Galveston AGAIN in 2021? Yes Please!

 

Julia's Seventh Slumber Party

Julia, you are now 7 years old. And I can't believe it. You are sweet, funny, friendly, meticulous, and all-around amazing. You've grown so much in these past 7 years. You even had to show your friends how far you've come!

You pretty much have a plan for everything. Including your birthday party. You planned your slumber party with 5 of your closest friends...itinerary and all.

And you guys pretty much did everything on your list! Except playing Heads Up, but you were fine with that. Because, instead, you all chose to SWIM in a VERY COLD SWIMMING POOL instead!

You guys played, decorated a cake, played more, danced, sang, swam, ate, watched Toy Story 4, plated "pin the horn to the unicorn," at pizza, and all bunked up in your room for a (pretty decent) night's sleep.

This birthday party idea of yours, which was your idea from top to bottom, was one of my favorite of your birthday parties.

I get to see you play with your friends at Rainbow Pizza pretty frequently, but this was something a little more intimate, and more creatively-driven by you, your friends, and your collective imaginations.


You played "teenager" with broken electronics.

You played family for ages...inside and out.

You performed choreographed routines and unchoreographed dances inside...and out :)

And you demonstrated why you are such a beautiful person...inside and out.

After a whole evening and most of a morning without drama, some people's feelings got hurt (including yours)... it's bound to happen). You were bummed for a bit. You let of some steam by yourself, talked to your friend whose feelings were also hurt...and then came to me. I asked you what was wrong. You said "I think some people need to have a talk. Can you get me the 'peace spoon'?" So, I gave you the spoon...and you gathered your friends to have a guided, constructive talk. And you resolved your feelings...and you all continued to have a blast for the rest of the day.

Pretty amazing for a 7 year old, huh?

The party was fantastic. You collectively decorated your birthday cake (which I forgot to take a "pre-op" photo of!).

You all lasted way longer in the pool than we thought you would...and then took a big hot shower in your swimsuits together to warm up!

In the morning I made y'all pancakes (and you made your famous eggs); then there were games, pedicures, more swimming, and one by one your friends were picked up by their moms and dads...

But the memories and the friendships and the warm glow of an awesome fun birthday party will hopefully last with you for a good, long time.

Rainbow Pizza Fall 2019: Tooth Fairy, T-shirts, and Adventures

It's fall! That means we're on target for a fun fall camping trip with the Rainbow Pizza family!

By this point, you're pretty comfortable with the whole camping thing, and you're even giving US tours!

And...guess what...it was also your SEVENTH birthday!

So, mid-day, I picked you up and Ellie from school, we loaded up the car and... 

3 hours later we pulled into Camp Classen in Davis Oklahoma!

As your BFFs started arriving, you all hugged, and ran, and unpacked, and played "Harry Potter," walkie talkies, and explored into the woods as the sun began to set. 

The fire roaring, you all roasted marshmallows, sang, and giggled, played, and welcomed our new recruits!

I tucked you in, got you in bed, and was hanging out by the campfire. You came out, barefoot in the cold, to see me. Your tooth that had been hanging on by a thread for months was bothering you. "It's time for it to come out, Daddy," you said. "Can you pull it out?" Now of course, Mommy and I had been trying to pull this tooth out for weeks with no luck! But, I was willing to try! So you sat on my lap by the campfire so I could see. I said on 'three' I would yank. So I started counting... ... 1.... PULL!

"Daddy! You did it! It feels good! Wait...am I bleeding?"

I couldn't see...so I took a picture with the flash and....  I told you "Just a little bit sweetie."

But oh my gosh it was a LOT of blood!!!!!!!!! You swished and swished and swished and finally the blood stopped coming. But you were so happy!

And you wrapped it in tin foil, (because CAMPING!) and tucked it under your pillow on top of the sleeping bag in the top bunk in the middle of the woods in Oklahoma.

And in the morning, you were delighted to find that the tooth fairy had come to find you! She took your tooth and replaced it with a big gold coin!

You named the coin "coiny" and tucked it safely into your bunk and we all ventured out into the amazingness of a crisp, cool, camping day!

Marching to breakfast!

The hike!

Lunch and messing around camp!

Axe-throwing! Archery! BBs! Bug Catching!

...and HORSEBACK RIDING!

We wrapped the day with more playing by the campside, and a march down to the bonfire where you- seven-year-old lady - got a special Adventure Guides Birthday Recognition at the bonfire!

What an amazingly fun camping weekend. It was an EPIC birthday, and I am so thankful for the time spent with you, time spent alongside you, and time you have growing and bonding with your buddies. And, I so grateful that you and I are buddies too!

What an awesome Rainbow Pizza Weekend!!!!!!!! 

YA TA HAY!!!!!!!!!