Maddie's Birthday

This year I finally put together some of Madison's biggest problems in life and I realized that she has a really hard time making decisions.  This has been manifest most in her birthdays.  She often foregoes birthday parties becasue she doesn't know what to do.   This year was no different (last year she did have a party, but I basically forced it and planned everything).  This year I told her I wasn't doing that and she had to make plans.  She never did, so she decided not to do anything.  So... I threw her a little surprise party.  I had her friends come to the house before school and take her out to breakfast.

I actually told her the night before, we were on a tight schedule because none of the breakfast places opened until 7, but school starts at 7:30, so I needed her ready but not having eaten breakfast at 6:50.  She acted surprised though.  

Mia, Brailynn, Brooke, and Maddie

Her cute Young Women leaders came in the night and set up this birthday cake and put compliments all over our front door.  

We went to Corner Street Bakery first but as the girls looked through the menu they decided it was too "grown up" for them, so we headed over to Chick Fil A

Maddie really wanted a birthday crown to wear to school.

While she was at school the babies (100% on their own) decided to decorate her room.  

For her birthday dinner and dessert she stuck with her usual Sesame Chicken and Oreo Balls.

I got her a fuzzy blanket (along with a Target shopping spree before school started), Grandma got her a much desired White "Stanley Cup" water bottle, and Aunt Ashley came in for the win with a bag full of "cute" stuff, that any 12 year old who loves Target would love.  She hit the nail on the head and loved all of it.  

Maddie at 12

• One thing I have just come to learn about Madison in the last few months is how funny she is.  She has become very witty.  It isn't obvious, so  you have to listen for it.  But she has had some perfectly timed responses or one liners that provide comic relief that has kept me laughing for a few hours later. 
• As mentioned earlier she is our fashionista of the family.  We all ask her for advice on hair, makeup, jewelry, clothes, etc.  I am really enjoying it.  Megan will do it as well which I find nice that she isn't bothered by asking her little sister.  Brock has asked a few questions and Maddie LOVES that.  Jason and Noah haven't yet, which isn't surprising,  :) 
• Maddie gets along great with older teenage girls.  I don't see this a lot personally, but I hear about it, both from Maddie and Megan.  At all YW or school activities Maddie gravitates towards the older teenage girls and seems to fit right in.  They all seem to love her.
• Her and Brock have really gotten along lately.  She loves being involved in his dating life, and as mentioned earlier, she has made friends with most of Brock's dating prospects, so he takes her advice seriously.  
• As the "original youngest" Madison still have almost all the traits of the youngest, which is a bit infuriating, since she is no longer the youngest.  But she is always dodging chores, waking up late, lunging around the house until I forget she hasn't done her jobs yet.  She is no longer the last one at the table, as she is now joined with the ACTUAL youngest child, Eve.  Both of them refuse to eat dinner under an hour.  And while they aren't incredibly picky they are the pickiest, but even if it is a dinner  they like, they are still the last ones to finish.  
• Maddie is an able baker.  I bet she is one of the best bakers of all 12 year olds.  It is pretty impressive.  She is a fun babysitter, not just for Dane and Eve but all the families she babysits for.  She knows HOW to play with the kids and how to get them to do things they don't want to do.  

 

High School Reunion

A few days after school started Jason and I headed to Utah for our 20th high school reunion.  It wasn't super easy to convince Jason to go.  For convenience sake I will post my Facebook post here:

It was our 20th high school reunion this year. I really wanted to go. Jason... not so much. I wasn't sure WHY I wanted to go. Since we met in high school and it is part of our story I felt like we needed to go to honor that part of our history. Also, as my children become teenagers I have been thinking more about the people who impacted me, but I didn't realize it at the time. My heart yearned to see some of them again and to thank them for their impact. I convinced Jason to come and we reluctantly drove to Utah - just the 2 of us - for a quick weekend trip, while the children were passed around between a few houses and babysitters (thanks!)

We had pretty low expectations, especially Jason. As we left the parking lot around midnight Jason said, "I am so glad we came''. I couldn't have agreed more. That was one of the most fun nights we have had in a really long time. We had some deep conversations with old childhood friends, old acquaintances, and new spouses we met. My heart hurt a little realizing that Heavenly Father gave me an amazing group of people to share my childhood with and grow up together, only to not be in each other's lives as adults. Everyone was so kind, smart, informed, and sweet. You look back at all of us as teens and we were a bit of a hot mess, but now... everyone was so wonderful and I left with such pride in my heart for all of my classmates. I was overwhelmed with gratitude for our class officers who, at 17, committed to an extra full time job every 10 years with no pay. Thank you!

And can you believe I didn't take one picture of me and Jason! After all the talk to him about how we had to go to honor how we met?! Ha ha. Once we were there we did realize it wasn't about us and we spent almost the whole night not with each other but talking and visiting with others. But for sure my biggest regret!

End of Facebook post

I orchestrated a Madrigal reunion for the night before the real reunion. I knew that would increase the likely hood of Jason agreeing to go. It was a total success! You never know how these things are going to go. The first hour or so was a little awkward, but as the night wore on it became better and better. They started singing and everything just flowed from there. We ended up staying until almost midnight talking and soaking in the feelings of being with people who seem to know you in a deeper, if not different way than the rest of the world.

They insisted I get in the picture at the end.  I was not in madrigal.  But I followed my hot boyfriend around and went to all their performances, so you know, I basically was ;)  This was also my "new friend" group after I started dating Jason. I am so grateful they accepted me, I love them deeply for their kindness and their ability to show me Heavenly Father's love when I needed it the most.

Nicole, Jonelle, Ann, Marisa, Kristen, Emily, Troy, Anthony, Adam, Jason, and me

Singing was the highlight of the night.  It had all the good feels. 

Having Ann play was lovely and I was so impressed she brought her piano.  

Joey! One of my dearest life long friends. This is one of those: he means more to me than I do to him, but I don't care at all! He was someone that even as a child and teen I felt safe with, we would talk for hours on the phone, and now that he is an accomplished therapist I even called him a few years ago for some help in our marriage! haha. For real. I knew he knew both Jason and I and loved us both (they played football together since like 5th grade) and I just felt like he could help. He did!

Jason's best childhood friend, Corinne. I took her over though. She knew Jason best and I went to her a lot for advice (Jason was a complicated teen). She helped me so much and somethings she said still help me to this day. One thing was: "I would never accuse Jason of saying something he didn't mean. It isn't in his character". Well... it is in my character, so I naturally default to that and Corinne was 100% right and often her words, in her voice, come back to me.

Jason's childhood friends and my "adopted" friends. They weren't sure about me at first (I was in a bathroom stall when Jason and I started dating and they came in and were talking about me. They said "I can't believe he is with someone like "her", what does he see in her. It is so weird. She isn't even an academic!" haha. It didn't offend me, they were right. But I THINK they have learned to love me. I love them!

Here is a picture of them in middle school, plus Charm

My friend group (before I met Jason) Some of them I have been friends with since third grade. I can not express my love for them and the impact they made in my life. I had the happiest of childhoods because of them.

friend group girls. I WISH there were about 10-15 others here tonight. This was hardly our "whole group". Most missed were the ones who have left us too soon and I hope were looking down from heaven. Jara and Ali (who we lost in high school to a car accident) and Amy (who died a few years ago) were OBVIOUS holes at the reunion. 

The boys. Again... missing about 10 or 15. But these are some of my most favorite men. The best part about them was how sweet they were to Jason when we started dating. They knew him from football and they were kind to him both in high school and at the reunion. If you didn't know us in high school you probably don't understand the whole "when Jason and I started dating thing" - I won't explain it, but obviously both of our friend groups didn't really approve! haha 

Willow Creek 5th Ward!!! My youth group growing up was very small. So small that 4 years after graduating the stake dissolved the ward. I hated that it was so small growing up but now I love how much I still love them. I have not REALLY seen Jake or Dave for 20 years. I didn't know I was coming to the reunion to reconnect with them, but it turns out that is exactly why I was there. We had some pretty deep conversations about our childhood and how we saw each other and the experiences that shaped us. We said things that needed to be said for 20 years. Sad to have missed Tom, Mariko, Ryan, and Kara. Tom was one of the people I had hoped to see but didn't come. I love Tom and haven't seen him in 20 years and I miss him. He is the best.

Zach Durous, this was Karli's high school boy friend.  I needed a picture of him for Karli.  Jason and I hung out with them quite a bit.

Random pictures from the reunion.

 

First Day(s) of School

School always comes fast.  We start the first week of August.  If I am being honest this is the first year I wasn't that sad and was pretty ready for them to go back.  That comes with a bit of guilt, but also I felt  relived that I can embrace this stage of life and not mourn the loss of my children.  I enjoyed having them home, but they are all happier when they have school stuff.  It was better for all of us.  I think this was the first year in a while I didn't cry on the first day of school.  

The big news this year was it was Madison's first year of middle school.  She is in 7th grade at Ranch View.  She is in the Tundra Pod, which thrilled all of us because it was the same pod the others were in.  We love Tundra at our house.  She wasn't in the same pod as any of her friends (same as last year), but she handled it really well.   She started a day earlier than everyone else.  We had a lot of conversations about how she was going to get to and from school during the summer.  Her friends all live in a different neighborhood and they were planning to walk to school together and Maddie wanted to WALK with them.  After a million iterations (including a begged for, but not purchased electric skateboard)  she settled on riding her bike to her old elementary school and parking it there (at 6:55 in the morning) and then meeting up with her friends to walk, then doing the reverse on the way home.  While the others are happy to ride their bikes in the cold, Madison: not so much.  As soon as it starting dipping below 50 in the mornings I have been driving her, which I don't mind.  I actually love driving my kids to school in the mornings.  It is great one on one time. 

Cute seventh grade girls

The first week of school is the best becasue the boys don't have seminary  so all 4 had the same start time.  I had all of them around the breakfast table and it was fantastic.  I made mush for the first day.  We were able to do a little devotional and talk about our day.  It was delightful!

It is Brock's junior year!!!  Still hard to believe.  I can't wait to see what this year has in store for him.  Sophmore year was a huge growth year for Brock and I bet this one will be as well.  He is trying A LOT of new things, from academics to sports and hobbies.  Jason is Brock's seminary teacher (again), Jason and I thought that wouldn't be a good idea, but Brock was pretty excited (although he was really hoping for Jason to be their teacher Senior year)

It is Noah's sophomore year.  He is also in a bit of a felx/change period.  He is still doing tech this year, but is training to be a lead.  He has started taking piano again and loves it.  He is taking a very hard course load, but he did so well at the end of last year that we all think he will crush it.  He is sort of in a transition period with his friend groups and is trying to find himself a little.  

Both of the boys wake themselves up for seminary at 4:30 in the morning, get ready, do their jobs and leave on their bikes for seminary at 5:45 so they will be 10 minutes early.  They make my heart swell.  I am not sure how I got so lucky.  

Megan is in 8th grade Arctic (same as Noah).  She has a solid friend group who all love to read and watch the same shows she does.   They all get to the school library as soon as it opens to read books before classes start.  She rides her bike to school, no matter how cold it is.  She is so self sufficient and runs her life very well.  

These two are in middle school together and it has been GREAT for their sister friendship.   They have never been closer.

And these two are in high school together.  Only 2 schools!  My email inbox has never been so empty.  I am LOVING it and soaking up every last minute until Dane starts elementary next year.

LOVE!!

We celebrated the first day of school with Slurpees after (except Brock was at soccer practice)

On the second day of school I got a phone call from Megan asking me to bring her homework to school that she forgot... and it begins!