Campfire Birthday Party!

 My sweet little girl is turning 7 tomorrow!

She's all about playing.

She's the best little player in the world!

 She wanted to have a "camping" birthday

so we started with making "Happy Camper Crunch"

Golden Grahams

Marshmallos

Chocolate Chips

 We put the crunch packs and flashlights into these

"camping sticks"

When I was a kid, these were Hobo sticks...

you know, for homemade Halloween Hobo costumes?

Every "camping party ideas" google, showed these sticks.

Hobo camping it is!

 (Pretend you don't see her name there)

 My failed Pinterest attempt at making a homemade tent.

I bought these stupid stakes & nails,
and it just was NOT strong enough to even stand!!

(let alone hold a sheet!)

  This is the only picture I got that actually kind of shows the tent we did have

It worked out OK
They are kids, they don't care!

This is a picture of Sweetie Pie, and my cousin's daughter, 

who is a year younger....a whole year.

My sweetie pie needs to grow....

(click on the picture, they are adorable)

 The Cake!!

I got this idea off Pinterest also, 

Here's the site--Click HERE

 I just used a boxed cake--chocolate chunk or something like that

(oops, should have put wax paper under while I was frosting it

looks kind of messy)

Time to open gifts!

 That's my cousin in the background!

 Oh, look at that sweet baby face....

Just stop growing honey.

Stay right where you are right now.

 Her good friend came in her party dress!

They are so cute together!

A close up of the table, you wanted to see it better, didn't you?

 A close up of my triangles...I stayed up til 1am making these...

 No campfire birthday is complete without a campfire!

My good friend Nicki brought us some wood, 

and yes, we had a campfire without a permit to have one.

We gotta get one of those...

(technically, we live in town, with country in our backyard)

Smores for everyone!

We prayed to God and our Angels, 

to keep the rain away enough for us to have a campfire,

after it had been raining for days,

and we were blessed!!!

It poured about an hour after everyone left!

 I love this photo, I'm taking a picture of Nolan, my cousin's boy,

and here's the birthday girl in the background enjoying her smore!

Can we have an "Awwwwww"?

Oh, honey, honey, honey!

You are always all smiles!

And I am so happy to have you in our life!

God bless you sweetheart!

(I'll probably do more pictures after tomorrow, her actual birthday)

Theme Thursday--Self Portrait

I decided to let the kiddos do a mommy portrait, 

each child drawing in a box
 what they thought of
when they thought of me.

I think it's a keeper.
(click on it to see it better!)

 (it is important when it's your kids)

Visit Clan Donaldson for more self portraits!

Les Miserables

I know, 3 posts in one day?

This is it. 

Promise.

 

 I finally watched this this past weekend!

I've never read the story or seen the play

 

I liked it.

Kind of.

I liked the story

I'd probably like a Cliff Notes type story of it though

I liked some of the songs,

but some I just fast forwarded through.

(sorry--does that shock you?  I swear I have ADD)

It had some great stars in it.

I loved Hugh Jackman's part.

I liked his heart.

He overcame so much,

he forgave so much.

Really a great story about love.

Not a love story in the traditional sense, though,

a love story about the love we all crave and need from others.

Russell Crowe's part, made me so sad, reminded me of Judas.

The despair did.

What are your thoughts on the movie or play or whatever you've read or seen?

 

Thankful May Thursday!

Finally, huh?

  I haven't done a Thankful Thursday since the end of April. 

 So sorry. 

 Sometimes I have so many things that I'm thankful for

I don't know where to start, 

and I think I am boring you. 

First, I am thankful for Shelly.

if you have not been to her blog or read any of her stories,

you are missing out.

She is a wonderful writer

(I think because she writes from her beautiful heart)

Anyway, 

She is retiring from teaching 

and tomorrow is her last day!!

Her hard work and dedication 

is inspirational!

I love you Shelly and am so happy to have become

friends with you in our little blog world.

I hope you have time, it's a loooong one....

 Thankful for the Cheeseball Chick

It was so worth it to buy this junkfood these cheeseballs

just for the smile it brought on her face!

 Thankful for Nerf Wars!

 Thankful my girls are all tom-boys

 and

 are not afraid of wearing dresses

and getting dirty!

 Thankful for this sweet little love girl.

That's what I call her.

She's always there to give kisses and hugs.

She's turning 7 next week.  

Can't believe it.

 Thankful for walking babies, 

even though that means a banged up face.

(he fell off the front rocky-cement steps)

He only cried when I brought him in to wipe the blood.
(because he didn't want to go inside)

He loves it outside.

He also loves purses.

(I told you my kids are weird)

 and towels.

On his head and neck.

 Thankful for our trampoline.

So much fun!

 Thankful this is my  last box of breastmilk.

I made it to 17 months!!

 Thankful for piano recitals...

 which is in video on Tom's camera...

 Thankful for Mr. Freezies

(look at that banged up face--poor baby)

 Thankful for messy spaghetti babies!

(who throw all their food on the floor when they are done)

 Thankful for babies in buckets!

He tried getting out, by standing up, putting one foot out but leaving one foot in,

couldn't understand why he couldn't lift it!

 Thankful He plays and sings while we pray the rosary!

 Thankful for picnics with friends on the porch!

 Thankful for feet washing in the sink

 (it's much quicker than a bath)

 Thankful for funny, sweet, curly haired 3 year olds!

 who have a style all their own!

Why, you ask is Little Red pushing her leg

(click the picture to see it up close)

 He wants the doll behind her!

 Thankful he wants everything she has 

and

she wants everything he has.

It makes life very loud and interesting.

 Thankful he knows where the snack cupboard is

 and that he can't get in.

 Thankful 10 kids is not that big of a deal when having friends over.

 Thankful for rainy day play-dough!!

 Recipe HERE

 Thankful for strong furniture movers

 in Spider Man shoes and cute baby toes!

Sing with me,

Spider Man, Spider Man, does whatever a spider can!

 Thankful for a wonderful husband that the kids flock to when he comes home!

 Thankful unicycling and the fun it has brought

 Thankful for playing in the rain!

(those are floatie light sabers)

 Look at those curls...what's not to be Thankful there?

 Thankful after 5 or 6 days of rain,

I caught the clouds going away last night

 making way for the sun to glisten on our new leaves popping through

Sunny tulips, much prettier!

Are you still here?

Thanks for reading and staying til the end!