King Morton

Bryce came home from kindergarten this week to tell me they had read a book about a "Real King" at school. Apparently, King Morton was a King who really lived. And someone shot him. They shot him with a real gun. And He DIED. And Monday is his birthday so we don't have to go to school.

Incredible. I don't think I ever learned about King Morton in elementary school, but what the hey?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KING MORTON!!!

Kensington's Birthday Bash: Minnie style.

We started the morning with the traditional birthday breakfast and in keeping with the theme of her birthday festivities which was all things Minnie Mouse, we opted for the ever popular Minnie Pancakes.

She got some super fun presents which I took pictures of but as it turns out I am a crappy photographer and they all came out totally blurry so you can just sit and imagine what her fun play Kitchen from Grandpa and Grandma Holden and Melissa & Doug cutting food set from Grandpa and Nana Bishop looked like! Eric and I got her the Melissa and Doug birthday cake set and let me just say...there were time outs a plenty over these blasted toys so you know they were good! Since we live only a short drive away from the Magic Kingdom we were able to accommodate a 4 year olds birthday wishes and headed out to Disneyland for the day. It ended up being the only rainy day in Southern California for the whole year so we didn't take a ton of pics in the park but we had fun in our Disney ponchos and what not. This is her Birthday dress that I made. She specifically requested "the red Minnie not the pink Minnie". I obliged and this is what I came up with. She LOVES it and now requests to wear it every time we go to Disneyland.

Here's a close-up of the handmade trim and minnie mouse head on her dress. I also stitched on each of the polka dots only because when I went to the fabric store they were out of the red and white polka dot fabric so I just bought white and made it myself.

I had every intention of making her cake. I even bought all the ingredients and knew exactly how I was going to decorate it but the day before I got super lazy. Must have been all the Christmas festivities and such. Anyway I ended up going to the bakery and found this pre-decorated New Year's cake with oreos so I pulled off all the new year crap, stuck on some felt circles and fruit by the foot bows and called it a birthday cake. She was super excited.

We went over to Uncle Steven's and Aunt Cortney's house to share Birthday cake and to drop off little Huddy Buddy. I didn't want him to catch his death in the sub-freezing temperatures of Anaheim. And to preface their gift to Kensie I will share a conversation I had with her earlier that week. Me: Hey Kensie what are you going to do when you turn 4?

K: um, I can't be 4 unless I have a Snow White Barbie like Roxie!

Aunt Cortney made her dreams come true and bought her the most beautiful snow white doll ever. Her life is now complete.

I wanted to get a picture of the kids all together since I made the boys some shirts too so they wouldn't feel left out so we started out saying, " Do a happy birthday pose!"

"Okay, not quite. Let's try it again"

"Really?? That's your happy birthday pose? ok. Let's just try a normal pose. Just look normal"

"No, I said Normal"

"Um, apparently we are going to have to go home and practice being normal..."

We spent the whole day and we went to the Rainforest Cafe for her Birthday Dinner. I took a ton of pictures but now my card reader is saying there is no valid picture on my card and Eric isn't home so I possibly just deleted like 600 pictures??? oops. Anyway we stayed for the fireworks and then came home. Let's just say the next day was all about recovering! I hope she had a great day and We Love her so much and can't wait to do it again next year!

It just wasn't meant to be.

First my dryer started making a scary noise and stopped drying things and smelled like burning. Now my washing machine is stopping mid-cycle, leaving the thing full of water and unwashed clothes. Oh and also leaking onto the carpet all the way down the hallway to my bedroom! I knew I should've scrapped that stupid resolution when I had the chance. Now it mocks me.

I used to be a BRAT but I'm not anymore.

I think I am a grown up. Can I say that? Well, I feel a lot different than when I was 18 and first married, anyway. Normally I don't make resolutions because the New Year Holiday is what we refer to as a "Non-Holiday" in our house. It's kind of a throw away day because we've done the Christmas thing and Kensie's Birthday is the 30th (Pictures forthcoming) so New Year's kind of takes one for the team. Anyway, this year I did make some resolutions because, like I said, I'm a grown-up now and I am trying to be a good one. So here they are in no particular order :

* I am going to exercise at least 3 times a week on our new Wii Fit Plus! (I've already lost 3.2 pounds!)

*I am going to say "I Love You" every day to each member of my family individually

*I am going to take more pictures of my kids

and I'm thinking of throwing this last one out because it just seems so far fetched but I may attempt it...

*I'm going to clean my house everyday...........and at least ONE LOAD OF LAUNDRY EVERY DAY!

Like I said...it will be an attempt but I will give it my most valiant efforts.

May your 2010 be fiiled with more Love and less laundry!