Oh Be Wise: Party central

I don't know how it happens, but every year we over-celebrate our children's birthdays. I swear I don't do it on purpose. But we've got family around, then it's a year they get a party, then it's the actual birthday, then it's celebrating at school. It just goes on and on and on. We've been celebrating Madison's birthday for a month now and she still hasn't even been baptized. We've got family coming into town and another round of celebrations coming up in a couple weeks. Then it's straight on to Jaxon's birthday. Good thing we all like to party!

We did a camping theme for Madion's party. It kind of ended up being a pretty loose theme, but who cares. I put her on pinterest to plan it and she came up with most of the ideas, so she was happy. These were the party favors, yes I spelled her name wrong, at this point we all should know that's just part of being me.

This was the cake she picked. Super fun. SUPER sugary. Super easy, but super time-consuming.

For her party we had a cook out, decorated pillow cases, had a glow-stick freeze dance party (songs from Frozen and what does the fox say, obviously), told scary stories and had cake.

I'm so thrilled with the choices Madison has made in friends so far. All of these girls were fabulous! I know she's still young, but there are definitely a lot of little sass-mouth 8-year-olds out there, thankfully none of these girls were.

Madison wanted a cookie cake at school this year, which I thought was a fun choice. It kills me that I can't make the treats for school, but it's against the rules. It has to be store bought.

Madison's actual birthday was on a Sunday, so we just celebrated at home. We had ice cream sundaes and Madison and I made homemade cookie bowls to go with them. They were pretty fun. She missed the stake baptism day by 1 day, which is why she won't be baptized for a couple more weeks.

We also played a little family game night. This game is called Fibber it's like "BS", but for kids. It's pretty funny.

Our family also helped out with our ward/city Earth Day service project. We helped pick up trash around the city. It's hard to see, but Jaxon is using a trash grabber. He pretty much thought that was the best invention ever.

Clean-green family pic. Colton was not feeling the joy of service that day.

For the last few months Madison has been rehearsing with the DMCO (google it, it's awesome). Its an amazing choral group here in Dallas that is primarily made up of members of our church. Her concert was last weekend and it was phenomenal. The performed downtown in the Morton Meyerson center, which is a huge concert hall in Dallas. I was so excited that Madison got the opportunity to perform with such a high caliber group and in such an awesome setting.

I volunteered to help out back stage for the first concert. It was a little crazy taking care of all the kids and getting them in the right place, but very fun to have some time to spend with Madison.

Colton went back to the doctor for pink eye, visit #4 in 6 weeks.

Chris had to have an emergency wisdom tooth extraction. The stupid tooth just grew in within the last couple months and he couldn't even eat he was so sore. It's really pretty ridiculous that we are dealing with this in his thirties.

Then Colton got this awesome rash on his face and chest. Which is no big deal, unless you're Colton. I totally flipped out when I saw this because I had just gotten a letter from school saying there had been scarlet fever in my kid's class. So we went back to the doctor--our best friend these days. Thankfully it was not scarlet fever. The doctor said it was an allergic reaction, but Madison had the same exact rash at the same time, so I have my doubts. Needless to say Colton has turned me into a crazy, hypochondriac mom. Sheesh.

Madison got some new scriptures for her birthday. She's very excited that they have her name on them.

Hudson and I have a secret. Sometimes at church I go feed him and then hang out in the mother's room and rock in the chair and let him kick around on the floor while I quietly listen to sacrament meeting. It's very peaceful, except when people come in to change their two-year-olds' terrible diapers.

We had a random day off at school and we ended up with a bunch of extra girls at our house. We frequently have 2-3 extra kids at our house, it's nuts, but I like it. I want my kids to feel comfortable having their friends here. And if their friends are here then I know what everyone is doing and what they are being exposed to. I feel like insanity and extra mess is a small price to pay for being able to control my kids' environment a little more. Obviously they go to other peoples homes too, but I don't mind having the mob at my house most of the time.

Hudson found his toes. I like this stage. I just feel like they looks so cuddly when they are all curled up in a chubby ball!

And last week we had a great afternoon with nothing to do. No piano, no soccer, no choir, no swimming, no girl scouts, no playdates, no jump rope club, so we went to the coolest park in town for a couple hours. Chris and I actually helped build this park last spring, it's a park for kids with disabilities of all kinds. It's huge and has some really cool things to play on. This swing is for kids who can't sit up in a normal swing.

This is another special swing. It's actually really fun for the kids to use the special equipment and it's all pretty safe since its for special needs kids.