Happy Birthday To Us!!

January is the month of birthdays at our house. We LOVE LOVE LOVE to celebrate birthdays around here. The day wouldn't be complete without streamers, balloons, favorite food, a few presents, cake/ice cream and throw in some tool and we are having some fun!

Birthday girl Brynlee kicks us off on the 31st of Dec. She turned the big 8 this year and will be baptized in March! We are so in love with Brynlee and feel so incredibly blessed to have her in our family. 
8 things you might not know about our girl. #1 Brynlee hates to shower. She would take an hour long bath everyday if it were up to her.#2. Brynlee loves to play and has a great imagination. Sometimes while doing her hair she plays with the squirt bottle, gel bottle and hairspray like they are people.She gets so caught up in playing that I usually have to tell her I'm finished.#3 She is a meticulous cleaner. If her chore for the morning is to clean the bathroom we better not have anywhere to go, she'll be in there a good 30 minutes.#4 Brynlee loves to snuggle and talk about just about anything.#5 Brynlee hates mac 'n cheese, corn dogs,pizza, anything that is super fast and unhealthy Brynlee naturally just doesn't like.#6 Brynlee hates making mistakes. We are trying to convince her that total perfection is not the goal all the time!#7 Brynlee loves to surprise others by making their beds.#8 Brynlee is content to play by herself but is usually the one everyone else wants in their games.  

Breakfast in Mom and Dads bed. Strawberry crepes with hot chocoalte

Taking a break from  birthday sledding with Grandpa Paxman

Finishing off her day ringing in the New Year!

Just a few days later its MY turn! This year like the past few years Mike has been out of town. I am one lucky girl though. My kids, parents, and friends made my day special even without my favorite guy to help out. My birthday landed on a Sunday this year and I awoke to the smell of baking muffins. No joke McKenna and Brynlee made me muffins and all the kids help decorate the downstairs while I blissfully laid in bed. It my day knowing how much they wanted me to feel like the "birthday girl".

Small sampling of the decor they did all by themselves.

Yummy homemade cake from my Mom with all 31 candles!

My BABY turned 3 this year !?!? The older I get and the more time passes I realize just how sweet it can be with an adorable little one commanding your attention. Holland is such a little ball of energy and can definitely hold her own with her older siblings. Holland loves coloring on the walls, books, sheets, bed, and occasionally on actual paper. She loves to talk and can say almost anything. Holland loves to play barbies, mom friends, and legos. Holland loves to be read to and if that isn't possible will sit down and look at countless stories all by herself. She loves to play dress up and thinks real clothes are totally overrated. Holland will get out of bed at night and ask us to put the blanket back on her and sing one more song. Usually "monkeys jumping on the bed" "monkeys swinging in the tree" or "the dolly one" which is the Christmas classic Jolly Old Saint Nicholas. She refers to it as the dolly one because we insert her name in "wants a dolly". Holland is extremely stubborn and has had some good tantrums over her hair style and bubble gum lately. Seriously love this girl and love being her Mommy!

 

So excited to finally be the birthday girl!

 
All ready for church and opening presents

Blowing out the birthday candles *after* the impromptu shower, ahhh memories right?