Candy Prayers

Yesterday we were out running errands and decided to stop by Five Guys for dinner. I have put a ban on eating out as our biggest new year's resolution and this is only the second time we've eaten out this year (the first time we were out of town and visiting the National Aquarium- so extinuating circumstances). Anyone who really knows us knows that is, in itself is a MIRACLE! James and I have always been bad about eating out, but our children's manners in public have been attrocious, down right embarrassing, and it was important to us to get back to the basics, eat at home, at the dinner table, in hopes of repairing some of the antics they were becoming much too accustomed too. Much to our shock it appears to be working!!! My kids were the best, most polite, fabulous, little ones in the whole place. There were 2 other families with toddler/preschoolers and they were all running about, out of control acting like complete monsters, while my precious little angels sat at the table, colored quietly while waiting for dinner, even sharing the crayons amicably amongst themselves, and then actually ate their meals while we enjoyed some pleasant conversations about how they spent their day. It was by far the most enjoyable meal we've had out in probably the last 6 years - since before Roman was born! James and I couldn't have been happier or prouder of our fabulous little munchkins!

As a show of our appreciation, instead of the planned last stop where I jump out, run into Kmart to pick up what I need while James waits in the car with the kids, we instead let them come in for a nice little stroll around the store, and as they were still being so well behaved (I know, you're all waiting for me to say we weren't out with Roman, Hope, and Bethany, but 3 total strangers we picked up off the side of the road!) we let them pick out a small toy each. Roman got a new game piece to a Star Wars game he trying to get in to. Hope discovered the hool-a-hoop, while Bethany picked out a giant pink ball. As we were heading to the check out counter, we past right by the candy isle and Bethany quickly dropped the ball and began grabbing as many bags as her little 2 year old arms could hold trying to shove them into the cart "without anyone noticing". James busted her and firmly told her "No candy" and put them back on the shelf. She tried once more and he shook his head saying, "No". Holding breaths, waiting, bracing for the impact of this one little word.... this is where our typical temper tantrum two year old would begin with the one big sob, followed by the ear piercing scream as her little body is glued to the floor with arms and legs flying in every direction and the screaming and tears enough to embarrass even the unrelated stock boy 2 isles over.... but not this time! Nope, instead Bethany solemnly retrieved her ball, kneeled before it facing the candy shelves, laid her elbows on top of the ball, folded her hands together, closed her eyes, bowed her head, and began to pray for candy, right there in the middle of the isle at Kmart.

Yes, she got to pick out one bag of candy after James composed himself trying desperately to hold back the hysterics. They were all told they had to wait until tomorrow (which is today), but once we got home and got the kids to bed, our normal little retched monsters resurfaced as the girls fought us for 2 1/2 hours, losing their candy rights for today in the process, before finally going to sleep within seconds of losing TV priviledges too, so, barring no further instances today, Bethany will have to wait until tomorrow to have her "candy prayers" answered.

Hopey Turns 4!!!

Hope Elizabeth is officially 4 years old. I haven't had a lot of time to update lately, but wanted to get this posted before it becomes a blur. We had her birthday party on the 21st at Grandma and Grandaddy's aka Uncle Anthony's! Grandma, Grandaddy, 'mommy's Grandma', Aunt Jennifer, Uncle Jesse, Uncle Rob, Uncle Dan, Uncle Anthony, Uncle Dave, Aunt Philly, Carla, Carlee, Leia, Brandon, and, of course, our clan, were there to celebrate her big day! Hope has been waiting for this day for nearly 5 months, ever since we began planning Bethany's party back in September. We have been doing a count down and marking days off the calendar since the first of the month, and finally it was here! Her chosen theme was DORA, what else is there? Aunt Bonnie was kind enough to give her a DORA cake pan that she has treasured for over a month impatiently waiting for her party - I have even busted her sleeping with this cake pan! No pressure there! I had already read of the horror stories of this particular cake, and am not the greatest cake decorator to begin with. Cake 1 stuck the pan, was too moist and completely crumbled. This is, of course, at midnight the night before her party as I waited until we got to Baltimore Friday night to make the cake. So, emergency backup - bake another one. This one mostly came out okay, but the entire face and all the details of the top left side of poor Dora stuck and had to be rebuilt. Hopey was very pleased with the finished product, even if the pain-in-the-butt-critic, Roman swore it looked nothing like Dora. You can judge for yourself!



We didn't really have much planned for the party - I know, not like me at all! - but the Uncles had their own little surprise, so it all worked out in the end. We had lunch waiting when everyone arrived - tacos, in honor of Dora. Throughout the first hour the guys kept disappearing. We thought they were upstairs attempting to wrap presents, but they had other things in mind.



Over 100 balloons were blown up and just before opening presents they were dumped all at once over the balcony to the delight of our little birthday princess being showered below. It was beautiful and the kids went crazy!



After that was time for gifts. She is one lucky girl and got all sorts of really cool stuff. Then we had cake and ice cream, cut and served by our very own birthday girl. And finally time for the pinata. My kids LOVE pinatas, but honestly, where in the world do you hang them?? Not my problem this time. I threw it at Uncle Dan and Uncle Anthony and told they were in charge of the pinata. The end result.....



Yup, that's my brother-in-laws lowering a pinata from the rooftop! And people wonder where my kids get their collective creativity!!! The party was a bit hit and the birthday girl was thrilled, so will call it a success! But... that wasn't all for Hopey's birthday as her actual birthday was on the 27th. That night the Sammons - Angie, Jason, Josh, and Hopey's new best friend, Madison - came over for dinner, carryout from Don Jose's, and we celebrated again with a small ice cream cake. She has been in birthday heaven! Saturday (the 28th) when she woke up wanting to know what we were doing for her birthday that day, I had to break the news that her birthday is over. Her response? "Well, how many more days till I turn 5?" LOL It's gonna be a LONG year!



HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRINCESS HOPE!!!!