7 and counting...

     Keira's birthday is just 10 days after Caleb's so we're throwin' another birthday post at ya.

    A little about Keira:
    Keira always puts other's feelings before her own. She loves being a helper! She is constantly helping out without being asked. She's a great cook and wonderful with her little siblings. She is kind to everyone and LOVES to laugh... such a contagious laugh too! She loves her cousins and friends and is always counting down til the next playdate. She is also a very smart little girl. She is reading at third grade level and doing second grade math in the first grade. She just got straight "Os" on her report card too! She loves the beach, shopping and Phineas and Ferb. She loves church too and learning scripture stories! Music is also a big part of Keira's life. Since she was litle, she always impresses us with how many songs she knows the words to on the radio and in primary.
    
   Keira wanted to have a Princess Ball for her party this year and a 10 days before the party she deicded that she would rather have a special big date night with Brian and I.  With the date night in motion, we invited grandparents, Aunts and Uncles and cousins over for her birthday dinner. Unfortunately, the week of her birthday she came down with pneumonia, so we had to push it back a week. I tried to make her birthday day fun, but it was definately not the best birthday day ever since she was so sick (and so were the twins and Caleb). We had pizza and orange slices for dinner and the kids and I made carmel apples for dessert (which is double great since it also crosses something off our family's Fall to-do list!).

for her birthday donut, she picked a gormet donut shop that carries unique donuts: the one she chose for herself had gummy bears on it. Yummm (gag)

moving the ghost to the "26th" of October

these were soooo good. They're chocolate covered carmel apples. Keira and Sadie made sprinkle topping apples, Violet oreo and Caleb M&M



even sick, she's adorable



     The Friday after her birthday we took her to her favorite restaurant (Denny's) and then to the movies to see "Puss in Boots". We loved spending time with just her! It was such a blast ! Keira asked that we do dinner and the movies but she also wanted us to come up with a surprise for her. The second she said that, I knew what I wanted to do! I went to priceline.com and negotiated a hotel room. I got a room with breakfast included for $35! I love priceline! Keira absolutely LOVED her surprise! It was my first night away from Daylon so we stayed in Corona, just in case my parents had a hard time with his machine or whatever. We didn't tell her where we were going and it wasn't until the front desk clerk asked if we wanted a King or 2 Queen beds that she figured out what was going on. We stayed up late and she tried her first rootbeer from a bottle. In the morning we slept in, had a tickle fight and a GREAT hot breakfast. Yummmm. After we checked out, we went to Party City to get her costume and then went to get the kids.

I think she's had soda 5 or so times ever, so this was a big treat!

she loved sleeping in the middle of Brian and I- so sweet

losing a tickle fight with Daddy

relaxing and watching Phineas and Ferb before breakfast



    Later that night my parents took our family and my grandma out for a double birthday dinner (grandma and Keira)

   Last Friday, we had a mini version of Keira's party. My family and Brian's attended. Our kids and the Russell kids came dressed up in Disney Princess and Prince costumes. I was able to use some of the decoration I already bought too. Keira asked for Chili and Cornbread and chocolate pie for dessert. We all had a great time together.

A modest version of Princess Jasmine and Prince Philip

Princess Jasmine hair

L-R: Aleyna= Ariel, Ashton= Buzz (he's a Pixar prince if there ever was one :) ), Keira = Jasmine, Violet= Tinkerbell, Gavin= Prince Gavin, Sadie= Ariel getting married and Caleb= Prince Philip. Not pictured: Landon as Prince Landon and Daylon as the dragon from Sleeping Beauty (not a prince, but I was running out of costumes! =P)

hugs for the birthday girl!

  Keira, you are such beautiful, smart and wonderful little girl! I am so blessed to be your mom! I love you!

Caleb's Party

    Caleb's birthday party was the day before his actual birthday and he chose a "Jake and the Neverland Pirates" theme. To be honest, I was a bit surprised because he really doesn't watch that show too much, but whatever makes him happy right? =) There was a pretty good turn out (about 25 kids total) and the highlight of his party was the pirate ship slide/bounce house...which I didn't get any pictures of. Ugh. I did a lot of running around and not a whole lot of photo taking, but here's what I did get: enjoy!

invites

all the kids got happy pirate tattoos and swords when they arrived

Caleb helped me make the treasure chest for the treasure hunt. We filled it with ring pops, Fun size 100 grand bars, chocolate coins, jewels and these cool pirate pouches I got on Amazon filled with toy coins

the treasure hunt went all around our house and yard, but it ending in the dining room

Keira and Aleyna finding the treasure chest. The last riddle was surprising confusing to the kids and most ran to the patio table :) Ha!

food table...well, what was left of part of it by the end. Gold fish and Swedish fish for snacks.

pirate pops that Grandma De La Cerda made

probably the worst cake I've ever made. I TOTALLY ran out of time and this massive cake (6 mixes) kept falling apart

A plane formation flew overhead as we sang "Happy Birthday" I thought that was pretty cool. A benefit to living in "Sky Country"

Caleb and Jarred are such cute little friends. Jarred is Caleb's teammate and Coach's son.

  Afterwards, Grandma (my mom), Grandma M&M and the Russell's stayed for pizza and a sugar high play time. The kids love cousin time! Happy Birthday, Buddy! We love you!

Has it been five years?!?

    I can't believe Caleb is 5. Not to sound like a cliche "grown up" or anything, but he is growing up so fast. It doesn't seem like it was all that long ago that he was this super energetic, hulking baby that could do full body push ups at 3 months old. He had the biggest, froggy grin that took up most of his face with these beautiful eyes I was jealous of. :)

   Fast forward 5 years and while Caleb still has beautiful eyes and a big cheesy grin (thankfully it fits his face better now!) he's so much calmer (thank you, thank you, thank you)! Caleb is by far, my neatest and most organized kid, he loves, LOVES being around his friends especially his cousins and siblings. He's never afraid to talking to strangers...which, needless to say is worrisome for his parents, but he's always making friends. He loves to be a silly, crazy boy but he knows when he needs to sit still. His teacher says he's very well behaved and his coach says he's the best listener on the team.  He's athletic and has taken a big liking to soccer and baseball. He is the kindest, most thoughtful little boy I have ever met. He loves to come up to Brian and I throughout the day and give us giant hugs and tell us adorable things like, "I'm so glad you're my daddy!" or "You're the best mommy in the whole wide world!". He melts us every time. He loves to write stories and making cards, church, being a kindergartner, and anything Lightening McQueen. He's a great missionary and loves talking to others about Jesus and the importance in making Him happy.

 
  His birthday this year was on a Sunday, which let's face it, isn't the best day for a birthday. We had a Jake and the Neverland Pirates party for him the day before (post to come). His birthday was also Stake Conference and a really bad sick day for Daylon (he was hospitalized the following day). Caleb was so patient with Brian and I trying to deal with Daylon and still try to squeeze in fun for him. On Saturday night, Caleb and Daddy went to the donut shop for our traditional birthday breakfast and Caleb really enjoyed picking out every donut.

 
   He started the day with his donut and birthday song and since Daylon was so sick (and mommy and daddy may or have not been stressing about it) we played hooky from church. We took birthday pictures, then he played Buzz Lightyear operation, Elefun and indoor hide and seek with Daddy and the girls, Mommy made homemade mac and cheese per Caleb's request, Uncle Jonathan and his girlfriend Katie came to visit in the afternoon and played more indoor hide and seek and brought cake, then it was chicken parm and pasta with homemade french bread, Superman cartoon (from 1942--his favorite) and ice cream sundaes for dessert. Honestly, I feel awful about the day because there were so many times Brian and I were both tending to Daylon and Caleb sat waiting for us, but he says he had a good day, so I guess that's what counts.

  
  We feel so blessed to have such a wonderful little boy in our lives. Happy Birthday, Caleb!!! WE LOVE YOU!!