Jonathon's Golden Birthday

It is a once in a lifetime event, turning the age as your birth day. This year Jonathon turned 12 on the 12th!This was birthday was a very special one! Not only was it his golden birthday, but it is a special age in our church! When a young man turns 12, they enter into the priesthood! We are lucky enough to live near family, so we had the entire family (minus Jess and her bunch) up for his birthday.
We did cake, ice cream and presents on his actual birthday with just the grandparents and us. Scott and his family arrived on Friday evening. April and her family came on Saturday, and Chris and Krystal came Saturday evening.
Saturday was beautiful, so we took the kids to the bamboo forest.

It was not as impressive as I remembered from my childhood, but evidently a tornado re-did the landscape several years ago and it just hasn't recovered yet. The path has become unkept, and the mosquitoes were out in full force!

Still, it was fun to walk through! We did get rather hot rather quickly! Bryce and Andrew moved so quickly, the camera and I didn't catch up to them. From the forest, we headed to Bass Pro Shops to let the kids torture the innocent shoppers within, I mean, shoot guns upstairs. They had a ball.

April and her family met up with us at Bass Pro. Shane skipped out, would prefer to go to a Alabama football game than to spend hours with 20 of his most favorite crazy family members. Go figure?????

Sunday, my baby (he'll always be my baby!) was confirmed as a Deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood! We are so proud of him! I know it will not be long before we are (hopefully!) sending him off on a mission! It is amazing how quickly the days and years are flying by! It truly seems like just yesterday that he was a blond haired little boy pointing out airplanes in the sky! He really is a great kid, even if he does fight with his siblings a little too much for this mom's taste! He has read the Book of Mormon, on his own, front to back about three times now. (He is almost finished with his third) That is much more than I can say for me as a 12 year old! He bears his testimony on his own on Fast Sunday. He talks to his friends at school about the gospel. He even tried to give a friend a Book of Mormon. The kid didn't accept it, but we were so proud of him for trying. This move has been a difficult one for him, and friends have not come as easily this time. He was the new kid in a school where kids have been together since kindergarten, so last year there were times when he really did not enjoy it, and felt like he didn't have many friends. Still, he excelled, and continued each day! He ran for vice-president of Jr. Beta Club this year, and while he didn't win. I was very proud he put himself out there, and took the chance. Now, don't get me wrong, he is still 12, and he certainly has his moments when I could hang him by his toes! All in all, a great kid who is a great example to his younger siblings. We know we have been blessed with very good children!

Speaking of very good children, as I sit typing this, Sam has made a spot on the living room floor with a giant box of Lucky Charms, picking out the good parts! (for the record, I only like the marshmallows in that cereal too! ) That must be my cue to quit blabbering, and do the mom thing. That two year old of mine can make quite the mess! Oh the thought! But he sure is cute!