Zachary Turns 6

It seemed like the birthday festivities lasted forever around here! We started by celebrating Spencer's, Zachey's and my birthday all the weekend that the Shoemakers were in town. We had a combination of everyone's favorite food, which turned out to be quite interesting :)

Spencer wanted loaded mashed potatoes and pie. He had to opt for pie bars because I don't do pie. I also made sugar cookie fudge and white almond cupcakes with cherry buttercream. Zachary's favorites were fish sticks, pizza (I made a sort of home made pizza roll) and then we had fruit, sandwiches and pickle ham bites. Strange mix but it somehow all worked!

I LOVE watching my kids be cousins to Lily. They just love to make her laugh, and Grayson looks so big next to her! I can hardly believe it!

McKenna was so sweet. This year she got REALLY into Zach's birthday. She started about a month before by asking me if we could buy the skylanders game for him. She knew that the would love it and I thought that was very proactive of her! So we clicked on amazon and boom...on its way. When it arrived she insisted on wrapping it and spent a good part of an afternoon planning a scavenger hunt for him. Gona assisted in the reading and potential hint providing. He really enjoyed running all over the house and Kenna loved watching. Was so nice to see her really get into giving gifts!

Grayson got him some pokemon cards which is really the latest kindergarten craze. He just loves collecting them, trading them, talking about them with his siblings. They have all become pokemon card hoarders.

Because Zach's birthday always falls on spring break, we had to schedule his party a few weeks later. Since he has really loved going to Triad and doing gymnastics, he decided to have his party there. Aside from a few snafus like trouble ordering a cake (have always made my own in the past!) and a few people who RSVP'd and didn't come (what is wrong with parents?) He really had a fun day! Kenna, Grayson and Sammie got to come as well as his good friends Lucy, Coleman, Jackson and Mackenzie B.

Triad has this party thing figured out! They start with an obstacle course, then do a few inflatables, then let the kids run wild and do whatever they want! They end the day with singing and throwing Styrofoam blocks at the birthday boy, then everyone gets buried in the pit. Lots of giggles!

Grayons kept right up! I think this has solidified our decision to get him enrolled in gymnastics too!

One of the best games was the kids lining up behind this mat. Then the teacher would push it over with them and they would fall on it trying to blow air at the girls sitting across the room. Then the girls got their turn....lots of laughing!

I cannot believe my little man is 6. This year he has grown up so quickly. I feel like he entered kindergarten this sweet, naive, innocent little tiny person and he is exiting a much more socialized, smart, energetic boy. What I love about Zachary is his genuine laugh and his desire to make others laugh. Whenever I am blue he does this impression of a flying fish where he lays on the floor and puckers his lips that has me in hysterics - he just takes great pleasure in telling a joke or cheering someone up. He has a harder time than his siblings trying new things, or believing in his ability to achieve. But when he does achieve his goals he is so proud of himself, as are we! While this year he has struggled with keeping his hands to himself, and following directions he has come so far. He speaks more like an adult when it comes to problem solving techniques and how to treat others, which is knowledge he would not have gained if not for the trials he has faced. There is something about a mamma and her little boy that is so special. I love how he still asks to snuggle and holds my hand when we are walking. I love his unsolicited hugs and "I love you mommys" I know that these moments won't last forever, but while I have them I am so grateful. Zachary you are so loved and I cannot wait to see what this year brings my sweet boy! Happy 6th birthday sweetie!!

Happy Birthday to me

So, I officially have the best husband on the planet. He had been planning a surprise birthday celebration for me for months. I had NO IDEA what it was, but I knew that I didn't like surprises, and that it was going to be expensive...that was all!

He told me we were going to hot yoga at our gym at noon on Sunday, and that is all I knew. I envisioned everything from hot air balloon rides, to trip somewhere...I had no idea what we could do on a sunday at noon.

I got all ready, realizing that my non-see through yoga shirts were all in the laundry. I got dressed thinking, sure black sports bra and light colored yoga tank totally fine. We will be in the back of the class, and its always dark during hot yoga. We pile the kids in the car and head off. As soon as I walk in the club I hear a bunch of ladies scream SURPRISE! I had no idea what was going on....

Josh came behind me laughing and told me he had arranged a private hot yoga class for me and 10 of my best friends...how great! We had Nessa, my favorite instructor and we got the whole studio to ourselves...it was wonderful! I ignored the fact that my thoughts of hiding in the back in the dark were all in vain - and really just enjoyed the hour. After that we had very little time to shower and get dressed for the next phase of my surprise.

We all finished and walked out of the club to a large bus with a stripper poll in the middle....hmmmm....what kind of party is this? Amanda and Chelsey met up with us at this point and told me that the car company had made a mistake and that the bus wasn't the arrangement :) Josh had let the driver have it and a real limo was coming for phase #3...phase #3? Jeez I was sort of overwhelmed!

So we all piled in the limo and I was handed a notebook that Josh had made will all my clues and notes to read. It told me that he had planned this for just me and my girlfriends because I never got to get out and just enjoy them...he was right! I was excited. Next stop was manis and pedis and we had the whole salon to ourselves! I enjoyed catching up with Shelly and Donis who sat next to me while I got a manicure.

Then the real limo pulled up and we all piled in. Someone broke into the dinner sandwiches which were divine as we drove to our next destination, a winery. When I read the note that said we were going to a winery, I was thinking...in Iowa? But tried not to overthink it and off we went. It actually turned out to be pretty great! Emmi brought a computer and set it up so that April could join us remotely from Maryland!! And we were told how to properly eat chocolate and wine together. There were some wines that I wouldn't have traditionally enjoyed, but it did taste way better with the right chocolate!!

After the wine was really my favorite part of the night. Josh had asked the husbands of the ladies to share an embarrassing story about them. Then he wrote one word from the story on a piece of paper. I would read the sentence and then the girl that had the matching story had to share it with us. It was hilarious. I really can't remember laughing that hard in a long time. We ate and drank and laughed for a long time. Just driving around Des Moines and stopping at the capitol for pictures.

Our last stop of the evening was a comedy club called the rainbow room. The comedy was so inappropriate and hilarious. We were one of only a few groups there so we definitely got called out a few times, which made it all the more funny. We drank more there and by the end of the evening definitely had to call a few people for rides. Luckily Em drove Donis home who definitely over did herself...mom of three with new baby hadn't had a night out in a while! Then she drove me home - so glad she was there to be the sober one!










I am completely overwhelmed, still, that this group of ladies would dedicate almost their entire Sunday to me. I am truly so lucky to have such wonderful people in my life. So much so, that I have decided to form a monthly Bunco group so that we can all hang out and remain close! Everyone got along so well, we have to keep the momentum going!

Thank you so much my love for a very memorable birthday. I am so lucky and will never forget turning 35!!!

Spring Break

If Spring Break is any indication of how our summer is going to be, I can't wait! We had really unseasonably warm first day of spring break. So myself and the rest of Des Moines metro all made our way to the zoo with Gona. Fun to see Grayson really "seeing" some of this for the first time! He has been to the zoo, but didn't remember a lot from last year!

Probably one of the best parts was this ridiculous turtle! He was soooo big and was sort of ramming this gate in slow motion as he wanted to get through it. The kids laughed forever.

The downside of having an 85 degree day in March is that NOTHING was really ready for the onset of that many people. I waited in line for 30+ minutes to get the kids an ice cream cone, only to realize when I reached the front that they only had a few things like soft pretzels and soda....boo! Oh well, they survived somehow....and it WAS free ice cream day at dairy queen, so that seemed to make up for it!

The rest of the week was kind of chilly. We played outside a little, but mostly went to kids club and played inside. We went to the library and I checked out a bunch of gardening books and planted the garden and all the seedlets to go with it!

And, it was Charlene's birthday, so I made this whopper cake. HOLY COW was it hard. I made it because she mentioned a few years ago that she really wanted it....yay for pinterest!