Whew!

What a whirlwind of a weekend we've had! Take a peek at what I've been up to the last few days...

Thursday - Taylor Anne's "Celebration of Life" in her classroom. She walks around a candle in the middle of a circle six times, saying the names of the months starting with the month of her birth. Then she shows the children a picture of what she looked like at each age while I talk about what she did for each year of her life until now. She's holding a continent globe as she walks around the candle (which represents the sun). Each time she walks around it represents the Earth's revolution around the Sun each year. In this way the children understand more about the passage of time from year to year. At the end of the walking around part, Taylor Anne sat in the middle of the circle as the class sings their birthday song to her - it goes like this:

Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, We like you.

Happy Birthday, and may all your dreams come true.

When you blow out the candle, one light stays aglow,

It's the light in your eyes where'ere you go.

Then she blows out the candle and chooses children to help her put away the globe, floor table, and candle. (Then we said goodbye and went home)

Saturday was her 'Kids' Birthday party: There was a lot of playing on the playset, and we had a 'pull pinata', instead of one that had to be hit with a bat or stick - I didn't want that thing swinging around with 16 children in my backyard! The kids all seemed to have a good time. I made homemade wheat strawberry shortcakes for the cake part... everyone seemed to like them, especially Taylor Anne - thank goodness!

It was a little breezy and we had a hard time getting the candles lit - we just had to pretend!


One of the parents who helped a lot during the party was Heather Worrell - Thanks Heather!


Sunday was the 'Family' party - It has become a tradition for us to always have a cookout for the family and close friends, and this year some family members drove from Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia to visit for the day! This year it was rainy and chilly, so we all had to fit in my tiny house for the party! It was a little tight, but I don't think anyone got claustrophobic! I made the same strawberry shortcake for this crowd too... and everyone seemed to like it!

Cousin Maddox came and got lots of love from everyone!

Beca came too! She was adorable, and I think Taylor Anne was so happy to play with her!

Great Boo, Aunt Kathy, and My Dad watching presents being opened.

Anderson climbs onto Taylor Anne's new John Deere bike... nice orange diaper cover, huh? I don't know why he didn't have his pants on... everyone remarked on how he was wearing 'safety orange' pants!
Taylor Anne opening her horsey treasure box from Great Boo and Nick-Nick! It has lots of little drawers and a horse that dances around to music. Soooooo Cool!
Opening the present from Anna, Rick, and Sylva - cool pop-up barn with Sheep, Cows, and Horses.
My Mom and Grandfather (Nick-Nick), showing the horse luggage set she and my Dad gave to Taylor Anne. It is great - rolling suitcase, regular backpack, a pencil case, and wallet - all with green corduroy, embroidered horses, and horse pull-tabs on the zippers! So Cool!
Taylor Anne got so many wonderful presents! She received 3 Webkins pets in all - and is having a great time buying them furniture and clothing already - She's one Happy Birthday Girl!

Now - back to reality!

(She had to get up Monday morning and go to school - just the same as any other Kindergartner!)