It's GREAT to be EIGHT!!

OOPs with all the posting I've done today so far, I missed Mac's eighth Birthday... So here it is. She wanted to go ice skating this year so we invited some of her gal pals to join us. What a BLAST!! We started out at the house complete with cake, ice cream and gifts then we scooted on over to Skatetown in Roseville to skate. Mackenzie LOVES to ice skate and she has so much fun with all her friends. Surely, a Birthday to remember for years to come

Tristyn, Hailey, Mac, Madison and Natalie
Mackenzie and Natalie

the girls sipping on hot chocolate. Brrrr, it's cold in there!

Cakes made by Mom... Make a wish!

Here comes Speed Racer!

Luke loves CARS so it only made sense to have a "Speed Racer" Birthday party when he turned four back in October 2009. The kids had a blast with their racing helmets and cars. We enjoyed the company of fun family and friends for the occasion, and I made a crazy race track cake just for him. What a fun party!

Onstine and Randolph Kids enjoying the party

Papa Mickey with Luke and Mac
Make a WISH!

The boys at Luke's Speed Racer Birthday party

Mackenzie's "Incredible" 7th Birthday

Determined to see what's inside!!
YAHOOOO!! For new roller blades
Mackenzie is 7
Nickolas and Logan enjoying the party

pizza anyone?
Lukas and Daddy watching the bumper cars
Lauryn and Mackenzie
Emily, Grandma Susie, Lauryn and Mac
Make a wish!!
Mommy, Nickolas and Mac
Playing games
Luke figured out the games real quick!
This ride was right about Jack's speed...
Auntie April loves to play!

HAPPY 7TH BIRTHDAY MACKENZIE NICOLE!!

Mackenzie turned 7 today!! We had an "incredible" party at John's Incredible pizza with our family. Everyone feasted on pizza, pasta, salad, bread sticks and plenty of dessert. The fresh mini doughnuts were a huge hit for everyone. We played video games, bowled, rode the rides including the mini roller coaster and enjoyed cake and presents. Mackenzie received some wonderful craft projects (which she loves, because she's so creative!) new clothes, books, a game, money and roller blades which she hasn't taken off since. I am praying she doesn't try to wear them to bed tonight... ha ha. We had such a good time with our family and we are so grateful that we are close enough to enjoy these special moments. So Happy Birthday to our crazy little princess Mackenzie. We love you so much and are blessed you are ours. Okay now a funny note. We have been keeping a family gratitude journal for about a year now with our kids that we update every few days or when we remember. Before bed we'll go around the room and ask what things each are grateful for that day and then I write it down in the book next to their name. Mackenzie had asked me if she could have her very own gratitude journal since she can write now, so we bought her one for her birthday. I found it later this evening in the kitchen and wondered if she'd started writing it yet. She had, and this is was she wrote:

I am gratfle for my famaly = I am grateful for my family

I am gratfle for frenz = I am grateful for friends

I am gratfle for Niklis = I am grateful for Nickolas

Then she must have asked all her friends who were in the garage playing today what they were grateful for and this is what she wrote:

Jourdin is gratfle for Sokr = Jordan is grateful for Soccer

Jack is gratfle for diprs = Jack is grateful for diapers?

Josh is gratfle for name tags.

Anyhow, it struck me that even when we don't think our children are paying any attention to what we are trying to teach them, they are. It made my heart smile. Today I am grateful for Mackenzie and her shining example to all of us.