Girls Family Birthday Party-Let's Eat!

This year for the girls family birthday party the chosen them was "food".  Our girls love food shows, such as Alton and Cupcake Wars. They can pick out chefs as easily as cartoon characters. They both enjoy helping cook and Kaylee took a cooking class last summer and is taking a baking one this summer. They are our foodies:) So it seemed like a perfect fit. The invites were recipe cards with pink and green colors on the cards. So pink and green seemed like an easy color scheme to forge ahead with. The goodie bags were mini popcorn boxes filled with snacks such as cereal bars, drink flavors, 100 calorie snack packs, fruit roll-ups and goldfish.

There were large lollipops and sign on the door to welcome guests to Kaylee and Ainsley's Birthday Cafe.

The cake was a cheeseburger with a chocolate shake cake to accompany it. I always make their birthday cakes. Partly because Brad and his Dad are allergic to corn so everything has to be made from scratch, but the other part is because I enjoy making them. It is challenging to me and the girls love it.

                                There were pot holders and fabric markers for the kids to decorate.

                     My birthday girls, one celebrating turning 7 and the other celebrating turning 5!!!

                             Presents galore! Toys, headbands, games, clothes and so much more!

 Of course our party is never complete without a pinata. This years was a cupcake...of course:) It held out for the girls and each of their cousins to get a turn.

                                                              (There are no words:))

It was a day but a fun day. The girls definitely ended their birthday month with a bang and of course had some good food!

Happy 7th Birthday Kaylee McKenna!

Dear Kaylee McKenna,

Today you are 7 years old! Seven years ago today, at 4:26 p.m. to be exact, you came into this world and made me a Mommy and Daddy a Daddy. Our family had begun. It's hard to believe that 7 years have already gone by. 

 You have been such a blessing to our family and I'm so lucky God picked us for you! You have always had a flare for the dramatics and have definitely kept us on your toes. Either from NEVER forgetting anything or amazing us with new things and skills you have learned.

We have so enjoyed watching you grow and try new things. You've done swimming, soccer, baseball, tumbling, dance and cheerleading. You love music and dancing and singing. You are quite the creative one. You love to carry around one of your many notebooks and write stories and poems.

It was hard to believe when your preschool days were over and it was time for Kindergarten. You continue to do well in school and have made some great friends. You have enjoyed being in Daisy's and learning new things. Your reading and spelling are beyond your years and we are so proud of all of your hard work.

First grade is almost over and soon another first day of school picture will be taken as you will be entering 2nd grade. Time continues to move but some things remain the same.

You continue to have a wonderful heart and an active mind. You love to tell jokes and read your chapter books. You can be very silly and very dramatic. You are a beautiful 7 year old. Thank you for all of the love, joy and laughter you bring to our family. Thank you for strengthening my patience and teaching me what unconditional love really is.

Happy Birthday to you, Kaylee!! We look forward to the next year and what it will bring.

Happy Birthday Ainsley!

Dear Ainsley Isabella,

                Today is your birthday! You are 5 years old and so excited about it!! We have been counting down for the past week, although I think you have been counting down since your last birthday:). Seems like not so long ago, much less than 5 years, you came into this world. It was May 1st, 2007 at 8:09 a.m. to be exact. You were such a little tot, 6lbs. 15oz. You have many nicknames which started with Baby A. While that name has been gone for sometime you have gained many other nicknames, such as Sassy, Sass, Sassafrass, Ainser-Painser, Panner-Lou and there are probably a few others.

You have always been a happy kid. You love to laugh and laugh often. Your Daddy has deemed  you the "Happiest kid in America." Not to say you don't have your unhappy times, because you can certainly let us know when you aren't happy.  You are our little daredevil and you love to try new things, even things that maybe we would rather you not try, like jumping off your playhouse.  I think you want to play every sport there is and probably want to wear your ballet outfit while playing.

You are also a talker. Daddy always comments on the amount of funny things you say and how when someone talks as much as you there is bound to be a lot of funny things that come out of your mouth. I sometimes describe you as "living with a backseat driver." You aren't afraid to tell us what you think. You never mean anything hurtful by what you say, you just like to share your feelings on things. All things. Like making sure Daddy or Mommy are driving the speed limit, making sure I have my keys before locking the car, explaining to Kaylee how she should eat, and so on.

Time has gone fast. It seems that you were born and before I knew it you were 3 and starting Montessori. You have grown a lot over the past 2 years and you are so excited to go to Kindergarten. You are reading already, you love to do your spelling tests when Daddy is practicing Kaylee's spelling words in the morning before school, and you love Math!

 You put a smile on my face and in my heart everyday! You are generous with your hugs and kisses, and although our bedtime routine has gone from me reading you stories to you reading to me I still love those moments laying with you before you go to sleep. I love watching you clomp around in my shoes and wear your dress-up clothes. You love to play with your babies and with your dollhouse. You are a true gem my Ainsley Isabella. I am so blessed to be your Mommy, or Mama (as you often like to call me) and I look forward to watching you continue to grow. I think that one of the reasons God blessed me with you is because you shine positivity on me everyday and it's a bright reminder of the important things in life. You help me with my perspective and help me to focus on what really matters, and who really matters. You are a special little girl and I thank you for completing our family and I hope that all of your birthday wishes come true!!!

Happy 5th Birthday! I love you!!!!

The In-betweens

The "In-betweens" is a way to catch you up on the things going on "in-between" the other posts:).

• Kaylee got a certificate in PE yesterday for running a mile. They have done that a few times between last school year and this school year and this is the first time she was able to complete the mile. I believe her certificate showed it was done in 12 minutes. She was very excited!!!
• Ainsley took one of her early reader books to school this week and read it to the class, all by herself, without any help from anyone. She was also very excited!! She loves to read and every night at bed time she reads a book to me. While I'm so excited for her my days of doing the reading are quickly slipping away. Sometimes we go up a level just so it can be a joint effort:) I notice her doing a lot of looking for clues in the photos of the book. I like her strategy!
• Planning the May birthday parties is in full swing. Honestly it started in February. With both their birthdays in May along with my Mother-n-Laws, and 2 Sister-n-laws and 1 soon to be Sister-n-law and Mother's Day I have to start early to prepare for May:) I think it is going to be a fun party and at this point I'm not sure if my new obsession with Pinterest will be a help or a hindrance with the parties. We'll see if I get through my lists of things to do. I do enjoy planning these parties and being able to get crafty and of course utilize my organization. That last part was just a little reminder to myself.
• Brad is continuing his training for the 1/2 marathon. He and Sarah will be running it coming up at the end of the month. Brian, Mom and the girls and I will be there in full support!!

I think that is a quick highlight of our current in-betweens. Stay tuned for more!

Easter

We had a great Easter weekend! I however did a poor job of bringing a long my camera. Friday Kaylee had off of school so she and Ainsley went up to their Grandpa and Grandma Duffy’s for some Easter fun with their cousins. They colored eggs, made crafts and decorated cookies. Brad and I went up after work and they did an egg hunt and got their baskets.

Saturday I woke up around 3:30 a.m. and thought it was Easter. I was freaked out because I had nothing done for Easter, no baskets, no eggs…nothing! As I was getting out of bed, in a panic, to get all the Easter stuff together I realized it was Saturday. Whew! We had dance and Ainsley had a friend’s birthday party. We picked Ainsley up and headed to my nephew Maddox’s birthday party.

Saturday we got home and set out the baskets and the carrots for the bunny.

Sunday morning Kaylee got up and we waited for Ainsley to get up so the Easter fun could begin. Our Easter bunny likes to hide the baskets and he leaves clues in the eggs that lead us to the baskets.

Opening gifts from us.

Reading the clues from the bunny.

They found their baskets!!!

Ainsley taking a little time out of the Easter fun to work on her casting. Made me think that maybe Grandpa Schelle was watching down on us for a bit.

The girls favorite part…I make them take many photographs!

Ainsley and Aunt Sarah

The girls and I have glasses we like to use for fun occasions and so I made my Mom, Brad’s Mom and Sarah each one for this fun occasion too!

It was great weather for Easter and we enjoyed a lot of outside time and enjoyed time with each other.

Happy Birthday Mama!

This past week was my Mom’s birthday. It was a milestone birthday and therefore we needed to do it up right! Thursday Brian and I met our Mom at Suzi Davis Travel to book our trip to Mexico. We will be going in June. It will be Brad and I, Brian and Sarah and my Mom. We are all very excited!! We are going back to the place we went last September. I’m mostly excited to be doing this with Mom. She has always wanted to do something like this and I am very happy to be experiencing this with her.

Friday we had a surprise happy hour for her. She thought she was going to meet some of her friends because one of her friends recently got a new position within State Farm. When she arrived we were waiting. I told her it was going to be a “This is your life” kind of happy hour and it certainly was. People that she knew from childhood, family and friends all showed up throughout the night. She was very surprised.

Saturday we all went over to Mom’s and made her dinner and gave her our present. What was our present you ask. When we go to Mexico one of the excursions are going to go to is Xel-ha. This is a place where you can do a variety of water activities. One of them is swimming with the dolphins. That is what we are going to pay for her to do, an hour swimming with dolphins. Another item on the list of things she has always wanted to do. I’m so happy that we can do this for her!

Singing Happy Birthday!

Mee-maw and the girls.

Ainsley helping Mee-Maw open her photo album that told her what her about dolphin gift.

Kaylee reading her cards.

Ainsley and Mee-Maw checking the bird bath and setting out food.

Taking a little break to do a little swinging.

Happy Birthday to you, Mama! Hope you had a great birthday week and can’t wait for Mexico!

It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Easter!

 

Hard to believe we are into April and have been enjoying Spring and doing some Easter activities. We have a busy Easter weekend coming up so we started early, last weekend, with some of our Easter festivities.

We dyed some eggs.

We have enjoyed looking at the blooming trees and smelling the lilacs.

We went to my friend Melissa’s annual egg hunt and the girls enjoyed a hula hooping contest.

Hunted for lots of eggs

Played some catch.

Enjoyed some time with lifelong friends

And of course, more hula hooping.

We hope that you have been having  just as much fun!!