It's a Celebration! - Part 2

Sunday afternoon we had a party for Elizabeth and her friends. The theme was luau-ish; thanks for the idea goes to Oriental Trading Co. Elizabeth invited twelve little girlfriends to her first "drop off" party, meaning moms & dads could drop their kid(s) and go! Here are some pictures of the set-up and cake. The flip flop cut out is compliments of the Betty Crocker website.

Addy was the first friend to arrive and she and Elizabeth did a little running around.

We began with some coloring, to wait for everyone to get there.

The first game - so that all could get their party favors and wear the during the party - was Pass the Parcel, which we learned from friends from Singapore and Australia. It's similar to hot potato, except when the music stops someone opens one layer of the gift to see what they get. Everyone gets something!

We followed Pass the Parcel with a grass skirt relay. We split the girls into two teams and they had to take turns passing the skirt, bracelets and leis from person to person. The older girls kept it going. (The age range at the party was 3.5-8.) Thanks girls!

Finally we played Pin the Coconut on the Palm Tree. I don't think I need to explain this one except that Amanda was the "coconut lady," and the kids chose their coconut from her arms right before their turn to get blindfolded. Some got close and some not so much!

After the games we got out the cake, sang, and ate.

We had a little extra time, so Elizabeth was able to open her gifts with everyone present (pun intended.) Her friends got her a wonderful assortment of birthday treats. She was very excited about all of them!

To those of you who brought your girls to the party, we're so glad they were there to celebrate with her. More importantly, we're so happy that Elizabeth has such great friends. Thanks for making her birthday special!

Special thanks go to our friend Dr. Amanda Giermann (she just got her doctorate two weeks ago!!!) for all of her assistance before, during, and after the party. Things would not have gone as smoothly with you, Amanda. Thanks!

It's a Celebration! - Part 1

Elizabeth's birthday kicked off around 5:15am. Brian thought that would be a nice time to wake up, and sister followed his lead. It was fortunate that we had 5-1/2 hours to prepare for our lunch trip to Chuck E Cheese. How else would we have gotten there by 11?

The first gift she opened was from us,
a new-to-her My Little Pony bike.

Sizing it up.

So happy!

She opened a bunch of other gifts from family, but there are too many pictures to post them all. So I'll post these, because the expressions are entertaining.

Since we were up early and the day was lovely - only to get quite hot later - we took a stroll and E got in the first spin on her bike ... in a new outfit, of course!

Elizabeth really wanted to go to Chuck E Cheese on her birthday. So we invited two of her friends to join us (those not in school that morning). With coupons that got us food and 150 tokens, how could we not have had a wonderful time?!

Elizabeth loved this game,
you catch bouncing "bees" and
put them in the honeypot.

Brian was there too.

Dad gravitated to the basketball games.
Here Patton (Lilli's brother) and Brian joined him.

Bjarney and Lilli, our friends!
(I didn't get a good one of E with them,
but they look so good I had to post this!)

The animated Chuck E was a source of
great delight and great terror!

But E got brave when he wasn't moving!

Some other sweet moments together!

We wrapped the day up with some birthday brownies after dinner. And Elizabeth told us about her favorite parts of the day. (Sorry it's sideways!)

The next post will be of the birthday party we had Sunday afternoon with all of her girlfriends. Stay tuned for "It's a Celebration - part deux."

Elizabeth - 5 years!

Elizabeth is 5 years old today!

Here are a few faces from the last month:

Elizabeth's got a lot going on! Here's a list of things about her at 5:

• lots of talking: explaining, story telling, joke making, question asking, and whining!
  
• lots of activity: jumping, running, bike riding, chasing, ball kicking and catching
• lots of curiosity: how, why, where, when, who?
  
• lots of help: table setting, towel folding, bed making, toy organizing, and Brian entertaining
• lots of independence: dressing herself, playing by herself, solo playdates with friends, getting ready for bed alone, and gettting in and out of the car
  

She tries new things,
and thinks she's strong!

She loves nature,
especially fluffy dandelions!

She wears herself out,
and sucks her thumb!

She's a wonderful helper,
and (still) takes great delight in it!

She dresses herself,
and comes up with some great combos.


Here is one of her new feats of strength.

Elizabeth is an endless source of delight for our family.

We love you, sweet girl!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Remember

Every day, Elizabeth has a rest time during which she reads and plays with toys on our bed for 1/2 an hour during Brian's nap time. Today she came out to specifically get this binder of papers that she's gotten over the last couple of years from Sunday School and Vacation Bible School.

An hour later, after she returned from some time at a friend's house, I asked her what made her decide to get that during her rest time today. She responded, "Sometimes I forget about Jesus during my rest time." Today she got her binder and she prayed. I asked her if she prayed about something specific or just wanted to talk with Jesus. She informed me it was the latter.

Oh, to have the faith of a little child! I often forget about Jesus during my rest time too ... which makes it seem all the more miraculous to me that she thinks about God during her free time. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!

Retreat, Retreat!

This evening I'll be heading, with Brian and a couple of traveling companions, out to Shutesbury, MA for our annual Women's Retreat.

I need it. Badly. My soul has been weary lately. I've been trying to hard to be my own savior - which never works, folks, so I recommend leaning on the true Savior! And while yesterday began with a wonderful time of confession, (while my children watched Sesame Street), I'm still in need of a weekend focused on the Word, in fellowship with other women, being encouraged, spurred on to good deeds, and reminded of the gospel.

If you think of us, please pray for the women attending and for Kelly as she addresses us on the topic of being "beloved by God." Thanks!

Why My Husband Is The Best (and a few other things)

Last Friday my Mother's day gifts arrived. Colin was anxious for me to open them, so I could use them right away. All I knew for sure was that the gift was purple ... Elizabeth didn't manage to keep it all a secret! Here's my Mother's Day booty:

You may remember that I'm training for a 5-miler the day before my 30th birthday. To help me (continue to) prepare, Colin bought me this amazing little iPod nano. It is sweet. The little orange Nike thing to the left is a chip that tracks my workouts and the black pocket to the right is where it lives, attached to my shoe. You insert a receiver into the base of the iPod and voila, you're set! I feel as if I'm now really a woman of the 21st century. This is the coolest gadget I've ever owned. People, I skipped the discman. My last portable music player took cassette tapes. Yes, I still have it ... though not the tapes.

If you care, I'm up to 3.5 miles. I run every other day and I've been adding a 1/2 mile per week. I will be running 5 miles a few times before the race. Sometimes I think I won't be able to do it. But it's a reasonable goal. I'm glad to have had the goal to keep going. And I think it will be really fun to feel in shape as I both say good-bye to my 20s and wean my baby. These things will both occur June 6, 2009. (I do wish to have another baby someday, but for now, I'm excited to feel like "me" again.)

To summarize: I am still training for the 5-miler. You people in the "in" crowd can now accept me because I have an iPod. My family is so very sweet to me and I felt very loved this Mother's Day weekend!

(Oh, and those milk chocolate clouds from Trader Joe's are worth your money if you like Turtles. I already finished them....)