Birthdays!!

We've been busy celebrating the past couple of weeks.  The girls had a double birthday party--polka dot themed-- almost two weeks ago to celebrate Ella turning double digits and Claranna turning four.  We've been celebrating ever since.  For Ella's "friend" birthday party this year, she chose to take a friend along on a day trip to the Mall of America and then have a sleepover.  Of course, we also celebrated the actual milestone, just our little family on April 16th.  Today is Claranna's big day.  Friend parties start when you are five at our house, so she just did the family party with Ella.  Today, she woke up to streamers and balloons decorating her room door and she is a happy little girl telling everyone it is her birthday.  When you are four a birthday is just good simple fun.  You can't beat that!  We met a friend at the park this morning on a (finally) beautiful spring day and then Grandma Judy came over for a special tea party lunch in honor of the birthday girl.  Tonight we plan on eating Five Guys burgers and fries for a special birthday dinner.  It is harder to pick a place for Claranna to go out to eat, but she will be able to have a burger with no bun there and she loves their french fries.  She is most excited to eat her gluten free/sf/df chocolate birthday cake for dessert!!  It looks pretty good...I hope it tastes as good as it looks! 

Polka Dot Party Cake

Sweet Birthday Girls Before Their Party

Claranna's special birthday party cupcakes!  She said they were delicious and I think they were the best gluten free treats I have made so far!

Party Goodies

Polka Dot Party Presents

Happy Birthday Ella!!

Trick Candles

Happy Birthday Claranna!!

 I can hardly believe how fast my girls are growing up...  Really all my kids are growing so fast!  I remember as a child that it seemed to take forever for a year to pass and for another birthday to come.  Now I feel like I blink and it is time to plan a party and celebrate again.  When Claranna arrived four years ago, our world became much more full and lots busier.  I remember her first year being a blur and thinking after she was one year old, days would slow down again and there would be more time. I have come to realize that I don't think our days will ever be dull and slow again.  Not because of Claranna and her vibrant personality, but just from the mere fact that we are fortunate to have three growing, busy children in our home. Time is fleeting and Ella's childhood is already more than half gone.  Yes, it's true.  Yet, it baffles me every time I think about it.  How can that be because it wasn't that long ago that I was ten?

 I am quite content in this phase of my life as a busy mom.  I just need to find ways to savor each day a little bit more in the midst of all the daily craziness of growing children (and doing laundry... ha!), because it really is a gift. On the dizzy, busy, make-your-head-spin days of getting kids fed, to here, there and everywhere, I vow to embrace those moments and count my blessings that I was chosen with Mark to guide these beautiful children to adulthood.  I'm also ever thankful to my parents for setting me on a such a good path as they raised me. As an adult, I can now appreciate much more deeply all the sacrifices they made for us as kids and how they continue to respond with such heart and selflessness to their families of grown children and grandchildren. I want to be like them when I grow up.  And, I do find myself wondering if they ever sat back on our milestone days and lamented the fleeting passing of time and our childhood...  Happy Birthday to my sweet girls!!