Eight is Great!

This little princess is turning EIGHT!!

We celebrated today at school! Tomorrow is her friend's party

Meant to Be

Reunited with her Dex! Happy 8th birthday buddy!

Eight will be Great

...once I learn more about this girl, JoJo Siwa from Dance Moms! 

She is the inspiration for birthday #8 for Ashlee

Good thing I have until November to plan!

Happy Birthday Grandma!

40-Some Candles

Happy Birthday Justin!

Tonight, we celebrate you!

We went out to dinner with Justin's parents and followed it up with a small bundt/birthday cake and singing at home...and, of course, presents.

Poor Tyler missed the festivities because of basketball practice.

Our kids love to celebrate birthdays. They don't care if its their own or someone elses. Ashlee helped Justin open his presents - and probably would have helped eat his cake, too, if she could have!

Here's to another year, my love! May it be as exciting as the last 40-some.

Another year older, but not another day looking older!

Family {Mermaid} Bash

Birthdays in our neck of the woods last days, if not weeks.

Saturday was the friends party but today was the family party.

And we did something we haven't done since she was diagnosed with Celiac Disease: I bought a gluten cake and put a candle on it.

You know what's crazy?

 
We've been doing this GF thing for so long, she didn't care. 

She was just happy to blow out a candle. She had cupcakes from her friend's party to eat (and the family was happy to eat a gluten cake) and that was just fine with her. 

And she may have had a few bonus treats from the bakery visit on Friday, too.

I did a little decorating for the party, but mostly left it low key. The family usually comes over, eats a meal - Ashlee picked her favorite, tacos - and hangs out over a game of football. 

Ashlee (or Tyler, if it's his birthday) opens presents and we sing Happy Birthday. It's a pretty low key day...but it's another day that belongs to them!

{Crafty} Gifts Galore

Ashlee's 2 DOZEN presents cleaned out the arts and crafts aisles!
She had to start doing them immediately: Orbeez

Mermaid {Swim} Party Time!

 SWIMMING TIME