{the birthday princess}

Raising children is wonderful.  I love the carefree moments.  India came inside last week and announced, "I. Am. Amazing!"  

She was having so much fun riding through the grass with the wind in her hair and her arms opened wide.  At times, I wish it could stay this way forever.

My children don't want it to stay this way . . . they like growing up!  I'm trying to not be sad about the whole process.  I'm actually rather tempted to cry.  This will be a rather long post because she just turned TWELVE.  I don't want to forget a single moment of her fabulous journey to becoming.

Saturday, March 20, 1999 was a miraculous day!  Our little princess made her debut into the world 

at 4 lbs. 11 ozs - and really early.  She was excited about entering this world and was ready to get started. She came home early too - only weighing 4 lbs. 5 ozs.  

She was definitely excited about life!

Sunday, March 20, 2011, in her opinion, was a magical day. She has been so excited for her 12th birthday!  It is an exciting event because she gets to wear make-up and attend Young Women's.  (The youth organization in our church for girls.)

India has never been average and I think her ideas for a birthday party were particularly different.  She invited a distinguished group of guest on Saturday to help her celebrate . . . 

Thank you Elders (beginning on left) Marlar, O'Conner, Fonnesbeck, Kemp, Orndorff, Hoffman, Reed, and Jenkins for coming! 

Rachel is the best!  We're so glad she was here too!

The missionaries were SO sweet and brought India birthday cards.  With eight missionaries, they got two cards they could all sign.  It was perfect!

I love their sense of humor! 

(Elder Clunas completed his mission on Valentine's Day but there was no way he could miss this party!  He managed to attend in spirit with his face attached to Mickey's body.)

Some people in this world are beyond amazing.  I know some of those people!  The Serdar's. Their wonderful son is serving in our mission although he is no longer in our specific area.  We love him.  We love his family.  Crazy, but we got to meet his family on a trip last year and all I can say is, "They. Are. Beyond. Amazing!"  They sent India this beautiful birthday gift!  (Sir Thomas is beyond amazing like the Serdar's and he stayed in the background grilling hamburgers!)

Missionaries are another group of "beyond amazing" people.  We were VERY surprised when they arrived with a special birthday gift for our birthday girl . . .

An "autographed" Justin Bieber poster!  (I still can't stop laughing.)  These guys are THE best!

Their comments and signatures were so classic!  (Including the ghost signature of one Elder Clunas.)

We had the usual birthday festivities.

Another tradition . . . the birthday guest gets to choose their piece of the cake.

India entertained us with one of her many talents . . .

As much as she loves the new poster, she had a better idea!  The missionaries would make a better poster than Justin B.  We're going to have this made into a poster and get it autographed!

After seeing the card and the gift, you won't be surprised with their further creativity in pictures . . .

The concept:  Everyone jump together and get a great air shot.

The reality:  Hilarious!  Synchronizing the jump was harder than expected.

The question:  Should we begin the jump ON the count of three or should we already be mid-air?? Jump AFTER three?  (This post is already long or I would show you a few more FUN attempts!)

Success: 

So, my beautiful princess is now 12 and all smiles!

Yesterday, as I took this picture before church I wanted to freeze time.  

India is 12!  They've grown up so fast.  It is still quite the process to get a picture of everyone looking at the camera, eyes open, smiling . . . I'm glad that hasn't changed!  (Keaton is a happy guy but was being funny for the pictures with his "serious" look but everyone's eyes are open and they're looking at the camera!)  

I NEVER want this to end!

{1 birthday boy and 3 sick kids}

February 25th is a wonderful day at our house!  

It is the day we celebrate Keaton!  

This February 25th allowed him to "become" 17.  I think keeping our traditions alive is important . . . he was really great to pose with THE birthday cake.  He probably outgrew the excitement of this picture long ago but he's a sweetie and kept with tradition.

Friends are wonderful!  Some of HIS wonderful friends arrived EARLY - as in before 6:30 a.m. early - to decorate his room.  We had already left for seminary and they did a great job.  

As a mother, good friends for my children are priceless!  Thankfully, Keaton has the BEST.

His expression says, "You've GOT to be KIDDING me!  Toilet Paper!"

 Just joking! Actually, he LOVED it and was all smiles.

HUGE thank you to Keaton's friends!  The entire day was FUN!

Rachelle is his darling cousin.  She brought green milk and cookies to seminary for him!  

I'm SO thankful they are close friends.

We LOVE these guys!  They really made Keaton's birthday special.

Mark, Michael, and Jay - along with Amy, Britten, and Rachelle made fun plans!  They invited him to IHOP and a movie.  (I really wish we had pictures of their outing.)

These guys had plans that continued all the way through Saturday night!  A BIG thank you to the Crossley's for hosting a good deal of their impromptu planning.  

Jay was the MOST excited about Keaton's choice of "cake" - homemade ice cream cake!  He decided to enact blowing out the candles before we even lit them! FUN!

The birthday boy did get his chance!

I really hope his WISH comes true!

Life has a way of taking the fun out of things at times.  Poor Landon.  He didn't get to go and do all the fun things to celebrate Keaton's birthday.  He had the flu.

He tends to run really high fever when he is sick and we battled 105 and 106 degrees frequently over the past week.  He is such a great patient.  He listened to audiobooks on his ipod when he was feeling decent.

He became close allies with that thermometer! 

How grateful I am for Sir Thomas.  He's a wonderful dad!  His help with these sick children is another priceless gift in my life.  I should mention how much I love him . . . A LOT!!!

Of course, when I show up with the camera they start cracking jokes about "making the blog."

Yep, he might have been sick but he was still making wisecracks.

Congratulations guys . . . YOU made it!

 Have I ever mentioned that I LOVE being a mother?  I'm especially grateful I'm his mother.

My teenagers are sweet . . . even when they're sick.

Landon finally decided that he'd had enough.  He was weak.  He was aching.  He might have even been delusional and he was definitely tired of being sick.  He was lying on the couch for a change of scenery when he stood up and announced, "I QUIT!  I'm tired of being sick so I just quit."

I LOVE that attitude . . . and it's working.

Happily, Landon is recovering from his week long illness.

Apparently misery really does love company.  Landon was still a bit sick when Sunday morning arrived and India awoke with fever and felt terrible.  Poor little girl.  

"Lucky" girl managed to get some sleep and then enjoy some computer time.  Being sick really isn't ever lucky but she has a way of making it appear better than it is.  India is the kind of girl that can do that.

Keaton's birthday weekend was officially and completely over on Sunday morning.  Like India, he also awoke with fever and felt terrible.

He never lost his sense of humor!  He had me laughing when he said, "Well, I guess I'm glad I got sick too so I could make the blog."  

Being a mother is the best decision I've ever made . . . of course that is AFTER saying, "YES!" to Sir Thomas so I could have a chance at HAPPILY EVER AFTER.  

It isn't always happily ever after but then again . . . it isn't THE END.

{sandcastles, birthdays, and big plans}

Last year, when Keaton turned 16, he had some great friends that decorated his room and really made his birthday special.  He knows how nice it is to be thought of and so he likes to make other people feel good too.  

Today, one of his really great friends turned 17!  He decided to surprise her with a cake.  All I can say is . . . I'm impressed!

He borrowed my iPad to do a little research and found the perfect design.  A Sandcastle!

Due to appointments, I was gone when he started this process and he was on his own!  He obviously didn't need me.  (Well, maybe I'll help with the laundry.)

He's decorated a cake before and decided that he definitely likes the sand effect - much better than trying to keep the crumbs out of the icing.

This wasn't going to be just a plain sandcastle. 

I really hope this made her birthday feel extra special!  I'm also really glad that he has great friends that deserve great cakes!

I thought his juggling, unicycle, gymnastics, and piano were impressive enough but now he has serious cake decorating skills!  

He's amazing!

I'm so thankful that I get to be his mother.

I'm also thankful for all the time I get to spend with him.

(I do love homeschool.)

Nothing could be any better than being a mother!

Fabulous!  However, I don't think the pictures do it justice.

My very sweet & very talented Keaton will be 17 next week!  He's only requested a plain homemade ice cream cake so the pressure is off!  I'm thankful! How would I top his creation? 

However, I still have "birthday" on my mind . . .

I'm FINALLY going to be 40 this year!

Crazy pictures!  Can you even guess what's going on?

I'm having a 40th Birthday Ball!  Yep, we're going to wear formals and dance and have a magical evening! Yesterday, I met with my wonderful party planner and it will be so fun!

The above pictures were kindly taken by my sweet 11-year-old photographer who feels its best to keep you guessing . . . 

and she's right. . . 

stay tuned! (Or send suggestions!)