My Baby is 7

Yes, wow, what a feeling ~ my baby, my sweet Mei Nita is already 7.  We were holding hands walking back from getting the mail the other day and I thought wow, my baby is 7 and I still have the tummy to prove it.  That is depressing.  HA HA.  Yes, I have the tummy to prove it...just don't have that much ambition to get doing those crunches and sweating to the music to get rid of that extra skin roll.  Mei just stretched me out that much further than the other girls and my skin is saying NO WAY am I going back in.  Oh well, I am healthy and able bodied, I do not complain.

On to the birthday.  Our girls don't expect big nor elaborate parties or presents.  We have been known to give our children battery operated toothbrushes with Hello Kitty toothpaste ~ much to their delight.
This year I wanted a party for Mei that was a little bit more special.  We invited 7 girls to share in her 7th birthday.  I thought it would also be a good way to get to know some local homeschoolers as well.  Yes, practical and yet fun...win win.  We decided on PIONEER theme.  So dress up of course.  Not all the girls had pioneer dresses or bonnets, so I took it upon myself to sew 7 new bonnets for 7 sweet girls.  Besides, we had missed out on some birthday parties, so this was like our belated birthday gifts to them.  Practical and thoughtful and fun...win win win.

All 3 of my girls thought carefully about who would receive which bonnet and then Mei put them into a decorated brown paper bag with her Thank You note. ( I didn't hear any crying over someone getting the wrong one, so hopefully it worked out fine)

The day before a party is full of "party prep".  Here the girls are giggling as they cut the cheese into little shapes.  Cracker, cheese, pickles, cinnamon buns, licorce sticks and cake was our menu.

The soon to be birthday girl

I started experimenting with this idea of a cake shaped like a wagon.    I think this will work out ok.

My day was going along just fine, until we realized our dogs previous injury from a cat had not healed up and he was scratching it underneath the gross scab.  So out came the scissors and while Kate or Gregg held the dog, I carefully snipped away the most disgusting scab without snipping the poor dog's underbelly.  It made for a long evening.  Oh, and then we spilled all the pink lemonade for the paper on the floor.  I have as of today washed that floor 4 times and there are still sticky spots. 

At 9:30 pm we took the dog over to my Dad and he advised us to clean the wound with peroxide, then rub some powdered lime into it.  We did as advised and all was well....until dumb dog started scratching again.  So the next morning said DOG got a girdle.  HA HA. We won!

Does it look like we won?  I forgot to tell you that after all the wound prep, Gregg thought we should trim the dogs nails.  The first one ( and only one) he trimmed, he cut too far, so there was a yelp and blood all over.  It was enough to put this man above right over the edge.  We decided it was time to sleep!

The morning dawned beautiful and clear (Mei's prayer was a clear day with a few cumulus clouds)

Daddy gave Mei a necklace because she had told him one day "for some reason Daddy, I don't have any necklaces but this one".  Daddy was determined to find her one.  I found one with 3 stars on it from my jewelry box.  "Look Mom, 3 stars.  1 for Daddy, 1 for Mommy, 1 for Mei or 1 for God, 1 for Jesus, 1 for the Holy Spirit.

She opened funny wrapped presents from her sisters.

She helped with the fun part of doing cinnamon buns.

She had 2 sweet phone calls with singing of the birthday song for her.  She even turned on a computer program that knew her birthday and it did a little surprise for her too!

The cake starts to take form.  3 layers, with a gooey fudgy chocolate marshmallow centre to stick it all together.  Frozen it is a lot easier to frost.

I used chocolate pudding mix and whipped cream for the frosting.  Not nearly as sugary junk and easy to spread.  Kate is figuring out the reins for the horse and I am getting ready to goop the wheels on.

The pioneer girl is pulling "rocks" in her wagon with her new puppy catching a ride.  One very pleased birthday girl.

The Pioneer Gals

After they all had the chance to pet a real chicken, they played "Pin the Beak on the Teepa"

Little brothers hung out with the Moms and the horses

3 Legged Race

Drop the clothespin into the milk jar

Bonnets double as blindfolds for the "Bob for your dried apple slice"

My nearly 13 year old and my 9 year old daughters were in charge of getting the games ready and supervising them.  They did a great job.  The kids all loved the raw egg on spoon race.  They did the games all over the ranch and had a blast. 

We feel very blessed for our Mei that she had such a beautiful day with such beautiul friends!