welcome to the jungle

Dallin turned five and is going bananas! Dallin's monkey party turned out really cute. Dallin had so much fun running his invitations around because they were real bananas with little monkeys attached to them. He thought that was pretty funny. I thought it was just creative genius! :)

The kids played 'Pin the Banana on the Monkey'.. which I should remember never works for kids this age because they have an aversion to being blindfolded or closing their own eyes. Almost all of them put the banana exactly on the monkey's hand... amazing huh? :)

Gavin looks like your normal darling doesn't he with that sweet smile. But not when you put the pinata stick in his hand! Troy saw him as his executioner. Gavin had such a wild strong swing it almost decapitated my poor husband a few times.

So my monkey pinata proved indestructible after the multiple beatings it received... What can I say.. I make some pretty quality stuff around here! Troy ended up breaking the thing open so the kids could get their treats.

The party was fun, but after all was said and done, I realized (again) that they just don't care about all the "frills". They would have been just as happy playing out in the yard eating rice crispie treats (store bought ones at that!). But as long as I understand that all the fun themed stuff is for my own enjoyment.. it's all good.

happy birthday dallin..my little monkey!

january 24, 2008

happy birthday ella

This is how Ella's morning started. Her bib says it all.

Moody. Cranky. Adorable. Luckily Grandma stopped by. She gave her a birthday card that sings "I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream..." from Sleeping Beauty. Have you ever wondered how many times you could open one of those cards and hear the lovely recorded tune over and over and over before the batteries actually died and gave you some peace and quiet? Let me tell you.. more than a couple hundred. But after day 6 of "walking with you once upon a dream" it gave up the ghost. Thanks Mom! I'm not big on characters of any kind... so Ella's idea of having a 'My Little Pony' cake about made me nauseous. But.. look at those big brown eyes... could you say no to them? My Little Pony cake it is!
Ella has such darling friends. They were being attacked by the boys and had to run and hide together in the corner. You can see the look of terror in Ella's face!

Get used to it girls!

My little Ella is something else. She has more personality in her little pinky than most in their whole body. Troy & I find ourselves constantly shaking our heads thinking, "What have we got ourselves into?" She's just a sassy little thing and we wouldn't have her any other way!

happy birthday ella bella!