Cal turns 12!!!

Just one more year and we'll have two teenagers. As you can guess by the title, yep, Cal had his 12th birthday!

Cal doesn't like frosting or fondant.  The past couple of years he's requested brownies or some other dessert.  But I think after seeing Elden's, Shanna's and Haley's cake, he wanted some sort of creation too. His request: The Great Temple of Yavin 4.


The birthday boy himself!  And I actually went to bed that night! I love the drawings Haley and Shanna did on his sign.


Here is the temple....old looking....from Star Wars.  I tried to keep my fondant "old" looking.




Cal opened his presents that morning since the evening would be busy.  Elden gave Cal some "nice" Pokemon cards.  I think Haley did too.  Very sweet of them.


A tiny Luke and R2-D2 waited a-top the temple.










He requested cinnamon rolls for breakfast.  They turned out great!


The big present he received was a metal detector.


Lee's parents came for a visit that weekend and arrived that afternoon.  For dinner Lee grilled hamburgers and the kids could roast hot dogs, if desired.




Here is a peek at the redone back patio area!


After dinner we had cake and ice cream.






One of Haley's drawings she took a picture of.


That night the kids watched the new Lego Batman movie while Lee and I took his parents to "Our Town" in Staunton.  So good.  I love that play.  I cry every single time. 

Happy, Happy Birthday Cal!!! We love you!  He's a sweet kid with a generous heart.  He and Elden have started setting aside fast offering money all on their own.  It's been awesome to see them do that. 

We did some fun things with Lee's parents while they were here.  Hopefully we did wear them out too much!  Lee and I had fun planning different activities and going places that some of us hadn't been to before.  Saturday morning we went back to Staunton and visited the Woodrow Wilson birthplace and library.  Flag day was that day and we all got in for free!




After our tour the kids did a couple activities.  They folded mini flag and wrote a note which would be sent to veterans.


A guy was there from the "National Press" and took pictures of them.  Kind of fun!


We met up at a park in Staunton with my sister Lois and her kids and my parents to eat lunch. Ha ha, I didn't realize till just now that they buried Shanna in the rocks! 


We enjoyed visiting there.  The spot was perfect. We also enjoyed some treats from a little French bakery in Staunton, as well as ice cream from the Banana Split.  So fun! We didn't realize till a few days beforehand that we would want to go to our stake adult session of stake conference.  We knew all along that it was stake conference but never made the connection.  Lee had meetings as well.  After dropping him off in Waynesboro we headed to the pool for a little bit.  Then home.  Then on to the Saturday night adult session.


A new stake presidency was put in place on Sunday, so that was exciting!  After a great stake conference, Cal received the priesthood and was ordained to the office of a Deacon.  My dad, Lee's dad, our Bishop and our friend Andrew Franke all stood in on the ordination.


Three Bishops...our Bishop on the left, next my dad, next Lee's dad.  Then of course Lee and Cal and Andrew.  So proud of you Cal! 


After church we ate dinner, hung out and visited.


Can you tell what Clark is doing?  Fidgit spinner creation....


Monday we went to Monticello--Thomas Jefferson's home.  We explored the children's discovery center and went on a tour.  We also enjoyed some cookies and snacks from the cafe.


















The kids found HUNDREDS of tiny frogs at a little pond on the property.




We were going to eat at Michie Tavern, but missed it as they close at 3pm.  Lee found a super yummy hamburger joint, Riverside Cafe in Charlottesville.  So good!!!! After a visit to Carter Mountain Orchard, we went home.  After FHE and treat Lee's mom showed me how to make the eyeglass cases to bring down to Nicaragua for the next VOSH trip.




Tuesday we took Cal up to the temple for the first time!  When a young man or young woman turns 12 they are able to do baptisms in the temple for people who have died, but never were baptized on earth.  They stand in as a proxy for them, or like a representation for them. 








Clark did baptisms as well and Lee performed the baptisms.  What a neat experience.


After the temple we went to Not Your Average Joe's for lunch.  Love their bread and dipping sauce!  Lee's parents took off for the airport after that.  It was so great of them to come all this way to see us.  Thanks for coming Dad and Mom!!! 


One more of the best buds, Cal & Elden.



Right after we ate we met up with Lois and her kids.  They had just finished school for the year and we swapped kids.  Lois took Cal and Elden and we took Rhett.  It was Rhett's 4th birthday that day.  Rhett was SO excited to come all by himself to our house.  I just loved that he felt so comfortable being here. Shanna, Haley and Clark all doted on him and played with him.  He loved it.  What a cute guy!  He is also very observant and kept telling me things about his family.  It was so cute!  The kids hardly ever get to use the two DVD players in our Chevy...maybe once a month or once every other month.  On the way home we let the boys watch a movie.  Clark had head phones for the pair of them.  It was funny watching Rhett's expressions during different parts of the movie. 


Last year we participate in the Dash & Splash...over 30 of us!  They are promoting it again in the paper and it's been fun seeing our pictures pop up a few times.  Lee's office sponsored a team and donated t-shirts to everyone.  Not to brag, but I designed them and I thought they turned out great!  We won't be participating this year because of conflicting plans.  Maybe next year? 


Wow, and you probably thought it was going to only be about Cal!  Hope you are having a terrific summer!