I am Party Pooped!

We have made it through our party weeks and while having a super time, this momma is worn out!  My birthday was the end of January and then Grant had his big day just a week and a half later.  He has finally turned 12!!  Grant has been looking forward to this age for a long time and the biggest reason is because he received the Aaronic Priesthood and became a deacon.  

He is a good hearted son, the best you can have and he has such bright future!  Grandpa and Grandma McArthur were in town for the ordination,

so, they were able to join us as well as the Petrick grandparents for his special step in the Lord's path.  We are so proud of this young man.  

I can't believe my little redheaded baby with the thick luscious lips is now a young man...especially when he gets crazy with some of his peeps:

We took a few of his buddies to Leatherbys to celebrate the birthday boy.  They were sufficiently embarrassed (and embarrassing) when the employees came to sing to him.  We sat nearby, but had enough trouble on our hands at our table!

Grant's actual birthday was on Super Bowl Sunday, so he opted to postpone his family birthday dinner because "people (dad) would be paying too much attention to the game and not his birthday!" Ha!  Well, at least he told it like it is. We had a few families over to watch the game, the commercials and pig out.  It was SUPER bowl fun!

The next day we made Grant his meal choice of Zuppa Toscana and twisty breadsticks before he dove into the 'tower of donuts.'

It was a weekend of Grant and we wouln't have it any other way!!

As soon as Grant's birthday is over, Brenna knows her special day is nearly hear.  Thank heavens!!  Grant had a campout on her birthday, so we had her friend 'game night' party while he was gone.  

The little ladies played partner Tenzi, crush the ice cream cones, musical game boards, uno and Picwits.  They giggled and danced

and had a blast.  It was a party where I was actually wishing we had more time.  The gals were so fun!  We had: Katelee, Emree, Megan, Jane, Brenna, Keira, Kate, Evelyn, Audrey, Averie, Lilly, Teva, Kinley, Madison and Tzipporah.  With that many friends, I was prepared for chaos, but we were pleasantly surprised!

Brenna is lucky to have lots of good girls to play with.  The other day I heard her and her friend Kate playing 'doctors office' with their stuffed animals.  Too bad for those patients, because I heard Brenna evaluate each one and declare,"I'm sorry, but this one has to be executed."  Next, patient, "oh  dear, I'm sorry Kate, she will have to be executed too."  Sometimes it's a wonder these people are not scared of her! 

For Brenna's family dinner, we made her drumsticks and peas and apples before we dug into her cake.  

I'm not even going to say what kind of cake this was.  Dave couldn't tell (how rude!)  so I'm going to leave it for posterity to guess.  Just think, she had a game night themed party the night before.  ha!  

Brenna had been asking for a bike all week and a day before her birthday told us that we were rude we hadn't got her one.  I asked her how she knew what we got her for her birthday when it hadn't been her birthday yet.  She was sure she wasn't getting a bike because she hadn't found it anywhere.  We let her open her presents (a straw and a little shopkin lego, along with a toy from grandma and Shannon).  There was no crying or complaining, so we decided we would bring out the last gift.  She looked like this when she saw it:

 The bike was a hit!!  We sure love this precocious 7 year old!! She is a great blend of spunky and sweet!  You can't help but be a Brenna fan!

 The other two kiddos have just been playing along and enjoying the festivities.  Katelee had one wicked blood blister from a wart removal...bleh.  As Harrison would wisely exclaim, "That's disguftsting."

 Harrison (and the girls) helped Grant as he worked on a school spanish project cooking authentic foods form Columbia.  Each semester he has had the chance to do some real world assignments.  This past semester one of the countries he was studying was Columbia.  Lucky for us, Janeth Castaneda is Colombian, so she and Adan came over for dinner and had the kids frying taro and platanos

 and making arepas.  It was fun and delicious!  Harrison is a big fan of "Castaneda!"

Two birthdays down!  It has been fun and very busy.  I've asked for assistance a little bit here and there, mostly from my 3 year old side kick.  But, lately, when I ask him to help, he says, "You're a big girl to do it." How encouraging of him! Needless to say, he is not pursuing a party planning career!