a crazy coupla weeks

The summer is drawing to a close and somehow that seems to mean that it is time to get in a bunch of great get togethers before the days start to grow tired and fall creeps into the world.  (I love fall, it is my favorite!).  So, we've done our best to make the most of the last moments of summer and spend them with people we love. 

The DeMoux ladies had the chance to get together for lunch to celebrate the upcoming birth of another DeMoux female.  It was great to spend time with my beautiful and always happy sisters-in-law and Josh's incredible mother (not to mention two adorable nieces).  We laughed and chatted and just had a great time together while watching Trish open cute baby gifts (buying stuff for girls is sooo much fun!). 

And speaking of baby girls, I also hosted a baby shower for a cute mom-to-be in my ward this week.  Aubrey and Ellie helped me spruce up the living room (and Aubrey has now claimed many of said decorations and had strung them all over her bedroom).  Dozens of sweet women from the neighborhood dropped by to celebrate the pending birth of this little bundle of joy.  It was fun to visit with so many ladies that I love and look up to (and as an added bonus my kids -- who were strategically stashed in the basement since Josh was at soccer all night -- behaved beautifully...what more could I ask for!). 

 But we haven't just been bombarded with babies, we have also been bursting with birthdays!

Across the street from us lives our bonus grandma, Sister Sweet.  She is amazing and our kids ADORE her.  She is a fabulous influence on our little ones and I am really grateful for her posotive and loving example.

Well, it was her birthday so we decided to sneak over while she was out and leave a surprise for her.  We chalked up her driveway with pictures and messages and left balloons and birthday cards on her door to greet her when she got home.  The kids went all out and even recruited some passing neighborhood kids to help (that is so like my children...they get that from their father).

It was fun to try to make our Sweet Grandma feel special and let her know how much we appreciate her.

 (This was Josh's contribution to our chalk message...that guy!)

But our family had birthdays of our own to celebrate.  G turned six the other day.  He started kindergarten this year and feels all grown up.  He begged to have donuts for breakfast so that's what we did.  We do try to indulge on birthdays. 

Our tiniest princess also turned two so she got to have the spotlight on her as well.  She is a gigantic fan of ANYTHING Mickey Mouse so she got a Minnie Mouse phone and a Minnie Mouse t-shirt and she was thrilled!  She didn't quite understand the whole idea of presents and we sort of had to chase her down and trap her on the couch so we could give them to her (and she still cried a bit) but all in all she had a good day.  Welcome to the terrible two's.