"I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good"

Brevin turned ten this past July, and I could sum up the past year of his life in two words--Harry Potter.  It was in that time he read all the books, watched all the movies multiple times, and spent a rather large amount of time role playing as a wizard and spell battling with friends and brothers.  He hand carved a wand, built a pinewood derby Hogwarts Express train, and colored his hair and donned his black robes on more than one occasion.  It's been a bit of an obsession, and I'm totally okay with that.  In fact, I am pleased as punch.  I've loved sharing his interest in all things Harry Potter and watching his excitement as he has explored this new and magical world of which I had become so familiar with some years ago.

Of course, Brevin has many other interests like sports, scouts, and video games (yes, he has Harry Potter video games, too), and this has also been a year of impressive social and emotional growth and maturing.  He has developed into quite the responsible person, and I rely on him heavily to help take care of his younger siblings and set a good example for them.  He has definitely been up to the task, and for that I am grateful.  That being said, I still think this will be the year we look back on with fondness as the year he lived life through the eyes of "the boy who lived."

Brevin's Birthday Breakfast

German pancakes and buttermilk syrup seem to be a popular breakfast of choice at our home.  Brevin did consider blueberry pancakes in the shape of a number 10, but then he concluded that he really wanted to have what Spencer had.  I threw in a breakfast fruit smoothie to sweeten the deal.

Post Delivered by Owl



Brevin's birthday fell to a Thursday this year, and he did not want to wait until his party on Sunday to receive gifts from mom and dad, so parcels were delivered by owl on the day of his birthday. (I got the clever idea from HERE.) 

Brevin's Birthday Dinner

Since he requested the same breakfast as Spencer, why not choose the same location Spencer chose for dinner?  After all, how can you beat all-you-can-eat pizza?

A Magical Birthday Celebration

We do not have a friend birthday party every year, and this happened to be the "off" year for Brevin.  Still, we always have a get together with extended family who live close so we can eat cake and ice cream and watch a year-in-review video. Brevin requested a Harry Potter themed party (surprise, surprise) and I went to work on creating what might have been my favorite party to plan yet.  It was such a blast to implement all of the brilliant ideas available through an internet search of Harry Potter party ideas.

The Invitations:

Thanks to an online tutorial HERE, the invitations turned out looking great.  I cut brown packing paper from a roll to fit through my printer for the envelopes and then sealed them with sealing wax supplies that I purchased from a craft store.  The Hogwarts acceptance letter wording came directly out of the book and I created an insert with the specific party details. Both were printed on news print paper that I bought from a paper supply company. 

The Party Table:

My inspiration for the table decor came from HERE.  While I did not even come close to duplicating what had been done, I was pleased, nonetheless, with how Brevin's table looked.  I had so much fun at a local thrift store buying mismatched jars and bottles and the curtain drape that became the table covering.  The sterling silver candelabras I already owned, though, and they just so happened to hold ten candles.  Perfect! 

The Drinks:

I loved the free printable labels for The Three Broomsticks Butter Beer that I found HERE.  I printed them on sheets of sticker paper, cut them out, and slapped them on some IBC cream sodas.  It could not have been any easier to create this element of the party, and it added an authentic detail to the table that Harry Potter lovers would truly appreciate.

For those not interested in Butter Beer, I had my huge dispenser of water. Paired with jars filled with random things such as laundry soap, syrup, and fertilizer, we had the perfect makings for a potions display (especially when THESE LABELS were added to the jars).

The Cake:

And then there was the cake.  I am pretty proud of this one.  When Brevin requested a cake that looked like Hedwig the owl, I thought it would be easy to find pictures on the internet of such a concoction.  As it turned out, there was not much to inspire, so I studied actual photos of Hedwig from the film instead.  I used my Wilton stand-up bear cake pan and added another six-inch round to give a bit of height to the cake.  I created each feather individually, painted black food coloring on the tip, then secured it to a wing or tail piece, all of which was made from marshmallow fondant.  The eyes, beak and feet were also made of fondant, as were the decorative elements of the wand and scarf.  Because I wanted the the cake to be edible, the remainder was covered with a buttercream frosting and I used a leaf frosting tip to create the smaller fluffy feathers.  When it was time to cut the cake, we removed all the fondant so we could get to the good stuff. 

 All that remained was to sing Happy Birthday and let Brevin attempt to blow out the candles.

He looked like he might force himself to pass out:

It was the blowing of the candles from this new angle that sent a smattering of rust colored wax across my kitchen wall:

Wow!  That was a lot of work blowing out those candles.  You better enjoy a Butter Beer...or two!

"Mischief Managed!"

This post authored by Amber

"Don't Be Offended By My Frank Analysis"

Wicked was WICKED! 

When it was learned that the Broadway show was going to make another run at the Capitol Theater in Salt Lake City, my sister-in-law, Jenny, had the wits to buy season tickets which would allow her to purchase tickets for Wicked  before they went on sale to the general public (or before the Capitol Theater turned most of them over to another ticketing company who would then mark-up the prices to outrageous amounts).  Jenny was able to offer us a chance to buy great seats for a reasonable price, and Jason and I jumped on the opportunity. We'd had our tickets for close to a year in advance, but it sure was fun to have something like that to look forward to.

There is a reason people make a big fuss about this show.  It is fantastic. Everything from the costumes to the set to the lighting design was jaw-droppingly flawless, but when it all comes down to it, Stephen Schwartz deserves his dues for the brilliantly written music and lyrics. 

I have loved listening to my soundtrack with Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth all this time, but I must say that the performers we saw (Nicole Parker and Alli Mauzey) gave them a run for their money.  I'd go as far as to say that they were better, but it was a live performance, and I was all caught up and on the edge of my seat with excitement at being in the theater and witnessing it first-hand, so I don't think that makes for a fair comparison.

Well, anyway, I loved it.  I think Jason enjoyed it, too.  It was also quite easy to enjoy the experience knowing that our children were in the capable hands of Jason's parents, his sister, and her husband.  We could rest easy knowing they were having a grand old time playing at the pool. Many thanks to all who made the experience possible.  And now I have to wait for--who knows how long--for my next Wicked fix.  Hey Jason, I hear they're performing in Hawaii in November!  *wink, wink*

This post authored by Amber

Cub Day Camp

This year I had two sons heading to Jeremiah Johnson's Cub Scout day camp. 

I sent this one off early in the morning:

I sent this one off in the afternoon:

And all that day I read the entire book Catching Fire.  Now all I need is another day of day camp so I can finish Mocking Jay.

This post authored by Amber

Celebrating America

The Fourth of July is quite the event around these parts.  Provo's Freedom Festival is a celebration that I believe is unmatched by most of the country.  As a family, we try to take in as many of the events offered as possible, because I want to leave an impression upon my children that living in this country and enjoying the freedoms it has to offer is a big deal--a very big deal--and certainly one worth celebrating.  I hope that the excitement and fun my children experience will eventually translate into feelings of patriotism and respect and loyalty for our country.  I also secretly hope that one day they will feel, as I do, that the single most exhilarating and awesome event of any Fourth of July celebration is this:

What was cool about Provo's Freedom Festival this year is that they did a flyover for the parade and the fireworks.  Even so, the roaring of jets so low to the ground that you can feel it vibrate in your chest is something that I could never get enough of.

Oh, and I do like all of this other stuff, too:

We got up early to watch the hot air balloons lift off from Fox field.

Ella thought it was pretty neat when the balloons lifted off the ground.

After the balloons, we nabbed a spot near the very

 front of the parade route. Jason picked up some McDonald's

for breakfast, and we ate while we waited for the parade to start.

We managed to be close enough to the front of the road

for a good view and where children could run out to

grab candy or a high-five from a beloved Cosmo.

       

We finished the night in true celebratory fashion as we watched

 the fireworks from Provo High School's football field.

This post authored by Amber



Reunion at Brian Head

The Kane County fire forced the evacuation of the area where the lodge was located in which we were to be staying for my family's summer gathering.  Some last minute scrambling produced a set of town homes at the Brian Head resort that belonged to a client of my brother's.  Lance is a realtor, and after enjoying the amazing accommodations of the homes at Brian Head, we joked that he wouldn't want to work very hard at selling the properties for his client so they would be available for our family reunion next year, too. 

Our huge family fit so comfortably in the two homes.  We could spread out for crafts and the children's treasure hunt, or we could pile into the movie room to watch a show on the big screen.  Mostly, we ate delicious meals, sat around to visit, and teased my sister, Cheryl, about all of the ideas from Pinterest that she was implementing on the trip.  It was all so much fun.

Ella wanted to hold her baby cousin, Amelia,

who is a year younger and a bit larger than she is.

Dallin was given charge of this cute group for the the treasure hunt.  He was so

sweet to slowly walk to each new clue while holding hands with Addie and Garrett.

While moms were making really pretty bracelets with expensive

craft supplies, children were kept content with the fixings for their own.

Because of the new location, we were very close to Cedar Breaks National monument, so we took advantage of seeing those breathtaking sights just before hitting the road to head back home.

Here are the amazing views that Ella was captivated by:

So lovely, don't you think?

Park rangers had special equipment set up that

allowed us to view solar flares and sun spots.

After a presentation on mountain lions, the park rangers brought out a bobcat pelt to look at.  Garrett was a little unsettled about being stared down by the dead animal.

No family gathering would feel complete without helping

 Grandpa empty a box (or two) of citrus flavored tic-tacs.

We had been on the road for maybe ten minutes when

the exhaustion from all the excitement of the reunion set in. 

It's always hard to give final hugs before saying goodbye. Man, I love my family.  They are pretty darn cool.

This post authored by Amber

Spencer's Birthday & Baptism

Eight years ago I experienced a whirlwind delivery that necessitated an emergency dose to my epidural, and Dr. Wolsey just about didn't make it back to the hospital for Spencer's arrival.  Those events seem so vivid and recent that it's hard to believe that eight years have already passed since then.

Well, eight years is enough time to get to know a person, and what can I say?  Spencer has a larger than life personality; everything is full-throttle with him.  He plays hard, works hard, studies hard, and sometimes fights hard.  He is charming and charismatic, and he adapts to all situations with ease.  He is a very fluent reader, but loses interest in books quickly, so he often starts a book then moves to another.  He has quite a gift for writing, though.  Journals and notebooks often litter his bedroom, filled with expressive stories and anecdotes, accompanied by quirky illustrations.  When it comes to athletics, Spencer is one of those people who makes any sport look effortless.  He just has a natural grace and way about him.  And with all of his fabulous qualities, it might seem weird that what I love about Spencer is that he consistently makes his own bed every morning without being asked.  Yeah, he's a good kid.

A Birthday Photo Shoot

I wanted to get some photographs of Spencer for his Baptism announcement and birthday invitations.  Bicentennial park in Provo provided the perfect backdrop.  With a newly acquired suit, he looked as though he was eight going on nineteen. Were it not for his boyish grin with a mixed assortment of adult and baby teeth, I might have been convinced that he was ready to leave for a mission.

Birthday Breakfast of Choice 

Spencer requested German pancakes on the morning of his birthday, and to every one's delight, I obliged.  We even pulled out the china to make it a little extra special.

Birthday Activities

Jason met all of us during his lunch hour and we went to the distribution center to allow Spencer to pick out his own set of scriptures and tote bag.  He also really wanted to have a pocket hymn book.  How can you argue with that?

We got some lunch at Coney's and then headed back for work and home.  Jason got off work a little early in the evening so he could stay home with Ella while I took the boys to see the Pixar movie Brave.  We filled up on so much popcorn and soda, that there was little appetite left for a birthday dinner, so we decided to go out the following night, but we did have him open his birthday gifts.

Spencer's Birthday Dinner

Even though he chose to go there last year on his birthday, the Pizza Pie Cafe got Spencer's vote again this year.  Well, how can you resist all-you-can-eat pizza, especially when you have choices like Oreo cookie?  As you can tell from the photo and the chocolatey crumbs on his face, this was not Spencer's first slice.  (It probably wasn't his last, either.) 

Spencer's Baptism

Saturday, June 30th was the special day that Spencer was baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  He was well prepared and ready to make that special commitment to Heavenly Father.  It was a lovely service attended by family and friends.  He got to share the experience with his primary teacher's grandson, Isaac.  The two have become friends over the past year or so when Isaac's family has been in town to visit. 

Grandpa Gilliland and Grandpa Park served as witnesses to Spencer's baptism.  Grandma Gilliland said a prayer, Grandma Park directed the music, and Brevin gave a talk on the Holy Ghost.  All of these were at Spencer's request, and all participating added a significant, personal touch to the ordinance performed.

Of course, the sweet events of the day were cause for celebration afterward with food, gifts, a birthday video, and cake.  We sang Happy Birthday and Spencer blew out the candles on his chocolate raspberry cake.  It was a fitting conclusion to all of the celebrating that came with the passing of eight years.

Happy Birthday, Spencer!

This post authored by Amber