Happy Birthday Ashton!

Ashton has been waking up every morning in August and asking, "Is today my birthday?" Well, finally, Friday was his birthday. He had a great day... pizza for dinner, cool presents (all pretty much relating to vehicles, books or both), and I made him a digger cake. I was watching two of my friends little ones and so I ended up with 5 kids "helping" me. Will and my friend's baby ate more junk food in 1 hour than any child should have in a month. I was using Twinkies to make the buckets on the front and back and Katie and Ashton started freaking out because I needed to cut the back Twinkie in 1/2 because the back digger bucket is small. I started thinking about it and they were right. So I cute the Twinkie in 1/2. I hate projects like that, but he really wanted a digger cake so it really was one of those maternal sacrifices. It was worth it that night though when he said, "I love you Mommy because you made me green digger cake."
Oh... one thing that we found hilarious... After we sang "Happy Birthday," Jeremy, Levi and the kids started "calling" parts of the cake. ("I want a tire [chocolate donut] or exhaust pipe [Twix] or bucket [Twinkie].") Well, Ashton has "helped" his dad move manure with the digger on the farm more than once so he went for the Oreo cookie crumbs and shouted, "I'm going to eat the poop!"

We were really proud of Katie and Matthew. Katie went to the store with my mom and used her own money to buy Ashton a sword for his birthday. Matthew paid me for a "Farm Sticker Book" that I was planning on selling at the State Fair so he could give Ashton a present.

The next day, Saturday, he had a birthday party at the Manti park with his grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins and a couple of kids from his Primary class. They made cars out of banana boxes, had a car race, played duck-duck-goose and enjoyed a Lightening McQueen pinata. He wouldn't race at first because he was busy using his car to build a road (just like Lightening McQueen) in the sand volleyball court. His presents were PERFECT for him.
Saturday night, Will, Ashton, and Katie all came down with fevers so Matthew was the only one that went to church today. Jeremy and I spent the day taking care of sick kids and reading. I read that new Stephenie Myers book, "The Host." I have to say I liked it WAY better than the Twilight series.


Will learned to climb in and out of crib this week. NOT GOOD!! Naptime takes A LOT more effort now. Bummer! Why do babies have to turn into toddlers? It is cute though... the other night he kept climbing out and running to Matthew who was finishing his homework on the coach. When we got close he would cuddle up to Matthew and say, "No night-night. I want Mamoo (Matthew)." Today Jeremy sent Matthew to check on Will (who was supposed to be in his crib napping) and as soon as Matthew opened the door we heard, "Hi Matt! Whatcha doin' Matt? Whatcha doin'?" Matthew informed us that Will was playing with Katie's stuff and said, "Will is cute, but he is turning into a little devil." Kind of true... he is turning into a two year old.

I have been just the right "busyness" with Usborne this summer, but it is going to get busier soon when the Fall selling season starts and I'm looking forward to that too. The September specials are awesome so I am excited to share them at the State Fair this weekend!

Katie is enjoying tumbling, Matthew is loving karate, and both Ashton and Matthew are playing soccer. Soccer is busy!! We had two soccer practices on Tuesday, and one on Wed., Thurs, and Friday. I didn't realize how quickly I would have to become a chauffer for my kids. While the boys practice the other kids love to play on the playground equipment. We usually do some kind of artsy activity after school which always is more work than I think it will be (especially when Willy paints himself with watercolors and craft paint)... but they are happy and so are we and that's what is important... right?