Birthdays

Ok, so I already wrote this once, and somehow lost it. Here it is again but maybe not so eloquent (if I am ever that).
So in next in the timeline of my pictures is my 36th birthday. We celebrate birthdays at our house with small things for a week (a full 7 days).

1. The boys decorated boxes to serve as pinatas for me. Elijah's was espescially nice and cute (a fish). He is the official party planner at our house. They were filled with leftover halloween candy. I admit it was quite fun to allow myself for the first time in years, to hit the box as hard as I wanted. I did let the boys get a couple hits in firtst though (how nice of me right). :)

2. The boys and Daddy blew up bags of balloons to throw on my bed one morning. This one is becoming a family tradition I think.

3. Celebrating birthday with Mom (since her birthday is the day after mine). We have been celebrating together for years.


4. An evening tea party in my honor. The boys love tea parties actually. Chad did most of the work on this one though. I think Josiah mostly likes them for the food. Elijah for the party and event itself. Levi, maybe the fact that his stuffed animal lion was allowed to the table with his own special plate. As you can see the stuffed animals were invited. :)

work

So, to start where my other pictures left off (I just downloaded last night)....
It is a cold blustery fall day in November. The leaves are over-ready to rake out of the gutter, and its been raining hard. That sets the stage for our "work party" of four. On this day it takes more effort than I have (without yelling) to try and make this outing fun.

Raking leaves is supposed to be fun, right. It has been in the past. Oh well, this was not the day. After much convincing (consequences included) the older 2 finally buckled down and had some fun. (because that is how fun happens right..by "buckling down"). I have much to learn. Levi himself was never convinced that this was anything other than a cold wet bother that he just didn't want to do.