The big 25!

Woohoo! My birthday was this past Sunday so I got to enjoy as much "calming" as a typical Sunday will allow. I got a nice breakfast (and song) of my favorite donuts and some very interesting birthday cards from the kids. **Clayton's card said-- "I will be good today." Then, he drew me a picture of a boy sitting in a chair and a boy standing next to a chair and it read-- "this is me sitting in my seat. This is me standing. The first one is right." Apparently this kid thinks I only require obedient children for happiness. Ha! Although... my days would be so much easier if my children listened to me. :)
I also got to take a nice nap, had a clean house, and got to hang out with Bryan (sans kids) for a nice evening. Would birthdays be as enjoyable if they happened more than once a year??

it is done...

Clayton's mom pierced his ear yesterday. He has one small silver stud. She said he cried before she even put it through. We warned him! He thinks he's tough stuff now. We'll see how long it will take for an infection, although he claims he will: turn it every night, wash it with peroxide, rinse the shampoo out, and ONLY touch it with clean hands. Did any of us actually do all of that?? I still catch myself turning my earrings with gross hands. :)

Pics from our last trip to Grandma and Grandpa's House

The kids got to see some family they haven't seen since Dynah was a baby and hang out in the pool.

Some older ones from this summer

Here are some pics from our last beach trip. They were too cute to not post.

Playing with Daddy

Dynah has a strange way of showing affection for her Daddy. Whenever he sits down and asks for a hug, this is what he gets.

Sebastian Ferrero Foundation Fair at Tioga

We took the kids to a fair in Tioga to raise money for the Sebastian Ferrero Foundation. For $2, both kids got to get their faces painted, enjoy a bounce house and bubbly slip-n-slide, play at a dunking booth, and get a snowcone. Talk about cheap!

Punk rock or hillbilly?

Clayton decided he wants to pierce his ears. (What?!) He's only 8 years old. Do we tell him no b/c he can barely remember to brush his teeth, or b/c he probably only wants it since a friend has it, or b/c it looks silly? (my opinion.) OR, do we tell him yes b/c it's really not a big deal, it can heal easily, and it might make him happy? This really shouldn't be that big of a deal, and yet I find myself stumped on how to handle it. I think he will look more like a hillbilly than a punk. (Picture this: his rat-tail haircut, wrangler jeans, camo jacket, and 2 big diamonds in his ears!)
Bryan decided to tell him he has to wait a week. And if he remembers to ask again on Monday, he can get it done. If he forgets to ask, then it probably wasn't that important to him anyway. He has never brought it up before so I'm almost positive it was just a spur of the moment desire.
I feel like such a hipocrit parent telling my kid he can't pierce his ears, while I sit across from him with 3 ear holes, one in my eyebrow, and tattoos on my back...while his Daddy is next to me with even more piercings! Ah! Parenting is hard!