My kiddos ended up coming home sooner than expected! Which meant we actually got to see Lana on the very day of her birthday. That’s pretty much a first for us. My parents were already planning to take us out to dinner so we kept the plans. Unfortunately, the kids were not really hungry.
One huge change, however, was that my Bryn got glasses! She looks very good in them and she actually seems excited to wear them. Lana finally had her glasses back on as well, which is nice since she’s been squinting at me all summer.
When I told Lana I wanted to take a picture of her since she was officially 11, this is the look I got. If that isn’t an 11-year-old look, I don’t know what is.
Once we got home I decided I let her open a couple of the presents I got her. Nothing too huge, but we’re also trying to make the kids more grateful for the things they have instead of always counting how many things they have and wanting more than the others. Because Lana encompasses the poop emoji, she received a pink poop emoji pillow that I found that instantly made me think of her. I also got her a bracelet with a princess crown, an L and a pink stone (which she mentioned was NOT her birthstone). The next day she got some bigger presents. Lately she has been asking me for a purse because she is getting older and wants to be more grown up. (As she told Troy, “I’m not a kid! I’m 11!”) So, I let her go ahead and pick out her very own purse. She then bought herself a brand new wallet to put inside–a long wallet since she doesn’t like her dollars getting all crinkled up.
Her biggest present, that she requested months and months ago, was to go to the spa. And to bring Summer. Since we switched weekends and last weekend was also my scheduled weekend to work, driving all the way to Mishawaka to go to our usual spa (by usual I mean the place I’ve gone two out of three times I’ve had my nails done) did not seem like a viable option. So we tried out a place right down the street. They had a TON of colors to choose from and were really great with doing what the girls wanted. However, I did not get my massaging chair or calf massage. Therefore, Lana and I decided we would go back to Mishawaka next time. Possibly in the winter when I’m gigantic and can’t even see my feet anymore. Our nails all turned out great, though! I am really loving that gel polish.
Since our good friends could make it this past weekend, we ended up celebrating with cake for both girls. Lana got a regular store bought cake while Bryn got a homemade cheesecake. Speaking of cheesecake, the kids may not have been real hungry while out to dinner, but Oren was sure hungry enough to shovel down a gigantic piece of cheesecake.
While at the party, the boys enjoyed playing the Nintendo for a while. Then the girls took over with Just Dance while Troy taught the guys some coaster/fidget spinner jenga game that Oren made up. Ben, the sweetest of little boys, was all about dancing around the living room with the girls. Julie and I also took a side by side photo. I was just 9 weeks and she is approaching 9 months with her baby girl about to make her grand entrance any time now. Unfortunately I am so incredibly bloated pretty much constantly lately that there wasn’t as much difference as I would have liked. Oh well, I suppose. I’m still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that I’m SUPPOSED to get bigger. You know, that whole growing a small human thing.
Sunday we enjoyed a fairly calm day. Lana wanted to come with me to work. Nothing terribly fancy. A small car show at Oakwood Resort. However, she ended up being asked to hand the trophies to the car show winners so I got to take photos of her for my job. And she became a little star. So proud of our girl.
Once we got home the kiddos actually wanted to play outside which was nice. Especially since the weather was so hot. Bryn had gotten some roller blades so she wanted to test them out. She did great until she lost her balance and scraped up her knees and elbows. I forgot how much she loves clinging to me when she’s hurt. We had to clean it out and get band aids on them. She was a wee bit overdramatic, but it’s been a while since she actually needed a band aid so I guess we’ll allow it.
Lana also decided to test out Bryn’s roller blades since Troy was inside changing the wheels on Oren’s blades. She started off talking about how much she wanted her own pair of roller blades. She ended with never wanting to put them on again. Oren finally got to test out his new wheels. You could tell it had been a while since he’d worn his blades since his confidence was lacking but he did really well. Unfortunately he broke the top fastener on one of the blades which made it a bit more difficult so we will have to devise a way to make it tighter.
Despite being 50 pounds, Lana has been wanting to help with the chicken feed bags for the past couple years. Now the kids are getting their chance. I know that eventually I won’t be able to bend down and throw that 50 lbs over my shoulder like it’s nothing. Heck, I’ll barely be able to bend down. So we are practicing teamwork in carrying the bags to the coop so I don’t have to ask Troy to do it constantly for like 4 months.
Those turkeys, though. We have one that likes to just sit down and get petted. Saturday, while we were cleaning and taking care of animals, the turkeys decided that they wanted to follow the dogs right on in the house. I was able to shoo them back down the stairs, but one was much more committed than the rest. Our sitting turkey decided she did not wish to move and placed herself right in the doorway. No matter what you do to try to get this turkey to stand, she will not do it. So I ended up having to pick her up and carry her down the stairs. The next day, as Troy was putting up the tents, she decided to lay down and get some attention. Once we walked a little further away she actually stood up, walked over to us, then laid down again so we would pet her. It was adorable. Troy said we might keep that one.
THEN last night as I’m trying to get the turkeys into the barn before the rain starts, sitting turkey decides she doesn’t want to move again. Even after Apollo tries to go at her and I stop him. While I’m shooing everyone toward the barn another turkey decides it wants to just sit down on the ground and not move a toe. Pain in my butt. That meant TWO turkeys I had to pick up and carry on into the barn. There they were more than happy to stand up and go gobble down some food. These babies aren’t tiny, either. They’re preparing for Thanksgiving, remember.
But building up some extra muscle certainly won’t hurt with our honeymoon coming up. We have been planning it for almost a year. It’s been officially determined for almost 9 months. And now….it’s right around the corner!
chickensandtomatoes 