A Long Birthday Weekend!

So way way back 11 years ago when C was born, he decided to appear on the Friday of Memorial Day Weekend. So this weekend was a throwback in many ways. I liked it. 

His birthday banner is themed appropriately for our portion of the fun. We picked up the kids early from school. It was Day of Awesome so they weren't actually learning anything anyway. 

We got on the road and headed to MN! When we got there, there was a Harry Potter party waiting. Because 11 is the Harry Potter birthday after all. 

It was a fantastic themed party! And C was given some lovely gifts he was very excited about. Saturday we took it easy and celebrated my brother's birthday. We also celebrated Pentecost because we had Sunday plans. 

A day at Nickelodeon Universe and the Mall! We are the worst at visiting my family and never actually experiencing the fun. So this was C's big birthday gift from us! 

Lunch was at Rainforest Cafe. Also C's request! They see it at Disney World and I always ask, "why come all the way to Florida for a place we can go at home?" C reminded me this past trip that he doesn't actually live near a Rainforest Cafe so I decided to make all his dining dreams come true. It was not the best part of the day. Our table wasn't great and our waiter was even worse. (And the waiter at the table next to us would not stop talking. It was dramatic overkill.)  

But the birthday boy liked it and was happy to have the experience so I am happy too! 

This gal is basically a teenager. She wanted a fanny pack belt bag (epic rebranding there world) so so so so bad. She got herself a Lululemon one, filled it with hand sanitizer from Bath and Body Works where she also got some "Fine Fragrance Mist" and then walked around like she owned the place. 

Throw in a Jamba Juice and I could have cried at how grown she seemed. Stay little M! 

Yesterday was my Dad's birthday. (Yes, our fam has 3 Memorial Day Weekend birthdays.) So we celebrated with him with a French Toast bake before hitting the road for home. 

I did stop and get an iced Campfire Mocha from Caribou because that's how I roll in MN. 

And that was our Long Birthday Weekend in a nutshell. We had a great time and are ready to tackle the last bit of school here. 

Happy Birthday Goose!

 Goose. 

Last Picture as a 10-year-old

How are you 11? How is it possible? But even more so how is it possible that it might not actually rain today? That was a good run of it always raining on your birthday!

This past year has pushed you. You've really had to start figuring it all out. We've dealt with big feelings and big situations and you have navigated them well. People will always be mean, but you can always react kindly. That's the biggest takeaway. 

You have grown taller but also as a person. You've started to take responsibility for your own laundry some of the time and where I am the most pleased with your responsibility growth is advocating for yourself, asking for what you need and doing your own homework and projects with little help and guidance. 

Actually, as it turns out, having the first big 4th grade project due right as we were coming back from Disney World really benefited you and me. It helped me let go, and let you do your own thing a little bit. What a good life lesson for both of us. 

Speaking of Disney World. Oh Goose. I couldn't love you at Disney any more. Everything was the most exciting. (Except trying to get you to wear a poncho sucked. Let's be real.) Watching you take it all in was just the absolute best. You are such a gift to our family. Even when you push us in ways we can't predict.

Seeing you on stage this year was so wonderful. You have actual talent and I see the little director in you blooming. Always keep trying and working hard. Always. 

Having you become an altar server is a joy too. I love that you love the Lord and mostly, I love when I joke with you about becoming a priest one day, you're open to listening where the Spirit calls you. Sitting with you at school Mass every week has been such a treat for me. It might be the very best part of my job in fact. 

Today is your birthday and I couldn't love you more. I am so glad you're still snuggly. I am so glad you're mine. Thank you Goose for being mine. I can't wait to celebrate you this weekend! 

Love, Mom

First Picture as an 11-year-old

A Bunch of Fun!

Friday night, my whole little family went to see Hanson! I was of course so excited, it was the kid's first time seeing them live. They live with me so they knew more songs than I think they expected to know. 

M was pumped! 

Not going to lie, I was very happy with our seats. Since I am a member I got presale tickets and we ended up in the third row on the Taylor side! 

It's pretty much dream seating. 

During the concert, Issac specifically talked to M which was super cool! And she was super popular because she was rocking out and dancing on her chair (so she could see) and having a ball! 

Here we are, the tip of my nose, M and all three brothers. 

At one point M had to use the restroom and I had Husband take her since I didn't want to miss anything. This turned out to be a good call because the song that they started introducing was "I Was Born" and that is one of my most favorites. It was actually kind of nice because it gave C and I a few minutes to have together just us. He also knows alllllll the words to that song so it was extra fun. 

I stuck him up on the chair for that song but he didn't want to be up there a ton. He mostly was disappointed that they didn't play one specific song and that there were no snacks. 

Anyway, M loves that song too and when they came back they didn't want to disturb our row so she was just dancing in the aisle. Well, some front-row people saw her, thought she was cute (because she was), and pulled her to the front to keep singing and jamming out. 

And then the stage crew thought she was so cute that they handed her a set list!! 

And one of the fans took these pictures and sent them to Husband. Isn't that the actual nicest?! 

Later both kids ended up with guitar picks too! So the great seats and being cute paid off! 

Saturday was M's last soccer game and the only pictures I took were of her on the bench. Because that's the kind of weirdo I am apparently. 

Sunday the weather was pretty darn near perfect and obviously, the only pictures I took of our afternoon spent outdoors is this charmer. 

The kids were making alphabet letters with their bodies and this was me I think proving to them that they did not look like the letter "E" because maybe only vaguely do they. 

This week has proceeded as normal mostly. I live-streamed my first Mass for a friend's funeral on Tuesday. Funerals are simultaneously the worst and the best right? Sending souls off to Jesus hopefully and rejoicing in the resurrection while still being totally sad. 

Art portfolios have come home. Here is my favorite, a whale drawn by M. 

Last night we went to see Mamma Mia as a family. We stayed up way too late for a school night and I don't even care because that's where I am at. 

And an outtake because it makes me laugh. 

So that's what's been going on with us!

More May Stuff

Well, we made it through another week. And though this weekend brings some fun around here, that's not for sharing today. Instead, let's look back at what's been going on. Admittedly, it is less than last week. Which... isn't terribly sad from where I am sitting. 

Monday was the second-grade folk dance festival. You may recall that C's class also had a folk dance festival last year. It's supposed to be second-grade curriculum, but the 2020/2021 school year had some big changes, due to a little virus that was going around at the time, so they didn't do that. Instead, last year they taught folk dance in both second and third grade. 

Now everything is right back on track to second grade!

It was fun to go and dance again with my best gal. 

Tuesday brought us to the last soccer practice. So spoiler alert: this weekend is the last game. 

Freeze pops to celebrate! And terrible sun in our eyes pictures. 

Here's the deal, I am not going to be really terribly sad that soccer is over. This has been a very half-hearted season for me. (M still likes it just fine.) Sports parents bug me. This is not a culture I grew up with. And the intensity some parents have for games played by 8-year-olds is honestly embarrassing for them. 

I don't know if we will continue with soccer or not. Depends on M. But I will not be sad to no longer have practices or games to attend! 

Wednesday night, instead of being the relaxing evening without RE for the first time in forever that I envisioned, turned into a bit of a mess. Remember that old Jen Hatmaker blog about being the worst end of school year mom? That was our house on Wednesday! 

C had been working on his Hoover Dam project for a few weeks. We were all pretty annoyed they had a May project to be fair. But he assured us he didn't need any help and had it under control. Well... obviously, that's not true. He made a game show for his oral report, and he wrote his written report what the kid didn't have was a visual aid. 

And we all discovered this at about 7:00 pm on Wednesday. It was due yesterday. Also, for reference, my kids go to sleep at 8:00. 

The visual aid options are: brochure, poster, powerpoint, video, or costume. Obviously, we went with costume since truly it's the easiest option when you need a visual aid 12 hours before a project is due. 

Thank God (truly) that Wal-Mart sells hard hats. And aprons. And that I got a Cricut for Christmas. 

Did you know that the Hoover Dam was the first United States construction site to require hard hats? We ran with that fun fact. 

Here is our Hoover Dam kid ready for the presentation. 

You cannot see the farm muck boots we also had him wear since tall mud boots were part of the worker's uniforms too. Please know that this is not iron-on vinyl and we were concerned that those letters were going to come popping off by the time he gave his report. 

He made it though. No idea how he did grade wise. I don't even care to be honest. Because he had something. 

We also told M that when she gets to 4th grade she should get Hoover Dam for her passport project because we already have the hard hat. (I am kidding a little bit. But not entirely.) 

So that's where we are at. And happy that it's Friday. I have been battling this weird allergy cold thing for over a week now and I am going to need that to stop here real soon because it's starting to bug me. It's funny, I don't actually feel bad at all. 

Except for today my eyes hurt pretty good. And I have this gross cough that I cannot shake. 

Anyway... that's our story. In all its last minute, limping to the finish line glory. 

 

All the May Things This Week

Well, you know May. 

It's a busy one. Not only did we do a coronation, derby, and first communion. 

Oh no. Why not tack the 4th-grade recorder concert into this week too?

Then M's class led Mass. I always go to school Mass anyway, so this wasn't an inconvenience or anything. But still, another thing. 

M read one of the petitions and she did very well. She is becoming a very poised and articulate speaker. 

The second-grade ducks hatched. It wasn't what we'd call a banner year. Of the 28 eggs only 7 ducks hatched total. And one died in the incubator poor friend. 

Then this morning was May crowning. 

This isn't the GREAT picture of all of the second grade. But it's an okay one for now. 

My sweet girl processing in. 

And when she processed out with her prayer buddy. 

All of second grade again. 

M with her teacher. 

And her sweet student teacher whose last day is today! 

This gal is a phenomenal teacher and I am so thankful for her and the time she invested in these kids. She came to every first communion Mass this past weekend even though she didn't have to. On senior weekend! (Which is the big partying kind of weekend for the graduating seniors.) 

I kind of hope she gets hired on for next year just saying. 

Then they got to hold the ducks and watch them swim before they go home this weekend. 

Anyway... I am glad it's Friday. Don't you worry, there are plenty more May things coming next week.