Sam: 12

I can hardly believe that it has been 12 years since that night the doctor said, "well, since you almost passed out in my office, I think it would be best if we just go ahead and deliver that baby tonight. Go get something to eat and come back in about an hour."

"Uhhhhhhh"

Sam...he's just always been nice, pleasant, loving, and kind. Yes, he is 12, which means there are occasional bouts of moodiness. But, how many kids are that will p

erceive when their mom is having a little rough spell, and sincerely say, "I'm sorry, is there something I can do?" He can see every slight change in mood of me or his dad. We're working on being that perceptive of the siblings now, and acting accordingly. He has this thing {we all know where it came from} where he likes to tease his siblings. He has great amusement at their expense.

This year, my mom and dad came out for his birthday. At church, when boys turn 12, they are allowed the privilege of receiving the Priesthood and becoming a deacon. With the privilege comes responsibility. They must keep themselves in line with the moral standards and values that we believe. They have the responsibilty to pass the sacrament to the members of the congregation every Sunday. They have the responsibility to collect fast offerings.

Sam was ready for this responsibililty. It was exciting to have his Father, Grandpa Lester, Grandpa Perkins, Uncle Andrew, and Bishop participate in that special day.

I put my camera away before Gma & Gpa Lester came over, but we did get a couple pictures after church.

Then here's Sam's cake.

The bottom layer: Chocolate cake drenched in caramel, covered with cool whip.

The second layer: Oreo cheesecake

The third layer: Chocolate cakepop cake {this is from bakerella...you bake a cake and then crumble and mix it with a can of frosting. She makes cute little pop things on sticks. I put it in a cake pan and freeze it and eat it just like that}

The top layer: Tres leches from Cafe Rio

When I asked how he wanted it decorated, he said...it doesn't need decorations.

That's Sam...no fluff or frills, purely functional, and delicious.

(can't figure out how to find my pictures to upload from my new mac:-) any ideas? figured it out...now, how to move them in the post.

Tooth Fairy

The first thing that Amelia showed me after school yesterday was her loose tooth. I knew that it was wiggling, but the new tooth behind it was positioned so that it would not push her baby tooth out. It was going to have to come out with sheer force, or persistent wiggling, which was the case this time. Although she went to school with a little wiggle to the tooth, she could bend that tooth clear to her gums when she left school yesterday. She didn't want dad to pull it. She didn't want to have to "screw it out with pliers." She wanted to pull the tooth out herself.

So she did. When she got home she spent about 10 minutes in front of the mirror before she came out with her eyes big like they get when she's excited about something. In her hand was her tooth. "Look, mom."

She is a go-getter. {remember the training wheel incident}

I was laughing because I can just imagine her all day at school, working on that tooth. She actually even told me how she wrote her numbers.

"first I would take my pen and circle the 6, put the pen down and wiggle my tooth, then pick up my pen and do another 6. just like that." {imagine that with actions}

I can't even belive my Mia is big enough to be losing teeth *sigh*

So the very next morning the tooth fairy had *gasp* forgotten to come. But mom knows how to fix things. Mom can "find" things that little girls cannot, and even though she had to increase the pay to make up for the disappointment, it all worked out. That tricky tooth fairy can even come while you're eating breakfast and mom's making beds. {betcha didn't know}