Devree's 14th Birthday

14 years ago today my beautiful Devree was born. I remember that day so well.

I thought I had "been there done that" as this was my third child. I've always been induced because apparently my womb is so wonderful none of my children have ever wanted to leave on their own accord. So we arrived, were checked in, hooked up, broke my water and proceeded to wait. James needed to go to the store-he was buying me perfume-my signature smell for Devree-I told him to go ahead, I'm sure it'd be hours before she made her apperance. (Kambree and Austin were ten and nine hours of labor respectively.) So off he went. Just minutes after leaving the nurse came in and put oxygen on me....telling me that every time I contract the baby's heart rate drops. (We didn't know if Dev was a girl or a boy. We had one of each and wanted to be surprised. She was going to be Benjamin if she was a boy.)

So, I'm sitting there by myself-in labor-with a Luke Skywalker mask on listening to my breath. This is before the days of cell phones-well people did have them but only the very rich and they were the size of a brick. I was getting nervous. Finally James arrived and upon seeing me with the oxygen on he became nervous too. I wasn't dilated and we seemed to have a lot of nurse's looking at charts and machines and frowning. Around noon-ish the doctor came in and looked at some more charts and announced "We needed to get this baby out now! (Now, I always check in at eight am and had Kambree and six and Austin around five so I figured I might shave off another hour and have Devree around four?) Luckily & miraculously I was dilated when the doctor checked and a push or two later out came my Devree.

When just her head was out the doctor said "This has to be a girl, she's just too pretty to be a boy." And sure enough, he was right. She was red faced but perfect. Such a perfect round little head-I guess that's what happens when you aren't stuck in the birth canal all day?

Anyway, fast forward to fourteen years later and here's Dev on her birthday. Still beautiful and with perfect hair on her perfect head!

She request chicken and dumplings and Jello jigglers for her birthday dinner. Then we opened presents with the family....

Dove Intense Repair shampoo and condition-a requested item for that perfect hair!

She only wanted to invite TWENTY EIGHT of her closest friends to her birthday party so we hosted "Devree's Drive In" in our driveway.

Here she is with her Costco birthday cake.

Out of the TWENTY EIGHT, twenty could make it! (Not counting Rylee and Devree!)

And she got lots of fun, fruffy girl stuff.....

Kambree got home from work and made an appearance and gave her a cute bracelet.

And here's Jazmin sporting some of her new gifts-including the joke gift of the stick on bra-it's on Jazmine's head!

Here's some shots of the movie....it actually showed up better than it photographed.

James almost forgot to put on his "birth shirt". The shirt he wore at her birth. This is his own brain child/tradition and he forgets quiet often to wear it. (Especially Kambree's shirt as it is much too small now) but I reminded him so we snapped a quick picture of the birthday girl and her Dad-in his special shirt.

Happy Birthday Dev!

Since day one you haven't been typical or ordinary. You're one of a kind, and beautiful inside and out!

Love You!

The fishing lesson.....

Last night Alex got invited to go fishing with my Dad and brother. Only problem is he took a day off of studying for his birthday so, he knew he had to study today and Saturday to make up for it. My Dad had called asking me about it and I told him I'd see what I could work out. Alex came home from mowing my Dad's yard and said nothing. I asked about fishing and if he wanted to go.

"Yes."

"Then what are you going to do about your studying?"

(Remember he's getting paid to study? But only if he studies five times a week-each missed day cost him $5-no exceptions-except Scout camp. I know. Sort of harsh but everyone has coddled Alex since coming to America and I need him to learn responsibility, an honest work ethic and that sometimes life isn't fair. Hard lesson to learn-hard lesson to teach.)

Alex suggested he do his studies when he gets back? But that won't work as it will be late in the day Friday and Devree's birthday and I cannot drop everything to work with him. (Trust me, his studies are MY studies.) I threw out the idea, "You could do it right now?" It was 2:30 pm Thursday. He had no plans although he studied earlier in the day he had spent a few hours playing as well. Without missing a beat he said, "I don't want to go then." Seriously. Just like that. He had nothing better to do but couldn't see past the nose on his face that by putting in the time and work NOW he could have a fun, free from study day of fishing. Something he really wants to do.

I told him that was his decision but that I thought it was a bad decision. He shrugged. He seemed pretty convinced he was going to stick with his decision. Okay, I said, you'll be sorry tomorrow when you're stuck home studying and you could have gone fishing but it's your choice. (I know I'm sending him on a guilt trip-I'm pretty good at it-just ask my other children!)

He sighed.

"Okay, I'll study."

Once he got into it, he got so excited. He kept talking about how tomorrow he didn't have to study and how excited he was to go fishing. He got everything done in recored speed and still had time to play a bit before bed.

I woke him up at 5 this morning and he rolled out of bed, ate some breakfast and headed down to my dad's.

My mom and dad gave him his own life jacket for his birthday. (Thanks mom & dad!)

I don't know but I think based on that grin-and the size of that fish-that he's glad he studied last night!

Alex's 12th B-day....

Well, I tried to sing happy birthday to Alex in bed as per his request. Amy and I went to the temple at 5:15 am and we stopped at Einstein's for bagels-thinking I'd stick a candle in it and rouse the siblings and go sing to him. I got home at 7:15 am and guess who was already up?

Yep.

Alex.

"Alex, you were suppose to stay in bed so we could come sing to you."

"Oh."

I asked if he wanted to go get back in bed but he declined.

I had his presents wrapped and tempting him and he had to wait ALL DAY LONG. Pure torture.

At noon he spoke with Ivan and Snezhana on Skype. We got out his hospital tag that Ivan had given me and found out he was born at eleven am! (He's been asking me what time he was born and now we know!)

Austin left for scout camp and a couple hours later Kambree arrived home from drill camp.

Here she is sporting some of her new Badgerette apparel.

James got home about 1:30 but we still made Alex wait until after dinner to open his gifts. I made homemade pizza-at Alex's request and then we opened presents....finally!

Months ago I found this rip stick on an amazing sale. We gave it to Alex last as his big present-with the long board hidden in the garage. Besides that Alex got new Sunday clothes, shirts for school, shorts, a Wii controller-from his siblings- a framed picture of Alex at the temple with with us, and a puzzle of the United States. (He was thrilled about that....NOT!) He was very gracious about his Rip Stick-even though we already have one. And went outside to try it out.

It's a pretty cool Rip Stick-the wheels light up. While he was out there we got the long board out and he squealed with glee! That was what he really wanted!

Rylee made him this home made chocolate-it's her newest Betty Crocker skill-and we sang to him.

When planning his birthday party he specifically asked if he had to invite girls and/or sisters. "No," I said. "Not if you don't want to." "I don't!" was his quick reply. So we didn't plan on it. Then three days ago he asked if Rylee could please come to his party? "If you want her too." "Yes!" he said. Then Kam and Dev-knowing we were going to the drive in-asked if they could tag along too. "Yes!" was his answer.

So we loaded up three cars with nine boys, three sisters and two parents and went to see Despicable Me.

Here's Alex opening presents. He got lots of fun boy stuff. Bionicles, water gun, lava lamp, remote control car, X-box controller, capture the flag game and a Nerf gun. (That's why we gave him clothes! I knew he'd make a haul at his party!)

Someone gave him "hot" gum (cinnamon flavored) which is not his favorite. He sort of groaned and all his friends offered to take it off his hands. "No." he said, "I will give it to my sister!" I think he's finally bonded with his sisters. Not only invited to the party but his first choice to pass his undesirable gum too. (He gave it to Devree!)

The whole gang and his little sister.

And the two big sisters.

He had asked for marshmallow brownies instead of a cake. That's fine by me! (And way easier than last years Sponge Bob cake.) Here he is re-inacting blowing out his candles.

Happy Birthday Alex our boy!

We love you!

Here's a little video of me taunting him just a little bit more before opening his presents!

Alex and his birthday!

Tomorrow is Alex's birthday.
Last night I think he got so dang excited he just couldn't sleep. At about 10:45 pm he came in rubbing his eyes claiming he just cannot fall asleep. He crawled in bed with me and we proceed to have a long conversation that jumped from topic to topic.
The first was his need to work. He really wants a job. I explained that he is eleven almost twelve and he has the rest of his life to work. Just be a kid. But he "feels like a man" and has so many things he wants to buy. I asked him what? He proceeded with a list of electronic devices, I-pods, cell phones, new DSi etc. I explained that once he buys any of these given items that a new and better one will come out-for example the DS he has now was at one time the best money could buy. The key to being happy is just enjoying what you've got. (Hum....sometimes I really need to heed my own advice!)
Then I asked of all the things he has ever wanted in his whole life, what has he wanted the most? (I was sort of hoping for "A long board" as that's what we're getting him for his birthday.) But I think my question was to all encompassing, his answer was quick, short, heartfelt and almost brought tears to my eyes. What Alex has wanted the most in his life is......
"A mom."
That's it.
I couldn't help but ask if he'd like to trade me in for a better, upgraded version?
Nope.
I'll do.
I think that realization helped him for just a moment. All that stuff is just stuff. What he has really wanted was a family and he has that now. I told him he had such a rough start that couldn't he just stay little and enjoy being a kid and let me and Dad take care of him? He seemed okay with that. At least for now.

This morning he was just so very happy, skipping from place to place. So excited and every once in awhile he'd exclaim "Tomorrow my birthday!" to anyone interested in hearing about it. At one point he squished his cheek against mine and told me that "I wish my whole family come in my room at morning and sing Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you!" How funny. Not something we usually do. He must have seen this on a TV show or movie or something. I told him we would try but he has to stay in bed and not get up early if he wants it to happen.

His brother Ivan Skyped with us today. We haven't talked with them since March. I had sent a message a few days ago reminding them of Alex's birthday hoping we could hook up around then. It was a tough conversation. Snezhana doesn't use English on a daily bases so her English is rough. But Alex's Russian is rougher. He couldn't understand them much at all. I actually helped Alex by picking up a word or two with my limited Russian but over all I could tell he was very frustrated. They couldn't understand him, he could understand them. They sort of acted disappointed that I hadn't helped him retain his language more. I did try. I did. We got together each week with other Ukraine kids last summer. We get together with them once a month now but Alex about two or three months after coming home refused to speak Ukraine anymore. What was I suppose to do about that? I think the sound of his language brings bad memories and I can't fault him for wanting to start fresh. And it's not like I can MAKE him speak Russian. (I use to ask him to just talk to me in Russian but he wouldn't.) Even when he got together with the girls from his orphanage he wouldn't speak to them in his native tongue. Snezhana mentioned maybe he could re-learn it when he gets older? To which Alex turned to me and said "I don't want to learn Russian!"
It was almost like Ivan and Snezhana were having their own conversation and then would ask Alex a question-calling him Losha- and then he's say "What?" or "Speak slower." or "Your mouth is too close to microphone." but in truth-he just couldn't understand them and I sat watching his countenance fall as the didn't listen to him and he couldn't understand their conversation.
At one point I whispered if he'd like me leave so they can talk privately? He turned with panic in his eyes and set his arm on me, "No, no. Stay."
He showed off his hair cut-which I had just fixed-or at least attempted to fix-no more mullet!
Snezhana is due in two months and having a boy. And I made her stand up and show us her belly. We think she's naming him Igor or Hegor or something like that. Alex was not impressed by the name. He said it's not a Ukraine name, maybe Russian? They're calling again tomorrow for his birthday. I'm trying to think of things Alex can show them or talk about. I hope James is home. We really need to rally around Alex during these calls and help with the communication. I know he loves his brother dearly but these phone calls just keep getting harder and harder.
It's awfully hot in Ukraine and Ivan didn't have a shirt on. He rarely has a shirt on when they Skype and my girls saw him on the computer and ran off giggling and gagging. He is a hairy man.
Anyway, I hope I can get my boy in bed tonight. I need to wrap his gifts. But I have a feeling sleep won't come easy tonight either.

Boys Get Missionary Haircuts!

Elder Hi-C-O (that's not how it's spelled but how you say it) and Elder Eccles came over and gave my boys haircuts. Elder H is from New Zealand and he put the curly q's in Austin's arrow two weeks ago. When Austin got home from Montana they were pretty much grown out and at church on Sunday he noticed his "posse" was sporting some pretty cool Elder H originals. So he invited him over this morning.

He's got the James Bond 007 logo thing in his hair now. An improvement from the arrow at least.

Here is Austin and his friends Cole & Jordan sporting their "missionary" cuts.

Elder H really wanted to give Alex a haircut and Alex was all for it! I wasn't too sure but given this is his hair AFTER combing it today, (and I put a bobby pin in his bangs during his study time to keep it out of his eyes!) I figured, what do we have to lose? It's just hair.......

I did try to be the voice of reason, reminding Alex how long he's been growing his hair out but there was no deterring him. He so wanted hair like the big guys. Besides, he told me his hair made him hot.

Here he is grinning during his haircut.

This is the after shot!

Yes, he's pretty cute but it's the front I struggle with. It reminds me so much of orphan Ukraine haircuts because it's so very short in the front and then longer in the back-mulet like. (Not to mention with the "flames" starting high on the right side it makes the front look crooked?)

Normal (ish) side after using gel.....

And this is the Ukraine mulet-y side.

Okay, all you fellow parents that have visited the orphanages, do you see what I mean?

I keep staring at him and he'll grin at me and say "What?"

It's just so orphan like it hurts my heart a little bit. (I think the mullet part has got to go when my hair lady comes in a couple weeks.)

Oh, well.

Good thing he has such a cute face!

Kambree-ism's....

Saturday we really went to town cleaning the van. (We're selling it-it's been Kambree's mode of transportation through high school but she's switching to the Saturn for college next month and the van is being sold for something for James with good fuel economy. I just barely traded in the Infiniti for a Toyota Sequoia so that we have car that we can actually ALL fit in AND I can take clients in.) Kambree was at work when we did all this work and I took pictures and put the van on KSL. Kambree drove the van this afternoon and-in addition to noticing that it was clean-she noticed that I had zeroed out the trip odometer. (I took a picture of the dash to show the milage.) She was so confused.

With a puzzling look on her face she asked, "I thought you weren't suppose to do that."

Austin and I looked puzzled and then it hit us. She thinks I zeroed out the milage! Austin ran with that, "Oh yeah Kambree. They put these buttons in the cars to see how honest you are. To see if you'll zero out your milage!" We were laughing. Then I explained that the trip odometer is different from the milage odometer. She laughed with us. By the way, she had NEVER pushed the button in fear of doing something dishonest!

In her defense-she probably gets her car smarts from me-I ran out of gas 24 times the first year I drove my car. No working gas gauge. My poor Dad gave me a gas can for Christmas. Anyway, one day some red light on the dash came so I drove right to the gas station and put in gas. Whew! Drove around the rest of the night with the light on but I wasn't worried because I KNEW I had gas. Mentioned it to my Dad the next day and apparently I was driving around with some belt loose or off or something. I thought he'd be so proud of me for putting gas in the car but he wasn't. He was mad. Geez. Car stuff. Good thing James looks out for me now. I'm sure my Dad is relieved.

This afternoon we bought all of Kambree's text books on Ebay. (Saved almost $100 from the used books available at the college book store. The best deal was her human anatomy book was $210 new and we got a new one for $91-not that we would have bought a new one from the bookstore anyway but it made us feel good to find it for so much less.) So before we began I asked her how/who is paying for books? She's been working really hard and saving ever penny and so far has paid ALL of her drill team expenses. She quickly asked me if I had heard of the "Obama Package"?

What?

"Yeah, the Obama Package is that you can attend any school you want and it will all be paid for."

What?

"Yeah." She says to me. Now keep in mind-Kam's not a super politically involved kind of gal so I'm a little confused.

Me: Obama's going to pay for all your school?

Kam: "Yes. Well, I mean no. You're going to pay for it but it's part of the Obama package. In this case, YOU paying for my books. Obama wants us to learn to rely on other people and let other people take care of us he thinks that American's are just too independent."

She was being very sarcastic of course (and may be ticked that I wrote this on my blog-espeically the odometer story) but I thought it was funny. AND I thought it insightful that this future college freshman-that I never see watching the news-or as mentioned-very politically involved made such a sarcastic-all be it sad-if you think about it-political observation.

24th of July In Review For James

Alex's day started early as he and his scout troop had to get up at 6:30am to put up flags. He informed me that "flags not fun" . I explained that not everything about scouts or young mens' is fun and that putting up the flags helps his troop earn money for their scout camps. He was fine with that once I explained and when I pointed out that the flag project payed more than half of his camp! (I'm sure I've told him how much fun young men's will be and his first experience-putting up flags in the early am-was not fun!)

We also woke up to this prank. The "Sipper" had been shrink wrapped sometime between midnight and 6:30 am. (We went to the drive in and got home around midnight and it was done when Alex got up to do flags this morning.) It's Austin's car and he should be getting home today. Whoever did it must know that Austin is coming home.

We babysat Zach over the weekend. Troy had a softball tournament in Monticello. (Which his team took 1st in! But he's hurt his rotator cuff! He picked Z up before church Sunday morning.) This is Zach's FAVORITE pass time-playing Wii or DS. He could do it 24/7. Seriously. I am not exaggerating. He told me he doesn't need to eat for FOUR YEARS when I asked if he was hungry. Wow. And he doesn't' have to go potty for THREE YEARS.

I have to share how cute Alex was with Zach all weekend. He was so excited to have Z sleep over. The both slept in Alex's "big" bed. In the morning Alex helped Z get dressed combed his hair into a fau-hawk, and then entertained him most of the day. He tried desperately to get him to play something besides video games. "Mom, he no will play anything but video games!" It was sweet to see Alex take Zach under his wing. He even made clean up games to help Zach clean up the mess they had made. In primary the next day Alex got a king size KitKat (he called it a KittyKat) for his birthday and the first thing he said was "Oh, I wish Zach with us so I could share with him!" It just warmed my heart to see how tender and protective Alex was all weekend with Z.

I went out to our garden and harvested this! Notice the lack of zucchini? Normally by now I'd be sick of zucchini but we've only had one small one all season. Yet, the cucumbers & peppers are going gang busters. The tomatoes were brown on the bottom and not good inside. (James, am I over watering? What's your thoughts?)

This is Z looking sad when I told him he had to play something else besides video games. I made a deal with him. For every thirty minutes he played with his cousins on something BESIDES video games he could earn thirty minutes ON video games. He wasn't thrilled and after a quick time out in bed he decided not crying about video games and finding something else to do was better than laying in bed. (Teeheehee....aunt's with five children have been there done that with five year olds before!)

I sent the boys out to wash the van for their Saturday chore.

Then I sent the girls out too. (I was in cooking and cleaning for this evenings BBQ. Just in case anyone thinks I'm sitting in my air-conditioned house eating bon-bon's or something. Eventually I went and helped with the van as well!)

And Rylee cleaning. She's smiling because she's collecting bobby pins. Bobby pins are a coveted item in our home.

Austin got home from vacationing in Montana with Hayden. (He has been gone for over a week!) After showering and giving me a few batches of dirty laundry to wash he went outside and cut the shrink wrap off his car with his Samari sword. I know. Samari sword? Don't ask....

My sister and I went shopping mid-day leaving the kids at home with Devree. It was so funny seeing her putt around in those motorized carts for old people. She did really well. She did get stuck in the isle in the boys department and I had to move a few displays to help her get out.

We had her family and my Dad over for a BBQ (everyone else was out of town). I was so proud of Alex when he excused himself to leave and go take down the flags at seven pm with the scouts. I totally forgot. He and Brach went. When they came back we sent Alex, Brach and Ty to the store with Austin to buy fireworks. Alex was so thrilled when I gave him and Austin $10 to buy fireworks. "Thank you mother!" (He's taken to calling me MOTHER instead of mom lately. He say's it like he's from England. It started after watching us in Peter Pan over and over!)

When they got home from going to Smiths, Alex was filthy! I asked him what he had been doing?

Alex: Cleaning Austin's car.

Me: With your shirt?

Alex: No. (Then he glances down at his shirt.) I mean, yes!

Notice the dirty shirt and that grin over the firecrackers clutched in his hands?

(Also note-I let him remain in this dirty shirt the rest of the night. Pretty proud of myself!)

Syd started playing dress ups and even Devree got into the act.

This is Syd in one of MANY princess dress ups we have. Zach is the "guarding dragon". See what NOT playing Wii & DS can do for a kids imagination? (I had banned video games during the BBQ! Such a mean aunt....I know.)

Loved this combination!

And of course the traditional princess outfit....

Even Lloyd and Ella got dressed up!

We headed outside for the firework show.

Sparklers....while it's still light outside....don't know why.....

Although Austin is texting in this picture, what he is really doing is showing his young impressionable cousins and brother how to make super loud firecrackers by pounding them-note the hammer. I don't know the technicalities but it sounded like we had illegal fireworks! (We went outside while light as the boys ONLY bought loud firecrackers-nothing pretty! So why not just get them over with?)

Kambree showing off the grease chain marks from riding the bike to work. ("Mom, your chain is so greasy!" "Yes, especially when you rub your leg against it!" Someone at worked asked her if it was a tattoo. Good grief.)

Devree demonstrating sparklers. (She usually deletes all my pictures were her eyes are droopy or she's not looking perfect. Don't know how she missed this one!)

Alex super excited that I'm letting him light things on fire AND that his firecrackers are so freaking loud! (Thanks Austin!) Alex kept calling the sparklers "sprinklers". Teeheehee.

Ry and sparklers

This is my Dad pretending to smoke the punk-we told him he had to lift his pinky finger so he can be Fancy Nancy's grandpa! (Our Syd loves the Fancy Nancy book series and if you've read them you'll notice the similarities between Syd, my Ry and Fancy Nancy!)

Ry took this cool moon shot.

Zach & me.

I'm trying to document that I am actually AT events I blog about. But what I'm truly documenting is that you can tell James isn't home. I'm not wearing any make-up and my hair do is the same from when I cleaned the van earlier in the day. Regardless, here is me loving on my Z. (He still loves me even if I limit his screen time!)

Kam & Dev demonstrating there remarkable ability to shove one of our HUGE marshmallows in their mouth.

But then Austin topped them with THREE!

Roasting marshmellows

Rylee being the Statue of Liberty-I think Zach is being some sort of dragon slayer?

Here's Brach. (He was there the whole time but had somehow avoided getting in any of my pictures?)

I just love those last two sparkler/sprinkler pictures.

Happy 24th!

Missed you James!