Thursday, June 30, 2011

It's a ........


GIRL!!!!!!!

Today I am 16 weeks pregnant!
Due December 17th!

I made cupcakes for the kids and told them if the
cake inside was blue that
meant we were having a BOY
and pink meant we were
having a GIRL!

Nixon guessed we were having a boy!
She agreed with
me that Roman needed
a baby brother!

But like she told me a few days
before when I said I hoped for a boy,

"Mommy, you get what you get
and you don't pitch a fit!" :)


I asked Nixon what color she saw, she said "RED!"

The girls are excited we are
having a GIRL!

Roman is just excited to have
an excuse to eat cupcakes!

We don't have a name picked out.
Isla says her name will
be either "Dora" or "Sally"!

Nixon has named her "Rose Flower"

Jared and I are still thinking!


We are so happy about a
new baby girl in the house!

God continues to bless our family!

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Isla's a"DORA"ble 3rd Birthday!


I have spent all week downloading all the pictures
from Isla's party!
I know this is the longest post ever
but I want her to remember
all the details of the fabulous day!

Isla insisted she have a
DORA themed party.
It was hard to come up with cute
ideas for DORA but I think we managed!

What does a birthday girl wear
to a DORA Party?????
Gue made Isla a precious DORA
birthday shirt and
I made her a matching tutu!

She looked absolutely a"DORA" ble!

None of my children's birthday parties
would be complete without Gue dressing up!
She made a fabulous DORA!


DECORATIONS!

I was going to do the entire party
in pink and orange but
when Isla went to Party City
with me she decided she
wanted pink and purple.

She was the birthday girl so we
went with PINK and PURPLE!

My wonderful neighbor cut out the
flowers and letters for me to
make Isla a birthday banner!

Haley helped me make pink and
purple flowers out of
tissue paper to decorate the
fence of the playground!

Preacher helped by printing off DORA
characters for us to use on all the signs!

I got this really creative idea for
centerpieces for the tables.

I found the idea on Bird's Party Blog!

They turned out real cute but took me
FOREVER!
I did give two of them
to Jessica and Roxann as a
thank you gift for traveling so
far and helping me with the party!

The others are now decorations
in the girl's bedroom.

Tiffany helped me make custom
party hats for all the kids.
We made pink and purple for the
girls and orange for the boys!

And of course no party is complete without
BALLOONS!
Thanks to Jared!


FOOD!

I really wanted to do
cupcakes for Isla but
she insisted
(she knew what she wanted)
on having a cake!

It was really hard to find a
cute DORA cake in the
Columbus area!
Isla blowing out the candles!

Daddy, mommy, and Isla!
Isla enjoying eating the cake!
(it was delicious!)

We had animal cookies!
("Diego's Animal Rescues)

Boot's Bananas!
(one of Isla's favorites!)

Dora Snacks!
(Isla would eat a whole box
a day if I would let her!)

Nina brought us these cute DORA
sugar cookies from a
bakery in Tuscaloosa!

Isla really liked them!

Pop grilled hotdogs for
everyone and Gue
brought the most
delicious baked beans ever!
We also served pink
lemonade and purple cool-aide!

Hotdogs are Isla's favorite!

MUSIC!
Jared made a CD of all the songs on
Dora the Explorer. He set up the sound
system outside and had them playing
throughout the party!


ACTIVITIES!
We had the party at our
church's playground so all
the kids enjoyed swinging,
sliding, and playing!

We also had
Benny's Bubbles!

Boot's Bounce House!

After we ate cake and hotdogs
it was time for the pinata!

But oh no!
Swiper the Fox came
and swiped the Pinata!

We had to go on a DORA
Adventure to find the Pinata!

"WHO DO YOU ASK FOR HELP
WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW
WHICH WAY TO GO?"

THE MAP!

1st we had to go under Rainbow Bridge (ballon arch)
Next we had to go through Tico's Tunnel
Then we had to cross Crocodile Lake!

Isla listened carefully to the directions!

Before we could go on our adventure
the kids had to get their backpacks!

Thanks to Gue for working hard and
making the precious backpacks for the kids!

The back packs were filled with everything they
would need to complete their adventure!

Everyone preparing for adventure!

On our way to the 1st stop,
Rainbow Bridge!

Before we could cross
Rainbow Bridge the kids
had to solve a riddle from the
Grumpy Old Troll!

The Riddle:
"Who uses a field journal and is Dora’s cousin?"
Answer: "DIEGO!"

Next Stop: Tico's Tunnel!
"It's way too dark in Tico's tunnel?
What can we use to help us see in the dark?"

Flashlights!

All the kids had miniflashlights in
their backpacks to help crawl
through Tico's Tunnel!


The Birthday Girl going through Tico's Tunnel!

After Tico's Tunel we were at Crocdile Lake!
But wait!
There was a sleeping bear
blocking the crossway!

"What can we use to wake up a sleeping bear? "

"Whistles!"

All the kids found a whistle to blow in
their backpacks
to wake up the sleeping bear!

Everyone blew their whistles on the count of three
and the sleeping bear woke up and jumped away!
(with the help of Jared)

Once the bear was out of the way the
kids careful crossed Crocodile Lake!

After we completed the adventure it was time for
Swiper the Fox to return the birthday pinata!

But where was he?

He ran away!
But we found where
he hid the Pinata!

Pinata Time!!!

The final blow by JohnMark!

Candy!

Our DORA Adventure was over
just in time to open presents!

Isla loves her Dora doll and backpack
Johnna Katherine gave her!

Isla got 6 different Dora dolls!
She loves them all!!!

Nina and Preacher gave her a very
special gift, a cross necklace!
(just like Nina's)

Isla swinging with her new necklace!

Many people came to make
Isla's day special!!!!

Family

Mommy and Daddy

Big Sister Nixon!

Baby Brother, Roman!
(even though he was sick)

Preacher!

Nina!

Gue and Aunt Dee!

Pop!

Uncle Jim and Ellis!

Reid!

Tucker!

Uncle John Ashley and Sara!

Aunt Roxann and Ella!

John Robert!

Aunt Jessi and JennaLeigh!

JohnMark!

Johnna Katherine!

Julianna Marie!

Friends came too!

Our special friends from Troy,
Whitney and William!
(Bryant was there too)

Maggie from church!

Ava from church!

Libby, our Pastor's daughter!

Dio and his sister Valentina from church!

Isla's buddy Brody from church!

Our neighbor Hadley!

Haley, our friend and BIG helper!

We had such a wonderful day eating
with our friends and family!

And playing with our friends and family!

Jules and JK and Reid

Isla and Nixon waiting their turn at the pinata!

Isla and JK playing!

Hadley sliding!

Roman laying on Pop's shoulder.
(he was so sick)

Trying to get a cousin snapshot!
Jules, Nixon, Roman, JL, and JohnMark

JennaLeigh

Cousin Ella!

Reid playing with Nixon and Libby!

Julianna saying Cheese!

Sara and Johnna Katherine giving love!

Nixon giving JK loving!

Kids swinging

Gue and Isla sliding!

Nina with the babies!

Nina and Preacher trying to get a
picture with all the grandkids!
(Isla is missing!)

We had a fabulous fun-filled day!

Isla was out before we even left the parking lot!
(so was her brother!)

Lastly, several snapshots taken of the beautiful
birthday girl throughout the day!

We are so blessed
to have had Isla in
our lives for
the past 3 years!

She is definitely a joy!

We thank God for her each and everyday!