First Jigsaw Puzzle

Elizabeth got her first real jigsaw puzzle for her birthday...  of course it had a unicorn on it.  I explained how to flip all the pieces over, look for edges & she took it from there.  She concentrated very hard.

And was so very proud when she had finished it!

5th Birthday: The Unicorn Party

When I said, "We want to get the unicorn balloon," I had absolutely no idea the unicorn balloon was so HUGE!!  She was thrilled with it, though!

Elizabeth has been excited about, and planning this party for months.  I believe she was happy with the outcome.  : )  This afternoon she helped prepare the cupcakes with sprinkles and mini chocolate chips.

The party started with the girls making unicorn horn party hats!  I had the cones already made and they glitter painted them.  I was so busy squirting paint and passing out supplies I didn't get any pictures until well into the party when I got Dad to start taking pictures.

Next the girls made unicorn sun catchers.  I had precut black construction paper by tracing a unicorn that I printed off the internet.  The moms helped lay out clear contact paper and the outlines, then the girls sprinkled on tissue paper.  Again, no pictures of the process, but this is Elizabeth's completed unicorn.  They turned out beautiful in person!

We played a little relay game where the girls took turns carrying a mini unicorn in a spoon around the couch.  Well, it was supposed to be a mini unicorn, but Elizabeth misplaced her, so we used a giant marshmallow with a toothpick stuck in it.  No pics.  : \  But they had fun doing it.

Then we made edible unicorn horns - sugar cones, white icing and sprinkles!
 

 Rebekah had a big glob of glitter paint on her face.  There were sprinkles everywhere.  It hurts when you're in socks and step on a bunch of sprinkles.

Next up: Pin the Horn on the Unicorn!  I found this website with beautiful unicorn drawings and tried to replicate it... My unicorn looks kinda goofy, but I find if you add enough color and swirls it becomes a magnificent, magical and beautiful creature... especially to a 5 year old girl!

I've noticed that whenever we play a Pin-the-whatever game at a party, my kids always win.  Makes me wonder if there's a little foul play going on there under the mask...

Finally, it was cupcake time!  (much to the relief of some of the guests... hee hee!)
 

 Dad saved the day by lifting Elizabeth up to blow out the last candle.  Smear chocolate around your face & into your mouth and on to presents!!!

 Before the girls left, big brother came out to herd them around the room for a while.

 And Sarah was holding her ears because the squealing was so loud!!!!!!!!!!

 I can't believe I didn't get more pictures!  With all the set-up, then crafting that we started out with, I failed to photograph the food!  Elizabeth loved the unicorn cake topper that was on loan from my BFF.  She stood atop the cupcakes, prancing in the sprinkles.

It makes me happy to make kids happy.  

Happy Birthday, Elizabeth!

November ONE

Yes, I took the photos, then forgot to post them. Then the photos I took on the first, I really didn't like how  they turned out.  So this one was actually taken on the third.  And that's ok with me.

It's amazing every month how fast they grow.

Birthday Excitement

 When asked what David wanted to do for his birthday, he wanted to stay home and play Legos.  His big birthday present/event, was Legoland a couple of weeks ago.  After that, everything else was rather low-key.

He also did some playing outside.  It was hot!  But he found a way to solve that problem!

 I used the trusty iron-on transfer paper and printed out some Lego Minifigures for a new muscle shirt.  Jackpot!  

For dinner he picked the local small town cafe, because he wanted rolls & butter!  There was an old man celebrating his birthday when we got there.  The waitress brought a piece of the man's cake for David and when they left, they gave us their balloons!  The waitresses also sang Happy Birthday to him.  Very exciting!

For three years now, all David has asked for is Legos - 5, 6, and now 7.  You'd think there might be something else that would catch his attention, but no.

(I'm a cupcake lover.)  Last year he asked for a cake that looked like a Lego brick.  Then he instructed me on the proper placement of the buttons to make it accurate.  This year, he wanted his cake to look like a Minifigure!  I thought about cutting & piecing a minifigure out of cake, but decided to go with drawing one on top!  I sketched one out & got his approval (after making the corrections he suggested) and voila:

 I've never done this type of cake before, but I was very pleased by how well it turned out & how easy it was!  I was inspired by this recent instructional post at Prudent Baby!

He got some pretty cool stuff for his birthday, too!  From Aunt Erin, a Lego Hero Factory model, which was instantly put together!

MawMaw got him a cool pen/pencil set with minifigures on them!  We'll see if that helps him enjoy handwriting any more...

Grana got him a Star Wars Reader.

We got him a Venus Fly Trap to grow.  He's been asking for one for a while now.  I actually ordered it to go along with next year's botany material, but decided to go ahead & give it to him.  Turns out to be a good thing, because the seeds have to be refrigerated for 8 weeks!

And how 'bout that!  MawMaw also got him a giant stuffed Minifigure! When he first saw these at Legoland, he said, "Wow, only a Master Lego Builder would have a minifigure he could sleep with!"  And as I type, my Master Lego Builder is sleeping with his giant stuffed minifigure.  : )  He named him David.

And with birthday money from Aunt Wee & Uncle Bubba, guess what he bought - Legos!  When we went to pick it up, he walked straight to it, put it in the basket, and was ready to go.  Shopping like a man already!

It was a perfect Lego-y birthday for my 7 year old!

Beginning 7th Birthday Celebrations at LEGOLAND!

 Last year David wanted a bounce house for his birthday.  This year he wanted to go to the new Legoland Discovery Center!  We were all excited about this day.  His birthday is still 2 weeks away, but since Grandparents wanted to go, too, this was the best day for everyone to be able to go.

Our first view of the building got the excitement going!  And the first window display inside the mall was equally exciting!  David loves Lego Minifigures and was quite excited to see the large ones in the displays.

 Rebekah was excited to see the candy display.

 We pre-purchased our tickets, but we still have to wait in line with everyone else who had also prepaid.

 David and MawMaw checked out the map while we were waiting to get in.

 Giant Minifigure in the lobby area.

 They let 30 at a time into this holding room while we waited to go in the first room.  They had a video playing about a Minifigure in the factory getting squished into a brick.  David was entertained.  Then we went into the "Lego Factory" where a guy with a bad sound system explained how Legos are made.  Everyone got a free Duplo block that had the Discovery Center logo on it as we were being herded into the first ride.  I was not able to go on the ride with Baby Sarah, so I met them at the end.

 When we finally got in, we were greeted by this giant cement truck made completely out of Legos.

 The kids played briefly on the soft play scape that I didn't get any pictures of, then we headed into Mini Land... local landmarks made completely out of Legos.  This was amazingly impressive!

 DFW Airport

 Dallas: Courthouse, Reunion Tower, other skyscrapers

 The New Cowboy Stadium

(complete with Minifigure players and crowd)

 Fort Worth: Stockyards, Courthouse, Sundance Square Mural, skyscrapers

 Hot Air Balloon in the country

 Farmland

 Southfork Ranch

 Ranger Stadium

(that David kept taking apart!!!)

 And more of Dallas as we came back around to the same spot.

 Duplo Village featured lots of Duplo blocks for the little ones to play with, animals built out of Legos,

 and a slide that Rebekah was scared to go down.

 Grandpa resting in the Cafe.  Appropriate, as the painting on the wall behind him was a Lego combine cutting the wheat.

 Duplo Village also had these jumbo-sized foam blocks to build with!

 There was a station to build your own race car.

 (Notice that everyone in this photo is a grown-up?)

 And several ramps to race the cars.

 Earthquake table.

 Pick-a-Brick wall inside the store.

 Duplo sets I never knew existed!  Winnie the Pooh and Cars!  And yes, Aunt Sissy, they had the Lego Cars sets!  The store was amazing... I'll take one of everything, please!  But David only asked for one thing:

a ninja.

(He flies, too, on wings made out of swords.)

 And when we got home he asked me to make him a cake for his birthday that looks like the ninja....