8 is Great!!!

We had another birthday here at the Sherman house.  But not just any birthday;  it was a milestone birthday.  Makenzie turned 8 on Sunday!  And she got to be baptized that evening.  I remember being baptized on my birthday when I turned 8.  We were blessed to have family come and visit for several days!  My parents just got released from their mission in Chicago and were able to make a detour before heading home.  They served on the Navy base, so they brought all the kids navy shirts.  

Tyler's mom and brother came, as well as a niece and a nephew that are close to Makenzie's age. Mother Nature kept us mostly indoors.  We took them to a bounce house where they could bounce off their walls and not mine!

Then we had a fun birthday celebration!!

 Makenzie wanted a "zoo" birthday

It was definitely a zoo at our house.  (Notice Uncle Will in the back)

I am a tiger.  Hear me roar!!!

And then we a had baptism….

She got to wear the dress she wore for Aunt Mandy's wedding last summer.

Baptized and confirmed by her Daddy

It was such a wonderful and spiritual event to witness!

Group Pics:    She sure is beaming in all of them!

 

Each group shot that we got has another set of pictures with Makenzie throwing funny faces in them.  She was all about the sillies.  Here is a picture with our Bishop.  Right when I said "three," she made this pose.   

I'm so proud of my beautiful growing girl.  I love her so much!

Loving it!

If her hair wasn't red already, it is now!!!!  Don't we all have these kind of pictures?  I don't know how much dinner actually got in her mouth

And this is really the only time and place this little dude will nap anymore… when he is tied down with no place to go.  It's such a rarity, I had to capture it!  He sure is an angel when he sleeps. :)

The Sherman Zoo

I love being able to stay at home and to be the one to capture all these pictures!  

Here is the latest: 

"Blueberries?  I think so!"

I caught Gavin in his imaginative world… which always involves random things from around the house.

Gavin can nap still, but usually only in the car, where he is restrained and has nothing else better to do.  Because of extra naughtiness, I enforced a bedroom nap.  Oh, he was livid!  But within 10 minutes, this is how I found him on on the floor...

He loves dressing up these days.  Batman was the preferred choice this day.

Ellionna discovered the kitty.  So far, they are both still friends!

Enjoying some library playtime!

Ellionna is transitioning to one nap a day.  But sometimes around dinner, she just…. can't…… go….. any….. longer…...

Jordan has lost three teeth now, with a fourth one right behind.  Here is his hillbilly smile!

We are starting to be graced with a few nice Spring days.  I took the kids to the park and all they did the whole hour we were there was play in the sand.  

Ellionna discovered the grass and sand as well!  These are the days when I can't wait for her to start walking.  She was so dirty.

It's a miracle!  The Sherman's got a TV!  We have gone 2 1/2 years without one. And really we don't have TV still.  We use the screen for movies and netflix.  Jordan has been begging us to get a game system.  We decided if we got one, it would be a Wii. We happened to get our hands on one for $20!  Here are the kids (with a friend) dancing their little hearts out.

The other night, the kids were wild.  I told them I was going to sell them to the zoo.  Jordan always takes things so serious.  He told me he really didn't want to be sold to a zoo, but wanted to live with people.  After a few more minutes of thought, he also asked me if he could take his Wii with him, too!  That night I apologized to him about my earlier comment, and told him sometimes it's just hard being a Mommy.  He then replied that sometimes it's hard being a kid too!  He's right!