Harper is 15 and Spencer is a master

Today is Harper’s 15th birthday.  She had no plans, and it was an important day for other reasons, so she happily went to Wichita to watch Spencer graduate with her Master’s in Engineering Management.  I am amazingly proud of both of these girls!   

We sat pretty high up, so getting good pictures during the graduation was hard.  But we got a few good ones afterwards.   Spencer and Colin fed us all and we enjoyed visiting with them.  We don’t get to Wichita as often as we would like, but this girl is definitely worth celebrating!   Especially considering she missed her KSU graduation due to Covid.  Congratulations Spencer!   We love you! 

This girl is also worth celebrating.  We got a combined cake for them but I neglected to take photos, and she consented to us singing once - she said that was plenty of times!  She always makes me laugh.  Love you Harper!  Happy 15th birthday! 

The rest of these photos are for Jim’s Uncle Ray.  He is a proud WSU alum. I thought he might enjoy seeing  the Shocker mascot - WuShock!  He had his cap and gown today and was dancing along with the band.  I don’t know much about the university that Spencer got her master’s from, and that Quincy is currently attending, but I gotta say I liked the mascot dance, the band and the confetti cannons a lot!   

This week, we have to switch gears a little bit and get started on preparations for the upcoming holiday season.  I have not started my shopping,  I have not planned a list for our baking extravaganza, I have not finished my craft projects that I started and that are currently taking up residence on several tables in our house.  We also have Christmas parties, a band concert and an entire week of school before they get out on break.  Quincy is coming home for a month. She should be here later tonight.  She was at the graduation with us, but hadn’t packed yet.  She is planning to work the same jobs as she had last summer over her break.   I am looking forward to her being home, to the baking and visiting and quieter parts of Christmas.  One week to get ready!  Countdown is on.  

Whoop whoop weekend

We made it through what seemed like an insane week.  I was thrilled to find Friday!  We have a busy weekend.  Today I worked all day, and Jim attended the funeral of a friend from high school. 

When I got home I decided since we will be gone most of tomorrow, we better have Harper’s cake for her birthday.  She will be 15 tomorrow.  Harper didn’t want to do anything special for her birthday. We took her out for dinner and shopping on Thursday.  She wanted  white cake.  Harper is incredibly helpful, super smart, strangely accurate, unafraid of calling it like she sees it and is hilarious.  I am so proud of her.  

Madison and Andrew are hosting his family for Christmas.  Evelyn made melting snowman cookies.  They turned out so cute!  

Spencer was wedding dress shopping.  Mallory went down to “help.”   Since I was working, she was kind enough to face time me.   I was sad to miss out, but happy I got to see  the dress and how beautiful my girl is in it!  I have loved this girl since the first time I met her.  She was willing to answer all my questions while Colin sat there with a silly grin on his face, and I had a feeling this one was ours to keep.  I can’t wait to make it official.  

Since Mallory was in Wichita, we got to dog sit.  They even left me presents under my tree.   Not the kind of presents anyone wants, but it’s the thought I guess.  

Wrenley got shoes she can’t remove!   Or at least without effort.  She is my favorite kind of crazy! 

Friday, Mallory had Harper and Saige help her transform the school for rock your school day on Monday.  I heard it was too much work and that it took a long time!  It looks cute though!  

I definitely struggle this time of the year.  I don’t especially love the cold, I hate that it always seems dark, and if I was honest, Christmas just isn’t my favorite holiday.  I look at the calendar, the list of needs from work, school, parties, and an over abundance of things to do and my heart just longs for a more simplistic approach. I do enjoy watching tv or reading with the lights low and the Christmas lights on though.  A little piece of peacefulness is good for the soul.  

Two things brought me joy and amusement in the last few days though.  Mallory needed some baby pictures for a bulletin board at school.  I love pictures!  Especially old ones.  My sweet babies (all of them) grew up so fast.  

And I got these photos from Sunny.   What is he doing you may ask?  He is grilling steaks.  On a small tail gate type grill.  Looks kind of risky!   The funniest part of this story- Preston called me. He said he had promised to cook Sunny a steak dinner as a celebration for ending finals.  When he called he said he needed help and I quote “mom I have never cooked or eaten steak!”  I laughed. It isn’t for lack of trying on my part that he has made it to 20 years old and has never eaten a steak.  I swear the boy literally refused to eat anything his entire childhood.  Sunny told me the food was good.  Preston also made baked potatoes and asparagus!  I have no idea what alien has inhabited my son’s body, but I am happy about it.  (Thanks Sunny!). 

I guess for Christmas maybe Preston needs a bigger grill.  

 

Cameron is 25!

Today is Cameron’s 25th birthday.  He is working at Arrowhead today with Lauren, so we had to run to KC and celebrate with him last night.  Jim and I took Cameron out for dinner and then we met up with Lauren for cake.  We were enjoying visiting with them so much that we lost track of time, and ended up getting g home pretty late!   I guess we are party animals!  Of course, I spent the whole day today feeling tired and sort of “off” so it might prove that we are getting too old to be party animals! 

I am very proud of Cameron.  He is rocking out in an adult job, dating a girl we all love, working a second job, paying his own bills, and still finds time to give us all crap!   He also has a lot of pretty funny stories from his jobs, and I enjoy hearing about the insanity! We love you Cameron!  I hope your day was amazing!  

Lauren took Cameron out for his birthday Friday night.  I was sort of surprised that he wanted to go see Moana 2!  I think his sisters and nieces are getting to him! 

 

Today, we had Sunday lunch so that Madison and Andrew could attend his company Christmas party this evening.  The girls stayed with us while they were gone.  I had the brilliant idea of having the girls help us decorate for Christmas.  The almost 6 year old did a good job being careful and helping us figure out where to put stuff.  By tree number 2 - she was over it.  I put up 4 trees and she told me she needed a snack and a movie! 

The 17 month old is never out of energy!  She “helped” me the entire night.  I also had to take Advil when they left from lifting her off the table, off the couch, off the coffee table, off the …. Well you understand.  She is a maniac! 

I have been wanting a bigger tree for a couple of years.  I keep meaning to hit the after holiday sales, but when they roll around I’m usually over it.   Then, when I set up, I wish I would have done it!  I looked at a few sales recently, but just couldn’t make myself buy them.  I was talking to Grace Friday, and she told me that James had all sorts of trees and he would happily give me a 7.5 foot tree.  It’s bigger than what I had, and it was free!   Whoop whoop!  So on our way to meet Cameron yesterday, I stopped off at Grace’s and picked up this pretty tree!  I really love it!  I have a few more adjustments to make, and I am currently washing the tree skirts, but I love how it looks!  Thanks James and Grace!  

I had fun hanging out with the girls!   We ended up watching a Christmas movie with the lights off and the tree lights going.  I have way more stuff I want to do, but sometimes, you just gotta take a little moment to enjoy an evening.  My house is completely trashed, my decorations are in boxes all over the place, my main tree looks good, but the rest need some touching up.  But my heart is happy!  

And now, in the name of my sanity, I am headed to bed!   Happy birthday Cameron!