An Announcement and Dallin's Tenth Birthday

Well, I realize I've been missing from the blogging world for a while now. I have a good excuse. I'd like to take this opportunity to announce the impending arrival of our fifth child, and the cause of my retreat into the dark abyss of winter and anti-social behavior. I am so excited to have a new little nipper in the family, and also excited to finally be getting over the curse of morning sickness. My family is also very excited about that. Yay, mom is cooking again! Mom is moving again! It's a Christmas miracle. I promised myself this pregnancy would be better and I wouldn't let myself succumb to out-of-control hormones, but alas, I was lying to myself. What can I say, the first part of pregnancy is hard for me, but now it is over and I am ready to embrace life once again. The new little one will arrive at the end of June. We can't wait!!

It's crazy to think about a new little baby, because it seems like about ten minutes ago that my oldest, Dallin, was handed to me in the hospital. But that was ten years ago. TEN. Yesterday was Dallin's tenth birthday. I still can't believe it. He is such a great kid and he makes me proud every single day. Being a parent is tricky business, and I am far from perfect. I'm grateful to Dallin for being such a good sport as I fumble my way through day by day, using him as the guinea pig for just about everything. Being the oldest is hard work, but he does a great job of being a good example, and also being my favorite buddy. It's rewarding in a totally different way than having a newborn. I love that he gets my jokes now. I love his sense of humor. I love his passion and enthusiasm for every thing he does. He is motivated beyond belief and I rarely have to remind him to do homework. He is a great athlete and has a confidence I envy. Watching him play sports is incredibly stressful to me because I think, "If that were me out there, I would be dying under all that pressure!" But luckily he takes after his dad and has the ability to just go for it. Wow, he didn't get that from me!

The birthday boy after his Jr. Jazz game.

The kids had so much fun playing football on the turf at XSI Factory at Dallin's friend party Friday night.

Luke played with them, but tended to get a little upset when things didn't go his way.

Jason was the "coach" and I think he had more fun than the boys.

What good boys. A little wild and crazy maybe, but good kids.

Dallin begged for a Chicago Bears cake, so of course I delivered. Here I am thinking, "Dallin, you better not make lemur eyes at the camera," while Dallin makes lemur eyes at the camera. Makes me so mad!

Then he had to be a lemur for his "ten" shot, too. Ohhhh, I'm going to whip him. I didn't spend all that time figuring out how to make a Chicago Bears cake so he can look psychotic for posterity.

Here we are, all looking a little psychotic in one way or another. Dallin is being decidedly anti-lemurish so we're just going to have to go for it. Another great birthday, another year gone by. I'm so grateful for this little family. I couldn't ask for anything more. Maybe a nap once in a while, but that's it. That's the only improvement I can think of right now.

Dallin is 9!

Dallin's birthday is always an emotional day for me. I think because he is my oldest and firstborn in the wilderness, it is kind of like my birthday, too. It is the birth of my becoming a mother. I celebrated by buying some purple jeggings for myself at Our Little Store.  It made me feel a little better about my baby turning nine! You can't feel depressed in purple jeggings. The day Dallin was born was truly the most significant day of my life. Not that my other kids' births haven't been significant, but when your first child is born, your life changes forever. Suddenly, it's focused on someone else, and will be forever. Now there are several someone elses, and each one has brought change to our family, but the first one paved the way, nine wonderful Groundhog Days ago. 

Dallin's birthday this year was so fun. He had three parties. Lucky little sucker.

Dallin is obsessed with football this year, so I made him a football cake for his family party with  my in-laws. It is one of the few successful cakes I have ever made. It actually looked like a football! Not that difficult, I realize, but I have issues with making cakes.

Party #1. Opening presents with the Yates cousins.

Blowing out the candles!! If you have more than one birthday cake, do you get more than one wish? This is bothering me. And don't mind the lion behind me. He is actually quite tame.

Dallin requested pancakes for his birthday breakfast. I'm a bad mom and usually just give them cereal before school, so this was a special occasion. I can't believe I have four kids that sit up to the bar! I feel like an official mother now.

Dallin's class singing Happy Birthday to him. Abby, Jake and I brought little ice creams in to Dallin's class for his birthday treat.  

The football party! The kids look wild, but they were actually really well-behaved. I was very relieved because Jason was supposed to do the party but ended up having to work. He organized everything, though, and came up with some great games that the kids loved.

The first was kicking practice. Jason built a goal post out of PVC pipe and the kids took turns kicking field goals.

Next was tackling practice. Jason rigged up a football dummy that the kids got to tackle and land on a mattress. They thought that was the greatest thing ever invented. I was just glad that Jason stuffed the bag with his pile of dirty hunting clothes so I don't have to move them every time I vacuum. Dirty hunting clothes and I do not get along.

This game was a huge hit once I figured out how to attach the velcro so the dummy would come loose when they jumped on it. Where does Jason come up with these things?

The next game was throwing practice. Jason drew a football player on a box and cut out a hole for the kids to throw the ball in. In addition to being an expert party-planner, Jason is also an artist. 

Abby wanted to get in on the action and have black under her eyes, too.

I was still recovering from making the football cake, so I was very grateful to Costco for making a Super Bowl cake that said Happy Birthday on it. It was eerie.  I didn't even have to ask! I hope there is Costco in heaven. I'm pretty sure there is.

After all the friends went home, the Price cousins came over! Dallin opened his presents and was thrilled with everything. He's getting so old! He wanted money this year so he can buy some things he's been saving up for.

Dallin's main present! He LOVES country music and went to the Brad Paisley concert with Jason last week (hey, wait a  minute, that was supposed to be his main present!). He has been begging for a guitar for a while, so I finally broke down and got him one. Now I just have to teach him how to play it!

Our traditional family birthday picture. Each birthday brings a few more changes. The kids are a little bit  different, we are all a little bit older, and hopefully a little bit wiser, too. I love watching my family grow and change. I used to dread having my kids grow up, but in a lot of ways I feel like we are just getting to the fun part. I love seeing the people these kids are turning into, one birthday at a time!

A few items

Our first item of ward business today is you need to click on The Office clip to your right. It will be well worth your time. My favorite part is when Andy does the little bird thing with his hands. I used to hate him but he is quickly becoming one of my favorite characters. You already know I am partial to Abba so this just made him all the more appealing to me. Well, maybe appealing is not the right word... but just watch it and see.

Our second item is Pumpkin Cupcakes. Everyone has been posting their favorite fall treats so I thought I would share one of my very favorite fall recipes, Pumpkin Cupcakes. I am making these to take to my in-laws' house later today and a few of them may have already been consumed. I know they look tantalizing, especially the picture where I am lifting the cupcake up to your mouth, but alas, you cannot partake. Sorry about that. If you love me enough and ask nicely, maybe I will appear on your doorstep with a plateful one of these days...

Pumpkin Cupcakes

1 spice cake mix
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree
3 large eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup water
1 cup Nestle mini chocolate chips
1 container cream cheese frosting (I like Betty Crocker Whipped)

Preheat oven to 350. Paper-line or grease 24 muffin cups. Blend cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, oil and water in large mixer bowl until moistened. Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake 18-22 minutes. Let cool. Spread cupcakes with frosting and decorate!

I have also made these in mini-loaf pans and they are great. So easy. Feel free to share your favorite recipe with me, or just show up on my doorstep with a sample. I promise I won't turn you away.

Our last item of business is that my clever husband has hunted down a picture and added it to one of my previous posts. I'm only bring it to your attention because I love this picture. It is at the very bottom of this post: http://yatesrgreat.blogspot.com/2007/09/to-all-fictional-character-ive-loved.html

And that about wraps it up for today.