Catching Up on Birthday Celebrations

As 2012 wraps up, I realize that I didn't post anything about the kids' birthdays this year!  And while I know that the interest level others have for your kids' birthdays dwindles as time passes, I still wanted to capture some pictures here! (I finally went back and printed my blog from each year since I began -- go ahead and call it one of my "Nesting Projects of 2012" -- so now I really don't want to miss capturing a birthday on my blog!)

Okay, and upon discovery that I didn't post birthdays from 2012, I realized that last year, I gave you a little teaser for Rylee's 8th Birthday Party (in November 2011), but never posted pictures from the party!  So, we're going to flashback to Rylee's 8th Birthday Fresh Beat Band/music theme Party! (and I am going to resist the urge to re-print my 2011 blog book because it doesn't include this birthday and try to embrace the perfectly-imperfect life I lead!)

Every "waiting-to-blow-out-the-candles-and-listening-to-everyone-sing-Happy-Birthday-to-me" picture we have of Rylee includes this "I'm-sort-of-embarassed-but-still-think-it's-cool-everyone-is-singing-to-me" smile!

I can't think back to a birthday that hasn't included a baby doll, either!

Brother just as excited about the presents as Sister!

Rylee's friend (and brother! :) party included some hotel pool swimming and tasty little cupcake drums!

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And now for 2012!  We combined Barbie and Butterflies to make this year's theme! (Thanks to the inspiration of a very talented, cake-makin' friend of mine, Sara Crane... find her on Facebook to see her awesome cakes!)

Rylee wanted a picture with baby sister!

Love seeing the little things she picks up from her friends at school! A hand heart!

Apparently I didn't capture "the look" as everyone was singing to her, but I can promise you it was there!

Posing with some of her fav gifts!

For her friend party, Rylee had some friends over in the new addition above our garage (LOVE having so much space!) for pizza, cupcakes, and absolutely hilarious 9-year-old movin' and groovin' to her new Just Dance! game on the XBox Kinect!  (Even Jeremy and Jordyn got in on the movin' and groovin'... and though I won't post it here, I will say that the video I took of them dancing together is priceless!)

Easy and not even remotely creative butterfly cupcakes for the friend party... (energy level very much starting to deteriorate at this point in pregnancy!)  The girls didn't care... give them 2 cupcakes each and they'll think you're the best birthday party host ever anyway!

 

 

Here is the thank you card I made for her friends.... typical young girls making faces and having fun!

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Between these 2 parties for Rylee, Carter turned 5, and celebrated with Chuggington!  Once again, I blogged about how grown up he was, and even posted his invitation, but never got back to the fun of the day!

After looking at lots of Chuggington cakes online, Carter was completely sold on the idea of having REAL TOYS on his cake... toys that he could HAVE and PLAY WITH after the party!  (He didn't realize that because of that, it was actually one of the easiest cakes I've made!)

And a few moments from the day!  (I shouldn't have scheduled his haircut so close to party day... it makes him look so grown up!)

So, now we're caught up! Rylee is 9, Carter is 5, and we're sort of prepared to celebrate Jordyn's 18th Birthday and the arrival of Baby Girl in January!  2013 is going to be a big year for our family!  Happy New Year, everyone!

(And once again, Blogger is reminding me that I'm not always in control... after struggling with text positioning and spacing issues for 20 minutes, I'm hitting "Publish" and not looking back!... well, maybe I'll try to fix it later before I print my 2012 blog.)