Super Sweet 06

Happy Sweet 6 Carlee

Look what a difference a year makes!  Wow.

In our house we call her 'the doll'.  It is most fitting because she is our doll and she always will be at age 6 or age 60.  💗

This year we approached the birthday a little differently.  

Although it's hard for Carlee to verbalize it, I think crowds/people stress. her. out.  

We decided to celebrate her birthday with family on the day of her birthday, and then later schedule a playdate with a few friends.

Although I hate the thought of leaving anyone out (because we know all the sweetest little boys and girls), sometimes you just have to scale it down.

There were a lot of benefits to doing it this way-

1. less 'stuff' / gifts

2.  more quality time with each child

3.  less stress due to weather (schizophrenic March weather), sickness,  and other unexpected March things.  It's so much easier to cancel a playdate over a large party.  

For example, Carlee had me worried by getting sick mid-week.  I couldn't complain because the kids have had a great winter (even if it is poor timing) but she recovered by today!  Yipeee.

The weekend prior we had snow/ice, today it was 65 degrees.  You just never know about these things.

#6 is such a Sweet Age

Now y'all know me-  I had to go with a theme.  

American Girl Doll (or in our case Generic American Girl, ha. ha.  )

We had to get our doll ready since she was the STAR of the Party.

This week I happened across a DIY video on how to pierce a doll's ears.  Carlee was thrilled to try it.

First we got DOLLIE ready:

 

Then we marked her ears.  

Using a push pin, we then pierced her ears!  

Don't try this at home with real children. lol

Surprisingly, it is really easy for Carlee to switch the earrings out (which she loves since she can't change her own earrings yet).

I do recommend buying a set of earrings just for the doll or make sure you clean them well before a human wears them again.

Doughnut Earrings

Pearls

Hearts

For our playdate, 
we sent out an invite to both Friend and Dollie. 

 Tea & Lunch

Dessert 

Using Oreos, sprinkles, and icing, the girls made a Dollie Birthday Cake.

I also had a miniature tea set placed so the girls could decorate them with little stickers.

 (I loved the set so much, I purchased two of them!) 

Yummo

Since we still haven't ordered Connor's bed yet, I tilted his mattress up and used his room for our 'crafts'. 

Here we created necklaces and t. shirts for our dolls.  

The string I bought for the necklaces was terrible.  It was stretchy but kept unknotting, and then the beads went bouncing everywhere. 
By the time I found 'back up' string, the girls were totally over it. 

The shirt making went a little smoother.

I used cut off onesies (newborn) and fabric markers.  We also had some princess stencils laying around the house (doesn't everyone?).

These girls are quite crafty.

Carlee made the best balloon decorations for her own room!  I love them.

We also set up a table for all of the dolls.  I set out bands and bows so that the girls could do doll hair.

I'm not even going to go into all of this..... but after two rolls of Cotton Candy duct tape, blood, sweat, magic, tears from an oyster, and one shower later .... all of the dolls were laying in the floor with bandannas stuck to their faces five minutes before the party.

We just cut this activity but it was a nice idea while it lasted.

We actually hit a very pretty day and the girls were able to go outside.

Jump if you are ready for Spring!

 
Play & Imagination Time

Carlee seemed much more comfortable with a small group. At one point she just walked away from all of us and went downstairs to sit alone.  I finally realize that some people need alone time and it's ok.  

After a bit, she returned to play and I was able to let her without complaint. 

I was excited about these parting gifts.  

I got them reduced on Amazon.  Even though the packing was really worn out- the product was super cute.

A Doll Birthday Party Set.  

It came with a cake, cupcakes/stand, invites, two party hats, a banner (stickers for the name) and forks/ plates.

We definitely enjoyed our American Girl Dolls today.

Mini Story Walk- Easter

Today has been a busy day at the church.

It started with two lessons on Easter and ended with two interviews for our youth leader search.

Please be in prayer for this process.  
It has been quite the responsibility but God is so good to teach me such important things at this time in my life.

On to our miniature story walk.  

I'm thinking this summer that I will expand into a larger story walk.  This one may have been a bit too short (and I've already thought about extra elements I could have added with more time and energy).

We started with a Hosanna Parade to represent Jesus entering Jerusalem on the Donkey while the people shouted for Him- The King!

Next we made a stop at the 'Last Supper'. 

My second group was nearly all boys (and Carlee)...there may have been a spill or two at this time.  ;) 

Isn't he the cutest?  

We then stopped at the place where the soldier arrested Jesus, and later they taunted Him with a crown of thorns.

After Jesus was crucified, He was wrapped and buried in the tomb.  We used heavy weights to signify the moving of the stone at the tomb....

and discussed the feeling we would have if someone we loved dissapeared from the grave. 

Fishers of Men?

Here we find the tomb empty.  

(If you are interested in teaching children/children in church, please invest in a cheap pop out tent.  This tent has been used as a--- cave, Noah's Ark, Jonah the Whale, ship, tomb, etc.  The possibilities are endless.)

Yikes!  A soldier in the tomb.

Inside the 'empty' tomb, the children each took out a cross.  They returned to the room where we read the final part of the Easter story.

He has Risen.  

We blew bubbles to show the Rise of Christ, and we wore fluorescent lights to compare God's light during a time of darkness.  

I played this song, He is Risen by Paul Baloche.

 Somewhere in the middle of The Easter Story, one of the boys highly encouraged me to watch a life changing video called 'Unstable Unicorns'.

I have no idea the connection but I now know about a new game (and I now know I'm as ADD as any boy).

Early morning break of dawn

Stumbling to the tomb

Standing awestruck wondering who

Rolled away the stone

And as the sun came up

Amazed they looked inside

A voice, an angel clothed in light

Don’t be afraid, He is alive!

He is risen Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Christ is risen

Let the whole world sing

Christ is risen 

Christ is risen from the dead

Hero Day

It's Read Across America Week!

This year was special because I basically know how fast this girl will grow and these little fun themes go away all too soon (sniff.  sniff).  

I still remember my sweet, little Cat in the Hat. (sniff. sniff.)  Isn't he so adorable?

We had a great week of getting excited about reading.

My girl enjoyed the activities a bit more.....  (like most girls do).

I even had the opportunity to be a 'reader' for Carlee's class.  

(Check out the AWESOME Hair!) 

We also celebrated Mustache Day, Rainbow Day, Silly Sock Day, Hat Day, 

and best of all.....

 

Career Day (dress what you want to be when you grow up)!!!

Having a boy, I've already been through the 'Career Costumes' of solider, pilot, snake catcher, wrestler, etc.

Imagine my joy when Carlee said she wanted to be a TEACHER (like her mom)!!!

We got to work right away at planning but it didn't take long before I realized who Carlee's real hero was.........

Carlee:  I need to wear glasses like Mrs. H.

Me:  Not all teachers wear glasses, I don't always wear glasses.

Carlee:  Well, Mrs. H. do [sic]

 

Me:  Let's wear this dress, it looks like a teacher dress.

Carlee:  Mrs. H. wears pants, I want to wear pants.  

Me:  What!?!  I love dresses!!  We could put your hair in a bun.

Carlee: Mrs. H. puts her hair in a low ponytail.

*****

Do you see where we are going with this? 

Do you see how my daughter has studied her teacher's every detail?

I found her a little pair of plastic rims, clipboard, and this cute tag holder.  

I even made her a little teacher tag (using my old one) 

She was so creative to later add her "class key" aka. her Cinderella key.  

....pearl earrings of course

After, 300, 000, 001 hours.  We finally decided on a "Mrs. H. outfit".

Mrs. H. and Mrs. J.  are an awesome teaching team.

When we came in, both her teacher and principal were away at training but she still got to take a picture with her Reading Specialist.  She has gotten so close to Mrs. T.  and adores her.

She definitely loves this picture (I'm thinking I need to have this one printed).

Are they not precious?

Mrs. T exclaimed 'you will make a great teacher one day'.

That is what teachers do!

These teachers give the very best of their day to other people's children.  These teachers are tired, underappreciated, and definitely underpaid but they stop at nothing to encourage, love and grow the hardest learner.  

I am not my daughter's Superhero, her teachers are to her. 

I think that is pretty Seusstastic!