Susanna's 6th Birthday

I can't believe this silly smarty pants girl is 6! She is tons of fun and amazes me everyday with all the things she learns.  She has blown us all away with her ability to absorb and understand information.  She is already reading on at least a 2nd grade level and can spell like a whiz.  She can not only do addition and subtraction, but also understands and can do multiplication.  

She got a new bicycle a few weeks early that she helped pay for and also a white board and markers to draw and play school on.

Sam was excited to join in all the fun!  He was exhausted from a long day of school and working out hard at the gym.  (He can bench press 215 lbs!)

Her bestie Megan got them friendship necklaces for her gift.  Megan's birthday is just 2 days before Susanna's.

She wanted me to make her a Hello Kitty cake.  We found a coloring page with a picture she liked and made a frosting transfer.  She picked out all the colors while I drew it and colored it with frosting.  It really isn't that hard and it always comes out so cute!

I love those smiles!  She is such a sunshine.

Hairspray!!!!

Josh and Tim auditioned and got roles in the school musical, Hairspray.  Josh was Wilbur, the comical father of the main character and owner of the Har-De-Har Hut Joke Shop, and Tim was Mr. Pinky, owner of the Hefty Hideaway clothing store for large women and also Mr. Spritzer, sponsor of the Corny Collins Show.  They both did a fabulous job!

It was baby Freddy's first play, even though his daddy's play was running the same week!  Sadly though, Josh and Tim didn't get to see Gavin's play and Gavin didn't get to see theirs either.

Bonding with Dad and Mom

For the Cub Scout Blue and Gold Banquet, they had the scouts make cakes with their dads for dessert. Daniel and Richard made an awesome campfire cake. I was proud of how great it turned out. They worked hard on it and it showed! 

Daniel warming up over the flames

I was one of the back stage mom's at Sam, Josh and Tim's amazing Millennial Choir concert, To Be American, narrated by Glenn Beck.  The music was incredible!  The narration was wonderful too and the American historical artifacts that he brought (George Washington's compass, a Civil War drum, etc.) were awesome!

I fell in love with about a hundred boys, high school tenors and basses, all darling and talented.

But I especially loved these three guys!

It was a wonderful year of driving (1 1/2 hours each way) once a week to practices with Sam, Josh, Tim and Victor.  I learned a lot about dub-step, every other genre of music and all sorts of silliness.  Surprisingly my eardrums are still intact, and Sam didn't fall out of any open doors on the freeway.  

Sara is excited to join the choir next year.  I can hardly wait for their recording of To Be American to be available for purchase.  I am dying to hear it!

March Stuff

Josh learned how to sew.  He had an extra credit project for chemistry.  It was to use a pattern to make a stuffed animal mole that showed what a MOLE is in chemistry.  Of course it was late at night when he asked for a sewing lesson, but he learned very quickly and was pretty good at it.

 His little mole friend turned out well.  He event gave him a little character with glasses and a bow tie.

The kids had Wacky Wednesday as part of their Dr Seuss Spirit Week.  They did crazy hair and some did crazy clothes.

Drew was too grown up this year to do it.  Party Pooper!

Pretty Sara

Baby Freddy came to visit us.  He is so precious and has changed a ton since this picture was taken.

Peter is hilarious.  We love having him over to play!

We had the missionaries over for Daniel's birthday dinner, Hawaiian Haystacks.  Tim picked some nasturtium flowers, which are edible and taste like a peppery tomato, with dinner.  It was very pretty!

Elder Fackrell and Elder Parsons, a bit goofy, but great missionaries!

Daniel had the family favorite, mint chocolate chip chocolate ice cream cake.

I can't believe this delightful and snuggley kid is 10 years old!