Matching Birthday Outfits

Lexi loves when we wear matching outfits to church.  For her birthday & mine, I made us these gray, white & yellow outfits.  She got this dress with the flower hair clip & belt clip.  I got a skirt.  We wore them to church today and of course had to get Jordan involved in it all.

Thrilled Birthday Girl

Lexi's birthday is today, so we started it off with opening presents.  I had a feeling she was REALLY going to like the present with the red paper & star on it (from Great Granny Lou & Great Aunt Snookie).  I recognized the star logo.  I told her to keep that one until last.  

Dress that I made -

Card from Grandma Margie

an American Girl Doll... what she's been dreaming about for a year  - THANKS GRANNY & SNOOKIE!

They sent Caroline; the one Lexi had been hoping for.

Mid-morning, I took Lexi and Jordan to the American Girl Store for the first time.  We enjoyed looking at all of the different dolls, outfits, accessories, books, cafe, and doll salon.  I understand that Granny & Snookie enjoyed shopping for the doll too.

Posing by the Caroline Doll Display

Lexi had one more thing on her agenda today.  She has been asking to get her ears pierced for a while.  I told her that I got mine pierced when I was 7 and she could too.  For the last month or so, I have been wishing that I set the age at 10 or 12.  Seven came too quickly.  I certainly gave her LOTS of opportunities to back out, but she was determined.  She wanted to hold my hand while they did it.

She is thrilled with the results.  This will certainly be a birthday to remember.  Lexi got the doll she has been dreaming about and her ears pierced.  Big smiles all around!

Movie Night

This year, I decided that I wasn't going to host any "birthday parties" and not just because I am turning 40 soon.  It just seemed like too much right now.  I talked to Lexi and she took it very well.  She said she was fine with that as long as she got to bring a treat to school.  I agreed.  

Of course, I started feeling a little guilty and decided to have a movie night with some close friends.  Since it wasn't anything big, I told the parents to drop off the kids, go on dates, and forget the presents.  It evolved into more than I planned, but was still simple.  I fed them pizza and we watched Brave.  I also made a cookie cake and we played the spanking machine game.  Plus, everyone ignored me and brought presents.

Cookie Cake

 Spanking Machine

The birthday gang - Savannah, Kara, Camden, Cole, Lexi, Hailey, Abby, Kacy, Avery & McKenna

Amazing Race Birthday

A good friend of ours, Mr. Matt, turned 40 this week and we got to celebrate his birthday today with an Amazing Race.  When we got to his house, his wife (Tiffany) split us up into teams of 6.  We were all given packets with 6 different locations & instructions of what we had to do there.  The theme was centered around things Matt likes/used to like.  We also had to take lots of pictures for proof.  Jordan and I were on a team together, but Lexi was on a different team.  Her team included Miss Tiffany, Aunt Emilie, Gram, Papa Dan, and McKenna.  We bumped into their team at the church for the drinking water challenge.  We also saw them at the end.  Our team came in first & their team was second.  

McKenna & Lexi

Lexi's Team - Gram, Tiffany, Papa Dan, McKenna, Lexi  & Emilie

Kids posing in the number 40

Birthday Boy with his baklava

Opening presents

Piggy Back

While I was in the kitchen cooking, Lexi and Jordan were giggling & laughing.  I looked over to see her giving him piggy-back-ride after piggy-back-ride.  She would take a few steps stumble and they would go down laughing.  

Sibling Sleepover

Now that school is back in session, Lexi and Jordan actually seem to be missing each other.  They have been asking my all week if they could have their own little sleepover.  I told them that they had to wait until a non-school night.  Last night, I set up cushions downstairs so they could have the sleepover.  We watched a movie and then they slept there.  I didn't think it sounded like much fun because our downstairs has been a bit chilly with this colder weather.  I've found myself avoiding it.  They had a great time together though.