Ending the Week Right

Today is one for the memory books.  We’re celebrating Thomas and all he’s accomplished this year.  Last June, Thomas tested in the 2nd percentile for his speech articulation, and today he re-tested above the 50th percentile and graduated his speech therapy program!

Can you make out that incredible decorating job?  I don't even pretend to try.

He was beaming as his amazing teacher and therapist placed a medal around his neck, and I announced that tonight would be a celebration for Thomas and all of his incredible hard work.  Of course, that meant I needed to plan a celebration :)  We kept things simple with pineapple and olive pizza (his favorite), sprinkle cake, ice cream, and juice pouches.  I sure do love easy-to-impress four year olds! 

Katherine's bummed she has to finish her dinner before she gets dessert.

Thomas has proudly worn his medal all afternoon, and loudly announced to anyone who would listen (with wonderful articulation!) that today he GRADUTATED!  

And with that, here's my Friday photo dump:

Sickness hit us late last week

It didn't take long before all the kids were down with high fevers.

We still managed to enjoy the nice weather with an outdoor nap.

Flowers everywhere!

William loves taking pictures

And so do I!  Everyone got a haircut this week.

The One You're Gonna Wanna Read

Tonight we wished this guy a happy birthday.  The big 3-4 might not seem like much of a milestone year, but Michael has done so much recently to serve me and our family I wanted to do something nice to celebrate his birthday. 

 

Over the weekend we had a nice date night out, and then I got to work planning for his "real" birthday this evening.   

Yesterday, the kids and I ventured out of Oregon and up to Washington to do a special gender screening ultrasound.  All three kids did an amazing job inside the ultrasound office.  Katherine played happily with princess castle, Thomas pointed out all of the cobwebs underneath the exam table, and William sat silently on the chair and watched the screen intently.  Within just a couple of minutes, from just a black and white moving picture, we gained insight into how our lives would be changed forever. 

And then, I bribed the kids.  Keep this secret, and I'll take you to lunch.  Don't tell Dad, and I'll read you an extra story.  Stay quiet, and your daddy will have the best birthday surprise ever.  I promised, and they delivered. In truth, Thomas may have gotten excited and told our sweet next-door neighbor first.

I ordered a cake from a local grocery store.  "Plain on the outside, with a big question mark.  Yellow or green, I don't care." I said.   "The inside, that's the surprise.  You can color the filling?  Thanks for doing this on such short notice, I had a long day and I'm too tired to bake my own cake."

I picked the cake up this morning and brought it to the office, handing it off to a church friend who works for the same company (really, everyone here works for the same company).  And this time, he was the one who delivered. The cake was nothing fancy, but what was hidden inside?  That was treasure beyond measure.

(Side note: in the three minutes I left my children in the car, with the windows partially rolled down, to walk the cake into the lobby, the security guards found my children and were playing peek-a-boo with them while waiting for their terrible, negligent mother to return.  SO glad I didn't end up in jail this morning.)

 

 
 And this little girl down here?  Little sister is so happy to have a little sister.  It's going to rock her world, the one where she's the center of everything, but it's going to be great. 

Happy Birthday, Michael!  Hope this year is your best one yet :)