such a happy, fun-loving kid, and he is a great playmate for both Spencer and Ella. He is as tough as nails, and he loves to run...everywhere! He walks with a little strut - even runs with a strut - and I have to admit he looks pretty cool. He is also a really nice boy, playing with everybody at school, and always making sure we're all taken care of. He's a wanderer, meaning he gets out of his chair at dinner a million times to check on how other things are going, but he is also an amazing eater. He puts it down! Tyler is a sweetie, too. He loves for me to call him "TuTu," which is his unfortunate nickname from babyhood, but he loves it. He loves to be tickled, and he comes up and hugs me all the time, saying "You're the best mommy in the world!" What a guy. Happy Birthday little TuTu!!

Captain Tyler's Buckaneer Bash

Tyler had his Pirate Party yesterday, and it was seriously fun. One of the parents asked who was having more fun, me or Tyler. What?? It's all for the kids! I did have fun breaking out my whistle (won't have an outdoor party without one) and whipping those little pirates into shape. The weather was really nice, but there was a lot of wind. So some of our pirate games had to be altered a bit. For example, in the "cannonball pop" - popping the black balloon relay - the balloons would fly away before they had to chance to sit or stomp on it! So we used pins to pop them instead. The "swab the deck" game - sweeping the balloon - had to be abandoned completely. But we still did a "peg-leg race" (three legged race) and a "hook the treasure" game (hooking giant pretzels with a Captain Hook hook). We searched for buried treasure in the playground, and then went on a treasure hunt which culminated with the treasure chest pinata. Is it just me, or do all pinatas end up in some sort of bust? Ours broke twice, and once we finally fixed it in a foolproof fashion, the rope broke! So I tore it open and threw the treasure all over the lawn and the kids were thrilled. Just enough time left for presents, cake & ice-cream, and parents were picking the kids up (except one parent who showed up about an hour late...nice). A big success all the way around! I think I'll have a month off now, and then Spencer's party will be on the 27th of March. He'll be having a Backwards Party, which he did about 2 years ago and it was so fun (and easy!). What else can you do for a crazy bunch of 10 year old boys??

Party Time!

The season of birthdays is upon us! Starting with Ella, we'll be having birthday parties just about every other week until the end of March. For being such planners, did we plan on this??? It is a crazy time, but when it's done...it's DONE! And the kids have so much fun. So it is all worth it! We began this year of parties with Ella's "Flower Party." It was her idea to have a flower party, and I had a great time running with it. I wish I had a picture of the invitation, because it was darling, but at least I got my awesome cake on film! I made the kids "Oooo and Ahhhh" before I let them eat it. Seriously. I did. We had 12 girls come to the party, and adding the two older brothers who had to be RIGHT in the mix the entire time (yes, even for the "pretty parade" around the house), it was a LOT of kids! Thankfully the weather was gorgeous and so we were able to spend a lot of time outside. And the best part was that they were actively playing or eating or opening the entire time - so the house remained intact! Next on the party agenda...Captain Tyler's Buckaneer Bash. Aye Matey!!

Happy Birthday Ella!!

It's hard to believe that my little peanut is four years old today! It doesn't seem all that long ago that we were driving to the hospital in Seoul, Korea ready to have our first little girl. And what a miracle her birth was, with the doctor flipping her over from her breech position, avoiding a C-section (but making labor last a long 36 hours). With the ease in which he was able to turn her, our doctor ensured us that it meant she would always be an easy child. We should have got that in writing! :) From the day she was born, Ella has been full of life and energy, with never a dull moment with her around. She is a girlie girl at times - loving to dress up, go to dance, and have her nails painted - but with two older brothers she is also a tough little cookie. She can run and hike and fight bad guys with the best of them! Ella is still very attached to her mom, although she is never jealous of Ruby. I think that Ella was the most excited one in the family when Ruby was born, and she is counting down the days until they can share a room. Ella loves to color and write, and she goes through at least 5 sheets of paper a day with various projects. She loves to help me clean, loves to cook food for our tea parties, and she makes our house very beautiful (right now we have colorful suckers taped all over our walls). She's sweet and feisty and exasperating and lovable, all wrapped up into a beautiful four year old girl. We love you Ella!!