birthday season has arrived!

In the Berryhill household birthday season is Jan-May, where there is at least one birthday per month! As someone who LOVES holidays and pretty much any reason to celebrate, I have always put on big birthday parties. But the last couple years, I've found myself racked with an ever growing guilt. Monthly (or more) parties in a busy family of 6, have started to feel more like an overwhelming chore, than a party. I always wondered why I had regular big birthday parties and my youngest siblings seem to strain to think of their last official birthday party. I think it is happening to me. I keep thinking... next year... next year for sure... So forgive me if I don't get around to sending out adorable pictures of handmade, creative parties. I'm afraid, for now, they are a thing of the past. Now, if I can just stop feeling so guilty...

Potty training blessings... yes, I said blessings!

Lucy was almost two. The cursed time of potty training was coming and I tried to pretend it wasn't. Maybe if I didn't think about it, the time wouldn't come when I would need to potty train again! Then one day, out of the blue, Lucy started sitting on the potty. I watched from a distance. Unready and unwilling to jump in and start a long process of accidents and headaches. But I told myself, if she really goes potty in that toilet one of these days, I'll buy some undies for her and do it. Lo and behold, one day she did go! And then she started going all day, in the potty, entirely on her own accord. She undressed herself (something Alex wouldn't do), climbed up on the big potty with out fear (something Lili wouldn't do), and went both poo and pee (something David wouldn't do) whenever she needed to (something none of the rest did). I literally only had to wipe, although she tried doing that as well. I've never heard of any real live kid doing this. If I had, I would have been sceptical. Lucy truly does have a mind of her own!

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

Matt made a snow fort for the kids while he was shoveling our driveway after 9" of snow fell! Later another 9" fell! It was a record snow for our area and boy did we have fun!
The kids played till they were frozen, then inside for hot cocoa to warm up again. Then dry gloves and outside again.

We also bought tubes from a tire store and Matt and I got a workout pulling the kids up the hill we live on to a nearby hilly park. The first time we went we all froze our buns off and went home early. We dug out the snow box and surprized ourselves by finding a snow suit for everyone! An unexpected blessing! Matt says our neighbor had given him a bunch of snow suits last summer, that her kids outgrew. Kudos to Matt for putting them in the snow box!

So we bundled the kids in the snowsuits and spent hours tubing in our park. They have some good steep hills and we joined a crowd of neighborhood families sledding. Kids everywhere were bargaining to trade a sled ride for a tube ride and our kids made a lot of friends that day!

(Fall) Family Picture Time... Yikes!

Alex took the camera, after our pictures were done and started shooting pics of Matt and I. We were just happy the family picture circus was over!

Matt has a special bond with the kids! When Matt started putting in extra hours at work last year, we started having him do the kid's bedtime routine, so he'd be able to spend some time with them each day. Since then, it's been amazing how close the kids have all become to their Dad.

We were all trying to keep our spunky little Lucy in the picture at this moment! She kept trying to escape! All the kids were busy trying to help me, instead of looking at the camera... oh, well. At least they're good siblings!

Primary Temple Trip

We just had a trip to the temple for our Primary activity. The kids were so cute, they were looking forward to it for weeks! It was a wonderful activity. The kids all seemed to have their testimonies grow and it felt wonderful to me to see it happen.

love bugs and tree climbers

We've been taking daily walks after picking Lili up from the bus. David's newest thing is to pick "wishing wells" which are dandy lion seed wands and making wishes. He often offers them to me to make my own wishes too. Lili has been learning to climb the trees around the neighborhood with a vigor. She and her friend "trevor jones" ( I haven't figured out why she says his whole name each time, but it's cute), love to climb together. David has been afraid up until today. He climbed his first tree and even tried his best to smile about it!

Alex's Baptism

"I can't wait until I'm eight... for then I'll be baptized, you see!" Alex's baptism was wonderful. He grinned the whole time in the font. It was so great so see him so happy. Both of his grandparents were able to make it, Since his baptism he's been trying to hard to CTR. He has even been reading his scriptures every night before bed wether or not we remember to remind him. I suggested in the beginning that he read at least 1 verse a day to get the habit formed. He decided to try to read a page a day and has stuck to it for a week now! What a man! I can't tell you what a wonderful thing it is to have a son that is growing into a true elder of Zion. What a feeling!