Happy Birthday, Libby!

Hi all! Libby here. I am soooooooooooo sorry I haven't written about my birthday before, but, I've been in Aurora for a week and I really didn't have time, But, before I tell you about my awesome day today, I'll skip backward to my Frozen party with our cousins (before they left :( ).

We had a costume party and contest at Nanna's, so everyone came dressed as someone from Frozen.

Olaf was a popular candidate. Here is Kit (left) and Jubilee.

I was the only one who came dressed as Seven, and I think I didn't do a very good job of it (although you are welcome to think otherwise ;).

Soon it was time to open gifts.

From our family, Rissa received some Frozen headphones and a game Jewel made up. We played it after opening gifts, although Jewel kept saying it wasn't that good. I think it was fun.

Chrissa also received this cute snowman pail from the Walkers.

From my cousins, I got this cute Olaf shirt. "Now we can be almost twinsies!" I told Rissa.

Here is a group photo of all of us.

In the Elsa category, Jewel won.

Addy, along with her two-month old baby sister Emily, won in the category of coronation guests.

Kit was awesome as Olaf, so I'm not surprised she won.

Georgia's fab costume won her first place in the Anna category.

On my birthday, the 11th, my Mom and Dad started a new tradition inspired by our cousins. They decided, that on each of our birthdays, one of our presents would be an outfit. This was my birthday outfit for this year.

"This is your main present for this year." said my Mom as Marie-Grace handed me a bag. Dad took this picture, with Jewel photobombing nicely in the background.

"What's this?" I asked, pulling out the above shirt. "Since your gymnastic lessons really never got under way," my Mom said, "We decided to switch to a soccer team, and Marie-Grace can make your old leotard into something for ice-skating." "A soccer team? I get to do soccer? Awesomeness! Thanks so much!" I basically shouted, but hey, I was excited.

Just then, the Walkers dropped by. You might say the dogs had a non-mutual interest in Sarah's cat, Cafe. After putting the dogs outside, Mrs. Walker explained the reason for their visit. "Like I was saying, Grace," said Mrs.Walker to my Mom,"before the dogs decided Cafe was their new chew toy, we just stopped in for a quick visit to wish Libby here a happy birthday. John's watching Emily at home, so we just thought we'd drop by to give Libby her birthday gift." 

And I loved my gifts. Oven-bake clay and a scrapbook which I could put anything I want to in.

So, all around, I had a awesome, awesome birthday.

What do you like to do for your birthday?

New signature for a new year. Sorry Georgia, I kind of copied yours.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all! Marie and I had a fab Christmas!

 As is our tradition, we went down to our Grandmother's house for Christmas. It was decorated quite extensively.

 The Walkers came too, bringing with them another adopted girl from England named Sarah Wakestand.

 My favorite gift was a watch given to me by the Walkers. The amusing thing was, that our family also gave Addy a watch!

 My favorite gift was Veggie Tale's "Lord of the Beans". We watched it to end out our night, and by the end of the movie, we were all laughing! The next day we came back home.

 Yesterday, from 6:00 to about 9:30, we had a fabsome New Year's Eve costume party. This picture is of signs that say Happy New Year in lots of different languages.

 There was lots of FOOD and games.............

.............and a costume contest! I was dressed up as a pajama fashionista in the new PJs I got for Christmas. Jewel wasn't sure what she was. At first she was going to be a gypsy, but then we thought she looked more like a Hispanics girl or a pirate queen. She never really decided. And I was a flower nymph.

What is your favorite way to celebrate Christmas and New Year's?

My Birthday!

 Hi all! Today was my so-much-fun, great, amazing, fantastic BIRTHDAY! YAY!

  So, I started out my day with a yummy breakfast in bed that Marie made me.

 After getting dressed and all that stuff, Mom said I could open one of my presents!

It turned out to be a very fun board game called "Apple Land".

At 3:00 Liz Miller and Addy and Jubilee Walker arrived for my costume party. Since we forgot to take pictures of the costumes I'll tell you what the costumes are now. I was a hot dog (with Caramel as my mustard bottle), Jubilee was an Indian, Addy was one of the Von Trapp girls, Marie-Grace was "A wealthy lady from the southern era", and Liz was "A ragbag or a Cinderella before the ball!" You see, Liz had been in California for vacation until last night so she didn't have time to think up much of a costume.  So anyway, here  we are playing "Have you seen my dog?".

After "Have you seen my dog?" we played "How's Your's?"

Then we played clothespin tag. Now, that was fun!  Basically, you try and grab other people's clothespin (or pins)  while not having your own pulled off.

Jubilee won that.

Then I went out while the others hid my presents. When I came back in they all started calling out their hotter, colders all at the same time! Annoyance! That made it very hard to find my presents.

I did, however.

Before opening my lovely  presents, it was time for CAKE!!!!  

Marie did an amazing job when she baked it.

Then it was time for PRESENTS! In this particular present from the Walkers was a $20 gift card to Olive Garden! Maybe when I go, I'll order just bread sticks! Not really, but their bread sticks are amazing, don't you think?

From Marie I got this exciting book called: "The Tale of Princess Tatiana". From what I've read so far, it's really good.

Then I got a really thoughtful gift from Liz. When she was at the American Girl store in Los Angeles, she remembered that that was the only american girl store I had ever gone to and bought me the tee-shirt from there. Wasn't that nice of her? 

The Walkers also gave me this cute frame as a present.

Later, when Dad got home,(and the guests had left) I opened my last gift. It was a leotard and a promise of gymnastics lessons in the fall! I'll finally learn to turn a cartwheel! 

So I'm a year older. Do I seem older? Do I look older? I bet not. Well, I had a great birthday all the same.

What do you do for your birthdays?

Mardi Gras Masquerade

Hi all! Libby here. Now, I don't know if you've even herd of Mardi Gras. I only know about it from a book I read. This is how the dictionary defined it: a carnival held in some countries on Shrove Tuesday, most famously in New Orleans. Now it just so happens that our friend Liz Miller had also herd of Mardi Gras and had invited us over for a costume party at her house.

 Side Note: This is Marie's newest painting. Isn't it pretty?

 We all forgot about masks. One simply must have masks at a Masquerade mustn't one? So, I photo edited these masks in.

 While Marie-Grace and Liz had a talk...........

 I snagged a cookie from the bowl! Yum!

"You know what?" said Liz to Marie, "I read a book about thieving Indians recently. Hem, hem Libby. Why don't you wait for the rest of us?" "Well than," I replied, "Let's dig in!"

"You know," I remarked, grabbing the last cookie, "At the Mardi Gras party I read about, there was dancing."

"Well then," said Liz, trying to sound grand, "We shalt dance." So we swept around the room, tripping over each other's feet.

After that we played a game called "Don't laugh Copycat!" Here are Our best pictures of that.

Before we had to leave, I had a nice long talk with Liz. I always have lots of fun with her.

Did you Celebrate Mardi Gras?