Big Birthday Celebration in NYC!

We've told the kids that their 10th birthday - as they entered into double digits and complete a full decade of life - is a BIG DEAL.  And to celebrate we promised a trip to any place (within the continental US) with just their parents.  JB has been thinking about this for quite a while, choosing NYC long ago as his destination.  The day before his birthday the trip finally arrived!  We took him out of school a bit early to head to the (so super easy, love it so much more than ATL) Savannah Airport and touched down in NYC on Thursday night!  

I took over 150 pictures and made a full book for JB, to highlight all the many sights and scenic views that we took in over the very short trip. These are just a few of my favorite memories!

We woke up on Friday (JB's actual 10th birthday and the day of our scheduled 6 hours walking/bus/ferry tour) to torrential downpours - and by the end of the day NYC would report record-breaking rainfall and flooding throughout the city. Did it stop us?  No way.  Did we stay dry?  Also no.  :) But we had a GREAT time, even in wet clothes and shoes.  We got to see so much from the bus, ride over to Staten Island and get very close to the Statue of Liberty, enjoy some NYC pizza (our first of a few slices), reflect at the 9/11 Memorial, and take in the streets and sounds of New York. We ended at Central Park for a quick stop (though we did much more in Central Park on Saturday).

So cold after a long day of walking!

JB requested a "real NYC steak dinner" for his birthday, and Benjamin Steakhouse did not disappoint!  I'm afraid he's now very spoiled, thinking this is a "normal" way to eat (fine dining), and we should close every supper with a huge cheesecake slice.

The rain finally ended after dinner and we took advantage to walk home through Manhattan and Times Square.

Next day we had a pedicab tour through Central Park, which is honestly the most time I've ever spent in Central Park! What a national treasure.  Again, drizzling, but by then we were so used to it that it didn't even phase us.  Our driver loved to stop and take family shots at each and every opportunity. JB kept referring to us as "The OG". (Don't worry, M and W, he loves y'all, too!)

After a quick bite we got ready for....HAMILTON!!!  Super exciting and probably still the highlight of the whole entire trip for JB. He's memorized every word to the show, been a fan for several years, and to see it ON BROADWAY??  Dream come true.

That night we took advantage of clear skies (finally!!) to go get some real Brooklyn pizza (another JB request) and walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.  On the ride over I think the trip finally caught up with JB, who took a quick snooze in the cab!

The next day we had the BEST weather - on our very last day!  But it made for a nice time souvenir shopping, walking around Times Square, and then a quick (but beautiful) ascent up the Empire State Building.  (Just JB and I got to do the tour, as we had a short window before our flight and James hung out with our luggage at the swanky Starbucks on the first level).

After our Empire State tour we moved quickly to LGA, as it was already time to go home to Savannah. (Ms Therlon stayed with the littler kids and they had a great weekend, too!)  We left NYC with lots of memories and very full hearts. What a special trip to celebrate this great kid - who's growing into a young man, each and every day - and we will never forget it!

(And I suspect we'll be in NYC in 2 years and 4 years with Maryn and Wesley. All of the pictures and stories put the Big Apple high up on their 10 year list!)

Happy 10th Birthday to JB!

Our firstborn son - how is it possible that you have completed a FULL DECADE of life on this beautiful earth! Our world is a better place for it, and we are so thankful you made us parents and kicked things off for the kids in the family.  I know you think we treat you differently (harder) because you're the oldest...and we probably do...but you show us a lot of patience and grace, too, and we love you for it.  You're a great big brother to your siblings and setting a great example at home and at school.

We're so proud of your academics, your focus on school and learning, your wide range of interests (from music to baseball to history) and how hard you work to put yourself out there and try new things.  As you grow into a young man, I pray that this curiosity continues and you're not afraid to keep moving forward in whatever you choose to do!  

We celebrated JB a day early, on the 28th, because his big birthday present: A TRIP TO NYC!!  

While he knew about the trip, he was not aware of one of the scheduled activities: tickets to see his absolute favorite musical, Hamilton.  His face when he found out:

I'm going to include LOTS of photos from NYC in another post, as we had a blast celebrating our big 10 YEAR OLD and made so many wonderful memories.  JB, you're one special kid and a total old soul.  I pray God gives you wisdom and guidance as you begin a new decade of your life and grow into the man that He has created you to be. Love you BIG!

Love to James, too!

Amidst all the kid birthdays and birthday celebrations...our main guy also celebrated another year around the sun!  And we celebrate one more year together, as the original OGs of the family before all the kiddos joined us!  

We're so thankful for you, James, and all that you do for our family.  It's hard to even think and write about all the big and little things you do to make our family what it is today.  You're aging like a fine wine and look better and better with every passing year!  

Happy 46th Birthday to you, and Happy 14th Anniversary to us.  Appreciate that we celebrated both of these major events in small ways: between kid events, at lunch, whenever we could squeeze in time. It's just our phase of life right - and I'm grateful for every second!

Happy 6th Birthday to Wild Wesley!

Our little family caboose keeps growing up, and Wesley is now SIX YEARS OLD!  While I say "wild Wesley" he is only wild and crazy part of the time. He's also sweet and cuddly, smart and serious, funny and fun loving. He's just all the things. We're totally biased but we think he's pretty awesome and so glad that he's ours.

While he's normally carefree and having a big old time, sometimes doing something dangerous and causing his Mama some major heart palpitations, he's also starting to show a little perfectionism in his art and schoolwork. He's spending lots more time with Legos and crafts, working to get everything "just right".  He has expressed a desire to learn the drums, and we're suggesting piano first. :)  He still dances and sings and LOVES to play around. 

This year he's really matured, and it's hard to think he's no longer a baby. He'll lose a tooth very soon, I suspect, and that kills me!  But, I also love watching him learn and grow. He's one smart kid.

We celebrated Wesley's big day with a quick breakfast at Lake Dye grill and then headed down to Dublin. His cousins from Atlanta and his bestie from Preschool met us at the Farm for a bouncy house, hamburgers, and lots of cake! 

Wesley, our littlest man, it's so hard not to love and squeeze on you all of the time. You will always have a special place in our heart as the baby, but now you're growing up into a little kid (who still make us smile!)  The Lord made you special, for sure, and He's going to use that wild side to do BOLD things for His kingdom.  LOVE YOU!

Happy 8th Birthday to our Sweet Maryn

Birthday month is upon us!  It's time to celebrate all these amazing kiddos! First up, our Sissy, who turned EIGHT YEARS OLD.  We certainly think eight is great :)

Maryn is such a joy and just loves people. And people love her.  She's got a lot of EQ, and she's extremely perceptive to others and their feelings. She is always giving compliments and noticing people's outfits, hair, dress, smile, etc.  She drives her brothers crazy, and I suspect she knows exactly what she is doing when she does it!! :)  

While it's hard to nail her down for reading or computer work, she's doing very well in school and has high marks for aptitude.  She will fall asleep the second her head hits her pillow, which makes reading time very difficult!  Her teachers say she is their little helper, and she continues to say she will be a nurse - so she can help people. What a heart on this sweet red head...

For her birthday we celebrated first as a family, with donuts, church, Defy, and then dinner at our Clubhouse.  She loved all the attention.

The following weekend we first went to Dublin so she could have dinner and a sleepover with her besties.  The time together was good for her 8 year old soul!

The next day we drove to Atlanta for another sleepover, this time with her grandmother, aunt and cousin.  We had a wonderful time in a hotel, with room service, and girl time.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE you, sweet baby girl, and so proud of you. You have such a spunky, creative, and fun spirit to you - but with a servant's heart that seeks to love others.  I know God is going to do BIG things in your life, and that you will be able to help and serve others in His name as you continue to grow into the woman that He has created you to be.