Time to post the birthday blog! Grace's 8th birthday party was a success! Friday morning I took her to school and she wanted to go out to eat for lunch. So, I picked her up at lunchtime and we went to Mike's Drive In so she could get a root beer. She likes these because they serve kids root beer in a very tiny frosty mug and she thinks this is the greatest! On the way back to school, we picked up dixie cream donuts and juice boxes for her to take for a treat at school. She said everyone liked the donuts and she liked being the star student for the day. When I picked her up from school, Ethan's mom let us know that he was going to be coming to the party. He is Grace's new love interest....this made her very happy! We went home and changed and rested a bit for the party. After a trip to the party store to pick up the balloons and Larry's for cupcakes, we were finally at Extreme Sports. After a thousand times of answering that everyone would arrive in a little bit, finally people started to show up. The kids bounced their hearts out! I think everyone had a great time....pictures below show it! After cupcakes, soda, and presents it was time to head home for a little sleepover!


These girls had so much fun! We ordered pizzas and had caramel apples and cupcakes. There was a high profile fashion show and a dance party. They played flashlight tag and colored on the front porch with chalk. It was a very late night, but a fun one! I think every birthday is going to include a slumber party!

The next day was Grace's actual birthday, so she got her presents and was surprised with an electric guitar, which she has been going on and on about forever. She was beyond excited! We took a nap after everyone left from the slumber party and Grace visited with her mother for a few hours. When she got back, we went to Fujiyamas. I am not a fan of chinese, so I assumed that I would not like it, but we thought Grace would like it. Come to find out, the food was not all that bad! We went with Amy and family and it was so much fun! I have never been so entertained during dinner. Grace thought it was great and talked about it the rest of the weekend!

I wish someone would please tell me why/when it's OK to:

Wear your pajamas to the store?

Talk about your life in front of customers you are waiting on (i.e. parts of your life that should be kept private)?

Curse out the office manager at your dr. office because you skipped your last appointment and showed up on the wrong day for your new one?

Stand right outside the door to the business you work and smoke? (Whether it be Wal Mart, Subway, or wherever!) Why can't you go out back? I don't care if you smoke, I just think it's unprofessional....

Take your 1 year old to Wal Mart with ONLY a diaper on?

Go to the dr. in your PJ bottoms and a t-shirt with NO bra on?

OK, so I don't know anyone personally who does these things, but these are a few things I ahve observed that really irk me. C'mon, we all have irks, right? I know I'm not the only one....what are yours?!

On a different note, Grace's party is tonight and a few that I thought were coming have canceled. I hope we have a good turnout and she has a good time! I'll post more on that later!!

I had to do this just to prove that not every picture that I take of this handsome little boy is...well, handsome! Haha! Who am I kidding, of course they're still handsome; just funny! Chace will laugh and smile at me constantly until I get the camera out, then he knows I want him to look at me and smile, so he won't!

Finally, I am able to post some pictures! As I said before, Bill just had a birthday. Below are a couple of pictures with his cake and with Grace helping him open some presents. You'll also see the cutest little shopper in the world! Bottom left isn't Grace's first day of school, but it was during her first week of school.
Though the girl can't carry a tune, she loves to sing just like she's Hannah Montana! With her birthday money from my dad a couple of years ago, she picked out a kids acoustic guitar. It's getting a bit small for her, yet she still plays it all of the time. Every time we see guitars at Toys r us, she always talks about wanting one. Sooooo, what do you think the girl got for her birthday? As you see, Bill and I both had to try it out! The pic of Bill playing is him teaching himself "Happy Birthday" on it so when she opens it, he will play it for her. Tell me that's not one of the sweetest things you've heard of?! My pic is just me *trying* to look cool. I don't think I succeeded!



Planning is going well for Grace's birthday. Only a couple of more days and our girl will be 8! She is getting so grown up so fast! All the time it seems she is saying or doing something that is way too grown up. Of course, I think kids are just growing up faster in general. The other day after school, she wanted to "tie a knot in his tail"....referring to a boy who had been picking on her on the playground. She went on and on about how he was so mean. Fast forward to Sat. when she came over, she wanted to know if she could invite Dakota to her birthday party. When I questioned if this was the same Dakota who was so mean to her, she said yes but that it was ok because he had just been having a bad day and now they were boyfriend/girlfriend. Oh boy. Then later she tells Amy that her and Dakota are going to try to go out for at least a year. Oh my. My dad laughed and talked about how funny it was when we were younger to hear me and Amy say "me and so-and-so are *going out*". I remember him telling my Grandpa that I changed boyfriends more than he changed his underwear. I was ten (?) and I thought that was so gross! I think Bill is in for it as Grace gets older!

Amy mentioned wanting to get some more pics of Chace the other day. Sunday was a beautiful day and Bill was working and I didn't have a thing to do so we took some pictures. He's such a handsome little guy! Here are just a few:


Have a good night!

For some reason, I cannot post any pictures right now. So, much to your dismay I'm sure, this will be a pictureless post!

We had another birthday yesterday...Bill turned 34! He had an EMT class, but was lucky and got out early in the afternoon so he came home and took a nap for a little bit. He got to pick Grace up and my family came over. He had decided that he wanted Italian Beef for supper, which was great with me cause there's not much prep there! He chose to have a homemade cake (pineapple with cream cheese icing), which was great also! He got some things he really wanted....a gas smoker, some kind of grinding wheel for the garage, a Menard's gift card, and the universal gift card...cash! The best card was given by my sister...the front says, "I've got a birthday story that'll turn your hair gray." The inside says, "I see you've already heard it." This is funny because if you know Bill, this is true! He's been graying since high school he says. I teased him when he got his license renewed the other day, he put brown for his hair color....Um, hello? You hair's pretty gray....do they offer that for a color?

Today was such a beautiful day out. I mowed the grass and then went with Amy and we took some pictures of Chace. When I edit a few, I'll post. I have such a hard time getting him to smile at me! But, it was fun!

Grace's birthday is next weekend. We're having a party at an indoor gym, and she's having a small sleepover. Or, at least I hope she is! She's invited a few girls so fingers crossed that some can stay! I'll post more on the party later! Going to eat supper at Amy's....have a good night!!

Trying one more time, this should work!

I've never posted a video before, so not sure if this will work...we'll see! As I mentioned a while back, my Uncle Jerome turned 50 this year. This is my cousin Jenny's father in law with a song he wrote for Jerome in honor of turning 50!