Sweet Chicky

Oh that I could freeze time.
The babies grow up so fast.
Today we celebrated Chicky's birthday
And what a celebration it was!!!
I believe she had a most fantastic celebration.
As the husband asked me last night, "Birthdays are a big deal in our family, aren't they?"
Yes husband.
They are.
I hope that after nearly 15 years he can finally realize that.
But here are today's happenings.......
{in picture form}

We got up and Chicky broke through her door decor. 

Then we enjoyed a yummy breakfast of cinnamon rolls and scrambled eggs.

MisterE had 2 helpings!

Then it was time for presents.......

Grandma & Grandpa C gifted her some $ to help with the purchase that she has been saving for- an iPod Touch.

The gifts were a HUGE success this year and it was nice to get her things she really wanted WITHOUT spending an arm and a leg!

Then, off to school.

I think brother was just as excited about this day as the birthday girl!

So I had time to decorate these special Birthday Cookies. I decided not to make a cake today since we are having a little family get together on Saturday and I will make a cake for that.

The husband and I surprised Chicky by bringing little treat bags to her class.

Today was a half day, and so I took Chicky for a little mommy & me time. 

We went shopping and got.......

 That iPod!

Between what she had saved, the grandparent's birthday $,  & the parent's birthday $ she had enough to buy it. She was SUPER excited!

When we got home from shopping Grandma P came to bring her a gift. And we got a special treat with her staying to dinner!!!! Chicky chose Lasagna for dinner. and it was YUMMY!

Things I want to remember about my girl at this age:

• still loves horses
• favorite thing to do is act like an animal. ALL. DAY. LONG!
• loves soccer, and asks every couple weeks when she can play it again
• loves to feel important and wants to be around me all the time
• loves being given responsibility
• always asks to help when i am working on a project, and especially dinner!
• is a hard worker
• loves being around extended family
• says her cousins are her best friends- Especially cousin 3.2
• is very responsible about getting up and getting ready for school each morning
• is reading like crazy right now! absolutely blasting through all the American Girl books we have- which she didn't care about a couple years ago when we got them.

Happy Birthday Chicky Baby!

Just like her

You know that when there is someone you know who is ABSOLUTELY amazing, you always say, "I want to be just like her/him, when I grow up."
For me those people are generally any one of my sisters or mothers (by marriage OR birth).
But occasionally I meet someone, or have known someone for a while, of no relation what so ever that leaves that kind of impression on me.
And then there are those people I have never met, and probably never will, that are so blow-your-socks-off amazing that you just can't help but stalk them a little.
Because you wish you were just like them.
Or that a little of them could rub off on you.
This person, that writes this blog, is one of those people to me

http://ourfamilywagon.blogspot.com/

Her name is Emily.
She is AMAZING.
She will never know that she has made such an impact on me, but I am thankful for her.
I read something on her blog today that made me cry.

My job is not to try, in vain, to call time back...

but to treasure the sweet memories of

the past, look forward with faith to the

future and bask in the present.

For every day that we live and serve adds upon

the last...until we have a life filled up

with love.

Her posts are all full of great little gems like this.

And I am grateful for them.

They are the gentle reminders that I need.

The ones that say it's OK to just be ME.

But it's also OK to be inspired to be better by someone else too.

You should go check out her blog.

It would certainly be worth your time.

Not the same

I can tell when I don't fit in.
I can tell when I am not the same as the rest of the group.
Nice people, just not the same personalities.
And when this happens I find myself judging the others.
This is not OK.
But it happens.
I miss my old town.
I miss the people there.
We may not have all been the same, but at least I felt like the same things were important to everyone.
Here I feel like there is so much frivolousness.
And the things that are important are superficial.
And the things that should be important, aren't.
And it's fake.
And it makes me sad.
And I miss my old town.

Tomorrow. I love ya!

Tomorrow is the first day of school.
Chicky will be going into the next grade....and so with MisterE (that's the boy, just FYI).

Yesterday we went backpack shopping for Chicky. MisterE already had his. It took FORRRRRREVVVVVVERRRRRR. She just couldn't make up her mind. We went to 3 stores and looked at a MILLION backpacks and messenger bags (which was the original desire) with the same answer every time, "I DON'T KNOW! It's so hard to choose! It's easy for you guys to make choices because your adults!" Haha yeah right! I'm about the WORST decision maker EVER kid!
As I was about to turn and head back to the car the husband spotted one more store. I told him it was just some sort of furniture store and that we didn't need to go there. He said the the sign looked like it said DownEast on it. WHAT!?! This is the store I have been meaning, and wanting, to go to and never have- it's their furniture and clothing outlet. Woohoo husband! Way to go!
We went in and at the back- BINGO! Backpacks. Not only backpacks, but ON SALE backpacks. Good quality backpacks. Take an extra 30% off backpacks (with a monogram)!!! These are Pottery Barn discards. And so, to condense this a little, we walked away with 2 backpacks- with wheels- for around $30. NICE! VERY nice!

They have been so excited about it...until tonight.

This one went to bed crying his eyes out that he doesn't want to go to school.....but only for tomorrow.

This one went to bed worrying about whether or not she was going to be bullied this year.....and about the stinky little boys (my words, not hers) that teased her last year.

So- hopefully a good night's rest AND the perfect backpacks {with wheels} will convince my children that school this year will be great!

My first Massage

I went to the chiropractor yesterday.
Not to my brother, but one close to where I live.
The Dr did a great job.
And so did the Massage Therapist.
But today I am SUPER sore.
See here's the thing- I don't really enjoy massages.
I don't mind the part on my back, but I really don't like my neck and shoulders touched.
By anyone.
Ever.
At least not if they are trying to massage them.
It doesn't feel good to me.
It hurts.
And I had NO idea that  was going to be getting a massage when I walked in the door.
And when the Dr finished adjusting me he just said he wanted me to see "the therapist".
Silly me- I assumed Physical therapist of some sort or something.
OOPS.
It would have been nice to be told ahead of time what was going to happen.
Especially seeing as I was a new patient, to their office, and didn't know what their procedure was.
And today I hurt.
And I don't like it.
No wonder the Dr told me that I would be sore tomorrow (meaning today).
And I am.
What a way to receive my first massage.
You see- I don't really like massages.

I'm ever so grateful

I have been pondering some things lately. And without giving you all of the long, VERY LONG, details the conclusion has been reached that I need to live with more gratitude. 

Daily.

I have decided that the best way to have more gratitude for the blessings I have is to write them down. 

It will make me think more and focus a little more on what I have. 

Instead of focusing on what I DON'T have. 

It's important. 

I need to be more happy with my life. 

And so I am resolved to be more grateful. 

The best place to start is by simply writing down the things I see, every day, that are blessings in my life. 

No matter how big or small. 

And what better place to write than in a pretty book!

This boy

He is a pretty cute kid. Some days I want to sell him to the gypsys or give him to the Indians (both terms my mom used when I was younger) But over all I think that he completes our family well, and I guess we'll keep him.
Today he decided that instead of going to my sister's house to play with his cousins he would stay at home. But the story he was telling everyone else was- "Chicky gets to go to Aunt1's house, I have to stay home and clean everything."
I told him that we would go to the store. He said, "To run errands?" "Sure. We still need to find you some pants.", I said. "Becuase the last time was faimmbkbjf...?" "What?" He repeated it. I still couldn't understand. Third time was the charm- "Because the last time was a failure?"
Yes, my son. A failure. HAHA!

Remember......

Do you remember that I have A LOT of blogs?
Have you noticed the lack of posting going on here?
I have come to a decision.
I am scaling back.
Maybe I will be able to keep up with 1 blog? or 2?
Maybe.
I have found that I rarely get on my computer. I have my phone and my tab. Lately it seems I only get on my computer if I have to do a lot of typing or if I need to upload pictures to get them off my phone. You know, that kind of thing.
HOWEVER- I recently was given an extra room in my house. I now have a craft/sewing/office room! And I have a place for things that never had a home before. And that includes my computer. So maybe, just maybe, I will be able to get on it more. Which will lead to a greater desire to blog again. Because I don't have to drrraaaaaaaaaaaaggggg the thing out, find a place to sit down, work on it for a while, and then put it away when I'm done. Now it just always has a spot. Happy day.
At least that is my hope for now.

But even with that, I have decided that some of the blogs have got to go. The creative one will go. Besides that I haven't decided which other ones will stay or go. Ideally I would just post it all on here. We'll see. I make no promises. I can't very well promise. But I can hope.

A Week In the Life

A VERY BUSY week in the life....in my life.
This week was crazy. But it's getting to be the end of the school year, so I guess that's to be expected.
Here is what went on this last week
The husband had a conference out of town, and so I was able to spend some time with the children. We had fun hanging out at the mall on Monday after school
The children chose all the stores we went to. They had a blast. They were VERY serious about the LEGO guys they were building!

Tuesday I groomed the dogs.....Well, OK, I did one and took the other to be done by someone who knows what they are doing. The poodle hair is just too much for my clippers and he is just too big for me to handle well on my make-shift grooming table. 

I also had fun decking out my new KitchenAid mixer I got for mother's day. I think it's fun, and it makes me smile when I look at it. But I don't love the colors- I was working with what I had on hand. I was proud of myself for that. Very frugal of me! But it's just vinyl, so in a few months, when I get tired of it, I can just change it. I will be doing that some day. But this time I will order some colors (softer tones) specifically for that, and do a less spazzy design.

On Wednesday I went to a volunteer appreciation lunch at the school and was given a certificate in honor of all my "hard" work volunteering. Haha! I was also supposed to go help in the boy's class, but I got a migraine on Tuesday night and was worried about going in, since it was field day and I didn't know what would happen if I was out in the heat...since I still had a little headache lingering. But the man came home from his conference and so we were all happy to see him. We went out for ice cream to celebrate his return. This was my first ice cream in 8 weeks! 

On Thursday we added a new member to our family, and promptly found him a new one. HAHA! So here's the short story- this dog was left in the back yard, by his owners, when they moved! I took him home. How could I not!??!? I had a family function to go to on Friday, and wasn't comfortable leaving him home with the other dogs, since we hadn't had him very long, so I took him with us. I was n't so worried about him (he's a pretty mellow little guy, as I was worried about the yorkie! Sister7 thought he was so cute, and has had a hard time finding a dog that fits well with their family, so I asked her if they wanted him. SO they took him home on trial to see how he does. They will evaluate in a week and see what the verdict is. So in a week one of us will have him as a permanent member of our family. I had not intended on taking him into my home to  give him away, but it felt right, so I did. Sister7 joked that I found a new past time- rescuing dogs to find them new homes. I hope not! Anyway- he's such a sweet boy!

Friday I started making cakes. I had 2 cakes to make this week. One for my nephew who is graduating from High School this year, and one for my visiting teacher, for her friend who is soon to leave on her mission. I also had to run to Cooltown to deliver Essential Oil orders to people. And then go to Nephew2.2's graduation party.

Saturday morning I got up early.....well, for a Saturday anyway. And started on the other cake. Cleaned the house, enlisted the children's help. Hosted Cousin book club at 10:00am. Had the cake finished by 11:30 to be picked up at noon. My mother in-law came and picked up Chicky to take her, and her cousin, to go get horse riding gear for the lessons they will be taking this summer. I was supposed to attend a Stake Relief Society Conference that evening, and take 2 dozen cookies, but the husband was at work and I couldn't just leave The Boy home alone, so I spent quality time with him instead. And I was unable to make the cookies, so I just bought them and then dropped them off at the church instead. It was good to spend quality time with my boy though.

And when The Man and Chicky finally got home at 7:30pm, he brought me a surprise. I LOVE "just because" flowers! I told him, not too long ago, that I really don't like flowers for holidays. If you're gonna spend money on a present- make it good! Flowers are for any other time besides holidays. Just my opinion.

Today we got up early and headed over to the in-laws ward to listen to them give talks and report on their mission. We left promptly after Sacrament Meeting to go back to our ward so The Man could teach his Sunday School lesson. We got there just in time. The kids were already church-ed out (with all the driving and getting up early) by the time we got back. So naps were taken right after lunch.

After naps, Chicky showed us the gear she got with grandma yesterday. She's BEYOND excited to take lessons again! And couldn't wait to do a fashion show. All we need now is a helmet! (and probably a horse- if you ask her opinion)

And then we put together a puzzle, as a family, tonight. It was The Man's idea. That was fun, because he doesn't really love puzzles. I finished putting in the last few pieces while the children were watching Granite Flats. They LOVE that show! Way to go BYU TV for making a wonderful family program that I don't even mind letting my children watch on a Sunday afternoon!

I sure hope that this coming week is a little less hectic than the last one. But somehow I don't think it will be, seeing as how it is the last week of school and there are so many little end of the year programs to attend and such.

I was just....

Do you ever read any of your old posts? Or look at all the old pictures you posted?
I was just doing that very thing. I used to post about good stuff! And I used to post LOADS of pictures!
What has happened!?!? I don't know.
But in light of that recent discovery, I will attempt a post with LOTS of pictures to see what has been going on lately.
But it will have to wait, because as I was just looking for pictures to put in here, I realized that I have not organized my pictures for quite a while, so I don't even know where to start.
I think I better go get on that organizing thing!
(I still have not moved my 2012 pictures to my external drive!!!)
But I will leave you with a couple cute pics of me with the children

Discouraged

I'm feelin' it right now.
Sometimes I let too much get to me. But it's so hard not to.
First of all- I'm wide awake, and all I want to do is go to bed so I'm not completely exhausted tomorrow.
I have been so tired for the last couple weeks and I can't seem to sleep well. I'm not sure what the problem is.
For the past 7 weeks (we are into week 8 now) I have been doing  a healthy lifestyle challenge with many members of my family. I am trying so hard. And doing so well. Yet I have seen no difference. LAME!
I really want well behaved children, and dogs, and can't seem to teach either one.

I don't know- I am sure I could go on and on forever with a list of all the things that are getting me down right now, but I will stop at those. Mostly because those are the ones that have been on my mind tonight.

Awarded

About a month ago Chicky came home from school, and as soon as she saw me, tears came to her eyes.
"You missed my Fairness award today. And Mrs W---- wouldn't let me call you to see where you were."
She cried, I cried, the boy cried...because we were.
I felt like the worst mother of all time for forgetting about her awards assembly.
At their school they have pillars of character. 5 of them. Chicky got the Fairness Character Award. 2 kids from each class get the award. And along with the certificate, they get to put their hand print on the wall.
And I missed it!
In my defense I was doing service for my dad.
But still, I missed it.And I was upset over this for 2 or 3 days.

So, on Monday, Chicky comes home with a paper that says (we thought) that she was getting the "Caring" award. SO EXCITED! She couldn't believe she was getting ANOTHER character award!

"Mom, can you come?" "Mom, please don't miss it this time."

I put it in my calendar on my phone RIGHT THEN. I was not going to forget. And she reminded me every day. And the boy did too. "mom are you going to come. It's our turn to sing this time. We get to sing the caring song."  And he sang it for the husband and me before bed last night.

Even up to this morning- "Mom, remember the assembly." "Yes, Chicky, I will see you in half an hour. I WILL be there!" the boy- "mom I'm singing. Remember?" "Yes, the boy, I will be there." 

And they headed out the door with smiles on their faces.

And a half hour later I was running down the hall at the school. Because I got there right on time.

The kindergarten had just started singing. And I got it on video. And the boy was thrilled to see me there. And he was SUPER cute singing the caring song.

And then they called up the kids for the Caring Award. But Chicky didn't get called. Hmmmmm.

But I was watching her, and she didn't seem upset. Hmmmmm.

Then they started to talk about the Honor Roll.

And it dawned on  me (from looking at her report card), THAT was the award she was getting.

And the Caring bit? It is the "Caring" Awards Assembly- because that was the name. Because that was the trait they were focusing on this month.

So as the classes were being dismissed, I told Chicky that I would not be back at noon for the hand print on the wall part. 

"But why mom!!!!?" 

"Because, honey, you aren't going to be putting you hand on the wall this time."

"Yes I am! I got the caring award."

"No, you got the Honor Roll, not the caring award."

That's when she started getting upset. Tears in her eyes. And I had to explain what had happened and how we had all misunderstood the paper she had brought home. I told her it wasn't important that she didn't get that award. We already KNOW she's a caring person. But what I wanted her to understand was that the Honor Roll is awesome because it means she is doing GREAT in school, and working really hard, AND (the thing that really got her attention, and made that pretty smile beam across her face) that she is SO smart!

Blog2Print

So I have been asked what is the program I like so much for putting my blogs into books.
Here is the answer-

Blog2Print

Now let me tell you why I like it.
My problem with blurb is that there are waaaaaayyy too many options. And I find that once they upload my book into the template I still have to go back and move things around. A LOT. I hate that! If it gets uploaded and I select options, then the book should upload the way I want. I doesn't. Plus, I feel, that it is WAY overpriced.

I love blog2print for the simple reason that there are less options and the book uploads just like it should. You have the option of uploading it just as it looks on the page, or of condensing it to conserve space, therefore using less pages and costing less. You can also include all of the comments people made to that post, or not. It's up to you. Plus it seems to me that their printing cost is less. I'm all about costing less. Especially when you are talking about getting more than 3 or 4 blogs into books! (I really need less blogs!)

I have noticed a few things I don't love- if your post title is long, it kind of cuts it off. And if you chose to not put the comments in, but decide later that you want them there, you can't change it without deleting the whole book and starting over. At least I haven't figured out how yet. But it's not that big of a deal to re-upload it anyway. It doesn't take very long to do. Especially if you are only doing a year at a time. I also haven't figured out how to upload private blogs, so I don't know if you can do it at all. And no slide shows or videos will upload. But that's to be expected and normal for doing this sort of thing. Oh- and I also don't love that you have to return to their home page and out in your blog url again to upload another year. And sign back in again after that to access the book to edit it. It's kind of weird, but nothing that would keep me from using their site. Just kind of a little inconvenient.

Basically I love the simplicity and ease of use. It's very self explanatory  I love that there are less choices so I feel less compelled to mess around with the format once it's all uploaded. And I love that I sat down and uploaded one full blog (minus this year of course) in individual year books in just a couple hours. The books are now sitting on their site just waiting for me to be able to purchase them. And now I am working on getting another one of my blogs into books.

If you go and check out their site and figure out any of the things I said I couldn't/haven't, let me know!
AND I just saw on google if you put in the coupon code WishlistB2P you will save 15% of your book! (it expires 3/26/13)

URRRHHHGGGGG!!!!

SO frustrating!
This is the second puzzle I have put together in the last few months that had a piece missing.
Well, to be fair, the children were helping with the first puzzle, and I'm sure that one of the pieces accidentally got knocked on the floor and our resident hoover {AKA Roksi} ate the piece before any of us noticed.
But I know that didn't happen this time. And it was bugging me the entire time that I was putting together the thing, because I HATE it when I have one piece missing in the middle of a bunch of finished puzzle.
And what do I find when I get to the end of the puzzle???.....
An extra piece and an empty space! And they DON'T belong together! GRRRR!
And if you couldn't tell this is not a problem that will affect my life in anyway, it's just my OCD coming out a bit.
But really? Two puzzles in a row with a missing piece??
Maybe the next one I put together will be lucky.

Who knows

I want to blog.
About what?
WHO KNOWS!
But I am sitting here waiting for the husband to get home and listening to the pouring rain outside, and I feel like blogging.

It seems that on the days I have something great transpire I don't have the time to sit and post.
And on the days when I do have the time it seems that I have forgotten all of the things that happened that I would like to post about.
OH WELL!
That's what happens when you get old and you start to lose more of the memory you never had much of to begin with! Sad.

But I will say this-
I have started putting my blogs into books. I found a site that I like so far. Better than blurb. It's so simple. And you don't have to move stuff around so much. I feel like with blurb I still have to move stuff around all over the place. BLEH!

And so I am working on it. And I can already tell you- this is going to be one EXPENSIVE project! Especially since these are just the blogs and not the rest of the scrapbooking that I have to do. Some day I will get all caught up on it.
Perhaps.

And so instead I will leave you with some pictures I have taken, of random things, over the last little while.....

impromptu ice skating at dad's shop

Sweet 16 cake for sweet HG

drinking from the pool

lining Grandma's casket

Great Great Old Margaret

Last Saturday my Paternal Grandmother, my last grandparent left on this earth, passed quietly from this life into the next. I am sure that she had a wonderful reunion with her husband, who passed away over 30 years ago, and 2 of her children who passed before her as well. She was 93 1/2 years old.

Grandma has lived with my parents for the last 7 1/2 years. I have had the opportunity (though sometimes I did not call it that) to go and visit with her ever week and do her hair. To be honest I did not really enjoy doing it all of the time. Sometimes I felt it was more of a burden than a blessing. But, now that I won't have that opportunity it makes me a little sad. And I feel that I should have had a better attitude about doing it.

On Christmas Eve 2012 grandma suffered a heart attack and the doctors said she wouldn't pull through. Well she did. Of course she did. Grandma was stubborn. She wasn't going to let anyone else tell her that her time was up. She was going to decide that one on her own. She pulled through, but needed 24 hour care after that. So for the last month she lived in a group home a few miles away from mom & dad's house. And they took good care of her there.

All of us in the family took turns going to visit her. We each had a day. Mine was Friday- the same day I usually went to do her hair. Last Friday I was at my dad's shop (he's a carpenter) helping out. When I left I had just enough time to get home, before the kids got home from school. But I also knew (some how) that if I didn't go visit grandma, I never would see her again in this life. I went home.

I got a phone call Saturday afternoon telling me about grandma. And I cried a little. The husband said, "I thought you all would be happy. She wasn't doing well." It made me a little upset. But that's just how his brain works. And it's true anyway. I am happy. Happy that she can reunite with loved ones long passed. Happy that she doesn't have to be bogged down by an old body that isn't working so well anymore. Happy that she doesn't have to stay in the group home, because she didn't want to be there. Happy that she lived such a good life.

But sad too. And that's only natural.

Grandpa & Grandma Potter

FB

The big FB. (facebook for the lesser schooled)
I have decided I don't much care for it.
Lately most of what I read on there is either doom and gloom or just flat out complaining.
It doesn't lift my spirits.
I don't need less to lift my spirits.
The problem is, now that I have been on there I can;t just get off. I do like keeping in touch with people. And I'm nosy and like to know what's going on.
Just not all of it.

A New Year

It is another new year. And another year passed and the blog got neglected. And many family happenings never got documented. Simply because I am lazy. Well I am not going to try and catch up on the things that got left behind. And I am not going to say I will post something every day. But I have decided that it is important that I post something at least once a week. I have time for that. It is do-able. And so for this year- that is my goal for the blogging world I have built here.

Foxtail Saga

Apparently Foxtail is a kind of grass. I just think it's a weed. Don't you classify things that you don't like growing in your yard, and that spread rapidly (and take over), as a weed?  Well let me tell you- we have PLENTY. Usually when you have an excess of something you like to share with others, right? I will not be sharing. Sorry if that hurts your feelings.

We have these weeds in our yard from the time we first bought our house. But they were never anything more than a mild bother- embedding themselves in our blankets and the dog's beds. This year things are different. They are embedding themselves in the dogs!!!! I don't like this and I wonder what the use of these things is. Why were they created? Kind of the same way i feel about scorpions and cockroaches. Somethings you just don't understand why the Lord saw fit to create them.

One of our dogs (the oldest one) seems to be afflicted with them more than the others. I'm not quite sure why. But it makes me sad to see her in pain. A few days ago I had officially had enough. It was right after we pulled one out of one of the dog's eye! REALLY!!?!!! Come to find out- these things are deadly to dogs because they do burrow into the skin. However they never have before....at least at our house. Who knew this year would be any different? So the husband went outside and flamed the back yard. We have black spots all over the yard. But less weeds. He still has a couple patches to do but I already see a HUGE improvement. We have long hair dogs that bring them inside. They get tangled in their hair so easily. And I am constantly sweeping. And I didn't see any other solution than to burn them. Because once they dry and go to seed there is nothing you can do about it except wait it out....and that can last all summer. NO THANK YOU!

 Let me give you a list of places we have pulled these things from :

• eyes
• mouth
• feet- between toes
• feet- bottom between pads
• gums
• underarms

Hopefully we won't have to deal with them too much now.

Today

Today was a good day for some and not so good for others.

Around here, when the little people get sick you can hardly tell. There is no slowing down. They act pretty much the same, only cranky. And so it is not uncommon for the parents to make it through most of the day before realizing what the problem is. BUT in the uncommon occurrence that one of the children actually throws up, we kind of know. Today was one such day. I was sad for my girl to not feel well. But as the day progressed she seemed to feel better. So I didn't worry about it. I took her to ballet. She was fine. We went out to eat. She threw up again. BUMMER. So we ate and then we came home. And she did it AGAIN. Poor baby. I put her to bed. She fell asleep right away. I am convinced that she will be fine tomorrow.

As all of this was happening the boys were getting ready to go to the fathers and sons camp out. The boy was SUPER excited. He loves going camping. And he got to go with his dad AND another adult male, and a dog. He was so cooperative today in getting ready. He even let me cut his hair AND took a bath. Neither of which he wanted to do this morning when he got up.

And I have a cake to do tomorrow. I'm just happy that during getting the boys ready to go, taking care of a sick baby, and all the usual, I had time to do all of the prep work for the cake. It will make things go so much more smooth tomorrow.