Birthday Blur

The infamous "birthday week" has come and gone at the Cofer Casa.  It's a whirlwind of fun.  My car is miraculously transformed into a bakery delivery service.

Cake to Chuck E. Cheese on Monday night for Keatyn's family party.

Cupcakes to school Tuesday morning for her actual b-day.

Then cupcakes again on Friday for Trace's class.

And finally a Skylander's cake on Saturday for his party at Tiger Rock.

Whew.  That's a lot of sugar folks.

So, sweet Kee Kee (as Grandaddy and Sisty call her) isn't old enough yet to ask for a "real" party.  But it's coming.  I'll cling desperately to our simple little family night at Chuck E. Cheese while I can.  Papaw graciously agreed to share his actual birthday with his princess and also, a Hello Kitty cake.

All week, she kept telling me... "Mama, I'm going to hug Chuck E. Cheese, I'm going to be brave."  When the moment came to come face to face with the huge rodent, I have no doubt she was thankful to be in Papaw's arms.  Maybe next year.

Every bite counts.  Even if it's a drive thru bite...

The next day at school, Miss Retta sent me these pictures...

 I didn't get a picture of Trace's class when I brought cupcakes to recess on Friday.  Maybe it was because I was being mobbed by first graders who were every infatic as to who got what color, who got the one with the "Happy Birthday" toothpicks or who insisted on one with swirls.

Seriously Heidi, you'd think after 7 years of doing this you'd know to get them ALL.EXACTLY. THE. SAME.

 On Saturday, we had Trace's "boys only" party (that was actually invaded by a few little sisters ;) at Tiger Rock.  I was a little nervous because we hadn't heard anything about or been to one of these parties but you run out of options when you have February babies.  

It turned out to be great!  There was a little karate and a lot of fun and games.  The kids seemed to really like it, it was only $120, and I didn't have to do a thing.  SCORE!!

Keatyn had a blast!  My fear is after a taste of being "on the other side" she'll now think she's supposed to do this at every karate practice. 

Trace got to show off some of his moves and break a birthday board.  They really make the birthday boy "the star."  It was so sweet!

Dodgeball...

Keatyn had three, THREE pieces of cake.  Poor Trace told me 2 days later (through tears) that he never ate a single piece of his birthday cake.  WHAT?!? 

Jimmy must have snapped this after she came out of the bathroom, naked from the waist down.  Hope that's not a party trick that sticks.

Trace went home with Abram after the party to play and then he came home and spent the night with us.  They had an old fashioned pillow fight before bedtime.

Finishes off a pretty perfect birthday week!  My babies are 3 and 7.  How did this happen so fast???

January Hijinks

I can't believe a whole month has come and gone already.  Time just seems to be flying by.  My babies will turn 3 and 7 this week.  And in keeping with tradition, they are predicting a big snow for the day of Trace's birthday party.  Sigh. 

How did we manage to have not one, but two babies, in early February?!?  

Again... keeping with tradition, Keatyn is totally getting slided on her birthday festivities.  I know this is probably the last year she won't know to ask for a "real" party, so I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts.  Chuck E. Cheese with our little family will do again for this year. :)

January was gone in a flash.  Nothing major, just life...

This is one I'll probably catch grief over in about 10 years but it's too funny not to remember.  This was the one and only picture I could capture between simultaneously giggling and burying my face in embarrassment.  
 
So, once you've earned your green belt in Tae-Kwon-Do, you get to start sparring.  You buy a fancy Tiger Rock duffel bag full of pads, a mouthpiece and apparently a cup.  However, Jimmy nor I thought to check the bag and actually train Trace as to where each piece goes and what it's function is.  

So this is his karate instructor kindly taking the cup... off of Trace's head.  He obviously thought it was protection for his ear.  

In the 26 years Rick Hall's been in business, he said that was a first. Nice...   

The parents in the gallery all got a big kick out of it, and Jimmy quickly rushed Trace into the bathroom to help him put things properly in place. :)  At that point, I was so thankful daddy was there.

The kids, Nana and I stayed at Uncle Andy and Uncle Kadi's (as Keatyn calls her) for the night while they flew to Pasadena, California for the National Championship game.  War Eagle!!! The game didn't end as we had hoped, but we sure had fun with their fur babies!

Dr. Cofer...

With the new year brings new resolutions.  Many of which will be broken before the temperatures climb above freezing.  At the end of our last bible study, my Monday Morning Mom's group threw out the idea of reading the bible cover-to-cover.  It's always been on my bucket list and I was all aboard.  I assumed it would be a 2014, year long project.  

No.

This is what our fearless leader picked. 

I'm telling y'all, this is not for the weak. I honestly don't know if I can do it.  IT. IS. A. LOT.  A huge commitment.  We have stretched it with school breaks and not being able to meet every Monday to about 121 days but it's still intense!  I want so badly to be able to do it and actually retain what I'm reading.  It's just a very difficult time in my life to devote that much time to reading everyday.  (Plus I'm not a big reader... I'm much more a TV fan :)

 Love them so much...

Guess who peed in her car seat on the way home from dinner...warranting her 2nd bath of the day?

We went roller skating for the first time last weekend and it was SO much fun!  They did really great.  It brought back so many memories of Christy, Casey, Carrie, and I at the skating rink in Hixson on Saturday mornings. 

They even played Celebration by Kool and the Gang, which was a skating rink C-LASSIC!  I kept waiting on red light/ green light but it never happened. Trace would have loved it!

Later that afternoon, while Keatyn was "napping", Jimmy called me into our bedroom to listen to her on the monitor.  It took a minute, but we finally deciphered... "Who let the dogs out.  Who, who, who, who, who?" 
That's my girl.  This generation may not know who Michael Jackson is :( but as long as they've got Celebration and Who Let the Dogs Out, they'll be OK.

We waited a short forever to get one of these handy boogers and it totally changed the game.  Where were these 30 years ago??

Tropical Tuesday at school...

Trace did the Jelly Bean Scientist class after school for a few weeks and loved it.  He even won a bag of jelly beans for best behaved.  So proud!

Jimmy and I got an unexpected date night at the movies and we happened to sit down right next to a group of guys from our church.  Their wives are all in my mom's group, so  I texted them this picture of me on a date with their hubbies.  I now know why they opted out of "Lone Survivor" and let it be a guys night out movie.  Wow... chick flick, feel good, rom-com, it was not!!

And to finish off January perfectly, we got 2 unexpected snow days.  I had NO idea it was even in the forecast but by the time I got home from dropping Keatyn off at school, the deck was solid white and they were texting that the hill was freezing and to come get them A.S.A.P.  Thank goodness Jimmy was with me in his 4 wheel drive truck and we started the trek down to CCS to rescue the kids.  3.5 hours later, we were home.  And sledding.  Sorta.

They got to miss school for the next 2 days so we do what all good rednecks do in the south and hitched up the sled (if you can even call it that) to the 4 wheeler for some fun, that eventually turned into muddin'.

As I write this, Trace is at his first sleepover with his buddy Isaac.  They've been in class together for 2 years now.  I'll admit... mama bear's a little nervous.  He's had friends over to spend the night here, but this is his first time away, other than with family.  He was so excited and I hope he's having a blast!  

Thank you January. It's been fun!

February, here we come!