Kids in a line
Two families. 8 kids. 10+ years of friendship.
Tag: friends
Ambulance baby is 8!
I looked at the clock around 12:35 this afternoon and thought about where I was 8 years ago today. What an entrance Shecklet #4 made into this world. Not many kids can say they were born in an ambulance on one of the coldest days of the year. It’s a day I will never forget.
This year, Shecklet #4 asked if she could have an 80’s themed birthday party. As someone who has fond memories of the mid-to-late 80’s, it didn’t take much to convince me to agree to her idea. The recent below zero temps we had gave us an opportunity to use the extra indoor time to create decorations and party plans.
This is part of the Pac-man photo prop the kids made back on 2/12.
And a few more of the decorations we had, including the birthday banner that Larissa and Shecklet #1 made on 2/6 when we had our day of crafting fun.
The birthday girl could hardly contain herself this morning. She was up at 6am and regularly asked me throughout the day, “How long until my party starts?” She even woke one of her sleeping brothers from his slumber so she could open a few presents from us.
She also received ski gear and is very excited to try it out tomorrow.
Tonight’s party was a ton of fun! The birthday girl had a blast! She could totally pass as a child of the 80’s. She rocked the side ponytail and blue eyeshadow like a pro. Her sister wore the 80’s trends well, too!
We had a few friends and family join us in rad neon, tulle, makeup and scrunchies. The kids had a boom box piñata and played “stick the cassette to the boom box.” Jake grilled burgers and hotdogs (birthday girl’s request,) we held a glow stick dance party in the basement, and enjoyed angel food cake and ice cream for dessert.
I love how everyone who joined us embraced the 80’s theme and helped make Shecklet #4 feel so special today.
Sledding with friends 🛷
We spent the afternoon with friends (birthday party, pizza, sledding, and pie. The hill by their house went two directions – one way was steeper than the other, so the big kids built a jump on the steeper side, of course.
Tubing
Two of Shecklet #3’s classmates/friends/basketball teammates invited her to go tubing yesterday. The hill was about an hour drive from our house, but worth it to hear the giggles and see the smiles. I also got a much-needed catch-up conversation with one of the girls’ moms. Two hours of fun and fresh air made everyone hungry, so we had tacos at a local restaurant before driving home.
NYE 12/31/2020 & NYD 2021
We went to visit Great Grandma Lois and have pizza (her request.) She us had visits from family throughout the month and we were the last ones on the list.
Shecklets #1 & #3 spent the night at their aunt’s house and rung in the new year with cookies, movies, and confetti poppers!
Shecklet #4 went to Grandma and Grandpa’s for the night and sledded on New Year’s Day.
Shecklet #2 stayed with Jake and me and hung out with our friends for the evening. We had a delicious smoked chicken dinner with salad, cheesy potatoes, and dessert. So good! The adults played a game while the boys all watched a movie. We ended the festivities around 10:30, but the three of us ended up making it ‘til midnight once we got home.
Haircut 2020 💇🏻♂️
This guy hasn’t had a full-on haircut in over a year and a half. My friend (who dyed my hair last month,) trimmed him up a bit prior to Astrid’s funeral, but other than that, he has let his locks grow non-stop since mid-2019. After scrolling through some ideas on Pinterest, we came up with a few options for him to show the same friend/stylist. She was thrilled to have the opportunity to give him such a major transformation. He looks like a new kid! I mean, teenager 🙂
Gnome Walk
One of the neighboring suburbs organized a gnome walk along a trail in one of the parks. It was so fun to look high and low for the tiny and larger gnomes. We were supposed to find 15, but only located 13. The other two were apparently well hidden!
Thanksgiving 2020 🦃
Food and friends. That sums up the perfect way to spend Thanksgiving. We were grateful to have time with our KC friends. (We did pre-visit COVID testing and had negative results.) The kids picked up where they left off the last time they were together in May and the adults had time to catch up on the last 6 months of life. It was great to relax, hang out, and on Thursday, cook in the kitchen with my friend.
I am probably biased, but this meal was one (if not the) best Thanksgiving meal I’ve had!
These kids keep growing like crazy!
No visit would be complete without a photo of Shecklet #4 and her godparents.
Birthday 2020 🎂
The sun came out today. Kids decorated my bedroom door with streamers. Surprise delivery of strawberries for dipping from my godparents/aunt & uncle. Two in-person (safe) visits from friends who brought cards and gifts. Takeout for dinner. Butterfly necklace picked out by Shecklet #3 (given to me by all my kiddos to remember Astrid,) as well as a bike helmet, new sharpies, & a beautiful sweater that Jake selected. He also picked up a cake from the grocery store. Cards, texts, and other greetings from family and friends arrived throughout the day. I definitely felt loved!
