Almost here!

 In the days leading up to Elle's birthday, She had many special cards and gifts arrive in the mail...one her favorites for her big day was from Grammie Skaling...

                                            A fun green headband.. made by Grammie. You will notice in most of her pictures we have taken since, this is never far from her head!

                                          We looked after Terry and Jenny's pets for them while they were on vacation, and our favorite was Sam the dog. He was the biggest cuddle bug, and we loved having him here.

                      My kitchen floor did get a little crowded at times ! These 3 were always underfoot.

                                                This was so cute!! I had bread baking, and my little 1 year old turkey loves pulling off all my hand towels, and pressing her nose to the glass...Eva happened to join in and there they were!

                                                 More Sam snuggling happening...

                                       Now this was quite the event. The day before Elle's birthday we got a sitter for Elin, and took the older girls to the theatre for the very first time. There was a new Dr Seuss movie called The Lorax showing and we had been given free passes for all 3 of the girls  and Ryan and I for Christmas . Well we had been biding our time waiting for the right movie , and when it came along.. away we went..those girls's eyes were glued to that screen, they had never seen anything so huge!!

                                                     They were so tiny looking in the huge chairs!!

                      We got home just as the Sante's were pulling in our driveway to come pick up their pets..which besides Samson the dog included 2 guinea pigs, and a weeks old bottle fed goat!!  They came laden with gifts from Grampie and Grammie Cameron, Great Grammie Cameron, and Grampa Karl and Uncle Josh's family for the birthday girl and with a little begging, they agreed to spend the night and help Elle celebrate(yet again) her Birthday!! Well everyone was excited another party began!

                                          Gift times

                                                         Uncle Terry reading the birthday wishes

                                                  The long awaited present from Aunt Jenny ...a bath wrap!! Now Elle was so in love she had it all planned out to wear it as a sun dress...housecoat....beach cover up....nightie and possibly even a church dress if we would let her!! Once she had it on( which was immediately) She wore it straight through to bedtime!!

                                                    at the supper table...

                                  Showing off the bubble bath that was in the pocket...which stayed in the pocket all night too! After some more playtime..it was bed time and the promise of more celebrations in the morning...seriously..I wanted to turn 5 again from all the partying going on around this house!!

The Big Day

Well The Morning of Elle's birthday  was another splendid affair!! Elle had her choice of breakfast fare, and so we had lots of yummy food!!

                                                        Here she is the big 5 year old adorned with all her birthday finery!

                                                                 Adrianna came for the day and brought a gift for Elle, which she loved....

                                          and in keeping with being herself, promptly added it to her outfit!

                                       Using her own knife for the first time....being 5 and all!!

                                                 Happily chatting to her Grammie...birthday wishes from afar.

                                                Now here is the real coming of age story. Butter knife use aside...Elle's biggest excitement was getting her ears pierced!! Our girls have to wait until their 5th birthday to get their tiny little lobes bejewelled. and was she ever excited!!

                                                            A front shot of the ears...kinds hard to see!!

                                                   When everyone was ready for bed, we all got to the table for one more cake!!

                                                               

                                                            Everyone was enjoying it!

                    Happy Birthday Ellsie we love you!!

Elle is 5 !!!

 Well, Our Favourite little 4 year old had a big celebration....or should I say celebrations to welcome in birthday #5 .It all started 1 week before the big day. A local indoor entertainment centre Crystal Palace, has a freebee morning once a year, the Friday before March break. They open at 6:00 am, and are open till 9:00am. Every ride is free, and there is a free breakfast there as well, for everyone to enjoy. Needless to say we have been there every year since we found out about it!! AND because it is so close to Elle's birthday , we invite the cousins, and a friend to come along for the fun!!

    The night before the big day, Terry ,Jenny and girls came to have a special birthday supper with us..the menu of which Elle got to choose by her very own self....so of course we had ..wait for it....what else....but every 4 year old-turning 5 year old's dream dinner.....pork in cream of mushroom soup, over rice!!!The poor cousin's were not sure about the party fare,but Elle enjoyed her favourite meal quite thoroughly

                                       Here are the happy diners

                            Now for the cake..Elle had requested a ballerina cake, so I had improvised and decided to make her a Barbie cake. She was thrilled by the thought of being able to keep the doll!

                                              Tasting the dress!!

                                   While she ate her birthday cake, she asked Aunt Jenny if she could sit on her lap to eat..Aunt Jenny said she would be honoured !!

           Now came the presents...the cousins' home made presents that is.. We as a family were saving ours for her real birthday ,and Aunt Jenny hadn't gotten hers done for Elle yet either. Well, no matter, the cousins did themselves proud!! Everyone had a gift to give made from tiny hands and big hearts..

                                   There was the paper kite from Cassie..

                                  Penelope got especially excited and while Elle was having a private moment in the bathroom, burst in and placed the priceless gift in Elle's hands....Elle not bothered in the least promptly opened it, and everyone was happy!

                                      Which was by the way a paper hat complete with long paper hair attached....just what every girl needs!!

                                        Charley sewed her an adorable little snuggle animal

                            Now the following morning dawned bright and early.....5:15 a.m. early!! and we were on the road by 6 . When we got to Crystal Palace , girls were very excited!! We were on ride after ride until closing time!

                           Em and Charley are the best of friends and were glued together all morning

 Here they are before attempting the scariest ride in the palace...THE SWINGS!!!

  
 And there they are flying away...Jenny's and my hearts were in our throats the whole time watching them, but they did glorious, and those big toothed grins were all you could see when it was over, and they were asking to go again!!

                    Then Emmy asked to try the climbing wall...

                            Sadly this is the only picture I have of the birthday girl herself...my battery in my camera died, and so I didn't get to take all the shots I wanted...

                                   Well,  here we are mid morning on our way home, and as you can see...everyone was tuckered right out!!

                               Eva, Emily and Adrianna ..Elle's best friend

                                            It was a quiet ride home, (for a change!!)   And Elle had had quite the times celebrating her big day....however..the celebrations were far from over.....to be continued!!

Birthday part 2

                Cassy enjoying her icecream cake

       The" ladies'" table

                             After our icecream cake in the middle of February, everyone was feeling a little bit chilly, so the snuggling began!!

                                             The morning of my birthday dawned the next day, and I finally got to open all those yummy looking presents under my birthday tree!!

                               I got spoiled.A cozy house coat and beautiful necklace were among my favorites!! But most of all is the gift of another year lived, and the blessing of a special family to share it with me!!