Blast Off to Tyler's 5th Birthday and All the Parties that Come With It!

Happy 5th Birthday, Tyler!  How are you so tall and grown up?  I hate that he is growing up so fast, but I love that he can do so much more to help me (and himself) around the house and out and about.  And that he still sits on my lap and snuggles.  :-) He has been looking forward to this birthday so much.  For the past few months he has come up with several different themes and places he wants to go, more than one present wish list, and stories of, "When I'm 5..."

This was Tyler's very 1st Friends Birthday Party and we had lots planned!  He invited his CTR5 Primary class and his play date buddies.  We were happy when everyone was able to come: Tyler, Lydia (who was thrilled to be included with the big kids), Emmy and Owen, Grace, Ben, Kaden and Kaylee, and Austin.

 These are little space rockets the kids made to hold their pinata candy. 

 The jet rocket pack game was a blast.  Each child wears a rocket pack, races down to a stack of cups, and uses a squirt gun to knock down their tower first.

                    

         

  

Decorate your own cupcake.

 Fun opening presents.

Grandma Joyce demonstrating the pinata blindfold.  Who knew a chef's hat would be perfect for this sort of thing?

                

 Ben having fun.

"Just whack it open Lydia!"  That was one tough pinata.

 Who knew passing out squirt guns while waiting for parents at the very end would be the hit of the party?

After a rest, we did the Planetarium in the afternoon.  One of Tyler's favorite places to visit.

 Waiting for "Perfect Little Planet" to start in the Hansen Dome.

This was a big deal for Tyler.  He had come to see a kids planetarium movie here about a half a year ago and the noise and dome projection scared him so much we left halfway through.  He really wanted to conquer his fear so this is what he wanted to do for his birthday.  He did it!  Halfway into the movie, he leaned over and said, "This is fun!"

 

We kept it simple for Tyler's family party in the evening.  His favorite "Pepper (Papa) John's Pizza", cake, and ice cream.

 Present time!  The sand chompers were a hit.  I liked them because Tyler cleaned chomped up all the garbage after the party. :-) 

                      

 

The many happy and surprised faces of Tyler during gift time. 

            

                      

                       

Meanwhile, Lydia was just around the corner doing this.  Silly girl.

The outer space cake.  (Disclaimer: All planets and stars were washed before being placed upon the cake.)

Yes, those are planets they are licking off.

                                

Tyler and Lydia chilling after a long day of three fun parties.

Happy Birthday, Tyler!  Love you, little guy!

Happy #2 Lyddie-Lou!

Have you every tried to find Dumbo paraphernalia for a birthday party?  Two party stores, a couple of big box stores, and hours on the internet later I discover that except for a few Dumbo napkins in the UK on ebay, it's practically nonexistent.  Crazy, right?  At last, finding these invitations online encouraged me.  Lydia would have her Dumbo party.

I am SO glad her Dumbo cake turned out!  The figurine on top is from when I was young.  The decorating worked, though it's not as smooth as that girl on Pinterest who uses a paper towel.  My paper towel attempt just left fuzzies, so I scraped them off and used a metal spatula thingy to smooth it out.    Anyway, it still turned out cute!  Happy Birthday, Lydia!

  Look how big she looks at only 2 years old!

 This was our BBQ spread.

Lydia mostly consumed Lemonade, but hey, it's her birthday, right?

It's so nice to have a backyard.  And shade.  And grass.  And family living so close.

Funny story about this picture.  This is not an angry face, it's a determined one.  Apparently Tyler saw smoke and ran post-haste up to his room to put on his fireman coat and boots and save the day.

(Turns out this was the smoke he saw.)

Love my little girl!

 Present time!

 

Tyler was pretty excited about his present to Lydia.

 And she wore them the rest of the night.  I thought she was going to try to sleep in them.

Lydia and her Dada.

Whenever she opened a book, she just wanted to stop present time and sit down and have someone read to her.  Tyler was sweet to oblige.  

So happy with each and every one of her presents.  Thank you everyone!

 Once again, Tyler is on hand to help out.  Lydia never minded.

"Look it's my birthday!"

 

 Happy 2nd Birthday, sweet Lydia!  Thank you to everyone who helped me design decorations, shop for the party, and for everyone who attended.  Lydia had so much fun.  She walked around the house the next few days saying, "Birthday. Birthday!  Birthday."

Life Changing Lasik Eye Surgery

About 6 months ago, my life changed.  I was on the receiving end of a miracle.  I was blessed with the opportunity to get Lasik eye surgery.  This miracle touched me more spiritually than I ever would have imagined.  A part of me can relate at least in part to what it was like when Christ healed the blind.  Although the world was not dark for me, beyond a couple of feet it was so blurry and indistinguishable, I could not see.  I am so grateful for the contacts and glasses that helped me to function for years beforehand.  It was just difficult as I would get headaches (with the glasses) and with the contacts, the smallest dust particle would feel like glass in my eye - kind of scary when this would happen while driving on the freeway.  Contacts are so easy to lose too!  One of mine is still at the bottom of the ocean in Maui somewhere...

I was so looking forward to the surgery, but on the day of, I was terrified.  I mean, these are my eyes we are talking about!  Tyson had gotten Lasik a few months earlier and knew what I was going through.  I am grateful that he was there to hold my hand and let me have my silent anxiety attack in the car and then in the waiting room.

At the end of the day, everything went so well.  I don't think I was even there an hour.  I was chatted to and filled out forms.  The surgery itself took maybe 10 minutes.  The surgeon talked me through it as he was performing it.  Though not super comfortable, it was not painful at all.  And bam!  I could see!  Well, I assume I could.  I actually had these goggle things on the whole way home and then went straight to bed.  But the next morning I could see.  And now, 6 months later, my eyes are still wonderfully visually perfected.  This surgery truly is a miracle.  It has blessed so many people that I have talked to.  I am so grateful for the inspiration and the help from above that I know was received by whomever developed it.

And because everyone loves before and after pictures, here they are!  (I tried to capture just how bad my eyesight was and how it is now.)

Before

 After - Hiking is so much better now :-)

 Before

After - Being able to sit on the deck and watch my kids play, that alone makes it worth it!

 Before

After - It is so, so nice to be able to watch TV and movies without my eyes drying out or trying to find my glasses.

Some have asked where I got my Lasik done.  So I'll include the info.  My pre and post-op optometrist was Dr. Mike West in Sandy (worth the drive, people!) #801-572-EYES.  He got me a truly great price (email me if you want more info and I'll ask him the latest dollar amounts and details).  The actual surgery was done by Dr. Kevin Charlton at his surgical center in SLC.

So for those of you who have asked me my opinion or are scared, I'd say my only regret is that I didn't have it done 10 years earlier!