Happy #2 to my #3!!

My sweet bug-a-boo baby is 2! She's a delight and pure joy! We are lucky to have her kind, thoughtful spirit in our family! We learn so much for her big heart. Happy Birthday to you!

After our many celebrations, I opted to NOT make a cake! I was worn out and I was suffering from a bad head cold. So, my awesome hubby went out on Saturday night at 10:45 and picked up a Cold Stone Ice Cream cake!! I usually love to make all the cakes, but I just didn't have any energy left to ever do that. Thank goodness for option B!

My sister and her cute family!

Bumpa and  the birthday girl grand daughter

Mommy & daddy with sweet #3

Sake's alive he's 5!!!

This year, we are doing birthday parties for the kids a little different. We decided to venture outside of our home and have the mess somewhere else! (So much better to come home to a clean house afterwards!) Maddox picked a Laser Tag party, and it was soooo FUN! We piled most of the boys in two cars and headed 35 minutes across town to Laser Quest.

The only girl invited was cousin A. We just love her! :) And Big sis B got to have a girlfriend to hang out with!

The anticipation was too much! It was just a great fun time EVEN waiting for the first game to begin!

I would do it differently next time and get a sitter to keep an eye on baby #3, she was very active the entire time!

We got a "Star Wars" cake, per Maddox's request. It had a "laser tag" feel to it!

Then Sunday, we had a family party for him. It was so nice to see how special we think he is! I love letting my kids know, especially around their birthdays, just how lucky we are to have them in our family!

The spread was breakfast for dinner! We had whole wheat banana pancakes, french toast, hashbrowns, eggs, sausage! It was yummy and one of our family's favorite meals!

For dessert, I made 4 different kinds of cupcakes....oreo & chocolate, chocolate & cadbury egg cupcakes, chocolate mint cupcakes and chocolate potato chip cupcakes! They were a HIT!! I got the idea from one of my favorite baking blogs! You should try them, too...with a secret ingredient of mayonaise in the batter!

I also dipped chocolate strawberries and topped them with our favorite crushed candy bars...reeses peanut butter cups, butterfingers, & snickers. (the snickers were a bit carmel-ly and were tougher to top the starwberries with). But were eaten up in no time!

The weather was absolutely beautiful and we opted for an outdoor/indoor seating arrangements.

To my sweet  year old, I love you so much! I am so blessed to have you in our family. You are kind, loving, happy, smart, funny, and all boy!!!

28

Mark turned 28. Finally...he's 28. Haha! I have to laugh because 28 came and gone for me a few years ago! We had a fun day with him...with two kids in school, Mark and I went out to lunch and it was fantastic just the two (and a half) of us! :)

Also, as another awesome thing that I totally love about him is his motivation to help us stay organized around the house. We have been working on building our food storage for the last few years...you know, a little bit every month or so...with no place to put it!! Until now.... ya...check that out...lots and lots of storage for our dehydrated and canned food...that should last us til we've been married for 36 years!

Except Putter...he won't live that long, but he was sure cute climbing between shelves checking it out!

And Mark's cake request this year was a piece of yellow cake with chocolate frosting *and the Halloween sprinkles* were not his idea, but the kids...of course!

I love all 28 years of you, Mark...for the wonderful husband, provider, protector and daddy that you are. Happy Birthday, again!

Cali's blessing and a very happy birthday

Yesterday was such a special day!

Baby Cali was blessed and it coincided with my 31st birthday!! It was truly a magical day!

We had lots of family come into town to celebrate with us, and it was a beautiful day. Mark did such an amazing job with her blessing, the spirit was so strong and we both were so emotional before, during and after the blessing. We were both teary even through the opening song of sacrament meeting, usually I'm the one with the watery eyes!

Here are some pictures to show off Cali in her blessing dress.

She was really giving us a show for the camera...what an angel she is!

Mark and my parents with baby Cali, Mrs. Brown and Bryanna

Uncle Casey and Aunt Katie came down for the blessing. Casey is Mark's buddy from the mission, and he is more like a brother!

Here's the whole gang!

Pres. McCracken and my Nana

Sister McCracken and my sisters and nieces and nephew

DD and her kids, we love them!!

Maddox with his favorite person in the whole world...his Mimi, and my neighbor growing up who watched us to help my mom out while she was working...Mrs. Brown, a saint sent to my mom! Mrs. Brown is 86 yrs old! She will always be a part of the family.

Beckie & Jared

Older, Wiser...another year gone by. Yesterday was so wonderful, I feel so blessed to have Cali in our family and we know she is loved so very much. I know the Lord watched over her while I was pregnant with her through all the complications. It is such a relief to know that she is healthy and strong, and perfect!

Prom and 18

My cute, adorable, lovable, outgoing, friendly, smart, hard working, social, happy, beautiful, blonde BABY sister turns 18 today!! I can hardly believe it!

And here she is in her Prom dress on Saturday!
I think she is stunning!