Crazy hair birthday party!

We had a theme for our monthly Ely birthday party this month. It was at our house so we proclaimed it to be crazy hair night. It was a blast and the kids had fun being silly and seeing the adults go crazy with it too. Here are a few, or many of the fun moments and styles of the night.

Dandi and Daniel were arm wrestling to see who got to open presents first. Daniel toasted Dandi. Way to go muscle man Dan!

Money taped to a frisbee, does life get better?

Mmmmm, lemon ginger cake with glazed strawberries on butter cream frosting.

Nellie had to get creative since she doesn't have hair yet. Too cute!

Tyson feelin' blue.

Wilson with blue Astro Boy hair.

Sam and his fiery pink hair.

Josh lookin' sharp.

We couldn't decide if Dandi looked like Shirley Temple or someone from a Jane Austen film.

Drew wanted to be like Two Face from Batman, with little ponytails that is.

I think Nate got caught in a wind storm.

Tim and Jonah having fun.

The kids all thought Susanna looked like Doc from back to the future.

Madi with crazy purple hair.

Beautiful loopy haired Laney.

Sara laid on the counter upside-down while I ratted and sprayed her hair to create this stunning Cindy Lou Who Doo.

Nan had a bit of a Cruella look. Very HOT!!

Lucas and Daniel had both just lost teeth.

I guess I had puppy dog ears. They were scary big ratted ponytails, but they fell into this look with the 80's bangs.

Richard thought it was crazy face day too, apparently. He is so much fun!

Gavin's hair is pretty short so he spiked it all over and Mandy had kind of a crazy up-do.

I didn't get pictures of every one I guess, Dad had black spiked hair, but it was a great night and I think the kids all have some great new memories to share with their posterity.

Free Will Offering vs Charity from Tax

Here is a link to an excellent post my husband made on his blog. Check it out.

Free Will Offering vs Charity from Tax

Game night fun

We had our nephew Phil and his sweet wife Jodi over for a game night along with my brother Gavin and his lovely girlfriend Mandy. It was hilarious. We played Curses. I had never played before. Totally loved it! I think we were all in pain from laughing so hard by the end of the evening. Good Times!

Jodi and Phil

Gavin and Mandy

The real Gavin and Mandy

Sam getting tackled at the end of the evening.

A visit to the new skate park

Richard took the kids to the skate park on Saturday while I replanted the garden. They were super excited to take their bikes and roller blades and try out the ramps.

Things were going great until Josh took a bad fall off one of the ramps. He doesn't remember anything from just before the fall until about 25 minutes later. Apparently, he blacked out when he hit the ground and then was talking and seemed alert with in a minute. He then asked Richard what happened, Richard explained it and Josh said, "I don't want to ever do that again." Then a few minutes later he asked Richard what happened. Richard told him again and Josh said, "I don't want to ever do that again." Over the next 2o minutes or so Josh ask Rich again 6 more times what happened and asked Sam 3 times. He didn't remember them asking previously or being answered. After a walk to the car and then over to the playground, Josh "woke up" and began to form memories again. Richard called me and told me Josh had had an accident but that he seemed to be ok.

When they got home and I heard all the details and realized that my boy had amnesia as well as a HUGE fat lip and lots of scrapes and bruises on his face, arms and legs, I was quite concerned. He had taken a hard blow to the same side of his head while sledding a little over a month ago, and I was worried about a repeated concussion. Now, after examinations and a blessing and some rest, I am still concerned that he be careful with his poor brain and body, but I feel sure that he will be fine.

He does have a concussion and amnesia but is recovering. He might regain the memories from before he hit the cement, but the memories from the 25 minutes after were most likely never stored in his memory correctly so they are not retrievable. The treatment is to rest his brain from physical activities for a few weeks to allow it to heal. To his dismay that doesn't mean that he has to rest it from school and homework, but no wrestling or jumping on the trampoline etc. Poor kid!

The rest of the kids had a great time.

Daniel turned 6!

I can't believe this sweet boy is so old. He is such a lover. He loves to snuggle and give hugs and kisses. He is a great brother to his little sisters and loves to get Zanna out of her crib in the morning. He loves to draw and color and is really into writing stories and captions for his pictures. It is crazy that he is old enough to read and write some. He is daring and smart, but sometimes more daring than smart as evidenced by his jumping off the porch roof and breaking his leg last fall. He loves his older brothers and sister and loves to be a part of all their activities and craziness. I love this boy oodles and oodles!

Happy Birthday Daniel!

Spring is in the air

Hail . . . Really?

Of course the day after we plant our garden it hails! Richard and I had to leave for a fireside just as the hail finished. When we came home we found three cameras full of documentation that it, in fact, really did hail. The kids were flipping out with excitement. I had to remind them that even though this RARELY happens it was still Sunday and they needed to tone down the screaming to loud giggles.

Not great shots but the only ones they took of our baby tomato plants
ripped to shreds by the storm.

Crazy weather!