Summer Birthdays

We have 3 of them.  They are all over now. 

Nathan is 13, Sarajoy is 2, and Ruby is 9. 

I asked Nathan to count how many more birthdays we will celebrate before all of the kids are out of the house.  (I was feeling pretty exhausted after Sarajoy's party when I asked him this)
The answer was something like 78. 
Wow.

Nathan's birthday was celebrated mostly on Saturday since his big day fell on fast Sunday. 
Sausage, Eggs, and Pancakes for breakfast. 

Then the memorable Squaw Peak hike.  Lunch and dinner didn't quite happen how we'd planned.

His lunch choice of ravioli got cooked sometime during the following week, but we had steak for dinner on Sunday.  We quickly cleaned up and made a cake.  Yellow cake with chocolate frosting.  This is so good if the frosting is homemade. 

We took it across the street to share with our neighbors during our weekly Sunday afternoon get together. 

He wanted an ipod for his birthday.  I have my reasons for not liking ipods, the main one being that I don't want my kids off in their own little pop culture world.  I did, however, shop around just to see.  I have a really hard time not granting my kids' wishes.  The price was just WAY too out of our range.  Even on ebay or in the classifieds.  I told him beforehand because I think he was kinda counting on it.  He had walked in the kitchen the day I was looking at them online.  I told him I could get him something else or give him some money to save up to buy his own ipod.  For his present, we bought him a bunch of his favorite treats and wrapped them in paper and made an awesome Calorie Castle out of them.  I sort of forgot about the money thing until the other day when he said he'd like a wallet.  I was happy to pay for that over an ipod!
Brandon was excited to find a hat on sale for $3 at Wal Mart.  It was the exact hat that Nathan had almost paid $15 for several months ago, but decided against.  Brandon was so excited to give it to him!


Our baby girl turned 2! 
Now when my oldest turned 2, he seemed like such a big boy!  How come she still seems like such a tiny baby? 
My plan was to get the kiddie pools out and have a little family water party for her.  Unfortunately that afternoon and evening were very stormy, so the pool party had to wait a couple of days.  She loved waking up to her balloon boquet in the morning.  She got to play with her best friend Adella.  One of the things she loves to talk about most is Adella.  She names her dolls Adella.  She loves to look at me with bright eyes and say, "Mommy!  wa-wa!  'della!"  And we talk about the time we got to go swimming with Adella.  The other thing we always talk about is the bee sting she got at Grandpa's house.   
Dallin came home from work and straight to a Court of Honor.  I made sure everyone had a late nap that day so we could still do the party after he got home.  I sort of forgot about the cake thing, but thankfully Nathan had made a cake for his friend that day and kind of botched the frosting.  He was kind to donate it to the cause.  Just as we were getting the candles out, I remembered that all of my other kids got an elephant cake on their 2nd birthdays.  Ugh.  I took that crumbly mess and cut and mashed it into an elephant.  I ran down to the service station and bought some spray whipped cream and made it a white elephant! 
Even though there was no water, she loved the little water animals and nets she got.  She also got an adorable little push-cart from Ikea.  She is so cute driving her gorilla and her little babies around in it. 

Ruby turned 9 today!  I came into the kitchen this morning and the music we listened to during her birth was playing.  Such a sweet, wonderful experience that was! 
For breakfast she chose a few special breakfast cereals that we don't usually buy.  Fruit Loops, Lucky Charms, and she also chose Life and Honey Bunches of Oats which we buy regularly. 
She unwrapped her outfit at breakfast, and was so excited!  I'm glad she likes it.  She dressed up her American Girl to match, and Sarajoy just couldn't get enough of that doll. 
We were in charge of the knot-tying class for Activity Days today.  Ruby and I ran to the store to get some licorice ropes for treats.  Then we picked up Nathan and headed to the church.  Nathan did most of the instructing.  He did a great job.  We made friendship bracelets at the end.  Things like that are always so exhausting! 
When we came home we made homemeade pretzels for lunch.  Lots of fun! 
Then we all had quiet time, and I took a nap!
This evening we had the BIGGEST storm we've seen up here, and we've seen some big ones!  Our whole driveway and front sidewalk were under inches of water.  Our drainage system we put in last year was maxed out.  Our shed floor was covered in water, and I cleared the drain in front of the raquetball court in the nick of time.  Dallin was a little disappointed to come home to a driveway full of mud.  We looked around at that for a few minutes before coming in for dinner. 
She wanted me to make a chicken salad she had had at a friend's house.  It had lettuce, carrots, celery, tomatoes, cheese, and cooked chicken.  Then you cover it with Ranch Dressing and mix it all together.  It was delicious!  Even the little kids ate it all gone. 
She opened her presents.  She got some snacks and a Fur Real newborn penguin and a tiny plush kitten.  She was very pleased.  Instead of cake she chose donuts. 
We stayed up with Dallin and watched the footage I took of the storm. 

A few years ago, we decided to quit doing friend parties and do family birthday activities instead.  Since all of these birthdays are close together, I suggested we combine and do a Salt Lake Connect Pass.  For one price, you get into all of Salt Lake's main attractions.  As many as you can fit into one day.  We'll do that on Monday.  We're planning to go to the Hogle Zoo, The Gateway Children's Museum, The Planetarium, and we'll get a free lunch at the Lion House restaurant.  We're all really excited!

Happy Birthday to my Summer babies!  I am one lucky mama!