It's Great to be Eight

My little sister Kenzie turned eight years old.  Kristen asked Whitney and I if we would help with her friend party...  We agreed.  And it was a lot of fun. 

If any of you know Kenzie, you know that if she is home - she's in her pajamas.  So it only made sense to have a pajama party.  Her cute little friends came over, and we decorated pillow cases, ate pizza, popped some popcorn, painted some nails and put in a movie.  What movie you may ask?  The Grinch.  Why The Grinch in September?  Haha well...

Whitney's husband, John, has a Grinch costume.  And he does pretty much the most spot on impression of the Grinch ever.  It's hilarious!  (Usually you can't see his human ears in the costume, but he forgot his pins this night.) So someone decided it would be funny if we put The Grinch on the TV, and then had John show up in his Grinch costume and pajamas to harass a bunch of little girls.  It was great. 

Kelsey and Grinch

The Grinch and his spouse

Kenzie and Grinch

Whit and me in our PJs 

Ellie wore her PJs too

The next week, Kenzie was baptized.  She asked John and Clayton to be her witnesses.  It was pretty special.  Kenzie was confirmed, and my dad gave her a beautiful blessing.  And in the middle of said blessing - Ellie's pants exploded.  It was all I could do not to laugh.  Kelsey was sitting right next to me - and I prayed that she wouldn't laugh either.  After it was all said and done, I found out everyone in attendance was trying really hard not to laugh.  Way to go Ellie, hahaha. 

My dad had a supplier from work, Debbie, in town from Texas, and he took it upon the family to entertain her while she was here.  She came to the baptism, met the family at lunch afterwards, and then we all went to Park City.  While the fam was riding the Alpine Slide at Park City, I sat back at a table with the babe.  Next to me was an older man with two small babes.  There was a little boy (10 months old) sitting in a chair, all wrapped up in a blanket.  The old man was holding a little girl (4 months old) in his arms.  We made eye contact a few times and exchanged smiles when each of our babes were fussy.  Suddenly, the little boy sitting in the chair started to fuss pretty badly.  The old man sat the little girl down in another chair to attend to the little boy.  I turned to see the little girl falling out of the chair she had just been placed in.  I ran with Ellie in my arms and made it just in time to catch her head from hitting the concrete with my free hand.  The old man pretty much had a melt down.  Telling me he had taken on more than he could handle, that these were his 17th and 18th grandchildren, thank you so much, etc. etc.  I just told him "you're welcome" and asked him if I could buy him a drink.  Poor guy.  So I saved a life - haha.  Kristen then took over Ellie duty for me, and I went and rode the Alpine Coaster.  Holy crap that was fun.  (I'd ridden the slide before but not the coaster.)  Clay and I were in the last two coasters, and I will never ever forget Kenzie and my dad's car zooming past.  My dad was laughing hysterically and Kenzie was terrified.  They were followed by Whitney and Kelsey's coaster.  Both were screaming their heads off.  I can't wait to take Ellie on the coaster one day, haha.  We then ate some Mexican food and headed home.  It was a great day.

My little fam at Park City 

Bran and Toad had a sleepover the next night. 

On Monday night, my dad called everyone over for Family Home Evening.  We wrote randomly in a family journal growing up, and my dad decided he wanted everyone to contribute their favorite memories from Kenzie's baptism weekend to the family journal to remember forever and ever. 

There were some pretty funny entries from when I was a teenager written inside about different friends - all of whom I am still friends with today (obviously, not as close, but still.)  It was fun for me to read an entry I had written in 2004 about my friend Kjell because after leaving my dad's house, we went to visit Kjell and his wife Paige and their brand new, beautiful baby girl Majken.  Reading the family journal made me want to be better at keeping a family/personal journal.  (I need to stop making excuses, and just do it!)

Anyways...  Kenzie is eight.  I still remember the day she was born like it was yesterday.  I missed Kjell's 18th birthday party because Kristen went into labor (yes, Kenzie and Kjell and now Kjell's daughter share the same birthday.  Pretty neat!) Whit and I were in the delivery room and we were all convinced Kenzie was a boy.  Well... she wasn't.  And that little girl that is so full of attitude has been full of surprises ever since.  I love you kiddo.  Thanks for being my baby(iest) sister.

Kenz and Kels