Elle's Big Weekend

This weekend was all about Ellery!

Friday at school Ellery was the Big Cheese. Sam took the day off of work, so our entire family was there to support Ellery, which was very fun. She and I made a poster on Thursday that she got to share with the class. She read the class the Big Cheese Journal she had been keeping all week. She brought her favorite stuffed animal, Piggy, and one of her favorite books, "Pinkalicious" to share with the class. She brought a Big Cheese snack to share with the class (apples and cheese sticks). It was all very cute, and she loved being the star of the class for 20 minutes.





We also celebrated Ellery's birthday with her class since this was the last day of school before her birthday. Elle got to wear the Birthday hat and sit in front of the class while they sang to her. She brought Pinkalicious pink cupcakes to share with the class.




After school, the plan was for the family to go to lunch at Chili's to celebrate Elle's birthday. But Bennett didn't want to go (he, like the rest of us, doesn't really understand Elle's obsession with Chili's), and Reagan was super grumpy. So Sam took Reagan and Bennett home, and Ellery and I went to Chili's together. It was very fun to have the one-on-one time with her. She was very happy -- she sure loves Chili's!



Saturday was Ellery's birthday party. Yes, having a birthday party to plan and execute this time of year is a bit crazy. Every year I tell myself that maybe we should go to an every-other-year party schedule, or celebrate Elle's birthday with a party on her half-birthday. But honestly, I like having a party for Elle close to her actual birthday. I don't want Elle to grow up feeling like she got the short end of the stick being born on Christmas, and so I guess maybe we over-compensate and try to make her birthday a really big deal. We did cut back on the party this year, though. We bought one package of invites, and enough craft supplies for 8 kids, so that meant that we had to limit the guest list to 7 girls besides Ellery. This was really hard -- Ellery would have LOVED to invite some girls from school and some of her friends from our old ward. But it turns out that there are 6 girls in our ward who are either in Elle's primary class, or who are in the younger class but are also in Kindergarten. Add Elle's cute friend Chloe Jensen, and we had our guest list. I told myself that this time of year, and being 34 weeks pregnant, keeping the party small would be best. And I think it was.

The party was completely planned by Ellery. Every last detail. She wanted a Fancy Nancy party, she wanted crafts, she wanted a Tea Party lunch, she wanted to play musical chairs, and she wanted a Barbie cake. She that is exactly what we did. Here is the house right before the party started:





The girls arrived in their fancy party clothes, and we read "Fancy Nancy." Then the girls decorated tiaras.




Once the tiaras were finished, my friend Mina led the girls in a game of Musical Chairs while Sam and I got the table set up for lunch. Sam was the server during the tea party, and had the girls in giggles the entire meal.


After lunch, it was presents time. Elle loved all of her gifts -- she got some great craft supplies, a gift card for Borders, a darling cheerleading costume, and some cute toys.

Then it was time for cake and ice cream. I wasn't exactly sure the best place to put the candles on the Barbie cake, for fear that we might catch Barbie on fire. It all worked out fine in the end, though.





We finished the party by reading "Fancy Nancy: Bonjour Butterfly" and decorating little pink canvas purses with butterflies and flowers. I think Ellery loved the party, and her friends seemed to have fun. And it always feels great to have the party behind us.

Tonight Ellery opened her family birthday gifts. We gave her a book the we made with Snapfish of some of her artwork that she created in 2008. Grandpa and Grandma Allen gave her a big tote full of art supplies. Justin and Lisa's family gave her fun little Cabbage Patch doll and playset. And Grammie and Grandpa gave Elle her new birthday outfit that she wore for her party.





We had such a fun weekend celebrating Ellery. She is such a joy to have in our family. Each year she gets happier and more helpful and more kind. She wants to do what is right. She is such a blessing in our family. WE LOVE ELLERY!


***Bennett was a little bummed that he couldn't open any presents yet. He is so excited about Christmas, and now that we actually have presents under the tree, the suspense of it all is nearly killing him. I just can't believe that Christmas is four days away. Now that we have Elle's big weekend behind us, I can focus on getting my last-minute Christmas stuff done. Wish me luck!