A "Beary" good Birthday

Spencer turned the big 7 and wanted to celebrate his birthday at Build a Bear.    He's a lover of stuffed animals and when I showed him pictures of Emily's party we did there when she was turning 6 he was sold.  

He chose to invite his primary class plus 1 good friend from school.   Bart and I both drove the troops up to the Fashion Place mall.  

My neighbor informed me that discount gift cards could be purchased at Sams club.   It was such a good deal that I opted for the bear + an outfit package for each kid.   The kids had such a good time looking at all the outfits to pick out their favorite one.    The staff were super fun and helpful and even gave Spencer his bear sized cake with a candle that lit up.    

He felt so special but didn't particularly like it when the whole store sang him happy birthday!

We then went to the food court where we ate his "Bear" cake and punch.   He told me later I am amazing at making cakes.   I smiled and said yeah I think it's my super power.      

Happy Birthday my Mencie boo!!!!   You make my heart so happy!  

 

Who Knew

I heard a snippet from a lecture from a child psychologist.  The idea he shared was that we are not engineers of our children but shepherds.   It stated that kids come with their own unique genetic makeup and we as parents cannot alter or shape them into what we want them to be.   All we can do is shepherd them which means protect them and give them green pastures and sit back and enjoy the show and watch what they uniquely will become.

Recently I had a "I am not engineering this" moment with Jane and Aaron.   

1st story:   I'm in the kitchen with Jane and she mentions that her teacher keeps asking her if I've gotten an invitation to an art show.   I'm like I don't think so why would I get invited to an art show?   Jane says it's not really anything and I wasn't going to tell you but my teacher keeps bugging me to see because I won an award for the District Middle School art show.    I'm respond.  "What? you won a district award for art and you weren't going to tell me". Jane. "Seriously mom I don't know what the big deal is."   I hadn't gotten the mail in a few days and sure enough in the mailbox was this invitation.  

 

I inform Jane the we will be going to the awards reception!

It was a quick ceremony where they displayed a picture of each persons art on a slideshow.  Jane won an honorable mention for her work "cheesy cheesecake".

We then go find her artwork on the other end of the mall and I'm floored about how good the watercoloring is.   Other than a couple of art classes in school Jane hasn't done a lot of painting.    Modest Jane didn't want me gloating over her project and gave me the "side eye" (meaning don't embarrass me mom) when I told her when it comes home I'm framing this and hanging it somewhere in the house.  

Story 2:  

Not even a week later Aaron comes home from school and told me he heard over the intercom today that his video project was selected as one of the top 6 movies for the district film festival.   I told him I have not idea what he is talking about.    He explained that in school during stem class he made a documentary filming all the other kids making their movies and he was selected.   He then said his teacher told him we should go to the festival at 6 pm that night?  He said they give out prizes to the winners so he wanted to go.   Bart was in Vegas that day for a quick autograph tour so I rearranged my night so Aaron and I could go see if he won.   

They had the placed decked out with Hollywood characters and a red carpet.  

I think I hyped Aaron up a bit too much but I didn't want him sitting there thinking there was no way he could win.   He left really disappointed that his name wasn't called.    I wasn't disappointed at all but so impressed that he was one of the top 6 with a project I had knew nothing about and have no skills to engineer him to win!  

A skiing they will do on Spring Break

 My kids came home from Brian Head anxious to go skiing with their dad.   So Bart took the boys up to Nordic Valley while us girls were in Vegas seeing Taylor Swift.  Spencer was so excited to show off his new skills to Bart. 

My kids and I always have different spring breaks.   Nordic Valley had a last of the season spring break sale price for $19.   Since I don't ski and had to work anyway Bart took the day off for a little skiing fun.    Everyone was so excited because the day before 3-4 feet of snow fell on the ski resort.   Easy breezy they thought.  Well......

I guess once they got there the 1st lift to the top of the mountain was broken.   So they all had to hike up to the 2nd lift that took them up to where they could ski down.   Here is an image I got over text with the caption.  "I hate this so much" "I knew I shouldn't have come today".    I responded "a little hike won't kill you.  Exercise is good".   "She responded the Lord was trying to stop me from coming but I listened to the devil instead".   

They all got a lot more happy once they made it to the other lift and had a good time.   

We ended Spring Break going to Lagoon on their opening day.    It was chilly but the sun was out.  We all commented that we have never seen snow at Lagoon.    It seemed we were experiencing Lagoon in Feb. and not April.