My Pride & Joy

Thanks to a great cut-out cake book and handy Pampered Chef decorating bottles, Kaleb has a zoomin' cake for his birthday party with friends tonight! (Thank you so much Pam!) Derek and I are taking 6 boys to see the movie "Bolt." Then we're bringing them to our house for pizza, cake, and presents. Kaleb is pumped, and I am too--now that my cake turned out so nicely! :)

"Nascar Jeff Gordon" cake, flames and all--can't you tell?!

Age Before Beauty

Tonight I learned how old I am. Aaron asked if we ever went to visit baby Jesus in the manger. I told him no, that happened a long, long time ago. We were not born yet. He asked if only I had gone to see baby Jesus. I told him no, I was not born yet either. Then he said, "Oh, you must have been just a kid then. That was a loooooong time ago." I don't know what's worse: My son thinking I'm old enough to have visited baby Jesus, or him thinking my childhood was so long ago it occurred when baby Jesus was born!

Our Son is Seven

Now THAT'S a smile!

This 7th birthday for Kaleb has been so much fun! He literally jumped around in his skin all day long. I've seen bigger smiles on that boy's face today than I've ever seen in his 7 years of life. Kaleb's generally a happy child anyway--even his first word was "happy!" But today I saw such joy coming from his spirit. He takes great delight in each and every gift he's given, and wants to know who it's from before he even opens it. I wonder if his love language is gift-giving?

My guys

Mom and son--we've come a long way in 7 years!

7 Highlights for turning 7:

1. Wearing the birthday boy button to Sunday School. His class sang to him!

2. Spending the entire day at home with his family. It's especially special since Daddy was here all day with him--no work or school!

3. Favorite gifts: NINTENDO DS without a doubt! His face turned red and his eyes watered with all the excitement. Shrieks of joy could be heard from far away. :) Other favorite gifts: red backpack with his initials, hunting backpack, Skippyjon Jones books, DS game from Braylen, DS case.

4. Favorite supper: meatballs, raspberry applesauce jello, bread, milk. Chocolate birthday cake with chocolate frosting of course.

5. Hamming it up on the webcam with Grampy & Grammy, and using it to show them all of his gifts!

6. Hand-delivering invitations to his friends for his party this Friday. Daddy drove him around as his mailman.

7. Bonding with Braylen as he taught Kaleb how to play his Nintendo. It's as if turning 7 turned a corner in their relationship. They were tight today.

Our prayer for Kaleb, who loves eagles by the way, is summed up in his life verse, Isaiah 40:28b-31. It says, "The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

Cakes and Indians

Derek worked hard with Braylen and Kaleb this weekend--in the kitchen! Our Cub Scout Pack has a cake auction every November, and each scout is asked to bake a cake with his "adult male partner." (aka Daddy!) Females are allowed to give advice, but can't give any hands-on help. Awwww, too bad. :) After much brainstorming, Braylen decided to make a campfire cake. Kaleb decided to do a log cabin. They had fun with Daddy, and I enjoyed sitting in the recliner to read a good book. They mixed, cracked, stirred, baked, frosted, decorated--and Derek even did the dishes. Kaleb had a quarter-sized red spot in his hair from some food color paste--how did that get there?--but otherwise there were no problems. Their cakes brought in $45 at the auction last night, and father and sons made memories together, so I'd say it was a success!

Figuring out the directions

Braylen being silly

Aaron is my little Indian these days. I just can't pick a better word to describe him. It's as if he's everywhere, all of the time, and he's just so sneaky about it! He made a feather headband and paper bag vest in preschool, so I snapped his picture, even though he'd barely stand still for me.
Some funnies from Aaron this week:

1. Before going to bed one night, Derek and I found Aaron hanging upside down over the side of his bed, sound asleep. How can he do this?
2. Yesterday he told me he wants a donut bed and a remote control ear for Christmas. Okaaay.... For anyone who knows Aaron well, you know how much he likes to play with his ear. He always has. Derek and I remind him to stop folding his ear, so maybe he wants an ear he can play with all he wants?


3. He's wondering how babies get inside tummies. I told him God puts them there. He says, "But how can He do that when the skin is shut?"


4. Looking at a cardboard map of the USA, I showed Aaron where Maine is. He immediately says, "Maine, the Pine Tree State." I didn't even know that. He must be learning more from our USA talking puzzle than I realized!


And last but not least, I have a funny from Braylen. While washing my Pampered Chef pizza stone, Braylen asked me why I was washing a manhole cover in my sink. He was serious! And he's 9 years old.