HAPPY BIRTHDAY MANSEL

12 years old today.  Can't believe it... he started out so small.  6#1oz.  I took him to Des Moines to the endocrinologist to make sure nothing was wrong when you were a baby and off the charts small even (that was before computers... the paper only went down to <5%.

Now you are a young man - not small in mind or body.

Keep reading Mansel - readers are leaders!!  Love the Lord with all your soul, mind and strength!


I love you!!

We are coming up upon birthday season at our house

Once upon a time I made a rule. I thought is was a good rule. Efficient.

Here is the rule. My kids will have "friends" parties for their birthdays when they are 6, 10, & 16. I have 5 kids, this rule ought to help keep a little sanity, and order. It will help us remember whose turn it is to have a party. Help me plan ahead and save up for it. Keep them from asking for one every year. That sort of thing.

Well - this year I have a child turning 6, 10, & 16. LOL. We are maxed out on birthday parties this year.

To make matters even more exciting... I am planning a surprise birthday party for my dear husband who is turning 40 this year. Call me a glutton for punishment, I don't care.

The first party is coming up Saturday. Wayne is turning 6. What has blessed me the most about this is watching the siblings get involved. Some of them are working on making a pinata for the party. Several chipped in money for the project. The excitement is growing.

I'll post pictures soon. In fact I'll post many pictures in the next few konths. Birthday season is fast and furious around here. Starts in April and over in October. 2 Parties in June, 1 in August and 1 in October.

LET THE FUN BEGIN!!!

posted from Bloggeroid

Nothing to Trifle With

My dd made me a trifle for my birthday -- in place of a birthday cake.
Oh my word...

It was heavenly...

So much so, that I believe I may have gained 3.5 pounds just from eating 1 helping of it.

Thank You Tori!!

This Trifle will go down in history, I believe.

It was yummilicious!

I serviced the yummilicious trifle (that cost 3.5 pounds a serving) in my Grandmother Phillips' crystal glasses.  Any of my relatives reading this blog want to expound on that a little?  I'd love to be able to share the history of such fine goblets with my children next time we use them.  I think it made the trifle taste just a tad bit yummilicious being served in real crystal. 

Danielle's 6th Birthday

Danielle turned 6 this year... so you know what THAT means.  She got to have a friends party.  Really crazy -- when I started that rule, I had like 1 kid.  So I never dreamed we'd have a kids party at our house only 2 weeks apart... but that's is what happens when one turns 10 on 08/31 and one turns 6 on 09/15.  THAT my friend is 2 weeks apart.  That is why I haven't blogged about it yet... I'm just now recovering from that much activity in such a short time.  LOL  

They DIDN'T even attempt to swim in September... the water was COLD... so they just ate ice cream cake instead.  LOL  She wanted Subways from Subway - of course, and a DQ Ice cream cake.  A totally CHOCOLATE ice cream cake.  That's my girl... it was delicious.   We normally do a normal home made cake, like you saw that Milo's was.  But for friends parties... we splurge.  In only do them when they are 6, 10 and 16... so you know... that's spread apart... right?  :sigh:  Just about broke the bank... but that's ok... how often do we have a friends party anyway?  I've already figured that the next one will be in 2 years... when Wayne turns 6... then 4 months later when Milo turns 10.  LOL  Look at that... 2 more again in the same year... at least it won't be 2 weeks apart.  Oh wait... 2 more years... Tori will turn 16... in August.  June, Aug., and October... friends parties.  I'd better start saving NOW.  

WHO THOUGHT OF THIS RULE ANYWAY??  Me...

But you know what?  All I have to do is look at that grin on that little girl's face up above and it's all worth it.  Right?  Right.  

Milo's Birthday

Please ignore the pudgy woman in the video -- I'm not sure how she got in my dining room.  

Milo turned 8 on the 17th.  I'm such a spacey mother that I only put 7 candles on his birthday cake.  What is wrong with me??  See -- I told you yesterday I didn't want my kiddos to grow up -- I'll just put less birthday candles on their cake every year -- see if that keeps them from getting older.  I doubt it.

Well Grandpa and Grandma... enjoy the singing.  (Especially loved Wayne's, "And any more.")


Untitled from Jennifer J. on Vimeo.

Mansel's Party

Mansel turned 10 this summer.  We have friends parts at ages 6, 10, and 16.  So -- he got to have a friends party.  He was so happy.













We have a swimming pool... "easy peasey... we'll have a pool party", I thought.  Just so happens it was FREEZING that day in August.  We had the weirdest summer weather this year.  So... they just did a polar plunge and then played around a bit.  One boy played in that COLD water for a really long time.  Maybe too long?  He was practicing floating... his mother would be proud... isn't he doing a great job?  

Several friends brought  their appetites.  We had pizza, chips, dip, gatorade and ice cream cake from the DQ.  It was a BLIZZARD cake... oh my heavens.  They are delicious!  


Other friends brought their air-soft guns.  They shot at targets until the pizza was done cooking.  Then Mansel opened presents.  After that he took his new air-soft gun outside and joined the fun shooting at targets.  


I'm pretty sure Mansel had a good time.  I can't believe he is 10.  Something I noticed about him tonight... while we were watching football -- he could make intelligent comments about what was happening during the game.  :sigh:  I just am NOT OK with the fact that my kids are growing up.  I want them to remain babies... until they are about 21... then they can immediately grow up and leave me in peace.  LOL... I know -- won't happen.  So -- if they must grow up -- let's celebrate with some pizza and ice cream. °Ü°

Happy 7th Birthday Milo

Milo's birthday cake -- the last one I get to make this year. Can you guess what it is?

Milo is trying to figure it out too. He couldn't guess what it was supposed to be.

He doesn't really care as long as he gets presents.

Ahh... a CLONE. I tried to make a clone helmet on the cake -- he asked me if it was upside down. Sigh... no it's NOT upside down... but it tasted good. °Ü°

We are so glad God chose to bless us with Milo these 7 years. He loves to make me laugh. It's one of my favorite things about him, because I love to laugh.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Danielle's Turn. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DANIELLE!


Now she is 5.

Here is Danielle with her card from her family.


Here is her birthday cake. Do you see a resemblance? Maybe if you squint a little. LOL I used the card as a... model. LOL It's SUPPOSED to look like a 5 year old drew it, I think.


Well -- anyway... at least it was flat and not tall. OK -- it wasn't really flat. But the icing on top was flat. In fact... the cake was a little concave. If you were lucky enough to get a piece out of the middle... it has an equal amount of cake and frosting. For some reason -- the cake took a nose dive in the middle. So I had to even it out a little with the frosting. You know... so it had the appearance of a perfect cake. Be sure your sins will find you out. Once some of the kids noticed the amount of frosting on their cake they went on and on about it... I had to confess... I said, "Notice the pieces that are on the edge... not quite as much frosting is there." Oops... So -- I'm learning. My piece of cake was realllly yummy. Extra yummy.

And the words on the bottom 2 rows... they look a little extra funny... Well -- someone threw away all my frosting bags. :sigh: They thought ALL bags were disposable... not just the disposable ones. So I got out some freezer quart size bags. All went fine... for a while. They SPLAT the black blew a gasket. 2 chunks of black frosting went all over the words I just wrote. So I quick grabbed one chunk of frosting off the cake... couldn't find a place to put it -- so I stuck it in my mouth and grabbed the next chunk off the cake. Up came the words with it... only 1/2 of the words. Not 1/2 of the words I'd written... partial pieces of the words came up. So I had to play connect the dots on some of them. Talk about stress. Even a FLAT cake gave me hives. Who suggested I start making my own cakes? Oh shut up -- it sounded like a good idea at the time!!

Dani got a doll for her birthday -- eventually. It took her daddy and 3 young men to get it out of the box. WHY do they do that?? Who grabs the dolls out of the box and runs out of the store and leaves the empty box? No one?? Why are they strapped in so tight? Crazy...


She loves her Gotz doll. Remember getting that mom? I've had it in my cedar chest this whole time. I asked Danielle if she liked her new dollies perfume. :snort:

The store Tuesday Morning had them on sale years ago. Not realizing I had a Tuesday Morning close to me... OK -- not close... but in Des Moines... I had my mother go to a Tuesday Morning in Louisiana and buy me a Gotz doll for Danielle. :snort: I'm a little directionally challenged. Hey mom... Did I ever pay for that?

She loves it! She carried it around all stinking day long!! Challice -- she was so excited that she got new clothes to go with her dollie. GREAT!! They were a hit.

Now -- I've got one more birthday to go this year... and then maybe I'll accidently throw away my non disposable EVERYTHING REALTED TO CAKE DECORATING in the house.

Oh now... I'm just kidding. (maybe not)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MANSEL!

Now he is 9.

Like his cake? I made it -- first ever... ok... not ever.. but the first NICELY decorated - it looks like something - cake. Can you tell what it is?

It took forever -- I had to photograph it... it may be the last. No one told me it took forever and a day to do all those STARS!! Good grief. Next time -- a cake in a pan... no more tall cakes. LOL

Wayne Turns 3

Wayne and his Grandma Leora. He was happy -- she brought treats. Gum... his favorite. I let him chew it all up that day -- we don't like gum stuck in our carpets... do we Wayne?

And chocloate stripedy cookies. Yum...

3 year old Wayne and his daddy!

Wayne and the crew. Some of his gifts he got for being another year older. I don't have any more babies... do I? Why does it take a photo on the blog to make me realize that? Awww...

Wayne and his Mum. He'll always be my baby... no matter how big he gets. I can still tackle him and kiss him!

°Ü°

Happy Birthday Buddy!