Grace and Juliet's 12th Birthday Party

Just like Emily, Grace and Juliet had to wait until robotics season wrapped up before they could have their birthday party.  So, in early May, we planned their party, but Grace wanted to invite everyone she met this year, and Juliet wanted a sleepover.  

The compromise was that Grace could invite whoever she wanted, but only those that Juliet invited would spend the night.  Zoey was an exception, because she's been Grace's BFF forever, and 5 is an odd number.

 

The girls didn't seem to mind sitting on the floor at the coffee table from in front of the couch!

Grace and Juliet made their own cake, I have no memory of where I was, but they did a pretty good job!

We did order it cold this year, because we were unclear about Emily's tennis commitment that day, and if it had to sit for a long time, in the refrigerator seemed like the way to go.  So, when Billy got it home, I heated up half of it, and we ate on it for lunch. Then, after the day partiers left, I heated up round two for dinner!

They both seemed to really enjoy having their friends over, and no one ever complains about eating chick-fil-a!  Another big happy birthday to my all-time favorite twins!

later days

edit 6-15-26: backdated for continuity.

Grace and Juliet turn 12!

This year my babies turned 12!!! 

One last night as 11 year-olds!

The twins' school day started an hour after the big kids' so they had a choice to get up an hour early or wait and do cake after school.  They both agreed to the wildly early wake up time!

Sadly, the yellow frosting faded overnight, so it was very hard to tell, but their cake was yellow, Juliet's favorite color, on the outside, and green, Grace's favorite color, on the inside. = )

The big kids got to watch them open the first few gifts, but then had to go to school.  They were delighted by all of their gifts though, especially these new blankets from the Helterbrands!

I cannot believe those tiny little baby twins are now twelve!!!  Happiest of birthdays to my favorite twelve year olds!

later days

edit 6-15-26: backdated for continuity.

William Answers His Birthday Survey: 12-years-old

It was not until *June* that Grace reminded me about her and Juliet's surveys.   This prompted me to look back at last years' surveys, and I found that I hadn't done anyone's since Alice, in August!!!  So, this one is going to be published on 01-01-25, so that it makes it into the record, but neither the publish date nor the edit date is the 11-11-24 it should have been. 

 I am 12     years old.

My favorite color is: green

The coolest person on earth is: william
The thing I do best is: play games
If I could change my name, it would be: Grover
My favorite toy is: tedy bear
When I grow up, I want to be: enginer
I like to watch: youtube
My favorite song is: close to me
My favorite book is: skippy john jones

3 words to describe me are: V.I.P (very important person)
When I was little, I used to: watch bluely
My favorite season is: fall
The food I like most is: orange chicken
One food I really don't like is: soup
My best friends are: Jacob Hansen,Weston,Micheal
For my birthday I want to: Go ot fun city
My best memory is: going with my friends to a cider farm

later days

edit: backdated 6-1-25 for continuity.

William Answers His Birthday Survey: 12 years-old

Oh, man, y'all!  I was looking back at surveys, with Alice's birthday so close, and 100% missed William's survey for the past nine months!!!!! oops.  Well, now that he's closer to 13 than 11, here are his answers!

I am  12  years old.

My favorite color is: green
The coolest person on earth is: me
The thing I do best is: track
If I could change my name, it would be: mark
My favorite toy is: fly swatter that has a sword handle
When I grow up, I want to be: engineer
I like to watch: youtube
My favorite song is: idk( it would be wild flower I think)
My favorite book is: scooby doo
3 words to describe me are: very very cool
When I was little, I used to: have no school
My favorite season is: fall
The food I like most is: barbeque sandwich
One food I really don't like is: ramen
My best friend is: Weston
For my birthday I want to: go to a vr place
My best memory is: Going to six flags

later days

you can see his answers from last year here.

edit 8-17-25: backdated for continuity, because I know I won't be looking in August for his birthday answers! = 0

William's 12th Birthday Party

So, Billy had a new job all lined up, but I could not, in good conscience, schedule William a birthday party until his paycheck started back up. That said, our November was so busy that, even had Billy still had his previous position, we wouldn't have had time to host a party, so his party would have been delayed regardless! Still, I was not emotionally prepared to have his party, but Billy scouted and paid for it, so his invitations embodied this discorded mindset.

Once it was scheduled though, it was time to prepare! The weekend before, Emily and Grace helped me paint up some green party favor rocks, which might now be our signature, and I'm okay with that.

So, on a very snowy Saturday, we made a slow trip up to Fun City!  His theme was Unspeakable, because that's the green banner I found cheap at a thrift store earlier in the year.

I had out the veggies and chips until the pizzas arrived, and was pleasantly surprised with how many of the kids chose the grow food over the chips!  Emly painted the Unspeakable rock, and I thought she did a phenomenal job!

William and his friends not getting their jump socks on. lol.

We found some chip shaped like William's initials!

Fun City was aptly named, there were so many attractions!

Most of William's invitees came, but it was a first in that only the dad's brought them!!! The only other mom at the party was my mom! = 0

And, despite paying for them to have access to dozens of attractions, they played with a balloon in the party room. lol.

The girls all tried out the obstacle course, and despite a slow start, they had a good time!  I never saw William up there, but might have missed him.

Fun City has the best policy of any of the party places we've been: once the party is over, you have to vacate the room, but the wrist bands are good for the rest of the day!  So, after all the cake and presents, we stayed another hour or so, just hanging out at the common tables!

Now all the girls want to have their birthday at Fun City too!  We'll see how Emily feels come March, but we might be back soon!

later days

12-22-24 backdated for continuity, to William's birthday, so that we can find it, not to the date of the party.