Another Birthday Girl!

Abigail Emma turned double digits on February 3rd!! She really had a birthday weekend, because she celebrated with Adah and their friend Aryanna on Friday night at a manicure/pedicure/fancy eats/movie party.  On Saturday evening, she went out to Red Lobster with Daddy where they shared a platter of fish/shrimp/mussels (her favorite)/and scallops.  They returned home to lemon cake with chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream (she always picks the WEIRDEST combinations!).  Oh - before they went out she opened her presents because we were pretty sure there was a shirt in there that she would like to wear out on the town.  There was (see dog shirt below :) ).  Sunday was her actual birthday, and she awakened to her birthday signs in a gymnastics theme.  She received a book about Gabby Douglas for her birthday, because she's currently into all things gymnastics.  We're not doing lessons or anything; she is teaching herself down in the basement. :)  She's also very much into games right now, so we got Apples to Apples for her and Hedbanz.  I tried to get Pictionary, too, but Walmart didn't carry it and I didn't have time to get to Target.  We even extended the party to Monday because we helped Aryanna celebrate the end of her radiation treatments for kidney cancer with Dunkin' Donuts!  My Abigail Emma has been a sweet friend to Aryanna throughout her struggle so far, and it does my mama's heart tremendous good to see her caring for her friend in such a loving way.  Because she is such a chatty, spunky girl, she lifts a person's spirits even when she's not being intentional about it.  She has shared Scripture with Aryanna and prayed for her, and we are thankful to see how God is using her.  Happy Birthday, Abigail!!  You are a treasure.

 Sorry about the red eye!  We are currently in the middle of a plague in our household, and I can't be bothered to try to figure out how to fix it if it doesn't work the first time. :)  Also - our dryer is broken.  That's totally random, but it adds to the general atmosphere of trial. :)

 Do you see the "disco ball" in the center hanging from the chandelier?  :)  Cora created it by brushing glue all over the balloon and then rolling it in sequins. :)  She and Adah arranged flashlights to shine on it, and it really worked when you spun it! That Cora is crafty.

 Abigail asked for a gray cat's face on a blue cake.  Okay, so the cat is a little mauve, but she was satisfied. :)

And thus ends Birthday 2 of the year - Birthday 3 is Nathaniel's on February 26th, and he's FINALLY allowed to talk about it. :)  The rule is that Abigail's birthday must be over before he's allowed to talk about his, because otherwise he tries to monopolize every birthday discussion. I anticipate many discussions in the next few weeks. :)  He hasn't decided on a theme yet.