Happy Birthday Ashlyn!
Posted Monday, February 9, 2009, 9:34 AM, CST by Dawn | Ashlyn had a great birthday. We started off by having breakfast at Cracker Barrel. It is a southern resteraunt chain that has a big country store inside. The kids LOVE it. We look around in the store while we wait for our table. Ashlyn was aloud to get 1 thing. Out of all the items they had she wanted a new purse. She got a pink and silver sparkle purse. Hank and I thought this was very Ashlyn.
We then went to the drive though safari. Most of the animals were lying around or eating their hay so they were uninterested in us. We did get to feed some emus, ostriches, lamas and some big deer like animals. I hate the big birds so that was fun and of coarse Hank got it on video. The ostriches can be a little to friendly. Even though a lot of the animals didn’t come right up to the van we still got a good look at them. There was also a petting zoo where you could pet little goats. Amiyah was running around petting every single goat. If the goat walked away from her she would chase it down. We then went to the gift shop. Alyssa and Ashlyn each got a mood necklace. We also bought them a kit that had all kinds of plastic animal parts so you can create your animals.
Next we went to Natural Bridge Caverns. We took a tour of the caverns. It was really cool. I carried Amiyah most of the tour until we had to walk back up. She had fallen asleep by this point so I was able to let Hank carry her up. The girls had a great time. We have been inside caverns in Okinawa but Ashlyn was Amiyah’s age and Alyssa doesn’t really remember. After the caverns we went to the gift shop and let the girls each get a bag of stones. They had hundreds of pretty polished stones to pick through. Then we bought a big bag of dirt with gems hidden inside. You take the dirt and go to the mining area. They have a long wooden water table that had water flowing through it. You poor your dirt in the little screens and let the water wash away the dirt. There were little pretty rocks and gravel left you then pick out the good stuff. Hank and the girls LOVED this part.
We went to dinner after this at Golden Coral. This is a buffet place that Ashlyn likes a lot. Jordan stayed home. He didn’t want to get up and get ready early on a weekend. We came home and had cupcakes and she opened her presents. She got a few toys and some jewelry and hair accessories. She also got lip gloss and nail polish witch she has been begging for. All and all, a good birthday. Ashlyn is now our 6 year old girl. Hank said Ashlyn is lucky to have her birthday during tax return time. Amiyah’s birthday is on the 21st. Hers will be smaller since she is turning 2 and won’t remember anyway.
The puppies have been re-housed and are doing great. We sold them to a woman named Kathy who lives about an hour from here. She is keeping 2 and her sister is keeping 2 and her parents are getting 1. She gave one to a friend of hers son who’s dog died a few weeks ago. The boy is Alyssa’s age. Kathy has been emailing me regularly to update me on the puppies and let me know how they are adjusting. She is keeping all of the puppies for a week or two to see which 2 she wants to keep before letting her family choose theirs. We do miss them from time to time but I am VERY happy to have passed the responsibility off to someone else. NO MORE PUPPY POOP, WOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO!
Our dog Ginger had to go to the vet. She had kennel cough. We do have a lot of dogs in our neighborhood and we have a jogging path behind our house, so she was probably exposed that way. The puppies are not sick so far, so that is good. She was given antibiotics and some other pill and is now a new dog. Hank and Alyssa are the ones that took her to the vet. Hank also got all of her shots updated and put her on heartworm prevention. We now have to get her spayed. We have really seen her personality come out now that she is no longer pregnant or nursing. She plays with her dog toys and runs around with the kids. She is a great dog.
I had to do the Girl Scout cookie booth while Hank took the dog to the vet. He had to do it the next day. I think we only have one more weekend left and then we are done with cookies.
Ashlyn has a field trip this week to the rodeo. I have my 20 week ultrasound on Thursday. We also have Valentines day so I have to help Ashlyn with her class valentines. Alyssa filled out her own this year so that was helpful.
I am learning to delegate some of the things that need to be done to other capable people in our household. When we were getting ready for Ashlyn’s birthday outing, I had Alyssa clean out the van and pack our snacks. She seemed to enjoy doing it. I think it made her feel grown up. I have been trying to grasp this concept for a while. I think when you have 1or 2 kids you can take on most of the work but with a larger family you have to pass the work around. I just need to teach them to do laundry. Jordan can be helpful. I even have him run to the commissary from time to time if I need something right now. He also baby-sits. He has set chores like trash and unloading the dishwasher. I need to give Alyssa and Ashlyn regular chores.
Hank finished his SNCO seminar and is back to work this week. He wasn’t looking forward to going in this morning because he knew he had a lot to catch up on. He may take some leave so he can finish his training coarse online before he puts on MSgt. We also have a few appointments and things that would be easier if he were off for a few weeks. We will see if he can get some time off. Well I need to change Amiyah stinky pants and get some housework done. Love you all.
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