Ellie turned four!

What a busy week it was for us! Ellie's birthday was this past Tuesday...it's hard to believe she's already four years old! On the morning of her birthday....(regular school day for the other two kids)...I got the kids up and announced that if we could get ourselves ready for school in 15 minutes that we would go to Denny's for a birthday breakfast before school. Amazing how every other school day we have an hour and a half to get ready and we are still running to make it before the last bell rings; yet when I dangle Denny's pancakes as a bribe....everyone brings their A game and they are dressed, teeth brushed, clothes matching, hair done, backpacks ready, seated and seatbelted into the car within 14.5 minutes. Ellie of course got to wear her princess dress complete with plastic princess shoes and furry purse.
On Wednesday I was invited to bring Ellie to the apple orchard with her friend Riley. When I told her where we were going it was completely clear to me how important it is to do these kinds of trips when her response to me was, "APPLES??....DO WE PICK THEM??? YAAAY!!! I KNEWWWWW APPLES REALLY GREW ON TREES!!" It was priceless. On Friday we had a pizza and cake party at the park which concluded the almost week long turning four celebration.

Ellie's "just the fam" birthday with sour cream chocolate cake

looking for apples

found one!

then she found a stick

the big kids at the park party

'we have too many what'?!!

gal pals are so fun!

cutie girl.

daddy's so handsome!

cake #2 (with molly's assistance again)

'I wanted this'!!

Jeffrey gave brief but clear descriptions of each gift.