Five!!

This big girl turned 5 over the weekend!

She'd been planning and anticipating her birthday for months!

I wanted to do the super cute Pinterest idea and cover her floor with balloons that morning, but she beat me awake, singing away in her bed at 5:15am.  So they were out with her presents!

Her requested blueberry coffee cake for her breakfast...

Then it was off to her party!

I steered her toward a girly theme and our first all-girls party -- super fun to have flowers and pink everywhere!

She and I picked out several different crafts and stations to do with her friends.

I have a whole new respect for preschool teachers that have to have all supplies cut and prepped! :)

They made flower crowns...

Did some flower arranging...

Jay lived at that station as our token little boy!

Watercolored flowers with sucker centers...

Got their face painted...

Decorated their own cupcake...

And decorated bags with stamps and thumbprint flowers to put their goodies in...

Some of the girls' art will go off to Uganda this summer along with supplies they brought in lieu of gifts...

We have several college students from our church going.  I am really excited for them to get some pictures of the children there using their gifts -- I think it will make much clearer where this stuff goes when we collect or donate.

Flower snacks made by my mom and aunt were a hit!

Several fun Pinterest ideas -- the M&M flowers and the ice cream prescooped with flower sprinkles!

Love cheese shapes for a party!

The birthday girl's cupcake...

She loved getting sung to!

We had some great party helpers!  "The college students" as Kirkley calls them and Miss Jessica!

And any mama that stayed instead of dropping off was also given a station :) 

I underestimated how much help they'd need!

And it was super special with lots of family in from out of town, including cousin (aka "sister") Elle!

Love those blue eyes and chunky thighs!

We had a super fun day celebrating our big girl!

Celebrating continued after nap with a fun new present sure to bring lots of summer fun!

And then off to birthday dinner!

Celebrating again at school with "z is for zebra" cupcakes and marshmallows!

Oh how sad she's going to be to see the letter people go at the end of this year!

She loved getting to do the "birthday coins," getting sung to, and having a special blessing at chapel at school...

This has been such a sweet year -- can't believe our girl is getting so big!

I've always been really daunted to choose a verse to pray over my children for the year...like where to even begin!?  Seeing this reminded me how much I need to focus in on something for her.  I heard something so wise that basically said one of the most important qualities in your children is a grateful heart.  This has been a struggle for us lately with K.  I love these verses -- may her heart trust Him, seek Him for strength and protection, experience His joy, and be so grateful that she will sing of it, bringing Him glory -- our precious performer!  May we trust Him to bring this to fruition in her!

"The Lord is my Strength and my Shield;
my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.
My heart leaps for joy
and I will give thanks to Him in song."

Psalm 28:7

"I will praise God’s name in song and 

glorify Him with thanksgiving."

Psalm 69:30