Party for a Princess

The kids are allowed to have a friend party on their even year of birth. I don't think Scott and I thought that through very well cause it turns out all 4 kids turn an even number all in the same year! lol

Since Paige turned 6 she decided to have a Barbie Princess Party. She invited 5 of her friends to dress up and come to her castle for a party. I love party planning and decorating.

Party invitation!

Paige wanted a Barbie cake, so I tried my hand making and decorating a Barbie cake. Here are the steps of my cake decorating.

1st Step - baked cake - start of skirt

2nd Step - butter cream frosting

3rd Step - dyed fondant blue, place fondant on cake

4th Step - Add fondant top to Barbie

Place Barbie in cake

Backside of Barbie cake

Look how beautiful she turned out!

So Pretty

Fondant tiara!

Close-up

Princess Barbie Cake!!

Our home turned into the Castle!

The Castle entrance

Tulle entrance into the ballroom (FYI-I made the tulle canopy)

Gift Table - party bags for the princesses

Ballroom

Grandma (aka Cinderella) and Princess Paige

Princess Paige blowing out her candle

Activity - Princess candy necklace making

Princesses making their candy necklaces

For an activity the girls decorated their own Barbie gowns

The party princesses showing off their decorated barbie dresses

The party was a huge success. So exhausting, but so much fun! I love Paige, she truly is my princess. Somedays I may say "Why a girl?", but in the end she is my pride and joy and so much fun!

Happy 6th Birthday Paige!

Fashion Diva

So at the age of 5, Paige has taken a passion for fashion. I try to dress Paige in age appropriate clothes that she scoffs at. At first, I tried to fight her, but then I realized as long as she is covering everything up and staying within my standards, why should I fight her passion/talent. I choose to save my fight for another battle, which I am sure I will have plenty more to choose from.

Here is a peak at some of Paige's fashion designs.

First Day of School

Today is the first day of school. Garhett is in 5th grade and the top dog at school, he is so excited! He was ready after the 6 week summer break to get back to school. Garhett has great teacher, Mrs. Morse, she teaches the kids responsibility with money, actions, and choices. It's going to be a great year for Garhett.

Garhett in Mrs. Morse's Class

Waiting for the bus

Trent was a little excited but more apprehensive of what the year is going to bring. Trent is not our social kid, he would rather just do his own thing.  The funny thing with that is everyone wants to be Trent’s friend. Everyone wants Trent around and to play with him. I find it interesting that Trent will agree to play and then 10 – 15 minutes into it, the kids are all playing together and Trent has migrated somewhere off to play on his own. Then some time later, the kids are back playing with Trent. It is quite comical.

Trent has Mrs. McClanahan this year, she is a seasoned teacher.  Trent is going to be a great 2nd grader! He is looking forward to teaching his little sister the rules of school.

Trent in Mrs. Clanahan's Class

Now for the Girl! 

Paige is starting kindergarten this year. She has been counting the days since preschool ended in May. Now that night before school starts, Paige asks the questions, "Mom, how many days until school?"  I said, "Paige school starts tomorrow". She answered hesitantly, "Oh". During the night, Paige kept coming into my room, "Mom, I don't feel good, my tummy hurts. Mom, I had a headache". Paige's nerves finally caught up to her months of excitement. I finally got her to settle down around 3am. 

As the morning arrived, everyone was excited to start school. The tradition is everyone takes the bus to school and mom drives and meets everyone at school. So I can take supplies and take pictures of them arriving at school and checking into their classrooms. The boys are pros. Since it's Paige's first time with school and the bus, here are a few more pictures of Paige.

A side note on Paige. Paige is so over mom's opinion on clothes and what to where. So here is Paige's first day of school outfit - put together by Paige herself.

First Day of School Outfit

Before heading to the bus and to school, Paige lost her 4 tooth. So Paige is starting kindergarten missing her front teeth and bottom teeth. Poor Trent, but that's another post.

Look another tooth gone on the first day of school!

Paige arriving at school

Paige and the bus driver Fred

Paige and Aubrey

Paige and her BFF Aubrey

Paige in Mrs. Longpre's Class

Everyone had a great first day of school. To wind up the kids' first school day, I greeted them with warm chocolate chip walnut cookies. We sat around the table, ate cookies, and talked about their first day of school. What a great day!!!!

Making Cookies

Homemade cookies sound good to me today. Well okay homemade, but not from scratch (the main ingredients come from a bag - that I spent 35 cents for after using coupons). I love oatmeal cookies, but my kids aren't a real big fan of them. We decided to make oatmeal, peanut butter, and chocolate chip w/walnuts. I know - crazy huh?

So I get started. I pull the baking sheets out (which Emmett was so excited about). As I get the bowl out to mix up the cookies, Paige comes running into the kitchen wanting to help. Wow! I must be feeling good today or something. Cause I decided to let everyone help, yes, even Emmett! I know what a crazy person I am today. I am figuring that it will be easier to manage Emmett if I have him on a chair next to Paige and I while we mix the cookies and put them on the baking sheets. HERE WE GO!!!!!

Everything actually went smooth. I was able to capture some adorable pictures of Paige and Emmett. I guess be glad that we aren't sharing these cookies with friends, cause we put our fingers in the dough and in our mouths and then in the dough and back into our mouths. FUN TIMES!!!!


















Paige mixing up the cookie dough. Emmett contemplating what he should do to help out with the cookie making process.

















Oh yea, Emmett could help by put his mark in each cookie as it is placed on the baking sheet.

















Oh but the even better thing to do would be to taste the cookie dough. Um Um Good!!














Here is the final product. A lot of Oatmeal, some Peanut Butter, and a little Chocolate Chip w/Walnuts. Great job Paige and Emmett!!!!

Birthday Girl

Birthdays are such a special day! I love birthdays! I love making the people I love feel special.

In our family, we only do "friend" birthday parties on the even years of the kids birthdays. Since Paige is 5, we aren't having a party this year. I decided that Paige would love to go the salon and get her nails done. So we had a mom and daughter day. We had pedicures, enjoyed lunch, and then dinner out with the family, and an enjoyable evening with extended family and some friends for cake n ice cream.














Here is Paige and I decorating her "Castle" cake, which she wanted all white this year. So there isn't any definition with lines or flowers or anything. It's the Princess' cake and she can have it anyway she wants it! (For today!)

Here we are getting our toes done. Paige loved putting her feet in the water. She chose pink for her toes with flowers on the big toes, and green for her fingernails. This is what daughters are for! To have fun getting all dolled up and shopping. I have been blessed with a shopper and a trendy girl. It's a good thing and probably a bad thing when she gets older, but for now - it's FUN!!!!
















Who doesn't love dinner at Red Robyn where they will sing and clap "Happy Birthday" to you?!!! My kids love it! Grandma and Grandpa joined us for Paige's birthday dinner.















Then home for presents, cake and ice cream with Uncle Brian and Aunt Kathy, cousin Randy (we caught her before she went back to college), and the Kidders (Deidra and Michael), oh yes, and we must not forget Grandma and Grandpa!!!
















Paige blowing the candle out on her cake.

                             Paige's new birthday outfit.