Ammon Turns 10

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Ammon Turns 10

Ammon's birthday is always super stressful to me.

After all - we just had Christmas.

And how do you top that?!

In the past my strategy has generally been to do an impromptu cake and icecream deal.

With the intention of doing a "real" party later.

And that "real" party may or may not happen...

(It happened last year - in April!)

This year I decided that we needed to do our best on his actual birthday.

And call it good at that.

It seemed tricky, though.

I didn't really know any friends to invite for a party.

Andrew had to work.

We were all worn out from Christmas.

In fact, I fell asleep for a good portion of the morning and almost ruined our swimming plans.

Not to mention that Andrew had a late lunch break and didn't get home with the car as expected.

Fortunately I woke up to a text from a friend asking if we were coming swimming again.

I had gone to sleep after allowing the boys to play on the tablets, so Ammon had long forgotten his desire to swim.

But once I eliminated electronics from being an option, swimming was back on.

We scrambled to get our stuff together, and made it to the swim.

(Open swimming here is only available at certain times.)

It wouldn't have worked out without my friend.

I had to leave the boys under her supervision to take Andrew back to work.

But she was willing to help out and make it happen for us.

After swimming we went to McDonald's for lunch.

Then we stopped by the grocery store where Ammon picked out his cake.

He and Peter each got HUGE cupcakes that they ate when we got home.

Then we got a small (half) cake to put candles in for eating after dinner.

Ammon couldn't stand the wait for presents, so we did that first thing when Andrew got home from work.

He had a present from Barbara and Sonner.

It had been under our Christmas tree taunting him all month.

She was tricky about wrapping it and had put it in a popcorn box.

He had snuck into the wrapping and totally thought popcorn was what he was getting.

Then he opened it up and discovered it was knitted socks she had made for him.

THEN she had him put the socks on and he discovered 10 dollars in it - one for each year.

THEN he put on the other sock and found 10 MORE dollars.

I don't think he's ever held so much money of his own.

He was in heaven!

Then he opened the gift from us.

He wasn't sure about it at first, but became quickly excited.

It was six star wars figurines.

Each guy came with a piece to build a seventh guy.

As they were cleaning up the trash, Ammon told Barbara,

"This is my best birthday ever!"

FINALLY we got around to making dinner.

Ammon had asked for tin foil dinners.

Andrew grilled them up for us and they turned out amazingly well!

We finished up with cake and icecream and by this time it was already past bedtime.

Birthday success!

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Family Proclamation

The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children.All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God's commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God's eternal plan.Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. "Children are an heritage of the Lord" (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.

This proclamation was read by President Gordon B. Hinckley as part of his message at the General Relief Society Meeting held September 23, 1995, in Salt Lake City, Utah.