July 6,2007

I have finally resigned myself to the facts. My children keep getting older...it is inevitable. I also keep getting older...oh well! I truly never saw this part of life coming...my oldest child turning 11! Wait, stop, let me catch up...no too late she really is now an 11-year old. I know everyone gets older. For some time there I thought I would be 16 forever. It has finally dawned on me I am WAY past 16! (Doug thinks I'm having an early mid-life crisis) but, I'm fine, really I'm fine. I am very late in posting this and I am sure I will be getting a comment from that eleven-year old about how late I am :)
Lexi is a wonderful girl. She is my right-hand man (so to speak) and an amazing one at that. Happy Birthday Lexi! Your Mama loves you more than words can say. I would cross the highest mountain, run the entire earth, and give up the very last piece of chocolate cake, just to ensure you happiness always.

Lexi had a great b-day. Breakfast with Dad at Paradise:) An "old fashioned, at home party" as requested. We had pizza, cake and icecream, games, movies, and lots of candy. We can't forget the tying of flip flops and all the shopping for the party:)

Lexi and her cousin Madi.

Here is our birthday group.

present time is always the best.

Vivi LOVED having this birthday celebration. Ava and Vivi had their own gifts to give Lexi. They love their big sister!


Birthday checks...always fun:)

Mom and Lexi July 6, 2007.

Friday with Zoe!

Well, we had a lot of catch-up time with Zoe, so we tried to pack in as much as possible! This was our first activity (after sleeping in, Brady Bunch, hospital, and muffins).

Zoe and Lilli showing us the fun they are having on the ice.

Lilli and Zoe the ice skaters. Zoe let us know that she is the best ice skater in their family. It took her a few minutes to get comfy on the ice and then her and Lilli were great pros!

Nancy Drew that smart little sleuth! We enjoyed all of her antics!

Lilli and Zoe in front of the Tinsle Town theater in Layton. I was so impressed with Zoe. She is a wonderful sweet girl. All of my girls were wanting her attention and so glad she was here.

A fun dinner at Robintinos with cousins.

A child that we might re-name "ranch girl" not because she's great with cattle...but because she has still not realized that ranch dressing is a condiment and not a main course.


A wonderful end to a fabulous day. Thanks for spending the last of your trip with us Zoe! We so enjoyed having you!

Zoe!

We got home in time to see Zoe! The girls were all thrilled to have her for a sleepover Thursday night. We headed for the pizza place and had fun there, then of course we had to go to DQ. The girls also had fun doing Lilli's "spin art". We had to pack as much into our time with her as possible! More picts. to come!

Zoe wanted to make sure we had the picture with Uncle Doug in it.

The girls cozy in bed!

Playing hooky

Well, I am feeling very behind on my blogging....I intend to get "caught up" very soon! I have been playing "hooky" from my life and I must say it has been a TOTAL BLAST! I feel badly that we have missed time with Zoe while she has been in Utah, but we are headed home soon to get to see her:) I also feel bad I stood up the piano teacher this morning:0!! We have all taken our turns missing Daddy:( (I know he has had fun living the bachelor life, which for Doug consists of, work, work, and more work. I told him to give that up we are coming home:) Besides those things...I am feeling great about my days of avoiding real life. We have spent a week at the cabin, over a week at my moms and we are headed back to the cabin tomorrow and then home:) I have lots of pictures to share and am excited to get home and get them into my blogging history. Look out all were coming home:)

Happy 4th!

Here is our Vivien, feeling so VERY patriotic!

We had a great 4th this year! We went to the Centerville parade, the carnival, and had a wonderful barbeque and fireworks with friends. We topped it all off with homeade icecream. We are grateful for a wonderful country and a wonderful holiday to celebrate our freedoms. We missed our Lilli. She was at my mom's house for the 4th. I know she had a great time there, but we still missed her!

The parade. This was a fabulous float!

Nicolette trying ever so hard to get into some of the taffy thrown at the parade.

My festive 4th of July baby.

Daddy and Nicolette

Nicolette's first full on watermelon experience. (she loved every minute of it:)

Ava playing after the parade.

Vivien is in high heaven going down the slide with her all time favorite Carson.

Vivi and Carson enjoying a moment.

Ericksons and Nobles after the parade.

Lexi taking pictures.

Vivien loved her sparklers.

Lexi and Melissa entertaining the crew.

Ericksons and Noble kids after our 4th of July dinner.

Ericksons (missing Lilli)on the 4th.

Bigger....Or....Better?

This is the all time favorite and famous game of the neighborhood. A group of kids grab some tiny object to take to trade at the houses in the neighborhood. The kids show the object to whoever answers the door and they say "do you have anything bigger or better than this?" The person at the door then has to try to think up something they can trade for the random thing they don't want. Let me just say that this is not the favorite game of the moms in the neighborhood, but we do put up with it just for the sake of good fun. Madi was here to visit this last week so Lexi, Madi and her friend Melissa decided they needed to play the game. They started out with a penny and ended up with this gigantic Hershey candy bar. The serving size said it would serve 50! The game does not usually end up with something SO much better so this is definitely the record for the Bigger or Better game. I am sure in the years to come the talk will always be..."and remember the time we got the gigantic candy bar for Bigger and Better?" Oh, the joys of youth!