Phoebe Spells Her Name

Really want Phoebe to learn this little gem!

Compound Themes

Big milestone happened this weekend . . . . Jabes and Phoebs turned five! Phoebe especially has been waiting for this one. So much so that she created an imaginary friend named Joni a few years back who was (and always will be) five. Who is all things girly and feminine and opposite of her rough, stinky brothers. When Tobin was five and she was two she started to notice all the extras Tobin was able to do and we would use his age as the reason. Often saying, "when you're five you can ride with Dad in his truck, when you are five maybe we can go to Disneyland, when you're five maybe you can stay up till 8pm. When you're five maybe you can run with scissors." Stuff like that. So now she's five and she's expecting BIG things.

I was cuddling with my new five year old on the couch yesterday and asked her if she was warm enough. She said she was, "Cozier than hot cocoa" and I about died of cuteness.

When asked what kind of birthday party Phoebe wanted, I was not surprised to hear Tea Party. Not going to lie the girl need to come up with new material.

Jabe was clear that he wanted a dinosaur party and there lies our everyday dilemma. How to compromise. We made a compound theme of the two ideas and our Tea-Rex party was born.

Apparently this wasn't an original idea cause I found this funky logo off the internet. Thanks for the free stuff internets!

I don't mean to brag or make anyone feel bad, but get ready to feel very sorry for yourself . . . My mother-in-law makes the most amazingly, creative and tasty birthday cakes for my kids. Here is the dinosaur creation she came up with.

Jealous yet? If not let me just also say that MY mom came over two hours before the party and cleaned my bathrooms. My bathrooms people! I have two boys that like to play "light saber" while peeing. And not with plastic toys . . . think about it.

Now you might just want to step away and get composed be for you check out Phoebe's cake.

Rolled fondant for the tablecloth and a real mini-tea set on top. To.Die.For!

Tea-Rex obstacle course!

Step one: Gather up all the kids to give them instructions. Pretend they are all listening and pretend you are an easy going mom that doesn't mind they are completely ignoring you and your dumb instructions.
Step Two: Divide them up boys against girls. Listen to the boys high-five themselves, burp, cheer with a few tiger pumps.
Step three: Dino Bone excavation: Find two (dog) bones before moving to next station.

Step Four: Use your tea cup to scoop up dino goo and without spilling pour into jar . . .

Step Five: Eat one dino egg as fast as you can! ( these are super easy: White straws, marshmallows dipped in water and then sprinkles)
And a party in NO fun without friends!















And lastly, a picture of their first day. Before they fought over who has the most apple sauce and Jabe didn't care that his exhausted mother dressed him in pink flower pajamas in the middle of the night.

Forget College . . . We Save For Therapy

My sister and I are swapping overnight childcare this week so we can get some things done without being interrupted every 30 seconds very urgent matters like, "MOOOOOOM! Hellllllp I have a lego head stuck up my nose." or worse, when you find that they DIDN'T tell you they had lego head up their nose and they wait until you smell it. So yes, a break is good.

I did find these disturbing Sunday school papers in Tobin's room while cleaning today . . .

Apparently he turned his paper Abe and Lot puppets into zombies. I find them charming. I'm submitting them to Zondervan for publication in their next children's Bible.

Please, No Pictures

Matt's SWAT team needed some pictures of me to add to a video tribute for family support . The dread of submitting five pictures of yourself to be blown-up and shown in public can make anyone run to photoshop for a little help.

This is me and my sisters after a good run.

Me and my three kids.

Not one of my finer moments . . . and boy does it shake up a girl to see herself hitting rock bottom.

I decided I needed to hit the gym!

Me and the queen . . . . Anyone else notice ole' George giving me the eye?

Unfortunately they didn't use my cheeky pictures . . .