CB's 10TH

Cara Beth is 10! Cora had so much fun at her birthday party filled with swimming and karaoke and candy and cake!

Cora Mae, Anna Paiten, Cara Beth, Julia, Autumn, Presley, and Elle

Their karaoke audience was made up of all their American Girl Dolls! ;-)

EMILY'S 11TH

GRACIE'S POTTER PARTY

Cora's friend Gracie had a Harry Potter themed 10th birthday party today (and Cora was able to squeeze it in before heading to Clinton for soccer game #2 of the tournament). Here she is with Cara and Gracie at the start of the party (wearing her HP dress from last March's Disney trip, which now fits like a tunic):

KENNEDY GOODBYE (FOR NOW)

We headed back to Clinton again this weekend for Lauren's birthday party and a chance for one more afternoon hanging out with our friends before they move to Virginia for a year (Al is starting his PhD program at Virginia Tech and will be away for long-term training, so the whole family is packing up and heading east for an adventure!)

Goodbyes are hard and hugs are important!

We attempted to cheer the kids up after the goodbyes with Japanese food for an early dinner before heading back to the 'Burg:

JAMES TATE'S SWIM BIRTHDAY

AMERICAN BEAUTY

Cora received an American Girl Doll beauty set from Gramma for her birthday and she's had so much fun doing Tenney's hair (and her own)!

A SLIMY BIRTHDAY!

Cora sat us down one evening a couple weeks ago with her birthday party plans. While we were initially worried, it turned out to be a super cute and easy idea!

We got all the requested materials (slime ingredients, paint sets, and favorite foods) together and invited her best friend over for a night slime-making fun! 

(She requested a cookie cake instead of a traditional cake or cupcakes, so I made a batch of sugar cookies and they stacked and frosted and decorated to their hearts content.)

And when breakfast includes jello, you know the day after your birthday is going to be fun too!

HAPPY 9TH BIRTHDAY TO CORA

Cora started her birthday with flowers and family gifts!

...and donuts, of course!