Girls, Dolls, and a Scraptastic Cake

Pardon me for a few days while I play a little catch-up... Remember when this little girl turned seven on 9/07? And we went to Disneyland as a family? Well, in this house, birthdays might tend to last a bit longer than just the actual day... So, of course there was a party!



August and I took these 8 little girls to the American Girl Cafe.

They had lunch, and then they brought out the most beautiful-est cake you will ever see. My friend, Lori, loves this cake.

Here's another shot for you Lori. You have a birthday coming up! You could have Joey take you to the Cafe at the Galleria!

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And seriously, the colors at this place will make for fabulous scrapbooking!

Papa & Beppe sent Brookie a gift certificate, and she was able to buy a new doll. And get her ears pierced. The dolls, that is.

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Yes, they pierce dolls ears there.

Another birthday, another great party!!

Twelve Point Five

The preteen years are mysterious years. Children disappear into their rooms for hours at a time. One minute they are chatty and open, the next minute they are quiet and sullen.

Thank goodness for homework! Homework provided a little insight this week into the mind of the preteen living in our house.

Kennedy, age 12 1/2...My Favorite Things

"I have many favorite things. My favorite colors are red and purple. My favorite food is hard to decide, but it would probably be Italian food. My favorite bands are The Fray, Mayday Parade, and Regina Spektor, and my favorite songs are Daylight, Wake Up, Fidelity, and You Found Me. My favorite magical creatures are unicorns and leprechauns."

I fancy myself pretty hip...I dig the cool rock and roll music...I will crank it up loud... However, I have never heard of two of the three of her favorite bands. And I have no idea what songs those are that are her favorites.

Could it be? Am I old?

And when did LEPRECHAUNS, little creepy dudes in green, replace fairies?

Yes, twelve point five, 12 1/2 years old...mysterious. But beautiful. :)

Seven is the new...well, seven

Well I guess 7 doesn't look all that different from 6 today, does it? Teeth...still missing. Child...still little and cute. Excellent. If only we can keep it this way!

On Brooke's 7th birthday, we went to Disneyland. We spent the whole day there and we didn't try and talk her into riding a single thing she didn't want to ride! (Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Carribean, Matterhorn) Wait, actually Kennedy may have tried to push her into the Matterhorn ride, but to no avail.

We had dinner at Ariel's Grotto where princesses roam about while you eat your dinner.

I think that's a pretty darn magical way to spend your 7th birthday!

For more photos of this totally fun day, click here.

Last Day to be Six

Take a look at this face. This face is six years old.

Tomorrow...she will be seven.

How I spent my birthday - 2009

I woke up to start the coffee and found the kitchen had been turned into a Birthday Wonderland.

I went to work.


I got flowers!




I came home from work and went to dinner with a few cute kids.

And a few cute men.

And a really good friend.

Did I mention cute men?

We ate at PF Changs, but I knew...all week long I knew...what I wanted for dessert.

Stefanie's Red Velvet Cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory.

Oh yeah.

At home, there were presents. Handmade by the girls...

If you ask Brooke, she will tell you my age even though I've asked her not to. She needs to learn that when people turn THIRTY, they might be sensitive because it's such a BIG number.

Silly girl.