She's 5!

It is official. My little girl is 5. Her big day was this past Sunday, and what a party she had. She wanted a hula party, which was tons of fun. We always make everything ourselves, so for the invitations I drew a hula dancer and we found a great web site that taught us the proper words to invite all the family in Hawaiian. It is such an interesting language, and it was fun to learn some key words for the party. For once I didn't overdo the activities, so all were able to relax and have fun and play. The majority spent a lot of time outside, during which time my Mom and I were inside making grass skirts out of green duct tape and streamers (trust me, EVERYONE had to have a grass skirt). But we heard how much fun everyone was having, and peaked out the kitchen windows from time to time to see all of the big "kids" teaching the little kids how to really do the trampoline. I think Adam's back is still sore.

I found a good Hawaiian cake recipe, topped with pineapple and cream frosting, which was quite yummy, and we decorated it with pretty flowers. Can you believe there was not a hula girl to be found here in Marietta? What happened to the hula girl on the dash board of the car? I checked all the automotive departments. Nothing. Apparently all the hula girls have evolved into a smelly palm tree that hangs from the rear-view mirror. "Maybe in spring," said the lady at the craft store while looking at me as though I had lost my mind, "but we're selling Christmas decorations now." Which makes a lot of sense to me... Because nothing says riding out the end of summer in style than stocking up on Christmas decorations in September. Why is everyone in such a hurry to get rid of summer? I, personally, am not ready to let it go yet.

We nibbled on fresh pineapple, papaya and coconut all day to top off the hawaiian feast. And of course, we sang happy birthday, or should I say "Hau`oli la Hanau," to Bella, who then blew out her 5 candles like a pro.

Everyone gathered round to sing and wait for cake and ice cream in their grass skirts.

Yes, I know, Pap didn't get a grass skirt, and neither did Maxwell. You would be surprised how much streamer it takes to make that many grass skirts, and I underestimated. There was enough left for Max, but we assumed he would just eat it if we gave him one. Uncle Bubby and Buck wore theirs on their heads.

Bella received a slew of great gifts. Here is my monkey, using her feet to hold the chimp that I got for her while she opened it. You have to spread the toes just so to hold a present up.
And the day was a hit simply because nothing can make a Mama happier than to see her daughter with this look on her face.

She did this every time she opened a gift. I love it. So my girl is 5, and I'm okay with it. She is becoming her own self more and more all the time, and I am loving getting to know who she is and will be. She is a remarkable daughter, a wonderful big sister, and she is my little best friend.

Kaney is THREE!!!

Kane (better known as Kaney to those who love and adore him) is officially three! With two birthday parties under his belt and a corner of the living room piled with toys and clothes, my baby boy makes it clear that he is no longer a baby. Although I have known it for some time, it is still bittersweet. On his actual birthday, which was July 1st, we were at my parents' house getting the AC fixed in my van. My brother and his family were out of town for his big birthday bash on Sunday the 6th, so we had a little pre-party at Nan and Pap's Monday night for Kane and my nephew Ethan, who share a birthday. You can't tell in the picture, but Monday he was fevered and sluggish all day. He even slept through his cake and ice cream that evening. The fever broke in the night, though, and by the time his birthday rolled around, he was feeling better. So although he missed the "party," he played and opened his presents on his birthday.

Kane chose to have a dinosaur birthday party this year. In a non-thinking moment, I asked him what kind of cake he would want to have at his party. I was expecting his answer to be blueberry, because he wants blueberries in absolutely everything. But a three-year-old's mind never works the way we expect it to, and instead he answered (with gusto), "DINOSAUR!" After some thinking, I asked if he would settle for a mountain to put his little dinosaurs on, and in the end we decided on a volcano cake. Of course, the dinos had to be moved far from the strawberry and apricot spreadable-fruit lava so they would be safe. I had a blast making it, and everyone enjoyed eating it. Definitely worth that non-thinking moment. Their imaginations inspire me.

We had fun activities outside, including a scavenger hunt with hidden dinosaurs all over the backyard, and dinosaur bones hidden in the sandbox, which the kids had to dig out with their dinosaur sand chompers to get the full skeleton assembled. Here you see Baylee, the little girl we babysit for, our niece Serena, Kane and Bella hard at work digging for dinosaur bones.

Then there was swimming and playing on the swing set, which distracted from the scavenger hunt. But it didn't surprise me. Our backyard is so much fun, with a swing set, trampoline, pool, and sand box that it's bound to distract anyone!




The only ones able to apply themselves enough to finish the scavenger hunt were Bella (with the help of her Nanny) and my husband's two youngest brothers, Mike and Jesse. They all tied and finished at the same time!









Then of course there were gifts to be opened. If you don't know already (I think it may be common knowledge), the tongue has to be positioned between the lips, at just the right angle, to properly open birthday presents. But it was worth all the hard work for all the gifts he got! From clothes to roaring/walking dinos and squirt guns to brand-new dinosaur sheets and curtains (made by Nanny), he really made out! All in all it was a perfect, warm, sunny, fun-outside, blast-of-a-birthday-party kind of day. Every time we go to my Mom and Dad's house and go for a walk or do something fun like that, Daddy says to the kids, "You know what we just did? We just made more memories!" Of course, Bella has to argue with him that they aren't memories yet, because they just happened, and won't turn into memories until tomorrow! But we definitely made some memories on Sunday!