Happy 4th Birthday Eva!

For the very first time, Eva had a real birthday party with her friends! A Pink Princess Birthday Party. Her favorite things are the color pink and princesses, hence the party theme. Eva's 1st birthday fell the day before Thanksgiving, her 2nd on Thanksgiving, her 3rd the day after Thanksgiving...you get the idea. Until now, she hasn't really grasped the idea of her birthday and since we have been traveling and spending Thanksgiving with family, her parties have gotten combined with all the other festivities. Not anymore... She is now officially aware of her birthday and wants her party!

With Eva being in preschool, she has made some new pals of her very own that she wanted to celebrate with. She also invited one boy. A seven year old boy... To be fair, he has been one of her best friends for several years and he is quite the gentleman. I mean, he must be to agree to come to a Pink Princess Party.

Eva was specific in her party requests. She wanted princess carriages and crowns. And everything pink. Thanks to Magan, this was a success. They girls made crowns and rings and magic mirrors and colored cardboard carriages. There was pink lemonade, strawberries and watermelon, pink pretzels, and a pink princess cookie "cake". Like any good party, there was an official dance off as well. Pink Princess Party success!

Happy Birthday Baby! I know you keep reminding me that you are no longer a baby...and I keep reminding you that you will always be my baby.

Hasta...

Partied Out - The 2015 Edition

Feel free to refer to the "Partied Out" 2013 and 2014 editions to see that we have clearly become predictable with our annual Thanksgiving celebration. Some might call a "tradition", which sounds much nicer.

Wednesday:

Once again, loaded up the whole "fam damily" for the trip over the mountains to Denver. The good news this year... As the girls have gotten older and more accustomed to this drive, the commute tends to be uneventful. Thank you, dear children, for being able to control your bladders and vomiting for an extended period of time.

This year's commute also included a (scheduled) visit to Magan's Doctor. Thank you, corporate scouting person, for building a Cabela's in the same parking lot as the doctor's office so the girls and I had something to do besides look at old magazines in the waiting room. Turns out Maia and Eva are Cabela's fans and this was an unexpected highlight of the trip!

Thursday:

Happy Thanksgiving! Happy Birthday to my sister Christa! This was the 3rd year in a row we were able to get my entire family together for a giant family photo.

Friday:

No trip to Denver is complete without a trip to Casa Bonita (or so Maia thinks). Our friends, The Blocks, were nice enough to join us on this adventure and then have us over to their house for "real" dinner (for those of you who know what I'm talking about!).

P.S. Happy Birthday to Magan's sister Stacy!

Saturday:

Happy Birthday Eva! Taking in some "theatre" while in the big city has become a standard post-Thanksgiving Saturday event. Eva chose "The Peanuts Movie" for her birthday celebration.

Magan gave Eva exactly what she wanted her for her birthday Saturday night, which was cookies and ice cream and cartoons on the couch, while I went out downtown with my sister for her birthday celebration. Apparently spending time at some downtown clubs has also become a Thanksgiving tradition of mine...thanks Christa!

Sunday:

Loaded up the ole family truckster and headed for home. With Maia in official school now, we have a schedule to keep, so no more adding extra vacation days to our leisurely trips. Times, they are changing.

We continue to be thankful for so many friends and so much family to celebrate these new "traditions" with.

Hasta...