Zara's Birthday

Zara turned 7! I haven't got many photos maybe because it was Sunday? Or because she didn't want a cake? (she wanted ice cream instead) Or because we didn't have a party like we have had in previous years? (This year including Michaela, we told the girls no birthday party instead we will have a farewell party!) For dinner she requested Swedish meatballs, meatballs in a cream sauce over rice, YUM! 

We did go to the Zoo the day before as a family which was lots of fun, photos to follow!

A pony for her collection :)

Michaela crocheted slippers for Zara.

Thanks to several financial contributors Zara was able to
get the Friends Lego Dolphin Cruiser as her main present!

Some small Lego sets from us!

Zara assembling/building her Dolphin Cruiser.
It took her all Sunday afternoon and Monday morning!

The girls have been very blessed with receiving lots of Friends Lego for presents. They have played with it a lot over winter especially since it's been so cold!

Michaela's Birthday

WOW Michaela turned 13 on the 31st of December 2014. A teenager in the house at last. We are looking forward to the teenager years Michaela, hope you are too! 

We bought Michaela, with help from grandparents and some other cash gifts Michaela received, a tablet. She was adamant she wanted a tent for her birthday. I don't mind the idea but being the extremely practical parent, I told Michaela that since we have back-to-back winters this year a tent was slightly unpractical. If she really wanted one, she could ask one for her next birthday which would be in summer! Albert and I had debated on what to get Michaela. When we saw an excellent deal on Black Friday (end of November) at one of the stores and our mind was made up, Michaela would get a tablet. Of course the tablet comes with strict instructions/guidelines on its usage. We also told the rest of the girls that a tablet is not necessarily a gift on your 13th birthday. Her tablet has been handy for Skyping grandparents/family, reading and sending emails. Michaela also has been generous in giving her sisters turns on the tablet. 

Michaela had joked that she did NOT want Eyeore for her birthday.
(What's a mother got to do when she is given such an ultimatum?
wrap the donkey of course! hahaha)

No caption necessary, face says it all!

After reading Franci's blog post where Franci made a Pinata Cake for one of her daughters, Michaela thought that it would be an awesome idea for her birthday cake. I did some online research on how to make the shell. In the end I bought some red melting chocolate (on clearance at Aldi, how did they know that I needed some?) which did the trick. A little patience was needed but painting a bowl with melts and then a second coat with real chocolate was quite cool! Thanks Franci for the idea, hope you didn't mind that we copied it!

Cake on the left, shell on the right

'Treasure'

I saved the blue ones to stick on the outside,
kinda cool don't you think?

Michaela with her birthday dinner choice, spring rolls!
(Phew that was easy!)

Oops totally forgot about the candles
ah well there is always next year!

Exposing the treasure!

Kate's 8th Birthday

Kate turned 8 last Monday! Since her birthday falls so close to the start of the internship, we decided to have a party for her this year a bit earlier. Last year she didn't have a party with friends and so we made an effort this year to make her feel special! Kate invited some of her friends which is quite something, knowing her, of all the girls she is the least outgoing (i.e. the other girls are VERY outgoing!). Albert planned some games and I made her a icecream birthday cake. The party was a potluck dinner and dinner was enjoyed by all! She was spoilt with lots of presents. We told her that she wasn't getting her present from us until the internship. (We decided to give all the girls a kindle for their birthdays this year (with help from the grandparents) since we do sooo much travelling and the girls devour books! The local library has heaps of kindle books! Kindles are a lot easier to take then truckloads of books!)

Kate opening her present, a new T-shirt in her favorite color!
(she also got new PJ's which when you are girl #3 is pretty cool!)

Chocolate game

Kate 'eating' the chocolate!

The Warner's senior were in town and so tagged along!

Guests

Guess who?

Pass the parcel!

VERY spoilt with new roller blades from our next door neighbors!

Icecream cake!

On her actual birthday last Monday, Kate was allowed to chose where/what we would eat for dinner. She was pretty clear, Costco of course! Not only does Costco have taste testers but they also have a cheap fastfood stall with humongous portions. (Izaak you will have to take us there for dinner, hint, hint :)!). We decided to let the girls watch a movie once we got back home and we asked Kate if there was some special 'junk' food she wanted for snacks to go with the movie. She didn't hestitate and said 'Smarties' (chocolate version, not candy, Americans! :) ). I like it when they know what they want, unlike their mother! So although we missed sharing birthdays with family we made the most of it. Kate shares a birthday with one of the members here at Wellandport church and so they invited us for dinner at their house last Friday, what fun!

Girls with their dinner. They shared a meal and couldn't eat it all!

Smarties!
(it's the simple things in life!!!)

Grace Birthday and Party

While we were in Pompton Plains, we had several birthdays (including mine) and having a party with people whom you have just met is not that easy. Grace being her, worked her way into a few hearts by the time our internship was over and so we decided to have a potluck dinner for her birthday. It turned out quite a bit bigger than we had anticipated but we had fun nonetheless. We miss you Pompton Plains! Thank you so much for being our 'stand in' family, it truly is SUCH a blessing to be part of God's Kingdom!

Family tradition, opening presents on Heit and Mama's bed!

Getting ready for the party,
I wonder what Grace's favorite color is?

I told you it was a bit bigger than anticipated!

She even had her own magic show! Thanks to the Rossi Family!

The Rossi kids even made her a 'Hello Kitty' banner

Cupcakes, it was far too hot to bake a cake!

Being utterly spoiled!

Kate's Birthday!

On the 2nd of June our Kate turned 7! She was a bit sad that she couldn't have a party with her friends as we have just moved to Pompton Plains for the summer. As a compromise we told her that we could go out for dinner and that she could chose! She loved that idea. Unfortunately for her the day after her birthday which was supposed to be a day off for Albert, Albert had to work. We took Friday off instead and had a lovely time at the YMCA pool swimming and then meeting with our good friends the Warners. We had the privilege to visit the Warners in their tiny/teeny/small/micro/miniscule apartment! For dinner we braved the Jersey City traffic and drove to the local mall for our dinner. Kate chose Taco Bell for the girls, Albert had a lovely big shaved beef sandwich (American size of course!) and I had some lovely salmon sushi!

On Kate's actual birthday we also had a visitor staying with us from our home church as he had a conference in Columbus, Ohio. We appreciated him visiting us and we spend the Sunday with him. He also upon realizing that it was Kate's birthday, bought her a present also. Kate got VERY spoiled. Our lovely neighbors gave a present for her before we left, a lady in our church in Indiana also gave me a present for her and we received cards in the mail from various people (you know who you are, THANK YOU!). 

We gave Kate a new Patrick for her birthday and we were so excited about it that the night before her birthday we couldn't wait any longer and we decided to give it to her early. She was thrilled to say the least! The other Patrick was loved to death and so she had been making do with a small version of Patrick which when we gave it to her years ago she initially rejected.

A pony (sorry can't remember her name)

New Patrick on the left,
small Patrick on the right

oh YES Clifford is still big in our house!

Hairbands and hairties!

A Dora doll from our lovely neighbours!
(She also got some other Dora things )

A drawing roll plus pencils

Sticker art book!

"Hannah" Birthday cake and soft toy

 (She named her Clifford Hannah after her lovely buddy at Faith Academy, isn't that sweet?)

Red food plus chicken nuggets - Kate's choice

Our visitor - John Koolard

Dinner with the Warner Family

Girls

Opening one of the cards

Zara's Birthday!

Here is Zara's Birthday in pictures :). 

A very excited girl up very early!

Dora 'eating' set

Michaela's presents for Zara, a 'horse' pillow
pet and a royal robe for Moon Light Star!

The 'rule' in our family is that when you turn five you are allowed to have your ears pierced. This is of course optional, some of the girls have done it at five and some a bit later :). Zara was very keen and so off to the mall we went. I picked Albert up for an extended lunch and drove to the mall. We treated the girls to the 'merry-go-around' and lunch. 

Albert and Zara

Waiting patiently to have her ears pierced.

Doing the deed.

All done, pretty pink heart earings!
 (this girl knows what she wants as she picked them
out from about 30 other choices!)

Lunch at Taco Bell - Zara's choice

Once we got home we skyped the grandparents so that Zara could open her presents from them. It is good as we are going to get for now :). 

Opa and Oma

WOW a doll set which included a pram, cot,
highchair all for about $14!!
(Thanks to Aldi's Christmas clearance!)

Pake and Beppe

They (I) bought her a Cinderella dress (Thanks Aldi!)
and some more Little Ponies.

Showing off her dress and pram

The same day a whole lot of snow fell as well more about that in another post!