So here's how Tyce's birthday went down.
Birthday breakfast was homemade cinnamon rolls. I stuck a candle in Tyce's and we sang Happy Birthday to start the day.
About noon I dropped him and Mary off at the movies to see Kung Fu Panda. I planned to go to the grocery store with the twins during that time, becuase there was no way I was going to spend $12 for the twins to see their first movie. Anyway, I gave the kids the money when I realized the concept of "you're not going to the theater with them" has not sunk in with the little boys. Holy cow, it was tantrum-throwing worthy of an award. Someone even chucked their shoes at me while I was driving.
So we didn't go to the store. I wasn't about to reward bad behavior like that, you know?
Unfortunately, that meant I didn't have everything I needed for dinner preparations later. I spent the hour decorating the house--balloons, streamers, and the like.
After the movie we picked up the big kids, who'd had a great time and told me the entire plot of the movie. From there we went to Chuck E. Cheese's, where Tyce was lucky enough to discover a friend there with his mom. The kids burned through their tokens at lightning speed. Cameron really liked the Bob the Builder ride and stayed there through his entire allotment. Of course they begged me for more, but to no avail. So they made their last ones last a long time, and then spent an inordinate amount of time picking out prizes at the counter.
They seemed to all have fun.
That night I made Tyce's favorite, King Ranch chicken, with a green salad. (I had to run to the store but it all worked out.) For dessert we had his "cake," which was a giant sugar cookie. We sang, had presents, and it was great to celebrate our 12-year-old!
The next day was the 4th of July, and Bryce's parents came to visit. Grandpa did the haka with the kids!
And the boys loved showing off their moves.
We had a fun time in the cul-de-sac doing legal fireworks with our neighbors, and hanging our mouths open at the awesome illegal ones that someone bought. Let me just say that some people are really, really patriotic. Or they like to light things on fire. There must have been hundreds and hundreds of dollars spent that night on pyrotechnics. Like the kids' Chuck E. Cheese coins, our fun was over way too fast.
While the grandparents were here, we saw the new Indiana Jones movie (twins had a babysitter). How long had it been since I'd seen a new release in a theater? I have no idea. The film was action-packed and enjoyable. Mary was so scared that she gave me a bruise from squeezing my arm!
Tyce was ordained to the office of a deacon on Sunday, which is really special for our family. I look forward to having him pass the sacrament this Sunday. And now he'll come with me to Youth activities since he's in Young Men!
Al and Judy left on Sunday afternoon but it sure was nice having them here.
On Tuesday the twins went to their first film at a movie theater for "free movie" morning. It was "Mr. Bean's Holiday," which I wouldn't really recommend for a child's first experience. The whole time Cameron asked, "Is he trying to be funny?" because it was pretty disturbing to see a grown man act goofy like that. Harrison did great, except that he kept fighting with his seat. I think he thought it was trying to boot him off because he yelled at it a few times.
When Bryce came home Harrison exclaimed, "Dad, we went to the movie fee-ater and the screen was bigger than our TV!" So I guess I know what impressed him the most!
So that's what's going on with us. Tyce has been going to the school 2 1/2 days a week, Mary has been my side-kick, and I have been doing okay with having the four kids around at once. Next week I get to go to San Francisco with my honey for a little vacation. Hooray!
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