Shell OUT

1. The cake is baking.

For Mike's birthday every year I make a carrot cake from scratch.  Every year I realize how much I enjoy baking.  Sadly, the mixer doesn't get pulled out until the following year.  Well today was the day that I baked his cake.  I had a tad mishap BUT cake is cake and I am sure that the whole thing will be devoured in the next few days.  And yes, I enjoyed a glass of champaign will I cooked.  After I am finished with the blog I will start on the frosting.

2. Alternating slumber parties
Our family wins on this deal.  Every other month we do a slumber party with the Abel kids so their parents can have a break.  This month was our month.  These kids are well behaved and pretty funny. Next month they take all three of our boys.  I must say -- this is a pretty sweet gig we have going on.

3. Birthday date day
Instead of presents (because we have SO MUCH SHIT) we do dates together.  We do something that we haven't done together and that one of us wants to try.  Last year we went to a shooting range.  This year we planned to go to a float thing.....it was closed today..... So we will still be making that adventure during the month of March BUT we had the entire day off together.  It has been wonderful.  While I was baking early and Mike was working on the computer I said, "the sunshine and days like today fill me with hope.  Hope that I can make it to the end.  And I am happy."  We went to breakfast at a new place, ran errands, and spent the afternoon together.  The boys will be off the bus shortly and we will conquer the night refreshed and happy.  ...um....can I win the lottery soon.

4. Smart Baby
I know that all people think that their babies are SOOOOOO smart.  I am not different.  So here is a story.  We let Jack play with Lego's (don't judge).  On Saturday I pulled the lego ironman guy out and let him play with it in his Batman house (it is sort of like a barbie house).  The following day that iron man was back in the HUGE box of legos under the bunk-bed.  Jack found him and proceeded to leave the twin's room and crawl to the batman house and play with his iron man lego guy.  HELLO -- he is ONE.  ***I hope that this story makes sense...it makes sense in my head.***  And another side note --he is walking more and more.  Any day now my crawling little one will not be crawling anymore.  Sad.

5.
I wasn't sure what to title this one so I just left it blank but here is what I want to say....

I feel like we are ALWAYS being hit up for money from school.  Ok, Ok...I get it AND I agree -- I want the boys to go to a top notch school that has supplies and resources BUT holy moly it feels like it is every single week.  Shelby challenged my stance and felt that I was being cheap and over reacting but I disagree.  Last week we had a random spirit week to help pay for the robotics team to go to Lousiville.  Every day we had to send in a dollar to participate for each day.  This week there is a book fair.  In April there is ANOTHER book fair but we had to donate books from our home to sell. We also just donated money for an event in April that we will attend and pay MORE money.  Sorry...I will get off my soap box.  I will say that if I didn't have the money....the school wouldn't force or shame me.  I just wanted to say we shell out more than I expected.

And I wanted you to be able to enjoy this picture from "crazy hair day" last week.  Can someone please ask Cameron to stop turing into a teenager.