The Plan

Ok, we got through one birthday and now the thoughts turn to the next one. A will be nine at the beginning of December. Yesterday we got a catalog in the mail from the WWF. I tossed it to A telling her she could check out all the animal pictures. After a while of looking, she came up with the idea to donate money for her birthday, asking me how much money she had. Now, in return for her donation, she will receive a plush animal of her choice, or more, depending on how much she sends in. She has stated in the past that she does not want any more "stuff" for her birthday or Christmas. Of course a plush tiger or polar bear would be "stuff" but it would also represent all those who helped her make a difference in the future of the animals of the world.

So, if you are one of the family or friends who were going to buy A a gift for her birthday, I ask you now to consider a donation to her cause instead.

And if you are just someone who reads this blog, but would like to help one little girl make a difference, let me know in the comments and we can arrange something.

Here is a little something to make you smile. It's got polar bears!

The Details

It was a lovely day for our sweet girl, E. Let me walk you through the highlights. We invited six girlfriends to the Hannah Montana themed party. They came ready to dance and sing under the disco ball. Her Daddy brought the birthday girl a dozen red roses... There were a couple rounds of Pin the Earring on Hannah....

Gifts were opened. Many of the girls handmade special gifts which were very appreciated. The cold hard cash from Mama and Daddy was appreciated big time....

Mama spent five hours icing this cake for her sweet girl, who LOVED it....

After singing Happy Birthday to her, the now seven year old began cutting the cake...

Did I mention it took five hours to do that cake? Good thing good pictures were taken before the demolition began....

Life is good when you are seven.

Sweet Nibblets, She's 7!

Just born

6 months

One year

18 months

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Stay tuned for more on the birthday celebration...

Sweet Home Alabama

We just arrived home from a weekend away in C's home state, attending his sisters wedding. The ceremony was held in Auburn, AL, where she (and her husband and C and his brother and their cousin, too) attended college. C was proud to show off his Alma mater to the girls.... The girls were to be in the wedding as flower girls and they did their duty very well. They adored the bride, her dress, and her flowers...

They sat reverently during the ceremony, looking beautiful...

And they bore great bouquets of flowers (ok, A caught the bride's bouquet and here she is holding hers, E's, and the one she caught!)...

The day after the wedding we had the opportunity to stop at DeSoto Caverns and take the tour. You can read about it here...

A was impressed with the stalagmites. This one was still growing....

And that sums up our trip. Hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!

Weekend in the Wild

This past weekend was our annual camping trip to Zion National Park with the Life Learners. There were six families total this year, our most yet! It made for a great big party all weekend. The weather was cool and refreshing (ok, a bit too cold and windy and cloudy) and the setting was as gorgeous as ever. We got to do some hiking, see some wildlife, hang out around the campfire with our friends, listen to live music in town (a friend's band) visit the elk, and shop for rocks and apple cider.

Home sweet home in the wild.

A little spider we saw on our first hike Friday afternoon after getting settled into the campsite. Ok, it was freaking huge (big as my hand) and we think it is a rose haired tarantula. Anybody know?My mountain goat in her element.My other mountain goat playing king of the hill.Snuggling by the campfire with Daddy.E and her friend B warming by the fire on a cold moring. Scenic Zion in bloom.
Flower girl #1.
Flower girl #2.

Hiking is easiest and best done with a buddy.
Moth friend came for the light of the lantern, but stayed for the love of a girl.
Communing with the elk in Springdale, UT.

One of our favorite rock shops.

The goods.

...and this is how we felt as we drove home, tired but happy for our weekend in the wild with friends.

Reconciliation Day

Today has been set aside for us to make efforts to reconcile with someone or something in our lives. At church this past weekend we talked about this and we were asked to think about what we would work to reconcile. A told me that night that she wanted to do something for this. A few years ago, she and one of the boys in the Life Learners were "boyfriend and girlfriend" and the relationship did not end well. A wanted to apologize for her part in how it went and so she sent this boy, who has since moved away, an email telling him how sorry she was. She got a friendly reply and was so happy. She had debated with herself whether to send the email or not and was very glad she had done it. I was so proud of her for this. She came up with it on her own and wrote the email all by herself (asking me how to spell every other word, so I knew what it basically said). She blows me away sometimes! I mean she's eight years old and she can conceive and carry through with this reconciliation work? Amazing. I'm jealous. And humbled.