Ah, our sweet baby girl - happiest of happy birthdays to you and so many blessings for more.
What a privilege to be your mama and an absolute joy to get to bear witness to your life.
{She may be the big 4 but she still woke up in mommy and daddy's bed on her birthday.}
We started Evie's birthday with sausage links and donuts. And candles....always candles.
Always a happy tribe when the breakfast is special and sugared.
A card from our friend, Kathy!
We opened gifts from the siblings and a couple from mommy and daddy before Dad left for work.
I was so excited to give her this little camera and as it turned out a preschooler with a tiny camera is indeed the cutest thing ever.
After Dad left we got our school day started and Evalynn took dozens and dozens of photos.
In the midst of teaching school and playing with the birthday girl, I started making a birthday cake. I thought we were doing brownies with M&Ms but then at breakfast she said, "I sure do wish you could make me a cake like the toy one downstairs." I'm such a sucker.
At lunch I let her open her last little presents that I saved back so that she had something fresh to play with in the afternoon.
While the kids played with Ev, I frosted three tiers of pink cake. Cakes are not really my thing but I make the effort and hope that the love covers up the crooked layers - and frosting, lots of frosting.
The sprinkle "E" was Zayden's idea and a very sweet one.
We had meatballs, mac and cheese (she specified from a box), and mashed potatoes per the birthday girl's request and I made cooked carrots because we needed color!
She ate, but all she could really think about was that cake.
Oh sweetie. You are always worth the effort.
Four sweet candles.
The "cake from the playroom" that she wanted replicated. Nailed it? LOL
Cake and ice cream...but first she must take a picture of her dessert.
Evie was very tired by bedtime but I think she had a lovely, simple birthday at home. We are so thankful for you Evalynn Nancy. More than you'll ever realize.
Our Sunday started with these cuties in matching dresses.
Throw back to 2016...
We spent Sunday evening at a surprise birthday party for one of our small group friends, Krystal. It was HOT but fun. I took spray bottles for the kids to play with to keep cool.
Monday morning we jumped into school.
Xavier got to start his school morning by "blowing stuff up."
Ice cream break...
After school I got out the water sink to help get some extra time outside. It was HOT out all week so we had to work for our hours.
And ultimately be thankful for the air conditioning.
Tuesday morning Bible study buddies...
After someone read to her, Evalynn read to her baby.
We had a great week to do the science experiments for Zayden and Mia's curriculum. On this day we learned about thermal energy...
We spent Tuesday afternoon at the library. Natalee and Xavier worked on a teen craft and the rest of us read in the children's area.
I spent Tuesday evening at the store getting the supplies I needed to set up the Cubbies year for our Awana program and used part of Wednesday morning while the kids were eating breakfast to get a jump on the organizing.
"use every color of clip, Mama!"
but I do love her hair pulled back from her face.
A page from Evie's "social studies" preschool book. I shared this on Facebook and wrote the following, "Things I never want to forget...
She drew mommy first.
When she drew daddy she said, "he's strong" and then "not too much hair for daddy."
She drew all the girls' hair to one side and said "we're standing in the wind."
She purposefully gave Xavier curls.
She's very into eyebrows and gave us all strong ones.
She put all the kids together except her...she put herself between mommy and daddy.
Preschool is a magical time.
Another HOT sunny day and Mia, Zayden, and I headed out to make a fire with a magnifying glass.
You can see the smoke tendrils if you look closely enough, but then I put my phone away.
A post lunch coffee and reading with this guy....
Wednesday evening I had a meeting at the church and Mike had youth group with the big kids.
As I was finishing up prepping my Cubbie things with a couple friends I noticed Zayden was drooping instead of playing with the other children there. Mike was done so he took all the children home and then we realized he had a fever.
Evie woke up in the night with one, too.
Thursday became a rest day for the little ones. Hippotherapy was canceled for the heat, which worked out so we had less to balance, though I know it was disappointing to Natalee.
The little ones rested in our room and alternated sleeping with watching TV (and eating popsicles).
By midday they were feeling much better.
We didn't have much to show for playing outside but it was so hot no one minded much. I cooked chicken and Mike made soup for supper.
Garden run!
Our first garden watermelon!
As fast as the virus came it left as quickly.
We were supposed to go to MO on Friday to make kuchen with grandma for my cousin's wedding, but since we'd had sickness I kept us home lest someone else came down with it and shared.
We had a bit of baking to do for the wedding, too, so we did that instead.
Saturday morning we temp checked everyone and all seemed well so we dressed and did hair and headed to Missouri for a big ole wedding party!
We were early for the wedding so we stopped about 30 minutes from the venue at a fun store and let the kids browse and stretch out.
It was a beautiful outdoor ceremony and then we headed in for the reception.
So happy to see cousins. Mike actually grew up as a next door neighbor to my cousin who got married and her family, so his side was at the wedding, too.
Congratulations, Jake and Shayna!
Zayden and Theo...
Artie and Evie - the blonde haired blue eyed double trouble duo.
My sister-in-law, Kea...
My cousin, Brooke...
Another generation of tall children...
Natalee and Aunt Kea...
Papa Phil, Xavier, and Miguel....
I got a big hug from my grown up nephew who is a lineman in western Iowa now and got to hear about his new job!
One sister is shorter than the others.....{Hi, it's me.}
Unfortunately as the evening progressed Mia felt "off." Thinking it was low blood sugar, I got her meat as soon as the food line opened and I could politely do so and Mike took her outside to sit in the breeze and eat. She perked up some then and came back in. However, when she was in the dollar dance line, she finally said "my head hurts so bad." And quick as a wink the virus had found her. Mike took her to the van to lay down while I let the others finish a bit of dancing and visiting.
Evie loved the dollar dance. She danced twice and took my turn.
A sparkler send off is beautiful and not at all dangerous (wink). Seriously though, so pretty.
We had already committed to driving back home after the wedding because Mike had signed up to play guitar for service without realizing what the weekend was, however I was especially glad that we were already mentally prepared for that so we could get Mia home to her bed.
Despite the sickness, it was still a beautiful wedding and a sweet way to end the week.
