Megan's Birthday

Our kids get friend parties every other year after they turn 8.  So last year it was Megan's turn for a birthday party and becasue we were in lockdown from the pandemic I told her "when this is over we will have a party?"  well... I don't even know if this is over yet - so she got to have a party this year.  She wanted something simple - just her 2 best friends and her sister.  She wanted an ice cream themed party.  She was excited because her birthday fell on a Friday so she wanted her party ON her birthday and a slumber party.  I told her I wasn't up for a slumber party but they could have a "late night".  Then her friend Zoe was going to be out of town on her birthday so we had to bump it up to the week before - she was way bummed ("feels like I am wasting a Friday birthday").  But then it was a huge blessing becasue Megan got quarantined 2 days before her birthday and we would have had to cancel her party!  She is the one that recognized the blessing and was so happy!

We started the party off at a "new" park (one we haven't been to before) and pizza.

Then we went to a frozen yogurt place where you get to make your own.  There aren't a lot left and I was worried about the covid restrictions (that there would be fewer options or the girls couldn't do them their selves)  So Jason heroically went and scouted them all out and taste tested the week before so we would know the best one to go to.  

Then we came home and played an ice cream flavor taste-testing guessing game.  We had 8 different "weird-ish" flavors of ice cream.

Then we played "pin the cherry on the ice cream".  Megan made the game herself, and while she knew it was baby-ish she wanted to for nostalgic reasons.  This may have been the hit of the party as they all had so much fun spinning each other around and being really silly.  Having an 11 year old I have come to the conclusion that they think they are big and should do little girl things but really they are happiest when they are still doing "little girl" things like barbies, dolls, pretend, coloring, crafts, organized games, etc.  They love playing with Dane because he does that kind of stuff and they think it is for him but really they love it too.

Because we had so many sweets she opted to not have a cake and have her cake the day of her birthday next week - so we sang happy birthday to the birthday cake flavored ice cream.

Then... SURPRISE... it was a slumber party!  haha.  She deserved it.  Megan is wonderfully wonderful.  She is hands down my biggest helper and easiest child right now.  She never even complained about not having a slumber party.  She asked, I said no, and she never asked again.  That is worth its weight in gold for me right now. 

Now for her actual birthday.  Her whole birthday-day was about her cake.  She came up with the design months ago.  This cake required 3 layer chocolate cake, moose filling, butter cream frosting, fondant ice cream scoop, and ganache topping.  It took literally all day.  Luckily the girls didn't have school and helped with making, cleaning, and helping with the babies.  Together we all pulled it off!  But afterwards I swore I would never make such a labor intensive cake again.

This little boy could not keep his fingers out of it!

She loved it.  Brock's birthday was the next week and said, "If its not too hard I want the same one for my birthday."

For her birthday she got these lights from aunt Ashley, a been bag chair from us "for her reading nook" and doodle kits from grandma Hanna.  Later with grandma herbert she got money in her college account and a trip to Target where she picked out Legos.

 

Easter

During the break between sessions on Saturday some friends in the ward organized a small Easer Egg hunt.  It was hot and quick.

Dane was fun and understood exactly what he was doing, so much so that he was at the "I am going to open the eggs and eat the candy as soon as I find it" stage.  I eventually convinced him to put some in his basket and find a lot and eat later.

The older kids found theirs as well.  They got to find as many as I brought - which was 20 eggs per kid.  Which was 100 eggs for me to stuff and hide.  No small feat!

I was able to get a picture of Madison still hunting because she hunted until the bitter end.  There were still 3 or 4 eggs in this giant, pokey, dead, bush that I a dad (Brother Ahlstrom) threw inside - he said "I wanna see who is man enough to go get them"  Madison's response, "I am!".  Madison has had some girl drama at school the last 2 or so years and this year I think she gave up on it all and now she just hangs out with the boys.  It has toughened her up a  lot.  ha

I tried for about 100 pictures for a good one of these 2.  It didn't happen.

Easter Morning. Candy eggs never really made it into Dane's basket.  They all went in his mouth.  And then he gave up after about 10 minutes and played with trains.

The kids were making fun of me a week or so before Easter saying, "why don't you challenge us and hide things hard this year?"  Last year they couldn't find their baskets, but I guess they don't remember that.  So I decided to do things really hard this year.  It took almost 2  hour for all the eggs and baskets to be found and in the end I think Brock found most of them.  Afterwards they still said it was too easy.  Teenagers are the best.

Happy Easter!
 

General Conference

General Conference fell on Easter weekend again this year (3 times in the last 6, that is a record!).  I struggle when they overlap.  For 2 reasons, 1 - I prefer Easter to be in March because then I don't have Megan and Brock's birthday also in the same month so it spreads out  the mental load a bit.  And 2) I have things to do to prepare my family for Easter AND General Conference and when they are the same day the 2 weeks leading up are hard to prepare for both.  I can't do everything I want because it is just too much churchy stuff for the kids.  So it ends up being less than I want for both.  It always turns out ok though.  Conference was great.  Dane was only awake and with us for the Sunday Morning session.  We loved the messages and I finally figured out an amazing note taking/study guide after system and I am so excited. 

 

Chuck E Cheese

Little missy got to ride on the merri-go-round at chuck e cheese for the first time.  

It was a hit!

We are on the cusp of greatness with these two.  The time is not far distant that they will be playing together!
 

Aquarium

We went to the Aquarium a few weeks ago.  

These two are the best.  I can't wait for the next few years!!!
 

parenting toddlers and teens

 Turns out that parenting toddlers and teens are pretty identical.  I had to adapt my parenting when all my kids were between 7 and 12.  Those kids are not toddlers and should not be treated as toddlers.  But so far beyond 12 are the same strategies that I use when parenting Dane.  haha.

When they are acting out and being difficult it is because they probably need some very focused one on one time.  But they don't know that's why they are being difficult and can't verbalize that they need it.

They need very clear expectations and consequences that are predictable and consistent.  They don't understand exceptions very well and need black and white.

You need a lot of food and a lot of snacks, but you have to work hard to teach them not to graze and really work on healthy eating habits (no matter how great they "used to be")

Limit screen time

Make sure they are with kids their own age a lot - they need socialization.  They need help doing this.

Don't spend too much on any clothes or shoes, they will grow out soon.

They need physical touch, eye contact, and love (the difference is a toddler will seek this out but a teen won't).

Pi day

Pi day is one of our favorite holidays.  It had been a year since Covid, it was spring break, but it snowed 22 inches, and covid was resurging.  We all needed a pick-me-up.  I decided to make it Pi week.  I made a pie every night.  It was a good week.

 

I made lemon pie

Cheesecake (not a pie - but round!)

Rhubarb and pumpkin (I made them both on the same day - but pumpkin went in the fridge and was eating in the morning for breakfast)

Apple pie - my grandmother's recipie. 

I also made a chocolate cream pie, and an oreo pie.

On a similar food note I got amazing deals on cereal.  Kix is never on sale and it was amazing, I bought out the whole store.

I also made some Olive Garden soup.  It was also amazing.  No one in my family would eat it, which was fine by me - I ate it all (I also invited Krista down and she had some!)