Izzy's birthday party

Izzy was excited to celebrate her 5th birthday this year. She wanted to have a Scooby Doo party, so we played dog games, watched a Scooby Doo episode, followed clues to solve the mystery (of where the food was, of course), enjoyed pizza followed by eating a dog bone cake.

Of course she was delighted to receive presents and was just as happy to pass out the treasures we had for her guests. She was delighted to be the guest of honor and wanted to have everything just so. She decorated the door and the kitchen with Scooby Doo valentines while Ryan hung streamers and hid the clues. Ryan really wanted to be the adult in charge of the party. They were both very entertaining. It was a fun (and exhausting) evening.

Anatomy Lessons

I'll be honest, I grew up in a home where things were not always refered to in an anatomically correct way. I've been trying since Ryan got into school to help him know what his parts are really called so he doesn't get embarrassed by calling things by a "baby" name. The reality is that it is almost impossible for me to say penis (I'm even blushing discussing this here.) But what was worse this week was when Isabelle asked me very loudly (with no blush of course) "Do I have a penis?" It was even harder to say the word to her. Sigh, I'm trying to be a grown-up, but I'm not looking forward to the day we have to have "The talk".

Too young for a crush

As we watched a few minutes of High School Musical 3 tonight my kids wondered why everyone had crushes on each other. Then Izzy got a mischievous look on her face and asked, "Mom, why does Warren always follow me around?" I answered "He just likes to be with you." At the same time Ryan said, "He must have a crush on you!" I told them that they were to young to have crushes and Ryan notified me that lots of girls have crushes on him at school. How many you wonder? 10 or 12 he says. When Izzy asked the names of these girls he shrugged and said, "I don't know them all."

He also has dressed like "Troy" for the past two days and says he's like Troy was when he was seven. Boy are we in for it! Hopefully there is no "Sharpay" in his future!

Playlist

I read a several comments on Facebook tonight about the horror of playlists on blogs. So for any of you who read my blog and don't want to listen, that's why I put it right at the top, so you can click the pause button as soon as you get there.
My kids love the playlist because of the easy access to some of their favorite songs, (like: "View to a Kill" (Duran Duran), "Star Wars", "Pirates of the Carribean", "The Boys are Back" (HSM3) and "Burnin' Up" (Jonas Brothers). There are other favorites that are played over and over and over. So, since it's our family blog and this is the easiest access for my family to enjoy the music they enjoy, there it stays.
Feel free to turn down your volume and thanks for humoring me!

Happy Birthday Isabelle

Happy 5 to my little angel!

What can a mother say about a gift such as Isabelle? She loves animals, especially dogs and cats. She loves her brother and wants to be just like him. She loves to pretend. She used to pretend she was a cat all the time, but she doesn't do that so much anymore. She loves to play with her Littlest Pet Shop toys.

She loves to draw pictures and love notes (to her grandparents usually). She loves to cook with me and do the laundry. She is very good at karate and has the most intense face, her teacher calls it her tiger face. She is actually very intense about everything that she does: she loves intensely, fights intensely and forgives intensely.


She has a beautiful smile which reminds me of her birthmother and my mother's mother, Ila (one of Izzy's namesakes). She reminds me of heaven because I remember often what a miracle she is.


She is such an example to me. I learn from her every day.

I got an email this week from with her wonderful birthmother where she said that she couldn't imagine a life without Isabelle. I echo those words and I add my eternal gratitude (to Heavenly Father and to her birthmother) that she is my girl.



I love you bushels, Princess!

I love you my little Isabelle Ila.

How to tell the difference...

My children decided last week that our girl cat is now a boy (named Shadow - poor cat, she has too many names) because she can't have babies.
Thinking this should probably be addressed I brought up the following point: I can't have babies from my body, does that make me a boy?
Ryan looked at me with surprise and said, "No, we can tell you're a girl because of your hair and clothes."

Well, there you have it. I laughed hard and let it go.

Romantic Movie Tip #1

Don't attend a movie with any romance in it with a theater full of elementary students, they know how to ruin the moment.

Izzy and I went with Ryan and hundreds of other students to a movie at the Scera (as a homework reward) on Friday morning.
We watched the Apple Dumpling Gang which I hadn't seen since I was a kid and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The kids got a little squirmy because it was long and ran into their lunchtimes, but the true highlight (or lowlight, depending on your viewpoint) was the kiss at the end of the movie. Never have I been in a movie where spontaneous boos, groans, moans,etc. have erupted through the entire audience.
The noise increased each time the camera panned to the kissers.
Had the floor not been sticky I would have been rolling on it I was laughing so hard.