More Makenna birthday pictures

On Makenna's actual birthday, we had a fun day as a family. Breakfast in bed and holding her new i pod touch, her 13th birthday gift from us!

A package of Harry Potter Silly Bandz from Sawyer, they are all HP fans.

MAKEUP! She has been begging to wear mascara for awhile so I gave her a small makeup bag with mascara and lipstick.

Yes, it is an 8 on her cake, we did not have a 3 on hand. ;-)

For dinner we had a special date. Just Mark and I took Makenna to the Melting Pot. We love going there and have never taken the children. Last year we promised each of them when they turn 13 that would be their special treat. She LOVED it, and we had a great evening!

Makenna turns 13!

There is no way I am old enough to have a 13 year old, is there? We now have an official TEENAGER in the house. EEK! Let's share 13 things about our firstborn.

1. She was born on her due date of October 1.

2. She has started in the youth group this year at church, a whole new area for us!

3. She sings in a praise band with the youth. She has a beautiful voice.

4. She also takes guitar lessons. And was learning piano, we need to get back to that.

5. She is taking drama with our home school group and enjoys that also. Of course we know she is dramatic!

6. She has started babysitting this year, which makes it very nice for us!

7. She loves anything in lime green or purple. Or hot pink. Or zebra stripe.

8. She is the hardest worker in our house. If you give her a check list, you know it will get done.

9. She FINALLY admits she likes home schooling, and even said today she might just stay home with me for high school.

10. She wants to be a vet when she grows up. Or she did till math became difficult this year, but I hope she still follows her passion for animals.

11. She is so artistic and creative.

12. She makes breakfast and lunch for the kids, because she LIKES to. I could not survive with out her.

13. Does not have her appendix, because she it burst when she was 6. Walked around for a full weekend barely complaining. High pain tolerance!

We love you so much Makenna Kaylee! We are so blessed to have you as our firstborn and know you are a gift to our whole family. Thank you for being such a great leader, I know God has big plans for you!

Makenna's Fear Factor 13th Party!

For Makenna's 13th birthday she chose a fear factor birthday party. Some of you might not remember the show, but the basis is people did crazy things to win! Perfect for our daredevil child!

We started out with a baby food challenge. Which they TRIED but proved harder than they thought to eat mushed meat and veggies! After that it was a dirty diaper challenge. Had to eat the candy hidden in the poo!

On to outside for an egg toss!

And just when they thought it was not so bad, we brought out the big guns.

Not a great picture, but it was full of worms, crickets, more worms, DISGUSTING! They had to dig in it for a bottle of bubbles and pull it out and blow 13 bubbles. I wish I had a picture of the first 2 girls who ran up, their faces were priceless!

Sara thinking about eating a cricket, but not going through with it. We needed her dad here to do that one!

For this one they had to carry pigs feet and drop them in a bucket.

Then it was on to eating, yum! First round was dog food. (actually put hash into the can!)

We had oysters and sardines! Only 2 were brave enough to stomach those!

The last challenge was a scavenger hunt at Walmart. Thanks to Megan for helping with the clues! My camera died so I did not get pictures inside. But the girls did a GREAT job, especially getting a photo with 10 people in it. I never realized how dead walmart is on Friday nights!



A kitty litter cake was Makenna's request! Yummo! Actually it was pretty
delicious. It is a spice cake and yellow cake baked and crumbled together. Melted tootsie rolls and some food coloring.

Make a wish!

Sage-my heart -gotcha 4 years

August 21, 2010 we celebrated 4 years since Sage was placed in our arms. That day, this child, has forever changed us.

From the moment my eyes saw her in that room in China, I have not been the same.

For I not only saw a glimpse of God I had not seen before, my eyes were opened to a world outside of what I had ever known.

I fell in love with a place that had rarely entered my thoughts, a land called China.

I realized just how many children there were out there, who were just like this baby God placed in my arms, waiting for a mommy. Needing a family.

I realized what God meant when He said He adopted ME.

I realized why I had waited for so long, why the journey was so hard.

Because He was preparing her for me.

My heart, forever changed.

Gotcha Day Sage FOUR years!

Gotcha Day 2010

She looked so big wearing her gotcha day outfit this year, a little girl instead of my baby. Sniff..

Gotcha Day, Anniversary year 1, 2 & 3!

Sawyers Birthday Party

For Sawyers 10th birthday he wanted a WII party with a relay challenge outside. Makenna came up with alot of the games and as you can see, they had lots of messy fun!

Lots o shaving cream! Trying to go up the slide is impossible!

but going down is fun!


Trying to put on frozen socks

Jello!

They are trying to throw jello into their mouths and spit it in a cup till it is filled.