EXCITING WEEK AHEAD

I am so excited this week it is ridiculous.  Raelynn's birthday is Sunday.  She will be 7 and I can hardly believe it.  She kept telling me a few months back that she wanted a surprise birthday party but of course it is hard to plan a surprise party when she is the one asking for it.  I explained this to her and she was disappointed but understood.  So we booked her friend party at a Bed and Breakfast that has a tea party for them and then they go up into this suite with this huge closet of dress up clothes and they get to dress up with all the accessories and such.  She is very excited about it and it is a few weeks away because that was there first available date they had.  Anyway, that is the birthday party she knows about but because I am an awesome Mom I am planning a surprise as well (heeheehee).  Raelynn's favorite summer treat is our annual trip to the Ozarks to Tom and Jan's house.  Every year we take a family vacation there and Raelynn and Cooper love it.  This year we are planning our family vacation to Colorado instead and although she is excited she keeps asking when we are going to the Ozarks. Sooooo since her birthday is on Sunday we are surprising her with a trip to the Ozarks!!!  She is going to be so excited.  So this is how it is going to go.....I hope.  Aunt Karli is coming to Lawrence on Thursday and picking Raelynn up from her riding lesson around 3pm.  Then she will surprise her with her annual pedicure and manicure and then maybe a trip to Orange Leaf.  After I get off work I am picking up Raelynn's best friend from preschool and heading home.  We are letting her best friend tell her where we are going and that she gets to go with us.  She will also get a present at this time which consists of water toys and water shoes.  The look on Raelynn's face is going to be awesome!  Then Thursday night we will head to the lake and get settled in.  Friday we will visit Miner Mike's, one of Raelynn's favorite places.  Saturday will be lake day with Tom and Jan and then Sunday her birthday party complete with presents and cake.  I hope she loves it as much as I think she will.  I haven't been this excited about a surprise in a long time!  Thank you so much Tom and Jan for letting us visit!  Now if I can just pull it all off.  Trying to pack and get things ready so she doesn't notice is a little trickier than I thought.  My daughter recognizes if anything is out of place or missing.  I was making a grocery list tonight and she was sitting beside me, all the sudden she said, "why are you putting all that good stuff on the grocery list?"  Ugh, I curse those teachers for teaching her to read!!!

So even with all the excitement of the weekend we still have the same weekly chaos as usual.  Tonight Coop had Blast Ball and his amazing soccer coach came to watch him.  I was blown away how connected his soccer coaches are to these kids.  Coop was beaming that he was there and even got to throw the ball around with him a little.  Both of his soccer coaches are extraordinary people and I am blown away by there love and dedication not only for the soccer league but for the kids.  We are so fortunate to have enrolled Cooper in the Happy Feet League!

A friend of ours also captured some great pictures of Coop on Saturday, Thanks Sarah!

Tonight I was getting after Coop for something he did.  In the midst of my scolding, he looks at me with open arms and a little grin and says, "I love you Mommy?"  I told him to just get in the bath and he responds, "What? Mom I'm not feeling the love, where are my cuddles?" I could not help but laugh at which point Coop knew he was off the hook which is exactly what he wanted.  Oh boy, I have no idea what I am going to do with him.  Fortunately he is a pretty good little boy but if that changes we are going to be in soooo much trouble because his cuteness and sense of humor gets him out of so much trouble!