Reasons to Celebrate

We have had several things to celebrate over the last two weeks. Here is a run-down:

1. School started!

The first day of school is a special holiday.  It marks the beginning of the path of Mom's return to sanity. It has taken a few days longer than normal, but I'm finally settled and starting to trust that Kate and Adam really will be at school for several hours each day, I really can go the store and only have to manage two kids, and parts of my home can be clean again.

Kate started 4th Grade with Mrs. King.  Rumor has it, Mrs. King is very strict, organized, and not very social.  I think she is exactly what Kate needs to help work on her focusing skills. 

Adam started 2nd Grade with Mrs. Parker, or Miss Gerri, as she prefers to be called.  I don't know very much about her, but Adam seems to be enjoying it so far.

We are looking forward to another great year!

2.  Kate had a successful (and simple) Birthday Party!

When I asked Kate what kind of a party she wanted this year she requested a Webkinz party.  I was confused and asked, "What would you do at a Webkinz party?"  She replied, "You could have the Wheel of Wow!"

That was all a little too much for my summer-exhausted brain.  I suggested we ask the neighbors if we could use their pool for a pool party.  Being the kind and generous neighbors they are - they agreed.

We delivered invites, spent the morning of doing some yard work for the neighbors as a thank you, picked up pizza and balloons, and let the girls play and splash to their hearts content.

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Kate decorated the cake (a sunshine for her sunny-day party).  Lunch was joyfully consumed and the presents were a hit.  (Loved the hooded towel from Grandma Mona!!)  The party was a blast! 

3.  Kate turned 9!

(I have a nine year old?!?) 

Kate took a "Me Bag" to school to help her classmates get to know her.  She chose a stuffed animal, swimming goggles, a piano book, a picture of her family, and a craft she had made.  I thought that summed her up pretty well - a water baby who loves stuffed animals and music, who likes to create things for the family she adores!   She also took a big bag of Pop Rocks to share as her birthday treat.

For dinner, Kate got to choose a restaurant.  I've created the tradition where the birthday girl or boy gets to chose where we go out to dinner.  This is for two purposes - to take the birthday child out to celebrate them and so I don't have to make dinner as a reward into perpetuity for having given birth on that day.  The arrangement works pretty nicely I think.

Kate chose Cowboy Grub, a restaurant one of my friends recommended.  The kids loved the ride-on toys, our Sheriff server, and the gold coins they got at the end to exchange for a prize.  Shem and I loved the delicious food and having his mom along for the adventure.

Adam insisted on going dressed as a cowboy.

 When we got home Kate opened her presents.  It was all smiles with a new scripture case, a necklace from Grandma, and a new dog!  (Kate really wanted a dog, but was happy to settle for this cute little puppy "Obee" that walks in a circle and barks.)

You are probably wondering where I found this amazingly adorable scripture case.  Well, it was specially handmade by none other than my wonderful best friend, Emilie (Kate's middle name sake).  Emilie made a similar one last summer for her daughter, Karaia, and I asked if she would be willing to make one for Kate. 

Can you tell how much Emilie loves me?  She got a babysitter so she could pick out the perfect "Kate" fabrics then spent nine hours sewing this little masterpiece (from her own made-up-in-her-brilliant-head pattern).  It has three pockets (one with a zipper!) on the inside, a pocket on the back, gorgeous ruching on the sides, and even a little bling with the button on the front.  Then she even hand delivered it all the way from Centerville. (Em, did I say Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! enough times yet?  Because I'm SO grateful!)

Kate LOVES it and was so thrilled to take it to church and show it off today.

Well, I'm hoping we'll have more things to celebrate in the coming weeks - like the completion of our master closet, our baby ultrasound (in about two weeks!), and more delicious bounty from our garden.  I hope you are having great reasons to celebrate too!