Rachel turns 6

Rachel wanted an art birthday this year. She woke up to the house all decorated. This is something I've seen my sisters-in-law do and I thought it would be fun with this art theme.It was the "best birthday ever" and the fun was only beginning...
Tommy hears me in the kitchen that morning and he comes confidently walking in, "you need my help?" You bet bud!
Opening presents, an event that requires too much patience for a six year old.
Thanks Dylan! I love it.
Her highly anticipated scooter. She's loving it and has recently celebrated a "scooter day" with her friends in the circle.
This cake was fun to make. I take no credit for the idea. I stole it from my dear friend Rachel from NY (although she did much better). It didn't take long at all...at least in the beginning. Dividing and dying the batter and then baking 10 minutes each, piece of cake. It was the stacking and frosting where it all turned to catastrophe. The layers were a little too beveled and the frosting a little too soft...and I had a cake that reminded me of this (no exaggeration):
With trimming it, freezing it and a quick run to the store for LOTS of frosting I was able to save it, sort of. The top did crack and it fell apart as the week went on, but I was still able to use it for her party.

Rachel loved all her presents...and what a lucky girl to wake up the next morning with a nasty cough so that she could play with all of them.

Easy bake oven
Fancy tea set (what a great brother, huh?)

Play dough
So, for her birthday she really wanted a friend party. It was hard to decide what to do. It sometimes hard to be new. We had the same problem last year. I kept asking who her friends were at school, but different names came up each time. So I had planned to take her to the Crayola Factory and decided to invite some of her friends from NYC to come join us. When RSVP's kept coming back with no I had to plan a second party. But in the end we had a great turn out at the Factory and an absolute blast. We kept the whole thing a surprise and this is her out front with her friend Lucy finding out...aren't they cute.
It was fun for her to see her old friends. Oh how we miss them too.
She loved watching crayons being made and then doing all kinds of different arts and crafts. This art theme could not be more perfect for my girl.




It was fun to have the families that did come because we all have the same family. 6 year old girls, 3 year old boys.
We could have spent all day at the factory and even another day in the town of Easton, Pennsylvania. It was such a beautiful drive too with all the fall leaves and even a little bit of elevation (certainly doesn't qualify as mountains). We rushed back home for her second party with a few neighborhood girls. It was small and simple and perfect.


You think a full day of doing art is enough? Nope, she keeps going.

I love my artistic, creative, thoughtful, inquisitive, playful, sweet little, or should I say "big" girl