Two Birthdays~

Evie and I share a birthday and I still remember the day I saw her face amidst a thousand faces knowing she was my daughter! When I saw her birthday, I knew it was sign from God she was our's. It was going to take a miracle because we had already said yes to a little boy SO now we would bring home 2!!!

She wanted to make her own birthday cake so we whipped up a chocolate pound cake~

 And made our own icing~

 AND! I got the glass cabinets I had been wanting~

Evie loved opening her gifts as people wished her a happy birthday.
Rosie gave her an AG salon chair (dad called it a beauty chair:)~

Her birthday breakfast was a delicious donut and mine a big muffin~

 She had asked for one thing... a big stuffed dog which she named Bojangle
and we dedicated the letter board to her~

We celebrated with family and she got more AG clothes!!!

Mimi and Nan gave me these beautiful bowls and Dad/Rosie gave me clothes and jewelry~

It was fun to have cousins over and they made cute tutus for their dolls~

Opening more gifts was SO fun~

 And birthday cake eating!!!~

The next day everyone played with gifts strategically planned so that everyone~

would have something to enjoy during our school time!
Evie and I had a wonderful birthday together!!!

Family Birthday~

Evie and I were so happy to celebrate our birthday with my parents, sister/family, and brother/family today.
My sister, Becca, and Sam had been here with the kids while Scott and I were at Chosen for Life conference. Go HERE to read about our time there.

I bought a simple cake at Publix, added some tissue paper and cupcakes around it
and Evie thought it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen~
{I even wrote the words myself}

 We grilled hotdogs and ate cake~

 Watching her face while we sang to her was priceless~

 Everyone gathered around for gift opening~

 She got a family for her playhouse and tons of art supplies~

It was a Simple Sunday birthday celebration, and a fun birthday WEEK!!!

My Thoughts on Birthdays and Parties:

Why are we so sure big birthdays and big parties are the way to do a birthday right? I used to worry more about how everything looked or if the gifts were grand over the happiness of my children. Don't get me wrong... they LOVED their birthdays and the parties I threw but looking back, I might have been a little crazy.

Then in time I wearied at the thought of pulling off a big shindig, so I asked if they would rather have a party or use the money for something they wanted. They always chose the money and it ended up being a much simpler and fun time.

Now with the littles, it has simplified even more. There are no big parties thrown although we have a big family. I know being a homeschool family makes this whole idea of keeping it simple way easier!

I've wised up in my middle age...

~ Kids don't need big parties or big cakes to have fun.
I was talking to Savannah this week and we laughed at the thought of her looking back over her albums and thanking me for that big elaborate cake on her 5th birthday. Honestly it's the only one she does remember (grocery store bought) because she tried to move it from one room to the other and dropped it top down onto the floor. :) A sweet memory!!!

~ Kids don't need lots of gifts to feel special.
How many times have we thrown big parties and end up with a bunch of gifts that were little to be desired. Now what to do with all that stuff? Can you see how that would be a problem with a big family? Chances are our children will remember one special gift given to them on certain birthdays, and talk about it in future years. The big girls still talk about American Girl dolls they received and playing with them together. I find giving our children gifts that make them want to play with each other are the best!!!

~Kids don't need extravagance to feel loved.
A big party, cake, and lots of gifts might make a child happy for a time, but we all know that fades away in time. TIME is how a child feels love. Time spent planning a family party. Time spent singing to them, eating cake, and opening gifts is special, but choosing to sit down and play with their things together is where the love happens. Yes Evie, let's play that game for the 1000th time or yes SJ, let's bake cookies in the easybake again. Time equals love, and you can't get it back so do while you still can!!!

Do you have similar thoughts on birthdays and big families???

The BEST Birthday~ {Surprise}

I have never been surprised on my birthday 

mainly because I don't like surprises.

{I've actually been known to open Christmas presents and rewrap}

BUT Friday night was a whole different story

and in hindsight, I can't believe they pulled it off.

Amelia and Rosemary came home from school early afternoon

which was highly unusual

and Scott came up for lunch to say he had the girls lined up to keep the littles 

so we could go out for my birthday!

I got ready and noticed the big girls sure were dressing the littles nicer than normal

for their outing for Mexican but I didn't say a word.

Amelia mentioned they would probably leave for dinner before us 

so the bitty girls wouldn't get upset about us being gone.

Okay, that all went off without a hitch...

I even took a photo of them driving out of the yard~

and IGed... 

We are off for a birthday date night and there go 8 of our children to dinner on their own.

haha... the joke was on me

because they were actually on their way to meet Josh, Savannah, and Ben Curtis

@ Currahee Club to wait for us to arrive!!!

Scott poked around and acted like he had an emergency call for work.

I was getting worried the kids would be back before we left and upset the bitties

so we finally left.

Headed to the interstate, we took a left and I asked where we were going.

He told me and I said, "That won't be a very long date."

{Feel about that now :}

Anyway... we made it, walked in

and because I had switched my camera to a different way to focus,

the first photos were a little blurry

BUT I DON'T CARE!!!

They show my surprise, my children gathering around me,

and my breakdown to be EXACTLY where I would want to be for my birthday~

 We enjoyed the most delicious dinner and time celebrating both me and Evie~

 Couldn't have imagined a better night and SO thankful they pulled off the BEST surprise ever~

Thank you honey!!!

I adore and love you forever and ever!!!

Tuesday is both my 50th and Evie's 5th birthday.

Could NOT be more blessed!!!