A new adult in the house!

My baby boy is 18 years old!!

It's crazy just how fast the past 18 years flew by!

It's been such a fun ride though.

I'm so grateful to of had the opportunity to raise this wonderful, energetic, smart young man!

Happy Birthday Hayden!!

Surprise party for the new adult!!

Morgan, Brandon, & Haleigh 

Waiting for him to come home and surprise him!

Hayden was remarkably un-reactive to the surprise.

Cool and collected.

Happy 18th!

Duncan is 12!

It's hard to believe this little guy is 12 already!

He's such a hoot to have around!

Brian & I went out to dinner with him to a place of his choice.

He chose Red Lobster.

And enjoyed his samplings-boy can that boy eat!

He had fun with his food too...

Duncan has matured and grown so much in the last few years!

I love his love of information. His love of learning. 

He loves to read.  (Warrior Cats at the moment)

He loves science.

He enjoys scouting.

And wrestling around with his brothers.

Cheesecake is his cake of choice.

He still loves to climb.

He is learning bagpipes with Hayden.

Excited to be a Deacon.

Loves to laugh!

Happy Birthday Duncan boy!

We love you so!

Ronan is 15!!!

Ronan is 15! And we had such a fun time celebrating his day!

Auntie Stella & Uncle Sean were still in town after the wedding, and helped us celebrate!

Stella made cinnamon rolls for his breakfast, and decorated the dinning room for him!

We sang, ate, and opened presents.

Then we headed out for a nice fall walk...

Ronan found a beehive, and wanted a photo of him touching it... 

We came home at lunch time for some ice cream birthday cake!

It was fun to have cousins here to help celebrate with!

Two weeks later, we celebrated with friends....

Ronan was happy to have his friends come to celebrate with him!

Our neighbor Brandon was having his birthday too, so we made a 2nd cake and did some double celebrating!

Happy Birthday to my Ronan!

Who is so full of life, 

loves to learn,

loves to read,

to explore,

loves animals,

countries (especially England),

loves people, 

and loves to laugh!

Ashlyn turns 8!

This beautiful girl had a birthday!

And we spent the day celebrating.

Starting off with a 'happy' breakfast...

Tradition is that I take the kids out to lunch on their birthday. 

But this year, Ashlyn is back in public school, and enjoying it so much, that she didn't want me to pick her up and take her out to lunch. What?? You DON'T want to miss school???

Who is this?

That night we celebrated with cake and ice cream.

And since she was born on MY birthday, we shared a cake.

It's fun to have a birthday buddy.

Her bedroom door was off, as the hinge needed repairing, so she woke up to her birthday number on the wall just in front of her door. :)

We hosted a birthday party....a Cupcake War's party!

The kids each got a personalized apron, and lots of cupcakes to decorate!

They went straight to work creatively decorating their cupcakes! 

It was hard to pick a 'winner' of the 'war'!

I let them each eat 1 cupcake, then we boxed up the rest for them to take home.

Your welcome parents, for the sugar highs!

It was a good time!

I love celebrating this wonderful girl!

She is creative, talented, kind, helpful, and a joy to have in our family!

Baby girl is 6!

My baby girl turned 6!

I am so torn about this.

On the one hand, I do NOT miss lugging car seats around, trying to find a baby changing station, and worrying about all the small things they would put in their mouths.

BUT...on the other hand, I am out of the baby stage (have been for a few years now, I know).

And the fact that Madelyn is getting bigger makes me a little sad.

Stay small.

Keep snuggling.

Hold my hand when we cross the road.

Draw me pictures.

Don't grow up!

But, no body listens to me anyway, so she keeps growing.

So, we celebrated.

We went out to lunch at her favorite Indian restaurant.

(I LOVE that Indian is her favorite)

She requested horse cupcakes, and big sister delivered!

They turned out so cute.

And that night, we caught fireflies in the front yard...

Such a perfect 6 year old activity.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

Let's just not turn 7, ok?