February thus far

OOOOOOHHH, how this blogging stuff has been neglected. I don't know what has changed in my life from last year to now but I can't seem to ever find time for this blog! Every day I tell myself that I will update the blog and every night I find myself NOT doing it. SO, since I failed miserably to blog at all in the month of February, here's whats gone on in my world:

Steph turned 13 - should I be excited about this? Because I wasn't. I no longer have a little girl.

My baby brother got married - on my baby girls birthday!! Wow!! A married man. He's no longer my baby brother.

This is my newest sister in law, Paula. Doesn't she look sweet? She is.Along with the celebrations of the month we did have some tears. THIS is my daughters spine. If you're thinking it's a little curved...it is. So for the next year and a half to two years she will be wearing this.. What a gloomy day that was for her...perfect weather for the occasion though. This was the sky driving home that day. Crazy huh? And this is what it did to our neighborhood parks. But since we don't see too much rain in AZ, we wecome it! And last but not least... Jarom started sleeping in his own bed!!

Weather photos courtesy of my baby girl..on the drive home from getting her brace.

"rotten"

I know this may come as a surprise to some of you but I, Julie Ann Wright, am a bit spoiled. I blame this mainly on my daddy who spoiled me "rotten". So when I grew up and started searching for a beau I knew that I would only marry him if he, too, believed in spoiling one rotten (imparticularly, me!). I think I did pretty good. I mean, he's definitely not my daddy, but he'll do. I only say this because my batting of the eyelashes quit working on hubby a while ago and after 35 years they still work on good ol' dad. Hubby does still tend to "spoil me rotten" for Christmas and my Birthday though. My best friend from Cali always calls me on Christmas and says "alright, what'd you get this year?". Then she yells at her hubby because he didn't do as good as my dear hubby.

So you can see why I was a bit worried when hubby told me last week that he definitely wouldn't be home for my birthday. What?! This CANNOT be happening!! I need attention for my birthday!! I need to be pampered and spoiled!! There has got to be some mistake here!! As time drew closer to the dreaded day I prepared myself as best as I knew how. I reminded myself that there are many wives out there whose hubby's aren't home for their big days and they survive. I'm tough (supposed to be), I can do this. I will survive!!

Well, today was that dreaded day...the big three-five!! Yep, you read that right, 35!! I woke up and helped Jarom brush his teeth and somehow he got toothpaste in my eye. Yeah, it burned like no other. "Great, this is how my day is going to go" I thought. Then my visiting teachers came and took me to breakfast...oh so yummy and Village Inn gives a free slice of pie for your birthday so I got a free slice of pie for later....days not going so shabby after all. Came home and opened my card from mom and dad...sweet!!..money for that desperately needed haircut. Then, a knock at the door...who could it be? A delivery man with these in hand...

aawwww, even from afar, he made my day. And those wonderful neighbors I wrote about yesterday...yeah, they brought me these...

Then my dear ol' Father in law made me a WONDERFUL steak for dinner. Can you say Yummmmy!?!

Then we ate some scrumptious cake that my baby girl made me while I was at breakfast this morning. Guess my being spoiled isn't such a secret after all. Everyone came thru in my hubbys absence. Thanks Guys!! Where can I send him next year for my birthday?

12

Steph turned 12 today. I can't believe it!! She's outgrowing her childhood much too fast. I don't know why but I made this ridiculous agreement with her many years ago that she could wear makeup when she turned 12. I probably made it with her thinking that she would forget...but she hasn't. Might I suggest NEVER making a promise like this with your own little girls..because one day they will grow up and hold you to your promise. Oh, I know why I made this silly agreement with her...because in our old ward all of the girls were allowed to start wearing make up at 12 but I haven't seen that trend here in our new ward. Regrets, regrets!! So I made a rule...NO EYELINER!! (below the eye) This omits the dark eye look...I hope. Any other tips? I could really use some.

As usual, family came over for cake and ice cream and she got to open her gifts from the fam. She got lots of $$, some jewelry, some clothes, and granny in Tx made her the cutest apron. It is pink and brown polka dots and soooo cute...and when she tried it on and put her hands in the pocket, she got more $$. Wish I had that kind of luck!!

We found another reason to party...Jared turned 9!!

We celebrated Jared's 9th birthday last night. Apparently, this made Tate and Remmy very happy!! It gave me a reason to stuff some cake in my mouth!!

And my father in a law a reason to stuff some ice cream in his.My mother in law (one of them) pondered all night...

As Steve pondered with her...okay, maybe they were just posing. But we thought it was funny.
The rest of the gang succomed to peer pressure and ate like pigs! This is Steph wondering how she got stuck surrounded by a bunch of boys and some really immature adults.

Here's Joseph, our neighbor boy, who probably went home and told his parents we were freaks because we were all acting so silly...he didn't want to take his picture but after I threatened him, he gave into my demands!! He loved it though!! "I'm having fun" is written all over his face!

The birthday boy (Jared)...such a Wright!!

His older brother...what a freak!! (guess it runs in the family)

But the real party animals could care less about the food...they were too busy jammin' out on Guitar Hero!!
Good Times!! Good Times!!

Man of the day!!

Seven times a year, we celebrate a birthday in our home. Today was Justins. Fourteen long years ago, I gave birth to this 10 pound 10 ounce monster. He chose homemade hamburgers for dinner. Yes, he's truly a Wright, we love our meat! Well, most of us. Steph is a vegetarian and has been now for almost 3 months. But that's another story for another time. Anyways, in our home, when it is your birthday, you choose the dinner menu and you don't have to do any chores on that day. Josh thought we were kidding when we said he had to do dishes...he wasn't smiling that big after dinner!!
Afterwards we have cake and ice cream and if this is the year for a party (we only do them every other year) then they have their big party with friends on the weekend. Unfortunately for Justin, football is still in session...which kind of gets in the way of parties so he will have to wait a while for his party. We decided that when the season is over we'll just invite some of his teammates over and have a Guitar Hero Party. He was cool with that. So anyways, as is tradition in our home, Jarom sampled the cake (thinking he was being sneaky). Everyone licked the candles and most importantly...everyone loved the cake!! even uncle Scott came from Cali...and loved the cake!!Oh...and Justin was happy to be the center of attention.
Happy Birthday Justin!! We love you...hippy hair and all!!