All week, the forecast had been adapting, but but Thursday night, we were prepared for 4-6 inches of snow moving in on Friday afternoon. School was released two hours early, and my office even closed at 2 p.m. for safety reasons. We all still share some form of PTSD down here from "Snowpocalpse 2014." Well we kept our eye on things too, but most of Libby's friends were from school and live very nearby, so we decided "the show must go on!" (Mainly, because for the next three weeks minimum, there was no rescheduling of this event.)
So, on Thursday, we got to baking and decorating the cupcake designs Libby had chosen, and chocolate chip cookies to celebrate her birthday in class on Friday!
On Friday, Daddy surprised Libby at school as mystery reader for the day -- and boy did his time get moved up early due to the weather changing the schedule. Michael unfortunately didn't get any photos, but it can be hard trying to get them while doing all the other activities required by a birthday! His comment afterward though, was that he had so much fun, he wished that he could be mystery reader EVERY Friday. So sweet!
So, we were all home early, along with Mimi, on Friday, which was pretty nice for party set-up and not having to rush quite as much. I even got a bit more work in, too!
Ansley Fuller wasn't going to be able to make it due to the weather, so she stopped by early to deliver Libby's gift (so nice)! She got a sneak peak at the party, a cupcake for herself and her brother, and a couple of lollipops to bring home. She'll have to decorate a pillowcase with us another time!
Also during the day, Mimi added some additional artwork for the event!
As the first girls arrived for the party, they got to paint their pillowcases to take home with them. Some spent copious amounts of time one them, so as that went on, we also had fingernail painting going on.
We could only manage three pillowcases at the table at once, so when we got the pizza eating started with the movie at the same time, too!
It was a zoo in here! No one was "sleeping," but I will share that my favorite girls were the ones later on in the party who were very focused on sitting quietly and watching the movie. Ha!
"Sleeping Beauty tag" started a little earlier than I'd planned, but there were no paint spill/sling, etc incidents, so... success!
Soon enough, it was time for cupcakes, arguably the quietest moment of the party was the singing of "Happy Birthday!"
They really were pretty and tasty! Libby loved the party, and we sure love Libby, so it was awesome to celebrate with her as always.
It was especially nice to have Mimi here with us. She kept the party moving with the paint in the kitchen AND she did all the nails!
After the cupcakes, we used our party poppers to have some confetti and celebrate the birthday girl some more.
Then we still had about 20 minutes left before the two-hour party was up, so we figured that was a great time to open gifts. It was a madhouse, so I got no photos, but I did manage to write each of the gifts down with the corresponding giver (I think)! And Libby has already started on her thank you notes.
After the majority of the gang had departed: Maddy, Raegan M., Elena, Abigail, Cassie, Leah, Sydney, and Ansley H., our older girls, Madison (3rd grade) and Taylin (4th grade) stuck around to really spend the night with us! Libby and the girls got their sleeping bags ready in her room, and since they were already in their pajamas, came down without having to change again to watch another movie and eat popcorn. They chose to watch "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Road Chip," at Taylin's request and to Libby's delight. During "Uptown Funk," Taylin couldn't keep her seat, and got up to groove on to it. I knew I liked that girl! It really was nice to have a couple of a little more on the "mature" side to them after the craziness of the party. I think next time, maybe not *quite* so many at our house. Libby's already thinking on what her next birthday party will be (as is tradition).
Matthew was pretty disappointed that he wasn't going to get to join in the festivities but he only got up once.
Of course, outside was a "wintry mix" that may turn into more snow overnight...
The girls had a great time together, and Libby may have climbed in Mimi's bed in the morning for a bit, too. And when we got up, there was a lovely layer of ice with a about an inch or an inch and a half of snow on top of it.
Daddy got up with them early to fix sausage for breakfast to accompany the Krispy Kreme donut assortment that Mimi brought, so that was a hit for us all!
Finally, (for them... it was well before 10 a.m.) we changed, bundled up and ventured out into the icy snow.
Thankfully, I have no video of the moment when Matthew sat on the back of the double sled with Taylin and they took off down our front yard hill, flying off the curb, across the street, up the curb and onto the neighbors' yard.
My heart nearly stopped again, when seconds after that event, Libby hopped on the small disk and took off down the driveway, crashing into the juniper and skidding down, then tumbling off.
Good news is that Madison didn't learn from these events and grabbed the disc after Libby's doing nearly the same thing, and instead crashing into the mailbox planter. Seriously.
So that was special. But as better senses took hold, it got better, even as we all froze our noogies off.
Michael really got a serious workout in, dragging the kids down the street at a run. He even took me for a ride -- as did sweet Madison! I felt like such a kook sliding down the road in a sled with my pj pants on with my kids and the neighbor kids! We really did have a fun time.
Also this weekend, we drank hot chocolate, watched movies, ate well, played board games, and Libby also got some use out of a few of her other new gifts, including her first real Lego set! She had fun assembling it with some guidance from Mimi and her Daddy, and has had a ball playing with it.
She also got her first diary and she's pretty stoked about it. She quickly found a great hiding spot for the key, and gave me the copy, just in case she misplaced hers. ;-)
Eventually, Taylin and Madison went home, sadly for us all. But I had to clean up at some point... Matthew however, wanted to know if Taylin and Madison were coming back for dinner!
Today was another day with Mimi and togetherness for Libby's actual birthday. From breakfast through most of the way though, we celebrated Miss B. It really wasn't the most "active" day, but hey, that way she didn't have to get a bath tonight-- another bonus!
And ANOTHER bonus was where school was cancelled AGAIN tomorrow, due to icy roads throughout the county. And at Libby's chose dinner spot, Paradise Grill, she not only enjoyed her mac & cheese and fried okra, but also won a toy in her very first try in the crane game in the game room there.
Libby and Matthew also helped us choose a babysitter for the semester (hopefully!) today. We had two great options, but ultimately, we wanted the consistency of mainly one person. So, Rachel will start with us on Tuesday.
Libby opened even more gifts tonight, and it seems that she has some reading to do.
We are so very proud and delighted with our firstborn. Our daughter arrived in a snowstorm, and somehow celebrates in similar weather each year. She is warm, witty, loving, tender, smart, serious, and hardworking. She sets an amazing example for her brother and her peers. She worries more than I'd like for such a young 'un, but I love who she is. Exactly who she is. Boy do we love that baby. She brought home another great report card on Friday, with the comment from her teacher that she, "is a delight to have in class!"
I even asked Libby a series of questions today about myself at the urging of something I read on social media. Her answer for what makes me (me, her mom) sad? "When we have to go to school and you can't be with us." Her answer for what my (mama's) favorite thing to do? "Be with us." She's so right. Oh- and the thing I do that annoys her? Asking her to fold napkins when she's in the middle of doing something else fun. Well who can blame her for that?!
Watching Libby and Matthew's love for each other grow more every day, seeing their little squabbles, Libby's gentle direction, the effect of Matthew's lightheartedness on her and most around us. Their hugs at the end of each day and prayers for each other. They are the lights of our lives, and every year with them gets better.
Boy do we love them so very much.
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