Hopie Turns 5!

Well, tis the season for parties at our house! On the 10th, my baby turned 5! How did that happen so fast? We are officially out of the baby, toddler, and now pretty much the pre-schooler age and are almost into the school age phase of life! Time really does fly!
Hope had grand plans for her birthday. She wanted French toast for breakfast, Top Ramen for lunch and Olive Garden for dinner. She basically wanted to eat her way around the world starting in France, and hitting Italy and Asia on the way- ha! On the morning on of the 10th, the girls had a Veteran's day assembly at school so we went as a family to that. Haley's class sang and Hannah's choir as well. It is amazing to see the 900 kids in their school all at one time, but what really got me was when they had the kids who had parents deployed stand- seemed like a ton of them and of course, like every year, that was when I lost it. The kids did a great job and then I volunteered in Haley's class while Hope and daddy went on a date! They hit the library, Crispy Cream and Toys R us! We all met up at the Olive Garden for lunch and then came home for a relaxing afternoon with a few presents and cheesecake that Hannah made. It was a great day.
We had our friend party last night! It was not so relaxing! haha! Hope invited 6 little friends over and we had cupcakes and presents, then headed to the Y to swim. In my mind this was going to be a very easy party since it wouldn't be at our house and it would wear the kiddos out! A win win situation for sure! Well, we got to the Y and started to swim. The kids loved it! We stayed for about an hour and a half then I thought it was time to get out of the water and start getting ready to go home. My friend Lauri came and swam too which was so great! We had all the kids in the shower doing "assembly line hair washing" and had just turned off the last shower to dry off when the fire alarm went off. Here we were, 2 moms and 7 naked kiddos and the fire alarm blaring in our ears, lights flashing, and all the emergency doors opening up to the cold night! Let the freak out session begin! My big kids who have had fire drills at school were in a panic yelling "We got to go mom we got to go! " But I made them all stay together as I threw under ware/sweat pants/ t-shirts etc. at various kids and then we all went out together. We were a sight for sure! One kiddo had on a t-shirt and nothing else, another had on only undies and a sweat shirt, a few were able to get a complete "outfit" (and I use the term loosely) on before running out into the freezing night. I had my wet swimsuit on and ended up giving my towel to one of the kiddos so we were for sure quite a sight! haha! The firetrucks came, and a total stranger came over and gave us her coat- we bundled 2 or 3 kiddos in it as we waited. Finally, the staff let us go in and get our things, we got dressed and high tailed it out of there! Only after having to go back into the pool area for a pair of glasses and some floaties that we had forgotten! Now that is what I call a party that we won't soon forget! By the time we got home all was well, the crying had stopped and the laughing had started.... Thank goodness! Hopefully there is no long term hearing damage from the alarms! Happy Birthday Hopie! As I always say, with you, there is never a dull moment! :-)