Wow, we have a eight year old. As a friend said at her party she is half way to driving age. We are treasuring every minute we can since time is flying. Currently a few if her favorites are…
          Favorite thing … anything  with emojis
          Favorite subject in school … math
          Favorite dessert … cupcakes and donuts
          Favorite place to go out to eat … Texas De Brazil
          Favorite color … pink
          Favorite song … “Party in the USA” 
Leia got to celebrate her birthday big time this year! The day before her birthday, mommy picked her, sissy, and 3 friends up to take them to the mall after school. Each of them got to pick out a couple items then before we headed back to our house for the girls to bake individual size cakes, eat dinner, and play before their parents picked them up at 7:30. The kids all had a blast! All three friends ended up asking if they could have their birthday party at our house (LOL). 

Thankful I got to go be mystery reader in Ivy’s class and have lunch with both our little princesses Friday before Leia’s birthday

These little monkeys were ready for the afternoon 

 Before the afternoon of fun began, Lisa got to help in Ivy’s class celebrate their fantastic job collecting  can goods before Thanksgiving by throwing a ice-cream party 
 
 
After the ice-cream party Lisa picked up the girlies who were all ready to start the birthday fun at the mall
 


     
 
First stop at the house was the swing in the front yard on the way home before we headed in to start baking
 
Leia requested the game pin the tail on the donkey

Excited to open presents 

but friendship is the best gift! 

Dinner time! 

The kids had their own time downstairs until we heard Sophia playing beautiful music and Lisa went to go see who was on the piano. Of course we snapped a few pictures too of the fun they were having to freeze a moment in time before everyone headed back upstairs for a little more fun and to decorate their cakes 
  
 
 
After they each finished decorating their cakes everyone got to make a wish and enjoy their cake with ice-cream before the mommas came to pick them up 

We pray all of both of our girls dreams come true
 

Saturday Leia was up early to start her birthday celebration and to find our elf, cupcake. Our elf had stuffed herself in a container so the girls could carry her around all day and she could join in on all the birthday celebration. Leia’s first choice of the day was to open her presents then ask daddy to pick up donuts for breakfast so we could sing Happy birthday for the first time today. We played after breakfast with new and old toys until Mimi, Sara and Katie arrived. Leia tore into her presents then the 4 monkeys ran downstairs to play. Grandpa and Deedee arrived shortly there after to the wild house. Chris took Ivy on a special daddy daughter lunch date while Lisa fixed lunch at home for our birthday girl. Grandpa and Deedee took the 4 littles to surge to jump while Lisa and Mimi prepared for a surprise party. Leia friends arrived at 2:30 and anxiously waited on the birthday girl to arrive. Leia walked in and tried to play it cool like she knew about the surprise party but mommy/daddy knows better. The kiddos worked on modpod letter then hurried downstairs to play before they headed back upstairs to make a necklace before the Leia opened presents and we had cake, ice-cream, and brownies. Dinner was served after treat time for a little birthday twist as the birthday party ended  but the kids got to continue playing while the adults finished watching the SEC championship game. After the game Leia’s celebration continued as AlexAnn spent the night so the next morning she got to have her birthday morning after breakfast with her family and a friend. 

Good morning to our birthday girl! 

 
While we waited on daddy to get up the girls both opened beanie boos that share their birthday 
 
Then sweet Leia let Ivy help her open the rest of her presents

Sweet sisters snuggling waiting on daddy to go get donuts so we could sing Happy Birthday to our 8 year old

Daddy helped set up one of Leia’s presents for Ivy to play

Sweet Ivy always keeps us entertained


Sweet card from Katie

  
Sweet friends hiding for Leia’s surprise party fun

   
She tried to play it off that she knew but we know better 

 
Crafting fun before the girls ventured downstairs and declined more crafting
 
Leia was excited to open more presents; she thought she was all done
 
Happy Birthday! Thankful Deedee made her favorite, carrot cake
What a sweet group of girls!

Her surprise party turned into a spend the night party 

After all the birthday festivities the next morning we have our traditional after birthday breakfast of cake and treats. Love family traditions and spending sweet time with those we love! The day after Leia’s birthday also marks the anniversary of Papa going to Heaven; a joyous day for Papa and sad day for those left behind which had been heavy on Lisa’s heart a few days before this anniversary. Just as we sat in the early morning hours the day he died watching Hallmark movies Lisa, Stacy, and Mimi all woke at their houses and silently reflected on the precious memories we shared. We all still wish we had gotten our Hallmark ending but wasn’t in the plan for us. The evening of his 5th Heavenly homecoming all of Papa’s girls and favorite so-in-laws were able to go to dinner and share precious time together. Love that we all get to gather together frequently; it not only honors Papa’s memory but it reminds us just how short life is and that we should always love those in our life the best we can because one day the gift of time will runout and all we will be left with is the memories. 

So fun watching morning playtime with grandpa

 
So thankful we get to call him daddy!

Mimi and Leia were able to spend some precious one-on-one time together too  

So thankful for this photo session and that we got these last family picture done a week before he left us for his eternal home; RIP Papa