Happy Birthday Taisha!

Here's a picture of the kids this year in front of the tree. They are smiling so good, because they just said, "Daddy's a ballerina!" Works every time!

We had Taisha's birthday party on Saturday, and it turned out pretty good (thank heavens!) Last Tuesday I had this thought: "HOLY CRAP-OLA! Christmas is in 2 1/2 weeks and I haven't started shopping yet!!!! AHHHHHH!" (Yes, I actually said "Crap-ola" in my head... how weird is that?!) So I hurried and put down my paint brush and started shopping that night, and then every day after that I have shopped 'til the stores closed. I just kept thinking that as soon as I got this and that done on the basement, then I would start shopping for Christmas. And then this and that took WAY longer than I thought, and all of a sudden I had all sorts of shopping to do in a short amount of time. Taisha's birthday was kind of right in the middle of my panic shopping, but she said she just wanted to go out to eat with her friends and then go swimming at the athletic club for her party, which sounded great to me. Taisha filled out her own invitations and got them delivered at school. Late Friday night, the night before the party, it dawned on me that the athletic club wasn't even going to be open the next night! So Saturday morning we changed gears and came up with a whole different party. We took the girls out to eat, and them came home and decorated gingerbread houses. I wrapped a chap stick for each person and made them unwrap them with gloves on their hands, and then had them pair up, link arms, and wrap a present using only one hand per person. For a last minute party, it went pretty good. Lots and lots and lots of sugar, all over everything, and everybody.... which I'm pretty sure means it was a good party.

Nice icing mustache....

I had to finish Kayden's house (the green plate), because apparently when you turn 14 you are too cool to make a gingerbread house.... he just wanted to throw the candy and try and catch it in his mouth, but missed about 1/2 the time, so then there was candy all over the floor, which matched the rest of the kitchen.

Taisha wanted dirt for her birthday cake....YUM! She turned 10 today.

Here's Anaya trying on Taisha's new boots:

Here's my stellar gingerbread making skills. Look at all the bread in the background! We had a primary teacher appreciation party Sunday night, and we gave them a loaf of bread. I also had a piano recital that night.....and Malia had to speak in church that day..... and I had to play the piano in sacrament meeting with a violinist.... and my visiting teachers decided to stop by after church. *sigh* Some Sundays just go like that.

McKay has already eaten all the candy off his gingerbread house, and asked if he could start on mine. Ew. Now I just have lots and lots of wrapping to do.... and a little bit more shopping.... and then more wrapping.