The Birthday Bash

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So we had THE BEST time at Ethan's party! I was really nervous about how to entertain all these boys. And what I have learned about boys, less is better! So I did not go over board on planned activities, I just let the boys play! And they LOVED every minute of it. The only planned activity we had was Chris' obstacle course--which was a HUGE hit last year. So this year's course was somewhat more demanding--it kinda reminded me of a football practice. But the boys loved it and they loved competing against each other for the best time. Kyle Havey was the big winner completing the course is 64 seconds!!!

Here's Max and his best friend Ben Nygren (he got to come with his older brother--we LOVE the Nygren boys:)


Here's Kyle Havey and Matthew Tomlinson:


The Birthday boy and his friend, Jack Halverson:


Obstacle course fun:




Here's the cake--it was a cookie cake because Ethan doesn't like real cake:) And it has "Mighty Beanz" on it because these are Ethan's latest obsession.


I could not believe how well-behaved all these boys were! They were seriously fantastic! They patiently sat around the table waiting for their food and unbelievably kind to Tatum. Check her out here amongst all the boys:


The whole gang o' boys: (SERIOUSLY impressed with all of them:)

From left to right:
Front: Max, Kyle Sprous, Jack Halverson, Kyle Havey, Ethan, Brandon Park
Back: Marco Alguacil, Matthew Tomlinson, Jonah & Ben Nygren

The Birthday boy in the Birthday crown:



Phew! Birthday party in January...done! Birthday party in February...DONE!!! Next party, not until June:) Happy Birthday Ethan! I sure loved this party:)

Happy 9th Birthday to Ethan!!!

Today is Ethan's 9th Birthday!!! I can't believe that 9 years ago I gave birth to my "little guy" (who was 9 lbs. 2 oz)!

We celebrated this morning with donuts from Bashas (to share with his friends at school). Ethan also got the day "off" from chores and piano practice--lucky boy:)

Ethan also wanted to eat at his new favorite restaurant--T.G.I. Friday. And of course they make a big deal out of the birthday boy! Ethan was a little embarrassed but enjoyed the ice cream anyways!


He is getting ready to start up basketball this spring so we got him his own basketball hoop to have in our backyard. He is also SUPER excited about his upcoming Pinewood Derby race. Both Chris and I will be out of town--Chris in L.A. and me, Carlie, and Max in Chicago. Soo Grandma Donna is coming to save the day and get Ethan to his race. I am really sad about missing his first race (dates were changed after flight plans were made--good stuff right:) So my favorite Ethan quote of the day...(and yes, this is an EXACT quote:)

"I can't wait to get older and grow a kid so that I can help him make a Pinewood Derby car too!"


"Grow a kid?!?!" I've got some explaining to do don't I? Happy Birthday to my most FAVORITEST Ethan in the ENTIRE world!!! Love you tons and tons!

Another tooth gone!

Yahoo!!! Loosing teeth is a very slow process here at the Meeker home. I am happy to announce that Ethan knocked this tooth out all by himself (while brushing) and I had NOTHING to do with it:) This is tooth #4 for my 9 year old (who JUST got his 6 year old molars--like I said...SLOW process). Yeah Ethan! And just in time for birthday pics this week:)

FRIDAYS!!!

By the end of a week I'm pretty darned worn out--4 kids of my own with all of their activities/homework PLUS 62 students in and out of my house in 4 days:) So Fridays are most most favorite day of the week. It is my day off of piano (I LOVE my students but I always need a few days to rejuvenate myself:) Well, this past Friday, after dropping my kids off to school, I just couldn't bring myself to go back home. Again I LOVE my home but there's always something that needs to be done. Soo, instead Tatum and I went to the park for a little while, then we went and got our nails done (Tatum had been asking me all week to paint her nails and I never got around to it), and we ended our perfect morning with a slushee from Circle K. Could a Friday be any more perfect?! I dare say "No!" So here is Tatum with her BEAUTIFUL nails and her ginormous slushee:)

Attacked by another "Maxism"

So Max was chosen as "Star Student" this week. We were decorating his poster and I was looking for some older photos of Max that I have filed away in a photo box. Well, we're digging through some old photos when this baby appears:

This is a picture of Chris and I before we were married. Max takes it out and immediately says..."MOOOOOMMMM!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HUGGING BRANDON PARK'S DAD?!?!" I said, "Max, that is not Brandon Park's dad, that is YOUR dad!" To which Max says/shouts, "MY DAD DOESN'T WEAR GLASSES!!! AND WHAT'S THAT ON HIS TEETH?!?!" I said, "Yes Max, you dad DID wear glasses (he wore glasses/contacts for the first couple years of our marriage but then had Lasiks surgery) AND he had braces on when we got married." Max then calms down and asks, "You married someone with glasses AND braces?!?!" "Yes, Max, I did." He then concludes with "Mom.....you married a NERD!!!"

*Just to clarify Danika, Max does NOT think that Kevin is a nerd. It was the combo of the glasses AND braces that put him over the top:) And he was TOTALLY freaked out about his mother possibly liking another guy--I'll wait a few years to show him any of my high school photos of prom/homecoming dates:)

So yes....I married a skinny scrawny returned missionary that had glasses and braces but I KNEW I was suppose to marry that skinny scrawny returned missionary with glasses and braces soo clearly and distinctly that there was NO question in my mind. So we've been married now 12 1/2 years and I have to say that my skinny hubby has turned out to be pretty darn sexy:)

Ethan gets his Wolf!

Okay, I DO NOT consider myself a good scouting mom. To be completely honest, I'm still trying to "gain a testimony" about Boy Scouts. Nevertheless, it's what we're suppose to do! So we've been plugging away at all the requirements this past year and by golly we got it done!!! Ethan has now advanced to the next level (which I think is Bear?) We arrived at the Blue and Gold Banquet last Thursday evening and the FIRST thing Ethan was looking for was the Twinkies. He was SUPER excited to "Wolf" down the twinkies. The boys shove these things into their mouths as fast as they can while everyone else chants, "Wolf...wolf..wolf.." Weird I know, but the boys really dig it and that all that matters! Good job Ethan! We are SOO proud of you!!!

Here's Ethan and Matthew Tomlinson with Scout Master Bro. Greg Nunnally: