Fabulous 40 aka LeaFab40

It was a significant birthday for me this year - the BIG 40!!

I wasn't dreading it, but I don't think I was super excited about it either UNTIL I decided what I wanted to do to celebrate.  It's kinda tough having a Dec birthday - money is tighter, everyone is busier, and weather limits the possibilities.  So, after a lot of thought and basically thinking "what do I think would be fun?" I decided on a dance party.  I wanted it to be like the good ole' days of high school church dances.  I LOVED dances and I have the best memories of dancing the night away and just loving it.  So - here comes the run-down of my fabulous birthday and birthday party - cause sometimes you just have to throw yourself a party!

On my birthday - my family made me breakfast.

Later that day, I was heading out to lunch with my girlfriends in the neighborhood (I have the bestest neighbors EVER) and as I ran in the garage door to find my mom there with a little something for me, there was a knock at the front door.  I immediately assumed it was a friend looking for Skyler and ran to get the door to answer it - when I opened the door I was COMPLETELY surprised by my sister, Lara, standing there looking at me.  OH MY STARS!  I can't tell you how surprised I was.  Lara and I danced all those dances together (we were a team) and I had told her that the only missing element of my ultimate dance party was that she lived too far away to be there.  Last minute, she and her hubby, and a friend, helped make it possible for her to be with me for 3 days and her kids were happy at home.  My mom "recorded" the surprise -  but later realized she only managed a pic... oops.  I still tear up thinking about that moment!

Now the ultimate dance party.  My sweet Devri (sis-in-law) made the invite, but I won't include it here online.  Too much info for the internet!  She also brought all the goods to create a photo-op area in the foyer of the church.  (yes, we did the party at a church!)  Shayne (with a little help from Hunter) made a bunch of decorations for the walls.  Shayne and I hung CD's and cassette tapes from the ceiling, and the DJ provided lighting and even fog - it was a DECADE party.  Yes, I got a DJ, I wanted to have the REAL DEAL party!   I invited guests to dress-up in clothing representing the decade of their choice - or to come as the current decade.  Many did dress up - and I'm even surprised at how many danced.  I could do this party every weekend - it was a BLAST. 

For my outfit - I decide it was ok to do a little shopping at the local DI (goodwill) and here are some of the choices I considered.  I think my mom either owned these same things or I did during the 80/90's!

Now the party pix!

Just me and my "blister"

Fellow clarinetists from my BYU days:

Sarah, Amy, myself, and Michelle 

Chari & I 

Siblings 

Family - just missing Alisa and Ben... maybe for the 50th!?! 

Chris, Cherae, myself, and Shayne 

Brian, Devri, myself and Shayne 

Sarah, Brett, Shayne, & myself 

We threw in a couple slow dances too! 

Chanin, Cheryl, myself

Greg, Rachael, Shayne, and I

Amos, Jen, Julie, & Micah

Chris & Maryanne

Mindy

Last pic - the next day my cousins Ashley and Alexa came by to see me and Lara.  Alexa lives relatively close (but I rarely see her!) and Ashley just got in town from Arizona - it was a happy little reunion.  

Shout Outs:  

To my mom, for keeping a secret (about Lara coming!)

To Devri for being super-prego- and still providing the photo booth, backdrops, help decorating, the awesome invite, and for being my sound board throughout the planning

To my family, neighbors and friends who came and danced the night away to help me feel young again

To Shayne for helping conspire, decorate, dance, and enjoy the moment and being the love of my life

To keep the birthday post tradition - ALL about ME

My favorite things:

reading books, riding my bike, being with family, being involved (church, lunches, anything involving the people that I love to be with), comfy clothes, a bowl of popcorn, no make-up days (I do them often), vacations, my boys who are completely unique in every way - they amaze me, and my hubby who  encouraged me to do something I wanted to do. 

Santa Visits

It's already July and I'm terribly behind on my blogging!  Maybe I can get December posted before August!  

We attend the BYU President's Christmas party every year.  Shayne's parents were telling me that they've been to almost everyone single one minus 4 or 5 times in the last 30+ years.  It's a family tradition and we're still enjoying it with our kids!  We have our little routine - kids do crafts and Grandpa jumps into the Santa line as soon as it opens.  He does all the waiting while they get crafty and eat donuts and drink punch.

After the visit with Santa - it's off to the activities.  I try to take pictures - but really the kids move too fast and I just enjoy it all.  We always find a way to check out the BYU Bookstore while there too.

Later that night, I knew that Shayne's parents were helping with their ward party.  I conspired with Grandma (and didn't tell Grandpa) and got to the party in time for the special visitors.  When his grandsons walked up on the stage to sit on Santa's lap - it was a moment of pure joy.  These two are the cutest Santa and Mrs. Clause couple!  I know they'll have people begging them to do it again every year! 

4 is SOOOOOO BIG!!

I can't believe this little guy is now officially 4.  He is an absolute joy in our home.  He soaks up information like a sponge and is already a back-seat driver (I think he has his Mom's natural GPS tendencies).  When you are the youngest of 4 boys - there really aren't new toys to get or clothes needed - you simply get what's left.  We treated this little man to a trip to the Build-a-Bear workshop.  He found a BAT in the clearance bin and it was PERFECT for him.  Since day #1 of preschool he has talked about bats (it was a lesson about nocturnal animals).  We also found a scary outfit for him and that's the benefit of shopping when there's Halloween clearance around your birthday!    

Skyler with "Batty"

Skyler was given some cash by Grandma and Grandpa.  He had a little shopping trip and bought himself Star-wars Play-dough set and a little toy that he still plays with (I'm writing this post nearly 4 months later - so that's saying something).

We do birthday parties on even years - so this was a big one for Skyler.  He is a friend to many and loves, LOOOOOVES, to have friends over.  He wanted a Hot Tub party - so we added a few other activities to the hot tub.

Balloon Tennis

I found a game where you pass a present around and every child gets to take off a layer of wrapping paper.  The present had a little something for every child.

Shayne thought the kids would enjoy throwing creme pies at him - and they did.

Here's the birthday boy.

Danny and Grey

Griff and Corban

Abbi

We surprised him with a Leapster - it's old school and just like his brother's (Danny) so now they don't fight over that one anymore.  ;-)

All about Skyler:

(I took notes because I don't want to forget this age - it's priceless)

He loves alphabet letters and figuring out the order - over and over again, and the sounds

Loves to pay with his friends - typically it's Corban or Anzer

Still naps on most days

Super good about doing errands with me...usually.  

Loves video games - especially Mario Brothers and with his Daddy

Loves the I-Pad

Dresses himself, zips his coat, and is very concerned about having socks on the right feet

Always asks me why Jesus makes "?" - ie cars, trains, spiders, bad guys

Always singing!  If he isn't making up a song I often hear him singing I'm a child of God, I Love to the See the Temple, or Eensy Weensy Spider

Loves numbers and counting and adding and seeing if I know the right answer

Loves to share and does so very happily and generously

When he puts on his coat - he starts with the hoodie - then the arms.

The things he says:

"Riiiiiiiiiiiight?"  after every statement

"How many straights and how many turns do we have left?" when going somewhere

Will say, "You were right mommy, I was wrong" if it actually works out in my favor

"Bye, Bye I-pad" (Instead of Bye to Daddy)

"I have a frog in my throat, not a real frog though, just a smoke frog that makes me sound this way"

The start of Holiday Season

Thanksgiving

This year we had Thanksgiving with Nana and Papa.  We split up the cooking responsibilities and the amazing thing is it was all super yummy and it wasn't a killer day!  I love homemade pies but this year Smith's had a killer deal on pies - so we had 4 different pies for 8 people!!  I know I made the turkey - it wasn't fancy but it was super moist and best one yet!  My mom made her famous stuffing and all my boys were crazy about it.  See that big bowl of stuffing on the table?  That wasn't even half of what she made - so we enjoyed stuffing for the next week!  It was a lovely and very low-key day.  I love having family close to me!  I love them SO much!

Christmas Parties begin!!

First weekend of December we attended the BYU President's Christmas party for faculty and staff.  This has been a family tradition since Shayne was a baby - and I think we've only missed 2 of these parties in the 15 year of marriage.  One of these days I'll do a post with all the pictures through the years - I've been dreaming about it for years and eventually I'll get to it!

There's always a craft and the boys enjoyed decorating their own rubix cube - they kinda fell apart within the day - but hey, the coloring part was the best part!

A surprise Christmas party

Later that night - Grandma and Grandpa played a special role at their church party as Santa and Mrs. Clause!  We snuck into the party and onto the stage at the end and it was a great little surprise for Santa to have his Grandkids on his lap!  (Grandma had told me the details and we kept it our little secret)  Aren't they the cutest Clause couple ever?!?!

Preschool and China

This year I am part of a co-op preschool with Skyler.  Each of the mom's take a turn doing two days of preschool with a theme we decided at the start of the year on a 5 week rotation.  I've really enjoyed this preschool group.  When I did it with Danny for one year I promised myself to not do it again - I really struggled with it, but this year has been different.  Mostly the fact that the curriculum is whatever I want it to be has changed my perspective and expectations.  This was one of my favorite days I have done this year and I just had to share a couple pics - we learned about China.  I gave them noodles and chopsticks for their snack (that took a while to eat) and we built the Great Wall of China with sugar cubes.  I don't recommend hot glue guns with preschoolers - it was kinda scary - but we survived.  The walls were awesome and it's so funny how they were each so different just as different as the kids are from each other!  We had a great time!