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Frederick is 8!!!

Happy Birthday Frederick -- he was 8 on Saturday!  That would be LAST Saturday (as in two Saturdays ago. . .I'm a little behind. . .)
The day started so sweetly.  The kids were up and moving before we were. . .our bedroom is downstairs so we could hear them out in the living room playing a game of Monopoly (their game of choice lately -- there's always a game sitting out!).  They were discussing his presents sitting on the coffee table 
 and asking Frederick not to touch theirs because he would guess the gift.  Eventually they wandered into the kitchen and found this:
Ralph's Donuts!!!  This is an exceptional treat in our house. . .I hope I have adequately captured the squeals of joy in my memory to pull out and remember this sweetest, simplest of things.  Here's the kicker. . .they didn't touch them -- ha!  I guess they thought they should wait for us. . .so we wandered out of our room and found this:

They wasted no time running to the kitchen and digging in :)

Yea for Frederick's birthday!!  The other thing they all share in:  one another's joy.  I would have to say my children really do intentionally celebrate one another, their milestones and achievements.  I'm so incredibly proud of the people they are becoming.  I decided to try and do a timeline of Frederick's day so he has a diary of his 8th birthday (and those who couldn't celebrate with us can share in his day too).




Although we were waiting for Mammaw and Grandpa to get here to open most of the gifts, they decided to open one from us and the one from the other three after breakfast. . .

Hey, it's a soccer ball :)
And he promptly went outside to try it out. . .
. . .still in his pajama pants, no shoes, tags flying on the new shirt he had just opened from us.  Love this picture too:
In the end Margaret decided she didn't want to be left out so I won't leave her out either :)

And then, meanest of all, we made the birthday boy do Saturday chores with everyone else.  I know, I know. . .but his junk is almost as bad as Margaret's!

 These are their kitchen cubbies -- which should only have 10-12 items in them?!?
And this is just embarrassing. . .ALL of this came out of the back of the van. . .ugh!  And yes, this is Margaret's way of "working" when she's overwhelmed. . .just stop.  Luckily Frederick was a little more pro-active getting this taken care of and we ended up with this:
(I had to take a picture because, let's face it, when will it look like this again???)

Hey!  Look who came for Frederick's birthday?!?  Mammaw and Grandpa Foster had been planning this trip for awhile. . .and Frederick was so excited to share the day with them!!
(having a stupid hard time again getting some pictures to turn. . .ugh!)

Putting Frederick's birthday dinner together was a family affair:
He requested chicken skewers. . .
And Thomas now has "famous" mashed potatoes (actually it is Pioneer Woman's recipe -- minus a little butter) and Marie took care of the peanut butter pie:
And others were shucking Ohio corn on the front porch :)
And after all that hard work. . .time to relax a bit:

(OK, I've changed the orientation of this picture three times and Blogger keeps doing this.  You get the idea.  They're all squished together on the sofa.  I love that they all want to be together like this.)
According to the kiddos, it is a SIN that Mammaw and Grandpa have never seen this movie:
Facing the Giants. . .definitely our all-time favorite movie.  And I never watch a movie or read a book more than once. . .c'mon, there's just not the time.  But this movie. . .I've probably seen it 5-6 times.  And I cry every time.  The kids look for it.
After that break we did gifts and dinner.  Can you believe that it was so important to Frederick for Mammaw and Grandpa to see this move (after he found out they never had!?!) that he did this before gifts???  Anyway. . .lots of cards and quite a few gifts too. . .


And a birthday phone call:
Dinnertime!










(Ugh. . .orientation again)
After all that sitting around in the car traveling here, watching a movie, and a delicious dinner, we decided to go on a family walk. 
 
I snapped this picture of our house at night. . .I think it looks so pretty!
Picture of Dukie with Thomas
 I love the holding hands with Grandpa. . .
And home for birthday pie :)


Well, Frederick, here you go.  A journal of your 8th birthday. . .not that you probably will ever care much about this detail but I love looking back on the memories we make together as a family.

The next day (Sunday) you and your brother had a good time with a couple of your favorite gifts. . .
 A remote-controlled car that you got with birthday money from Aunt Susie and Uncle Bruce and Uncle Brad and Aunt Kristin
And the helicopter you are flying between you and Thomas from me and Daddy.

We love you Frederick!!!  You are growing up so fast and are an absolute light in our lives.  You love your soccer team and are really good at that sport.  You are careful with your schoolwork (and try hard to keep up and keep good grades) and recently have started tennis lessons. . .a sport I (selfishly) hope you grow to love, because you are good at that too :)  You also do Cub Scouts with your dad and best friend and have been taking that same best friend to Wednesday night church since school started this year.  In co-op you are taking classes in chess, physics, Dangerous Book for Boys, and PE.  In addition, each Thursday we go to Community Bible Study and right now are studying the book of Joshua.  My prayer is that these truths that you are learning now stay in the fore-front of your heart throughout your life.  I'm so lucky to get to share these years with you!!


Comments

  1. I think I may invite myself over to your house to eat...

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  2. What a great photo journal of his special day. Happy 8th Birthday Frederick!

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  3. What a lovely tribute to your son! Looks like a good time was had by all!

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  4. Happy birthday to your young man. Mmmm.... doughnuts with Company Girl coffee!

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  5. Happy Birthday -- we are celebrating birthdays round our neck of the woods, too. Sept is so busy for that. I love how they squealed for the donuts and waited for y'all! Love that your children share in each other's joy..how cool is that?! Looks like a really great day & I'm so glad someone else posts after the day of the event, too!!

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  6. What a lovely timeline of his birthday! You have a wonderful family there. Love that they all pitch in and help and love eachother heaps. So nice! lovely to stop by from Company Girls at Home Sanctuary!

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