7 blogs in 7 days - Day 7 -Lily's 5th Bday Party - Carnival Style

Okay, so in my 7 blogs for 7 days, I haven't cleared off so much back log that I'd hoped. I guess that's because this was a crazy week of firsts and I wanted to document it all as we went. If I had to write a blog each day, I didn't really feel like going back and digging up old drafts and old pictures to dust off, when I had new stuff I couldn't wait to write about and record.

The good news is that I shared some pretty important stuff in a timely matter which almost never happens, and I feel freed to keep blogging as life comes rather than feeling like "how could I blog about that when I haven't even written about the first days of school, and buses, and soccer YET." So YAY. So - This wasn't exactly what I wanted, and it's also not exactly what I'd planned on. But still fun and productive just the same. And it's also what I had time for.

Pretty weak on the comment love though, guys. Pretty weak. Ah, well, it's so much more for me, this blog. I mean I know some of you love it. But really. I love to look back at stories I wrote about long ago, things I never would have remembered, things that make me laugh and cry. And sometimes, when "long ago" is really a week ago, and I'd totally forgotten something important that I already blogged about, I am so glad. And sad. About all the unblogged amazing happenings in our life.

For day 7 I decided to go back to the oldest draft . It was from almost a year ago. Lily's 5th birthday party. She turns 6 next month, and I just HAD to post this before she actually turned 6!

At least one draft is done, and that might be IT for 2009. Hurray, just as we are about to conclude 2010. That's about where I am with my scrapbooking too, one year behind.

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Started on 11/10/09. Really? My birthday, odd.
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For Lily's 5th Bday, Lawrence and her decided to do a Carnival Themed Bday party. To me this sounded kind of nuts and a lot of work, but it all came together very nicely.

We had a duck pond, a fishing pond, cake walk, pinata, and pin the tail on the donkey.

There were 17 kids and 7 families, counting ours. Rather than goodie bags we had a prize box and the kids goodies were the prizes they collected at the games above. Lawrence had some grand ideas that really stressed me out but with the help of my mom and Sabine, we were able to pull it off nicely.

It was the first time Lily invited her own friends, ones that I didn't know their moms. Two girls from her class. It will be interesting for me as the years go on, and less of my friends come to her parties and more of her friends. Luckily, from each of these 7 families, there is at least one close friend her age, who I'm sure will continue to get invited year after year. I'm worried that we are getting to the age where kids just get dropped off parentless for birthdays and it becomes child care for 17 of her nearest and dearest friends who have consumed an insane amount of SUGAR. :)

LILY's FIFTH BIRTHDAY DAY, it was a Wednesday or something.
This is the morning of Lily's real birthday. I'd forgotten about this picture, but simply LOVE it because of how HAPPY Addie is that it is Lily's birthday. I remember that morning so clearly!
Lily got a home made ice cream cake with just the fam on her big day

What's for dinner? PANCAKES. And she helped make them too!

Making cupcakes before her party.
Making cupcakes with mama and Bryson

PARTY TIME! I do cake first as to not send kids home with a sugar high right before dinner. No one repays that favor, so I may switch it up this year... :)
For some reason Lily was on top of her cupcake and her eyes were burning so she did this. Luckily, nothing singed!
The perfect candle blowing out shot

Cake walk!
Fish Pond + Q



Pin the tail...

2 of her Besties, and daughters of mine, Alex & Rachel
Duck Pond

Waiting for the head butt mania. Oh, I mean pinata.
Alex pulling the winning string from the pinata and the candy mid-air. Oh wait, we didn't do much candy, mostly Oriental Trading Company crap! :)

That's a wrap.