Joshua turned 14 and we had a lot of fun celebrating.

 We had several families over for pizza and cake.

 This is Mike and Margie, our neighbors and good friends.  Margie and I get together to bake in her big country kitchen.  She taught me how to make my very first apple pie!

They have two daughters that are best of friends with Rachel, two boys that Joshua just adores, and two new foster children that Ruthie loves to be with. 

 Dan and Baghya - part of our church family and our good friends.

 Robert and Jodi - our new neighbors that live right here on Shekinah Ranch.  Their missionaries

to Romania and are in the states for about seven months. 

 We have three countries represented here.  Dan and Baghya are from India; Robert and Jodi are missionaries to Romania; and Mu-Soo is from Africa (she's been in the states for just one year.)

 My husband just had to get the encyclopedias out and  look up all these countries.

 We had over thirty people for Joshua's party!

 He sure looks like a happy boy, doesn't he?

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And then, we had our  ~~~UNCLE JON and AUNT ALEXANDRIA PARTY.~~~ 

   They had sent both Joshua and Rachel's presents (Rachel's birthday is today) in one big box.  We let them open them at the same time.

 I think Uncle Jon and Aunt Alexandria totally out did themselves this time.  They sent the coolest gifts I've ever seen. 

 This is the coolest toy I think I've ever seen.  It is called Stringin' It.  It's a high-tech gadget that is totally amazing.  You can  ~Go here ~ to see how it works on U-Tube.  You just HAVE to check this toy out!   If you want a totally unique toy that all your kids and their friends will think it's the coolest thing ever - get this.    (It was hard to get a very good picture because it moves so quickly.) Everyone was impressed - even us adults.)   If you can't view U-Tube, check it out ~ Here~.   I guarantee you, for boy or girl, with a huge age range, this gift is a HIT.  ((This gift is actually very educational, but it was too cool and fun for my kids to notice that!))

 Rachel couldn't wait to start her oil-painting. 

 She started it that night and then spent the entire next day, Saturday, working on it. 

 This is a 3-D butterfly puzzle that Uncle Jon and Aunt Alexandria got Rachel last year.  She's really proud of it.

 Now, this is the most AMAZING gift I've ever seen!  If you ever see this thing for sale and have a boy, you HAVE to get it for a Christmas or birthday gift.  It is totally cool.  I tried to get a picture of it in motion (below) but it moves too fast to capture a good picture.  It runs by remote, and it when it is flying, it really looks like a prehistoric locust. (It's actually a little scary!)

 It was really hard to figure out which gift Joshua liked the best. I took a ton of pictures of all the kids playing with the remote control car (they had a blast with this) but it too, was hard to get a good picture because the car was moving so fast.

 When Rachel opened the box, she loved this beautiful purple circular gift box.  She couldn't wait to open it (she begged me to let her peek way before her birthday was here).  When she finally did, she found about a half dozen gifts wrapped within it.  That's another hardback classic book that Rachel is holding.  All of our children have quite a collection of them (thanks to Uncle Jon and Aunt Alexandria.)

 This was a present that Uncle Jon and Aunt Alexandria got Joshua for Christmas.

 This actually goes on the ceiling and has battery lights in it. 

 They pulled out all their posters on the solar system, compared it, and then put it together.

Yep, their TOTALLY spoiled.

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~Go HERE~ if you have not yet read about my scientist brother ("Uncle Jon"). I guarantee you will find it very interesting!

(Don't forget to visit our host, Mary of Canada Girl and other show and tells)