Kai's 8th Birthday

Happy Birthday Kai!

I just wanted to post a few pictures from Kai's 8th Birthday.

She chose the Theme:  The Boxcar Children....and at first I thought that it might be impossible.  Luckily, Kai was not short of any ideas.  So we went with it.

After much messing around with photoshop - this is the invite we came up with:

For the goody bags I printed the photo on a label and stuck it on some paper.

The good thing about the boxcar children is that they were all about cheap and easy.

Included in their goody bags were a bandana with their name on it and a little led booklight with a clasp.  They really loved these.

I found some great wrapping paper at the dollar store and made some banners.

I tried to decorate the table with little flowers - just like Jessie would.

Brett "built" me a Boxcar Theater down in the basement where the girls could come and watch a movie.

Kai decorated it with our quilts and couch cushions.

As the girls came in they started working on a craft so that we could get ready for the Scavenger Hunt.

They made Glass Lanterns - with tea lights.

They really loved this! 

We did our craft, had an easy dinner of Spaghetti and salad.  Then was the Scavenger Hunt.  I wish I had some pictures of this.  If it weren't for a friend helping - it would not have been so fun.  We hid Kai's presents and divided the girls up into groups.  Each group had to find their own presents that they brought by rhyming couplets for clues.  Some found them easy - some took some time.  The last clue was the same for everyone.  That's where they found their goody bags.  Very fun!

Then we had cake!  This year I made my own marshmallow fondant.  First time - and it wasn't so bad!  You can't see the cake, but Ben and Kai both liked it....I will probably do this again.

Anyway, it was a lot of work....as I look at the pictures, I think - where did all that time go?  It doesn't look very fancy.  But it was a lot of fun!
Happy Birthday Big Sweetus.

Here was Kai on her real birthday

Actual Bday!

Sorry - I forgot to include these photos of Kai's real birthday.  At our house you get to choose each meal (an idea I stole from a good friend).  She chose breakfast pancakes, Boxed Mac & Cheese for lunch (gag!) and of course for dinner - Chicken Pot pie.  

Breakfast Candles - a tradition at our house.

"I'm 8 sign from Kai"

Before church with Grandma Pam