Kelsie turns 30!

My actual birthday this year fell on Thanksgiving. I had been complaining about that for an entire year. I really really dislike when my birthday falls on Thanksgiving, because no one ever really cares that it's my birthday and everyone just focuses on the holiday and black Friday shopping. I super lucked out and had a really low key awesome birthday. No one was going to be around for Thanksgiving dinner except for us and my mom. That meant, only Mart and my kids would even be eating traditional Thanksgiving foods and Mart does not like leftovers. I told my mom we should go out to eat and she was more than fine with that idea. I hung out in the morning and Mart and the kids brought me breakfast in bed. Then they were so excited to give me some presents and I was definitely shocked. Mart had found a lovely purple compound bow for us to go play with this summer. I had told him previously that I had always wanted to learn how to shoot. We met up with my mom and went to dinner at Sizzler of all places ... weird, but it was the most vegetarian/vegan friendly place that still offered Thanksgiving dinner. In the end, Mart didn't even get turkey, but got a steak instead. It felt nice to just have a day spent just as my birthday instead of a holiday. After dinner we went and saw the lot for my mom's new office building. It will be awesome. We had caramel and pumpkin cheesecake, went and did a tiny bit of shopping while my mom watch my kids and just hung out.

- - - -

When Mart and I sat down and thought about what we wanted to do for both of our 30th birthdays, and I had talked about doing a big party all year. As it got closer, I realized that wasn't really what I wanted to do at all. Mart suggested that what I needed and should do is an overnight girls/mom's night out. I had been having a very rough time and a break was exactly what I needed. I booked a suite in Logan with a living room so that we would have more room to hang out. All I wanted to do is hang out and laugh and just have a good night. Mart even offered to take Dee's girls for the evening so that she would be able to come party with me. What a good guy!

I got to the hotel and let everyone know I was there and to come when they were ready. While waiting for everyone, I wandered around for a minute and when I went to leave the room I realized that the door hadn't shut all the way. The deadbolt and engaged before the door shut. I couldn't get it to disengage without putting the key back in the door, so eventually I got it closed. A minute later, I realized that it was now engaged in the door frame and I was locked inside. Ha ha! I had to call down to the lobby and tell them what was going on and someone from the front desk and the maintenance guy had to come and rescue me. Nice. Luckily, from that point on, I didn't have any more problems with the door.

Once everyone arrived, we decided on Hu Hot for dinner. It was the most allergy friendly place, and it was just in the parking lot. 

Having two of my huge personality friends there ended up making it extra fun. I think they just were feeding off of each other, and it got really loud. Ha ha. I am not big on lots of attention, so they promptly yelled that it was my birthday all of the restaurant and the employees came and sang to me. Loved it ... or maybe not so much. By the time we left, I am sure I was bright red. Walking back to the hotel Dee continued to yell and tell everyone she could see that it was my birthday (including opening store doors and yelling in) By the time we got there, I had adjusted a little and I wasn't quite so mortified. We stopped at Johnny O's and got way too many donuts and headed back.

We talked, laughed, ate treats, laughed some more, painted nails, had foot massages from Dee, laughed more and I think we all had a much needed break. 

  

This cute little pumpkin joined us, and was such a good boy! He liked hanging with all the ladies. 

 

Seantae. I love her so much! I think that we must have known each other in heaven, because I feel like she is my sister. I don't see her often, but it's always awesome. I miss seeing her every Sunday at church in Richmond. I'm so glad she was able to break free from so many obligations and come hang out with me for a few hours. 

My new soul sister Dee. I'm so grateful to have met her and to have her in my life. She is also the sister I was never blessed with. Who says you don't have family that isn't blood related? She has helped me so much and I am blessed to know her. 

Kace I have known for half her life. I love that she is my sister and I hope that we continue to be close and become even better friends in the future. She has always been there for me, and I love and appreciate her.

Miss Ber, I love that we are starting to get to know each other better and I love that you are my sister. I wasn't blessed with sisters growing up, and I am so lucky to get so many amazing ones while raising my own kids. I love that we are getting closer and hope to become best friends as the years go on!

Chantel may not officially be my sister anymore, but I will always consider her my sister. She is one of the sweetest people I know and I am lucky that she has been a part of my family from when I was really young. I'm so glad she was able to come and hang out with me and get a break from life.

Kristy was also there, and I totally forgot to get a picture with her before she left! She is my amazing neighbor and her and her husband were the only reason we liked moving back to North Logan. She is so quite and it was fun to get to know her a little better.

I called down to the front desk once more and asked the guy if he would bring me some new hand towels. I actually was hoping he would take some photos for us in trade for some laughs and a donut! He was more than happy to hang with us for a few minutes.

Around midnight everyone headed out to get some sleep and I climbed into my own perfectly tucked in king size bed for some very quiet Kelsie sleep time. It was awesome and kind of lonely all at the same time.

 

Thanks everyone for coming and hanging out with me and making turning 30 so fun.

November 14

It used to be that every year on my birthday without fail we would get our first gigantic snowstorm of the year. This day happened to be the first day any "real" snow fell, and it wasn't much. 

 

I still kept saying it was going to end up snowing a huge storm on my birthday again, since it hadn't really snowed at all yet. (Fast forward, it didn't!)

Little Miss blurry Jade loves bath time, and any time she hears the water running for the boys, she goes booking it for the bathroom while trying to take her clothes off. If we don't get there fast enough, she'll just dive right in clothes and all. 

All bundled up and showing off her cute new hat.

Later that day, she had a little accident and fell and hit her mouth on the couch leg at Dee's house. Her tooth cut her lip open and there was lots of blood and drama. It ended up getting pretty puffy and looked bad, but it didn't seem to bother her very much.

Dee was on a break from school to move to a new apartment and was able to watch my two kidlets while I went to Ethan's school and helped with reading groups. While they were there, Lincoln accidentally broke Megan's bow and arrow her brother had given her and was quite upset. I took it home and glued it back together for her.

Lincoln was not so patiently waiting for Dee to show up and pick him up.

Jade fell in love with a toy vacuum at Dee's house, and cute Aunt Dee ended up sending it home with us for Jade to play with at our house. She didn't want to pack it up and move it to her new apartment.

Ethan found a new trick in the bathtub and put the fake fish's bowl on his head filled with water and loved watching his hair swirl around. What a goofball.

Sometimes, Mart puts the boys to bed and doesn't ever come back out of their room. I have to go back in and find him, and he's usually out cold.

Love this little wild hair crazy face peaking down at me from his top bunk.

I think Stella was also ready for bed. It had been a long day.

I love putting my Jade bug to bed. She has a very specific routine. First I have to love on her, then Mart has to love on her. Then I hand her her blanket tag and she will rub it on her face and pop her two fingers in her mouth. I lay her down and tuck her in and she's good to go. Love this babe more than I can even express.

Before I go to bed for the night, I always check in on my kids. This is usually how I find Jade. I love watching her sleep.

Mart turned 30!

This year Mart turned the big 30! He had been debating back and forth on what he wanted to do to celebrate for a really long time. In the end, we hung out as a family on his actual birthday and then had a small get together with some friends and ate a ton of cookies.

Because Ethan was at school all day, Lincoln was in charge of wrapping all of the presents for Mart. He took his job very seriously and did a great job.

We took Mart to lunch for his birthday. Ber, Dallan and Kace (and her boys) joined us.

That night we had Mart's favorite and most requested birthday cake (Hot Chocolate Cake)

A few days later we had a small party for Mart and we all just hung out and talked for a while. We decided to have it at my old house in Richmond because there would be enough room without any furniture.

Happy birthday Mart! We sure love you.