Double Digits

While everyone else was celebrating St. Patrick's Day - we were celebrating Ashton's 10th birthday.  I can't believe he is 10 years old already.  We had low key celebrations this year.  Ashton had school and took rice krispie squares that I had mixed mars bars into to share with his class at school.  After school before I started teaching he opened presents.

More nerf guns - yippee!

Now I can find nerf bullets all over the house in assorted sizes!!

For supper we had Ashton's favorite meal - pancakes!!

After teaching we had birthday cake.  We decided it was for both the boys birthdays as with all the excitement with Bowen's birthday/baptism this year we never did have a birthday cake.

This past Saturday we finished off celebration and took the boys to the Cars in Movies exhibit at Heritage Park.  There weren't as many cars as I thought there might be but everyone still seemed to enjoy it.  Here are a few of the cars.

Not sure what Ashton's goofy face is about in this picture - but it makes me laugh!

The General Lee from Dukes of Hazards

The Delorean from Back to the Future

Herbie from The Love Bug

The Munster's Car

Then we took the boys to The Cheesecake Cafe for lunch.  I however seemed to be the only one who was hungry as everyone else brought most of their lunches home.  

I sure love my 10 year old boy.  He is such a great kid and has a fabulous personality that we all enjoy so much.  Happy Birthday Ashton!!

It's Great to Be Eight!

February 26th is Bowen's birthday.  This year was a very special year for Bowen as he turned 8 years old.  We didn't do very much on his actual birthday.  I made cupcakes for Bowen to take to his little friends at school.  The couple that were left at home were gobbled up so this is the only picture I was able to get.

A half eaten cupcake

Bowen had requested Oreo cupcakes.  So I just made a chocolate fudge cake and chopped up oreo cookies and stirred into the batter before baking.  Made a simple butter cream chocolate icing and topped with an mini oreo cookie.  Apparently they were a big hit at school.

I was teaching students the night of Bowen's birthday and we were babysitting Dane and Bennett, so we had one of Bowen's favorite suppers of hotdogs, chips and pop and then opened presents.

Since Bowen turned 8 he also gets to be baptized into our church.  He has been so excited.  This past Saturday was Bowen's baptism.  We sent out invitations to family and a few friends, and I made up a program.

Right after I sent out the invitations the Champion church got word they had to be out a few days before the baptism for renovations so we moved the baptism to the stake baptisms here in Calgary.

It was a wonderful day.  Bowen all ready for his big day.

Jason and Bowen ready at the church.

Bowen was so excited and nervous.  We were last of 5 children being baptized that day.  It went really quickly however.  They had an opening song, prayer and one of the Bishops spoke.  Then they had the moms come up and say a little something about their children.  Then they took the kids one by one to be baptized.  After the baptism our group came back into the chapel.  I handed out cards for everyone to write Bowen a little note (such a nice keepsake for him).  Then after Jason and Bowen had changed.  Bowen and I sang a musical number "When I Am Baptized".  Bowen was very emotional and feeling the spirit so Grandma came up and helped him finish the song.  It was beautiful.   Then Uncle Jared gave a wonderful talk on covenants.  Bowen was then confirmed a member of the church by his Dad and we finished with a song and prayer.

Then we all came back to our house for dinner.

We served chicken pot pie with biscuits, spinach salad and fruit with a candy bar for dessert.

After dinner Bowen opened some presents.  He received new scriptures from Jason and I, money, scripture markers, future missionary pin, sketch book, mega blocks, books, sacrament meeting activity book, bank, and candy.  What a lucky boy!

It is definitely great to be eight!!

Tough Lessons

Yesterday after school a little neighbour kid came to the door and asked Bowen if he wanted to come out and play.  Bowen asked me if it was alright and out he went.  A few minutes later he came back and he looked upset.  It took a bit of prying but he finally admitted to me that a few weeks ago he and his friend had broken something in the neighbour's backyard and he wasn't allowed to play in their backyard anymore.

We had a long discussion about admitting our mistakes and how he should have talked to us and to the parents of his friend as soon as it had happened.  With Bowen's baptism coming up on Saturday it was a good opportunity to talk to him about the steps of repentance and that it meant more than just saying sorry to me.

When Bowen's dad got home from work, he and Bowen went over to the neighbours to apologize.  He was pretty scared and a few tears were shed.  I was proud of Bowen for admitting he was wrong and trying to make it right.  He was happy that the mom told him she was pleased he had come to apologize and he was welcome to come over and play anytime.

Some lessons are tough to learn!