Abby {11} Sam {4}

 As many of you know June is birthday month for us around here.  We pretty much decorate once and just keep it up and we might as well have an I.V. drip of cake and frosting going right into our bellies the entire month.

 How I am old enough to have an 11 year old I am not quite sure but it is true.  This year Abby requested a flower cake, a pedicure, and a ukulele.  I think she was quite pleased with her day.  She has played her ukulele non stop since she opened it.  Her fingers are sore but believe it or not in only 1 day she has taught herself a few songs and is loving it. 

It has brought back a rush of memories of when I was young.  My sister got a ukulele once and hearing her tune it over and over again to the famous "My Dog Has Fleas" tune drove me nuts.  Well I am pleased to inform you Jeni that 25 years later the my dog has fleas technique still seems to be the best method and I now have the joy of hearing it over and over again in my own home.  Who in the world came up with that jingle in  the first place???

Our sweet Abby is growing up so very very fast.  She blesses our family each day and we are so lucky to have her.  She is kind and sensitive.  She is loving playing piano and her sweet teacher.  She adores crafts of all kinds.  She has created an entire craft room in the basement and she is constantly coming up with creative things to make out of almost nothing.  She is a good friend and a great conversationalist.  Abby, we love you!

Mr. Sam or Sammy or Sam Sam is now our big 4 year old.

He had a different request every 5 minutes of what he wanted this year.  He was so excited the entire day.  In church the primary presidency gives the kids a small gum ball machine on their birthdays.  After sacrament meeting when I told him he would get his gumball machine today his entire body started to shake with excitement.

The kids had fun decorating for his party.  They all made him a special gift and Ethan wrote him such a special big brother note that he loved. 

His requests this year were for a super Sammy cape that Grandma Diane made for him and the slinky dog from Toy Story.  We also got him his own pretend lawn mower.  We already have 1 mower but it is Logan's and Sam's favorite thing to do to "help" daddy mow the lawn.  With only 1 mower one of them always gets left out.  In theory 2 mowers should work, but now they just both fight over the new shiny one!  Go figure.

Sam is an absolute joy.  He brings so much love to our family.  He is loving and patient and funny.  He loves to be with the big kids and is such a good brother to Logan.  He loves to sing and dress up in costumes.  One of his favorite songs right now is Follow the Prophet, only he has his own little spin on it.  He sings it like this, "Follow the prophet, follow the prophet, follow the prophet, don't come and stay" It makes us laugh each time he sings it.  I am forever grateful that Sammy is a part of our family and am so blessed to be his mommy! 

I loved this video clip.  He seemed so surprised when he realized we were singing happy birthday to him!  Unfortunately I missed the sweetest moment ever when I turned the camera off just a minute too soon.  As soon as he blew out the candles he said that he had wished we could all be together forever!  I could not ask for my 4 year old to have any sweeter wish on his birthday.  We love you Sam!