The Amazing Race

Uncle Robert did an amazing job of planning and surprising mom for her 60th.  We all helped but they were his ideas.  He planned it all to the theme of The Amazing Race and gave her clues and fun surprises all along the way.

Mom and an appointment to get her haircut on Thursday and when she got there Robert had already dropped off her first surprise, a sweatshirt he had designed, and her first clue which told her to be ready the next morning at 9:00 because that was when her ride was going to pick her up.

The next morning Katie picked her up with Clue #2 which was a gift card to Dutch Brothers where her friend Wilma was waiting for her. 

Clue #3 was a gift card to meet some friends at Bo and Vine for lunch.

Clue #4 said that Caleb needed to do a 6 month walk through for the Caldera House and that we'd taken the opportunity to book her a suit in Bend's Mill District.  Robert even came up with a phony hotel confirmation.  He was also calling her as she drove asking where things were because he was suppose to be installing the microwave in her newly remodeled kitchen over the weekend.  We were all laughing that she had no idea.

Clue #5 said your next surprise is supposed to be inside.  Search for it!  (Hope Holly put it out in plain view.  She was suppose to.)

This was in plain view but then as they walked around we were all hiding in the master bedroom to surprise her.

We collected birthday wishes from a bunch of moms friends and made them into a banner.

The next morning Mom got Clue #6 that said the surprises weren't over yet her next surprise was out for delivery.

Kathy and Sandy flew in from Arizona and Kevin and Sonja picked them up.  When they arrived we distracted Mom and hid them in different places throughout the house to surprise her.  

Payton and Tommy

Aubrey (L) and Maddie (R)

 Tommit and Evie

 Payton, Maddie, Kendra, and Tommy

 Amy made this amazing cake!!!

We enjoyed some snowy views on our drive!

We had a fun weekend celebrating Mom and when it was time to head home on Sunday she received Clue #7 which said still not over!!!  You better do your laundry because you're about to see your week is only half over.  Her siblings had booked her a few more days away at a beach house on the coast.

We sure are blessed to have such an amazing Mom and Grammy in our lives!  She does so much for us and always has.  As a kid I never really realized it but now as a Mom I can see how much she has sacrificed ALWAYS for each one of us.  She has literally given her life away to raise and care for us an now for our spouses and children as well.  She accepts and loves them all and is always our biggest fan!  I think I've always recognized her patience with all of our shenanigans but now I realize the selflessness and sacrifice that comes with being a good mom as well.  Thanks for modeling motherhood, marriage, and Christ to us Mom!  We are so thankful for you and loved having the chance to celebrate you in a big way this year!

Happy 5th Birthday Little Nut

This little girl of ours is full of so much life and sass that we don't even know what to do with her most of the time but we sure do love her.  She had a full day of ALL her favorite things.  It feels to her like she has the last birthday of the year because we start with Sadie in October and then Evie and Cooper are November, Daddy is December, Mommy and Wyatt are January, and then FINALLY in February she gets hers.  So she has been waiting and planning and waiting and planning and talking and talking and talking about all the things she was going to do when it was FINALLY her day.  I think in the end we did most of them.

We started with doughnuts...

Next she opened squishies which she has been patiently waiting for.

Next it was off to school to watch Sadie's class do their chapel opening.

Then it was off to Dutch Bros to get her free drink.  She wasn't sure about Evie getting one too but it was okay because Evie got a little one and she got a HUGE one cuz it was her birthday after all.

The girls spent the rest of the morning playing with her new Barbie pool.  This was another thing she REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted!

For lunch it was burritos from the Burrito Shack in Jefferson and then it was more Barbie pool time and Elsa and Anna videos until it was time to pick up the big kids from school

Finally, to wrap up the day, it was a Frozen II birthday party with the cousins.

I'm pretty sure she had a great day and will be ready to do it all again tomorrow.  That or she will wake up asking how many days until her next birthday. 

And though She be but Little, 

She is Fierce.

~William Shakespeare

Hazel,

     This quote always makes me think of you.  You were our littlest baby, born a week early, and just barely 6 pounds.  When we took you home you were actually only 5 pounds and you felt so itty bitty to us.  Little did we know on that day how much personality was in your teeny tiny body.  You truly have been full of life and fire since you were born.  Of all of our babies I fed you the most and you slept the least.  We joke that we didn't get a full nights sleep until you were 2 years old.  It took forever for you to sleep through the night and by the time you were finally sleeping through the night you were also entering your terrible 2's and 3's which brought a whole new level of passion and personality. At that time we often laughed that you were in your in your own little nut world just doing your thing, talking to yourself, and always busy busy busy.  You literally never stopped.  You'd play so hard that you would literally fall asleep within minutes nearly every day on the way to school to pick up the big kids.  

     While we say Sadie is the leader of the pack, and in many ways she is, I'm pretty sure you're going to be the leader of your own little girl gang with your 3 little sisters.  You ADORE the babies and you love playing games with Evie.  All day long you come up with fun things to do and Evie just loves having you to play with.  I hope I never forget your little voices as you pretend and go on all kinds of adventures with your Barbies and baby dolls.  You have also grown up a lot this year.  You're so much taller, you're learning your letters, you have a lot more self control than you did a year ago, and you're really excited about heading to kindergarten next year.  You are still our most spunky one, full of so much energy which can be hard for us at times because we cannot always match your energy level, but we hope you always know how much we love you.  God made you perfectly and you are truly one of a kind!

Love,

Daddy and Mommy

We will always remember you as our little nut.

Spirit Week

I actually prepared costumes ahead of time for spirit week this year.  Usually we're scrounging things together the night before and it usually ends up stressful so I was proud of myself for getting ahead of the game this time and I thought they looked pretty cute!

DECADE DAY

Can't remember exactly what the problem was but Wyatt was not happy on this particular morning.

 Not Amused

Not amused AT ALL

Until his brother farted.  Heaven help me!

TACKY TUESDAY

SPACE DAY!

Cooper was really excited about this day and picked out a jet pack he wanted me to make.  Sadie and Wyatt went along with it until Wyatt discovered that people were dressing up as Star Wars characters which meant game over for my cute jet pack.

Apparently it was all downhill after Wednesday because I didn't get a picture of Sports Day or Spirit Day.  This ended up being a crazy week even though we had our costumes ready because Hazel's birthday was Wednesday and we were trying to surprise Grammy for her 60th birthday, which meant I had to pack for the weekend without letting Hazel or Evie know because I was afraid they'd spill the beans.  Grammy decided to take Hazel birthday shopping on Thursday afternoon so I literally couldn't let the little ones know until Thursday night and we were leaving Friday at noon.