Birthdays in Bend

C and K have birthdays that are one week apart, so it seems we end up having a birthday "season."  K's birthday fell on a Sunday this year.  He wanted to go motorcycle riding.  After church we headed to White City for some moto-cross.  I will upload pictures later, they are on the camera.  Happy Birthday to my incredible, lovable 10 and 12 year-old boys!  They are both so wonderful and I thank God for them everyday!

C's birthday was the following weekend.  So we rented a house in Bend, and let the boys go skiing have a sleepover with their friends J and J.

I do have birthday pictures...but they are on the camera (not my phone).  I will have to download them SOON!

While Johan took the boys skiing, the girls and I walked to the Old Mill district for lunch and shopping.  A loves to shop.  I mean seriously loves to shop.  I can't even fathom it, because I abhor shopping.  A on the other hand comes alive in the stores.  She enjoys chatting with other shoppers, and sales people, and generally just strutting around the store, admiring merchandise.  When she sees something she likes she runs to it, and pronounces in a tone of breathy, excitement, "Mama, this is beautiful!"  She also REALLY loves accessories.  I think she tried on all of the costume jewelry at Banana Republic.

Here she is at the Gap, in her glory...

That day she picked out a sequin top at the Gap.  It is the only thing that she ever wants to wear.  I got a few pictures of it at home, but I couldn't get her to stop for very long to pose.

I have never once had a fight with the boys over clothes.  To this day they wear what I hand them and could truly care less.  A on the other hand wants to wear something "pretty" everyday.  And by pretty she means, pink and/or sparkly.  The trashier the better.

This particular sequin top is hand wash only.  So it isn't always clean...but I am trying to be a good sport.  She loves this top.  I have to coax her out of it at bedtime, explaining, "Your sequins may get ruined if you sleep in it."  It doesn't help that she gets tons of compliments on her sequin top.  The other day at C's track practice it was chilly, but she did not want to wear a jacket which would cover up her sequins.  The sun made that top sparkle like crazy, it was kind of cool.  But two of the track girls totally stopped what they were doing, to have a dramatic conversation with A about her pretty top and how sparkly she was, and, "Oh my you look like a mermaid!"  A of course loved and skipped and twirled around like the red carpet was out and the paparazzi were waiting.