Sleeping In

As the camera-man for our family it's always a treat to upload my weekly photo's and see surprises pictures like this. 

The boys look silly and poor Alyssa doesn't know what's going on. She has had a rough week showing early signs of her first cold, she got out of her routines that Jill was loving so much. Jill went over 4 years without sleeping through the night because by the time Logan figured out how to sleep, Landon was born.  Landon also took two years before he could figure out how to make it through the night without waking up.  

Alyssa has been a pretty good sleeper waking up only 1 time each night.  That was until this week.  She woke up as many as 4 times a night.  It's been a rough week, because if Mom and Dad don't get enough sleep, there seems to be an extra level of stress in the house.  Jill carries the bulk of the burden of waking up with baby duty, but I've been trying to help her as best I can to give her some relief. 

We had a pretty quiet weekend where we went to Logan's last soccer game of the season (he will miss the final game).   He did score another goal, but it was to a loosing effort.  He sure has fun at soccer and feels so big out there with his friends.  Now Landon has begun an intro to soccer class and hopes to follow in his brothers shoes. 

The joke in my family is that I care so much for my birthday that I won't share my special day with other family members birthdays.  Kandis' birthday is a few days after mine, and Becky Jo's birthday is shortly after that.  Since we meet every other week, we could combine all of our birthday's, or stagger them.  Because we stagger birthday's, we usually celebrate my birthday Sunday dinner a few weeks before my actual birthday.  It was fun to spend time with the family and my kids loved to "help" me open presents. 

Everyone was so generous and it was nice to spend time with them (minus Shanel because she wasn't feeling well).  Part of celebrating your birthday dinner is you get to choose the menu.  For probably 15 years I've always chosen chicken cordon bleu.  Served with country gravy, rice, green beans, a roll and fruit you've got a delicious birthday dinner.    

I did break from my decade plus routine for dessert.  Rather than the typical carrot cake (which I love), Becky Jo found the most amazing recipe from the Pearson Family Cookbook.  It's called fruit pizza and it's one of the most amazing combinations of flavor ever.  It's a sugar cookie crust, topped with a cream cheese "sauce", and random fruit.  I ate until I couldn't eat any more.  Because I was the birthday boy, I got to take home the leftovers and I can't wait to eat it tomorrow for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  

Next week Logan goes back to school, and Landon gets back to his homeschooling.