Haley’s Sweet Sixteen!

On January 29th we celebrated Haley’s sweet 16 a day early.  On Haley’s birthday the Pinewood Derby, Tristan’s last, was scheduled, the day after that was Math and Science night at the elementary school and Friday and Saturday Haley’s social calendar was filled as well so a day early celebration was in order.  We got started when everyone returned home from work and school for the evening.

Haley seemed a little undecided this year all around which included dinner.  She wasn’t sure what she wanted.

I remembered that she really liked my bow tie pasta with Italian sausage and sundried tomatoes the last time I made it.  She said, at the time, that she “might” want this for her birthday.  It is easy and quick to make as well and we all agree that it is delicious. 

I put a fresh fruit salad together and toasted some croutons for a green salad.  We got a few presents together for Haley as well.  Again, she wasn’t too sure on exactly what she wanted.  I had a couple of ideas.  None of them involved electronics though her Dad toyed with the idea.

Haley opened her cards.

Then she got to work on her presents.  Our card was both.  We gave her money to help with her trip to Disney World scheduled for April.  She was having trouble coming up with enough money though she’d worked hard.  It wasn’t enough but we felt it would be something she really wanted and would remember.  Unfortunately, at this point, I can say that the trip got cancelled a few weeks ago.  Haley actually had enough money and had paid but not enough people had paid and so she got her money back.  A different trip was scheduled but Haley decided to save her money for something she really wants to do.  I say “good for her”.  She handled the disappointing news well.  It would have been a fun trip and while it won’t be her only opportunity to go to Disney World ever I can say that I am still waiting for the opportunity to go.  I hope she gets there someday.

I continued our tradition of giving Haley a Growing Up Girl… the last birthday girl and the next one won’t be until graduation.  I also got her a little bit of makeup.  I told her I would allow makeup when she turned 16.  She had a lot to learn about that and herself over the past year. 

We finished up presents, it was getting late and so we moved on to the birthday dessert.  We had homemade chocolate chip ice cream for those who didn’t like the rest of the dessert and some raspberry chip ice cream that Haley had wanted. 

A chocolate caramel cheesecake I made for Haley was lit.  We sang as I presented it to her.  All those candles created some heat!

A happy, beautiful “almost” sixteen year old girl with her very yummy dessert.

To have some sort of celebration on Haley’s actual birthday I surprised her by dropping her off at seminary on her birthday and then without her knowing I left, went to Dunkin Doughnuts to buy doughnuts which is something we love but haven’t gotten in years and years.  I will say that was an adventure in the pouring rain at 6 a.m.  Hiding them in the trunk of the car I went and got them out after she went inside the house upon our return.  We called her for breakfast and boy was she surprised.  And Wow!  The kids never got up out of bed and dressed with such enthusiasm as they did that morning. 

Haley’s fashion statement for the day.  Happy birthday to my beautiful girl!

Kaitlyn’s 6th Birthday!

Right before Winter Break ended we celebrated another birthday with Kaitlyn turning SIX years old on January 5th.  Kaitlyn is a wonderful little girl with two helping hands and a huge smile nearly all the time.  One of her favorite things to do is leave notes on my pillow for me to find at bedtime and I love that.  She is sweet, intelligent and caring and we are so thankful to have Kaitlyn in our family.  I cannot believe that she arrived to us six years ago already.  It seems like it was yesterday.

One of the things that Kaitlyn really wanted to do was have lunch at Big Boy with just Mom and Dad and then go to see an Omnimax Movie at the Museum Center on the The Last Reef.  So we spent the better part of the afternoon with her doing those things.  We had a nice time together and it is rare for her to have Mom & Dad all to herself.

When we came home it was already time to fix dinner; a balanced menu of Kaitlyn’s request.  Dogs in a blanket are her favorite and I managed to find some decent strawberries at the grocery store for the occasion along side some potato chips. 

I always ask my children what kind of birthday cake they want and I go from there; a creative challenge for me often during their younger years especially.  This year Kaitlyn wanted a green carrot cake with 7 snowmen (one for each person in the family), lollipops and gummy worms.   After considering the criteria I decided to make a “winter melting into spring” cake.  I had loads of carrots (I purchase carrots in bulk on the cheap) for the cake and a supply of sale cream cheese already that I could use for the frosting and a whole bunch of marshmallows too that I could use.  I decided to head to the store to search for some edible flowers for my spring green section of the cake and maybe something to “help” the snowy part of the cake.  The first store I went to that I knew had some really cute edible flowers closed at 8 p.m. instead of 9 literally 5 minutes after we walked in.  Disappointed I went to another store I suspected might be able to help me that I knew was open until 9 p.m.

The second store, smaller, also had a much MUCH smaller selection of edible flowers and they were super expensive.  Dilemma… I decided to purchase some hefty clear sugar sprinkles to make the snow look cold and icy on the top of the cake as I began looking for alternatives when I got an idea.  Kaitlyn loves buttons.  A couple of years ago I gave her a little box I had and let her pick out some buttons from my button box to start her own personal collection.  What could be better than flower buttons?  There was a huge selection of cute buttons and after they were done being cute on the cake we could wash them off and she could add them to her button collection.

So that is just what I did.  The buttons were adorable and I even got some bug buttons to go with the flower buttons and flower lollipops.  Sparkly snowflake buttons were purchased as well. 

I stood marshmallow snowmen up using toothpicks inside of them and we enjoyed our dinner while people kept getting a sneak glance and the wonderful cake awaiting them.  It really is fun trying to bring these dream cakes out from my children’s imaginations and translate them into a reality.  I will really miss when I no longer have anyone asking me to make them a seven snowmen cake of green with gummy worms.  The kids tend to outgrow these ideas eventually but maybe it’s better that I have less of a chance of disappointing them then.  If taste is what you’re after I can make just about any conventional concoction there is to make. 

The turtle had joined us in the living room when we had company for dinner a few days earlier.  The cats loved keeping an eye on the Brownie and a couple of them enjoyed batting at birthday balloons. 

Now Kaitlyn was anticipating her gifts.  It had also been a long busy day and she was starting to get tired.  She usually starts telling me that she is wishing to go to bed.  It doesn’t often come out as misbehaving for her and she was still happy and excited for presents.

There were cards to open, which she read all by herself but did need help with a note that her Aunt Rachael wrote to her.  Her first gift she opened was from Lindsay; her very own box of lemon heads!  A years supply or at least have around for a while with some sharing and trading ability.  Kaitlyn also got some craft items.  She loves to make things.

Kaitlyn and Spooky have one very special relationship.  Now it looks like Spooky can go to school with Kaitlyn on her shirt.  This was the first thing she wore to back to school in and she told everyone that this was just like her special cat Spooky.  This was especially comforting at nap time in the classroom as it reminded Kaitlyn of Spooky always snuggling with her at quiet time on the pink blanket when she was at home.

Kaitlyn wasn’t too sure about this GREAT game which won the Parent’s Choice Award called the Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel.  But Nathan ended up being extremely enthusiastic about it.  Kaitlyn also got a few fun books.

Books are a favorite gift around here and get lots of love.  Kaitlyn also got some play figures from “Tangled” to add to her castle play set.

Sandy’s quiet room and sleeping spot had obviously been invaded.

Time for Birthday Cake!

The dining room looked very pretty bathed in candle light so late in the evening.

All those marshmallow snowmen standing in close proximity to the candles had the effect of a roast for Smore’s.   

We sang to our birthday girl and presented her with the cake.

Make a wish!

She loved it but figured out later that she really wished for a pumpkin cake instead of carrot but she was OK with it!  Sometimes she is a little adult in a small body, it seems to me.

A few days later we brought in 27 ghost cupcakes so Kaitlyn could celebrate turning six with her class.  Kaitlyn loved doing this.

And a birthday package arrived in the mail later that week too from her Erickson grandparents.  This was a fun surprise to open at the end of the first school week back after Christmas.

Kaitlyn loved her sweatshirt, two outfits with hearts and a new raincoat with a  button in lining.  She really had a great birthday.  She is a special part of our family and we would not be the same without her.  So glad to celebrate SIX years!!!