5 Years and Counting

After we got back from Michigan, we morphed right into BIRTHDAY mode. (because you know, we weren't already in birthday mode after a trip that included TWO birthday cakes. whatever.) Hayden was quite adament that she had high expectations after the decorations we put up last year. So even though we got back to our house after 9 pm (probably later, I can't remember), Jason and I put up streamers, hung banners, and blew up balloons. You only turn five once!

Her birthday day wasn't especially exciting. Grandma had been kind enough to provide us with cinnamon rolls that Hayden had pick for breakfast. We mainly did LOTS of laundry, and made a cake. Hayden had requested a giant whoopie cake for her birthday cake, and I happily obliged. It turned out pretty well - even had pink frosting inside!

the birthday girl and her whoopie pie cake

Eliza thought it was pretty darn tasty.

Our main present to her was her very own real camera - practically miniature, and pink! She was thrilled. There will be Hayden picture blogs in the future, and they will be great!

 The big excitement came two days later when we had her birthday party. The theme was PRINCESS! It was the first real birthday party we've thrown for her (where the main guests are all kids) and we worked very hard to make it fun. There was a fancy tower of cupcakes as per Hayden's request (we watch too much bakery reality TV!), art projects, games and presents. We were lucky enough to have Lacey and her family in town for the party, so with all the family and friends, we had quite the rocking party! 

Hayden helped me put the finishing touches (candy crowns!) on the cupcakes.

The cupcake tower. Please appreciate the sparkly pink ribbon decoration - it was SO hard to stick to the tower!

cupcake close-up.

 We were trying to emulate THIS cupcake, that Hayden had taken a fancy to. I think we did a pretty good job! Now on to the party details!

Arrival craft - decorate your own crown! Who knew there were so many sticker gem options available at craft stores?!

pin the crown on the princess!

 

Story time while snacks get set out. I love that so many of them kept wearing their crowns!

Cousin Charlotte at the little kid table.

Hayden's cupcake, post candle blowing.

digging into the frosting (the butterfly on her cheek is not from the party. She had a busy day!)

Practically a 'handle-bar' frosting mustache. Well-done Charlotte!

Present time! She got some great ones.

 Happy 5th Birthday Hayden!

to the U.P. and beyond

After the heat of the Eno Festival, it was time to get away, so we headed WAY up north to the Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan. Jason's grandparents have summered in their cottage on a lake there for ever and ever, and yet we as a family had never been there before. Plus it was Poppa's 90th birthday, so the whole family was gathering to celebrate. We stayed in a rented cabin with Jason's sister and her family, just down the road from Poppa and Ammi's cottage. There was a lot of cousin camraderie, family fun and lots of playing in the lake. We even managed a trip to Agate Beach and a formal photosession with 4 generations (16 people total!).   I took many pictures of course, but will do my best to select ones that capture the fun trip we have in a photo blog entry.

This was Molly's first plane ride. She did pretty well - a little bit fidgety when she wasn't nursing. But better than Jason - let's just say, now we know who still uses those airsick bags. Poor guy caught some 24 hr stomach bug that attacked him on flight #2.

We had long layovers in Chicago but it worked out okay because there was an AWESOME play area for the kids. Even Molly practiced her crawling.

The really cool bridge on the way to the cabin. The whole thing lifts up in the middle! (no I don't know the technical term right now! I'll get back to you on that.)

our rental cabin - it's bigger than it looks. Slept 10 comfortably!

the view from the deck in the photo above, looking out on Portage Lake. There's a trail by the tree line along the lake that you could use to walk to Ammi and Poppa's cottage.

Molly gets 'baptized' into the DeRousie family by getting her toes dipped in Portage Lake.

the boathouse - the main view from the DeRousie cottage (but not their boathouse)

Molly wasn't a big fan of toe dipping - but she got a good ab workout trying to avoid it!

Hayden just LOVED the lake.

How many cousins can you fit in a tube?

Ammi and her great grandchildren on the lawn of the cottage.

We took a day trip to Lake Superior and Agate Beach. When we arrived, it was gray, chilly and windy.

It was my and Molly's first trip to Lake Superior!

Can you find an agate?

Walking on the beach with Grammy.

Sand + cousin = fun!

And then the sun came out and it was BEAUTIFUL! (a 'superior' view, if you will)

I love this picture.

With the sun out, we settled in to stay awhile. We wandered down the beach and found a river that the kids had a BLAST playing in, despite the chilly water.

Will shows off for his sister and cousin!

We had everyone over for dinner at the cabin one night (Jason and I cooked!). Everybody fit on the deck!

The ricotta pasta was well received - especially by Molly!

This is the face Molly made for almost the whole trip when anyone but Mommy or Daddy dared to pick her up. Everyone but Molly thought it was pretty funny.

Hayden got cake and candles in celebration of her upcoming birthday.

She even got presents, including the much dreamed about bridal party barbie set. She was THRILLED! (Thanks Grammy and Granddad!)

Checking out Ammi before the professional photo shoot. 

Liesl shows why it was a good idea to go for ice cream AFTER the photo shoot!

On our last evening, we all hung out at the DeRousie cottage for family fun and Poppa's birthday celebration.

Hayden continued to enjoy the water.

Will successfully rescued the rowboat that was floating away.

Eliza and Poppa got acquainted.

It's not every day you get to see a 90th birthday balloon and it's recipient!

It can't be a UP party without Pasties! (or so I'm told...)

Molly shows off her favorite trick - lean to the side and make you copy her. (by the way, she liked her taste of pasty.)

Apparently we didn't give her enough pasty, because she tried to eat the table.

posing at the doorway, probably hoping she looks cute enough for more cake.

During the trip, Molly's crawling really took off.

On the flight home, the stewardess found out it was Hayden's birthday the next day. Hayden got to tell everyone to clean up over the intercom and had her birthday announced to the plane!

We had a great time in the UP. The weather was gorgeous weather (so much cooler than NC!), the girls loved the lake, we had fun with cousins, and the girls got to experience a piece of family history. What an excellent trip!