Birthday week!

 This past week was a birthday extravaganza! Wednesday was Josh's birthday but it was a pretty normal day. I went to the gym and grocery store and he went to the doctor for his ankle and went to work. I did make him fancy egg sandwiches like we had in Miami on our 20th anniversary trip with sourdough and garlic aioli and that made him happy. We waited until Curtis got back from his away baseball game and the girls got back from their youth service project to do cake and presents. Actually, he didn't really have any presents and we had brownie sundaes. Brandon made him muddy buddies and Emma got him his favorite ice cream and the big kids promised to clean his car for him. I couldn't think of anything he needed and since we are trying not to spend any extra money right now, I sent him on a scavenger hunt reminding him of the fun things we've done lately to sort of celebrate his birthday. That included our trip to NYC and eating a ton of pizza and seeing Hamilton, going to see Project Hail Mary, I cut Brandon's hair for Josh last week since he was busy and we're also eating whatever pizza he wants in Rome. He also sent in his old backpack because it was ripped and the company sent him a new one (which I totally wrapped, like it was a gift from me) :)  I suppose I did mail it at the post office for him so it is okay for me to take some credit and then he had at least something to unwrap. 

 

He has been struggling with his ankle and how it limits his activity and school has been stressful and work has been annoying so he hasn't been his usual easy-going self lately but he said he felt loved and well celebrated so let's hope that 46 will be a good year!  I sure love that man of mine and I'm so grateful for him.

Thursday was Emma's 13th birthday. I got her some chocolate croissants for breakfast and then we just had a normal dinner that night because Lily teaches late so we had dinner and then when Lily got home we did presents and cake. She got some nail polish, cake decorating tools, a dress, skirt, pjs, and a new watch. Then we had Angel food cake with strawberries and whipped cream. She was very happy and excited and even though she has been telling people for months that she is 13, now it is actually true. 

 

Friday Josh was home but he had a lot of homework so we kind of did our own thing but we did eat a nice breakfast and talk for awhile. We also went to church to clean and then Brandon and Josh went to Curtis's game at Chopticon while I prepped for Emma's party. She has never had a big group party before but she invited nine girls from dance and it was super fun. I just brought a bunch of them home from dance with us and they had pizza and chatted and then I had made a bunch of cupcakes and Emma had made frosting and they spent about 45 minutes decorating cupcakes with all her fancy new tips and stuff. I was the DJ and kept the music loud and fun and they were all so polite and cute and excited. Then they went downstairs to open presents and watch Miss Congeniality, which they all loved. That was nice because that's when the boys came home and we had the kitchen back so they could eat dinner. Everyone left about 10pm and it was a great success; Emma had so much fun and I enjoyed getting to know the girls she spends so much time with better. 

Saturday I spent the morning at Curtis's bot ball competition. He's been working on this for months and all of STEM engineering has to compete. They get kits and have to build and then program two robots to then do a series of tasks on a big game board that earns them points. There are lots of ways they can earn points so they have to decide how best to use their two minutes and then program the robots to be able to do those things. It is a lot of work and he's been pretty stressed about it so it is nice to have it done. But I really enjoyed the competition. He was super sweet and came and sat with me for a good amount of time and explained what was going on. There were schools that came down from VA and PA and they had someone narrating what was happening so that it was entertaining to watch. Curtis's team did well the first round but the next two didn't go super because their second robot wasn't working quite right and wasn't doing his job, which inhibited the other robot from getting them a lot of points. He was pretty disappointed when he finally got home at 7pm--it was a 12-hour day for him and they didn't place at all so he wasn't all that happy. Life can be tough sometimes. Bonus fact: he designed the back of their shirts. 

 

I could only stay for the first bit and then I had to go pick up Emma and then she and I met up with Delaney, Ellie and Michelle and Sarah to do an escape room. Emma had invited Vera but she was at a camp out so that left them short a necessary person. I joked that I could invite my friends and have a mother daughter party and she actually loved that idea. She said she likes hanging out with Sister Aina and Sister Ray and I thought that was so sweet. So the six of us rocked the escape room and then went to Crumbl for cookies (Emma's choice) and then home for presents and we just kept chatting, which was really nice. 

 

 

Meanwhile Brandon had a great flag football game and Lily went to dance and then a party with her dance friends. We had dinner without her and then we played some Mario Cart and I was the overall winner so lets-ah go-ah! 

Sunday was a lovely day at church; beautiful testimonies and then I taught about the sacrament in primary and the kids were really attentive and it was a bit more serious than usual and they seemed to get it. Then Leisa, Donna and I planned out our activities through September. I really enjoy working with those two; I don't love the stress that me being at church on Wednesdays puts on our family sometimes but I do like being with the girls and Donna and Leisa are so easy and fun to work with that it makes it enjoyable. The rest of the day was quiet and calm and Lily went to a stake meeting and then we had Emma's birthday dinner when she and Josh got home. Then the rest of us watched Amazing Race while Josh and Curtis went on a ministering visit. Emma made another cake for Sunday with her fancy new tools that was a white cake with strawberry cream cheese frosting (yum!) but I think I am done eating cake for awhile!

I'm so grateful to celebrate two people I love so much and I'm so relieved birthday week is done and was a success!