Celebrations

We have been doing a lot of celebrating around here lately. I love birthdays and I love celebrating them....especially for the people I love the most.  So, my heart has been full of birthday joy since Troy and Kyla's birthdays are just two days apart.  Kyla got to take cupcakes to share with her preschool class this past week for her birthday and when I picked her up that day she was wearing this....and continued to wear it around the house most of the day. :)

Now, we all know that a 4 year old birthday gets more fussed over than a 32 year old birthday, but we really, really love our daddy and so we did all we could to make his day special.  So, we made him cupcakes and decorated them as a surprise for him.  We met him for a special birthday lunch in the middle of a very busy Wednesday for all of us.  And, that night at around 9:00 p.m. after we were home and settled from our Wed. night activities, Troy and I sat at the kitchen table eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, we talked and laughed.  We discussed how different our lives are at 32 (30 for me, I am the youngster in this marriage :) ) versus 23, but how much more we love it now.  It was simple, but it was still celebration.

Here is Kyla with our birthday cupcakes for daddy

Then the celebration continued as we had Kyla's official birthday party on Saturday.  She got to share it with all of her grandma and grandpa's and her Aunt Heidi.  We decided to have a snowflake themed party since she is a January birthday and shares my love for snow.  It looked a little like this:

Snowflake cake

Kyla helping put up the snowflake decorations, which were so easy to find on clearance this time of the year

Snowflakes everywhere!

Kyla had such a great time at her party....took her time opening each gift, said thank you to everyone and loved everything she got. 

Birthday girl with all of her gifts

Ashlyn had a great time at the party too!  She was happy the whole time and is turning into quite the people person!

And showed off her walking skills with her lion push toy

And, no birthday celebration would be complete without a cake.

The look on her face while we were singing "Happy Birthday" to her

Blowing out the candles, from afar....still doesn't like them too close

There is no greater blessing in my life than our family.  Last night after all of the birthday festivities were over and it was just Troy and I, we were talking and praying about some things together and thanking God for the family He has given us.  It is really easy to celebrate birthdays when they are for the people you love the most.