Prayers

Tonight's prayers were a moment I can't let go undocumented, so here it goes.  Every night Jackson gets 2 books and 2 songs before he goes to bed.  He has all of his books memorized and loves to say the lines to us as we read to him.  A current favorite is a book called I Love You Stinky Face.  This is an appropriate book in our family because my terms of endearment for Jackson are often bugger butt or stinky butt or...well, you get my point, stinky face fits right in.  So we read our books and sang our songs and then it was time for prayer.

Tonight Jackson requested that Charlie say the prayer.  Sometimes we OK this because "Charlie", Jackson's bear who he has given voice and personality to, actually gives pretty sweet prayers.  At other times we have to veto the idea because Charlie is too hyper and we can't take his high, squeeky voice anymore.  Tonight, however, when this idea was put forward, Jackson also asked that Charlie's dad, Paddington Bear, and Charlie's mom, a stuffed monkey, participate as well.  He gathered them all around him, folded their arms and bowed his head over them.  Then the prayer proceeded like this:

Charlie: Heavenly Father ( high, squeaky voice)
Paddington: Heavenly Father (in a very low voice)
Monkey: Heavenly Father (in a motherly voice)

Charlie: Thank you for this day
P: Thank you for this day
M: Thank you for this day

C: Bless daddy at school
P: Bless daddy at school
M: Bless daddy at school

C: Bless Jackson to sleep well
P: Bless Jackson to sleep well
M: Bless Jackson to sleep well

C: And I say these things
P: "     "     "      "
M: "   "      "      "

C: In the name of Jesus Christ
P: "    "  "  "  "
M: "  "   "   "  "

C: Amen!
P: "
M: "

I love that he didn't falter with their voices for the entire prayer. I love his imagination. I love his love for his Savior, no matter how simple.  I love this little man.

Little Man Turns 3!

This month, on Jan. 2nd, Jackson turned 3!  I can't believe that 3 years ago today I saw him born, I held him and then 3 days later brought him home.  Our lives have been forever changed and we can't imagine what our life would be without him.  He is constantly growing and changing and I can't wait to see what this 4th year will bring.

For his third birthday I stole some traditions from friends and had a present waiting on the end of his bed when he woke up, balloons on his floor, and we wrapped his doorway in cray paper.  We let him choose the activity of the day, which was playing at the play structure (I really tried to influence him towards going to a waterfall) and then having pizza and fries with his best friend Luke for dinner.  I made my family's cherry chocolate bundt cake and the boys, and Harper, had a great time running around on their sugar high.

Yesterday we had his actual birthday party with all of his friends.  It was a train themed party and the boys had a blast.  We started off by playing Red Light, Green Light, having them earn their caps and bandanas to become train conductors.  Then we brought the party inside the house where we played Pass the Parcel, a favorite game I picked up in England.  Next was the refueling station where the boys snacked on popcorn, apples, and bagel bites, and sipped juice from their train cups.  After building up some steam, the boys then made their own train picture frames, some with more of an abstract eye than others.

Now, the boys may have refueled, but I will be honest, we were running out of energy. Me and Dustin against entertaining six 3 year olds was more work than I had planned.  But we chugged along into presents and cake, and ended with smashing up a Thomas pinata.  Overall, the birthday was a success, measured by the huge hug and kiss I received from Jackson.  I am not a real "Suzie homemaker" kind of girl, and cake decorating and party decorating are more detailed work than I enjoy,  but I will do this year after year to make Jackson smile.

And one quick note that I always have to include, or I would be incredibly ungrateful: M, we love you and the beautiful boy you gave us.  Please know that with every new step we take with him, we think of you and love you more.

There are no words...

There are no words to describe the amazing women I have met while living abroad.  But there are pictures. So enjoy!

Breaking Dawn and Sparkling Girls

This week the new Twilight movie opened in Grenada.  I know, exciting!  Seriously though, I know these movies can be lame, the books poorly written, the mushiness extremely cheesy...but I love it, I love it all! I love acting like I am 15, laughing at inappropriate moments, screaming at chiseled abs and swooning over a sparkly, old fashioned vampire.  So a bunch of the SOs (Significant Others) went to see the movie tonight  as it was buy one get one free.  However, just before we left for the movie I had a burst of inspiration and wanted to go all out and make signs...with lots of glitter.  And then as I was getting ready I saw my glittery t-shirt.  And as I put on my make-up I saw

my old pink glittery eye shadow.  So basically I showed up doused in glitter, with signs in hand, ready to be titillated by a good ole headboard breaking scene, and the movie did not disappoint.  The movie was as silly as ever, and yet I still clung to my chair when Bella collapsed (I can be a little dramatic).  And lets not forget the beautiful ladies who came with me, who dared to hold up my home made signs, pat on a bit of my glitter, and, in the case of Michelle, give a shout-out to Jacob as he rips of his shirt in the first scene.  Thanks as always ladies for a fun filled night!  And thank you Twilight to living up to expectations.

Gobble, Gobble

We had Thanksgiving with our Grenadian family this sunday, 30 people somehow squished into our apartment, and I loved it.  The women especially are fabulous.  They make everyday a little brighter and every adventure more fun.  From these women I learn so much, mostly how to be a better friend.  I love them and was so grateful to spend a Thanksgiving evening with them.  This isn't to discount their fantastic husbands, our band of men who were women-less, and our replacement parents the Bushes.  Everyone contributed excellent dishes and Stephanie made a succulent turkey.  Despite the fact that there was only room to sit and no room to walk around, the evening was perfect, only made better by a group game at the end and some stomp practice (don't ask).  Anyway, thank you to everyone who made it wonderful.  I love you all!

An homage to the fact that Emily's eyes are never open!

Fabulous chocolate turkeys made by Sara just for the kiddies.

My favorites!

Thankful

For Thanksgiving this year it was just the three of us.  My fabulous friends joined me in the morning to watch the parade and teach me pie baking skills, and then I spent the rest of the day making my first Thanksgiving dinner.  Because of cost, we did a turkey roast in the crock pot, and it turned out great.  And I loved making all of the other dishes and spending my day in the kitchen.  A lot went awry, like Jackson dumping the garlic powder all over his bed, or the rolls refusing to rise, but sitting down with just the three of us at dinner and realizing all we have to be thankful for made it my favorite Thanksgiving ever.

The fabulous Peaches and Cream Pie Amber taught me to make.  Loved it!