Birthday Girls

What a difference a year makes.  Last year we went to Dallas for the girls birthday.  We should have closed on our house but...drama.  So we spent the girls birthday in Dallas.

The whole time we lived in TX, finding friendships that were sincere was a struggle.  The only friends we had were friends of ours that moved to TX from PA.  We were close with them before we all got married, and by God's grace we all moved to TX around the same time.  (coincidentally, soon after we moved to Indiana, they moved back to PA.  TX just isn't the same without us.) ;)  

So we wound up celebrating all 3 girls birthdays in TX last year - even though technically all 3 should have been celebrated here.  While doing that (birthdays in TX) the kids all hoped that next year (now) would be different.  They hoped that instead of Dallas for a day we would have a group of friends.  They hoped we would be able to have a bunch of people over and have a big ol' party.  Joseph remembers some of the parties we had when we used to live in PA, and while most of the people attending were family, it still made for a big turn out.  The thought was exciting for all. :)

So there was a big build up to the girls birthday this year.  Just a month after moving here we found a church that we love.  Not only do they preach the Bible and help us in our walk and relationship with Christ, but they also have a great group of people.  The kids (and Roger and I!) have been blessed to make friends.
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Those friends came over on Sunday and helped us celebrate our 3 wonderful girls.

It was a fun afternoon filled with food and chaos (there were a lot of kids!).

 The girls and I (mainly the girls) crafted this huge Birthday banner.

 The lunch feast.  Also take note of our new dining room table.  It was finished just in time for the party.  It took us forever to carry it in the house because it is HEAVY.  (for those that don't already know, Roger built the table.) (I think I have more pictures of the process, that's for another post)

Dessert table on the left.  Fruit Loop necklace making table on the right.

Did I mention that this was an art themed party?  The invitations were in the shape of a painter's palette.  We made rice krispie treat "paint brushes", a sugar cookie palette (That was ALL Hannah), a strawberry cake with "paint" dripping down the sides, and sugar cookies that were supposed to look like little canvas'... but I ran out of steam and we didn't make the mini popsicle easels to go with them. The kids still thought it was cool to see their name on a cookie and wondered how in the world I did that.  :)

 3 girls.  3 candles.  :)

The picture above and picture below turned out so dark and I stink at editing... so sorry for pic quality.  Here we were singing Happy Birthday... which gets a little confusing when you sing it to 3 people at once. :)

 The girls received some lovely gifts from their friends.

 All art themed of course.  :)

It was a smiley day that has completely and totally confused Keturah.  We had been talking about their party for weeks.  She knew it was for her too.  But then the other 2 girls had their actual birthday on Saturday and Keturah didn't get any presents on their birthday.  So she started saying "my birthday in 2 weeks!" (which, looking at the calendar it is actually closer to 3 weeks, but whatever)  Then today she has a houseful of people all saying "happy birthday" to her and handing her gifts.  Hopefully when Oct 9th rolls around she will feel like she hit the lottery and won 2 birthdays in one year. :)