A Party for my Ballerina Girl

So this party for my little girl all came about because of a cake.  Last winter, she saw this picture of a ballerina cake in a magazine, and from that moment on, she knew she wanted a Ballerina Party when she turned five... cake included!  I had so much fun doing this party!  It's crazy how with a couple of rolls of pink tulle, a few Internet searches, and a few brainstorming sessions, I was able to make this five year old's birthday very special!

The invitations came together because I couldn't find any cute ballerina ones that I could buy (with a price I was willing to pay), and they were my first lesson in how I discovered how a little tulle and hot glue can make anything a little extra special!

I went all pink in decorating for this party!  I used pink and white tulle to make big tulle balls to hang from the light, and then make little mock tutus to hang from the ceiling.  Along with some pink streamers, it was all simple but very girly.

To decorate the table, I used the tulle to tie up the napkins, used pink plates and silverware, and then found a water bottle wrap online to put around the kid's drinks which also became their "place cards".  It was nice too, because it was an easy way to label their bottles.

It was so fun to see it finally all pulled together, and my birthday girl was ready for her guests to arrive!

As the kids came, I had coloring pages for them to work on.  Since Ainsley has some dear friends who are little boys, we decided that they would be the brave knights of the party which they were excited to be.  We started the party by getting dressed up.  For each of our brave knights, they were awarded with a foam sword, a shield, and power bands (aka sweat bands). 

For each of the little girls, we had a pink tutu for them to put on.  The girls were delighted to wear the tutus... and each one had to test how well they could spin around in it!  Then we had our first dance lesson.  The girls could have done this all morning long!  They were so serious and followed each step very carefully.  It was so fun to watch them.... it was like my own little dance class!

After our dance lesson, we headed to the tables to work on our craft.  I had found super cheap bags at Oriental which I added a little tulle and ribbon to in order to dress it up a bit.  The boys just got ribbon on theirs.... didn't think they'd want the tulle!

I had the kids use fabric markers to draw a picture on the back.  The girls mostly drew themselves dancing or a ballerina picture.  The boys were a little more random, but it was fun to see their artistic creations.    

Next it was time to eat!  Since we had a morning party, I just couldn't feed them cake and ice cream. (and I didn't want to have to make two cakes!)  So we picked up glazed doughnuts that were made fresh that morning, and I added a bit of pink to them to make them a little fancier.  It was the easiest birthday cake I've ever made!  So after singing Happy Birthday to Ainsley, everyone enjoyed their doughnuts along with some yummy strawberries.

Now it was time for some more fun with party games!  Our listed included,
Slipper Slipper (Hot Potato with a ballet slipper)
Ballet, Ballet, Tap (Duck, Duck, Goose)
Playing the Freeze Dance with Balloons

There was definitely lots of laughing, shrieking, smiling, and giggling!  I made some dancing ribbons for the boys and girls, so after our games it was dance time!  I had them use the ribbons to dance around the room and then we used them to do the Hokey Pokey.  After that, we did the Chicken Dance, and ended our party with the Limbo!

It was such a super fun morning!  I think everyone had a great time!  I know one little girl who couldn't stop smiling!  :)

Later that day we had our family over to help celebrate Ainsley turning five!  They were the ones who got to see the famous ballerina cake that started it all!

It was actually one of the easiest cakes I've made and it turned out so cute!  Ainsley's favorite part was the cotton candy tutu!

Another different thing we did this year was that instead of dishing up ice cream with the cake, I served mini ice cream sandwiches that I had dipped in sprinkles and then put a little piece of scrapbook paper around them to make them easy to hold (and cute!)!  It was easy to be able to do this ahead of time, and it made handing out the cake and ice cream a piece of cake!

What an amazing and fun day!  Definitely one of my favorite parties because turning five is just so fun!  And because it delighted this little girl's heart... that made it even more special.

First Day of School 2012

Today was our first day of school!  It's crazy to think that I have a 2nd grader, a preschooler, and a 2 1/2 year old! 

Of course we had to take our first day of school pictures!

Liam - 2nd Grade

Ainsley - Preschool

Kallan - 2 1/2

My Students

Love them! Either this picture just cracks you up, or you instantly start praying for me!  :)

For a first day back, our day went pretty well!  I kept the schedule pretty light as we eased into things.

Want a little peak?

Our morning started with reading and talking about Proverbs 2:3-5 and then looking up the word, PERSISTENCE in the dictionary and how that word applied to the verse.

We read a story about how the hymn, Holy, Holy, Holy, came to be

and then listened to it and sang along.

We did a little grammar review about capitalization, nouns, contractions, and sentences.

We reviewed the names of the seven continents and four oceans of the world and where we can find them on the map.  We did a little worksheet about that and then went into our history reading starting with Columbus as a young boy.  We read about how people at that time thought the Atlantic Ocean was the "Dark Sea" and if they started to sail across it they thought they might run into Asia.

We talked about what a biography is and "interviewed" each other just in case we ever wanted to write a biography on the other person. 

Then we started a read-a-loud biography about Benjamin Franklin.

Liam did his math lesson on the computer.  After two years of struggling to find a math curriculum that really fits him... I think we've found it.  Do I dare say he was giggling after the first lesson?  I love it too... so smiles all around!

We had my 2nd grader's favorite foods for lunch... Ravioli, corn on the cob, and grapes! 

And for a special treat... a trip to our little town bakery for cupcakes! 

 

Even this teacher got a little treat... a Cookies and Cream Cupcake that stayed on my mind all afternoon!  Yummy!!!!

 

To finish up our day... we read a science book about high and low tide in the ocean and what causes it.  We actually even found some great videos on U-Tube so we could watch the tide in action. 

Then, in keeping with the biography theme...

Liam started his reader which is a biography book on Louis Braille.

After that an afternoon of computer games, playing Legos, riding bike, and playing baseball with friends. 

 

I think 2nd Grade is going to be a good year!

Back to School Dinner - 2012

So this year our back to school dinner looked a little different than the last few years.  With a birthday party thrown a few days ago, and a daddy who is out of town all week, I decided to trade in the fancy table cloth, china, and special home-cooked meal for a supper out at Applebee's to celebrate the new school year.  And it was wonderful!

I had picked out a verse for our year, so I made some verse cards and brought those along with us.

Our verse this year is...

Show me your ways, O Lord,
teach me your paths;
guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.

Psalm 25:4-5

Before our food came, we chatted a bit about the verse and how it might play out in our lives and school year. 

OK - so it was more me reading the verse to them and telling them why I think this verse will be important for our year as they looked at me with hungry and glazed eyes.  But God's Word doesn't return void... so I was content in at least showing them the verse and know that we'll learn more about it as we memorize it.

Next came a few back to school gifts for the kids.  Liam was thrilled with his Lego folders and new pack of pencils while Ainsley was excited about some origami paper and a new dot-to-dot book. 

 

Of course Kallan loved his little trucks and in true Kallan fashion, the first thing he did was line them up.

We had such a fun evening together... and even in it's low key fashion, it was a great way to kick off our new school year!

The Beginning of a New Year

It all started out like this....

Back towards the beginning of July, a box of curriculum shows up at my door step waiting to be opened.  My heart gasps a bit, and I pick it up and set it inside my door.  Then I walk away.  For the next two weeks, I pretend it isn't there.

"Can I really do this again?"

A few weeks later, the calendar flips to August, and yes, the said box is still sitting by my front door.  By this time it has been opened up a few days prior to grab one or two books from it, (to ease my guilt of not touching it) but the rest are left untouched. 

"But I haven't even had a summer yet!"  "My mind can't even go there right now!" 

As the calendar days start ticking away, I feel like a deer caught in headlights.  I'm sure people look at me and see that my eyes are bulging out of their sockets every time the subject of school comes up.  One Sunday afternoon, I finally take a deep breath and dig into the box.

(And yes, that is a big pile of chocolate wrappers on the table and somewhere is an empty bowl of M&M's.

This kind of work cannot be done without chocolate.)

I look through, sort, and label all the books which will become our year of 2nd Grade.

I don't think I will ever be able to put my heart into words as to why we homeschool.  It is definitely one of the best and hardest things I know I will ever do in my life.  Many days seem like a fine dance to me between the awesome things about homeschooling and the hard things about homeschooling.  They are intertwined, overlapping, and sometimes are the same thing.  But I continue to take steps of faith forward because I know that for this season of life, God has called me to do this. 

I love this quote from Priscilla Shirer because for me, it applies to homeschooling. 

Ms. Shirer says, “When you face two options and each seems to please God, consider the one that displays God’s glory, power and strength. This makes room for God to reveal Himself to you and show Himself through you. God wants us to see the wondrous things He will accomplish in us. Don’t be fearful about the hard road He may ask you to take. Be encouraged and excited about seeing His divine, supernatural activity in and through you. God’s voice commands the option that will display His power. He desires to show Himself strong in you and will encourage you to do things that require trust and faith.”

It can feel overwhelming to homeschool.  At the beginning of the year, I look at the books and all the plans and I'm fearful about the road ahead that I'm walking on.  My heart yells, "I can't do this!" 

No, I can't.  And God doesn't call me to do it on my own.  He doesn't want me to.  He wants me to rely on Him and Him alone.  And I fail at this every day.... sometimes every moment!  But He continues to call my heart towards Him and remind me to try again and look to Him.  I know that if I keep my focus and trust on Him, I can do this.  He wants me to depend on Him and die to myself so that He will work through me.  He wants to increase my faith and trust, and most days He uses school to do this. 

So as the beginning of a new school year starts, I have a little chorus from church that has been playing over and over in my head the last few weeks, encouraging my heart...

"I may be weak... but Your Spirit's strong in me.

My flesh may fail... but my God You never will!"

 

God, thank you for being strong in me when I feel so weak.  Thank you that you never give up on me (even when I neglect a curriculum box for weeks and tell You that I can't do what You've asked me to do) and that You continue to work Your plan in my life.  May You alone be glorified in my life and through this school year.

 

She Turned Five...

She turned five... and no one asked me if it was OK.  She just went ahead and did it... the day passing by in the blink of an eye.  As quick as it took to blow out five candles, my little girl turned five years old.  To me it feels old and very "grown up".  Her words and mannerisms and actions are reflecting more of a girl than a "little girl".  All of a sudden before my eyes I see this long, lean, beautiful girl with sparkling eyes, deeper thoughts, and a sweet personality that shines.

She wanted a ballerina party, so ballerina party we did!  Lots of pink, lots of tulle, lots of giggles, twirls, and delight.  It was a perfect day to turn five.

My sweet girl, this is what I want to remember about you at five....

Your creativity:  Ainsley, your mind is constantly creating and crafting.  Whether it is coloring a picture or cutting out tiny pieces of paper, anything you touch you turn into a work of art.  Your favorite thing to do right now is to use boxes and "rescue" anything you can from the recycling container to turn it into a "creation" of yours with a story to go with it.  What your mind thinks of and what you create blows my mind away... and I think some day you and I will spend days together making all sorts of crafts with each other.

Your imagination:  Not only are you creative, but your mind is constantly imagining stories to go along with your day.  Whether you are celebrating Bunny's birthday or setting up your Barbies and playing out a story in your mind... you always have something like this on your mind.  Today I watched as you sat on the sidewalk for an hour, talking to yourself and just "playing".  I could tell you were making up and playing out some sort of story... and it made me smile.  This is probably the part of you that reminds me the most of me.  I see this more and more in you each day, and I love it.

Your heart:  You have a big heart.  You love big.  You give big.  You wear your emotions on the outside of your heart constantly.  You love to snuggle.  You love to give good gifts.  You love to hug and just be close.  You cry hard when you have to leave someone you love dearly.  You love big when you are with them.  You are starting to understand what it means to love and serve God... and I can see this love start to grow in you.  I love the heart God has given to you, and the heart you are starting to have for Him.

Your girly side:  My dear, you are ALL girl!  For the first time this summer, you wanted to wear shorts some days, but for the most part, you are still my dress girl.  You love purple and pink.  You love lip gloss and jewelry.  You love getting your hair done and putting bows in it.  The night before your birthday you asked if I could put your hair in rollers to sleep in so you could have curls.  You love clothes and frills and pink and anything that is just GIRL.  You are my girl, and I love you!

Other random things:  You love cottage cheese.  You like to dip your peanut butter sandwich in jelly.  Dogs scare you.  You love to watch Jake and the Neverland Pirates.  You love the Disney Princesses, Barbies, and American Girl dolls.  You love your yellow bike/trike.  You love milk.  You love to dance.  You love stuffed animals.  You are very interested in extended family and how everyone is related.  You don't like spiders.  You cry easily.  You love to joke around.  You always have to have a Bible story, book, prayer, and song before you go to sleep.  You love your Bunny and Blankie the most.  You are a good sister to your brothers.  You love to plan dates with daddy.  You love rides - the faster and scarier the better.  You are everything I never knew I wanted in a little girl.  You are so precious to us.  You will never know how much we love you!

Happy 5th Birthday Ainsley!