Retreat Challenge #9

This weeks challenge was to spend some time on yourself and do a layout about it. We had two birthdays within a 7 day time period, so I chose to do a home pedicure. Obviously, funds were limited and honestly, I was so tired that I didn't even feel like going anywhere! My girls and I set up a pedicure station and repainted our toes and put some bling on our toenails. Then it was on to facials.

You can't see them very well in the picture, but I added lots of sparkly jewels to the page to recreate the bling on our toes. I also did my title with glittery letters to mimic the toe nail polish look.

Retreat Challenge #8

This weeks challenge for the 4 Girls and a Dream Retreat was to make a layout about an important event in your life. I chose to do mine about the births of the kids. My favorite part are the butterflies with the numbers of the birth order by each picture. I can't believe the retreat is only a few weeks away and I don't have anything thought out or ready to go! AAGGGHH!!

Our birthday princess!

Ellie was so excited for her birthday. We had ice cream and cake and invited her grandparents over to help celebrate. I found this adorable outfit at Wal-mart and knew it was the perfect outfit for a birthday princess!

Gifts

so many gifts...Ellie wanted to open her gifts before everyone even got here! She kept trying and we kept telling her that she had to wait until Braquel and Keven got here. The second they came through the door, she grabbed her first gift and started ripping! She got several new outfits, a toy puppy, shoes, jewelry, a new tea set, the cutest swimsuit ever, a camping chair, a fishing pole, and a toybox! She was definately spoiled!

Cake

Every time we would ask Ellie what she wanted for her birthday, she said cake...with sprinkles...and candles! I made her a lemon cake to match her party colors and we topped it with pink sprinkles and two candles. She loved it and I love that she is still easy to please! Right after she blew out the candles (of course Gary had already put the camera down so we missed getting a picture) she put her head down right into the frosting! I don't know if she was trying to eat her cake like a dog or what!

Balloons

Every good party must have balloons. We decorated with some pink and yellow balloons and the kids got to play with the rest of the package. They love getting to blow them up and hit them all around the house! Ellie is our first birthday of the year and I'm glad we've got at least one under our belt now!

and now...the rest of Ellie's story

After Gary and the kids left that night, I needed to get Ellie awake enough that she would eat. All of my kids would fall asleep a few minutes after starting to eat, so I needed her awake and hungry! Otherwise, she would be staying at the hospital. I changed her diaper and clothes and started a little photo shoot of our new angel.

She cooperated somewhat, but she was still pretty sleepy from that trip through the birth canal. I played with her for as long as she would and then fed her. Luckily, the nurses were pleased with her eating and when the pediatrician checked her out the next mornng, he couldn't believe she was so healthy. He said she was perfect, just tiny. He told me that since I had taken four other kids home and not killed them, he thought we would be just fine with Ellie going home!

So we loaded our sweet but teeny tiny baby in the car seat that was WAY too big for her and took her home. She was such a trooper. She never had to have oxygen, she never got jaundice, nothing that you would expect such a little one to have!