Boo Boo's Birthday

I can't believe I actually have an 8 year-old!  It seems like just yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital and adjusting to life with kids.  Well we're still adjusting but in different ways all the time.  In the next phase we get to look forward to the tween years of boys, attitudes, and drama.  Sounds exciting!

For Boo's birthday she wanted to take a few friends to a trampoline park and then return for pizza and cake.  We decided to combine the friends and family party, as it's been getting too difficult to throw all these parties!

All the kids had a great time at the trampoline park and worked up a sweat and appetite, which made it easy to tear them away to head home for pizza.

Chowing down!

Our Birthday Baby

Cake Time

And don't forget the presents!

We were lucky enough to have Carrie and Callen in town for the weekend, so she got an extra celebration at the Mexican restaurant and just adored her sombrero.  

I can't express the amount of pride we have for our Brookly Boo.  She is the kid who always tugs at the heart strings.  As our first-born we're always worried about and for her, as she paves the way for everyone else.  Here's what makes us most proud of our Brooklynn:

1.  Your kindness - Not only did this girl chop off her hair for kids' Cancer wigs, when her school had Autism Awareness day and asked for $1 donation to wear a hat, she donated $5 (of her own $$) and didn't even want to wear a hat.

2.  Your perseverance - I know overcoming your fears and being brave is tough for you, but you still try.  You've conquered many hikes, diving, and trying out for the talent show, just to name a few.

3.  Your academic success - You have moved from an average reader to an excellent one!  You just love to have your nose in a book and finish as many as you can in one night.  Your academic growth each year is amazing and we're excited to see where the road will lead you.

4.  Your creativity - We love the way you constantly are imagining stories (usually aloud), drawing pictures, and being musical.  Your free spirit is a good reminder that it's therapeutic for all of us to let ourselves be imaginative and a little weird.

We absolutely love you Brooklynn and can't begin to describe the joy you've brought to us all.  I couldn't imagine a better role model for Chandler and Ady.


Favorites from an 8 year-old herself:
1.  Color- Pink
2.  Book - Weird School Series
3.  School subject - Reading & Writing
4.  TV show -  Fuller House
5.  Movie - Zootopia
6.  Hobby/pastime - Reading, drawing, and singing
7.  Food -  Salmon
8.  Sport - Swimming
9.  When I grow up I want to be a ........."I want to own a store where homeless people can get food for free and it'd be open all the time!"  (Straight from her mouth!)

NOLA

Before kids Steve and I enjoyed making vacations out of his work trips, even just for a short weekend.  To this day Steve still asks me every trip if I'd like to join him, but of course I have to decline Salt Lake City and then trying to get away and leave the kids is no easy task with all the dance classes, soccer practices, and school activities.

But when he said he'd be going to New Orleans and San Diego this year, I knew had to take him up on the offer, but which to choose.....two of my favorite cities.  I decided New Orleans it was!

A few days before the trip (when Steve left) I had a horrible toothache and went to the dentist to discover I needed a root canal.  No big deal - I'd be done and healed by the trip.  Needless to say I woke up the next morning completely swollen and sore.  After a couple trips back and some strong antibiotics I was feeling better (not looking better), and I was on my way to the Big Easy.

After my late night arrival we awoke the next morning to walk to Cafe du Monde for some fresh beignets and chicory coffee.  Although we visited there the last trip, I completely indulged in the beignets while Steve tried to keep his fancy clothes powdered sugar free.

Steve was off for a few hours to work, and I was off to shop alone (very dangerously) until he finished.  We spent the afternoon walking around and enjoying the sunshine and even went for a run along the river.

Had to go to Pat O'Brien's for a hurricane!

The next day we decided to go on a swamp tour, since we had done most of the other tourist excursions on our last trip.  They drove us about an hour out of the city near Lake Pontchartrain.  Our tour guide was awesome, and it was a nice way to spend an afternoon in the South - nothing like the stereotypes of swamp life.  Surprisingly the swamp was very beautiful, and if the trees had leaves it would've been gorgeous.

Wild hogs that were extremely friendly and came right up to our boat

The last day we walked to the Garden District to check out the gorgeous architecture.  On our way back we found some remnants of Mardi Gras.  We were only a few days too late.  

I think our favorite part of NOLA is the food!  We engorged ourselves in all kinds of cajun food - jumbalaya, rice & beans, and po boys.  Although it was nice to get away for a romantic weekend we sure missed the kids and were happy to be home - back to being responsible adults.