Quick 5

1.  Alaina's birthday party was a huge success, in spite of the stomach flu that plagued our family during the two days before it.  It has been so fun to watch the evolution of her parties, as she and her guests (whom we invite every year) grow and mature.  Alaina did me proud as she thanked each person as she opened their gift or card.  And all the little girls simply sat back and watched, which was a marked change from previous years when the parents had to really reign in the excited partygoers.  It was so lovely to have a backyard that we could have the party in too.

Thank you Gramma & Grampa!

Thank you, Singletons!

Thanks, Aunt Mindy & Uncle Josh!

Apple Ben had the honor of reading all the cards to her

 2.  This gets a point all its own.  I am so proud of this cake.  It is by no means professional, but I had fun making it.  You can see prettier ones on Pinterest, but behold the birthday cake:

3.  On Tuesday Alaina had her 5 year check up at the doctors.  I made the mistake of telling her about it the day before.  Because of course her first question was if she was going to get a shot.  I couldn't lie to her; she did need a couple of boosters before kindergarten.  We're also a little behind on the chicken pox vaccine.  So when I said yes, she just cried really sad tears.  But then was pretty brave about it for the rest of the day and the day of the doctor's visit.  I didn't tell her she needed THREE shots, so of course she cried hard during the first and second shot.  Then we told her to hang in there, because she just had one more left.  "ONE MORE????" she cried.  Breaks a momma's heart.  But now she's protected, and we all got Chick-fil-a for lunch that day.

4.  The first week in June is a magical week, because it's the week that Alaina's and Lee's birthday burgers at Red Robin coincide.  So it is the one time a year that our family gets to go to a sit down restaurant.  We went on Wednesday, and it was actually a fairly pleasant experience.  Joya was old enough to be entertained by the crayons, and Bria only cried after I was done eating, so I could manage her until we were ready to leave.  It's the good thing about being a poor young family; going out to eat really IS a big treat.

Waiting patiently!

 5. And one last picture of Joya to make her daddy proud disgusted:

I really was watching her the whole time she ate her chocolate pudding, and I still am not quite sure how she managed to get it all over her face.

Welcome summer, eh?