Double Digits

I can't believe that my girl has hit the double digits!

   

 Alexa found a "Beach Party" in a book she had and decided that would be the theme of her 10th birthday party. She decided she just wanted to invite her two best friends and make it a 24 hour day of fun. Before we went to pick up Alexa's friends we set the table. Alexa and I had fun on a shopping date and preparing her table for her friends.

 

We started the day at the local water park to enjoy some fun in the water and the sun!

 

When we got home the girls showered up and started on some of the crafts that Alexa had come up with for her party. The first was beading a "beachy" looking necklace.

 

Alexa has such a special bond with these two girls and it has been so much fun seeing their friendship grow this past year.

 

The also are so sweet to Emma and included her in the fun!

The table was set .....

and dinner was ready! Alexa wanted to have food that was "beachy" too! So we brainstormed some ideas and this what we came up with together! 

After dinner the girls made a "beach in a box." Alexa saw this fun idea in a book she had and this is where her Beach Party idea took off! The girls had fun putting together their own little beaches.

The girls played outside and waited patiently for the sprinklers on the golf course to come on.  They finally decided after waiting and waiting to come in for some cupcakes.  As I told Alexa to wait so I could grab the candle and sing she informed me she didn't really need a candle.  Oh my heart about sank ... is she really too old for a birthday candle :(! My little girl is growing up.  Their faces say it all.  These girls know how to have fun! 

They were in the middle of eating their cupcakes and I heard screaming ... they dropped their cupcakes and headed out the door! 

The long awaited sprinklers were on.  They danced, screamed and giggled their hearts out! 

They came in and showered again and got ready for bed.  I can't believe I didn't get a picture of the birthday girl curled up in bed with her friends.  They slept side by side the long way in a queen bed.  As I was tucking them in and saying prayers they were talking about their classes for the next school year.  They are all hoping to be in the same class. One of Alexa's friends said, "I just don't want to drift apart!"  

We had a chance to talk about how special their friendship was and that God knows and has a plan.  When Alexa and I were out shopping she saw these little frames and wanted to put a verse in them for her friends. We used it as part of a devotion during dinner and so we continued to talk about how God knows their thoughts and knows their worries.  He also has blessed them with a special friendship and even in they aren't in the same classroom their friendship can continue to grow.  We also talked about how he may want them to grow in new ways and meet new friends this year too!  What a special way to end the day with my birthday girl and her friends.  She is growing up way too fast but I am getting glimpses of the sweetness of this new stage we are moving in to! 

            It seems like it was yesterday that we were anxiously anticipating her arrival and when she arrived it was love at first sight. She gave us the gift of being parents for the first time and has paved the way for her siblings. On one hand I am sad that time is flying and my baby is growing up and on the other hand I love seeing her grow into a beautiful girl on the inside and out. I am so proud of the girl she is becoming and the drive she has in life. She is an amazing big sister and embraces being the oldest with every ounce of her. It has been so much fun to sit down and have "big girl" conversations with her and see her heart for Jesus grow this year. I can't wait to see the way she grows and blossoms this next year!

Emma's Winter Wonderland

Emma's is my girly, girl.  Up until a week before her party she had four ideas of the kinds of party she wanted swimming around in her head.  She really wanted to do some type of pink girly party and a North Pole party so when I threw out the "Winter Wonderland Party" idea she was all over it. She was totally bummed when she had her major reaction to antibiotics on her birthday and we had to postpone her party for a week. 

It was so much fun as we looked through pictures and ideas on the Internet.  She definitely had her idea of what she wanted to do and how she wanted everything to looks. 

We had a date night and made a trip to Target, Hobby Lobby and Michael's one evening and she knew exactly what she wanted. 

She found pink plates, napkins and straws.  She found cute little tierras and little white shimmery balls that looked like snow balls. We picked up some pink iridescent shred to add a little sparkle and pink to the table. 

Emma saw a picture of these cute little snowman and thought they would be perfect for lunch.

The lunch menu was snowballs, snowflake sandwiches and buckets of fruit. 

My birthday girl ... I can't believe she is 8 already!

The cupcakes were Emma's favorite ... Funfetti with pink frosting, some shimmer and a snowflake on top!



The table was ready for her friends to arrive!



Emma was so excited for her friends to arrive.  She is my social butterfly. I love this picture of them chatting and having fun together.



All the girls at the table!



We started the party off with lunch!



I love Emma's expression here ... even with a little food showing! Pure joy to have her friends around the table with her.

After lunch the girls made bottle cap necklaces.  We had a variety of colored winter themed snowflake graphics for them to pick from.



Next, they decorated their own hot travel mugs.  We have done numerous crafts over the years and often use paint pens.  This year I got smart and we used fun colored permanent markers. There wasn't the mess of paint flying when the girls shook them, paint running or smearing and the drying time was fast!

It was time to sing "Happy Birthday" to the birthday girl! 

Make a wish!

I love Emma's expression here! 

Emma opened a few presents and then it was time for dessert! 

Emma's other birthday wish ... a hot cocoa bar! 

The girls had fun filling their mugs with sugar :)! 

Sipping her hot cocoa!

There girls made some hot cocoa cones to take home at the end of the party! 

Emma has such a sweet group of friends.  It was fun to hear them giggle, laugh and interact with each other! Emma loved being part of the planning and putting everything together.  She said, "Mom, this was my best party ever!" I would have to agree this is one of my favorite parties too.  I think part of it was Emma's participation in helping plan and then seeing it all come together.  

Happy 8th Birthday Emma! 

Happy 1/2 Birthday Alexa

Alexa's birthday falls in the summer so she always makes it a point to try to work it out with her teacher to celebrate her 1/2 birthday.  Her half birthday falls during the business of the holidays but she loves it. Since she was in Kindergarten she has made Reindeer cookies for her class as her staple birthday treat.  This year she decided she wanted to branch out and try something new.  She also was sure the two boys that were in her class the last two years might welcome a change.  She is too cute as she thinks out all the details and makes her plans. 

She saw these darling melting snowman cookies and decided those were the new birthday treat! She started my making her favorite sugar cookies.

While her cookies were cooling she mixed up the frosting and cut her marshmallows in half.

She then frosted her cookies ....

and added the snowmen's heads.

She loves decorating and loves details so she got right to work with her tubes of gel to decorate her little snowmen cookies.

  She wanted enough for her class, the office staff, principal and all her specials teachers.  She was a busy girl but in no time she had 30+ cute little snowmen cookies.

Happy 1/2 Birthday sweet girl.  I can't believe you are halfway to 10.  

Happy Birthday Little Monkey

When we were in China one of the first things we said was that Max was Mr. Personality and our Curious George! He was into everything hours after having him in our arms.  The kids have totally taken to him being our little monkey so we decided that would be the perfect theme!

We decided to pack all the party stuff up and have the party at my parents house! He have more room for our ever growing family!



  We went for the picnic type food for dinner.  We had chips, BBQ pork sandwiches, chicken salad croissants ....

fresh fruit and veggies.  I had found these cute little tent cards and other printables for his party! I had so much fun pulling his party together.  Party of it is I love doing my kids parties ... it is my creative outlet but for Max I couldn't wait just to celebrate his life and everything he has brought to our family.  

We had a room full of kids.  I think you could call it close to chaotic .... but chaotic fun of course.  When all was said and done I felt like I didn't get a ton of pictures and it was a big of a blur.  It may be due to the fact of all the kids and that I now have 4 to keep tabs on or maybe because it was a party for my little boy that was turning 2.

Max enjoying his birthday dinner!

The girls and I printed these cute little water bottle labels for the water bottles.  We took a variety of those shake up lemonade and crystal light packs.  It worked perfect!  The back of the labels said:

Look at our sweet little birthday boy! 

He thought it was pretty funny to take off his birthday hat when mom was trying to take pictures.

Next it was time for Max to open presents.  As you can see he didn't quite know what to do with it.  He quickly embraced the situation in true Max style and made it into a slide.

With the help form his siblings he quickly realized what you do when opening presents.

After that he had it figured out!

As you can see he had quite the audience and more than enough helpers.

Max loves different textures so these were right up his alley!

He loved his new car ramp too! 

Next it was dessert time.  My friend Kathy shared some of her special recipes and they were a hit! We had banana roasted cupcakes with dark chocolate frosting .....

We also had chocolate chip cupcakes with butter cream frosting.

We couldn't have a monkey party without bananas so we had some chocolate covered bananas on the dessert bar.

And we rounded out the dessert table with some monkey puff aka cream puffs.

Max got his own little cake with Curious George on top! As you can see Max didn't quite know what to do when the cake with candles was in front of him and everyone started singing!  He had help blowing out his candles and then just sat there.  He didn't even try to dig in! 

Eric gave him a lick of frosting and after that is was all over.  He figured out what he was missing.

Now he has it figured out and thinks he is hot stuff!

mmmmmmmmm  ... this is good stuff!

"I am starting to go into a sugar comma, I need a little rest!"

Max decided to let his cousin Bailey in on the fun!



He soon became a little possessive of his cake and the minute Eric would move it between them he would gently nudge back closer to him!  We had a fun day celebrating Max's birthday. His first birthday with his forever family!

Happy Birthday little Monkey! We can't imagine our life with out you! We love you!